All the Difference in the World

by guest blogger,

Nicholas J. Fedele

Well it’s that time of year again. The colors run green and red, interspersed with gold twinkling lights and silver threads of tinsel.  Children's eyes are wide with wonder and magic, and for a couple weeks they’re all on their best behavior. Families reunite, feasts are prepared and everyone wishes for peace on Earth and goodwill towards men, if just for a little while.  Christmas is coming!

Then there's the glorious music!  The choruses ring out all over the world, beckoning the faithful and the curious to come and adore Him on this silent night.  But inevitably some boy comes to the stable banging on a little drum which wakes the sleeping baby, making him cry.  Annoyed, the shepherds throw the little drummer boy out on his keyster for disturbing the newborn babe in the straw.  At least that’s my version of the story.

Ah yes… 'What Child is this who laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?' asks another timeless carol.  Good question.

When we think about it, everyone in some way is faced with that question every Christmas season.  The Child in question is everywhere!  He's unavoidable!  So who is He?  What do we do with Him?  Do we even give it any serious thought in the midst of all the busyness?  Does it really matter?  What difference does He make for our lives anyway?  For anyone’s life?

I'm thinking now of most of the people I encounter in my day-to-day.  Family, friends and acquaintances who are what we would call genuinely good people.  The salt of the earth.

From all appearances, they seem to have got it all together.  They have a loving marriage and 2.5 beautiful kids.  They say grace at their meals and go to church on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, just like proper believers should.

They're content with where they are in life and where they're going.  They have real joy in their hearts, sometimes despite their circumstances, again just like believers do.

They grow and mature in character through hardship and trial, what do ya’ know, just like believers grow! 

But here's the rub… They feel no need for true relationship with Christ.  Why should they?  What difference does He make?  What Child is this?

I've found these dear people to be the most resistant to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The reason often is that they have heard it all before many times.  And for the most part, not only have they heard it all before, but they’ll swear that they most certainly believe it to be true!  And again, for the most part, they actually do.

Where the problem arises is in this:  There is an insidious indifference present in their mindset.  A failure to connect their own goodness and righteousness to its focus and end point in a vital, life changing relationship with Jesus.

The apostle Paul speaks about people who are like this in Romans 10:1-4:

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.  For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Jesus Christ is the source of all righteousness and recognizing and accepting the Lordship of Christ is what makes all the difference in the world.  As human beings, it is only in knowing Him that we fully become who we were created to be.

So can people be content and have a ‘got-it-all-together-life?’  Sure, but ‘Christ has come that we may have life, and have it more abundantly’ (John 10:10).

Can a person have joy in any circumstance?  I imagine so, but only in maintaining relationship with Jesus will His ‘joy be in you, and therefore your joy will be made full and complete’ (John 15:11).

Can people grow and mature through the hardship and trials that come their way?  Of course, but when God puts us through the fire to stretch and purify our character, His word states that our maturity is moving toward perfection.  We become more and more the person God designed us to be;  mature and complete, not lacking anything’ (James 1:2-4).

It is a deadly deception of Satan that allows a person to accept contentment, joy and maturity, but only for this life.  “It is enough,” they think.  Here and now.  This is all there is to existence.

We must understand that there is no temporal or eternal purpose in living life apart from God.  Vanity, vanity, all is vanity and life is futility, the wise man wrote.  Nothing lasts and nothing matters.  Not without Him. 

So what do we do this Christmas for people who feel no need for Christ but are awash in the ‘Christmas spirit’ and the ‘hope of the season’ as it were?  When that hope disappoints and the post-holiday blues set in, we can be there to quietly point the way past the manger scene to a ‘hope that does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us’ (Romans 5:5).

The Lord desires all of us to know Him and break free of the lie of superficial religiosity and so called ‘Christmas spirit.’  Let us just pray for wisdom and opportunity from the Holy Spirit to draw our loved ones to Him this Christmas season.  Be His hands and feet.  Be His eyes and ears.  Listen to His still small voice.  Be a living example of His love.  People are especially open to the gospel during this time of year.  So go tell it on the mountain – that Jesus Christ is born!  Remember, He makes all the difference in the world.

GOD BLESS US, EVERYONE!

Thanksgiving ... thanks for what?

Hidey ho there, fellow feast goers! Are you all geared up for the big T-day event? Got your table set, turkey brining, crafts for the kids ready, and everything running according to schedule? Okay, maybe someone out there has it all planned down to the last salad fork … but you can bet it’s not me.

