Wednesday, December 30, 2009

One Little Word

I generally don't undertake making any resolutions each January 1. I do think about what I want the year to hold, inasmuch as we can influence that kind of thing.  I do believe we can influence ourselves, and that's what I've been more interested in. So this 'one little word' concept seemed a perfect idea for me.

I read about this sometime in 2009 and thought it was a neat idea. And promptly forgot it until Ali Edwards put a post about her 2010 word up this week. And with little effort, I came up with engage. It's something I tend not to do - hence the photography, one gets to be behind the lens and watch. I have a reserve that I almost always have to overcome to begin something new, try new things/places/people, walk into a room full of people and so on. So for these and some other reasons, my word will be engage.


And since many of you are bloggers you must also love words, and that's why I'm sharing this with you.




From Ali Edwards' blog:

Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2007 2010?


It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.

One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet. Again, be open to the possibilities.





What's your word?

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en-gage/[en-geyj]


–verb (used with object)
1. to occupy the attention or efforts of (a person or persons): He engaged her in conversation.

2. to secure for aid, employment, use, etc.; hire: to engage a worker; to engage a room.

3. to attract and hold fast: The novel engaged her attention and interest.

4. to attract or please: His good nature engages everyone.

5. to bind, as by pledge, promise, contract, or oath; make liable: He engaged himself to repay his debt within a month.

6. to betroth (usually used in the passive): They were engaged last week.

7. to bring (troops) into conflict; enter into conflict with: Our army engaged the enemy.

8. Mechanics. to cause (gears or the like) to become interlocked; interlock with.

9. to attach or secure.

10. Obsolete. to entangle or involve.



–verb (used without object)

11. to occupy oneself; become involved: to engage in business or politics.

12. to take employment: She engaged in her mother's business.

13. to pledge one's word; assume an obligation: I was unwilling to engage on such terms.

14. to cross weapons; enter into conflict: The armies engaged early in the morning.

15. Mechanics. (of gears or the like) to interlock.





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Friday, December 25, 2009

Repeat the Sounding Joy




This was my favorite hymn when I was young.  I remember playing it over and over in the den, on my record player.  I liked singing it in church because it was big, and happy sounding...and I knew the words. I fell away for several years, and transferred my favors to another Christmas hymn. 

Today, when I googled the song, I learned that it was not written for Christmas, and that all the original verses are no longer used - we only use the second half now. It's my favorite again this year, probably because we all need some joy as we catch our breath at the end of a trying 2009 and an unknown 2010. So today, I wish you all the gift of joy. May you find it in big things and small, and carry it in your hearts throughout the next year.



Joy to the world! the Lord is come;


Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.



Verse 2



Joy to the Earth! the Saviour reigns;

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.


Merry Christmas!
God bless us,
every one.



Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Nuts!


I made two batches of these fairly quickly last night.  They are Maple Rosemary Nuts and the mix I picked is pecan-cashew-peanut.  It's a new recipe, and I like it - sort of a sweet and savory thing.

You can find the recipe at Food In Jars, which is a new blog I found.  Her current post is about a pot of pinto beans that she recently made and it makes my mouth water.  I think I may have to try this after Christmas. 

Back to wrapping - and re-wrapping if the truth be told.  The Unwrapping Elf is on the move this morning.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Christmas Bullet List



  • The annual tradition of the last-minue-make-it-myself Christmas card is complete. Now I just have to go buy stamps and mail them. This year's theme is The Unwrapping Elf.

  • Christmas Day menu

  • Shopping for Christmas Day menu

  • Wrap gifts

  • Make cookies and roast nuts (new recipe)

  • Make peanut butter fudge (only if I get to it before it gets rainy again)

  • Go to a movie or 3 (Avatar, The Blind Side, and one more I can't remember)

  • Laundry, laundry, laundry

  • Catch up my December daily album - I've been taking pictures, just not putting them in the book

  • Coordinate visits to family and friends

  • Decide on the 5:30 pm or the 10:30 pm church service on Christmas Eve. Last year the music was a little sophisticated for someone sitting in church at 10:30, warm and beginning to get drowsy. Perhaps the 5:30 communion service is the ticket this year.

Whew! Good thing it's downhill the rest of the way.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Retriever


"What do you mean 'leave it'? I'm supposed to retrieve birds."

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