Day 2 – Advent Calendar

Advent Day #2 – Shop for a new toy to donate to a charitable organization.

{You may choose to simplify the process big-time and do something as easy as  pick one person a day from now ’til Christmas and pray for them.  It doesn’t need to be time-consuming, stressful, or cost you anything.  Do what works for you and enjoy the season with the ones you love!!}

Alternate Activity:  Prepare your heart in a spirit of penitence by reading Psalm 51.

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned  and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;  you taught me wisdom in that secret place.  7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.  10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.  13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. 15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.  18 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Our Twist On the Advent Calendar

One tradition our families have begun includes that of celebrating the arrival of Christmas with an Advent Calendar.  And although we love the excitement and anticipation that an Advent Calendar can bring, last year we tired of making the focus on giving our kids more stuff, even if it was as simple as a small piece of candy.

So we put our heads together and decided this year we wanted to do something different.  We wanted to focus on what Christmas is really about – giving and reflecting on the true meaning of this incredible holiday.

As I began to prepare for this post I did a little research on what Advent really means.  It turns out that I had a lot to learn about this subject from my Catholic friends (I know Catholics aren’t the only one who celebrate Advent.  They were just the ones I got my info from so I’m giving them credit.)

According to Catholicism.about.com and other sites, Advent really means “little lent” and should be a time of increased prayer, fasting (for some), good deeds, and penitence.  In layman’s terms it is a time for us to take stock of our lives.  To take a look inside and see if our heart is right with God.   As we approach Christmas with this attitude of humbling ourself it brings us peace and joy as well as a heightened sense of anticipation.

In the spirit of Advent, this year our Advent Calendar is going to consist of doing kind things for others and cherishing the moments we have with family and friends.  But most importantly it will consist of us preparing our hearts for Immanuel – God with us.

Each day from now ’til Christmas we will share with you ideas you can use to celebrate this season using the Advent Calendar.  Maybe you already have an Advent Calendar tradition.  Then go with it.  Or maybe you are looking for new ideas.  Hopefully you will find some here.  Our biggest piece of advice is to do what works for you and your family.  That may mean doing a handful of activities on the weekend when your family has more time to spend together and then skipping days during the week when your schedule is on overload.

You may choose to simplify the process big-time and do something as easy as  pick one person a day from now ’til Christmas and pray for them.  It doesn’t need to be time-consuming, stressful, or cost you anything.  Do what works for you and enjoy the season with the ones you love!!

If there are things your family does or if you have an idea to share, please do so!  We may even use your idea for one of our days!!

So, let’s get started!!

DaY 1 AdvEnT:  Send someone a card who has lost a loved one this year letting them know you are thinking about them/praying for them.

Happy Advent!!

:)Robynn

P.S.  If you don’t have an Advent Calendar, you may want to make one.  Choose one of the following or find one to make on www.pinterest.com by typing “Advent Calendar” in the search box.

Making the Best of Human Life…

Let’s face it.  Life on earth isn’t always easy.  In fact, most of the time is pretty challenging.  We deal with job losses, disappointments, cancer, troubled relationships, obesity, death, natural disasters; the list is never-ending.  We work so hard in attempt to cReAte and control an ideal surrounding, but nothing will ever be perfect…

because we are HuMaN

because we are SiNnErS

because we live on a place called EaRth.

SOURCE

Quite depressing, isn’t it?  Well it certainly can be if you let it. The reassuring part is that God knew life here would be difficult, and He wants to help lighten our load.  Sure, we could take the easy road and just be miserable until our life runs out.  But why not make the best of it while you are here?  Plus, by choosing to walk through life with Him, there will be more to look forward to when your days on Earth are over…HeAveN!

As an optimist, I am a believer that despite our challenges, we have to make the best of our HuMan lives.  How do we do that?  The obvious answer is ask God for help when you are struggling, and continue to speak to Him when days are good.  Talk to Him about your sins and ask for forgiveness when you feel guilty or know you’ve made a wrong choice.  And don’t forget to thank Him when things go your way!  When you develop this type of relationship with Him, the days won’t seem so lonely when EarThLy problems get thrown your way.  And when you feel more connected…the doors that He is opening for you will become more obvious!