This is one of those annoying holidays where you work like a slave (unpaid, and likely unshowered) for days, only to produce a meal that will be eaten in 19 minutes flat. Your kitchen will be trashed and the house will look like a tornado hit after the whole affair is over. Thanksgiving? Thanks for what??

I tend to look around and look inward at this time of year and wonder what in the world I’m really thankful for. It seems like the proper thing to do. Introspect. Retrospect. Try to make some sense 

of the yearly drudgery.

But honestly, how thankful can I be when my husband hates the very foods that make Thanksgiving the eating holiday of the year? He detests turkey, mashed potatoes and pie. Don’t ask me why; there’s no rhyme or reason to it. He’s not fussy with any other kind of food. Kind of puts a damper on the whole feast thing. Of course, that doesn’t stop me from cooking any of those dishes. Just means there’s more pie for me.

Let’s see, how about my kids? Well, I am thankful that my two daughters are pretty good eaters. But the thankfulness index plummets when it comes to their sleep habits. Or should I say the lack thereof. Neither of the girls seems to need more than a thimbleful of sleep each night. I've had big-time sleep deprivation for over thirteen years. In a row. Yet these are just minor irritants in my daily life. 

These things, in the end, don’t mean a whole lot. There’s just too much going on in the world nowadays to get upset by little stuff like food and sleep. What with terrorism, hurricanes, floods, fires, financial disasters, tsunamis, earthquakes, epidemics … and heartbreak from one end of the world to the other, the quote of the year is from a TV host who said:  "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

He’s certainly got a point. The news during these last few months has been rife with strife. But as we enter into the holiday season it’s easy to get so frazzled and unfocused that we forget the reason behind the season. When we take God out of the equation it reduces holidays like Thanksgiving to a meaningless exercise. It’s not about football and full tummies. Truly.

I’m thankful I have a God who knows me fully and still loves me, a God who cares about the little details in my life. I know there are many in the world that aren’t as fortunate as us. People who would be thankful for even a tiny portion of the feast we’ll have this year on Thanksgiving, much less the plenty we have from day to day.

So when I’m washing my millionth dish, or folding my billionth pile of laundry, or cleaning up the trillionth mess in the house, maybe I can do so with a little more grace. Because when I do stop long enough to count my blessings, you know what? I’ve got plenty to be thankful for.

And I bet you have too.

Push Through the Pain

If I had to summarize what motherhood means to me, and try and pin it down to one defining word that pretty much captures the whole experience, I would have to say … pain.

Yep, PAIN it is. (What, you were expecting ‘fulfillment’ or ‘love’?) Nope. Children come into this world, bringing joy and excitement and a w-h-o-l-e lot of pain. And they keep on bringing it, in one form or another. With some woman the pain of motherhood begins with a difficult pregnancy; with others, it’s the excruciating labor of childbirth. Everyone has their own little horror stories to share - especially if there is a pregnant lady within earshot. The tales we tell can range from the blood and guts hospital variety to the twisted red tape of adoptions. Women are all about relationship, and instead of trying to one-up each other with our stories, we typically use them to commiserate with each other. We bond, we sympathize, we relate. Perhaps you can relate to my story.

With my first-born, Jaime, it’s a tale about a broken tailbone. And Jaime loves to tell it to anyone who will listen. “When I was born I broke my mom’s tailbone. She was pushing hard and I was pushing harder inside and then there was this snapping sound. Everyone was like, ‘What was that noise?’ And wham! snap! out I came. And I’ve been a pain in the tush ever since!” That’s my sweet Jaime. As for my second, my little Delia, well, that was no picnic either. Though the labor was much shorter (5 hours compared to a full 24) the pain was far more intense. For my first labor I chose to have no meds; with the next pregnancy, I put in my order for an epidural at my first pre-natal check-up. The second time around I knew what was coming - and I was more than a little apprehensive about going through labor again. But the nurses knew I could get through it, and they kept encouraging me. “Push through the pain! Just push through the pain!”

To be honest, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear in the middle of the worst pain I’ve ever had. At the time, I would have preferred a little more sympathy, an understanding look, an assurance that it was going to be all right. But those nurses knew a thing or two, I guess, because I did manage to “push through the pain” and get the job done. And thus my little peanut, my Delia, came into the world. I’m pretty sure she was worth the effort. And the same with Jaime (though my tailbone is still a little sore.)

