Month: December 2016

Finding Our Joyful Giving Again

by Keri Bucci

The Christmas season is upon us once again! It is a time of joy, hope, good will towards men and of course giving gifts. Like most children, my favorite part about the holidays was making out my Christmas list and waking up to gifts on Christmas Day.
One of my fondest memories is thinking back to all those Christmas Eve nights when my younger brother and I would sleep in the same room. I use the word “sleep” loosely because we would lay awake most of the night listening for noises in the living room and taking turns guessing what was under the tree. It was all about the presents for us! The thought of not knowing what was in all those boxes was almost too much excitement to beare! It was fun sharing those times with my brother all those years ago. Now I enjoy seeing that same excitement and anticipation in my own little guy!

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It’s a shame that those fun memories and the joy of gifts seem to fade away in the midst of our busy lives. As we grow into adults the practice of giving can turn into something much less magical. We often go from that child like excitement to dread when the thoughts of those strained budgets and crowded stores come dancing into our heads. So much for those sugar plums we read about in stories!

In the past I would spend so much time staying busy with work and rushing around during the season that I would end up frantically searching for anything that was left on the shelves Christmas week. I think the worst part for me is knowing just how little thought I would put behind any of the names I was checking off my list. Where is the joy or love in that? Shouldn’t I at least think of these people’s needs or desires before just choosing random things off shelves?

Now that I have gotten older I try to remember to slow down and remember the important parts of the holiday season. I still love all the beautiful decorations and the cheesy holiday movies on Hallmark Channel but I also try to focus more time on the spirit behind giving and how it all began. How can we not start with the greatest gift of all. Our precious Lord and Savior born in a manger all those many years ago. Our greatest gift of all time. One that had powerful thought and purpose behind it.
A gift so sacrificially given that it would impact the world and each of our lives for eternity. It was meaningful giving in its truest form. Full of love,kindness, mercy and grace. I am thankful for the gift of Christ and His love for each of us. This gift could never be bought on a mad dash to the store but it was one that would be impossible to top. I long to use that type of love and selfless joy in my personal giving.

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This year, my husband and I have decided that we want to enjoy Christmas and it’s true meaning again. To give gifts that will impact and bless those we love instead of giving them things we have rushed around to stores to grab. So no more rushed shopping trips or extended budgets! That is a gift we are graciously giving ourselves and those we love. We will be finding the pure joy again this season while finding new ways to bless others. We pray they see our hearts and the love of Christ through us.
I know there are many who shop for Christmas gifts each year and they shop a lot of thought behind each item they give. I applaud them because that is so wonderful. I just wish I had been doing the same all these years. This is long over due for us and I am truly looking forward to finding the joys in giving again.

awb-head-shotKeri is a sassy southern girl who loves cooking, reading and spending time with her family. She is a former corporate minded gal turned homeschool mom. She blogs at My Table for Three. She can be found sharing sugar and gluten free recipes more over on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Holiday Giving {Wordless Wednesday}

By Dorothy Johnson of Reflections from Dorothy 

A New Generation Embraces an Enduring Tradition
salvation-army

We Exchange Gifts
gift-basket

We Share Our Talents
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We Send Greetings
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dorothy-johnson-hr-2 Dorothy Johnson is a retiree, who shares her thoughts about life and faith on her blog, Reflections from Dorothy. She also contributes devotionals to FaithHappening.com and Alive Now. She has just completed her first novel and you can follow her on FaceBook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Giving

by Miss December 2016, Lacie Ring

Depending on where you look, GIVING has many different meanings. My favorite definition that I’ve found of the word giving is…”to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; bestow.”

I want to share with you some ways of giving back in Arkansas that you may overlook.

If you read my introduction post, you know I have been very involved in PTO. Volunteering has been a large part of my life for the past 6 years. As a stay at home mom, it was a luxury I could afford. That’s because it doesn’t cost a dime to volunteer, just a little time and effort. Seeing the smile on a child’s or teacher’s face is so extremely rewarding. Ok, so there may be a little payback with those rewarding smiles.

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Teachers receiving free #teachtotes from PTO Today while doing the Mannequin Challenge.

