COOKIES

You Are an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

On the surface, you're a little plain - but you have many subtle dimensions to your personality. Sometimes you're down to earth and crunchy. Other times, you're sweet and a little gooey.

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

The King's Birthday

Once upon a time, not so long ago, in a land not so far away, there was King of great majesty and grandeur. He loved all of his subjects. Whether rich or poor the people of this King's land knew they would be treated with justice.

One day a decree was issued in the land that the King's birthday should be celebrated. All of the King's subjects became very busy hustling and bustling about. The kingdom was in a regular tizzy. The king was very pleased that his subjects would go to such trouble to bring him happiness. The days flew by and the people became busier and busier. The shop owners sold so much merchandise, for decorations and gifts, that they all became very rich men. Yet as they became richer and richer, they also became more and more greedy. First a merchant here and then a merchant there began to raise the price of his wares, so as to make a bigger profit. Housewives also were busy tidying up and decorating there homes. Each woman made it her personal duty to have her house be the most beautiful and most decorated of all the houses on the street. There had never been so much shining of candle sticks and hanging of garlands and baking of all delicious things to eat. The women of every town and village became so exhausted from all of their labors that they soon became irritable and cross. Bickering and arguing could be heard amongst them and then each women became cross with her children and argumentative with her husband. The husbands also were very tired from there endeavorers in the business world and were more irritable than ever. The children also began to lose the happiness in life because there had been so many things in the stores and so much busying and selling and advertising that each child felt that he or she deserved many toys and games.

As a result of all of these goings on, the people soon forgot the reason that they were celebrating. Instead of honoring the king and his birthday the people began to honor a legend of giving called Santa Clause and instead of saying “happy birthday” they simply said “happy holiday.” The people no longer wanted to please the king by celebrating his birthday, instead they wanted to please themselves by buying many pretty things. The shop owners continued to raise their prices, the housewives continued to busy themselves with many, many things about the house, the children continued to want more and more, and every one continued to bicker and argue.

Not many days passed before some gypsies who were not subjects of the king, came riding along and asked “why do all the king's subjects make themselves so busy.” They were told “It is because of the king's birthday.” these individuals became indignant. They began to lead all of the kings subjects astray and told them. “You should not consider this celebration a birthday for the king, but rather just a 'holiday' because if you say it is the king's birthday you might offend those who do not believe in the king.” So the people continued to celebrate, if indeed all this could be called celebrating, yet they did not care about the reason they celebrated and followed the advice of the gypsies and made sure to never mention the king to any one who might not want to hear about him and how he showed justice to all the people.

One day the king decided to ride about the country side and see how the planning and celebrating for his birthday was coming along. As he rode he saw two girls in front of a house, one girl had hold of a dolls hair and the other of it's feet. “It's mine” shouted one girl “No, it's mine, you lost yours.” retorted the other. “No I didn't!” “Yes you did!” As the girls continued to squabble over the doll the king watched with great sadness in his eyes. How could children argue and fight amongst themselves when they should be happily celebrating his birthday?

Next the king passed by the market place where he heard the voices of numerous men shouting and bargaining. “My wool is the finest,” “No, mine is far thicker than his buy mine!” “buy candles here! Mine are the finest in the country...” No, don't listen to him. Mine are the finest in all the world!” The king was greatly disturbed by what he heard. How could his subjects be so arrogant and bicker the way they did. As the king entered the market place no one noticed as he passed by and the tears began to fall from his face, or were they tears? No, they were drops of blood, and the King was carrying a cross. He would make himself like these people. He would become a mere man like them and then, to make the distance between His greatness and their depravity passable, He would suffer and die on the cross for their sins. Their bickering would continue, their arrogance would not cease. People would continue to hate one another and to ignore the great price the King had payed for them. The difference now is that the subjects of the King can become His children and be given mercy rather than justice.

Nativity

Today I finally saw the movie titled “Nativity” what an excellent portrayal of real life humanity. From the fear that Mary and Joseph felt when they were the only ones who believed this miracle that was happening in Mary's womb, to the uncertainty of the wise men at going on such a long journey, and from the depression of the old shepherd to the pride and arrogance of king Herod. It is a movie that I would highly recommend and from all that I can tell follows very closely with what the Bible tells us about the characters involved in the story of Christ's birth. It is a very Biblically based movie... but I won't tell you about it. I'll let you go see it.

St. Lucia

In my family the Christmas season really begins the day after Thanksgiving. Often we get a tree that day or the next and then some time on that weekend get out all of the Christmas ornaments and CDs and old time Christmas tapes. It is then the time to have hot chocolate and apple cider and listen to Christmas music while going about household duties or simply dancing around in the living room. It is the time of year to begin the Christmas baking and to fill the house with the delicious aromas of sugar cookies, chocolate fudge, pink mint pie, and peanut brittle. The Christmas traditions are numerous in my family, and range over a wide variety of ethnics. From Guatemala to Germany, from Holland to Sweden.