Pain doesn’t end with the beginning of Motherhood. Oh, no. The fun is just beginning. There’s the recovery from pregnancy. The sleep-deprived nights. All of the endless, thankless, mindless tasks mothers have to do every day, multiple times a day. Not to mention all the repetitive training, nagging, and teaching that comes into play as the kids get older. It’s all rolled up into motherhood. Being a mom is a struggle.  

Of course, I’m not saying that it’s all hardship. There are wonderful moments with your kids (brief, shining moments) when you heave a contented mommy sigh and understand all the love in the universe. We need 
to focus on the good stuff, those happy little carrots that
get us through the slogging dreariness. Because it is worth it. All the pain they give us, in whatever form, in whatever shape it comes, is still worth it. Pain is wrapped up in us and transforms into something better, deeper, more profound. It changes us as women, builds character, and teaches volumes. 
So pain isn’t a bad thing in itself. It’s a springboard for better things.

So when your little ones are hanging on you, trashing the house and talking with their mouths full and pulling the dog’s tail and breaking your crockery … just sit down, take a beverage break and let it roll over you.

Because it’s all good. Bring it on.

Price Chopper Holiday Showcase Event

Mouth-watering mini desserts

I had my first experience as a food blogger at an event: The Price Chopper Holiday Showcase,
held on Friday, November 4th in Schenectady, NY. Bloggers from near and far attended, which included sampling from a variety of departments,  food demonstrations and a mini-seminar on tips for entertaining during the holidays.

Price Chopper obviously emphasizes value for their customers, but they also stress quality for the consumer as well. Who wouldn’t want time-saving apps, entrees and desserts to make their party rock without all the work? Everyone's time is at a premium these days, and Price Chopper offers amazing deals from soup to nuts to make your life during the holidays that much easier. And I should know... I sampled everything from the roasted chestnuts to the butternut-apple soup.

Wreath display

Of course they also have all the gizmos, gadgets and gift ideas you need to deck your halls out in style and splendor. Here's a nice pic of the wreath display. We were treated to a mini-seminar on Tips for Holiday Entertaining.

Key pieces of advice: organize in advance, make a timeline for purchase and preparation, and do as much as you can in advance of the party. Write out a list of your dishes for your event, so you won't inadvertently leave something in the fridge - or the microwave, as my mom is famous for doing every year! We got tips on presentation, like napkin folding (try an accordion style, served in a glass) traffic control (two-way buffet tables are best, napkins out of the way, and easy access to trash cans) and general party hints, like how much ice you need per person (1 pound!) and having disposable cups to cut down on the spread of germs (have a marker out so folks know which cup is theirs.) And have your serving area set up - labeled, so you know where your dishes are going, with the serving pieces and utensils ready at hand. It's no fun scrambling last minute for that slotted spoon or pie server!

Cheese platter with grapes

The food demonstrations were informative and interesting as well. 
For the apps we learned how to build a cheese tray. Pick about five or so cheeses, starting with mild and ending with the stronger flavor profiles. Cut the rinds off one side, arrange on a cheese board or plate along with assorted crackers, breads, and fruits, like figs or grapes. And make sure you take your cheese out of the fridge an hour before your party starts, because cheese tastes better at room temperature. The cheese department at your local Price Chopper is glad to let you sample different cheeses so you can learn what you like, so that you are able to make an informed purchase. Always a good choice for a party. Who doesn't like cheese and crackers? 

Certified Angus Beef demo

From the meat department, we learned all about Angus beef. Angus is a breed; Certified Angus Beef is the best of the best. The great flavor in Angus beef comes from the marbling (the fat running through the meat) and that is made by corn-fed cows, which gives them the starch in their diet to get their meat oh-so-tasty. I tried samples of the different meats, from the prime rib to the strip steaks... and wow. Tender, flavorful, melted like butter in my mouth. So they absolutely know their stuff. One of the things I liked was that Price Chopper offers a roast made from NY Strip Steak. They slice it length-wise and tie it off with butcher string, which shapes the meat and gives it a nice uniform slice. They have this available for purchase in smaller sections, for smaller families. Nice!

Dessert Table, with the luscious limited-time layer cake seen at the top.

And hey, when I heard about this showcase I was of course the most excited about the Decadent Dessert line. The pics speak for themselves... drooling yet? Price Chopper wanted to offer customers amazing desserts with the same taste and creativity found in upscale bakeries. And they have certainly done that.

