Fun Times with friends

Jonathan, Marlene and Brooke

Cynthia and Earl

John and Earl

Meet and Greet

Welcome to our new class members Steve and Laura Cloud. We our glad you have joined us.

Soup Supper/Social

Our last social was hosted by our friends, John and Barbara Wise. We enjoyed a lovely evening in their beautiful home. It was a great time of fellowship a yummy soup dinner. Below are two recipes that are a must for your recipe book. Enjoy! Vegetable Soup- Barbara Wise

1 ½ to 2 pounds hamburger meat
1 small can tomato paste mixed with 1 quart water (can also use
tomato juice instead)
1 cup ketchup
2 to 3 Cans beef broth
1 Bell Pepper chopped
1 large onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped ( I sometimes leave this out)
2 large potatoes diced
2 or 3 carrots scraped and sliced (or 1 can of carrots drained)
1 can kernel corn (drained)
1 can sweet peas (drained)
1 can cut string beans (drained)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

Cook hamburger meat with onions, salt, pepper, and garlic powder
until brown. Drain off grease. Put in large pot and add the other ingredients and bring to a boil, then simmer for about two to three hours stirring often. I also added some water as I thought was needed because the broth was too thick for me. Add some sugar if you want a sweeter soup and add salt as needed.

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Ham-and-Potato Chowder-Cynthia Pierce

1/2 Cup butter or margarine

1 pound cooked ham,

diced3 ribs celery,

coarsely chopped1 large onion,

coarsely chopped2 large carrots, peeled,

sliced2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup flour

1 pint half-and-half

4 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 4 cups hot water.

Salt and black pepper to taste*

Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add ham, celery and onion, cooking until vegetables are slightly tender.* Add carrots, potatoes and chicken broth. cook until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.* In a small bowl, add flour and 1/2 cup half-and-half, whisking until smooth to make a slurry.* Add remainder of half-and-half to saucepan; bring to a boil.* Add slurry in a steady stream, stirring contantly to prevent scorching. The chowder should thicken quickly.* Remove chowder from heat and serve.* Can be garnished with shredded cheese, green onions and a dollp of sour cream, if desired.8 servingsThe State Paper 11/7/04

If you have any other good soup recipes, please share them with all of us in the coomment section. Thanks.

Shopping for Christmas

I read this article today and thought it was a great reminder of one aspect from our lessons on Holiday Expections. Be reminded. Spending, if we allow it, can be over the top. Talk and plan. I put the last sentence in bold lettering. Great advice for us all. Here's to having fun planning together for our Lord's birthday.

