Sunday, December 02, 2018

Sunday....Nativity Approaches in Small Steps




Made my favourite "Fia Sauce" .. a red pasta sauce with olive oil and red wine, Italian Plum Tomatoes, fresh basil and spices. I got this recipe from a book called 
"Canada's Best Slow Cooker Recipes" back in 2002/2003 (maybe a bit earlier?) 
from the wonderful Fort Langley Library in BC Canada. 
I find this sauce so versatile, we can have it for festive fast days in Advent 
(really good with added (drained) can of clams or during feast periods 
with a beef sauce that is next to this recipe in the same book.
 I think the first person I ever served this for was a friend in BC 
whose first born was a baby at the time (she is so grown up now!!!) ...
 It freezes well (that's why all but one of these jars is not fully full so it has room to expand) 
and smells so good when it's bubbling in the Crock Pot!
 I remember once in Ottawa I had this sauce with meat as a spaghetti dinner party... that was fun! I remember a dear Romanian friend saying that I make good spaghetti :) 
I've made it many times since moving to NJ and my beloved Husband and I enjoy it! 
Last year, for Western Christmas we were still in NJ and had a local friend over (whose Christmas it was) and we had it with clams and salad.
***
Church was good.
A sermon about the Hope God gives us.
Really nice time talking with people.
I appreciate that I have more than one Church family in my life.
***
So I was struggling today with our unbloggable and how long it feels
and how hard at times.
So I did what I am so blessed to be able to do.
I called my parents.  
Usually I talk with Mom but I knew I needed to
talk with my Dad so I did.
Here's some of what he said, I want to remember it and it was really
encouraging so I thought I would share.
He reminded me that we don't know why God is allowing things to happen
that are personally difficult.  
That we can't see the big picture, it would be too much for us.
However, God has a plan, a reason and is doing something that is for
the best for both my Husband and myself. 
That I need to be patient and remember to have perspective beyond my 
immediate perception... remember what the struggle is in part...
(I am saying this badly, but that was his meaning,
I can't go into what he actual said in this case).
And then I talked to Mom who reminded me to 
'lean on my Heavenly Father and take it all to Him' 
***
Well. 
Since I have the Christmas tree up already, tomorrow I hope to change
some of my icons for Christmas.
And clean house of course. 
I think I have 10 coming for the St Nicholas lunch this week.
I plan on making more of the Fia sauce to enjoy with them.
I really hope my dishes come tomorrow, as they are schedule to come.
***
May God help us all, no matter what we are facing.

6 comments:

Tracy said...

How sweet is your Dad, and how wonderful and wise his words and advice....thank you so much for sharing! Difficult times are so hard...it's hard to understand the deep Mystery of God in such times. It's hard to see beyond our humanness and human reactions in deep situations. It's hard to grasp that it's all part of some purpose and that we must trust that purpose and process will heal us in some way eventually. Know that you have MANY how love and care for you to help you keep on keeping on... :) God Bless you ((HUGS)) p.s. that sauce look amazingly good--YUM!

Elizabethd said...

What lovely words from your Dad, and also your mother's comment. We can never see the whole picture, but God's reveal is amazing.

Becki said...

Your father's words are wise, as well as your mother's. I hope that my adult children will call me and their father if they are faced with a difficult struggle.

Gloria said...

It's so good to have those loved ones in our lives to whom we can unburden ourselves and receive loving counsel. I pray you will soon see and end to this hard time in your life.

Granny Marigold said...

How beautiful is that picture of the inside of your church.
You Fia sauce also looks quite lovely. Wish my DH liked tomato sauces.

elizabeth said...

Thanks Tracy! Yes, very much as you say!!! big HUG back!!!

Thanks Elizabethd - yes, very lovely words from both!

Becki - yes, very much. It is a blessing to have parents to call!

Gloriade - yes so much and thanks for your prayers!!!

Granny Marigold - thanks so much!!! My Husband can't always have tomato because of the acid so I understand where you are coming from!