candy cane ornament

Candy Cane: The shepherd's crook used to bring lambs back into the fold. A reminder that we are all our brothers keeper.

• Supplies needed:  
• 28 Red Tri Beads,
• 24 White Tri Beads, 
• 2 12" pcs 6 mm White Chenille stems.

Instructions:
cut one 10" piece of white chenille stem
String red and white tri beads onto the chenille stem
Alternate four reds and then four white. Curl the end of the chenille stem to secure
Cut one 8 piece of white chenille stem, and twist it around top of candy cane for hanger.

History of the Candy Cane: 
The first historical reference to the popular candy cane goes back to the 1670's when the choir master at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, bent sugar sticks into canes to represent a shepherds staff. The All-White candy canes were given out to the children during the long winded Nativity services. Before 1900 the canes were all white and the introduction of flavoring and colored stripes came after 1900.

ASL word of the day...Star

star n. A hot, gaseous heavenly body that shines by its own light: stars in the sky.

* Brush the sides of both extended index fingers against each other, palms facing forward, with an alternating movement as the hands move upward in front of the face. 

The White Stocking

The White Stocking

author unknown

It wasn't that anyone had really been forgotten, no children had been slighted or made unhappy and no adult had been left ignored. The presents had all been distributed and all the stockings were beautifully filled.. all that is except one: one stocking had never been hung, It was the stocking intended for the child of Bethlehem. Of all the people belonging at the Christmas gathering, only He had been forgotten. Only He had been left out of the festivities. This didn't seem quite right, inasmuch as it was His birthday that was being celebrated.

We hope that you will begin a new tradition in your home this holiday season. Hang the little white stocking in the center of  all your stockings. On Christmas eve, gather in the living room to recall and express your feeling of that Christmas Eve so many years ago. Then privately write down each of your offerings or gifts to Jesus. Your gift could include; personal goals you wish to achieve, family goals, ways you will be of service to others in the coming year, or relationships you wish to improve. The gift is placed in the stocking to be reviewed next Christmas Eve. At that gathering, reach into the stocking and pass out the papers that were placed there this year. Each person quietly reviews last year's gift, then writes down the gift they will give to Him this year and places it into the stocking to again be kept until the following year.

May you have a  special Christmas Season, this year and always, and may it be more meaningful to you by thinking of the wonderful gifts you can present at the Master's feet.

The White stocking is easy to make using 2 white felt squares and some lace. Place the 2 felt squares together and cut out a stocking shape with scissors or pinking shears. Add some lace to the top of the stocking and sew on. Sew around the edges of the stocking , leaving the top edge open. If you would like a copy of my stocking pattern, just email me from my order page on the website: reneesworkshop.com and I will gladly get that out to you.

Bear Tales- The Shepherd left behind

The Shepherd Left Behind
mildred plew meigs

"The hour is late," the shepherds said,
   "And the miles are long to wind;
Do you stay here with the sheep, instead!"
   And they left the lad behind.
He heard their feet in the dark ravine,
   The drop of the sheepfold bars,
And tehn blue stillness flowed between
   The huddled sheep and stars.
He sat him down to wait for dawn,
    His crook across his knees,
And thought of the shepherds moving on
   Under the olive trees.
Herding his flocks in Palestine
   He thought, that lad of old,
How some must follow the Angel's sign
   And some must tend the fold.
And he mused he his pipe
   'Twas a shepherd's pipe he had
And there, while the frosty stars grew ripe
   And shone on the shepherd lad,
The first sweet Christmas carol twined
   From the willow's slender stem-
Blown by the shepherd left behind
   To a Babe in Bethlehem.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Christmas just isn't Christmas without a plateful of yummy cookies!

I love cookies, but I am not allowed to eat just any cookie. These Chocolate Chip Cookies are a favorite with everyone. Most people can't tell that they are Healthy , and I don't tell them! Enjoy...

2 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened

3/4 cup packed Splenda Brown sugar

3/4 cup Splenda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat the butter, splenda, splenda brown sugar and vanilla in a large mixer bowl. Add eggs. Beat.

Slowly beat in flour mixture. Stir in Chocolate Chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE  at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand and then remove to wire rack , or I just set them on foil to cool .

Penguin Game

When first observing penguins hopping aboard ice floes and then going for a ride, researchers were not sure what that was all about. The scientists decided the birds were not trying to avoid predators or doing some territorial ritual.
                     They were just having some fun!

Here how your kids can have some "penguin style" fun playing this toastier indoor version of this Arctic game:

• Lay a trail of pillow "ice floes" about 2 feet apart on a cleared, carpeted floor
• Have everyone line up single file (this is how penguins migrate north)
• Take turns hopping from pillow to pillow
  

The "penguins" must land with both feet on each "ice floe"; if they don't, they are considered to have fallen in the drink and must step aside.
Space the  pillows farther apart for each new round until all but one "penguin", the winner, has been eliminated.

Service

When you perform service for others

you do a great service for yourself

 Ron, Jennifer and Renee' checking out the Red Buffalo 

at the Great Salt Lake in Utah

Friends have the gift of making 

even the mundane

seem like an adventure.