School's Out

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

A Child's Voice Sang On

We opened our Sunday morning service with "I sing the might power of God" standing we raised our voices and sang our praise.   With voices and piano building to the crescendo we ended with the words that are at the foundation of our faith, "there's not a place where we can flee but God is present there!"   

And where ear-ringing silent should have been his voice continued to sing on clear and pure the words unrecognizable except to his God. The clear pure voice of a 3-year-old soul and with tune and words unknown to all but God, we were all given a gift: the gift of pure unrestrained worship and praise.

Parents quickly try to hush the small yet powerful voice and he refused to stop until his worship was done and his praise complete. 

I am always humbled by the pure worship of children and the gifts of joy they provide us if we have the heart to listen and wisdom to understand.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Eat mindfully

Well it has happened again, the January diet craze and if it follows the normal course of events by the third week in February pizza, desert and junk food will once again be on the office menu. 

When you sit down to eat a meal or enjoy a snack what do you see?

Not what you look at, what do you see?

Do you see nutritious food to fuel your body for the day, or do you see a tasty snack that brings you a moment of joy to your taste buds, or do you see a meal that reminds you of a love one long gone and the list can go on encompassing all of the reasons we eat what we eat.

What is being referred to is the distinct elements of the meal:

• Where has it travelled get to your table
• The reason you chose it
• The memories it provokes
• Your hopes and desires in eating that particular meal

Or like most of us do you look at your plate, and start to eat? 

Eating has become a habit that we no longer think about just like breathing.  We just open the bag, open our mouths and devour. 

It is a sad reflection on our society that in our abundance of safe nutritious food a reality that is unparalleled in history we have stopped seeing and knowing the place our food has in our daily lives.  

Be mindful of the food in front of you, consider how it will affect you, how it was made and where it has come from.  Take a moment to consider how blessed you are in having the food opportunities you do. 

Model for our children and grandchildren that food is not our enemy like breathing it is our friend and we need to understand its role in our lives.

Eat mindfully, recognize your food.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016twosnydergirls

You Are Precious In God's Sight

God sees the little sparrow fall,

it meets his tender view;

if God so loves the little birds,

I know he loves me too.

He loves me too, he loves me too,

I know he loves me too.

Because he loves the little things.

I know he loves me too.

Isaiah 43:1 brings me great comfort when my life is falling apart and humbles me when I venture down the path of feeling I have earned my place in heaven.

Before the world as we know it was set into motion God knew us by name, earthly name or spiritual name does not matter God knew us!

God knew the best that we could be and the worst and knowing this God loved us enough to allow us free will the choice to become self aware and self directed.

So precious are we to our Creator, to God that nothing can stand in the way of God’s love, not even death.

We must seem like little things in the vast expanse of all creation - one human being, yet God’s love for us is uncompromising to the point of  his becoming human for the purpose of redeeming us.

I know he loves me too.

All of my good or bad deeds do nothing to diminish or increase God’s love for me.

I am precious in God’s Sight

We are precious in God’s Sight

All of Humanity is precious in God’s Sight

Because he loves the little things
I know he loves me too.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Lectionary Scriptures Isaiah 43:1-7 Psalm 29 Acts 8:14-17 Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Golden Turnip and Apple Soup

Call us old fashion we enjoy turnip!  We enjoy it raw cut into strips as you would for carrots, cooked, or mashed.  Did you know that the first jack-o-lanterns were made from turnips – they were. 

As with most of our soup recipes their origins spring from leftovers or what is on hand.  Last week we had apples, turnip and sautéed onions leftover from Christmas to work with and the result was what we are calling Golden Turnip and Apple Soup.  A rich, and hearty soup full of flavour and warmth.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups caramelized onions (we do large batches and freeze in 1 cup lots)
• 2 cups water
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium turnip cut into small cubes
• 4 apples (peeled, and cut into small cubes)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. Caramelize your onions in your soup pot.  You want to retain all of the flavour that the browning contains.
2. When the onions are done deglaze the pot with the water
3. Add the vegetable broth and cubed turnip and apples
4. Simmer until the turnip is soft enough to puree (we cooked ours for 2 hours)
5. Being very careful not to burn yourself puree all the ingredients
6. Add the turmeric, black pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste.
7. Serve

From Our Table to Yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

We Finish What We Start

 

One would think that by the time you become a grandmother you would have learned that your grandchildren are paying attention to what you say and then what you do.  Yet once again the voice of a seven-year-old caught this grandma up short, when I did not follow my own advice.

