Christmas cake

I made my Christmas cake this morning.
Well actually, the mixture is ready to go in the oven.
No greaseproof paper to line the tin....schoolgirl error!

I love this time of year.
I love Advent, I think even more than Christmas itself.
I love the anticipation...
the wonder...
the excitement...

In a way it's a relief for us as a family to have something normal happening in our lives for a change.
The loss of Chris's parents, my Grandad, and my Dad this year has left us reeling.
Nothing is as it usually is,
So the normality of Advent is very welcome.

Anyway, back to the Christmas cake.


                                                                My kitchen this morning
Photo
                                                          I'm not the most ordered cook!


It's an ancient Marguerite Patten recipe I use.
I've tried others but keep coming back to this one.
I had everything ready and prepared.
The fruit, the nuts, the cherries, the brandy.
I was merrily mixing it all together in my very old,
very large, mixing bowl, that is only used for this purpose.
But I could see something wasn't quite right.

And then I remembered.....I'd forgotten the flour!
The lovely ingredients needed the flour to bind them together.
It's not rocket science, but domestic science.

Advent is often full to the brim.
Busy with the whirl of everything we call 'Christmas'.

Jesus is the one who holds it, and us, all together.
He is the one.
The one who 'shall be called Emmanuel, God with us' (Matthew 1:23)
The one who offers rest
And peace
And hope
And life

Long after Christmas is past
And the Christmas cake is eaten.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

20 years of ministry

I hadn't realised it myself. I'm not very good with dates, and years, and anniversaries. But yesterday my Facebook Timeline was full of it. It's 20 years since we were commissioned and ordained. 28th May 1993 at The Royal Albert Hall, London. As I listened to 'Our Songs' The ones written for us, and for the occasion I became a bit nostalgic. As I looked at the video And saw my friends and colleagues I almost felt a pang of grief For the people we were The things we shared. But this is a letter to the 25 yr old girl I was then From the woman I am now "You made it! By the skin of your teeth at times but you got there in the end. And this ending Full of brass, and drums, and singing and laughter and drama and dance is just the beginning. In the years ahead you will know joy Real joy Laughing so hard no sound comes out. Friendships that are only in their infancy here Will become your anchor in the days ahead. And people that ...
Read more

Five Minute Friday: Song

Image
It's our Silver Wedding Anniversary on Tuesday. 25 years. I told someone the other day and she gasped, and said, "You don't look old enough" Which is absolutely the right response. We're having a few friends over next Friday night to celebrate. There will be food And dancing And fun And song. 'Our song' to be precise. As we met in the 80's, Our song is 'Solid' (Ashford and Simpson). It's the song we used to dance to at parties. It's the song that made us laugh. It's the song we always talk about when reminiscing. Our 25 years together hasn't been perfect You won't be surprised to hear that. There has been much joyful song. But sometimes the notes have turned dischordant. Sometimes we've sung in a minor key. More recently we have sung songs of lament. But to mis-quote Gloria Gaynor We have survived. We're still standing (Elton John) And we're still singing from the same hymn ...
Read more

STOP! Look and listen.

I helped at Nathan's Christmas Fair yesterday. It was packed with excited children and exhausted parents, so pretty much business as usual. Do you ever want to scream STOP at this time of year? Enough. Too much already. Mum, my sister and I sorted out Dad's things on Tuesday. As we filled the car with bags for the charity shop it felt so final. A person's life contained in a car-load. STOP. Enough. Too much already. Today has been a better day. The sun has shone. The sky turned a brilliant blue after the snow showers. And I had a lovely coffee with Chris at the Garden Centre. As we were driving back I remembered the Advent challenge I gave our congregation a few years back. It came from the carol, 'It came upon the midnight clear', And the challenge was to 'Hush the noise, ye men (and women) of strife And hear the angels sing.' Or, STOP. Look for the reality of His presence in the madness of Christmas. Listen for Him. His ange...
Read more