Grain Free Pumpkin Biscuits

This is a recipe in progress. I began with this recipe and it was good, but the biscuits were very soft and they fell apart when I put them on a plate.

1/2 cup butter (melted or in little pieces)
3 eggs
1 TBS vinegar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp Penzey's Provence herb blend

Mix well with stand mixer.

Add
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour

Mix after each ingredient.

Put a parchment sheet on a cookie sheet. Use ice cream scoop to drop biscuits on a cookie sheet, then flatten slightly with a fork or spatula. I made 16 small biscuits.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for five minutes before serving.

Reading Practicing Glory?

I'm using Storify to keep track of blogposts and songs that go with each topic. Here is a link to the Worship page.

Fourth Week of Advent: God speaks to Unique People

Last Sunday was the Fourth Sunday of Advent. I meant to blog on Sunday, but Sunday blended into Monday, which was Christmas Eve, and suddenly it was Christmas, and now it's Christmas break...and I've just been enjoying the season--the time of the year and my situation of life.

We have young children, young enough to find Christmas exciting, but not so young that they wake us up at 6 in the morning. We were surprised to see a few snowflakes on the 26th, and all the children were able to put on their own warm clothing and rush outside, while I went back to bed. I like this stage of life. I liked the stage with cuddly little babies, and I'm sure I'll find things to love about whatever comes around the next calendar page, but for now, I am content.

And so, earlier this week, I wasn't blogging. I was enjoying just being me right here and right now. And that is what the Fourth Candle says to me, because Fourth Candle stands for John the Baptist.

John the Baptist lived a unique life, focused on God's calling. He didn't call others to live as he did, he just pointed them to Jesus. He looked odd, ate a limited diet, and lived in a remote location. I considered calling this post "God speaks to people who are weird"  because John the Baptist seems to be kind of a strange man, and I'm sure we can all identify with being a little odd in some way or another.

I chose the word "unique" instead, because what I see and admire most in John's life is that he was himself--the himself that God called him to be.

That is the message of the Fourth Candle. Be you. Be the you that God created you to be, in the place where God has placed you today.

Advent is all about God's Word--and now that you've heard it, He calls you to live it, in your own words and actions.

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Ten Christmas Hymns: Irish Christmas Blessing

Today's hymn comes from modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty. You can read the lyrics and download the recording here: http://www.gettymusic.com/USA-albums.aspx?id=851 This comes from their Christmas album, which I highly recommend you add to your Christmas collection!

An Irish Christmas Blessing

Now may the fragrance of His peace

Soar through your heart like the dove released

Hide in His wings oh, weary distant soul

He'll guide your spirit home

And may His love poured from on high

Flow to the depths of your deepest sigh

Oh come and drink from the only living stream

And on His shoulder lean

And may the hope that will not deceive

Through every pain bring eternal ease

There is no night that can steal the promises

His coming brings to us

So may His joy rush over you

Delight in the path He has called you to

May all your steps walk in Heaven's endless light

Beyond this Christmas night

Keith Getty and Kristyn Getty

Copyright © 2004 Thankyou Music/ Adm. by worshiptogether.com songs excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Kingsway Music. tym@kingsway.co.uk

Ten Christmas Hymns: There's a Song in the Air

There’s a song in the air! There’s a star in the sky!

There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a baby’s low cry!

And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,

For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

There’s a tumult of joy o’er the wonderful birth,

For the virgin’s sweet Boy is the Lord of the earth.

Ay! the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,

For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

In the light of that star lie the ages impearled;

And that song from afar has swept over the world.

Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing

In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!

We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song

That comes down through the night from the heavenly throng.

Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring,

And we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!

—Josiah Holland, 1872

How are we echoing that song today?

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Ten Christmas Hymns: O Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.

O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given;

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heaven.

No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy pray to the blessed Child,

Where misery cries out to Thee, Son of the mother mild;

Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door,

The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

--Phillips Brooks, 1867

The hymnwriter speaks of Bethlehem's dark streets full of slumbering people, unaware of the party happening in the stable. While the heavenly host looked on, a mother, an adoptive father and a few shepherds welcomed the King. They knew the "great glad tidings”—and so do we!

Last year I attended a missions conference. I heard stories of Christians reaching out to victims of human trafficking in the United States. My friend Claudia talked about her ministry to local refugees from war-torn countries. Another lady told of a camp she is starting for troubled girls. We all sang praise choruses and hymns to the accompaniment of a local band of women known as the Chick Band. In the middle of a joyful song, I suddenly remembered where we were—a few blocks from the Las Vegas Strip. Vegas has a reputation as a very dark place (and we do have our share of darkness, as any city does), but here in the heart of Sin City we praised God and listened to reports of His work around the world. We celebrated the Everlasting Light.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, but I know this season may not as joyful and bright as you desire it to be. I pray that you will find a glimpse of the Everlasting Life.

