March 14, 2026

HalleluJAH (Christmas Version)

December 25, 2014 by

phssChristmasgraphic2014

I’ve heard about this baby boy
Who’s come to earth to bring us joy
And I just want to sing this song to you
It goes like this—the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
With every breath I’m singing Hallelujah
Hallelujah

A couple came to Bethlehem
Expecting child, they searched the inn
To find a place for You were coming soon
There was no room for them to stay
So in a manger filled with hay
God’s only Son was born, oh Hallelujah
Hallelujah

The shepherds left their flocks by night
To see this baby wrapped in light
A host of angels led them all to You
It was just as the angels said
You’ll find Him in a manger bed
Immanuel and Savior, Hallelujah
Hallelujah

A star shown bright up in the east
To Bethlehem, the wisemen three
Came many miles and journeyed long for You
And to the place at which You were
Their frankincense and gold and myrrh
They gave to You and cried out Hallelujah
Hallelujah

I know You came to rescue me
This baby boy would grow to be
A man and one day die for me and you
My sins would drive the nails in You
That rugged Cross was my cross, too
Still every breath You drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Original tune: Leonard Cohen
This version lyrics: Lance Stafford, Layne Stafford, Kirby LeMoine and Josh Svorinic
 *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *
HalleluJAH!  This phrase, which most often has been translated “Praise the Lord” is found only a few times throughout all of the Bible—in the Book of Revelations, chapter 19, verses 1, 3, 4, 6.  As well as in the Psalms (#111, 112, 113, 117, 135, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150).

Many of us are familiar with Leonard Cohen’s classic original ‘Hallelujah’.  But the words in that version, while though very stirring, pale in comparison, in my opinion, to the lyrics sung here by the Cloverton boys.  Cloverton’s rendition sings out the birth of Jesus, Immanuel.  Truly, I would call it a modern-day Christmas carol.

It reminds me of another very popular musical piece which sings out praise and worship. Now they differ greatly in style, of course…but the lyrical content of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” from the Messiah, his most well-known orchestral composition. Point being, both of these songs were written to sing praise to the Almighty God, and give us, fellow singers and praisers, an inspired song to sing our praises.

In the account in the Gospel of Luke of the announcement of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, the angel and the ‘heavenly host’ similarly offered praise to God.

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Luke 1:13 and 14

And upon returning from seeing the Baby and acknowledging the fulfillment of the angel’s words, the shepherds also worshipped and praised God.

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph.
And there was the Baby, lying in the manger.
After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened
and what the angel had said to them about this Child.
All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,
but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
The shepherds went back to their flocks,
glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.
It was just as the angel had told them.
Verses 15-20

The birth of the Savior certainly was an occasion for much ‘hallelujah-ing,’ wouldn’t you say?!  And there WAS much praise and glorifying of God!

May I encourage you to take time throughout the busyness and celebrations today to voice your praises and gratitude to Almighty God!  May each of us be found glorifying and praising God for His goodness and love to mankind.   It doesn’t matter whether it is in quiet meditation regarding how GOOD God is…or singing out our praise and worship through this gorgeous song…or praising God as we sing along with the carols and hymns of the season.  Just let ‘HalleluJAH’ be on your lips!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Love In Action

December 24, 2014 by

SHadventlovegraphic

Christmas—the time of year our focus shifts to the birth of Christ.  That Holy baby Boy born in a manger.

This year, I have been thinking of it in a different light.  This year, God has been speaking to me about love.  Christmas is when unconditional, self-sacrificing, all-forgiving love was shown to us.  Christmas is when the ultimate Love came to earth in human form.

Christmas is love in action.

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son,
so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 HCSB

Who does that?  Who gives up their one and only Child for a group of stubborn, stiff necked people?  And it was voluntary!  Look at John 10:18 HCSB…

No one can take My life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily.
For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again.
For this is what My Father has commanded.

Christ made the ultimate sacrifice, knowing all the while we were not worthy. He came for us because He loved us.  Romans 5:8 (NLT) makes that clear – “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”  1 John 3:16a (NLT) ties it up in a neat little bow:

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us.

This year for Christmas I want to focus not only on the miraculous birth but also on the love that was made real in a tiny manger in Bethlehem.  I want that real love to flow through me to those around me.  I want His love and His light to shine through me.

That’s the reason He came.
That’s the reason for Christmas.
To put love in action.