Those of you that follow the blog will know that on January 1, 2015 I started a year long knitting project entitled ‘Knitting The Temperature’.  I picked a lace knit stitch and started my scarf, however by the end of May 2015 I was not sure I liked the pattern and I realized that the scarf itself was going to be far too long.  Recording the temperature on a daily basis had become a habit and knowing that my maternal grandfather kept journals in which he recorded the temperature and the weather for every day I continued, however I stopped working on the scarf.

The yarns lay neatly rolled into balls in the basket beside my chair the scarf a almost half done folded on top.  Christmas came and went with our granddaughters happily cherishing the handmade gifts they had received.  With all of their gifts made and put away the basket once again was the lone project sitting beside grandma's chair and this is when Ruth noticed it.

“Grandma when are you going to finish the scarf” inquired Ruth one afternoon when she was visiting.

 “I'm not happy with it I don't think I will finish it I'll just put it away” I replied.

 "Grandma do you told me that I had to finish my sewing project that I started that I just couldn't abandon it!  We finish what we start”, she said admonishing me with my own words.

Whoops I knew it what coming next and as she finished her sentence I pulled out my knitting needles and set about finishing the scarf.

It's done now and I'm OK with the pattern.  It still is too long so it has become an infinity scarf, which I will wear wrapped around my neck as is the fashion today.

It is always good practice to finish what you start and an even better practice is to do what you say and say what you do, little ears are always listens!

We finish what we start!

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Let It Snow

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Crocheting the November Sky

November 2015

My November Guest

~ Robert Frost

My Sorrow, when she's here with me,

Thinks these dark days of autumn rain

Are beautiful as days can be;

She loves the bare, the withered tree;

She walks the sodden pasture lane.

  

Her pleasure will not let me stay.

She talks and I am fain to list:

She's glad the birds are gone away,

She's glad her simple worsted grady

Is silver now with clinging mist.

 The desolate, deserted trees,

The faded earth, the heavy sky,

The beauties she so ryly sees,

She thinks I have no eye for these,

And vexes me for reason why.

 Not yesterday I learned to know

The love of bare November days

Before the coming of the snow,

But it were vain to tell he so,

And they are better for her praise.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Don't Just Exist, Live

New Year's resolutions abounded today at work and they were as diverse as the people making them.  Unfortunately, less than 10% of the resolutions made will be kept the rest will just fall by the wayside.  

As you know if you follow the blog we do not support the practice of New Year's resolutions because for 90% of those made they represent yet another personal failure.

In setting small attainable goals each day success can be found. 

Begin by setting goals that will affirm you as a person, that will support you being alive in each moment, that move you from existing to living.

Don’t just exist, live.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

The True Light

We crave light!

We suffer physically when we are deprived of light, our bones and muscles weaken, emotionally we become depressed and mentally we experience confusion.  

We were created to live in the sunlight!

Spiritually we crave the light of: direction, hope, love, inclusion, health, completeness, purpose, peace. 

A light that will “gather [us] from the uttermost parts of the earth” the true light under which we will “walk by rivers of water, in a straight way” a light so bright and protecting that we “will not stumble”. 

The original light that shone for us “before the foundation of the world [was formed], that we should be holy and without blemish before [the creator] in love”

Jesus Christ is the true light, shining for all people!

Christ shines not just for Christians, we are not to lounge in the glory of his light we have been commissioned to go out into the world where through love, and service to all people, we reflect into this darkened world the true light.

It is through our actions - how we live day to day that we reflect into: our homes, neighbourhoods, places of employment, where we vacation the light - into the entire world Christ love of love and peace.

What type of light would the person who packs your groceries say you reflect?

We were created to spiritually thrive in the light of selfless love and peace!

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Lectionary verses: Jeremiah 31:7-14, Psalm 147:12-20, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:(1-9), 10-18

Crocheting the October Sky

October 2015

October

Across the land a faint blue veil of mist

Seems hung; the woods wear yet arrayment sober

Till frost shall make them flame; silent and whist

The drooping cherry orchard of October

Like mournful pennons hang their shrivelling leaves

Russet and orange: all things now decay;

Long since ye garnered in your autumn sheaves,

And sad the robins pipe at set of day.

