Soup to Nuts
So we had a very Merry Christmas and are anticipating a great New Year. To go along with the title of the blog and the spirit of the season in gifts I will put on some recipes for your perusal.

The first one is the perennial favorite Sunday Chicken Casserole

1 package stove top stuffing
1 can chicken chunks
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pt cooked carrots or other vegetables as desired (optional)
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 T. dried onion (optional)

Mix the stove top stuffing according to package directions. Drain liquid from chicken chunks and save in a medium bowl. Add soup, eggs, onion and sour cream to this liquid. Mix together. Layer stuffing, chicken and vegetables in a greased 8 X 12 pan or 9 X 13 pan. Add creamy mixture and fold gently with stuffing and chicken and vegetables. Cook in oven at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until firm throughout.

Soup to Nuts

This has been a different Christmas season for me. I asked Bus to do the Christmas gifting this year. He readily agreed; this is the dawning of a new and brighter future. I must say he has done an admirable job so far. He is even shopping before the 24th! For myself, I haven't given the same thought to buying as I have in the past. I think this is helping me focus more on the true reason for Christmas. KBYU rebroadcast Elder Bednar's talk about the tender mercies of the Lord today and that has helped my focus as well. Bus has outdone himself helping me at home as well so I feel very blessed. We are trying to prepare our home for the annual bishop's openhouse in a little over a week. So far the tree and two wreaths are hung, various decorations have been placed around the home and I discovered Smith's had their ice cream on sale for $1 for half gallon. So good progress has been made. I only have to do sharing time, finish the quilt for the wall, make some cookies and candy, help Toni and Ben move, welcome Jethro and Robyn home (YEAH!!), and finish up some stocking stuff. Not too bad really. I am grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord.

Soup to Nuts
Another gem from Elder Hales

"While our individual salvation is based on our individual obedience,
it is equally important that we understand that we are each an important
and integral part of a family and the highest blessings can be received
only within an eternal family. When families are functioning as designed by
God, the relationships found therein are the most valued of mortality. The
plan of the Father is that family love and companionship will continue into
the eternities. Being one in a family carries a great responsibility of
caring, loving, lifting, and strengthening each member of the family so
that all can righteously endure to the end in mortality and dwell together
throughout eternity. It is not enough just to save ourselves. It is equally
important that parents, brothers, and sisters are saved in our families. If
we return home alone to our Heavenly Father, we will be asked, 'Where
is the rest of the family?' This is why we teach that families are
forever. The eternal nature of an individual becomes the eternal nature of
the family."

(Elder Robert D. Hales, "The Eternal Family," Ensign, Nov. 1996, 65)

Soup to Nuts

As I have contemplated my birthday dinner at Buca de
Beppo's this past week, I have wondered why there is such a great feeling of joy whenever I am with my family. Some people don't like their children I guess. I hear about that occasionally. I can't think of anyone else I would rather spend time with. The Gillespie children I am so fond of are witty, intelligent, kind, thoughtful, interesting, spiritually based, nice looking, well-groomed, and talented in a diverse manner. Not only that, they have brought into the family those same kinds of people when they marry. Imagine the wonderful grandchildren these people will produce. It's no wonder there is joy in my heart. I think the spirit of love that exists when we are together is the reason for my joy and rejoicing. I hope we can expand our circle without diluting the love. That will mean that we resist criticism and fault-finding, encourage service and remember always that these relationships are eternal. We aren't perfect yet and mistakes will be made, probably mostly by me, but as we learn to love unconditionally and forgive we will develop the eternal attributes that we seek.

Soup to Nuts
Today's blog is from Elder Ballard. This is the essence of the gospel and our basic reason for being, why we are here.
"Every human being is a spirit child of God and lived with Heavenly
Father before coming to earth. He entrusts his spirit children to earthly
parents who provide a mortal body for them through the miracle of physical
birth and gives to parents the sacred opportunity and responsibility to
love, protect, teach, and to bring them up in light and truth so they may
one day, through the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, return to
our Father's presence.

"These precious souls come to us in
purity and innocence. As parents, we assume an immense responsibility for
their care and well-being. Parents share this sacred trust with
brothers and sisters, grandparents, teachers, neighbors, and all who touch
the lives and impress or influence the souls of these precious children.
King Benjamin admonished parents many years ago, 'But ye will teach
them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love
one another, and to serve one another.' (Mosiah
4:15.)"

I don't really know what I'm doing here. I just wanted to add a comment to JanandBen's blog and this is where I ended up. I hope you don't all die of boredom. Maybe I will improve my communication skills through this medium who knows? Feel free to add comments here anytime.