 *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Father, thank You for putting love into action all those many years ago.  You have shown us what real love is.  Please let Your love flow through me each day but especially during this wondrous time of year.  In Your Holy name I pray, Amen – so be it!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem

December 24, 2014 by

phssChristmasgraphic2014

Oh, little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shine
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep the angels
Keep their watch of wondering love
Oh, morning stars together
Proclaim thy holy birth
And praises sing to God the king
And peace to men on earth

Traditional hymn written by Philip Brooks and Lewis Redner
Arrangers for Elvis Presley: Steve Abbott / Ian Tilley / Martin Neary

     *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

I love this song! It makes me think of the peacefulness of that night…and what Bethlehem was like. And what Mary and Joseph were thinking as Mary awaited the birth of Jesus. Here is some interesting history I found on what Bethlehem may have been like all those years ago:

“ ‘O Little Town Of Bethlehem’ is one of the most famous Christmas hymns. Bethlehem has become almost a mythological place. Children imagine it with a few “huts,” a few camels and the Holy Family. At the time of Jesus, Bethlehem was a little town of 300-1,000 inhabitants. What people might not know is that the city of Bethlehem today is not in Israel but in Palestine, and that it is a bustling city with 28,000 people.”

(Click here to read the entire article: Bethlehem, Then and Now)

Let’s look at how the Scriptures describe that night:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod,
wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:1-2

I love the part in the song about ‘…Yet in thy dark streets shine the Everlasting Light.’

The sun will no more be your light by day,
nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the LORD will be your Everlasting Light,
and your God will be your glory.
Isaiah 60:19

Jesus is our Everlasting Light.  Praises be to the Father for this precious Gift!

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us,
through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
that having been justified by His grace
we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7

“God’s gift to us, however, was a complete surprise. It was not expected, and as you examine it more carefully, you realize how great a gift it actually was.
Second, God’s gift came to us in the humblest of wrappings. What would you think if you saw a gift under your Christmas tree that was wrapped in newspaper and tied up with string? At first, you would probably assume that a guy wrapped it.
But think about God’s gift to us. Jesus was not born in a palace of gold; He was born in a stable. He was clothed with rags. He was laid in a feeding trough.
Yet these things do not, in any way, diminish the story of Christ’s birth. If anything, they help us realize the great sacrifice God made for us. God’s gift to humanity, the ultimate gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ, came in the simplest and humblest of wrappings.”

(Click here to read “The Greatest Gift“)

   *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Father, thank You for the most precious gift of Jesus. May it never be something we take for granted and may we daily remember the great sacrifice for such a precious gift…In Jesus’ name. Amen !!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Love Is A Choice

December 23, 2014 by

SHadventlovegraphic

So, I have heard it said that love should not be a choice, and, that if you have to “choose” to love someone then that was not love.  I’ve also heard it said that love is not something you have to work at.  I have heard it said, too, that love is something that when the good feelings are gone, the love is gone.  I’ve heard it said that love is supposed to be all rainbows and sunshine.

I disagree with all these statements.  Here are facts that I know about love:

Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand its own way.
It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
It does not rejoice about injustice
but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up, never loses faith,
is always hopeful,
and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

I can understand how reading this passage would make one think that love is a feeling. All of those words have some sort of feeling attached to them.

Here’s the deal, though.  Love is—and will always be—an action. Therefore, because love is a verb and requires us to do something—it is a choice.  Love will always be a choice.  You choose to love your coworkers when they annoy you. You choose to love your boyfriend or your spouse, even when you don’t agree. I fear the day our actions are no longer something we choose to do, and are simply things that happen. Until that day, though, you choose. Look at what choosing to love does:

Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ
to be holy and without fault in His eyes.
God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family
by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.
This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.
Ephesians 1:4 and 5

In a perfect world, love would be perfect.  Those we love would not hurt us and bad things would not happen.  In a perfect world, love would be all rainbows and sunshine. Sadly, we don’t live in a perfect world.  Therefore, what God created to be simple and natural and easy, now comes to be through much effort.  We cannot passively love and feel like we are making an impact on those we say we love.  What is passive love?  Are they just words we speak? Say “I love you,” and yet, no evidence is seen of this. We have all heard, that actions speak louder than words.  Love as actions speak louder than love as words.

As John said in 1 John 3:18:

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other;
let us show the truth by our actions.

