Mary and Martha: A Bible Lesson

Bible Lesson: Luke 10:38-42

38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named)Martha welcomed Him into her home.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me."
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, " Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
42 But only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."


1. Martha initiates the welcome. She invites the group home. What do we suppose Mary might have been doing? Do you think she was consulted?
2. Mary who went and set at the feet of Jesus to listen and converse. What do we suppose might have been the conversation between Mary and Martha from Mary’s side?
3. Jesus says, “only one thing is necessary.” What was it?
4. Mary chooses the “good part.” What is that?
5. Jesus also says it will never be taken from her.
6. How do we go about choosing the good part?
7. In this tough economy, many people are struggling to provide Christmas this year.
What can we say to those people about “only one thing is necessary.”

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Celtic Bubble and Squeak

Try this lovely recipe some night. It is as Irish as it comes.

Ingredients:
1/2 medium head cabbage, sliced
3 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cubed cooked ham
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups potatoes - baked, cooled and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, cook cabbage in a small amount of water for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and set aside.
2. In a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, cook bacon and onion until onion is soft and bacon is cooked. Add ham, and cook until heated through. Add butter, then mix in the cooked cabbage and potatoes. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned on bottom, turn, and brown again.

A Scottish Style Christmas

Finding yourself struggling to find meaning in Christmas this year? You are not alone! The economy has made it very difficult for many people to enjoy Christmas this year. Even in a good year, Christmas can be depressing for many. Part of the reason behind this rise in instances of depression among the general population certainly comes from the season (seasonal effective disorder). However, I believe a good deal of the depression can also come from having a wrong perspective on the season.

The Scottish people may have something to teach us this season. From almost the beginning of the Protestant Reformation until into the the middle of the 20th Century, Christmas was a banned celebration in Scotland. Christmas did not become a national holiday until 1958. It is not that the Scots are anti-Christian! Rather, the event of the birth of Christ was taken as a time for reflection on the beginning of the Christian year. There was not a lot of "hoopla" involved.

In more modern times, the Scottish have embraced Christmas trees, a turkey dinner on Christmas Eve, yule logs, etc. However, the celebration is simple. Even the food stays simple.
AND THIS IS THE MESSAGE!!!! Simple is the way to go!

In my own family, we often have 4 or 5 potential "Christmases" to attend. Whew! That is exhausting! That is why we have simplified the Christmas Eve/Christmas Day we spend at home. Little flair, some nice food, lots of time to spend together visiting.

slainte,

Ray Province

Celitc Shortbread for Christmas

Slainte,

Thought you might like to try a very simple recipe that is very traditional for Christmas in Scotland. We have, however, put our family "twist" on the recipe. It is a great treat with a warm glass of tea! Here we go!

Ingredients:

1 lb. of real butter (Dairy Farmers of America Unite!)

5 cups of flour

1 cup of sugar

2 tsp of Almond Extract

Some colorful Red and Green sprinkles for Christmas

Recipe:

Make sure the butter is soft. Just set it out on a counter for a couple of hours prior to baking.

Mix the butter and sugar throughly with a mixer. Add the almond extract and mix again just long enough to mix the extract. Start adding flour 1/2 cup at a time. Mix thoroughly. After about 3 cups of flour, your mixer may not be able to hold up, so you will have to mix by hand. When you are down to 1 1/2 cups, pour the mixture out on a clean, lightly floured hard surface and finish the process by kneeding the flour in. It is truly a labor of love!

Once your batter is thoroughly pounded to death, it is ready to bake. Place it in an ungreased, unfloured pan to a depth of 1/2". We use glass, square pans (9"x13") a lot. We also use aluminum pie pans (just for a different look!) Take a fork and poke holes all the way to the bottom of the pan. This will prevent bubbles from forming in the batter. It doesn't ruin the taste, just the presentation. Sprinkle your batter with the sugar sprinkles of choice. Bake at 350 deg. for 10 minutes, then bake at 300 deg for 30-40 minutes. When done, you'll have a lightly browned, sugar cookie type look. Cool. Eat.

The thinner the batter, the drier the cookie will get. So it becomes a matter of taste on how dry you want the batter. Dry also makes it a bit easier to dunk the cookie!

Hope you enjoy this wonderful treat.