There are so many aspects of volunteering. Fundraising is a big one. The only way the PTO can purchase things such as new playground equipment, books, school supplies, or technology items is through fundraising. The Greenbrier School District hosts a Fall Festival fundraiser every year. I had the honor of chairing this event in 2012. We raised over $100,000 in less than 2 months. That was my first experience in asking for donations. Boy, did I learn a lot. I’ll never forget getting Best Buy to donate an IPad for our raffle. I felt like I conquered the world.

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I recently learned about a fundraiser that you may not be aware of yet. It’s through our very own Little Rock Gourmet Popcorn Store the Pop Pop Shoppe.  For every dollar spent, they give back 40%. That’s amazing! Plus, there are no upfront costs and they package everything so you don’t have to sort a thing. If you are looking for a fundraiser, check out the Pop Pop Shoppe. Fundraising is a large part of giving back to our schools. It’s a community effort and every dollar makes a difference.

Just remember, even if you can’t volunteer in person, you can help in other ways. When you receive those letters from your children’s school or PTO asking for help, that’s the time to give back.

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Our local school food banks are another amazing way to give back. I recently attended an award ceremony at The Greenbrier Middle School. The Principal mentioned “the kids can’t meet their full learning potential unless their basic needs are met.” This really resonated with me. During the ceremony, I was reminded of a competition to stock the food bank that had taken place and my friend, Amy Crum, helped set this up. I called on my friend to get more details. The information poured out of her like a proud momma talking about her baby. I can’t even tell you in words how excited she was of this amazing program. Amy was in awe of how the teachers got behind this cause. She spoke highly of Mrs. Foster’s and Mrs. Shaw’s homeroom classes for sending in the most food and winning the competition. Check out the trophy that the winning classroom received.

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Amy expressed that it wouldn’t be possible without Hope Johnson’s help and the donations from the Greenbrier Nazarene Church. The church donated 50 dinners for Thanksgiving including a turkey and all of the fixings. Our local Harp’s and McDonald’s donated the prizes for the competition. It’s always amazing to me when a big company like McDonald’s helps such a small (on the scale of things) project. Amy was super impressed at how easy it was to get support. She went into our local McDonald’s, asked for a donation, was given a main office phone number for our area, made the call and was given the donation. This is why we put our big girl pants on and ask for what we need. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It’s a complete circle of giving.

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Keep in mind when you are eating your regular dinner or taking a normal shower, someone else might not have that luxury. Think about your children’s’ friends and what they may need. Their best friend or a friend of a friend may be the person that needs a helping hand. Sometimes, in our daily lives, we tend to forget that others need a little help. Donating to your local food bank or food pantry is an amazing way to give back. Not only does our food bank need food around the holidays but it relies on donations throughout the year. Please let us know if you would like to contribute and help families in need with this effort to give back by emailing me at easypeasypleasyblog(at)gmail(dot)com.

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Another amazing way to give back in Arkansas is through Rhea Lana’s. Did you know that after every sale, you can donate your unsold items? One of my good friends Melissa Polk owns the Rhea Lana’s of El Dorado Franchise. So, naturally she was my go to contact for more information. Melissa told me that, since 1997 Rhea Lana’s has made giving back a major focus of what they do. With 80 franchises in 26 states, giving back through Rhea Lana’s reaches far wider than just Arkansas. Melissa stresses, it’s all because of the very generous consignors. Their generosity is making lasting changes in communities across America. Thousands of items are donated at the end of each event.

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The donations go to local non-profits such as local foster families, school guidance counselors, pregnancy crisis centers, community clothing closets, etc. Not only does Rhea Lana’s make sure those items get into hands of needy families after the sale, they also make giving back a priority all year long. Specifically, in El Dorado, Melissa with Rhea Lana’s has partnered with Hope Landing for each event to provide other items besides clothes for the Hope Box.

