We’ve gathered several of today’s most beloved authors to share their Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom”! Please follow along beginning tomorrow (Wednesday the 14th) through Christmas day as Babbie Mason, Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Rachel Hauck, Sandy Ralya, Sibella Giorello, Susan May Warren and more, share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

If you’d like to share the 12 Pearls of Christmas with your blog readers too, just email Christen and she’ll send you the series.

AND of course there is a giveaway! Beginning tomorrow you and all your friends can enter to win a PEARL NECKLACE and EARRINGS valued at $450! The winner will be announced on New Year’s Day! Pearls – a tangible reminder of God’s grace to us all.

Just a quick note before the series begins on the 14th …

As I write this, I imagine that we are sitting at my kitchen table and chatting over a cup of coffee while familiar Christmas carols celebrate the Season. My twelve year old Chihuahua, Pongo, barks for a pinch of pound cake while my Shih Tzu, Lilly, patiently sits by the chair and waits for a crumb to fall.

My name is not Martha Stewart, and I will never receive a neighborhood beautification award. Just look at my front stoop. Yes, my never-had-time-to-carve-the-pumpkin-that-now-suffers-from-frostbite slouches next to the front door which is decorated with a Christmas wreath. I plan to roll this large orange ornament to the garbage pile tomorrow. For now, however, I will pretend that my front stoop is a contemplative modern art exhibit capturing the essence of contrast.

Actually, I love the concept of juxtaposition – placing things together that don’t seem to belong together, yet somehow ultimately make sense being paired. A personal example for me this season is the phrase: “comfort and joy.” Having just completed my manuscript for New Hope Publishers about the aftermath of grief, I fully understand the contrast of those two words. How can comfort bring joy? How can one find joy in loss?

Perhaps, dear reader, you have experienced loss this year – loss of a loved one, loss of friendship, loss of health,  loss of financial security, loss of trust, loss of love, or loss of direction. Even with the best intent, words of encouragement shared by others can somehow seem insufficient to address an inconsolable loss.  A spoken word cannot fully restore joy to a broken heart; however the Word can. And that’s the bottom line message of Christmas! God gave us the most amazing gift: His Son –  the Word of God, the Holy Comforter.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

You are not alone this Christmas, dear friend. Juxtaposed to the unexpected grit in life is the gift of God’s grace wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. This year I purposely placed a pearl in the Nativity scene as a metaphoric reminder. When we place our grit into the hands of the Lord, His grace transforms our pain into a pearl.

“Joy to the world!”

Thank you so very much for sharing the JOY of the Season with us this year.

God Bless,

Margaret

@mcsweeney

Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. She is the founder and director of Pearl Girls. For more information please visit www.pearlgirls.info. Margaret is fast at work on several fiction manuscripts. Her book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was written to help fund the Pearl Girl Charities. She is also the host of weekly radio show, Kitchen Chat. Connect with Margaret on Facebook or Twitter.

1. Shopping List. It cannot be said enough: Make a list of ingredients you need and stick
to it. Using a grocery delivery service will help you avoid impulse items that would otherwise land in your cart while browsing store aisles. Just make sure you don’t place your order when you’re hungry. You can’t get far in the kitchen with only a passel of Snickers bars on hand.

2. Cook from scratch whenever possible. As you know, pre-packaged foods you’ll use in your recipes, such as vanilla extract or Herbs de Provence , can easily be made at home for a fraction of their store-bought cost. There’s no sense in inflating your budget if you can easily get around doing so. Store-bought items are certainly convenient but cooking from scratch allows you the freedom to experiment with flavors and enhance meals to your specific tastes. Doing so also begets bragging rights.

3. Buy in bulk. You know you’ll be cooking a great deal during the holidays, especially if you’re prolific in the kitchen during the rest of the year. Get an idea of the staples you’ll need, like sugar, flour, and butter, and get thee to a wholesaler for the best deal on ingredients you’ll be using in great quantity. Keep an eye out for items you’ll be using but might not necessarily stock up on, such as chocolate for desserts, knowing it will probably go to good use even after the holidays are over.

