Joyous Feast

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, to the virgin Mary.  And the angel said, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"  She was afraid, and the angel said, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus..."  And Mary didn't know how this could be possible, but the angel assured her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God..."  Then, Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." (my paraphrase of Luke 1:26-38) 

I love the Annunciation because of Mary's courage and faith.  She was afraid, but she was willing to trust in God's will for her.  And because she was willing to trust, the rest of us received the greatest gifts: the Incarnation and the Resurrection of Christ.

Finally, below is a youtube video of a Catholic song, based on the Haily Mary prayer, that I just love.

Can't Be Beet Chocolate Cake

This delicious cake is also relatively healthy and Lenten!  I found this recipe online last year when a friend gave me a beet she didn't want to use.  I'm afraid of beets, and I refuse to eat borscht. However, I will eat anything (afraid or not) if I can hide it in something I do like.  I'll be making this recipe today for our Presanctified Potluck.  It was a big hit last year with everyone, but DH.

So, if you have a beet and want a nice treat try this yummy cake.

The Blessing of Rejection

"It is also key to listen and watch for the message the rejection has hidden in its folds. At 40 I now believe rejection is God's way of kicking you to higher ground. That said, I would add that although this has always held a gift for me, I still sometimes grow tired of God's boot print on my behind." 

   -By Suzanne Finnamore, "Why Avoiding Rejection Is a Major Mistake" from 

the May 2001 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

I was reading this article last night because I know people who are sometimes stymied by the fear of rejection.  Just the fear is so bad that they don't even want to try for whatever it is they need or want.  I certainly used to be that way.  I remember being so afraid of rejection that I was debilitatingly shy.  If I had a crush on someone, I would wish on dandelions for him to notice me, talk to me, like me.  If the wish came true, I was afraid he wouldn't like the real me, so I wouldn't let him get to know me. 

I'm not afraid of rejection anymore.  I'd still prefer for people to like me, for potential employers to want me, for publishers to like my writing, but if they don't, I'm okay with that.  I think having a husband and children whom I know love me and want me despite all my deficiencies, which they know better than anyone, makes it easier to move past the rejections of other people.

And like Suzanne Finnamore, I can see the blessing in some rejections.  Both DH and I have applied for jobs in the past that we thought we needed, but they were extremely far from family, or they meant having to give up too much time with family, or putting a toddler in daycare.  While being rejected from such jobs still held a sting, I also found it to be a blessed relief.  Maybe things would be a little tougher for awhile, but we'd still have the most important thing -- family --, and we could wait for a better opportunity.

Yes, rejection hurts, but sometimes we need it, and we must always pick ourselves up from it and seek out the next (better?) opportunity.

Peanut Butter Balls: A Lenten Dessert

These are DH's favorite, and when I brought a tray for the potluck after Presanctified Wednesday, he asked, "Why are you bringing those here?  Aren't they for me?"  Everyone else loved them just as much, but we did manage to return home with two small ones for the next day.  This was a recipe that he learned in his first grade class, but I've changed a couple of ingredients to make it healthier and fastable.

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1/4 cup ground oats
1/4 cup honey

Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.  Roll into balls (and sprinkle with extra powdered sugar if desired).

Quick, easy, and no actual cooking required!