It is Well With my Soul

~Horatio Spafford

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

(makes 3 braided loaves)

1/2 c. lukewarm water

2 Tbs. yeast

3 c. whole milk, scalded & cooled to lukewarm

1 1/2 c. sugar

9 whole cardamon shelled & finely ground (or scant 1 Tbs. ground)

1 Tbs. salt

11 1/2 c. flour

4 eggs

1/2c. butter, melted

Glaze:

1/4c. espresso, brewed

1/2c. powdered sugar

1 Tbs. butter, melted

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water, set aside.  Place milk, sugar, cardamon and salt in mixing bowl.  Add 5 cups flour and beat with mixer until smooth.  Add dissolved yeast & water.  Beat well.  Then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add enough remaining flour to form a moderately stiff dough that is smooth & elastic.  Knead well.  Then add butter in 3 installments, kneading after each addition until it is incorporated.  Cover with a damp towel, set in a warm place free from drafts and let rise about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.

Punch dough down and divide into 9 equal parts.  Roll each of the 9 pieces of dough into ropes about 18" long.  Braid the dough strips, 3 at a time, into three loaves, each about 12" long overall.

Place loaves on buttered baking sheets, cover and let rise till double in size.

Bake at 375 F until crust is dark brown or until bread is well baked (about 30 minutes).

Brush glaze over the warm loaves.  Place back in the oven for a minute to dry.

Early this morning, while it was still chilly and dark, my five year old boy crawled into our bed and snuggled up close.  I could tell something was on his mind and finally he said, "Mom, I've been thinking and I just can't figure it out."

"Figure what out?", I asked

"Well, if a man dreamed for thirty-nine years that he was only one year old, would he be thirty-nine, forty or would he be only one?"

"Uhhh....What time did you say it was?"

HOPE it may be the happiest year of your life, as I think each succeeding year of everybody's life should be, if only everybody were wise enough to see things as they are; for it is certain that there really exists, laid up and ready to hand, for those who will just lay hands upon it, enough for every one and enough forever. I am quite sure that the central mistake of all lives that are mistaken is the not taking this simple unchangeable fact for granted, not seeing that it is so, and cannot but be so, and will remain so "though we believe not." I think I can trace every scrap of sorrow in my own life to this simple unbelief. How could I be anything but quite happy if I believed always that all the past is forgiven, and all the present furnished with power, and all the future bright with hope, because of the same abiding facts, which don't change with my mood, do not crumble, because I totter and stagger at the promise through unbelief, but stand firm and clear with their peaks of pearl cleaving the air of Eternity, and the bases of their hills rooted unfathomably in the Rock of God?
JAMES SMETHAM

Since December brings out all things crafty in me, I had to pull out the old bead box too!

Jasper, Turquiose, Shell & Silver

Turquiose, Wood, Lapis & Silver

Fiber Optic Blue & Silver

Pink Pearl, Light Jade, Rose Quartz & Silver

Jade

Cobalt & Silver

I love this Advent Calendar!  The first year I filled each pocket with small gifts & candy and the kids took turns opening the days.  I wasn't at all pleased with the "me-centered" attitude that it fostered in the kids.  Or the focus it placed on materialism & the expectation that Christmas was all about gifts & goodies. 

So, I spent all year pondering how to redeem this.  I finally settled on writing out 25 small acts of service or sacrifice on slips of paper.  I put one in each pocket along with 3 foil wrapped chocolate coins (one for each child).  Each morning, we pull out the paper to learn what our assignment for the day is (mom & pop are not exempt either!).  Then in the evening, usually around the dinner table, we take turns sharing how we performed our acts of love.  I record them on the paper and put it back in the pocket.  Then they each get a chocolate coin as a reminder that they are storing up treasure in heaven...not here on earth.  On Christmas morning, before we tear into our presents, we read through all the slips of paper & recount all the gifts we gave to Christ throughout the month.

Something new we started this year was a Jesse Tree.  After wavering for several years over whether or not this was a tradition I wanted to start in our family, Ann Voskamp settled my mind.  If you have never visited her site, you are in for a treat! 

I made this bag for a friend, using a bag my sister-in-law made for me several years ago as a guide.  Not being nearly as quick as some of these gals (not to mention, not nearly as talented!), it took me nearly a week to make. 

When I was finished, I used the scraps to whip out these bags.