9 ways to stretch your holiday budget By- Dani Arthur

Savvy shoppers are expected to do comparison shopping online this year. According to a recent study conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation, there are a lot of smart shoppers out there.
The study says 44.2 percent of consumers will go online to shop at some point during this holiday shopping season, about the same as in 2007. On average, consumers will make one third -- 33.6 percent -- of their holiday purchases online, up from 30.2 percent last year.
Perhaps a sign of poor economic times, each shopper is expected to spend $832.36 on holiday merchandise, a paltry 1.9 percent increase over the $816.69 spent last year on average.
Buying tips One hopes those shoppers will comparison shop for better prices -- instead of spending too much by clicking "Charge my card" without thinking through their purchases. Maximize your spending power:
1. Make a spending plan
2. Know your limits
3. Track your spending
4. Shop with a list
5. Shop early
6. Be an educated consumer
7. Load up your wallet with cash
8. Use credit judiciously
9. Beware of sales pitches
Holiday temptationsThe holiday season is an all-out assault on your senses. The music, decorations, lights and the delicious seasonal smells assail your sensibilities on every street and in every store. The pace is frantic, the mood is manic, and the atmosphere is, well, different.
The holidays are so set apart from the norm that people are tempted to break out of their norm -- for just the season.
"It's seduction," says Ruth Hayden, a financial educator and author of "Your Money Life: The 'Make-It-Work' Workbook."
"Consumers are seduced into buying. To be seduced means that you're crossing boundaries that you've set. You're tempted to buy because you want to belong. You're tempted to buy because you want to create love."
And that's where it gets dangerous -- financially speaking.
We convince ourselves that breaking from our budget and using our credit cards a little more freely just this one time is all right. Come January, we'll get caught up and back on track.
"Unfortunately, too many consumers are paying for Christmas purchases beyond six months, a year, two years and even longer," says Howard Dvorkin, CPA and founder of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services Inc., or CCCS, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Let family traditions decide your spending"Most of us cannot remember gifts we received last year, let alone as a child," says Dvorkin. "It's the family traditions and memories that really stand out."
When deciding what to buy and what to do, first consider your family's favorite traditions and holiday memories. What truly brings a smile to your face? What is the one thing you'd most like to do this holiday? Is there something new you'd like to try?
"If you don't have the cash in your pocket, you shouldn't be buying. You can't afford it. Next month, when the bills are coming in, chances are you're not going to be in better shape," Dvorkin says. How about you? Do you plan and save for the holidays? Or do you just punt and end up paying off the holiday bills just as the fireflies are lighting the sky in the summer?
Here are some tips to help you wrap up your holiday spending without overspending.
1. Make a spending planStart with a realistic idea of how much you can spend on all your holiday purchases. Make a list of everything you usually buy, from the gifts to food to entertainment to travel expenses, and tally the costs.
"If you don't budget and set a specific dollar limit, then your spending grows and grows and grows. In January you'll be horrified by how much you've spent," says Mari Adam, a Certified Financial Planner in Boca Raton, Fla. "And, don't get locked into the thought that how much you spend measures how good of a person you are."
2. Know your limitsNot many can afford to shop carte blanche, so don't try! Make a list of gift recipients and decide how much you want to spend on each person. If you're unable to spend as much on gifts this year, prioritize for whom you really want to buy gifts. Then communicate your plans to family and friends, says Adam. "If you tell them you won't be exchanging gifts this year, then you won't feel embarrassed if they purchase you a gift." You want to be able to pay off your holiday expenses within three months after the holidays, four at the most.
3. Track your spendingYou've made a spending plan -- great! But if you don't keep track of all your purchases and make sure you're staying within your budget, you've wasted your time. Write down everything you spend on holiday clothing, cards, postage, wrapping paper and decorations, reminds Dvorkin. "Don't forget that these holiday expenses add up and need to be tracked on your budget."
4. Shop with a listKnow what you want to buy, and go to the store with a list. You can zip through the stores faster and are more apt to avoid impulse buying, says Dvorkin. When you have finished shopping, stop.
5. Shop early"The best window for holiday shopping is between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1," says Dvorkin. "Don't wait until the last minute. Give yourself time to compare prices and find the best deals." An all-out shopping spree leaves you exhausted from shopping, tempting you to buy the next thing you see regardless of cost. Last-minute shoppers are unlikely to save money. 6. Be an educated consumer Comparison-shopping stretches your holiday funds further. Fight the urge to get your shopping over quickly, recommends the Consumer Federation of America and the Credit Union National Association. Instead, take some extra time to find the best deal before heading off to the stores by scouring catalogs, sales advertisements and the Internet.
Easier said than done. Most people are frazzled with their jobs and busy holiday schedule. They often work right up until Christmas, so their holiday shopping is done last minute, says Adam.
And think twice before you buy. Ask yourself if the gift will be appropriate for the recipient and within your price range. If not, don't buy the gift, particularly if you will have to charge the purchase.
7. Load up your wallet with cash Leave your credit cards at home. "Spend cash. This will force you to budget and make overspending more obvious," says Dvorkin. According to the CCCS, people spend up to a third more when paying with credit instead of cash. There is no emotional attachment to plastic like there is to cash.
But, if you must use plastic, Myvesta.org suggests that you deduct all your purchases in your checkbook register. That way, when the bill arrives, the money will be in your checking account to pay the bill in full.
8. Use credit judiciously Shop with no more than two credit cards -- preferably low-interest rate credit cards, not the expensive department store cards. The more cards you use, the harder it is to track spending. Use one with a zero balance for purchases you will pay off in full. Use the other, low-interest rate credit card for purchases you plan to pay off over the next few months, suggests Myvesta.org.
9. Beware of sales pitchesDon't shop under the influence of holiday hype. Retailers work hard to entice you to buy, buy and buy. If you're not careful, you'll spend more than you planned. Don't fall for credit card offers to "skip a payment." You'll just pay more in interest next month. Watch out for the "buy now and pay later" offers that encourage you to spend money you don't have. And, bypass applying for the department store credit card to get a one-time discount.
"Downsize holiday spending, not your holiday joy," says Adam. "Limit the size of your Christmas in terms of gifts, and make it big on meaning -- from family, friends, traditions to creating memories."