One of my favorites is the Swedish tradition of St. Lucia. On December 13th the eldest daughter of the family wakes very early and prepares a special breakfast for her family and then serves breakfast to her parents in their bedroom. The tradition is in memory of a young woman who brought food to Christians who were in hiding at a time and place when Christians were persecuted for their faith. She would come at night so that she would not be found out with her arms loaded with food and a wreath of candles in her hair. That is part of the tradition too-is for the girl to have candles in her hair-I choose to skip that part, I find that my head is useful at times and don't want to lose it. (yes I realize that some would say I have already lost it, but that brings me little comfort when considering the prospect of my hair all going up in flames.)Due to the very busy work schedule of several members of my family, this St. Lucia day may be a bit different than in other years but none the less it certainly deserves at least a little fanfare.

Insight from Amy Carmichael

..Darkly distinct, he saw a vision pass.
Of One who took the cup alone, alone
Then broke from him a moan
A cry to God for pain, any any pain
Save this last desolation;and he crept
In penitence to his Lord's feet again.

...Never an angel told, but this I know
That he to whom that night Gethsemane
Opened its secrets, cannot help but go
Softly thereafter, as one much forgiven.
And never, never can his heart forget
That Head with hair all wet
With the red dews of Love's extremity,
Those eyes from which fountains of love did flow
There in the Garden of Gethsemane

Thou art the Lord who slept upon the pillow
Thou art the Lord who soothed the furious sea
What matter beating wind and tossing billows
If only we are in the boat with Thee?

Hold us in quiet through the age-long minuet
While Thou art silent and the wind is shrill:
Can the boat sink while Though, dear Lord, art in it?
Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will?

By Amy Carmichael

Coffee and Frappuccino

What type of coffee?

You Are a Frappacino

At your best, you are: fun loving, sweet, and modern At your worst, you are: childish and over indulgent You drink coffee when: you're craving something sweet Your caffeine addiction level: low

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

And what type of frappuccino?

White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino

One of a kind and forward looking, you're the first to introduce a wacky new trend to your friends. And even if your ideas seem weird, they get adopted pretty quickly.

What Flavor Frappuccino Are You?

Yes, I do have pretty wacky ideas sometimes.

Actually I'm really more of a soy latte but who really wants to be a soy latte?

Okay you guys. You know what to do.

Finals

Finals are upon us like the plague, like a once hidden enemy making the attack. It is once again the time of the quarter when college students are staying up all night studying, when there is so much to study that it is difficult to concentrate on any thing and students are just waiting for their brain to explode, when by the time students get to class they have forgotten every thing that they crammed into their heads the night before. Oh yes, the joys of finals week. In case you ever wanted to be informed: a combination of peanut butter on graham crackers and an almond latte is the best way to stay awake late and be able to survive getting up early in the morning.

So far this week I have had one quiz and one final. I just have three more finals and two reports to hand in and then I'll be done and enjoying Christmas break. Yea!!! It is just a matter of survival until then. Actually it really isn't that bad. I only have two finals that are comprehensive and one of them is over. The hard part (namely math) will be over tomorrow and then I can concentrate on the very beautiful subject of music from the 20th century in which all you have to do is stamp on the floor and you are said to be making music.(Do you catch my sarcasm?) Also the fascinating subject of physical science Do you know why a pencil looks like it is bent when you put it into water? How do our eyes observe color? Are there some colors that warm up from a bright light more than others? Then there is the hard part: Can you teach all of that?

Good luck to all my fellow students. Get as much sleep as you can....and have a lovely week.

The Little Things

I long to accomplish a great and noble task;but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.
-Helen Keller

A Smile As Small As Mine
They might not need me; but they might.
I'll let my head be just in sight;
A smile as small as mine might be
Precisely their necessity.
-Emily Dickinson

A Little Place
“Where shall I work today dear Lord
And my love flowed warm and free.
He answered and said, “see that little place?
Tend that place for Me.”

I answered and said “Oh no, not there:
No one would ever see.
No matter how well my work was done,
Not that place for me!

His voice, when He spoke, was soft and kind,
He answered me tenderly.
“Little one, search that heart of thine.
Are you working for them or Me?
Nazareth was a little place.
So was Galilee.
-Author Unknown (to me)

His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.'
Mathew 25:21

There are many times when I feel like there is nothing great happening in my life. These words above give me great comfort by showing me that the important thing in life is obedience not greatness. I can be as unobserved in life as a hermit in a cave and yet if I am obeying my Lord that is all that really matters. I can be the most humble of creatures on the face of the earth and yet because of Who I follow there is great reward for me some day.

A Lessoned Learned

Well, as of yesterday the snow holiday is over for me. However, despite the fact that I was not in school, I learned at least one valuable lesson. Please, allow me to share it with you. This knowledge might decrease havoc in your life.

Never try to catch a hand grenade, even if it is made out of only snow. They still tend to be highly explosive.