I sampled a cannoli - the shell still crispy because they make them to order, not hours or days in advance. For parties you can also purchase the shells and the cream and pipe them yourself at your party, and as the presenter said, "And look like a rock star." Can't argue with that! I also sampled a natural berry pie and an eleven layer cake made with red velvet and whipped cream, and if that wasn't enough - a middle layer of cheesecake with a graham cracker crust layer. Decadent, delicious, to dye for. And also only available for a limited time ... so get it fast! They showcased many other amazing looking desserts, like the unique 'cake in a cup' - monthly creations too big to be called mere cupcakes. And Peanut Butter Pie, and Lemon Berry Bliss and Tres Leches Cake, and glossy fruit tarts. What makes those babies shine like that? But all oh-so-tempting!

Super cute specialty breads

And the Decadent Dessert presentation didn't end there, no ... the bakery also makes custom design specialty breads for your holiday table. They had a turkey made from rye bread, with dip
(that was gobbled up pretty quick!) and assorted other shapes and creatures. Got a special request? Check with your local Price Chopper bakery, and they will be happy to accommodate you!

All in all, the Price Chopper Holiday Showcase was a big hit. The food was fabulous and the demos were right on point. Everyone on the Price Chopper team made us feel right at home.
So if you are looking for quick and easy ways to entertain in YOUR home this holiday season, 
and want good food for good value ... I think you know where you'll find it!  

Turkey bread with dip

Loved the prosciutto-wrapped crunchy bread sticks! On the far right.

Appetizer table with an amazing brie en croute!

Pork crown roast ... imagine cooking that for your guests. You can't get any fancier than that!

A very shiny berry pie, cannoli, chocolate dipped pineapple ...
and an inside shot of that luscious red-velvet/cheesecake...

The Candy Conundrum

And so it begins. The kick-off to the holiday season starts with a one-nighter anticipated all year by children and dreaded by parents who sigh and shell out money on ludicrously overpriced costumes and stockpiles of bite-size candy for the hordes of children that will descend on their doorsteps.

On this night, it’s a giant scavenger hunt, masquerade, and free-for-all, bundled together with the enthusiasm of sugar-crazy kids on a quest to score as much candy as their big bags and little legs can carry.

Candy from strangers … it really goes against the grain of everything we teach our children. Any other day of the year this is a no-no. But on this night, rules are relaxed, belts are loosened, and common sense goes out the window like so many discarded wrappers.

Aside from the hunter-gathering activities, Halloween is also a big social event. My older daughter is now at the age where she has separated herself from the family unit and wants to go trick-or-treating with just her friends. Friends meaning, a ‘mixed group’ with both girls and boys. By far, that was definitely the scariest thing I saw this Halloween. At 13 she has officially reached “the teen-aged years.” Years that inspire terror in parents across the globe. It’s not a trick and it’s definitely no treat when your kids want to go off and do their own thing. It means a whole new set of worries when your kids reach that age and that new stage in their lives. But it’s part of growing up, and if I want my daughter to learn to do that well, I guess I need to let go of her hand a little.

Speaking of ‘Little,’ I had a totally different experience with my younger girl. 

This year my also-growing seven year old made it her personal mission to collect candy that I like. Can’t say what prompted that (and no! I didn’t ask her to do it!) but when she gets something set in her mind, she is unshakeable. It was truly wonderful to see her chatting up the neighbors and showing off her costume and just being her sweet little self. So we had a really good time together, and as tired as I am today from all the walking, it was worth it.

Now we have a pretty sweet stash of candy between our two girls’ collective efforts. And I’ve decided this is a good thing. If you can’t trust a skinny cook

(and I do love to cook!) then maybe I shouldn’t worry so much about my weight. So if I eat a little candy each day, I ought to start bulking up. Winter hits pretty hard in Central New York, and I might as well appreciate the built-in padding that will help keep me warm during those long, cold months.  

So really, there’s no reason to worry going into the holiday season. Don’t fret about your kids’ teeth or the future dentist’s bills. Don’t obsess about the crick and crack from your back every time you have to stoop to pick up another dropped candy wrapper.

Think about it this way: you want to be able to pack it in on the mother of all eating holidays, right? So go ahead, sneak a few extra of your favorite treats from the kids’ candy stash, and enjoy the pre-Thanksgiving stomach stretch. Cut yourself a little slack and learn to indulge your inner child. Just don’t forget to brush regularly between steals.