   *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Lord, may we come to understand and embrace love as an action. Let us show Your love to the world. Worldly love may be fickle and pass with time, but Your love is an everlasting love. Let us strive to show this type of love to all. We as the Church are Your example of how love functions. Christ is Your ultimate example of love. So, let us shine. Let us penetrate the hearts of the world and our fellow brothers and sisters. Let us love. Let us love.  Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

O Come, All Ye Faithful

December 23, 2014 by

phssChristmasgraphic2014

O come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born, the King of angels

O, come let us adore Him
O, come let us adore Him
O, come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord

Sing, choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above
Glory to God
Glory in the highest

Written by John Francis Wade

   *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Let us continue to prepare our hearts to celebrate Christmas.  After all the presents are purchased, the gifts are wrapped, let us give thanks.  While we are making preparations for the parties and meals for everyone to gather and love on each other, I pray we remember the birth of Jesus and the sacrifice He made to come and be among man here on earth.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Christmas Morning Breakfast

December 22, 2014 by

♪♬♪ It’s the most wonderful time of the year! ♪♬♪ Here we are…approaching Christmas Day!  Still many tasks to accomplish here!  How are you doing with your lists?  Lots of items checked off?  I am getting there…

  • game for the grandkids✔
  • Robert’s birthday card
  • gift for upstairs neighbor ???
  • a few additional stocking stuffers
  • waiting for 3 packages to arrive ✔✔

and groceries for:

  • Robert’s birthday dinner ✔
  • Christmas Eve with MKEKLR ✔
  • Christmas morning ✔
  • Aldi list

But amidst all of these details, what joy is ours as we contemplate just HOW MUCH God Almighty loves us!  He cared SO MUCH for us that He sent His precious Son to the earth to be born as a human and to live amongst men.  Ultimately, to sacrifice Him to redeem and save us so we could be called His children!  Hallelujah…what a Savior!

I pray for you (and me, too), my friends, that we will keep our priorities in order.  Even if there were no Christmas tree decorated with glittery ornaments and special momentos…if there were no carols to sing…if there were not piles of beautifully wrapped presents under the tree…we would still have MUCH to be singing God’s praises and thanking Him for as we remember the reason for the season—Jesus our Savior.

For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:11,14

 *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Here’s our menu for a simple Christmas morning breakfast:
fruit salad
mini quiche
spicy Thai tea

The best part about this breakfast will be that it can all be prepared ahead of time!  When we are ready to eat, just pop some mini-quiche into the toaster oven to reheat, dish out some of the fruit salad, and pour beverages; love it!  Oh!…there is one important tip to success with these mini-quiche: the fillings (veggies and meat) should be cut up fairly small.   Whenever I make this recipe, i quadruple (yes, i DO!) the ingredients.  These little two-bite quiches freeze beautifully.  Enjoy!

2014-12-21 21.01.42

Mini Quiche (makes one dozen)

egg filling:

3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used coconut milk)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

  • whisk these 4 ingredients together, thoroughly blending the eggs
  • pour into a container with a spout (for ease in filling muffin tin) and set aside

Spinach&Swiss with Bacon

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 tablespoons chopped onion
1+ tablespoons dried dill or tarragon
1/2-3/4 cup finely grated Swiss cheese

place spinach in colander, allow to defrost, and then squeeze dry (with your hands); set aside preheat oven to 375
grease with melted butter (or spray with cooking spray) your mini muffin tin; be thorough
cook bacon, cool, and crumble
saute onion in a bit of the bacon drippings until soft
when done, mix with spinach and herbs; let mixture cool
evenly distribute the veggies, the bacon, and the cheese among the muffin cups; these should be at least 1/2 full
then carefully pour the prepared Egg Filling mixture into each muffin cup. fill almost full but do not overfill!
bake for approximately 12-15 minutes until the eggs puff and are lightly golden brown
remove from oven; let sit for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from muffin tin. if you have thoroughly greased your muffin tin in preparation, this shouldn’t be too hard. I used a small, flexible spatula—but a teaspoon or small knife will do—and just run it around the edge of each quiche to loosen. serve immediately.