4. Consider making your holiday feast into a potluck. If you budget wisely, you can serve an elaborate entrée like French-cut rack of lamb, including perhaps lemon-roasted  potatoes as a side dish, and invite guests to complete the meal with salad or vegetables and a selection of desserts. You’ll end up with a true feast that doesn’t leave scars on your wallet. Consider starting a tradition where you and your friends have a sort of moveable feast, meeting at the host’s house for the entrée and other homes for additional courses. Eat well and enjoy yourself without ending up in the poorhouse.

Now that you’ve got some ideas for getting through the holiday season without overspending, it’s time to cook! See what other cost-saving tips you can employ to make the selection of grocery items a fun and budget-friendly process.

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More about Danielle: Danielle has a weakness for trendy kitchen gadgets and likes to experiment with recipes that challenge her to use new ingredients. Read her blog about cooking and traveling at cooksandtravelbooks.com.

Formerly the “backstage” at dinner parties and home gatherings, the kitchen has become the true gathering space of the home. People are turning their kitchens into really impressive spaces. Now more than ever, companies are using processes like graphic design and rapid prototyping to produce kitchen items that are both functional and elegant. Here are some of the top products on the market in both form and function.

Last year the German company Miele began offering a built-in coffee system. The appliance froths or steams milk for cappuccinos and lattes. It will distribute water for tea or hot chocolate through a separate spout. The machine costs just under $2,000.

The Aga Rayburn oven and range has been a fixture in high-end English homes for ages, but is just now beginning to appear stateside. It looks like an antique throwback but it’s actually a tech wonder. The different cook style takes some getting used to, but it’s perfect for timing all the elements of a dinner. Basically, the oven is always on. The different drawers are for cooking, roasting and warming. Instead of the cook having to alter temperatures, they simply move food items from one drawer to another. The Aga Rayburn also heats the kitchen it’s in, which made it an early commodity in drafty English homes. The Aga Rayburn goes for $8,755-9,795 in the U.S. with two-burners and between $12,500 and $13,500 for a four-burner model.

Many kitchen innovations make people say, “Why didn’t I think of that?!” The Boomerang Wok is one of those inventions. This Wok makes it simple to flip, spin and stir culinary concoctions with flair. With this wok and a little wrist action any chef can easily channel the finesse of a stir-fry master. With a price tag of $100 this little gem doesn’t come near the cost of today’s most expensive wares, but its style certainly keeps it in kind.

Top-level gadgets can get really specific and the Viking EVEWD163SS Plate warming drawer is a great example. The drawer can hold about 57 liters and is 90 centimeters wide. Its task is simple; it takes cold plates and turns them into warm plates. This is perfect for highly temperature sensitive dishes or entertainers that want to take extra steps to produce that restaurant feel. The drawer costs £1739.

More about Danielle: Danielle has a weakness for trendy kitchen gadgets and likes to experiment with recipes that challenge her to use new ingredients. Read her blog about cooking and traveling at cooksandtravelbooks.com.

These past few weeks I have been sorting through unorganized boxes of pictures in a last minute attempt to put together a DVD.  I hope to pack the DVD along with some other special items into a vintage 1950s sky-blue suitcase that Melissa has admired.

This gift of a suitcase is a symbolic blessing of my letting go to let her grow.  Melissa is ready for her journey into adulthood, but I was not prepared for my tears.  I still have so many things that I want to teach her and so many words I still want to say (and admittedly so many words I wish I had never said).

Today I discovered an interesting podcast by Dr. Beth Erickson, host of Relationship 101 on Web Talk Radio. Dr. Beth discusses effective ways to navigate the family life cycle stage of “launching adult children.” She explains that “this triumphant time of graduation is also tinged with sadness” as our children physically leave home.  She assures moms that this feeling of sadness is natural and normal and that we shouldn’t try to brush it aside.  Dr. Beth says we should “feel the feelings, let them dissipate and then they will disappear.”  To proactively deal with the grief that “nothing will ever be the same again,” Dr. Beth suggests we find ways to become our child’s biggest cheerleader.  She reassures us that in time life will “re-stabilize into a new normal.”

