"Comfort my people, says your God..."

"Comfort, comfort my people says your God, Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, A voice of one crying in the desert, prepare the way of the Lord...Any the glory of the Lord will be revealed...for the mouth of the Lord has spoken..." Isaiah 40, part of verses 1,3 and 5.

I can just hear the singing of the "Messiah" and feel that is indeed Christmas!

One of my great grandmother's came to mind today. She was Grandpa's mother and she lived in Kentucky on a farm. (It was her mother that fed the Union soldiers that I have told about earlier). My grandma was visiting there on the farm and this great grandmother came out as they were leaving and handed her an iron cornbread muffin pan (the stick muffin kind), drying it on her apron as she came out, and said "I want you to have this". I still have that muffin pan and treasure it for the memories and the family behind it. This same great grandmother had long thick hair. She brushed it 100 times every night. She told that it had only been wet once in her life when she was baptized. Can you imagine never washing your hair? But Grandma said her hair was beautiful, clean and shiny! When she died, her children wrote the most eloquent obituary (in the paper) praising her qualities and beautiful christian life. I still have that framed article.

My fingers are still improving and I dread starting the pills again, but my hands are still swollen and my arms have that rash. I am a wreck! But I feel really good. I thought I had finished my shop sewing today except I am finishing a dress for a "great". I have made dresses for two more "greats". Then tonight I found out I may have four more pillows to make. I have two weeks so I can get that done. Everyone wants things for holiday parties in November and December. Merry Christmas!

"...He will reign on David's throne..."

Isaiah 9:7 "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom...the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

In making the jam cake, I forgot to say to drain the watermelon preserves before adding it to the cake. Here is the best buttermilk caramel icing recipe:
2 cups white sugar, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp soda and 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Cook this icing stirring occasionally, on low until you reach a soft ball (drop a little in ice water until you can roll it into a ball in your fingers). Be sure and keep it just bubbling because it will boil over if you leave it. When you have a soft ball, add 1 tsp vanilla, let it cool and beat it. when it is just about ready to hold on the cake, start spooning it on. If it is not thick put in fridge until it thickens. I also use this icing on a Buttermilk Pound Cake which is a family favorite. Both these recipes came from a friend's grandmother.

My hands are even better today but now my arms are broken out with something like an eczema, so what do I do now???I will try the hand cream tonight on my arms. I go to the doctor in three days, so lots will be decided.

I went out today and walked in the Mall and did some shopping. I rarely do this, I guess just lack of energy for that. I had rather use my time and energy for things around the house or with friends. Well anyway, it was fun and Christmas feeling.

We had fun with friends tonight. All of us used to teach together and have been close for 34 years ,and see each other regularly. Merry Christmas!

"For to us a child is born..."

"to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,...." Isaiah 9:6

As I was getting in bed last night, I just started crying...there I was with really sore hands, salve and gloves on them, bald (of course), with this colostomy, and I really did lose my optimism for a few minutes. I rarely do that but it all hit me last night. Today has been better. I just rethink and realize that God is holding me in His hands and I will do as He wills. I do pray this chemo is working.

Since this is the baking season, this is the recipe for Mama B's Jam cake that we made every year, all my life. It had to be done about a month ahead and stored in a lard stand. Does anyone remember or know what a "lard stand" is? You would buy one at a hardware store. I assume they were used to store lard which you would render off the hogs when you killed them. No one needs that anymore!!! Anyway, then the family tradition was to soak a towel in wine and lay this around the jam cake for this month to make sure it was moist. You must know this is in a teetotaler family all year except for this cake (or the boiled custard).
so here is the cake:
1/2 cup Crisco, 2 cups sugar, 4 cups flour, sifted with 2 tsp soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 cups blackberry jam, 1 cup raisins1/2 cup watermelon rind preserves, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 6 eggs, 1 round tsp cinnamon, 1 round tsp cloves, 1 round tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp nutmeg.............Cream Crisco and sugar, add egg yolks, jam,salt and spices. Mix well, add buttermilk ,stir in flour (leave about 1/2 cup to dredge the raisins, nuts and watermelon preserves)...Add all of these, then fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into three 9 inch greased pans. bake 325 degrees for about an hour or until done when tested with a "tester" or broom straw. Let it rest upside down until it will drop out of pan. When you put icing on it, do a caramel icing. That will come later.
Usually all the cakes would be in lard stands on the back porch, and going out in the crispy cold to bring in these wonderful cakes really brings back memories!
Merry Christmas, look for this glorious Child!

