Monday January 5, 2009

 

 

Sunday in Maine

 

 

Josiah is glad to have his sister Abigail home again.

 

 

Lydia showing me the gingerbread house that she and Hezekiah designed.

 

 

 

 

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Church

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This morning we sat behind Bianca and her two oldest sons, Jonathan and Aaron.  As I looked up at Jonathan, I thought about the first time we met them – fifteen years ago.  Jonathan was nine months old.  That caused me to think about the changes that have happened in this young, mission church. 

Men who were little boys (twenty-two years ago when the church began) are now preaching, leading singing, and teaching Sunday School.  Our granddaughter Elizabeth who was six weeks old when Mark and Diane moved to Maine, taught some of the young children this morning.  The adult Sunday school teacher was a young man from the community – seeking truth – when we first met him. 

I was blessed as I looked around and thought about the changes that have happened in twenty-two years.

 

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Lunch

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Becky (Josiah’s friend) pouring water in preparation for lunch.

 

 

Ham Balls

For those who are sure to ask:  Ham balls are ground up ham and pork (equal amounts), and prepared and baked similar to meat balls or meat loaf.  This is a popular dish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania – and a welcome dish when we visit Maine.

 

 

Gourmet Potatoes

 

 

Dessert was Grape and White Chocolate Mousse Cake.

Recipe (at the request of Fwren)

Cranberry & White Chocolate Mousse Cake

(Diane used grape concentrate in place of cranberry concentrate)

Preparation time:  25 minutes – Total time:  1 hour, 20 minutes

 

Mousse

1 pkg (12 oz) white chocolate morsels (about 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1 container (8oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed (3 cups)

 

Cake

1 16 oz frozen pound cake, thawed

2/3 cup thawed frozen cranberry juice concentrate (or juice concentrate preferred)

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 oz vanilla-flavored almond bark

 

1. Mousse:  Place white chocolate morsels and milk in bowl.  Microwave on HIGH 1-2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.  Cool slightly, 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in sour cream.  Fold in whipped topping.

2. Trim crusts off cake.  Place trimmings into grater, and grate evenly over bottom of a springform pan.  Press crumbs by using the flat side of a measuring cup.  Slice cake very thin (1/8 inch) slices.  Set aside.  There should be 60 slices.

3. Combine juice concentrate and lemon juice in small container.  Layer crust with 1/4 of the mouse.  Spread evenly.  Arrange 20 slices (or 1/3 of your total slices) of cake over mousse, overry mierlapping as needed to form an even layer.  Brush cake with one-third of the cranberry mixture – using a basting brush.  Repeat layers two more times, ending with cranberry mixture.  Top cranberry mixture with remaining mouse.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

4. Place almond bark on a microwave-safe plate.  Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds, turning over after 10 seconds (do not melt).  Hold almond bark with a clean kitchen towel and create small curls using a peeler.  Garnish cake with curls. 

 

 

Our Maine Grandchildren

Left to right:  Lydia, Hezekiah, Hannah, Elizabeth, Abigail, and Josiah.

 

 

Our Maine Grandchildren plus Becky

 

 

Yellow roses that came from the Lewiston Food Bank.

 

 

We enjoyed another gift exchange following lunch.  (Mark, Abigail, and Lydia)

 

 

Becky

 

 

Each of the children received a Pampered Chef oven mitt filled with small Pampered Chef items.

 

 

 

 

After this we played Now-You-Have-It-Now-You-Don’t with items we brought.

 

 

Then we played the Bible version of Apples to Apples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hezekiah deciding which person chose the best card for his challenge card.

 

 

Abigail played despite a painful wrist and medication that made her drowsy.

 

 

She and her mom took a short break while waiting their turn.

 

 

 

 

During this turn the “judge” chose the word “brave.”  The pink cards were the best ones (fitting or not) the other six players had in their hand to describe the word. 

The judge chooses the best response without knowing whose card it is, and that person receives the green card.  The winner is the one with the most green cards at the end of the game.

 

After evening church…

 

Cerwin, Mark, Diane, and I played Golf.

 

 

 

 

I was pleased to be the winner.

 

~~~

It is cold up here, and by bedtime I needed a pair of socks to keep my feet warm.  Lydia offered her penguin toe socks!

 

My “happy feet”