So the next time a young toddler smiles at me from a grocery cart seat and waves “bye-bye,” I won’t blink back the tears.  Instead, I will pull the Kleenex from my purse like a rabbit from a hat and sob in the produce aisle.  Please forgive me if any of your plums  taste a bit salty.

Please share your experiences and advice about “launching your adult children.”  I would love to hear from you. ]]> http://kitchenchat.info/132/have-grad-am-sad/feed/ 0 http://kitchenchat.info/125/a-thank-you-note-from-cecil-b-demille/ http://kitchenchat.info/125/a-thank-you-note-from-cecil-b-demille/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 18:37:31 +0000 kitchenchat http://kitchenchat.info/?p=125 Continue reading →]]> What an amazing surprise to run across my late dad’s college scrapbook and discover a thank you note from the legendary director, Cecil B. deMille typed on Paramount Pictures Corporation stationery! Here’s a copy of the letter:

Thank You Letter from Cecil B deMille

Isn’t this amazing that over six decades ago, a Hollywood director recognized the value and consumer interest in faith based movies? And how touching that Cecil B deMille took the time to respond to a college senior’s correspondence.

So what do I glean from this sliver of the silver screen? First is the lesson from my dad — He taught me to never be afraid to respectfully let someone know what you think about something. How often do we let situations slip quietly by and miss potential “Cecil B DeMille moments” in life?

My dad always encouraged me to be engaged in the process of living by interacting with those around you. Take the time to acknowledge, encourage and validate others with a letter, an email, a phone call or even just a smile.

In Guideposts’ recently released book, Dancing on my Father’s Shoes, I share another special letter – this one was written by my dad to me while I was in college.

Please leave a comment and share favorite lessons from a father and you will have a chance to win a copy of Dancing on my Father’s Shoes for Father’s Day!

Life sometimes surprises and delights you with unexpected moments – serendipitous opportunities that lead you into a new “realm” of understanding, or literally through the doors of a fashion hotspot called Realm. In an effort to warm up, Katie and I walked through the doors of this breathtaking boutique. The distinguished manager, Lewaa Abdulkhalek, welcomed us into the gracious and spacious surroundings. Realm’s interior pairs New York City “sophisticated sleek” with South Beach “contemporary chic,” while the couture exudes the understated elegance of Sao Paolo combined with the playfulness of Rio de Janeiro. Eager to learn about the artistry of the featured fashion designers, I asked Lewaa if I could interview him about Realm for Kitchen Chat. He and fashion consultant Alex Argenti insisted that Katie and I wear European designer dresses featured in the boutique for the on camera interview. As many of you know, I am not a “fashionista.” When I lived and worked in New York, my wardrobe consisted of boring banker clothes. And now, as a stay- and- work- at- home-mom in the Chicago suburbs, my closet overflows with an eclectic collection. Wearing the Jean Claude Jitrois design was transformational, and I truly entered a new realm for me: Haute Couture. I felt like a princess in this elegant, stretchy black leather dress accentuated with constellations of Swarovski crystals and a price tag that surpassed the most expensive and only designer dress I ever bought — my wedding gown. This LBD (little black dress – or rather, LBLD, little black leather dress) was Audrey Hepburnesque with a contemporary French twist. And Katie looked gorgeous in the ruffled denim gown by Italian fashion designer, Ermanno Scervino.

Realm www.realmboutique.com is featured in the March issue of Elle Magazine on page 250. Blake Lively was among the celebrities who enjoyed the fashionable fete of the boutique’s opening party. Randi Jacobson, the striking owner and visionary of this special boutique, explains on the website. “I’ve spent years traveling the world in search of the most cutting edge couture, and Realm is an amalgamation of the best fashion I have found. We hope to be arbiters of fashion for our customers. We want Realm to cater to the stylish, sophisticated woman who is hungry for something new and exclusive.” Without a doubt, the personalized retail experience at Realm is unique, welcoming and very informative. With in-house fashion experts to provide their years of professional guidance as to which style and fabric will be a perfect fit for the occasion, every woman will feel and look like a princess in the couture at Realm. I will always treasure these memorable moments of entering into “Realm” of fashion.

