The Reformed Home Schooler

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Get to know me better Dec. 5, 2007

An opportunity to find out more about me thanks to Heather at Stepping Heavenward

Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Both depends on gift and the receiver

Real tree or artificial?
Jeremiah 10:3-5 says, “For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.”

When do you put up the tree?
N/A

When do you take the tree down?
N/A

Favorite holiday theme?
A Green Christmas

Favorite gift received as a child?
Can’t remember it was so long ago

Do you have a nativity scene?
No it violates the 2^nd commandment, also they tend to be completely inaccurate (the Magi don’t arrive that night, nowhere in the Bible does it say he was born in a stable.)

Hardest person to buy for?
My Grandmother

Easiest person to buy for?
My Wife – we don’t really exchange gifts if there is something we need we get it when we need it, I still usually buy something though. A lot of times if there is something we really want we’ll buy it at the boxing day sales

Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Most likely candy with nuts I hate nuts.

Mail or email cards?
Doesn’t really matter does it

Favorite Christmas movie?
A Christmas Story

When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Dec 26^th we take advantage of the sales

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Probably

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My wife’s homemade cranberry sauce, Sausage stuffing (had it once at wife’s aunt’s) pies Mincemeat, and Pumpkin oh yeah Plum Pudding

White lights or colored on the tree?
n/a

Favorite Christmas song?
Psalm 98

Travel for Christmas or stay at home?
Depends on the year this year we’ll be home

Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?
No Santa doesn’t exist so he has no reindeer, plus there are no reindeer in Turkey where the real St. Nicholas is from

Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Both

Most annoying thing about this time of year?
People who insist it is a Christian Holiday and attend church on this day but ignore church for the 52 Sundays each year they are commanded to celebrate

What I love most about Christmas?
It does give an opportunity to witness to people about what the incarnation of Christ really means to us and why we need to have believe, have faith and trust in Christ

Send this to a friend - post comment

Category: Tagged

Untitled Comment

Funny, since I distinctly remember you having a Christmas tree in your home, "adorned with silver and gold" AND I'm pretty certain it was "fastened with hammer and nails so it would not totter." Horrors.

I've never ever heard of anyone who had an unreasonable fear of Christmas trees, but perhaps it's because I don't move in the right circles. ;-)

Seumas Ruadh - 9:56 PM - Dec. 5, 2007

Untitled Comment

Actually it it hat white lights and apples, but one's understanding does mature and sometimes changes.

briannash - 10:20 PM - Dec. 5, 2007

Ha!

I loved your Christmas meme! :-)

You're so funny .... Jim (from Oldtruth) quotes the same scripture about Christmas trees. You're both bah-humbugs in my book. {grin}

Yum.... homemade cranberry sauce. You have to post your wife's recipe! LOL. Can you do that and still retain your manly dignity?

:-)

hrlabonte - 11:53 PM - Dec. 5, 2007

P.S.

"Most annoying thing about this time of year?
People who insist it is a Christian Holiday and attend church on this day but ignore church for the 52 Sundays each year they are commanded to celebrate"

I had the same thought today!! No where in scripture are we commanded to celebrate Christ's birth, but we are commanded to keep the Sabbath holy. It's absolutely upside down that people get upset about "keeping the Christ in Christmas" yet they don't keep the Sabbath holy!!

hrlabonte - 11:57 PM - Dec. 5, 2007

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

This is Mrs. Reformed Homeschooler :)

4 Cups of fresh or frozen cranberries (1 pound)
2 Cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 Tablespoon grated orange peel plus juice to taste
1/2 Tablespoon grated lime peel plus juice to taste

Wash cranberries and remove stems or bad berries.
Heat water and sugar until boing over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil for 5 min.
Stir in the cranberries and heat until the sugar syrup boils again and continue to boil for at least 5 min or until the cranberries pop. (Make sure all of the cranberries have popped to help the sauce thicken and setup)
Cover and refridgerate at least 3 hours.

peigal - 12:25 AM - Dec. 6, 2007

P.S

Mrs. Reformed Homeschooler again.

His manliness is still intact as he had his wife post the recipe for him :)

Anonymous - 12:27 AM - Dec. 6, 2007

Thank you ...

Mrs. Reformed Homeschooler! I can't wait to try it!!! :-)

~Heather

hrlabonte - 11:20 AM - Dec. 6, 2007

Untitled Comment

"...one's understanding does mature and sometimes changes." There, at least, I definately agree with you.

So you're saying that your understanding has matured in two years time, and you now have a phobia of Christmas trees?

Anonymous - 6:30 PM - Dec. 6, 2007

P.S.

I don't mean to sound as if I'm mocking you. I'm actually quite interested in your alternative holiday ideas.

Seumas Ruadh - 6:33 PM - Dec. 6, 2007

Untitled Comment

No I never said I had a Phobia of trees infact if you noticed I was quoting the Bible, it's this great big book that people who call themselves Christians tend to read regularly to get guidance and direction on how to live their lives

briannash - 6:40 PM - Dec. 6, 2007

<i>Untitled Comment</i>

Our bigest Alternative is not making December 25 into a Holy day as you call it. It is just December 25 same and January 25 and March 25 and July 25, or any other day of the year. It has not been set apart by God as the day of Christ's birth so we will not set it apart ourselves.

So says me Mrs. Reformed homeschooler :)

Edited by briannash on Dec. 6, 2007 at 5:05 PM

Mrs. Reformed Homeschooler - 6:50 PM - Dec. 6, 2007

Untitled Comment

Yes Brian, I know that it is important for Christians to study God's Word for guidance. As I said, I'm not trying to mock you.

My using the word "holiday" was not a deliberate provocation. It is merely that I cannot bring to mind any other word to describe a length of time when people commonly observe a period of celebration and festivities and merrymaking. Here, we have the Fourth of July -- which is commonly refered to as a holiday, although I gravely doubt that anyone considers the day to be the slightest bit "holy."

As an aside, the period of time around Dec 25th - roughly coinciding with the winter solstice - has been celebrated among many different cultures and peoples, long before the advent of Christianity. The point is that whether one refers to it as Christmas, Chanukah, Yule, Saturnalia or what-have-you, it is still a holiday season for most people, and has been so for thousands of years.

Seumas Ruadh - 11:06 PM - Dec. 6, 2007

Untitled Comment

Idol worship is also practiced by cultures all around the world and has been for thousands of years, as well as things like adultery, the breaking of the Sabath etc. the list can go on and on. Just because something has been around for thousands of years and is praticed by many cultures does not make it something Christian should celebrate. It becomes something that Christians should take a very concerned look at as we are called to not love the things of this world, the things the world loves are usually things Christ died to save us from.

Anonymous - 11:34 PM - Dec. 6, 2007

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About Me

I'm a former resident of Nova Scotia, Canada, I relocated to PEI in 2005. I'm married and have 2 adopted children. I am a Reformed Presbyterian and attend the Free Church of Scotland. I live in Middleton, Prince Edward Island, where my wife and I homeschool our 2 children. I run an Online Christian Bookstore. I was raised Roman Catholic, when I was in University I was challenged in my faith over the next few I read Paul's Epistle to the Romans which convicted me enough to know I was on the wrong path, in 1996 I hooked up with Rev. John Shearouse who I had met when I was student and he was part of a student ministry. He had just come back to Halifax, to plant a new Reformed church and I started to attend and made a profession of faith. I have been very active in Federal, Provincial and Municipal Politics, have managed many campaigns and having run as a provincial candidate in 1998.