The post-Christmas pre-new year throw it all in together post :-)

That’s that then.

It’s all over.

And all I can say is Praise God, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

If you have been reading here for any length of time at all, you can tell that I don’t over-do the Christmas Spirit and so like most people (who just won’t admit) it I’m thankful that’s its over for another year.

And when I say it’s over I truly mean it is over.

The kids here can vouch for that as Daddymac went back to work this morning we’ve just spent all morning removing any trace of Christmas we could find, and you know what? I’ve decided I prefer the house without all the trappings

We’re going visiting tomorrow and I just had to get the hard work done before we had our last family day out for the season.

There are some parts of Christmas that I do like in spite of most thinking I’m related to Scrooge. I like it when my kids don’t go mad when we open the living room door on Christmas morning, I like that they walk in slowly and ask permission to open their presents (they didn’t take this after their mother). I like it when they are pleased with the little things as much as the bigger things. I like giving a little something to someone who isn’t expecting a gift, as after all, it is better to give than to receive. I especially like it when the dishes are all cleared up on Boxing day and someone says “that’s it for another year”

Speaking of unexpected gifts I just have to show you these bits and bobs.

As a family we had quite a few unexpected gifts this year, how blessed are we to have such good friends, I am thankful for them.

This little package was given to us by some very dear friends with a little note to have one of our traditional Friday night treat nights on them! What an unexpected surprise!

What a great way to bless another family - I hope to use this idea in future

And can I just say that this is now exactly 6 days SIX DAYS I SAID after this gift has been unwrapped and I haven’t thought about devoured that bar of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate which was obviously intend just for me which only goes to show that my self-control is abounding to heights it never has before.

Next up is this excellent book which came for our kids from another great friend,

I wasn’t familiar with this series but I see from the back of the book you can get loads of different “I spy” books. The good thing about these books are they can suit any age group so all my crew love it. I would really recommend these books for kids of all ages. Thanks for introducing them to us Miss Polka Dots!

Then there was the parcel which arrived on Saturday, what fun we had with that one which had travelled far to get to us

Everyone in the family did well out of that one as you can see

New tops for the boys and snazzy tights for Princessmac We were so pleased. Thanks Mrs G!! Dad is looking forward to his coffee, he just needs to finish of his current packet as you well know coffee is an art in this house and these things will be appreciated all in good time

and me?

Oh yes I’m well pleased as I’m well known to have the coldest feet in the country!!

Kim Shay eat your heart out!!

Or what about these….

Oh Kim, as I my feet burn inside these I can only think of your fingers blistered from all that knitting

Mrs G please let me know did you knit these yourself?? Hidden talent?

I received another lovely gift this year which has taken me back into one of my past hobbies. I’m hoping to post on it later. Anyone care to guess what my gift was? (People who live in this house are exempt from this competition).

To be sure we have many friends who have blessed us in many ways this year, we are thankful for each and every one of you even if you didn’t get a special mention and photos up-loaded to prove your kindness to us. Be sure we appreciate you all.

It appears this is the post of up-loading pics so if you only dropped by to check out what the Mac kids got for Christmas…..

now you know

It’s a recurring theme in our house that one child (mention no names) does all he can to ruin pictures. (Says she who has her eyes closed).

As I look forward to the new year I’m hoping to use this blog more and more to the glory of God. Indeed when I started blogging my intention was to use it as a means of keeping in touch with those we know far and near and while this is useful (if they actually read it) I have found more readers among those who are trying to promote Christ and Him crucified from their little corner of cyberspace. I’m not hot on resolutions as they don’t often come off so we’ll see how it goes from here.

Now that this post probably breaks all previous records on this blog it’s time to go de-Christmastise another area of my house, I just want to thank those of you who drop by and make all this keyboard bashing worthwhile. You have indeed been a blessing to me over my few months of blogging.

Here’s to a New Year of blogging that’s beneficial to the souls of many.

Every Blessing to you and your families for 2008.

Mummymac.

So much to do, so little time to do it.

Folks it’s early here and I’m heading off to the kitchen to do things to a turkey which for the sake of decency I only do once a year

Like many others in the blogosphere I felt it necessary to post some Seasons Greetings. Many of you have blessed me throughout this year to quote a famous blogger “Some of you I may never meet this side of heaven, but you befriend me as if we live next door to one another”.

When I started to blog I didn’t realise the blessing many of you would be to me.

So to fellow bloggers, friends, relations, fellow church members who are here in Northern Ireland or scattered across the world if you’re the Christmas lover I wish you a happy and peaceful time with your loved ones, if you refrain from the celebrations I hope you find yourself rejoicing in God’s goodness to you at this time of the year.

Mummymac.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Stop reading!!!

The Fall into reading challenge hosted by Katrina at Callapiddar Days is finishing to-day. I can hardly believe it’s 3 months since I did my introductory post where I listed the books I hoped to read.

I’ve never taken part in a challenge like this on-line before and I have to say I’m reasonably pleased with how I got on.

