December 2021

... and a partridge in a pear tree.

The Honest Advent by Scott Erickson has been a delightful surprise this month. As someone who has grown up in the church, hearing and participating in all the Christmas plays, this book has helped me view God’s coming to us in new and refreshing ways.

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Incarnation is the process of becoming seen. To be seen is to allow yourself to be known. To be known is to risk being loved… or not.

May it be known that the Giver of existence took the same risk we all have to take daily— to be seen and known as the person we really are. The risk of incarnation is the risk of love. And love risks heartbreak, rejection, and being sold out by your friends, because love is also the animating source that brings about all the wonderful things in an incarnation, like companionship, joy, healing, wholeness, and being seen and known in the world.

-Scott Erickson

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Advent is all about anticipation, and stopping to pause ,and allow wonder into your life. Not the little calendars filled with chocolates you open each day until Christmas. Who knew!

As I celebrate the holidays in a new place, I appreciate more than ever the reminders that Jesus left all that was comfortable and familiar to him to be the most vulnerable thing he could be — a human baby.

Nine months dependent on another human to provide you with all the right nutrients at the right time. That as you irrevocably change their body— they will not do anything to damage yours.

Birth

Babyhood: they provide you with all you need, food, clothing, shelter, maybe love. Keep you from killing yourself as you taste everything and learn to climb and jump.

Childhood: More food, clothing and shelter. More love and developmental help as the world grows bigger around you.

Jesus, God incarnate, did all this for us. Trusted us to take care of his vulnerable self through the many years between inception and the three years of ministry before death.

These are the things I’ve been thinking about and taking comfort in. If God himself took time to grow; I don’t need to have the next year or the entire trajectory of my life planned today.

I am trying my best to be present in each moment and love well those next to me.

I pray you find time to sink into the moments, be they painful or joyful, knowing you are not alone this Christmas. Jesus is here, with us.

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Cranberry Sauce Recipe

1 12-16 oz bag of cranberries

2 apples

1 orange

1 cup sugar

Peel the orange and set aside rind.

Core the apples and cut into chunks

Throw the cranberries, apples and orange into a food processor or meat grinder and pulse until you have your preferred sized chunks.

Stir in the sugar.

Let mixture sit at least two hours before eating.

Keep refrigerated.

Notes:

The apples you choose will affect the sweet/tartness of your cranberry sauce. Depending on your preference, you can decrease sugar to 1/2 cup.

To add more citrus tang, grate orange peel into the mixture or add another orange.

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It’s Christmas so I can’t tell you!! And I certainly can’t show you!

But here’s some giggles for you as I create in another sector:

• The Golden Stool

• The Big Fat Plate

• Bite My Rice

• Cooking Cheese

• The Feisty Fork

These are just some of the names a random generator offered for my dietetics business. I plan to start teaching classes and releasing resources in 2022 and naming my business is part of it. If you have a great name idea you can click on this link and pop it in my survey! I can’t wait to hear what you think!