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In an upcoming event in the spring they will be partnering with The Call in Union County to host The Arkansas Heart Gallery. Melissa proudly says we are moms helping moms. I love that! Make sure and check with your local Rhea Lana’s to see how you can make a difference by giving back.

give-instant-joy-the-arkansas-scholarship-lottery

Have you ever thought about the lottery as a way of giving back? The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has helped provide close to $700 million for scholarships to Arkansas students since 2009. That’s a lot of giving back to our children. More than 92 cents of every dollar spent goes to prizes, scholarships, retailer commissions, and other expenses. Did you know that over 235,000 students have been awarded the Academic Challenge Scholarship? I checked it out and there have been over 10,000 scholarships awarded in my county alone. That definitely gives me hope for my kiddo to receive some financial help when it’s his turn to attend college. Go out and purchase Arkansas Scholarship Tickets this holiday season to help give back to our students. Make sure and use #GiveInstantJoy if you post any pictures on Social Media.

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Last but not least, let’s not forget about the Arkansas Women Bloggers and The Women Bloggers. I wouldn’t be anywhere in blogging without this whole community of wonderfully supportive women. Stephanie Buckley’s support is never ending! Next time you get an email or social media message from Debbie Horton Arnold, Julie Bulissa Kohl, Ashley Ederington, or Rhonda Bocock Franz asking for help in an unpaid capacity, that’s your chance to give back to this community. It takes a village to raise this baby we call the Arkansas Women Bloggers and together we are that village.

My hope in writing this post is to bring awareness to ways you can give back that you may not know about while supporting our own. My motto is…”Give what you can every chance you get whether big or small.”

Katharine Trauger: How to Make a Scrumptious Fruitcake

Trust me. This is one fruitcake you and your Friends Will LIKE!

 

sliced-party-bar

My introduction to the joys of the candied fruit found in fruitcake came early in my life. My mother made German cookies with chopped, candied citron every winter. Chewy-soft with mysteriously perfumed bits in them and the scant smear of glaze to make them shine, Lebkuchen were an adored part of our heritage from the Old Country.

But fruitcakes are not German.

My dad often received gifts of dried/candied fruits, displayed on decorative platters. These we found interesting and delicious when our dad allowed us samples.

But fruitcakes are not simply fruit.

Sometimes my dad received the gift of a fruitcake. 

Like shy maidens with an ugly suitor, we ran and hid when our parents opened fruitcake packages. Our dad, a gleam in his eyes, no doubt reminiscing about fruitcakes of yore, insisted on sharing these tough, repugnant slabs of spiced cardboard.

We whimpered.

Were we alone in not adoring fruitcake? No!

Many, like us, have suffered from gifting of a winter fruitcake! Why, I heard of one family, among which a gift fruitcake passed around from branch to branch, for decades, until it finally had traversed the entire family tree, unopened and unsampled! I get that.

Reality dawns.

I was in my mid-twenties when I encountered a really good fruitcake. I’m not sure what possessed me to try one—maybe memories of my dad? It had such a bizarre name: Rainbow Party Bar. It was small, the length of a loaf pan but half the width, like a squared sausage. When I saw the price, I was shocked, but for some crazy reason, I just wanted it.

I brought it home and unwrapped it.

It smelled good, so I sampled.

It was amazing. I could not stay out of it. I could not even believe it. My heart leapt with happiness every time I snuck yet another slice.

I was addicted.

Before long, I had analyzed the label, looking for some mysterious ingredient. (This thing was really, really good; did I mention that?)

Near the top of the ingredients list lay the secret:

Butter.

Yes, this fruitcake had more butter than it had any one type of fruit, and I think it safe to say, more butter than any other fruitcake I’d ever eaten. As I kept sampling, I knew the butter was one major difference from all the fruitcakes that had gone before.

Nothing would do but to find a recipe for this delicacy.

I tried several (really bad ones) before I devised the perfect recipe. We have become so enamored with this cake that many of us, who did not like fruitcake, have learned to find cheer in the mere thought of it.

 

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Our friends beg for it.

Now, I’m not promising that if you make this fruitcake, your whole family and all your friends will fall into proper love with the idea of eating it. I will say this: It is so good, you will not ever again be sad if some uninitiated child leaves “more for you”.

But it probably won’t happen often.

Have fun making this one! Have fun eating it!

And have fun gifting it.