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Ten Christmas Hymns: Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

Infant holy, Infant lowly, for His bed a cattle stall;

Oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the Babe is Lord of all.

Swift are winging angels singing, noels ringing, tidings bringing:

Christ the Babe is Lord of all.

Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil till the morning new

Saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of a Gospel true.

Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the morrow:

Christ the Babe was born for you.

--Traditional Polish carol, translated to English by Edith M. Reed, 1921

Read the last two lines again, and imagine greeting the morrow—tomorrow—with that attitude. Jesus was born for You! God cares so much about you that He gave His son for You! 

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Ten Christmas Hymns: We Three Kings of Orient Are

We three kings of Orient are;

Bearing gifts we traverse afar,

Field and fountain, moor and mountain,

Following yonder star.

Chorus: O star of wonder, star of light,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain

Gold I bring to crown Him again,

King forever, ceasing never,

Over us all to reign.

Frankincense to offer have I;

Incense owns a Deity nigh;

Prayer and praising, voices raising,

Worshipping God on high.

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume

Breathes a life of gathering gloom;

Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,

Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

Glorious now behold Him arise;

King and God and sacrifice;

Alleluia, Alleluia,

Sounds through the earth and skies.

--John H. Hopkins, Jr., 1857

Each gift was chosen for a reason—an illustration of the Messiah's identity and mission: He is a King, He is God, and He is our sacrifice. The Bible doesn't tell us how many men there were or who chose the gifts, but I love the idea this hymn suggests: perhaps each man choose a costly gift that he found meaningful. And then, though they each made a personal sacrifice, they shared the journey with each other.

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Ten Christmas Hymns: Awake, Arise Good Christians

Awake, arise good Christians, let nothing you dismay,

Remember Christ our Savior was born upon this day!

The self-same moon was shining as now is in the sky,

When a holy band of angels came down from God on high!

Chorus: Hosannah! Hosannah! To Jesus we'll sing,

Hosannah! Hosannah! Our Savior, our King.

“Fear not, we bring glad tidings, for on this happy morn,

The promised One, the Savior, in Bethlehem's town was born!”

Up rose the simple shepherds, all with a joyful mind,

“Then let us go in haste,” they say, “This Holy Child to find.”

And like unto the shepherds, we wander far and near,

And bid you wake, good Christians, the joyful news to hear;

Awake, arise, good Christians! Let nothing you dismay,

Remember Christ our Savior was born upon this day.

--Author Unknown

I love the phrase, "Let nothing you dismay, remember Christ..." When life is tough my friends remind me of Christ's promises and faithfulness. When life is great, we celebrate our blessings together.

If you're looking for a recording of this song, I recommend Kate Rusby and her album Sweet Bells. I bought it at Itunes.

Between now and Christmas Day, I'm posting the hymns I quoted in Practicing Glory. This is a book for any season, but all the hymns are Christmas carols. These are such beautiful songs--they deserve more than a once-a-year reading. I quoted "Awake, Arise Good Christians" in the chapter on Fellowship.

Breakfast on the Beach

In Margaret Feinberg's soon-to-be-released book Wonderstruck, she shares a special prayer in which she asked the Lord to show her His wonder. She uses a unique phrase as she asks for a new and childlike awareness of the wonder of God's presence. (You'll have to read the book to get the whole story!) As I read Margaret's prayer experience, I immediately understood.

Because I too have a simple prayer for an awareness of God.

Mine is "Please, Lord, make me breakfast on the beach."

In John 21, the risen Lord Jesus appeared to His disciples by the sea. They'd been fishing all night and they were weary. Jesus made their breakfast and they all sat on the beach and ate fish together.

I love the simple picture of companionship. This is what "Wonderstruck" means to me, because if I am constantly aware of God's presence and the flashes of wonder He scatters through my day, I will talk to Him and share every experience with Him.

Four years ago when we traveled North for my Dad's memorial service, I knew it was going to be a long trip. I knew there were lots of details to take care of, lots of people to see, and we would be a thousand miles from home with three small children in the minivan. So I prayed, "Please, Lord, make me breakfast on the beach." I was too tired to come up with an eloquent prayer. I knew what I meant. God knew what I meant.

And He answered. That was a joyful trip.

As I read Wonderstruck, I said, "Hey! I've prayed like that!"

And soon I said, "Why did I stop praying like that?"

Wonderstruck called me back to the practice of asking God for a greater wonder at the fact of His presence with me.

Learn more about Wonderstruck and Margaret's other books at margaretfeinberg.com

You can follow Margaret’s snarky, funny, and inspirational posts on Twitter, Facebook  or her blog . You can learn more about this great book by visiting www.margaretfeinberg.com/wonderstruck where she’s offering some crazy promos right now with up to $300 of free stuff. I’ve seen the book for as low as $7.57 ($14.99 retail) on Barnes & Noble  for all you savvy shoppers.  

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