December 1!

The sun is shining, the grass is green . . . well, I guess I'll have to stop there because as I look out my window, there are no orange or palm trees swaying. But, really--can you believe it's December 1? In two weeks my youngest son and his wife will celebrate their first wedding anniversary. It seems impossible that a year ago, we were in the midst of preparing for their wedding. But regardless of what it seems, it truly is December which means getting ready for the one of the most wonderful holidays of the year. Without Christmas, where would our world be? We would be without hope, without joy, without redemption.

Jeff's sermon Sunday was titled, "Are You Ready for Christmas?" In our minds we are all screaming, "NO!" The encouragement was in preparing our hearts for Christmas--not just our homes and gift lists. Are we ready to reflect and remember the blessing of the birth of our Savior? I hope you will take time each day as you work on preparing physically for the holidays to ready your heart as well. I have a feeling that as we do that, regardless of what we do or don't accomplish on our to-do list, this year's Christmas will be filled with joy.

As promised, each day I will share recipe and gift-giving suggestions from my recipe box. Today's is Oreo truffles. If you've never had them, you're in for a treat! They are extremely easy to make and oh, so good! Try this recipe. I recommend chilling the balls about an hour or so before proceeding to dipping. I would also like to suggest adding different flavorings such as peppermint extract or vanilla for a twist. You could also dip some in white chocolate and drizzle them with dark chocolate or visa versa. Instead of dipping in chocolate, you can roll them in coconut, chopped nuts, chocolate sprinkles, or cocoa.

Are you ready for Christmas? You're one step closer!