Well, hey there! I wanted to share some love with you—plus, my favorite Christmas recipe.
So, I paused from munching on some Harry and David’s Dark Chocolate Moose Munch and sipping some Starbuck’s Christmas Blend to hang out with you for a bit. Thanks for pausing to join me for some Christmas java!
I’ve been wrapping gifts—actually, I’ve stuffed them into the crumpled gift bags I saved from last year!
And, girl, I’m loving Christmas songs by Kathy Troccoli and Michael O’Brien while I breathe in the warm cinnamon fragrance of the wassail simmering in the crockpot. Sister, it tastes as good as it smells.
I have made it for years, and it is one of the few things I can’t ruin or burn! So, I’m leaving you the recipe at the end of this blog. It just doesn’t get much better than this!
It’s been such a wonderful year. Well, most of it anyway.
My Hero Dad went to Heaven this past February, and that was so hard. It still is. Yet, the year has been so good because I’ve seen God’s grace in every moment. My mom has been a warrior, standing tall with courage by her side as she encounters all the “firsts.”
I also launched my podcast. The 4:13 Podcast couldn’t have come at a better time! I need the message every day that I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. I am still learning how to do it, but I am loving all that I am learning.
We also saw dozens of women come to Christ through Fresh Grounded Faith events, and that just makes my heart so full of gratefulness.
So, as we get to the end of this sip of Christmas java, I’m reminded how grateful I am for the simple pleasures of this year and the deep treasures God has granted. And … that includes you!! I’m so thankful for you, my sweet java friend. Thanks for hanging out with me each week. Thanks for laughing, learning, and growing along with me these past 12 months.
May God grant you His peace during this Christmas season and may the start of this coming year be the beginning of a great adventure of growth and peace for you.
Happy Christmas, my friend!
My Wassail Recipe
Ingredients:
2 quarts apple juice (8 cups)
1 pint cranberry juice (2 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
2 sticks cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 orange, studded with whole cloves
Preparation:
Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot and simmer for at least 1 hour. (The longer, the better.)
In the comments, let me know what Christmas songs and artists you are enjoying this season. And, if you have a friend who would enjoy the wassail recipe, tag her in the comments so she can snag it!
