Wonderfully Complex

This Christmas season I am reminded once again of the precious birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has come to be the light of the world and show us the way to the father. He came to blast out darkness with his love and pure heart. This Christmas I encourage you to be the hands and feet of Christ himself.


For the Month of December, 100% of the proceeds of Gold Canyon candles purchased through my website will go directly to a beautiful family who is pressing in to God’s provision. They have stepped out in faith and seek Christ at every turn. Unfortunately, it is a struggle to keep food on the table and the electricity on. By adopting this family, you and I are coming together to show the love of Christ in a very real and practical way.

Stock up on stocking stuffers, teachers gifts, or holiday fragrances for your own home. You can place all your orders on my Gold Canyon website and your order will be shipped directly to you. Every time you light your candles, remember that Christ is the light of the world and he has used you to show his love to another.

I pray you have a Christmas filled with love and laughter.

Much Love,
Holly
Jesus said, “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.” John 12:46

Sweet & Salty Cookies

1 Cup Shelled Pumpkin Seeds (they are also called Pepitas)
1 ½ Tbs vegetable oil
2 ½ tsp salt (divided in 1 tsp & 1 ½ tsp)
½ tsp chili flakes
3 ½ Cups flour
1 ½ tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 sticks of butter
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
8 oz. Dark Chocolate roughly chopped
½ Cup Craisins


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Toss pumpkin seeds, oil, 1 tsp salt, and chili flakes together. Place on sheet pan and toast until golden brown, stirring occasionally. (About 15 min.)


Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Stir together remaining 1 ½ tsp salt, flour, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix together butter, sugars and eggs. Add flour mixture and continue to blend on low speed until combined.


Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix in pumpkins seeds, chocolate, and craisins.
Spoon small balls of dough on to cookie sheet and bake in oven for approx. 12 minutes or until golden brown.

~
I recently read that Pumpkins were “a nutritional power house”. The article went on to list several Fall recipes to add to your menu this pumpkin season. If you know me, then you know I was lured in. I LOVE pumpkin. I love new recipes and playing with the classics. Then….there it was… “Sweet & Salty” a cookie recipe that included dark chocolate, pumpkin, and chili peppers! Much like any hungry fish, I took the bait.

I headed to the store to gather my ingredients and thought…shelled pumpkin seeds? Where do I find THAT? A quick phone call to my personal 411 operator (My mom) and I learned that shelled pumpkin seeds actually are called Pepitas. That seriously saved me from banging my head against the wall searching for a bag labeled shelled pumpkin seeds. (Thanks mom! I love you!)

My recipes came together with a few minor alterations. (Again, I play by the rules…kind-a) I changed the whole wheat flour to all purpose flour. I changed the raisins to craisins. I also changed the dark chocolate flakes to mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.

In only a few minutes I had toasted pepitas, a batch of fresh cookie dough and a warm oven. Game on!

My cookies came out with a golden glow. They had red craisins, chocolate morsels of goodness and green pepitas poking out in every direction. They were a work of art for sure.

I got my main squeeze to try them with me and I hate to say it but …. They really aren’t that great. They are not an epic fail, but I think the idea of this fun recipe was a bit more than the cookie could hold up to. Have you ever wanted to see a movie so bad and then came out of the theater thinking…really? That was it? That’s a little bit how I felt. Here’s for hoping for better luck next recipe!

“That is SOO cute, but I would have nowhere to wear it.”

I don’t know about you, but these are old tapes that play in many minds. I know this because I have shopped with many of you and I have heard us all say it at one point or another. I was also watching the show What Not to Wear and heard a girl saying it to herself while she learned to shop for herself.

Why not change our perspective? Why not say,” I may not have any where to wear this today, but I can plan a time to wear it soon.” Why not say, “I LOVE this and I CAN pull it off with the right tweak here or there.”

For years I have heard these popular tapes playing while I shopped with or without my friends. I let them play so loud that I stopped shopping for myself altogether. It was easier to shop for the kids. I had put myself in this little box of what I thought I was capable of pulling off. There is something that happens when one gets in a box and does not see the light…they get stuck. They stop believing for better. It has taken a while to change my tune, but I have. I feel that my heart has finally embraced that fact that I was made for more than I ever dreamed of both physically and spiritually. I have finally accepted that the little box I have been in no longer fits my truth.

I was out shopping with my best gal pal the other day and we were trying on things that were outside our comfort zone. (ie sassy heals vs. flip flops) As stay-at-home mom’s it is so easy to say, “That is so cute, but where would I ever wear that?” Today, my perspective has changed. Today, I say, “That is so cute; I wonder where my husband needs to take me so I can wear that.”

Fast forward a week…

It’s Labor day weekend and my little man had a minimum day at school. After school we headed over to White Lime Frozen Yogurt for a sweet date between mom and son. The weather is beautiful. The breeze was blowing slightly and it was a somewhere in the low 90’s. We opted to sit outside to eat our frozen delight and chat about the day. We talked a bit and a comfortable silence rested on us. My eyes wandered a bit and there is was… THE purse on display in the boutique next door! I think at one point the heavens opened up and angels sang.

The purse was stunning. Beautiful. Perfect. Wait… could I pull that off? Was it a bit much? Too trendy? Too taupe? Would I look dumb carrying that? I’m not sure I could pull it off. Old tape….go away! I CAN pull that sassy purse off! I need to dream big, right? Yikes… here I go… I bought the beautiful sassy purse. I will pull it off because I LOVE it!

Yeah, Baby girl got 2 used copies for a grand total of $2.99.