Archive for November 20, 2009
Give-Thanks-Giving: Online Giving Resources
Welcome, new visitor! Come on in. The Classic Housewife is currently undergoing some back end changes. In the meantime I'm re-posting some oldies and goodies. You may also want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2nd Corinthians 9:7
It seems the opportunities to give and to serve come crawling out of the woodwork when the holidays roll around. But the majority of those ministries have needs year round. All year long you can donate your time or your money to those in need.
There are so many really good ministries, organizations and charities out there that need year round support. Closer to home, there are also many ministries and individuals in your local community in need. There are so many ways to give to others, so many opportunities to show the love of Christ.
The truth is — the holidays are just when we think about it.
But don’t let that stop you. Many of them do need additional help during the holidays. As the Spirit leads, may you give and serve in love and with a cheerful heart!
Below is a small list, a tiny fraction, of the many, many opportunities online for giving to others. I know there are many, many more. Please, if you have a special ministry or organization that is close to your heart, please leave a link in the comment section and I will add it to the list. And thanks!
Online Resources for Giving:
- Samaritan’s Purse - “For over 35 years, Samaritan’s Purse has done our utmost to follow Christ’s command by going to the aid of the world’s poor, sick, and suffering. We are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ. This, in turn, earns us a hearing for the Gospel, the Good News of eternal life through Jesus Christ.”
- Women At Risk International - “Women At Risk, International unites and educates women to create circles of protection and hope around women at risk through culturally sensitive, value-added intervention projects.”
- Hannah’s Socks - “Hannah’s Socks is a non-profit organization focused on providing clothing necessities to the less fortunate in Toledo, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; and their neighboring communities. Hannah’s Socks collects donated materials in the form of men’s, women’s and children’s socks and undergarments, then leverages partnerships with local shelters for distribution to both the homeless and to victims of domestic violence. In addition, we support programs serving under-privileged children. Hannah’s Socks firmly believes that in a country as prosperous as the United States, no man, woman or child should want for something as basic as a warm pair of socks.”
- Hannah House Maternity Home / Promiseland Ministries Inc - “Our Mission…to reach out to teens and young women in a crisis pregancy situation; to provide an alternative to abortion such as adoption or parenting; to develop better decision-making, life, and parenting skills; to further education; to build stronger belief and understanding of the family; to glorify God and share His word and answers for today’s world.”
- Feeding America - Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Our mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. Each year, the Feeding America network provides food to more than 25 million low-income people facing hunger in the United States, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors.
- Feeding America Partners - Many corporate sponsors partner with Feeding America to help the cause, including companies like Honeysuckle White and Snickers.
Also, don’t forget Christmas Change - a website dedicated to changing the way you think and spend this Christmas, encouraging you to spend less and give more. Included: A list of charities and a place to share personal stories.
And also, the 30 Day Giving Challenge - a place to find LOTS of ideas on ways to give this holiday season, including many suggestions for free ways to give.. ways that none of us have excuses not to do! Take part in Alyssa’s challenge to give something, somewhere every day in November (or what is left of it - there is still time to give!)
And last but not least, there are many bloggers who we may come across through our online busyness and browsing, bloggers like Ali @ My God Given Mission Field. Ali & her family are saving up for an adoption and have a very unique fundraiser going on right now. Ali has purchased a large puzzle. When someone sponsors a puzzle piece for five dollars, a puzzle piece (with the sponsors name on the back) is put into place. Once the whole puzzle is complete they will have the funds for the their adoption. Once the whole puzzle is complete, it will be framed and hung in their new adopted child’s room as a symbol. Isn’t that a beautiful idea?? It touched my heart when I first read it and it still gets me now.
What charities, ministries and organizations has God placed on your heart? Leave a comment in the comment section with a link, and a little bit about why it’s special to you or how you found it. If you know about other online resources like Christmas Change or the 30 Day Giving Challenge, or about other bloggers like Ali, tell us about those, too.
Proverbs 3:27 - Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
This post is a part of the Classic Housewife One Year Bloggiversary Give-Thanks-Giving celebration.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Give-Thanks-Giving: Favorite Holiday Recipes
Good food isn’t a requirement for good holiday celebrations…
Okay, yeah, it IS pretty important, isn’t it? You can enjoy your family time without it, but a delicious menu makes it even better!
I’m guessing we all have our favorite holiday “staple” recipe. That one that “it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving” without. My husband is pretty simple. As long as he has turkey, mashed potatoes and dressing he is happy. I like a little more to my Thanksgiving meal than bread and meat.
It should be obvious by my expanding waist line that dessert is included in my list!
It should come as no surprise that my great-grandmother’s cherry pie recipe is one of mine (and my family’s) favorites. And what a thought to think that this recipe has been in our family for so many generations!
Of course - they didn’t leave out all the calories and sugar either! And while I am all. for. making healthy versions for some foods, there are some things that just need to stay the same. Like my Nannie Dot’s cherry pie. Just sayin.’
This is one of my mom’s favorites too I’ll admit, it’s 2nd or 3rd on my list - my Nannie’s pecan pie is number one. Hands down. No contest. And though I *could* share that recipe with you, the cherry pie is the one that my mom requested for her birthday instead of a cake. The one that we made and took pictures of. =)
So without further ado, I present to you, the best cherry pie you have ever put in your mouth:
Nannie Dot’s Cherry Pie
1 cup sugar
2 heaping T flour
1 can red tart pitted cherries
2 crusts
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the liquid from the cherries with the sugar and the flour, set aside.
- Pour the cherries into the bottom pie crust; pour the liquid mixture over the cherries until covered (you may not use it all).
- Cover with a top crust, vented, or a lattice crust if you prefer.
- Bake @ 400 for 10 min, then 325 for 30 minutes (or until the top crust is golden brown.)
- Let cool til warm before eating so the filling can gel a little. Cut, serve, enjoy!
Of course, eating it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a MUST!
I took these two pictures the next morning after the pie was well-cooled. You can see this isn’t the kind of pie that is going to fall apart on your plate. It also isn’t artificially dyed red with tons of food coloring or over-the-top sweet with too much sugar, since you used the tart cherries instead of the cherry pie filling. The difference between the two is amazing, trust me!
My Nannie Dot (Dorothy) also had a pie crust recipe, and an ice cream maker. And we often made ice cream in the summer but sometimes during the holidays, too, to eat with all our warm pies. Is it just me or do the simpler, traditional recipes of the past just taste so much better??
You know what?? - Hubby has challenged me to make a holiday recipe book of my family’s best recipes handed down over the generations. He doesn’t think I will finish it, that’s what it is. My family has okay’d me using the recipes though, so I’ll just have to show HIM, huh?! I’m actually a lot farther on it than what he thinks. *snicker*
Another recipe that has been in my family since my childhood (I don’t know how long) is our Christmas Cocoa.
I don’t know why it’s called CHRISTMAS cocoa - we make it at the first sign of cold weather and keep it in the pantry all winter long. This recipe was actually my FIRST blog post at my previous blog and it moved over here when I merged my blogs at Classic Housewife. You can find that recipe here.
What’s your recipe (or recipes) that you just can’t live without this holiday season?
Won’t you share with us? Add your posts to the linky below and let us all “give” our best recipe posts a little linky love, and “give” each other some good and new recipes to try at home this year. Who knows? You could discover your new “must have” recipe that your grandchildren will be talking about generations from now. If you’d like to link up more than one recipe post, that is fine - the more the merrier! Add a link back here at the bottom and don’t forget to grab the button!
This post is a part of my Give-Thanks-Giving Bloggiversary! Check it out.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
