Memories

It is very interesting to me to think that just living an ordinary life can actually leave memories that we will treasure for a life time. Sometimes memories have to be made intentionally like planning something special but it seems to me that the memories that I hold dear are just little snippets if things in my life whether it be when I was younger growing up or during the season when we where having our babies or the different stages of them growing up. I have been pondering these things and have come to one conclusion. God is good. And life is good. I know, that's two conclusions. Some memories are tough but God is still good. I am truly thankful for my life and my memories.

Autumn

Autumn. I love this time of year. I even love the word "Autumn". This is what comes to mind when I think of that word. Thankgiving. Harvest. Trees changing colors. Hot tea. Sweaters. Walks in the woods. Those beautiful Indians summer days. I just love it. Thanksgiving started in 1621 when the American pilgrims celebrated for three days straight. They didn't realize then that it would become a public holiday. Now we celebrate it for one day. But wouldn't it be great if we could (like my devotional read today) make our gratitude a way of life.


1Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." God has been working "contentment" in my life and I think that goes hand in hand with being "thankful".

Busy Day

I signed up for a magazine called "Above Rubies" awhile back but I had forgotten about it. So it was a surprise to me yesterday when I received it in the mail. Even I still like getting something in the mail just for me...Upon reading the articles I came upon the blog addresses of some fellow moms and homeschoolers. I was encouraged by the articles that I read and also the blogs that I found in the magazine. Just what I needed. And I was inspired to blog again. Hopefully this won't be short lived.

Today was a full day. We have company coming over tomorrow, Saturday I'm up to bring snack to our ladies song practice and on Monday I'm bringing a meal to a family from our church. They had a baby boy. So I baked a bunch of chelsea buns.

I had to go into town to run some errands. So on my way home I picked up some MacDonalds for the kiddos at home. And tonight I have a date with my husband.

Some thing the Lord has been teaching me lately is contentment.
"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity-in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians. 4:11-13
I have never had to go hungry but this verse to me means going without some of the things my heart desires. I want to be content anyway.

Recipe

I'd love to share a recipe with you all. I don't know how many of you are out there reading this blog but any how, if you're out there maybe send me a comment so that I don't feel like I'm talking to myself.

Apple Butterscotch Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 pastry for single-crust pie
• 4 cups peeled and thinly sliced tart green apples
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chilled butter or margarine
• 1 container vanilla ice cream

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

LINE 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with pastry; trim away excess pastry. Arrange apples in pastry shell; sprinkle morsels over apples. Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over filling.

BAKE for 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Serve warm with ice cream.

Walk In The Woods

I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me(us). Daniel 4:2

We went for a walk in the woods at Dave and Marianne's place and it turned into a photo shoot. We found a lovely spot among the trees by some water. It was almost like we planned it. We had come from a wedding so we were all dressed up.

A Beautiful Day

We had a wonderful week-end. We had some friends over after church for lunch and then headed over to Aylmer for a different friend's 50th birthday party. Then on Monday Ben, Dave Miller and Pedro Heide with some of the children went canoeing down Big Otter Creek. It took them about 4 hours to get from our house to Vienna. They had a blast. I was glad for them. Marianne, Eva and I stayed safely at Eva's house with coffee in hand waiting for the troops to get back. Melissa stayed back too. When they got back we enjoyed a BBQ celebrating their safe return. They all want to do it again some time. All except Mason. He says "I don't want to die"

Song In My Heart

Psalm 123:1 "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens."Psalm135:3 "Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto His name; for it is pleasant."

I love songs. I love learning new songs. Sometimes a song that i haven't sung or heard in a while pops into my mind and it ministers peace in my heart. This morning this song has been playing in my heart and rolling off my tongue.

All Heav’n Declares

(Noel Richards, Tricia Richards)

All heav’n declares the glory of the risen Lord
Who can compare with the beauty of the Lord?
Forever He will be (Forever He will be)
The Lamb upon the throne (The Lamb upon the throne)
I gladly bow the knee (I gladly bow the knee)
And worship Him alone

I will proclaim the glory of the risen Lord
Who once was slain to reconcile man to God
Forever You will be (Forever You will be)
The Lamb upon the throne (The Lamb upon the throne)
I gladly bow my knee (I gladly bow my knee)
And worship You alone

Our Words

Hello to all my blogger buddies...
Wow..what an interesting start to spring we have had. A beautiful warm couple of weeks already in late March and into April and then just like that we have some days where it feels like middle of February. But the forecast says warm, warm days ahead. But we knew that before they informed us of that.

Something I have been learning and thinking about...


Slandering someone or evil speaking about someone is the same as murder. We all know what murder is. But if we could only understand what slandering someone is we would not want to do it just as well as we would not want to murder someone. I heard it this way once. Slandering someone is cowardly. It is like a stabbing someone in the back, in the dark. And someone who murders someone actually has the courage to strike the death blow. It sounds very harsh but God sees murdering and slandering someone the same. The Bible also says that whoever spreads slander is a fool. In Prov. 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Prov. 18:8 "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the inner most parts of the belly."

I want my words to bless....

Unmasked

Are you wearing a mask?
Wearing a mask is very popular among church goers. We give the impression to people that we are "Fine" But inside we are hurting. And things are not fine. We are afraid to be honest to people about our true feelings. About what is really going on inside. I know I am guilty of this. Sometimes even to my closest friends. According to David Jeremiah in his Turning Points devotional, we need"honesty", we need "humility", we need "help", we need "hope", we need HIM". And then our "I am Fine" masks will come off.

These are the lyrics to a song that tells it well...

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Blinkies

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that, the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Copyright © 1962, 1967, 1970 by Leslie Frost Ballantine.

I have been thinking a lot about these two roads....So many people think that these roads run parallel and yet they go in two directions. Our Christian life is so very different then before we came to Christ. (at least it should be)

Picture

I got tagged by Nancy Wall to post the 5th picture from by 5th picture folder so here it is. My pictures are not very organized but this is what I came up with. This here is our family pet Luna" with her litter. Luna was Kayla's 10th birthday present. Her most favorite and longed for gift.

Nancy I can't think of 5 people to tag that have a blog.

New Year...New Blog

Hello my blogger friends,
When I saw "Merry Christmas" on my last blog I thought to myself "This must not be..It has been way to long since I blogged." So here I am, repentant, and ready to blog.
I started a "Seeking Him" Bible study with 4 friends from church. We are expecting God to do something in each of our lives. It will be exciting and yet scary at the same time. After all , when God works in our lives it will most likely take some heart surgery. So it going to hurt!
We have been meditating on Hosea 10:12 "Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness on you." Fallow ground is ground that has not been worked or plowed in a while. The plowing will hurt and it will also expose things that we haven't dealt with like unconfessed sins and hurts from the past. This process has to happen before the seed can be planted and so we can bear any fruit.

"Revival awakens in our hearts an increased awareness of the presence of God, a new love for God, a new hatred for sin, and a hunger for is Word."-Del Fehsenfeld