24 Days of Christmas - Day 7

Carol: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, Hymn #214

Scripture: Mosiah 3:5-8 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles…and he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning.

Story: Pattern of Love by Jack Smith

I didn’t question Timmy; age nine, or his seven-year-old brother, Billy about the brown wrapping paper they passed back and forth between them as we visited each store.

Every year at Christmas time, our Service Club takes the children from poor families in our town on a personally conducted shopping tour. I was assigned Timmy and Billy, whose father was out of work. After giving them the allotted $4.00 each, we began our trip. At different stores I made suggestions, but always their answer was a solemn shake of the head, no. Finally, I asked, “Where would you suggest we look?”

“Could we go to a shoe store, Sir?” answered Timmy. “We’d like a pair of shoes for our Daddy so he can go to work”

In the shoe store the clerk asked what the boys wanted. Out came the brown paper. “We want a pair of work shoes to fit this foot, ” they said. Billy explained that it was a pattern of their Daddy’s foot. They had drawn it while he was asleep in a chair.

The clerk held the paper against a measuring stick, then walked away. Soon, he came with an open box, “Will these do? ” he asked. Timmy and Billy handled the shoes with great eagerness.
“How much do they cost? ” asked Billy?

Then Timmy saw the price on the box. “They’re $16.95, “he said in dismay. “We only have $8.00.”

I looked at the clerk and he cleared his throat. “That’s the regular price,” he said, “but they’re on sale; $3.98, today only.” Then, with shoes happily in hand the boys bought gifts for their mother and two little sisters. Not once did they think of themselves.

The day after Christmas the boy’s father stopped me on the street. The new shoes were on his feet; gratitude was in his eyes. “I just thank Jesus for people who care,” he said.

“And I thank Jesus for your two sons,” I replied. “They really taught me more about Christmas in one evening than I had learned in a lifetime.”

Recipe: Perfect Christmas Turkey

I tried brining my turkey for the first time this past Thanksgiving, and it was the yummiest, juiciest, tastiest turkey we have ever had! I used Pioneer Woman's brining recipe, and it is amazingly easy. If you make a Christmas Turkey, you must try this!

3 cups Apple Juice or Apple Cider
2 gallons Cold Water
4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-1/2 cup Kosher Salt
2 cups Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
5 whole Bay Leaves
Peel Of Three Large Oranges

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover. Allow to cool completely. (Take note - I WAY underestimated how long this would take. Even when I put the brine in another container, in the fridge, and uncovered it it took hours to cool. I think next time I'll make the brine the night before I plan to begin brining the turkey.) Then pour into a large brining bag or pot. (I used a tall stock pot, which meant I didn't have to flip the turkey or worry about a bag - I recommend this if you have a pot large enough. A brining bag works fine, too, which you can buy next to the plastic baggies in the grocery store, or I've even heard of using a cooler.) Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. Wasn't that easy?

When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.

Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method. I personally rubbed mine all over with butter and then cooked mine in a roasting bag - the bag gives instructions for the amount of time and temperature depending on the size of your turkey.

The Pioneer Woman gives full pics and instructions, as well as tips for controlling saltiness after brining and more, and I learned a lot from other's comments on her site, so I recommend looking at her site. But after doing this once, I will NEVER AGAIN make a turkey without brining! It is soooo worth it, and despite my long explanations, really very simple. Try it - you'll love it, too!