Believe me, I know it is easier said than done.  But do we really have a better option?  If we are realistic with ourselves that life will consist of steady highs and lows (regardless of how hard we try to control it), why not have something CoNsTanT to lean on through it all?

Advent begins this Sunday.  There is no better time to start or enrich your relationship with God than now.  Here, on the Suede Sofa, we will be celebrating every day of Advent.  Check in daily between now and Christmas and join us as we prepare for the true meaning of Christmas!

Now is the time!  Make this the most meaningful Christmas yet!

In Christ,

Lara

Jersey Strong and Thankful

There is nothing that could have prepared any of us for the DeVaStATiOn that resulted from Hurricane Sandy blowing through the Jersey Shore.  My children are the 4th generation of family spending summers on Chadwick Beach so seeing homes that have been in the backdrop of photographs with my grandparents  tossed on their sides and nearly unrecognizable was heartbreaking.  Those of you who follow our blog know how much the beach means to my family.  From my seaglass collection to finding special shells with my children to make wreaths or to just paint for fun, Chadwick Beach has been our own little paradise right here in our own backyard.  Chadwick Beach is on a barrier island that rests between the Atlantic Ocean and the bay.  During the storm the water from the bay and the ocean met causing extensive flooding.  Our family home was filled with a foot and a half of water in the first floor, but thankfully it is still standing.  Others were not so lucky. Neighborhoods of houses were completely washed away into the Atlantic Ocean.  Another beach suffered a tremendous loss when gas lines exploded and blocks of houses burned to the ground.

Abby on our beach path Summer 2012

Back home we lost power from the storm for six days and lived on a generator that we used conservatively because of a major gas shortage in the state of New Jersey.  My brother-in-law waited on a line for four hours in the middle of the night to fill up his car and some gas cans to keep his own generator running.  It was a very scary week for all of us and at the same time we were trying to find out any information we could about the shore house.  Thankfully my parents had full power fifteen minutes away and we were able to drive over there during the day to watch the news, stay warm, and let the kids play in some normalcy.

My second summer at Chadwick Beach ~ Summer 1978

Now that the power has been restored, the gas lines are back to normal, and we look forward to rebuilding our Jersey Shore back to its original beauty I am trying not to focus on what was lost.  The hurricane may have washed away many of the buildings and landmarks that were symbols of our shore, but nothing can take away our MeMoRiEs.  Let’s be thankful for what we have, and not ever for a second take anything for granted, it might not be there tomorrow.

This picture shows the two houses that line the beach path that Abby was on in the above photo.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving  celebrating

all that you have to be ThAnKfUl for!

My little loves

~Robyn (Jersey Girl)

Are You Generous?

This year I am trying to put more focus on ways that I can be GeneRouS. If this is an area that you struggle with, the holidays offer plenty of opportunities to GiVe. Offer to help an elderly neighbor with their holiday shopping. Buy a giftcard and give it to a stranger. Have a love for music? Go carol a family and friend that is in need of a pick-me-up. Can’t think of anything you want for Christmas? Instead, donate the money to a family in need. It doesn’t take much to brighten the life of another. Be creative and have fun with it!

Make this holiday season the BEST one yet by being generous and reaching out to anyone that you meet!

~Lara

Just Do It – Say “I’m Sorry”

As humans none of us are perfect and we all make mistakes.  Sometimes on accident, sometimes on purpose.  And occasionally sometimes those mistakes call for an apology.  Whether or not we give one is completely another story.

Knowing I need to say “I’m sorry.” to someone gives that sinking feeling in my stomach because a true apology requires complete humility.  It requires that I put aside any justification on my part, any of those pathetic, “I’m sorry if I offended you.” pseudo apologies and just say, “I’m sorry, I was wrong.”  But when I finally do, I feel like I’m walking on air.  I guess that is because a clear conscience is as the MasterCard commercial says, “Priceless.”

Do you need to make a sincere apology?  What are you waiting for?  Free yourself from the pain of a guilty conscience and just do it – say “I’m sorry.”