Print
Katharine Trauger: Our Fruitcake Everyone Loves

Katharine Trauger: Our Fruitcake Everyone Loves

Ingredients

    Soaked fruit
  • 1 ½ pounds mixed candied fruit
  • 1 pound raisins
  • ½ pint brandy (unflavored)
    Cake
  • 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 2 ½ cups sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 ½ cups pecans

Instructions

    Fruit
  1. Place fruits and brandy in a large, non-reactive bowl that can be covered.
  2. Stir well and allow fruit to soak, covered, 24 hours, stirring 6 times.
    Pans
  1. Prepare pans before mixing cake. Select pans in the shape you want for your cake. Either a ten-cup tube pan, an 8-cup tube and one 5 1/2-cup x 9 ½-cup loaf, or three loaf pans will do the job, to give you an idea. It rises, but not a lot. I have baked small amounts in mini soufflé pans before, too. Baking times for smaller pans will be shorter.
  2. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottoms and sides of your pans. For a loaf pan, you will need five pieces, for the four sides and the bottom. For a tube pan, you will need one circle with the center removed, for the bottom, and several small pieces, maybe 3”-4” square, to overlap on the sides. You may prefer plain brown paper, as I do. You do not need to place paper on the tube, itself. But do grease it.
  3. Grease the pans generously with butter or olive oil, insert the papers, which should stick pretty cooperatively, then grease the papers, too. A spray-type oil helps with the second greasing. This fat is necessary. You will be sorry if you do not use butter or oil, paper, and more butter or oil. It is a messy job, but important—so important, that if you buy fruitcake, you may notice paper still attached to it.
    Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Arrange one rack in the center.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar.
  3. Blend the eggs in well, one at a time.
  4. Sift together all dry ingredients, except nuts.
  5. Gradually add dry ingredients to egg mixture, beating well after each addition.
  6. With a spoon, stir in nuts, fruit, and all liquid remaining in the fruit. Mix well.
  7. Separate batter into prepared pans and bake at 275 degrees, for two to three hours. Yes. It takes a while. It’s worth it. Doneness will be hard to determine, but it will begin to brown around the edges before it is actually done. Brown all over is better. Gooey in the middle is not the goal for this cake. The toothpick test will not work, nor will the touch test with a finger; it should be a bit darker over the top than you thought.
  8. Once it is cool, but still in the pan, you may choose to sprinkle about 1/8 cup more brandy over it, to soak the cake. The traditional purpose was to sort of pickle it so it would keep well. I do not do this, because I often feed it to children.
  9. Remove from pans when cool enough to handle. Remove paper from sides, but not from bottom. Allow to cool completely. If you want party bars, with a long, sharp knife, carefully press to cut loaves in half, lengthwise, cutting through the bottom paper (the only exception about the paper.) Do not remove the bottom paper from these halves. Many people also cut a tube cake into halves. I do, because it is easier to wrap for the freezer that
  10. Wrap in waxed paper. Then tightly wrap in foil. In addition to that, add a zipper bag, to protect the foil from tearing. Freeze.

Notes

The best time to slice is after freezing. It slices more neatly when frozen or even when frozen and then thawed. Otherwise, expect wasteful crumbs and broken slices. For gifts, I pre-slice it (to the paper, not through the paper) since few people realize it should be frozen first. Traditionally, we do not remove or slice through the bottom paper until serving. Even when you buy it, you’ll often find it pre-sliced with the bottom paper remaining. This is because this cake is nearly equally batter and fruit, and will fall apart easily. The paper just holds the cake together so you can better manage it. This fruitcake is amazing with fresh, black coffee. For the sugar-immune, it is also amazing with eggnog. I’ve enjoyed it with a cranberry/cream cheese topping. The recommended wine pairing is a tawny port, but we like something drier, such as our own semi-sec apple wine.

https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/katharine-trauger-make-scrumptious-fruitcake/

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 Katharine Trauger is a retired educator and a women’s counselor. She has spent 25 years managing a home and school for children who would otherwise have been homeless, and has worked 15 years as contributor and/or columnist for several small professional magazines, with over 60 published articles. She blogs about the rising popularity of “being at home” from a sun room on a wooded hilltop in the Deep South at: Home’s Cool! and The Conquering Mom and tweets at Katharine Trauger (@KathaTrau). She is currently working on a self-help book entitled: Yes, It Hurts, But . . .