Now do ye dream of Spring when greening shaws

Confer with the shrewd breezes and of slopes

Flower-kirtled and of April virgin guest;

Days that ye love despite their windy flaws,

Since they are woven with all joys and hopes

Whereof ye nevermore shall be possessed.

~ Siegfried Sassoon

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2016 twosnydergirls

Hello Me

Sending yourself words of encouragement and joy.

The first day of January finds me sitting with a good cup of tea surrounded by my journals reading what younger versions of me have written, their hopes, discouragement, motivations in short revisiting who I am through their eyes.

This year what stood out was a letter I wrote to myself at the beginning High School and was meant to be opened on my graduation day.  The letter talked about success, love, creative successes, it was in short the unassailable expectations of fourteen-year-old with a lifetime a head of her.

Two short years later I had dropped out of High School, runaway from home, was estranged from my family and working long hours trying to support myself at a minimum wage job.  Life and the decisions I made trampled on the letter and the expectation it held for my life – the letter forgotten sat unopened in one of my journals.

I was eighteen when I started my January 1^st, tradition.  That New Years Eve I spent alone listening to music on the radio wondering how I would keep going if this was all life had to offer.  My journals sat in the packing trunk that did double duty as a coffee table and so because they were within easy reach out and opened the oldest and started reading.  With each word written by a younger me I found pieces of myself and with each gift I reclaimed me then I came to the letter still unopened. 

The words flooded across me, first as words of condemnation a mirror held up to reflect how far I had fallen, how I had failed that fourteen-year-old me then I came to the final sentence, “I really don’t know what you (me) will have done in five years, what I do know is that I will like you (me), I love you (me) and you (me) will always keep on trying!”  with those words I remembered the teacher’s instruction us.  We were to end with a sentence that would bring hope if we had not managed to accomplish all of our goals, a sentence that would tell a future self that there is hope and not to give up.

Armed with the knowledge that a younger me had faith in me I have gone on to complete a post graduate degree, marry the love of my life, surround myself with a loving family of children and grandchildren and to have many creative accomplishments. 

I am now writing a letter to my 70-year-old self, describing the things I would like too have accomplished, and most importantly that I have faith that she will have done the best she could, that she finds joy in life, that she is loved and no matter what that I am proud of her.

I will sit down with my granddaughters over the next mouth and see if they are willing to write a letter of hope, and love addressed to a future self and how important it is to end the letter with a sentence of love, hope, self-love.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2017 twosnydergirls

Happy New Year

Merry Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas and all the Best of New Year to You and Those You Love

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for following us over the past two years. 

Christmas Day marks the beginning of our third year of blogging.  Grandparents & Grandchildren has evolved over the past three years from it’s beginnings as a platform for our granddaughters to share with you the adventures with their Maplelea Dolls, to a grandparent life style blog with six main features:

1. Mindful Monday - short quotes and insights to consider 
2. Wordless Wednesday - a series of original photograph on a specific topic
3. Foodie Friday - a recipe from our table to yours
4. Spiritual Sunday - this follows the Mennonite lectionary series and are words meant to bring joy and spiritual contemplation
5. 5 Minutes of My Day - a daily photo journal and
6. Weekly Photo Project - a google+ photographic group that we belong to 

In addition, we post crafts, gardening, and (grand)parenting insight posts that feature our adventures with our grandchildren and children.

In the coming year our two granddaughter Emily and Ruth want to have a more active role in the blog and to accommodate this we will be hosting blogs that feature their photograph, a monthly blog challenge where we will re-purpose an article of  old clothing into clothing for their Maplelea’s or themselves and original stories that the girls write.

We will also be bringing back the monthly post Women of History as many of you have requested this and I will continue to a monthly post this year entitled Crocheting the weather.

We will taking from December 24, 2015 to January 1, 2016 off from our regular posting to take time to write, research, photograph and relax with family.  

We will continue to post 5 minutes of my day through out this time.

Merry Christmas from James, Emily, Ruth Grandpa Snyder and me Grandma Snyder.

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Laundry Day

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Morning Glory Muffins Gluten Free

Cooking with children is a wonderful way of teaching them to give back to their community, their social and religious groups. 