Here is my original list

A Song for all Seasons

Learning to be Happy

First Love

Let me be a Woman (In Progress)

The Regulative Principle of Worship

Love and Respect

Leading little ones to God I’m reading this to the kids in the morning before school.

Pilgrims Progress I’m currently reading this version to the kids in the car. (When I’m NOT driving!)
Then their were the books I added when I thought I was going quite well
** Added 23 October - I’ve been getting on quite well and a friend let me borrow this so I decided to add One Tuesday Morning **

** 27 October - Went to the library last night and found another gem so had to add it too Disciplines of a Godly Woman **

I feel somewhat like the hare in the old fable, I was getting smug with my progress so I digressed. If I had stayed with the original plan I would have finished even my current read in time.

Regardless there was certainly much to be learned from Barbara Hughes book and I’m was really challenged by it. It was worth “loosing the race” for.

The kids and I have a few chapters still to go on Leading Little ones to God but I hope to finish it over the holidays so we can start with something fresh in the new year.

One other book I started during this period was A Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers.

Now can I just say that I’m not much into reading Christian Fiction as I always imagine there is so much to learn from the non-fiction books that it can be deemed a waste of time. Having said that I don’t think there is anything wrong with reading something a little lighter from time to time I just don’t tend to go there often myself.

I know Francine Rivers is popular in the Christian Fiction sector but I must admit I have never read any of her books before. A Lineage of Grace is novel written using Biblical characters. (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Mary). I have only read the first 3 and have still to read of Bathsheba and Mary. This is an interesting book, Rivers describes her book as historical fiction, based on the facts provided by the Bible. I hope to get back to this book but would be interested in hearing from any who have read it. A Bible study is included and given more time I think a study of these characters using this guide could be most beneficial.

Let me know which ones you’ve read

Visit with Katrina and all the other bloggers winding up their reading challenge here.

I’m hoping to post my 2008 to read list soon

Mummymac.

Spiritual Disciplines within the church.

We’ve just finished working our way through this book in our Adult Sunday School class at Church. Donald Whitney in his book Spiritual Disciplines within the Church opens up many questions Christians may have especially in the realm of searching out a church to attend.

Some of the chapter headings include:

Why go to Church?

Why join a Church?

Why worship with the Church?

Why witness with the Church?

Why serve in the Church?

Why give to the Church?

Why attend the ordinances of the Church?

Why fellowship with the Church?

Why learn in the Church?

Why research the Church?

In a world committed to self-seeking and the thirst for individual rights, it is hard to create a genuine community based on self-sacrifice and mutual commitment - but that is just what the church must do.

Don Whitney shows how the local church can build a sense of community and turn church people from passive attendees into active participants.

I can thoroughly recommend this book to any searching for their place within a church or searching for a Biblical church to attend.

Mummymac.

First Love

I’m doing a rather foolish thing (for me to do) at the moment, I’m struggling through two books at once.

It tends to mean I read slower and take less in - that’s why it’s foolish for me to read this way. Anyway I’m nearing the end of both books, which is a good job as one is due back to the library and the other is part of our Reading Roundabout at church so the pressure is always on with those books to get them passed on.

I’m reading one of John MacArthur’s earlier books First Love which was written to “help restore the fire and conviction of your first love for Christ by helping develop a clearer understanding of His character, His glory, and His love for you”.

It’s an encouraging book even if my reading of it has been prolonged, I’m at chapter nine now which is entitled “Love and Obedience”. Pastor MacArthur starts this chapter by quoting a famous lyric from the old, popular song that says “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage”, his point is in the spiritual realm, love and obedience also go together - one pulls the other. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” and “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me” (John 14: 15,21).

The other book I’m reading is Barbara Hughes book entitled Disciplines of a Godly Woman where Mrs Hughes has a whole section on relationships.

“Love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage“

I would thoroughly recommend both these books, the combination of reading them both together has got me thinking about love and about marriage.

It seems to me that the devil is working 24 hour shifts in the Christian marriage department.

While Christian husbands and wives sit comfortably in their bigger and better homes with their Que Sera Sera attitude towards building relationships the devil is finding his statistics for family breakdowns are most impressive. WE are making his job easy for him.

Dear readers if you are in a Christian marriage, don’t be complacent. If you aren’t putting measures in place to make sure your marriage works be sure that the devil is most certainly putting measures in place to ensure it doesn’t.

How would you define a good marriage? Beautiful wedding, decent jobs, enough to get by, a couple of children?

How does the Bible define a good marriage? “Wives submit to your own husband, as to the Lord Eph 5: 22/Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her”

As wives we shouldn’t be afraid of the word submission. We ARE the weaker vessel, God has made us that way, we ought to glorify God in why he made us.

Husbands do you love your wife with a sacrificial love? that’s how Christ loved the church.

How can we train up our children to shoot them out like arrows into this ungodly world if we can’t show them what God expects from our marriages.

In a day when we rarely see a horse with a carriage and we rarely see love resulting in marriage, we need to cling to Christ to help us to hold in high regard that covenant of love which He gave us.

Mummymac

Peanut Butter Crinkles

This is a Pampered Chef recipe and it’s just so handy.

