Yesterday's Table

Candleholders a la Martha

Spinach Bites and Pecan-stuffed Dates

I'm not crazy about pecans, dates, or bacon. But, when you combine them, fantastic!

I've had these China plates for about 25 years and have never used them! I only have six place settings and many pieces are missing. But, since this Thanksgiving there were only five of us, they were just right!

Impossible Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Chocolate Gingerbread

Yes, we all went to bed blessedly full. Very.

Happy Thanksgiving!

My husband was culling his clothes the other day. He filled three huge sacks. And he still has a closet full. Oh, he's not a shop-a-holic. In fact, he rarely buys himself anything. It's just that God always supplies abundantly.

The Sweetheart brought me more flowers last night to replace the dying ones.

This prompted a couple of conversations between the two of us during the next few days as we looked around our house amazed at how God has blessed us. Our tax return won't show it, but we are rich. Abundantly rich. Very little money has been expended to provide us with a beautiful and comfortable home.

One of my favorite new fall decorations. Picked up for a song.

I don't think I have enough blogging space to list all the wonderful blessings of God. Family, children, grandchildren, friends, health, wisdom...... But, you know, even if we had less, we'd still be blessed. We've had less. Oh, much, much less. And we were still blessed beyond compare. Why? Because we know the God of the Universe! And we're getting to know Him better each day.

"I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."

Phillipians 3:11b - 13 in The Message

May the blessing of knowing The Abundant One overflow your life this Thanksgiving Day!

Fall Flowers

I know some ladies who say they don't care for gifts of flowers. I'm not one of them. I *love* cut flowers and I love receiving them. They are always a surprise. Gabe brought me home a beautiful fall-colored bouquet the other day. Isn't he a sweetheart?




Doesn't the arrangement have some interesting foliage (and placement)? I just love it for its uniqueness.

(That's Sarah-Kate peeking out of the picture on the right.)

The Call

On November 1, a group from our church excitedly traveled on an eleven-hour round trip to attend The Call at the Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. It could well be said that it was a life-changing event for every one of the approximately 40,000 people that attended.

What was The Call? I had to shake my head in disbelief when I heard the media call it a twelve-hour anti-gay rally. True, we were going to pray about the Marriage Protection Act -- amongst many, many things. However, never, ever were we going to pray against homosexuals. Pray for them, yes. Never against them.

What was The Call? It was not a political rally. There were no anti-candidate, nor pro-candidate speeches. There was prayer for our nation and for wisdom for its people.

What was The Call? Well, it was not the first gathering of such kind. It was not a one-time event. The first Call was held in Washington, D.C. There have been many since across the nation and across the world.

What is The Call? It is a divinely initiated, multi-racial, multi-generational, and cross-denominational gathering to corporate prayer and fasting.

The Call is a mobilization of people from all across America to gather together to petition God for His undeserved mercy for our nation in 12-hour solemn assemblies.

The Call is a FAST, not a festival.

The Call is a SOLEMN ASSEMBLY, not a conference.

Our nation is in desperate need of revival and it will be only through the corporate body of Christ uniting in the place of prayer that we will find any hope in this hour. We believe we can see our nation changed as the Lord pours out His Spirit and brings refreshing to the broken, destitute, and the weary across our land.

And so, we gathered to pray for our nation. To unite as believers and ask for God's mercy.

On a very physical plane, it was so terribly hot out there with the direct sunlight beating down on us. So, here is Israel shading me with an umbrella. Thank you, Sweetheart!

Almond Cream Cheese Bundt

Every autumn, my mother and daughter(s) attend the Taste of Home Cooking School in our area with me. It's a fun time together. There are at least 50 prizes drawn that range from gift bags and baskets to a brand new oven range. We have won something most years. Sadly, this year was not one of them. Neither was last year! (I think they'd better get their act together!) There are vendor booths where you can buy and sample. The food booths were amazing this year. The samples were full-sized servings! Sarah-Kate made friends with the ice cream man and we went home with two shopping bags full of all kinds of wonderful ice cream!


The school is more like a demonstration, but we always learn something. For years, we had the same instructor and loved her. She told wonderful stories and had a great sense of humor. The last two years, we've had two different teachers -- who just don't measure up in our opinion. Isn't it just that way? Even if you're good, it is hard to follow a great act!

Check out the link above to see when the school will be in your area. I do recommend attending!






The screen above shows one of the recipes demonstrated, a fantastic monkey bread recipe. I made it for a special Sunday breakfast a few weeks back. Fantastic!

Almond Cream Cheese Bundt

1 cup sliced almonds, divided (I have found them much cheaper at Trader Joe's.)
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
24 frozen dinner rolls, thawed but cold
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar

Glaze:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1. Coat a 10-inch fluted pan (Bundt) with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds; set aside. Cut cream cheese into 24 equal cubes. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Roll cream cheese cubes in sugar mixture and coat completely. Wrap a roll around each cube to completely enclose cream cheese. Dip each filled roll in sugar mixture until coated.

2. Place 12 filled and coated rolls in the prepared pan and sprinkle with half of the remaining almonds. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds or until sugar is dissolved; stir to combine. Pour half of the brown sugar mixture over rolls in pan. Place remaining rolls in pan. Sprinkle with remaining nuts and any remaining sugar mixture. Top with remaining butter mixture.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough reaches the top on the pan. (I let mine rise in the refrigerator overnight and that worked well also.) Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. (I would suggest placing the bundt pan in another pan to prevent a mess in your over! The wonderful, gooey, sugary stuff ran over and caused my kitchen to fill with smoke!) To prevent over browning, cover with foil the last 15 minutes of baking. Invert pan immediately onto a serving platter. (It is natural for the bread to settle.) Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over warm bread.

Enjoy! It is best served warm, but is great cold, too!

What Could Be Better Than Chocolate Cake?

You Are a Chocolate Cake

Fun, comforting, and friendly. You are a true classic, and while you're not super cutting edge, you're high quality. People love your company - and have even been known to get addicted to you.

What Kind of Cake Are You?

Who Wants Ice Cream?

I didn't grow up in the city, so we didn't hear the ice cream truck's music coming down our street. But, I always thought it would be so cool to buy ice cream every afternoon.

Papa's dream was a bit different. He grew up in the city. He bought ice cream on the street. He knew the joy. So, when we were on a picnic the other day in the city and strains of "The Little Brown Jug" were heard down the street, he quickly gathered all the grandchildren.






Neither Papa nor I remember Spiderman ice cream, though.


Or Princess ice cream...

Popsicles and Bombers, yes.