No, it’s not because I’m nipping on the Smirntopf. I’ve met my November 30th deadlines and it makes me footloose and fancy free.
But back to the Smirntopf. If you follow my blog you know that way back in the summer I was inspired by Rosella to try making Rumtopf but I called mine Smirntopf because I used Smirnoff Vodka with the fruit and sugar instead of Rum. Here’s another post about Rumtopf on Rosella’s blog.
This is what it looked like when we added the last bit of fruit, sugar, and vodka and before we stirred and strained it.
Dear and I stirred the Smirntopf and strained our Smirntopf and have a pot of the fruit wondering what we will do with it. After straining the liquid from the fruit I stirred it real good and strained it again through cheesecloth before I filled the containers.
Now I’m wondering who might enjoy a little container of our Smirntopf…
Today is the last day of November and I have some final Grace Challenge thoughts to post.
I’m thankful for the inspiration and encouragement from my blogging friends.
I’m thankful to God that he gave me the words I needed to complete a project.
I’m thankful that we are entering the Christmas season and I’m turning my thoughts to focusing on Jesus during Advent.
When we focus on all we’ve been given it’s easier to give. At our church our pastor said “Grateful people give in response to God’s grace.”
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
~ 2 Corinthians 8:9
My brother had a great suggestion for continuing the Grace Challenge.
“As you enter the advent season, a season traditionally marked by gift giving (graciousness) make your giving not out of obligation but truly out of grace. Here are some Grace Challenge encouragements for your gift giving, for your abundance of good deeds:
- Make a list of the people you are buying gifts for this Christmas season in your Grace Challenge Notebook.
- Pray for them daily; Give thanks for them daily.
- With your gift, write a note that expresses the content of your prayer and thanks for the person you have been gracious towards. Use Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1 as examples for your writing and prayer.
- Believe that your prayer and thanksgiving is worth more than the monetary value of the gift given. “
Blessings…
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
I am so intrigued by this Smirntopf. Does it come out like a Sangria? Your variety of bottles makes a beautiful presentation. I wonder if you could make a fruit soup with the left over fruit??? Its a cooked soup so the alcohol would be cooked off, but not knowing the flavor of this Smirntopf I don’t know how it would come out.
I like your suggestions for continuing the Grace challenge. After reading One Thousand Gifts my noticing and giving thanks to Him is different and while everyone was so intent throughout November to give thanks it seems we must continue. We fall far short if November is it. A daily noticing of life around us, giving Him our gratitude, for it is all from Him, must become my norm.
Do you drink this, use it on ice cream…what? I love your closing thoughts. Thanksgiving should be an every day thing.
Hmmm…I have two bottles of Vodka sitting on my kitchen counter. I have a daily dread that someone is going to arrive at the door and I won’t have time to hide them. These would make a lovely disguise. Ha!
I really like your brother’s suggestion. It works all year through no matter whether the person is told about it or not. As a frequent commenter, I follow a guideline a blogger mentioned several years ago…I usually pray for each blogger as I visit. I do this most especially if prayer has been requested, though I do it regardless. It is a little something that is within my ability to do and as the Spirit leads.
I love your brother’s suggestion. I pray for many of these people already, but I don’t think they all know it.
Put that fruit on really good vanilla ice cream – delicious!
Your “Schmirntopf” looks absolutely wonderful in those great bottles!! Wow – you went to a lot of work straining the juice. I never get that “fancy” I guess and we just leave the fruit in the “rum juice” and ladel it over sponge cake, ice-cream, or tapioca pudding (or all three at the same time)! There is always quite a bit of juice and your idea of straining it is great – I think this would taste wonderful served hot with mulling spices??? I think I will try that – even unstrained might be good? I hope your’s tastes good – haven’t tried mine as yet. I will put up a Rumtopf tasting post sometime soon and let you know how the mulling experiment turns out too.
What a wonderful challenge by your brother to really think about and pray about the recipients of your gifts!
Ellen – your energy to get things done absolutely inspires me!! Happy nipping.
I love your brother’s idea! And your Schmimtopt is so beautiful, Ellen! Pondside’s suggestion of having it over really good vanilla ice cream sounds wonderful to me.
Beautiful liquor. Those who receive will surely be blessed! Could you bake that fruit into some delicious fruit cakes?
I love your thankful heart.
Hmm…a Smirntopf fruit bundt cake. Maybe I’ll try that…
I love the idea of praying for those we give gifts to in a special way this season…and then telling them about it.
I’m smiling at your ‘smirntopf’ production line. So pretty…all bottled up!
I was counting your jars. There are only eight! That aside . . .
I appreciate your grace challenge on prayer . . . the best gift.
That’s funny Anneliese! I’m thinking bringing it across the line might count as bootlegging! Maybe I’ll bring a jar for us to try at Judy’s… I’ll just tell the border agent it’s cough syrup!
The bottles look so pretty. Over ice cream sounds like a great idea. Or mixed with a little fresh fruit and a creme anglaise. I’m sure you’ll find some great recipes to share.
The grace/prayer challenge is a good one. I love Vee’s comment about praying for the bloggers as she reads their blogs.
Ellen your Smirntopf looks wonderful and such a pretty color! Itmust taste delicious. I bet the fruitthat made it would be good “as is” but baking it into a cake sounds really good , too.
I love your Grace Challenge ideas! When you have the chance ould you please keep us in your prayers that my daughter has a safe delivery of her baby in February and we sell our home soon? Thank you so much!
I hope the winter storms coming your way will not be terrible! They sound frightening when I heard about them on the radio this morning. Stay safe!
I’ll continue to pray for the sale of your home and add your daughter and a safe delivery, too. Blessings!!
It looks beautiful! Your brother’s idea is great. Just think how special and blessed each recipient would feel.
Looks like many good reasons to do the happy dance. I am familiar with the Rumtopf because we have the Topf and mugs but it just gets displayed. Your Smirntopf looks delicious love the colour and thanks for telling this Cdn in Germany how to make it, I like that it is made six months ahead with fruits in season and to enjoy just in time for Advent. Must make it next year.
Your Smirntopf looks beautiful Ellen – will it be served as a sauce or topping? Or do you add it to one of your famous drinks?
I’ve been following your brother’s Grace Challenge and appreciated too the suggestions regarding gift giving. Please pass on our thanks to him.
What a beautiful post, Ellen – I have been blessed by your Grace posts.