Here is a Flip Clip of my Kitchen Chat interview with store manager Lewaa and fashion consultant Alex about fashion and food.

What are some of your life’s memorable moments that opened a new “realm” of understanding in your life?

During our Spring Break trip to New York, I brought my daughters, Melissa and Katie, along with Melissa’s friend Cory to see Spiderman on Broadway. As a soon-to-be Emerson College student majoring in technical design, Melissa was eager to view this $70 million production despite the negative media about major technical challenges, injuries on the set and a struggling storyline. During April, this Broadway show will be on hiatus as producers rework the script. Curtains open again on June 14th.

(Katie gets a picture with “Spiderman” Reeve Carney in front of the theatre)

On the evening we attended, the audience performed a collective gasp when some scenery fell apart onstage. How odd to hear “an unseen voice” announce that the show would be delayed for a few moments until the set was fixed. A few minutes later everyone erupted into applause for the unshaken actor – the very talented Reeve Carney who plays Peter Parker, the unmasked Spiderman.

Reeve is very talented. He is the lead singer of his band Carney and at age 8, Reeve recorded an album with Peter, Paul and Mary. The music and lyrics by Bono and The Edge frame the musical with a contemporary beat as Carney’s brother plays the guitar on the side stage. And of course Jennifer Damiano, nominated for a Tony at age 17 for her performance in Next to Normal, was outstanding in her Spiderman role as Mary Jane Watson – Peter Parker’s girlfriend.

Please know that I am not a professional theatre critic. I sure couldn’t perform onstage, much less fly through the air onto the balcony along a web of ropes. However, I would like to provide my theatre seat review. Bottom line, the critics have some valid points. The script needs some strategic strengthening. I commend the award winning director Julie Taymor. I fully believe her vision for this show has true merit, but she also had the unusual and monumental responsibility to co-write the script. Recently the producers replaced Taymor with Philip McKinley who now faces the challenge of “reworking” for the “reopening.” Here are my two words of advice from the theatre seat: “Plug into”:

“Plug into” the effective digital media. Recycle those cardboard cutouts and remove them from the stage. It is challenging to create a musical based on a comic strip – a delicate balance between the “Bam” moments between villains and the poignant treatment of deep emotions of grief. The Second Act of Spiderman, however, was much more focused. The comic book “cardboard” cut-outs of super villains were minimized during that act and replaced instead with digitized images – a much more effective means to connect with a digital age audience. The use of this media melded well with the rock music score. MTV moments. In addition, the spotlight on the “storytelling ensemble” was minimized — an inherent tenet of strong writing:

Show, don’t tell! The audience would rather experience the characters, rather than listen impatiently to someone talking about them. The producers should open the show with the breathtaking scene of Arachne suspended in the air as she weaves gorgeous orange gold cloths that billow on stage. Arachne is essential to understanding the premise of the Spiderman story. She is the talented mortal weaver who bragged about how she was better than the Greek goddess Athena. Athena punished her by turning Arachne into a spider.

“Plug into” universal emotions. Connect with the audience on a deeper level. Yes, Spiderman connects and interacts when the superhero flies into and over the audience. Exhilarating. Emotionally, Spiderman’s story has the potential to be a blend of the Broadway hits Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. Arachne becomes a “Phantom” figure who tries to lure Peter Parker with deceit into a dark world for her own narcissist purposes. Peter Parker experiences ultimate darkness after his beloved uncle dies in an accident that Peter had the powers to prevent. That pivotal moment was palpable as the audience witnesses this emotional turning point in Peter’s life.