:) Robynn

Wait It Out

I don’t know about you, but when I get upset I want to get it off my chest as soon as I can.  Let me tell ya, there are diSadvAntaGes to that.  I have found that if I speak my mind as the disagreement arises, I usually regret what was said.

The other day I was aggravated.  A first, I let my mind spiral out of control on all the things that bothered me about the situation.  Instead of verbalizing them as they came to mind, like I normally do, I took time to think long and hard about what I was going to say before pleading my case.  By thinking things through I was able to sift out unnecessary comments that would have been said only due to anger.  This was HuGe because back in the day it would have caused our arguments to fester twice as long!  By taking the time to fully evaluate the real reason I was upset, I had already calmed down which naturally heLpeD me discuss the situation in a more reasonable manner.

It is easy to want quick results and responses in all that we do.  The longer I live, the more I see the benefits in not getting in a HURRY.  As painful as it was to keep my mouth shut until I calmed down to carefully choose my words, it allowed me to resolve a problem with a person that wasn’t hurtful to them and regretful to me.

Taking the time to be more selective in what comes out of your mouth.  If your thoughts are going a hundred miles an hour, that is not the time to be verbalizing them.  Believe me; I know it is dreadful to wait.  Your mind is good at convincing you that those racing thoughts ARE truly how you feel.  Don’t be fooled.  Past arguments are evidence that your mind keeps tricking you, so do everyone a favor and wait this one out.

~Lara

Pile of Problems

Is life getting you down?  Do you feel like you have bigger problems than those around you?  Consider this…

If everyone were to pile all of their problems into the middle of the room, and you could swap yours out,

you’ll probably be in a hurry to grab yours back.

The grass is ALWAYS greener.  When we look at everyone around us, we never see the whole picture.  Same goes for other people.  They probably look at you and wish they could swap their problems with yours.  (I know you are laughing, but it is true!)  Your life may be tough right now, but don’t be so quick to envy someone else.  Your issues may not be so bad after all!

~Lara

Rustic Corn Bread

Corn Bread.  What a delicious treat for a cold Saturday afternoon.  My husband, who loves to cook, whipped this up and let me tell ya, it was good.  What I love about this recipe is its rustic and hearty quality.  The recipe came from a cookbook called The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart.  If you like corn bread give this recipe a try.  You may also want to check out another favorite that I shared on a previous post by clicking here.

 

Corn Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coarse cornmeal (also packaged as “polenta”)
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 8 ounces bacon (approximately 10 slices)
  • 1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • 2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil

1. The night before baking the corn bread, soak the cornmeal in the buttermilk.  Cover and leave at room temperature overnight.

2. The next day, to prepare the bacon, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Lay out the bacon on 2 sheet pans.  Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.  Using tongs or a fork, remove the pieces to a pan lined with paper towels to cool.  Drain off the fat into a can or stainless-steel bowl and save for greasing the corn bread pan.  When the bacon has cooled, crumble it into coarse pieces.

3. Lower the oven setting to 350 degrees F.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl.  Stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar.  In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs.  Dissolve the honey in the melted butter and then stir the warm honey-butter mixture into the eggs.  Add this to the soaked cornmeal mixture.  Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon or whisk until all the ingredients are evenly distributed and the batter is blended and smooth.  It should be the consistency of thick pancake batter.  Stir in the corn kernels until they are evenly distributed.

4. Place 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat into a 10-inch round cake pan (you can also use a 9 by 13-inch baking pan or a 12-inch square pan).  Place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the fat gets very hot.  With good pot holders or oven mitts, remove the pan, tilt it to grease all the corners and sides, and pour in the batter, spreading it from the center of the pan to the edges.  Sprinkle the crumbled bacon pieces evenly over the top, gently pressing them into the batter.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the corn bread is firm and springy (the baking time will depend on the size of the pan) and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  The top will be a medium golden brown.  The internal temperature at the center of the corn bread should register at least 185 degrees F.

6. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing it into squares of wedges.  Serve warm.

Bon appetit!

:) Robynn