A dear senior member of our small church past away this week and there was a call from the pulpit for people to make sandwiches and cupcakes or muffins for the funeral meal.

Emily and Ruth did not know this member however had heard his name spoken in our home whenever we played crokinole a game much loved by Israel. 

What happened to him was their first response and when we had answered this question to their satisfaction we asked if they wanted to contribute the make of the funeral meal.

So on the Sunday before Christmas we found ourselves in the kitchen making Morning Glory Muffins (gluten free) with our granddaughters.

This is a recipe that we have been making since the early 1980’s and is our go to recipe when the call is given for muffins.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups gluten free flour (½ cup almond flour, ½ cup rice flour, ½ cup coconut flour, ½ cup tapioca flour, ½ teaspoon xanthan gum)
• 1 white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 cups grated carrots
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup roughly crushed nuts, we used pecans
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• 1 apple cored and grated
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup coconut oil melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. In a large bowl shift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt
2. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, oil, and vanilla once fully combined add this to the flour with the carrots, raisins, nuts, coconut, and apple.  Mix well.
3. Spoon the batter into muffin cups or a well-greased muffin pan.
4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
5. This recipe make 2 dozen small muffins or 14 large muffins.

Ruth enjoyed crushing those nuts way too much :)

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Be Mindful of Your Rushing

Well the holidays are well under way and today was almost my last, as I walked across the parking lot of our local grocery store and a car going too fast, had to break hard to avoid missing me.  

Then inside the store as I stand patiently in line a woman three people down the line “yells what is taking so long this is supposed to be the express line”.  When my turn came I looked sympathetically at the cashier and without me speaking she offered “Christmas (sigh) everyone gets is such a hurry”.

What are we rushing around for?

How is Monday of the week of Christmas different from any other Monday?

I will admit I was curious how the woman three people down the line would handle the situation when it became her turn so I waited.  

There was no Christmas Cheer, nor was there an apology, “About time!” was all she said until it came time to pay and she realized that in her haste she had left her wallet in the car.  “Just a minute, I will be right back, You don’t mind” and before the cashier could say anything the woman rushed out leaving her purse unattended and wide open and guess what car she went to, yep the one that almost hit me.

I was gobsmacked and waited until there was no one in the line.  I approached the cashier and commended her on being gracious and understanding, when many would have retaliated.  She thanked me for noticing and offered that what I witnessed was mild.

The situation left me wondering where in my life I am rushing around and where do I need to slow down so that I can experience hospitality, a smile from a stranger, the playfulness of a child or a random act of kindness – acts that is our rushing around are overlooked.

Be Mindful this week of where you are rushing and slow down you will experience more of life.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Peace: He Will Bring Peace

As we busy ourselves for Christmas celebrations do we see them?

Maybe at first we did, yet more than likely not even then because we have grown used to them always being with us on the margin of our consciousness and society.

Our shopping malls have security guards to ensure they don’t bother us, they don’t distract us from the beautiful displays of lights and merchandise that draws us into the shops to make that perfect purchase to place under the Christmas tree.

We decorate our homes both inside and out without a thought given to them, well possibly you paused just for a moment to wonder if they would steal the outdoor decorations and even then maybe not.

We placed our crèches in places of honour in our homes without a thought to them.

We gather at parties and fail to see them.

Sitting at our Christmas feasts laughing and eating far too much we do not see them.

Yet it is for such as these Christ was born into this world to minister too.

Our busyness, our wealth, our freedom shelters us and allows us to turn our faces away from the path of obedience and faith God has set us on.

Christ was born not with lights, feasting, and gifts under Christmas trees.  No, our Saviour was born among livestock in a barn to humble frightened parents and in his birth came the promise of life eternal for all.  

Christ's profession was that of a servant and he brought comfort to the forgotten of his society and our Lord has commissioned us to continue this ministry.

Who are these people that we do not see?  

They are the homeless, the hungry, the lonely, the mentally ill, the drug addicted, the widowed, the orphaned, the frightened, wherever they are in this world and in your own neighbourhoods.

When we remember our commission and we bring comfort to one of God’s people we are spreading God’s peace here on earth.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls

Lectionary verses Micah 5:2-5a, Psalm 80:1-7, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)