Broccoli-Cheddar with Ham

4 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped broccoli (cooked and cooled; I used frozen)
1/2 cup cooked ham, chopped small
1+ tablespoons dried crushed rosemary or marjoram
1/2-3/4 cup of finely grated sharp Cheddar
coconut or olive oil

preheat oven to 375
grease with melted butter (or spray with cooking spray) your mini muffin tin; be thorough
cook ham cubes for 2-3 minutes, set aside to cool
saute onion in a bit of olive oil until soft
when done, mix with broccoli and herbs; let mixture cool
evenly distribute the veggies, the ham, and the cheese among the muffin cups; these should be at least 1/2 full
then carefully pour the prepared Egg Filling mixture into each muffin cup. fill almost full but do not overfill!
bake for approximately 12-15 minutes until the eggs puff and are lightly golden brown
remove from oven; let sit for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from muffin tin. if you have thoroughly greased your muffin tin in preparation, this shouldn’t be too hard. I used a small, flexible spatula—but a teaspoon or small knife will do—and just run it around the edge of each quiche to loosen. serve immediately.

filling variations (choose one from each category)

veggies: (1/2 cup) of either sauteed mushrooms, peppers, seeded tomatoes, zucchini, butternut squash (this is a great way to use up bits of leftover veggies in your ‘frig!)
cheese: (1/2-3/4 cup) of your favorite Cheddar, Monterey Jack, goat cheese, Gruyere, Parmesan, Fontina, Provolone, Gouda
herbs: (1+ tablespoon) of your favorite: parsley, chives, tarragon, basil, dill, rosemary, marjoram
meat: (1/2-3/4 cup) finely chopped ham, cooked&crumbled bacon or breakfast sausage, prosciutto

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you! ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)
Merry Christmas to you and yours!  ♥ coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Go Tell It On The Mountain

December 22, 2014 by

phssChristmasgraphic2014
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed the Savior’s birth

Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn

Written by: John W Work Jr./ Fredrick Jerome Work 1907

   *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God,
and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.
Luke 1:19 HCSB

Then an angel of the Lord stood before them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid,
for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people:
Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord,
was born for you in the city of David.
Luke 2:9-11 HCSB

Today, I’m taking it old school. I grew up listening to this song sung by gospel choirs and country artists.  It is meant to be belted out in joy and adoration!

To me, this song conveys the joy and the hope, along with the excitement and the message of Christmas.  I love the simplicity of the words and the depth of their meaning.  This is what Christmas was intended to be—a time of great joy and sharing.

Too often we get caught up in the trappings of Christmas and forget it’s purpose.  Many people do not fully understand the importance of Christmas.  They get lost in the hustle and bustle.  Sometimes, we ourselves get lost in all the Christmas preparations and forget the real reason we celebrate.  Luke 2:11 reminds us of the “good news…for all people.”  The birth of our Savior is news we need to celebrate and share, especially at this time of year.

Mark 16:15 (NLT) instructs us to “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”  To ‘preach’ simply means to share.  Psalm 96:3 (AMP) says we are to “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples.”  We are to go and tell so others can share our great joy.  Such joy should be too great to contain.  When we share His glory with other, Christ’s light shines through us, creating a beauty within us.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald,
who proclaims peace,
who brings news of good things,
who proclaims salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!
Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings!
[How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news of His good things!]
Romans 10:15b AMP

 *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Lord, as we celebrate the wonders of Your birth, may we keep our focus on the Good News Christmas represents and not be hesitant to share our joy with others. In Your Holy name we pray, Amen – it is so!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oh, Come To My Heart, Lord Jesus (Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne)

December 21, 2014 by

phssChristmasgraphic2014

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home there was found no room
For Thy Holy Nativity:

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!
There is room in my heart for Thee;
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth cam’st Thou, Lord, on earth,
And in great humility:

The foxes found rest, and the birds had their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee

You came, Oh Lord, with the Living Word
That should set Your people free!
But with mocking scorn, and a crown of thorns,
They sent You to Calvary.

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!
Thy cross is my only plea;
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come,
Thy cross is my only plea.

When heaven’s arches shall ring, and her choirs shall sing
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me up, saying, “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee!”

And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus!
When Thou comest and callest for me;
And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus!
When Thou comest and callest for me.

Lyrics by Emily Eliott; Score by Timothy Matthews

 *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Oh the memories this song brings to mind;  really, all my childhood Christmases are wrapped up into it. Every Christmas, our church put on a Christmas musical called “Carols by Candlelight” and my sweet precious daddy sang this song and my sweet little sister sang in the children’s chorus behind him. My sweet precious mom and I sat side-by-side in the pew, along with my dad’s parents.  We were all dressed up in our Christmas best and I remember how much I loved sitting right beside my mom. I remember how I loved holding her hand and how safe I felt. How she knew my every need before I asked, and how she knew I would want that piece of gum she had in her purse. Oh, how she loved me and how she took such good care of me.

