Giveaway Contest!

Here is the website of the giveaway!
http://emilys-ponderings.blogspot.com/

Hope you all have a great day!

Brookie

Opening up my Imagination...I hope

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." 
    ~Psalm 150: 6

   And that is my greeting this chilly December day! Praise the Lord our God for everything He has done! We are minuscule compared to His awesome power and grace! Only through the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross are we transformed a new creation in Christ! I pray that you all will remember Christ this season. It is because of Him that we even celebrate Christmas at all!
    
   Recently, I enrolled for an "enrichment" course on creative writing which will start on Wednesday. Despite my many years of writing experience, I think it will be best to first start off with a beginner's course and let others criticize my work before I check it off as perfect. Although you may find it perfect, there will always be somebody who thinks otherwise. I hope I'll do well and learn something that could further improve my writing. 

   But y'all don't read my blog to hear about my life. (And if you do, you gotta let me know!) So here is a 20 question Christmas trivia quiz to do! If you want to find the answers, you'll have to google it! But we google everything these days so that's no biggie.

1) What did Pierce Egan add to the basic eggnog recipe when he created a variation of eggnog called "Tom and Jerry."
a. 2 tablespoons of vanilla ice cream
b. 1/2 oz of brandy
c. 1/2 oz of whiskey
d. 3 tablespoons of cream

2) In what year did the US postal System issue its first Christmas stamp?
a. 1942
b. 1952
c. 1962
d. 1972

3) How many times is the name Santa Clause used in "the Night Before Christmas"?
a. 0
b. 2
c. 5
d. 7

4) What two reindeer are mentioned in the song "Here Comes Santa Claus"?
a. Dancer and Prancer
b. Donder and Blixen
c. Vixen and Blixen
d. Comet and Cupid

5) What country started the gift exchange tradition?
a. Italy
b. The Netherlands
c. Greece
d. Israel

6) In "Gift of the Magi", how much did Della get for her hair?
a. $10
b. $17
c. $20
d. $21

7) Who wrote "The Night Before Christmas"?
a. Peter Collington
b. Clement Moore
c. Chris Van Allsburg
d. Raymond Briggs

8) What was the first artificial tree made of?
a. Glass
b. Plastic
c. Feathers
d. Silk

9) What musical instrument was "Silent Night" first played on?
a. Guitar
b. Organ
c. Flute
d. Harp

10) Which of the following names was not considered for Tiny Tim's character in "A Christmas Carol"?
a. Little Larry
b. Puny Pete
c. Small Sam
d. Wee Willie

11) What is Santa's name in Holland?
a. Father Christmas
b. Grandfather Frost
c. St. Nicholas
d. Christkind

12) In what country was the first Christmas card created?
a. France
b. Germany
c. Spain
d. England

13) In what country was the poinsettia first grown and known as "Flower of the Holy Night"?
a. Canada
b. Mexico
c. Greece
d. Egypt

14) In what country did the real St. Nicholas live?
a. Denmark
b. The Netherlands
c. Bulgaria
d. Turkey

15) In what ocean can you find Christmas Island?
a. Indian Ocean
b. Arctic Ocean
c. Atlantic Ocean
d. Pacific Ocean

16) Which US state was the first to recognize Christmas as an offical holiday?
a. New York
b. Alabama
c. Virginia
d. Pennsylvania

17) In "It's a Wonderful Life," what is the angel's first name?
a. Clarence
b. Samuel
c. William
d. Stanley

18) What are hot cockles?
a. A Christmas beverage
b. A Christmas pastry
c. A Christmas game
d. A Christmas decoration

19) If you were to receive all of the gifts in the song "The 12 Days of Christmas," how many gifts would you receive?
a. 144
b. 284
c. 364
d. 424

20) In what European country is "The Nutcracker" set?
a. Germany
b. Russia
c. Poland
d. Denmark 

Have a Merry Christmas!

Brookie

Thanksgiving Post

"O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever."
   ~1 Chronicles 16:34

     As all of you know, this past Thursday was Thanksgiving. But so many people forget the true meaning of the celebration. Lately, I've heard it be called Turkey day or T-day but both these names leave out what the day should be about. Sure, there's nothing wrong with eating turkey or watching football, as long as we are all giving thanks to God for all He has done and provided for us. I truly hope all of you remembered to be thankful and give God the praise and the glory for the great things He has done! 

     Today, I'll just give a recipe for a great dish we had at our Thanksgiving meal. I recommend it for any kind of celebration and to also fill up those at the table with bottom-less pits. Note: From allrecipes.com

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

4 large baking potatoes
8 slices of bacon
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of milk
4 tablespoons of butter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
4. When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
5. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Hope you all have a blessed day!