Please and Thank You

Marriage Encouragement for the week....
"Please" and "Thank-you"...

Two very under-used words in our marriages.This week, take notice of how often you ask your spouse to do something for you, or your spouse does nice things for you without being asked.Do you say "please" when you ask them to do something? Do you say "thank-you" when they do?It makes a world of difference, and there is power in being appreciated!Sprinkle "please" and "Thank-you" generously over all of your conversations.The rewards are great, and it is also a great habit to get in, so that when you start teaching your children someday--------they will see your great example!May your marriage be blessed this week!

Pam Sjolund

"Pearls to Ponder" (for the ladies)

Hey ladies, ....Here are some words to ponder on as we go through our week. Currently, the ladies Bible Study group is reading the book, What happens when women say Yes to God, by Lysa TerKeurst. My new, sweet friend, Allyson Monferdini, emailed me the following "pearls which she found on TerKeurst website Proverbs 31 Ministries. I wanted to share these with all the ladies out there. THANKS ALLYSON!!! May God bless each of you as you love your husband.


"Love means commitment."
-Commitment to love him even when you don't feel loveable.
-Commitment to share yourself even when you want to be alone.
-Commitment to hope even when the circumstances say otherwise.
-Commitment to pray for him even when you are tired.
-Commitment to speak to him even when the words don't come easily.
-Commitment to the promise you made on your wedding day even when the promise feels broken.
-Commitment to a God who makes all things possible through Him.


I think marriage is an opportunity to live blind...
Blind to all the faults of your spouse. Blind to all the clothes he leaves on the floor. Blind to the flaws and failures that seem to become so magnified after the honeymoon is over.
Blind to the other guy who seems oh-so-much-more interested in you.

And Deaf...
Deaf to the careless words and ugly tones that linger in your head after apologies have been spoken.
Deaf to the other voices telling you happiness is out there, somewhere, anywhere but in your marriage.

And a chance to become a student again...
A student of the man God has placed in your life. Discovering the subtleties of his character. The things that make him soar. The things that break his heart. The things he does well and not so well. The ways he communicates love, even when it's not the way you are used to receiving it. What his "quiet" means and what makes him laugh really, really hard.



Getting married doesn't instantly make you selfless... it makes you realize how very selfish you can be at times.
Getting married doesn't make you feel loved... it makes you realize love is more of a decision you make than a feeling you feel.
Getting married doesn't take away loneliness... it makes you realize true companionship comes not when you demand it but rather when you give it to another person.

Marriage is a beautiful chance to make the choice to...
LAUGH-whether or not the jokes are funny.
LOVE-by folding his collar over his tie every morning.
PRETEND-like you don't need flowers, but delight when he buys them anyway.
CHEER-him on through both failures and successes.
TELL-him he's a great man everyday.
THANK-God for the privilege of being his wife.

Pumpkin Carving Party

Make a Smilebox photobook