Today's Guest Blog comes from Angela Shelf Medearis, host of The Kitchen Diva!, a cooking show on Hulu.com.  Her new inspirational book is Ten Ingredients for a Joyous Life and a Peaceful Home -- A Spiritual Memoir.

My father, Howard, was in the Air Force and my mother, Angeline, was a homemaker. They didn’t have a lot of money to buy Christmas presents for my three siblings or myself. One thing they did give us is lots of love, great food, and faith in God and in the future, no matter how bleak things may look in the present.

It takes a great faith to carry on in the midst of all the troubles we face day in and day out. Unlike earthly things which become worn and depleted when used time after time, faith becomes even stronger and more abundant the more you use it.

I often hear about people "losing faith." If you feel like that all I can say is that lost things are often found in the most unexpected places at the most unexpected times. I've misplaced things, thinking that they were lost, only to find them when I was looking for something else. The thing I'd thought I'd lost was there all the time, waiting for me to discover it again. Faith is like that, sometimes when you think you've reached the end of your ability to believe, something or someone comes along to shore you up so that you can continue on.

I have great faith in the future and the abilities of the American people to preserve in these difficult times. We must love and speak lovingly about our country. A thing that is not loved will not grow properly. We must have faith in our personal abilities and in our potential as a people in order to grow.

While the holidays pose their own special set of personal and financial challenges, it’s also a time to appreciate and treasure the priceless things in our lives — love, faith, and family. No matter what your circumstances may be, hold on to hope, preserve and cherish your families’ heritage, memories, and recipes; and most importantly in these difficult times, keep the faith.

Some of my favorite Christmas memories are linked to the dishes my mother made during the holidays. Teacakes are a Southern-style cookie that were a special holiday dessert during my childhood. Making and sharing these delicious cookies are almost as fun as eating them!

Merry Christmas and have a blessed holiday season!

Angela Shelf Medearis also is an award-winning children’s author, a culinary historian, and the author of six cookbooks. For more information on Angela, visit her Web site at www.divapro.com.

Tea Cakes photo credit: Tina Rupp, from The New African-American Kitchen, by Angela Shelf Medearis, Lake Isle Press, NY 2008.