Wednesday, December 24, 2014
The Unexpected Christmas Card
Every blog should have a catchy Christmas post. I intended to title mine "10 No-No's of Sending Christmas Cards". It would have started something like this:
1. No-no #1. Don't address your card to "The Family Name". For example, we received a card addressed to THE STAFFORD FAMILY. Before we even opened it to see who sent it, my husband said, as he was reading the envelope and shaking his head, "They don't even know our names!". I admit it does seem a bit impersonal to send a greeting to a household without addressing the individual persons.
2. No-no #2. Don't sign every card you send with a coined expression. Imagine this. You go to the mailbox to find a Christmas card from a friend you haven't talked to since last Christmas. YOU ARE EXCITED to hear from them until you open the card to read....Christmas Blessings, signed xxxxx. You wonder if your friendship really means anything to them or at least that's what crossed my mind.
Yes, that's how my list was starting to come together until yesterday when Steve found this in the mailbox.
An envelope from a return address and person neither one of us knew. More suspiciously, addressed using my complete formal name. I encouraged Steve to open it. He found this:
A beautiful Christmas card with Mary, Baby Jesus and scripture on it. Who could it be from? Puzzled, Steve opened the card to find this:
1. No-no #1. Don't address your card to "The Family Name". For example, we received a card addressed to THE STAFFORD FAMILY. Before we even opened it to see who sent it, my husband said, as he was reading the envelope and shaking his head, "They don't even know our names!". I admit it does seem a bit impersonal to send a greeting to a household without addressing the individual persons.
2. No-no #2. Don't sign every card you send with a coined expression. Imagine this. You go to the mailbox to find a Christmas card from a friend you haven't talked to since last Christmas. YOU ARE EXCITED to hear from them until you open the card to read....Christmas Blessings, signed xxxxx. You wonder if your friendship really means anything to them or at least that's what crossed my mind.
Yes, that's how my list was starting to come together until yesterday when Steve found this in the mailbox.
YES! A CHECK FOR FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS!
BUT WHY? FROM WHOM? AND WHAT FOR?
Inside the card held the explanation:
It said:
Dear Mrs. Stafford and Family,
I have given much thought to the auto accident that occurred on April 11th of this year with your daughter, Sloane. (If the accident report is correct) I think there may have been some shared responsibility for the accident. The check enclosed should hopefully cover any responsibility that may have been mine. Sincerely, _______________
WOW! It took me a minute to remember the accident because Sloane has been hit five times this year, no fault of her own. She was hit by an uninsured driver that she had to pay for, this accident which this gentleman declared was not his fault that she paid for, a minor bump that didn't get reported and was not necessary to repair, a hit and run that didn't get fixed and finally an accident where the other person's insurance paid!
This random act of kindness is refreshing to my faith! I will call this gentleman, thank him and extend our sincere appreciation for his thoughtfulness. The accident did cost us $1500 to repair Sloane's car. I'll also tell him he's forgiven. We forgave him the minute the stress of the accident subsided. Christmas Blessings to him! I'm glad he's free from his burden just in time for Christmas!
Merry Christmas to all,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Monday, December 22, 2014
Christmastime, an original poem
Merry Christmas to all,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Friday, December 19, 2014
Easy Appetizer for The Office Potluck
So you need a quick, easy appetizer for the office potluck. I have just the things you need to make a 2-minute Dip that will make you the talk of the office! All you need is one 8 oz. pack of cream cheese, Three Onion Rub and a Garlic and Brie Baker. Where do you get the rub and the baker?
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| ORDER THE RUB HERE |
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| ORDER THE GARLIC & BRIE BAKER HERE |
Simply place the cream cheese in the Brie Baker. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp. Three Onion Rub onto the cheese. Season to your tastes using as much or as little rub as you like! Pop into the microwave covered on HIGH for two minutes. Remove, stir and serve with your favorite party crackers! Delicious!
You might also like a small bamboo spoon to stir with and the bamboo platter to serve your jaw-dropping magic dip on....Make this easy appetizer for the office potluck just minutes before serving in the office microwave. Too convenient, too easy, 2 minutes!
Star of the party,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
What Will You Give?
Tis the giving season! Matthew 2 tells us the story of the wise men. Verse 11 says "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh."
One verse gives three examples of things we should do year round for the Christ child. Bow or fall down before him in reverence, worship him and bring him gifts. I wonder why we only reference this verse at Christmas? I want to focus on the fact the wise men brought him gifts. Think about the question: What will you give?
Often times when we think about giving to Jesus it involves someone else; taking a meal to a shut-in, visiting someone in the hospital, giving time or money to missions or building an access ramp at someone's home. In the wise men example, it wasn't recorded that they gave Mary, Joseph or anyone else gifts. We are not told they offered the couple a camel to get to Nazareth or took care of Baby Jesus while they ate a nice quiet meal on them. The Bible specifically says "they presented unto him gifts".
What will you give? Please note every time you give something to God, you always get something back. The wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. God saved their lives. The woman with an issue of blood gave Jesus her faith and she was healed. The disciples gave Jesus five loaves and two fishes and they fed a hungry multitude. Jesus was given water and turned it into wine for the wedding guests. Give him a sinful black heart and you'll get it back cleansed whiter than snow.
I accepted my birth defect at an early age. I gave it to Jesus completely when I quit hiding it and started using it for his glory. What can you give him? Something personal to you. Bitterness from being wronged? Sickness that doctors have told you can’t be helped? Fear of your finances? Open wounds from a failed relationship? After I shared this message, a lady told me she was giving him her food addiction. Amen! I know he can't wait to give her something awesome in return! Over the next few days until Christmas, think about what you can give him. Write it down. Wrap it. Put it under your tree. Open it on his birthday. Present it to him and celebrate a special time of giving.
Merry Christmas,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
If you'd like to share something you will give him, please leave a comment!
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Easy and Inexpensive Strawberry First Birthday Party
You will need 1/4 to 1/2 yard of 3 to 4 coordinating fabrics for streamers. She used a Strawberry Shortcake fabric, olive green and beige chevron, pink and white polka dot and pink and white chevron. Cost $10 Be sure to use coupons for fabric at Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's. Streamers were draped from the light fixture over the food table as shown and hung from the curtain rods in the dining area. Sydnee used chalk and a small decorative chalkboard for Lisette's name as seen in the picture. Cost $5 You can find all these supplies at Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's.
The Birthday Girl's high chair was decorated in the same fabrics as the streamers as seen in the pic. Buy about 1/4 yard extra of the two fabrics you want to use to decorate the high chair. Cost already included above. We try to reduce costs by clipping coupons also.
FOOD. Food is the biggest expense. Pink Princess Punch I'm serving above was a hit with everyone. I used this recipe. I bought a cute water bottle label on Etsy. Cost $2.50 for label file. I had the label paper on-hand.
Strawberry Shortcake for all Adults! I used fresh strawberries and Classic White Duncan Hine Cake Mix as the shortcake baked in cupcake tins. I used 1 to 1 1/2 cupcakes per cup with about 1/4 cup strawberries each cup. I whipped more cream from the recipe above layering in the cups with cake and strawberries. 1 bag of frozen strawberries and 1 cup sugar pureed together made the strawberry sauce which was drizzled into each cup just before serving. The perfect touch! Cost $35-$40 depending on price of strawberries.
A plate of white chocolate covered strawberries fit the theme perfectly!
THE SHOES. Red Baby Converse from shoemall.com Cost $24
One Tired Tammy,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap
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