Family Holiday Gatherings: A Biblical Perspective

I love Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Having hubby home, the spirit behind the seasons, the amazing food… its all enough to make me dream about these holidays for weeks before hand.

But there is another side to gatherings, one that can be sometimes stressful.

The truth is sometimes we just dont get along.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I deal with family.  Sometimes I look for the negative and not the positive in the people I love.  Sometimes I react to them in defensiveness based on my own issues, not on what they have actually said.  Sadly, its been easier for me to be in a pattern of critical thinking during those long holiday gatherings.

I forget how impactful the words I say are, and how lasting their impression is.  Even if what I am saying is not a true reflection of my heart, but simply an indication of a sour emotions or a bad attitude.

I came across these verses and I believe they have a direct correlation to how I can choose to think about extended time with family.

1 Peter 3:10-11 NLT

For the Scriptures say,  “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.  Turn away from evil and do good.  Search for peace, and work to maintain it…”

I love that part, “search for peace”.  What if I looked for good in others?  On purpose?

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 NLT

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan.  For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.

This is Paul talking to the Corinthians.  One interpretation I heard of this message was that he was saying to them, “I am not here to listen to the gossip or the quarrels.  I am not focusing on this things of this world, I only want to focus on Jesus.”

I can only imagine the changes that others would see in me if my focus was truly on Him!  If I did not get caught up in strife, yet set my focus to the Lord.

Proverbs 19:11 ESV

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

One observation that I have noticed is that the deeper you love someone, the more vulnerable we are to feeling hurt.  I dont know about you, but I have heard words from family or close friends that cut like a knife.  Coming from a stranger would not have nearly the impact.

I know that those people love me,  and want the best for me, but I cant help but be torn up at how painful their sharp words are.  The above verse speaks to that so acutely for me.  I know I would want my family to forgive me when I say things I shouldnt, and here God is telling us that it is wise to do this right away!  Dont let things fester and turn into bitterness.  Forgive and let go.

Here are a few more versus that can help a troubled heart:

1 John 4:19-21 ESV

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Romans 12:18 ESV

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

John 13:34 ESV

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Hebrews 12:14 ESV

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

From the OpenBible.info.

 Heavenly Father,

I pray that your holy words will be permanently cemented into my heart.  That I will look for the good in others always.  That I will seek positive and loving words when speaking.  That I will honor you with my thoughts and actions.

Lord, please bless my family and our time together.  Help me to overlook things that may hurt, and to forgive as readily as You forgive me.  Help me to be an example of Your peace and love.  Help me to love others as You love them.

Thank you for this wonderful time we have together, where we can celebrate the birth and life of your Son.

In Your precious name I pray!

Amen.

 

· 11 Comments

Pumpkin Pancakes

I saw these pancakes in a 2008 issue of my favorite magazine, Life Beautiful.

And I have made them twice in the last three days.

They are delicious!

 

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These pancakes are easy and quick, but so rich and decadent.  Especially with an extra sprinkling of cinnamon over the top… I felt like I was eating at a fancy restaurant!

Well, except for the baby screaming and the basket of folded clothes at the end of the dining room table.

Just sayin.

Can I set a mood or what?  Lets try again.

I can just see these sweet and satisfying pancakes on a cold, snowy Christmas morning with a cup of this fabulous Pumpkin Spice White Chocolate Cocoa.

Sound better?

Print
Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp all spice (or pumpkin spice)
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. In large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and all spice. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, and pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and blend until just incorporated. (lumps are ok)
  2. Cook pancakes as you normally would.
  3. Note: This is a dense batter, and you might not see bubbles form as quickly as they normally would. Look for the top to no longer be shiny and for bubbles around the edges as a sign to turn over.
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http://iambaker.net/pumpkin-pancakes-recipe/

Extra options: Top with toasted pecans, maple sugar glaze, or a powder sugar/cinnamon blend.

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Seriously.  Try them.

Its like having dessert for breakfast!

 

· 31 Comments

Creepy Millipede Cake

I get asked a lot of questions about cakes. One of the most common questions I get is, “What can you do with a 9×13 cake?  I don’t want to bake a layer cake.”

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I happen to really, really like layer cakes.  Might even have a small obsession with them.  Like making them twenty five layers and rainbow inside obsession.

But every now and then its nice to just make a cake like mom made.

Well, minus the creepy millipedes.

You know what I mean.

So I found this picture of a giant millipede.

photo from here

That sucker is like a foot long.  I do not like looking at pictures of creepy crawly things but I do like you so I sucked it up and moved forward.