Isn’t that a picture of how our Father in Heaven loves us?
And takes care of our every need before we even realize we need it?

The hymn was sung a little differently than the lyrics above. It started like this:

“Welcome, we’ve gathered today to praise the Christ of Christmas.  Let’s invite Him in today!” And then these beautiful words: “Lord, You left Your throne and Your kingly crown, when You came to this earth that day.  But in Bethlehem’s home there was found no room for your Holy Nativity.  Oh! Come to my heart, Lord Jesus!  There is room in my heart for You.”

Our God, our Creator sent His only Son to this earth as a baby. He entrusted Him to a carpenter and his wife, Mary. He came into this world in a filthy stable where He was and is still most comfortable—among the dirty. He was laid in a manger, made of wood, and He was to be the Savior. He would later die on a cross, made of wood, so that we, the dirty, could be clean. Do you realize what a miracle this was?

“You came, Oh Lord, with the Living Word that should set Your people free! But with mocking scorn, and a crown of thorns, they sent You to Calvary. Oh come to my heart, Lord Jesus, Your Cross is my only plea. Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus. “ And the final verse, that’s full of hope, sends chills and brings a smile I can’t contain. “Let Thy voice call me up saying ‘Yes there is room,there is room at My side for you!’” Isn’t that what we long to hear one day? I know I’m living for that day!

So today, if you haven’t given your life to Him or made room in your heart for your Savior, He is waiting. All you have to do is ask. I can’t imagine a better birthday gift for Jesus than to have another of His children ask Him to be in their heart. Can you? Doesn’t matter how dirty you are or how you live or where you live, He meets you where you are and He can’t wait to walk with you through this life. Once He comes into your heart, you will never be the same and He will never leave you or forsake you!

Where are you this Christmas? He knows and He cares and He wants to sit beside you and hold your hand and make you feel safe. Will you ask Him to come into your heart today?

   *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for the gift of Your Son! He came to earth and paid the ultimate price so that we don’t have to. You know where we are right now and You meet us and You love us! Help us to remember and to celebrate You this season and to not get tangled up in the material aspect of it. Help us to keep You in the center of Christmas and the center of our lives. We love You and praise You. Give those who don’t know You the courage to try life with You. Give us Your Holy Spirit to guide and direct us until that awesome day when face-to-face we will see You!  In Your Son’s name we pray. Amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , ,

Cornbread Stuffing with Sage and Sausage

December 19, 2014 by

 

Cornbread Stuffing with Sage and Sausage

How much of a recipe purist are you?   When you make a recipe for the first time, do you follow the directions to the letter, or do you start right in with the alterations?   When I make something for the first time, I like to be faithful to the source.  When I eat the finished product is when I start making changes in my mind for next time—Needs more salt.  Add cilantro and green onions.  Use more yogurt and less mayo….  So the first time I made Tyler Florence’s recipe for Cornbread Stuffing, I really liked it…but I knew I wanted to change some things and make it my own.  So here it is, just in time for your holiday parties: Cornbread Stuffing with Sage and Sausage!

This is a simple recipe that I make in two steps.  First is the cornbread, and second are the rest of the ingredients.  I even make the cornbread a day or two ahead—don’t worry if it’s a little stale, because you’ll be rehydrating it and baking it again.  Use any kind of sausage you like.   I make this with a one-pound log of plain old breakfast sausage, but you can try something spicier, smokier, or even get crazy and use chorizo!   The other thing you will want is fresh sage.  Use as much as you like – I use at least 3 tablespoons of minced fresh sage, but I think you could get crazy and use up to a quarter cup of it, if you really wanted it herb-y.  If you buy a bunch of sage, use the rest in roast turkey or chicken recipes – they’re a natural match.  (And I just saw this recipe that uses sage that looks amazing!  Replace the dried sage in the recipe for double the amount of fresh sage.)  For the cornbread, I always use Jiffy cornbread mix, because that’s what I grew up eating.  If you have a brand of mix you like better, or you make cornbread from scratch, try that.  The measurements might be a little different, but this recipe is really forgiving.  Just adjust your wet ingredients to make sure you get the right finished consistency.

