Christmas Candy

For any holiday there was always a kitchen full of women when I was growing up. My mom, aunt, and granny (great-grandmother) were always busy days before just preparing for the day of's feast. We were in and out as kids, but had better things to do then help cook but the older we all got the more we moved into the kitchen too. Mama and Granny started passing the traditions down to us and taught us the secrets to making Christmas dishes taste the way we knew they should, the way they always made them. One of the first things I remember Granny teaching me to make was Pecan Pralines. She had an old ragged piece of paper with the recipe on it, she never needed it, she knew it by heart. She always helped me measure the ingredients and I would stand by the stove and stir. While I stirred away and the pralines cooked low and slow, she would prepare the parchment paper, and get me a little bowl with water for the ball test, and chop the pecans. The pralines almost never flopped when she was helping me. She taught me how to test the candy for the perfect soft ball to see if they were ready. One thing I will never forget is she would say, that whoever started the batch had to finish them, because if someone else stepped in and stirred different than the starter the batch would flop. All of these things I cherish and will remember so one day I can pass on the tradition. Granny passed away Christmas day 2005, I miss her just as much as I did that very day. I keep her memory with me all throughout the year, but when I make Pecan Pralines I can feel her watching me stir.

Pause for the Cause

Was reading through facebook statuses and a friend had shared an article off a blog she follows that the creator calls  Proverbs 14:1 blogspot. The underlining subtitle had the verse on display. I didn't even read the article it was linked to (printed it for later.) I was instantly caught with all focus on this verse, "A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears hers down with her own hands." Oh, man was all I could think. I feel like this is what I've been doing. Let me try to explain...
I've watched my children lately. Noah, 4, is playing Sarah steps up to him and yanks a toy from his hand, he hollers, she hollers, more than likely slaps were exchanged. I see the look on their faces and I don't like it. They look so mad, so aggravated, so serious. Why are they doing this? Where do they get this from? IT HURTS MY HEART, IMMEDIATELY. They are following my example.  I HAVE to let God control my actions. I can't tear my home down with my own hands. Have you ever made a wrong choice and thought, Oh, if I had only waited ten more minutes I would have chosen differently? I once read about a couple that has a wait list for purchases they think they want. They wait for a few months, if they can afford it and still want it they buy it. Most of the time it's money saved because they see they didn't really want it that bad. I want a wait list for my actions. I want a wait list for my words, my tone. I realize that if I only "pause for the cause" I will realize the words flying from my mouth in anger are not the appropriate action. Lord, help me today to give over my tongue. I wouldn't speak that way to anyone else's children so why speak to mine like that. Allow me to keep close to my heart Proverbs 14:1 and also Proverbs 15:1 that says, "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Help me to remember I am the role model. I am the example of Your love for my children. But most importantly help me to give my life daily, hourly, by the minute, over to you. Amen