[He will be called "Immanuel..."]

The book of Isaiah is among my favorites in the Old Testament and I think I will pick up verses the rest of December that follow the proclamation of Jesus' coming. We also love the "Messiah" when we can find a group producing this on stage. We found one but it is $50 each, so I think we will just buy a CD and listen everyday.

Isaiah 7:14 says "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and call Him Immanuel."

I know you are tired of hearing about my hands...they are in terrible shape and I really have a difficult time doing buttons, or zippers. I have 16 "cuts" on my hands, a few places on my face and some on my arms. The brochure for the chemo protocol says "acne like sores" but this is not acne, just little ? whatever sores. Makeup covers the ones on my face, and clothes cover my arms, but the hands are just "there". I have left off the pills since Thursday and I really see no difference yet. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

John and I did some shopping today...I love Christmas, even the shopping, and today was not bad, and I love everyone saying "Merry Christmas". I love God's plan for us in His gift to us, for our salvation. I love giving gifts to family to show our love to them. In my tinniest little back of my mind, I wonder if I will be here next Christmas? I just for the most part never feel bad. So I think, "will I just fade away?" "Will I get really sick?" God is so good and has blessed us so immensely and we have a wonderful life together. How many more years will He give us? Well, for now, each day, Merry Christmas, and "He is called Immanuel"!

"I watch in hope for the Lord..."

I have 16 open cracks in my fingers tonight....they are too sore to write...I can only use certain fingers...I really had hoped it would get better without the pills...I guess one day is too soon...

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my savior; my
God will hear me." Micah 7:7

Another friend has a cancer that is come back...I am sad!

"The Lord will fulfill His purpose..."

my hands are so sore..actually it is mostly my finger tips that are cracked. The doctor was concerned today and took me off the pill chemo for 8 days. I am so excited, because I can almost eat wonderfully well for these 8 days. It won't be normal tomorrow but each day it will get better. FUN! I hope the raw throat will get better also. They think it will.

I went to art tonight and we had our Christmas party. I ate because it was there and looked good. Everyone said it was. Anyway, we had fun and enjoyed just being together.I found an old picture of Johny sitting by the Christmas tree (he would have been 11 months old) looking at the ornaments. I have got to paint that some time this year. It will make a great Christmas scene. Most of us are painting winter or holiday pictures.

At Sarah Cannon today I met two ladies with cancer I have not seen before and also met a new nurse. Whether patient or nurse or doctor, everyone is encouraged or encouraging--always with a smile--in a place of hope, help and healing. When I got to SC today, most of the nurses and lab people were in a meeting and one your man took me back and drew the blood from my arm. I said something about the day, and he replied, "the day is a blessing from the Lord. " What a blessing for me to have someone, a christian, share his faith like that. We talked a minute about how God has blessed us both to share His word.

"The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love O Lord, endures forever..." Psalm 138:8

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord..."

"...whose confidence is in Him. He is like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream." Jeremiah 17:7-8

My fingers are so sore, it almost hurts to type...I have 8 cracked open places on my fingers. I go to the doctor tomorrow and hope they can give me some help. I have been putting salve and gloves on at night but apparently I am doing the wrong thing. I also use "skin shield" which you paint on like clear nail polish and it kind of seals the open places.

This has been a sad week, because an acquaintance at church died suddenly and tonight, we went to the hospital as a friend's sister is dying. It makes it sad especially here at Christmas time. I love this verse in the Bible, and love to imagine being rooted like that by a stream. I always loved swimming, especially in running creeks. One time when I was about 10 we went to the mountains and I swam with some Indian children who were playing in a creek. They showed me how to swim on your side under water. It was kind of like being a fish.
We trust in the Lord to take care of us...and John prays for my healing every day.