Brookie

Moving the Photography

If any of you fellow readers love/enjoy my photography, I will be making a specific blog for them. The website url is www.snapsbybrookie.blogspot.com

Thank you for reading and please be praying for the Sandy victims,
Brookie

Veggie Tales and Remembering a Promise

           This morning, after I finished packing some clothes for my big trip this week, I decided to watch a veggie tales movie before I moved on to other tasks of the day. If some of you do not know, Veggie Tales are delightful cartoons of vegetables created by Focus on the Family to teach children biblical lessons and stories from the bible. The one I watched this morning was Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Noah's Umbrella. 

          At first, I thought it was rather silly since umbrellas weren't in the bible, let alone invented. But, despite this, the message of the cartoon was that although others may laugh at you for doing things such as saying prayers before you eat or singing a song about the bible is that to not think of what others say or do but to want to please God instead. In Acts 4:19 Peter says,"Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." 
               
           This message is not only for children but also for adults. Many Christians are too ashamed or embarrassed to profess their faith because of what they fear what others would think of them. But who should we want to please more? God or man?

            For the rest of my post, it will be a continuation of a story I had promised to show some more long ago. So with further ado, here is the rest of the first chapter. 
(If you think it is rather silly, I am sorry. I wrote this about three years ago so I might have to change it in a few places. And there is more of this story. I had wrote about 8 or 9 chapters.)

“Goodness child!” she yelled in surprise as she stared at Abigail’s feet, “no young lady should be prancing around in the mud in bare feet!” “I’m sorry,” Abigail replied back cordially,” but you know how much I love to feel the grass under my feet.”

“That is true, my dear” she said warmly and gave her a quick embrace,” but when you were off you forgot to eat your breakfast! No one should start their day without a good ol’ bowl of oats.” Abigail nodded in agreement and accepted the bowl of warm cinnamon oatmeal. “Thank you, mama,” she said between mouthfuls. Her mother gave her a, “You’re welcome” and went back to taking care of her quaint flower bed. With a picturesque smile, Abigail skipped merrily underneath an old pear tree and sat down. 

She set all her art supplies at the stump and put her portrait under the tree carefully so it could dry. After she was done wither precious art pieces, she said her grace and began to eat her oatmeal when all of a sudden a pear landed right on her outstretched legs. She looked up to see a young boy with a mischievous grin sitting above her. His thick golden blonde hair was ruffled, almost covering his hazel green eyes. “Hi’ya Abbey!” he said with a smile as he jumped down next to her. He leaned his head back on the tree and plopped a handful of blueberries into his mouth.

          

          “So how are you, Will?” Abigail asked as he finished munching on his berries. “Mighty fine so far, Abbey, just wish your momma would give me a big bowl of that oatmeal!” he replied back as he stared hungrily at her food. “Sorry, pal, but these were meant for me and only me. Besides, you probably already had three breakfasts so far,” Abbey said with a snicker,” but any who, did you bring the paints?” He gave her a puppy dog, look but as it never worked on her; he gave a sigh and pulled out a small blue sack with a ribbon tied around it. 

            

            “You know, these are mighty hard to come by. I would only get them for someone who was mighty close to my heart.” Abigail did not hear the ending of his sentence, but was excitedly opening up the bag to find all kinds of vibrant colors.  “Oh Will!” she gasped in surprise, “these are just what I have been needing!” There were about twenty paints in all of blues, whites, purples, reds, and every other color under the sun.

         

           “Anything for you Abbey,” he said as he scooted closer to her. Now, Abigail was a young girl and not knowledgeable in the art of love. She always viewed boys as friends, nothing more. So naturally, she took this action as brotherly affection and did not bother to think any more of this spontaneous feat. That day was to be the first of her learning what love is. As she chatted away with her friend under the pear tree, a young vagabond came walking towards them.

Will immediately jumped up in front of Abbey, ready to defend her for life or death. The young man looked at him in surprise and gave a bow. He had dark brown hair and his grey eyes appeared friendly to the young Abigail. “Will, wait,” she said as she stood next to him and put her hand on his arm. ‘No, Abbey! Haven’t you heard of the stories lately of kidnappings and robberies?! I’m not taking any chances with this hobo!” He then lunged at the man but the vagabond moved swiftly and held Will’s arm behind his back which caused him to cry out in pain. “Will!” Abigail gasped as she ran up to them. She looked at the man’s eyes and he looked into hers. 

“I just want to talk, ma’am, that’s all,” he said respectfully. She stared at him for a while, not exactly sure what to do. Something about him was different, and she trusted her instincts. “Alright, I will talk just please let my friend go,” she said calmly. He then let a frustrated Will go, who was about to lunge again, until Abbey convinced him not to until they knew what he wanted. He then calmed down, but gave the man a look of a mad dog.

 “What do you want?” she asked him. He cleared his throat and began,” Well, I have been traveling for an awfully long time and I just want to settle down a bit. The only problem is, I need a job and lately no one has been kind as you have to just listen to my two cents. Is there anything around here that I can help you folks with until I get back on my feet? You don’t have to pay me money or anything, just a roof over my head and food for my tummy.” Abigail stood there, pondering.