I like it because if I’m in the mood to bake but just don’t want the bother of getting the mixer out these can be mixed up by hand and are ready for the oven in a few minutes.

Peanut Butter Crinkles

6 tbsp Peanut Butter

115g/4oz butter or margarine

2.5ml/1/2 tsp vanilla essence

2.5ml/1/2 teasp lemon zest

55g/2oz caster sugar

55g/2oz soft brown sugar

175g/6oz plain flour

5ml/1tsp baking powder.

Prehead oven to 180/350/Gas 4. Place peanut butter in bowl. Add butter, vanilla, lemon zest and sugars, cream together. Add flour and baking powder, mix to a firm dough.

Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of dough into small balls with floured hands. Place dough on Stone or baking tray, lightly flatten each cookie with fork. Bake at 14-15 minutes to deep golden brown. Allow to cool 2-3 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

Makes 20-25 cookies.

My friend’s Pampered Chef site is here, check her out for festive recipes, or place your Pampered Chef order with her if you live in Northern Ireland.

All the other cookie recipes will be linking at Rebecca’s later today.

Enjoy.

Mummymac.

It’s that time of the year…

no not for Christmas, for soup.

 

 

There is a big soup carnival going on over at BooMama’s Blog and I thought I’d join in.

 

The main soups I make I’ve posted before so here are the links.

 

Spiced Leek and Potato

 

Farmhouse Vegetable Soup

 

Check out the host blog to find loads of other soups for the cold winter nights.

 

Mummymac.

Looking forward to the Lord’s Day…

Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That ever mortals knew,
That angels ever bore:
All are too mean to speak His worth,
To poor to set my Savior forth.

But O what gentle terms,
What condescending ways,
Doth our Redeemer use
To teach his heav’nly grace!
Mine eyes with joy and wonder see
What forms of love He bears for me.

 

Arrayed in mortal flesh,
He like an angel stands,
And holds the promises
And pardons in His hands;
Commissioned from His Father’s throne
To make His grace to mortals known.

 

Great Prophet of my God,
My tongue would bless Thy Name,
By Thee the joyful news
Of our salvation came,
The joyful news of sin forgiv’n
Of hell subdued, and peace with Heav’n.

 

Be Thou my Counsellor,
My Pattern, and my Guide,
And through this desert land
Still keep me near thy side:
Nor let my feet e’er run astray
Nor rove nor seek the crooked way.

 

I love my Shepherd’s voice,
His watchful eyes shall keep
My wand’ring soul among
The thousands of His sheep:
He feeds His flock, He calls their names,
His bosom bears the tender lambs.

 

To this dear Surety’s hand
Will I commit my cause;
He answers and fulfils
His Father’s broken laws:
Behold my soul at freedom set!
My Surety paid the dreadful debt.

 

Jesus, my great High Priest,
Offered His blood, and died;
My guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice beside:
His powerful blood did once atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.

 

My Advocate appears
For my defense on high;
The Father bows his ears,
And lays his thunder by:
Not all that hell or sin can say
Shall turn his heart, his love away.

 

My dear almighty Lord,
My Conqueror and my King,
Thy scepter and Thy sword,
Thy reigning grace I sing:
Thine is the power; behold I sit
In willing bonds beneath Thy feet.

 

Now let my soul arise,
And tread the tempter down;
My Captain leads me forth
To conquest and a crown:
A feeble saint shall win the day,
Though death and hell obstruct the way.

 

Should all the hosts of death,
And powers of hell unknown,
Put their most dreadful forms
Of rage and mischief on,
I shall be safe, for Christ displays

Superior power, and guardian grace.

 

Click for the tune.

 

Mummymac.

A Blog Thingy…

I think most of these Bog Thingy’s are a bit weird but decided to give this one a go…..

What Your Handwriting Says About You

You are a fairly energetic person. You know how do pace yourself, and you deal well with stress.You are somewhat outgoing, but you’re not a natural extrovert. You think first before you act. You tend to be independent, rational, and logical.You are balanced and grounded. You know how to get along well with others.You need a bit of space in your life, but you’re not a recluse. You expect people to give you a small amount of privacy, and you respect their privacy as well. You are somewhat traditional, but you are also open to change. You listen to your head and your heart.You are a decent communicator. You eventually get your point across, but sometimes you leave things a bit ambiguous.

What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?

Do you think this is an accurate description of me? First I thought yes, then I thought no…. now I’m just not sure :-)I guess I’m just not a decision maker ;-)Mummymac.

The Golden Compass

To-day is the release date for “The Golden Compass”.

Dr Al Mohler has written a briefing for concerned parents.

“This is not just any fantasy trilogy or film project. Philip Pullman has an agenda — an agenda about as subtle as an army tank. His agenda is nothing less than to expose what he believes is the tyranny of the Christian faith and the Christian church. His hatred of the biblical storyline is clear. He is an atheist whose most important literary project is intended to offer a moral narrative that will reverse the biblical account of the fall and provide a liberating mythology for a new secular age”.

Please be sure to read the full post here.

Mummymac