This cake is a marriage between wanting to make something fun out of a regular old 9×13 cake and wanting to do something seasonal. (Halloween)

Hence the creepy crawly millipede cake.

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After icing the cake with white frosting, I just added some black food coloring to the remaining frosting.  I always use *Americolor Gel Food Coloring when I need to achieve deep, rich color.

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Since I am more familiar with the tiny millipedes in real life, I knew I wanted to add some to this cake.  They are what really got me… since those little rollie pollie ones look EXACTLY like the real thing.

Pretty much my skin has been crawling for a week now.

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So there you have it.  I see a Cake Challenge post in the futuree.  Maybe even a candy post.  Maybe I will just snuggle up next to this cake in bed because its so beautiful.

But that might be weird.

I do know one thing, and that is that I have a few more Halloween cakes to share!

Hope you like Halloween as much as me!

*Link is through Amazon Affiliate.

 

· 63 Comments

Chocolate Spider Web {Cake in a Jar}

Spiders in jars.  Spider webs made from chocolate.  Black and orange everywhere.  It must be ‘that’ time of year!!

(I also made spiders and webs in 2009 on petite fours!)

IMG_9231.chocolatespiderwebcakeinjar

Its Halloween!  Well.  In like a month and a half it is.

But its definitely fall… and I adore fall.

What I don’t adore about fall is every spider known to man trying to make its way into my house so it will not perish in the bitter winters of Minnesota.  We have some big spiders around here.

I digress.

I wanted to do something fun with cake in a jar and also wanted to add a little somethin somethin to the outside.  So I found a way to write messages or pictures on the inside of the jar as well as add lots and lots more calories with chocolate on top!

It was a good day in my kitchen.

And it can be a good day in your kitchen too.  These are super easy!

To write on the inside of a jar I used a chocolate cake and made a white cake to fill the jars with.  If you dont want to make two seperate cakes, simple reserve about 1/4 cup of your white cake and use food coloring to tint brown or black.

One cake recipe made approximately six jars.

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After I piped the cake into the jar, I popped it into the microwave for eight seconds.  Maybe ten seconds, but no longer.  I just wanted the chocolate batter to set in place so it wouldn’t fall when I poured thewhite cake batter in.

I added 1/2 cup of white cake to the jar and then baked for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

This was tricky… some baked fully in 18 minutes, some took about 25 minutes.  It really depended on where it was placed in my oven.  So just keep a close eye on them!

And if writing inside your jars isn’t enough, I am also gonna show you how to make chocolate spider webs that fit snuggly over the rim of your jar!

IMG_9294.chocolatespiderwebs

 

IMG_9114.chocolatetips

You do not NEED to use a wide mouth jar for the chocolate spider web, I just prefer it.

*These are the jars I buy.  Also, I used  these candy melts.  Just popped them in the microwave for 30 second intervals until the chocolate was completely melted.

IMG_9122.spiderwebinstructions

I grabbed the jar with my left hand, then slowly moved the rubber band from the jar to my wrist.

While the chocolate is sturdy, if it ever broke it was when I was removing the rubber band.  So be careful during that process!

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Seriously that easy.  Less then ten minutes from beginning to end!

I also piped out BOO! and a pumpkin and other fun stuff for the kids.

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While the words are fun (you know I am so excited to do jars with red velvet Christmas greetings in them!) I think my kids liked the spiders best.

Ok, ok, so did I.

But if you happen to have arachnophobia, don’t ever google “spiders in jars” like I did and slowly torture yourself looking at huge creepy crawly heinous beasts while trying to find a template for your jar design.

IMG_9322.halloweenspidercakeinjar

But do grab yourself a spoon and tell the kids to ‘break’ into their jars.

They are as fun to eat as they are to make!

 

*Linked to an Amazon Affiliate page.

· 123 Comments

Peeps Pops

Update: Tutorial here! I recently dabbled in the Cake Pop arena. And let me tell you, I did not find it to be easy. Much props to the makers of the pops. Ya’ll make magic. See a FULL TUTORIAL on how to make these fun little guys right here! Peeps [...] Read more »

· 55 Comments

St. Patricks Day Cake

The smiley, happy, silly rainbows on this cake are totally inspired by those amazing frosting covered sugar cookies you get at the bakery. Or at least, at the grocery store bakery that I would frequent in my youth. Those cookies were the only thing that made shopping trips tolerable for [...] Read more »

· 116 Comments