“Not a chance! Just look at this guy! He’s bad news, Abigail; I don’t trust him for a second!” Will grumbled. “But you do not know anything about the man, and besides, he just wants a job and a place to stay until he can get up on his own, please just watch him so I can go get momma out here,” she said to him in a tender soft voice.  Her pleading looks and gentle voice calmed Will down as he whispered back, “Fine, but be quick.” With that Abbey ran away from the two men and went to her momma inside of the house. She was actually napping in a rocking chair and Abigail woke her up and dragged her outside. On the way to the where she was, she explained everything to her momma. 

Exclamations of “Goodness Gracious”, “Mercies Alive”, and the occasional gasp are what Abigail’s momma uttered throughout the whole story. When she finished, her momma looked her in the eye and she said,” You did the right thing for getting me, sugar. You just stand by Will and I will talk to this young man.” When she said this, Abigail just walked up to Will and watched as her momma walked to the young man. She stared him down for a moment, and then all of a sudden she started cheering which made Abigail and Will turn their heads to her. “Abigail, this is none other than Peter Bloom!” she said as she gave the man a hug. “Do I know him momma?” Abigail asked with confusion. “Do you know him, by golly you couldn't have! You were only four years old when he and his family moved! Speaking of which, how is your ma and pa?” 

The young man was watching her in surprise too, not sure what to do or think. He looked at his feet for a moment with a sad look on his countenance and then glanced up at each one of them. He then replied,” They died, seven years ago from a fire. How do you know me and my family, ma’am?” Abigail watched her momma as she became very solemn with what he had said,” Oh, you poor child! I will tell you all about it once I get you to sit down and eat a bowl of oatmeal,” she said lovingly as she led him to the house. Abigail walked behind him, not sure what to think or do but watched in silence. “I still don’t like him, Abbey. Not at all,” Will said to her in a sharp tone. They continued to walk to the house, with Abbey’s forgotten oatmeal still under the pear tree.

And that is the end of the first chapter! Stay tuned for my next segment, which I might forget to post soon so I'm going to go ahead and say I'm sorry if that does happen.

Thank you for reading and I hope you all a blessed day! :)
Brookie

Branson here I come!

Hello everyone! Sorry for the slow posts but I just seem to never be able to find times to blog so I apologize to you all. Today, I'll be talking about my favorite city in the U.S.: Branson, MO! Here are some interesting facts about Missouri:

1) Missouri is known as the "Show Me State".
2) The 'Show Me State' expression may have began in 1899 when Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver stated, "I'm from Missouri and you've got to show me."
3) The first successful parachute jump to be made from a moving airplane was made by Captain Berry at St. Louis, in 1912.
4) The most destructive tornado on record occurred in Annapolis. In 3 hours, it tore through the town on March 18, 1925 leaving a 980-foot wide trail of demolished buildings, uprooted trees, and overturned cars. It left 823 people dead and almost 3,000 injured.
5) At the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, Richard Blechyden, served tea with ice and invented iced tea.
6) Also, at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, the ice cream cone was invented. An ice cream vendor ran out of cups and asked a waffle vendor to help by rolling up waffles to hold ice cream.
7) The state animal is the Mule.
8) Laura Elizabeth Ingalls, writer of Little House on the Prairie grew up in Missouri.
9) In 1865 Missouri became the first slave state to free its slaves.
10) During Abraham Lincoln's campaign for the presidency, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat named Valentine Tapley from Pike County, Missouri, swore that he would never shave again if Abe were elected. Tapley kept his word and his chin whiskers went unshorn from November 1860 until he died in 1910, attaining a length of twelve feet six inches.

I just absolutely love Missouri, especially the Ozarks! If you ever want to go on a fun and family friendly vacation, Branson is the place to go! (And is also where I'll be next week!)

Have a blessed day, 
Brookie

Note: the above 10 facts are from http://www.50states.com/facts/mo.htm#.UHSKOk3A9dc

Goodness gracious it has been a long time!

     Hello readers! Sorry it has been so long since I've last wrote but truthfully I've just been really busy. Hanging out with friends, babysitting, and now figuring out how to make some income on eBay. We had a rocky start at first with eBay but now I can say I believe we are getting the hang of it! If you would like to buy something from me, visit http://myworld.ebay.com/foreverwriting2352. 

     However I must warn you we are only selling women's clothes and shoes right now. And also this weekend I get to take care of a Yorkie named Snuggles! Adorable, right? Well I hope she will be well behaved. 
    Anyways, I have been daily reminded of a verse found in Proverbs which reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Actually it is two verses but that is beside the point. I know the Lord has really been tugging at my heart with these verses and I'm doing my best to lay my worries and fears in the Lord's hands. I just wish it wasn't so hard.
     Well that's all I have to say, so hope you have a blessed day!
Brookie