Cornbread Stuffing with Sage and Sausage

Ingredients:

  • 4 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix (or make your own cornbread)
  • 1 pound sausage, any kind
  • 3 onions, sliced into fine strings
  • 3 tablespoons (or more!) of minced fresh sage
  • 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper
  • butter to grease the pans (or use a non-stick spray of your choice)

Directions:

  1. Bake the 4 boxes of cornbread mix according to the directions on the box.  I didn’t bother with muffin tins and just made the whole batch in a 9″x13″ cake pan.  Let cool.  You can make the cornbread a day or two in advance.
  2.  In a large pot, cook the sausage.  If you are using links, slice into small half-moons.  If you are using bulk sausage, cook and break it up with a spoon so you have little chunks.  When cooked, remove from the pan to the largest mixing bowl you have.  Do not drain the pan!
  3. While the sausage is cooking, cut the onions into skinny strings.  Cook the onions in the fat rendered from the sausage (or add more butter or olive oil if there isn’t a lot in the pan.)  Cook for about 15 minutes on medium, stirring so they don’t burn, until they are soft and caramel-colored.  Remove the onions to the big mixing bowl.
  4. Using your hands, crumble the cornbread into the bowl with the onions and sausage.  Add the minced sage and mix.
  5.  In a smaller bowl, mix together the stock, milk, and eggs.  Pour it over the cornbread mixture and fold to combine.  Season the whole thing with salt and pepper.
  6. Turn the cornbread out into a large greased casserole dish and bake uncovered for about 25 minutes at 375*F.  You’ll want to let it get a little crusty and brown on top.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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What Would You Have Given Him?

December 19, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

They entered the house and saw the child with His mother, Mary,
and they bowed down and worshipped Him.
Then they opened their treasure chests
and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11

In manger scenes, either on coffeetables or mantles, there is Mary and Joseph, the baby Jesus, a few animals, the shepherds, and the wise men.  As we know, though, Jesus was around one or two when the wise men found Him.  Herod was king then and he had called a meeting with his religious leaders.  He wanted to know where Jesus was to be born.  “In Bethlehem of Judea” they told him.  “For it is written by the prophet: for from you shall come a Ruler…Who will shepherd My people.”  Herod was threatened.  He told them to go and search for the child, and come back and tell him so he could worship Him.

And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.
Matthew 2:6

The wise men went on their way, guided by a star in the east, and they were filled with joy.  The wise men brought gifts and worshipped Jesus for Who He was.  These gifts were extremely valuable and each one stood for something:

  • Gold – a gift of royalty
  • Frankincense – a gift for deity
  • Myrrh – a spice used to anoint a body for burial

The wise men were so excited to meet the Christ-child that they were willing to part with these gifts, out of love and respect and just joy.   They were honoring Jesus for Who He is and they worshipped Him because He was and is perfect.

There is much more to this story and I encourage you to finish reading the whole story of Herod and the wise men. (Read the whole account here.)  But for now, let’s search our own hearts.

What would you have been willing to give Him?

What is most precious to you and would you have  been willing to lay it at the foot of the manger on that cold night in Bethlehem? I would like to think that I would. And what about today?

Sometimes the things that we hold onto aren’t really so precious yet we have a hard time giving them to Jesus.  Sometimes our own ideas of how our life should go are hard to give over to God, and to wholly trust Him with it.  Even though we know in our heart of hearts it is the best thing for us and that God is our Sustainer and He does know what is best for us.  Yet we hold onto it.  Some days we lay them at His feet, only to pick them up not too long after.  We may not have a star to follow like they did, but we have the Spirit of God guiding us and directing us.  We owe Him so much…we can never ever repay the debt.  But on that night, so long ago, the wise men didn’t have a debt to pay. They just wanted to give all they had to the Baby Jesus.

   *    ♥  ~  ✝  ~  ★    *

Oh, friends, we too have so much to give Him!  It may not be gold, frankincense, and myrrh but we have our praise and we can honor Him with our lives every day.  Do you know this Jesus?  I really want you to.  He is so in love with you already, even if you aren’t yet.  But you will be once you get to know Him.  Why not start today?

Pray this simple prayer with me:

Dear Lord, I know I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I need forgiveness for my sins. I believe that Jesus is Your Son, Who was born and lived here on earth and died to save me from my sin. He rose again and is preparing a place for me.  I ask You to come into my heart and be Lord of my life.  Guide and direct me.  In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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