Divide, Diversify, Double Decker Fudge . . .

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2: 8-14

“Are you stressed about the party?” a friend asked me today, six days before the party. And I do mean THE PARTY. It is a party my family and I throw every year the week before Christmas. We call it the Christmas Music party and we invite loads of people and make them all sing. We look forward to the party every year, even though it requires a lot of prep work and I am always behind!

No, I thought, I love the party, even the prep work is fun. What can be stressful is the cumulative effect of everything Christmas. If I only focus on one thing at a time I feel excited; but if I start to contemplate the baking, entertaining, shopping, gift wrapping, church functions, concerts, overnight guests, not to mention the ordinary things that still need attention, then I feel overwhelmed.

I have daughters and friends that have better organizational skills than I do, though, and I am learning some things from them that lessen that overwhelmed sensation. First, I am learning NOT to look at everything at once. Lists and calendars can be friends. Dividing time and jobs into bite sized pieces makes everything easier to swallow. In this instance division brings better focus.

Second, I am learning to reflect on opportunities before saying yes. If I had ultimate energy and resources and time I would say yes to everything! But I don’t, so I can’t! This means intentionally skipping some really amazing opportunities so that I can enjoy the things I say yes to. Just because I did something last year does not mandate that I do it every year. Likewise, if I skip something this year it does not mean I will never do it again. I can diversify my portfolio of Christmas activities from year to year, renewing my sense of wonder at God’s gift.

Third,I am learning to make sure my agenda is God’s agenda. The irony of the bustle of Christmas cutting into my time with God is not lost on me. What should be a time of contemplating the gift of Jesus devolves into a time of contemplating recipes and budgets and shopping. I do pray constantly, but in the midst of my agenda, not always before choosing my agenda.

Case in point, I am having an impromptu cookie baking time at my house this week. I usually bake the cookies alone, but God prompted me to look around. I didn’t really want to look around, but as I did, I saw the faces of people who needed to come bake cookies with me. There were old faces and young faces, sad faces and happy faces, expectant faces and grieving faces. Cookies aren’t everything, but God reminded me that time together mirrors why Jesus came in the first place. His agenda, not mine, included more people time.

As I have been pondering the Christmas story, the angels have taught me a few things as well. They talked to many different people, in groups and individuals, outside and inside, poor and wealthy, on a timetable ordained by God. They announced what God told them to announce. They went when God told them to go. They did not get to choose who they spoke to. In fact, their every dazzling move was in obedience to God; the splendor of angels exalting their Creator.

May it be so with me and with you. May we exalt the Lord during the hustle and bustle of the holidays–these Holy Days in which we celebrate the faithfulness of God. Divide your tasks into manageable moments, choose those things that will bring you life, stay in touch with God and his best plan for you and those around you. Ironic how a little division of labor and diversifying your agenda can bring peace and harmony in place of stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed.

I said yes to a visit from a special friend today. She offered to help me bake something for this post. and for THE PARTY. She was a great help and we had fun reviving an old recipe from my mom for Double Decker Fudge. I’ve been eating this fudge since I was very young and it always tastes like Christmas to me. Having the extra hands for stirring made the process easier than ever. Merry Christmas!

Double Decker Fudge with Nuts

• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 16 large marshmallows (but not the modern Giant Kind)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cups chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Gather all ingredients. Place the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. Have the butterscotch chips measured. Place sugar, butter, salt, evaporated milk and marshmallows in a heavy dutch oven and stir together. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture boils. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and quickly pour half the mixture over the chocolate chips in the mixing bowl. Stir until smooth, chips should all melt. Add 1/2 cup of the nuts. Pour into greased 9x5x3″ loaf pan.

Meanwhile, add the butterscotch chips to the remaining marshmallow mixture and stir until smooth, melting all the chips. Add remaining nuts. Let stand a few minutes then spread over chocolate fudge in loaf pan. Cut into bite sized pieces when firm. Store in refrigerator.

Double Decker Fudge No Nuts Variation

(for the family like mine who does not like nuts in fudge!)

• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 evaporated milk
• 20 marshmallows
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Gather all ingredients. Place the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. Have the butterscotch chips measured. Place sugar, butter, salt, evaporated milk and marshmallows in a heavy dutch oven and stir together. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture boils. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and quickly pour half the mixture over the chocolate chips in the mixing bowl. Stir until smooth, chips should all melt.*

Meanwhile, add the butterscotch chips to the remaining marshmallow mixture and stir until smooth, melting all the chips. *

Quickly pour the chocolate portion into a greased 9x5x3 loaf pan and smooth. Pour butterscotch mixture over this and smooth. (Can put either flavor on top or bottom, really it’s your choice!) Place in refrigerator to harden.

*If mixture begins to harden before you get it smooth, add a few drops of the evaporated milk to thin it out and make it spreadable.

Cut into bite sized pieces when firm. Store in refrigerator.