He chooses to fight evil with good and to destroy the Green Goblin and other super villains. (On a side note, isn’t it an interesting parallel with the symbolism of green in Wicked and Spiderman?) Spiderman flips on an emotional “light switch” to a universal truth: Bad things happen in life, but we have the choice as to how to individually respond to grief and loss. Bitterness is the ultimate darkness of life. The Green Goblin couldn’t forgive the people who caused the death of his true love, so he chooses to hurt others. Arachne couldn’t overcome her bitterness about being turned into a spider for eternity by Athena, so she chooses to hurt others. Peter, however, chooses to “Rise Above” – a beautiful song in this musical with a meaning quite similar to “Defying Gravity” of Wicked.

“Plug into” widespread promotion. In my opinion, Spiderman has a huge potential to connect and lure the audience into its web and to become a commercial hit. For the new opening night on June 14th, perhaps Spiderman’s publicity should be further heightened so this Broadway web can extend even wider. From a business perspective, I would suggest that the producers invite Verizon – which has one of the largest webs, or rather networks with over 93 million subscribers- to play a starring role as a promotional partner.

On June 14th, I have great confidence that Spiderman will “Rise Above” as it reopens on Broadway. Break a leg!

This passion for cuisine was cultivated during Chef Matt’s childhood.  He grew up in a multi-cultural family.  In Hawaii, family is called ‘ohana, but its meaning reaches beyond the familial structure.  The root word for ‘ohana actually relates to the root of taro, a staple food in Hawaii.  Food is essentially the heart of a Hawaiian family – the experience of love and support expressed by the family as they gather around a table to share a meal.

Chef Roy Yamaguchi is the chef who has most influenced and inspired Chef Matt.  In 1988, James Beard Award winner Chef Roy opened the first Roy’s in Honolulu.  Classically trained in French culinary techniques, Chef Roy perfected the fusion of Asian cuisine with European cuisine.  A combination that continues to punctuate the palate with culinary creations at 31 Roy’s locations around the world.

At Roy’s Poipu, Chef Matt prepares a different menu each day, depending on which local and seasonal ingredients are available.  His favorite food to prepare is King Moi, a type of Hawaiian fish.  And yes, Chef Matt does enjoy watching shows on Food Network  – especially Iron Chef.

Chef Matt’s insight about passion for what someone does is poignant.  What is your passion in life?  And what is your favorite food?

The participant’s guide and DVD arrived in my mailbox a few weeks ago as part of Lysa Terkeust’s blog tour.  “Catchy title,” I thought as I placed it in my “review pile” – which is quickly becoming an avalanche waiting to happen.  At that point, I wandered into the kitchen between writing projects and clicked open a can of Diet Coke (I love that clicking swoosh sound, don’t you?)  And then I opened my pantry door to scour the shelves for a snack, a bag of Baked Doritos stuffed inside a wicker basket.  For those that know me from high school and college, you may recall that my favorite snack was  Doritos with French Onion Dip – always in ready supply in my dorm room.  At that time in my life, I was able to indulge and not even gain a single digit on the scale.  Oh how I miss that incredible metabolic rate of my youth!

Now, after stepping on the scale today, I decided that maybe I should take a peek at that Made to Crave book that came in the mail.  I even signed up for the 21 day Challenge.  The book and DVD participant’s Guide do not include recipes and daily menu guides, but they do provide heaping servings of “meaty” wisdom and questions to help us create our own life recipes for healthy eating and healthy living by turning to God instead of  food.

Lysa writes: “When it comes to healthy eating, most people try to fix their how-to first.  What’s missing is the want-to.  Fixing our want-to provides the foundation that enables us to make lasting changes.  What is creating the most desperation in our healthy eating journey?  That’s what we need to fix first.”

I am a foodie, and as host of Kitchen Chat, I love food.  Yet, I will be the first to confess that I have used and continue to use junk food as a quick fix treatment, i.e. large doses of chocolate bars for those crabby days, crunchy bags of chips for those stressful days and gallons of caffeinated diet drinks for those “How-am-I–going-to-get-everything-done-while-I’m-feeling-so–tired” days.

Lysa writes, “We are not to flee food.  We need food. But we are to flee the control food can have over our lives.”

God is the Master Chef of comfort food.  I look forward to taking the first steps on this Made to Crave journey.  Will you join me?

Find out a little more about the book from Lysa herself: