Call to prayer

Please pray for this
Dear family
Their house just burnt down last week. The day of their daughter 6th birthday. The day after she went in to find out if her cancer is still in remission.
This family needs your prayers.

Photo hunters * small*

This afternoons craft with the kids. Rain Deer Hand Prints

Rain Deer Hand Prints

These are made with "foamies".
You can use paper or fabric.
Trace hand prints L/R invert them for antlers.
add a scarf,eyes, pom-pom for nose and a brown splat for the head
holly leaves and red dots.

I cut the hands out they will do the rest.
Remember to date and put the name and age on them.

Christmas Tree *use up left over batting"

Gift Ideas Quilt and foot warmer

A little guy likes this movie the old ones.
He knows that we have a battle to fight in this life.
This is fleece baked with a batting within it.

FILove flew in WWII

If I had more time I'd give you a binding lesson.
If any one is interested just ask.

Ded Moroz

Thanks to black Pearl for this great post.

Who is Ded Moroz?

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Russia's Gift giver is called Ded Moroz. Ded is short for Dedooshkah. Which means grandfather and Moroz is the word for frost. So he is Grandfather Frost.

... you can read about him here:


http://www.santalady.com/gg/moroz.html

Garbage disposal problems.

Good Morning! I am limping into the day...

We have a garbage disposal in our kitchen sink (an electric unit that allows what most countries compost to be sent down a drain) . Yesterday in my disappointment (in myself for wasting foods) I needed to toss some left overs that I got a bit to busy to use up. I really hate to throw out our resources like that. Well the garbage disposal is temperamental and I often forget to use care and dispose of th foods slowly paying attention to the needs of the disposal. When I don't allow it to work as it should it jams. Then I have a real mess, usually stinky one too (for the foods that might be spoil are the ones that get tossed).
So yesterday I jammed the garbage disposal. I usually get Beloved to come in with the plunger and fix my mess and it is not a fun task. Often you get splashed with disgusting water...You get the idea?
Well beloved was at work and I had a mind to get the kitchen cared for. It was in my heart to fix my neglected kitchen so it would be the way I like it. I went and got the plunger and did the job and then sanitized the plunger (Spoiled turkey was the culprit) . It smelled real bad too, but the point is I took care of it myself. I have depended on Hubby when he is home to do what I can do for myself if in a pinch (just because I hate doing it) . Hubby takes good care of me indeed.
I need to take the responsibility to take good care of me.

After my guest left last night I was drawn into Ephesians 6. I noticed how the very same text that tells us how important it is to respect the role of Mother Father, tells us To be strong in union with God. It goes onto speak of the armor and Standing sure footed.
I then went to bed. I found myself awakened around 3 a.m. to being very ill. An illness all too familiar.
You see I treat myself like that garbage disposal under the kitchen sink. I have been sloppy eating wheat and such. NOT GOOD. The wheat then causes my pipes to swell and then just like the one under the sink the problems begin and end with a terrible bowel disruption and the overflow of vomiting.
Then who should come into me aide...? My Beloved.
Finding me shivering and cold on the bathroom floor so weak and ill that I can not tend to my self. He cleaning up my illness and covering me with towels. This lasted two hours or so and has left me weak today.
I am not a garbage disposal but I often treat myself like one. I will give greater consideration to another than to excuse myself from eating things that I am allergic to ( my guest made a wonderful chicken noodle soup (wheat noodles...I promised her next time I would speak up). I will also cram those things into my "pipe whole" that I should not (wheat cookies the kids made).
As I am aging, just like that machine under the sink, I am loosing the ability to get buy with too much junk crammed in at once :)
Not only that but it is not so fair to my Beloved to make him responsible to loose sleep caring for me when avoidance would have been the higher road. I was threatened with a colonoscopy bag at one point two years ago this was so bad. My pipes would clog for up to two weeks at a time causing violent illness and loss of function. It is do to the swelling of the colon wall from the allergy to wheat and milk and such. So the old remedies are not applicable.
I managed somehow to do my morning chores and kids to school. Now the tasks I need to do are also hindered because of my lack of respect for myself and lack of discipline.
Maybe you can relate.

The remedy is caring about me enough to stop treating myself like a garbage disposal.
To start prizing my vessel and going the extra mile (20 :)) to fix the things I need to "just for me".

The desirers of our heart matter...

This was fun today.
The best part of my day and I was relaxed to enjoy it!

This evening we had our sewing lesson time.
I called over and amazing quilting artist, my dear friend Jaye. We have known each other 18+ years. It is so wonderful to have friends that are close as dear family (even closer).
Sherry's quilt can be finished at home by her. As her heart desired, she will have a quilt to give to her grand son. Her heart mattered!

I retire my day now with a clean kitchen thanks to Beloved.
Thanks to paying attention to my own heart too.
A clean floor and counters clear to start my day. It will come all to fast .
So thank you for the pleasure of your presence Jaye.
I love you!
Good night all the morrow will be here all too soon.
Thank you for all your wonderful comments folks.
Good night.

Thursday Thirteen

Priorities! After school it is my heart to decorate these with the children.
In order to do that....

I just had to mp my floor, I could not take it any more! So this I did just for me!
I cleaned the oven and micro wave and the counter tops. Wiped down the front of the cabinets as well. It feels so much better. I think this is important to help me to be able to relax with my sweet kids later.

I have noticed the stress I was feeling every time I saw the mess that was over running the supply center. We keep the art and scholastic supplies here. It was just awfully messy. Had to fix it again for my own heart I gave pause to this task. :)

It left a bit of a mess here , but I'll get it later on this afternoon.
After cookie decorating.
I'll have to get it done because I teach again tonight.
We need to finish the quilt today.
Jaye, do you want to come over tonight and help with the binding?
I am a little unpracticed at it?

So with many tasks and projects and thrills of creative genius. This will soon have more of these under here. The kids are worried because they have yet to see the mounds of years past.
They keep asking...
"are we really going to have the BEST Christmas ever Mom?"

I have this to make today.

Two triple decker stuffed snow balls to do before the time melts away.
The kids are due home in two hours!

I mailed another 24 or so of these this morning and have only a few left to do now.

With the cooler weather we have had many ...
"Two dog nights"
lately.

Is that just the cutest thing!
They sleep just outside our master bedroom door.
They snore! I have asthma so no dogs in the bed chamber.
I made them lots of blankets that they sleep on.

While driving through the reservation last week we passed this residence.
Please use great care with your decorations. Fire hazards are over loaded extension cords, over loaded breakers. Dry trees! KEEP WATER in the pans.
Unattended candles.
Have a safe Christmas.

Guilt personified!
Mr counter surfer himself.

A tip for you. If you use these food coloring and they dry out,
glycerin, is a "save the day"thing to keep on hand.
It will re-constitute your colors.

If all else fails...
Dash has created a new super hero!
Super Santa!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that it is 5:41 and even though Willy , who was counter surfing and got busted (he got into a baggy of can lids I am saving for beauty's class) they crashed onto the floor. I found myself enjoying the devotionals from Denise. Even though it is this early a.m. I have the quiet to come and Worship my King. For he is ever present. "Hear (as in listen)" to spend time with me in the stillness. I feel His presence. I can and do "know" His presence.
For this I am most grateful of all.
It is he who redeems my time. I know that it will be redeemed today. All the tasks, desires and goals I have would to too overwhelming were it not for the fact; I have have spent a life time seeing it happen. I am tired yet refreshed. Worn but enthusiastic knowing that today will be no exception. He will be and is with me. I have that resolved peace in knowing that it will all be accomplished in His perfect interventionist timing. So here even now I sit in what could be considered interrupted sleep ... in the quiet with Him before it all begins for this day.

Come Worship the King
For we are his people
The flock that he gathered
Hallalua
The Lord is God
From a song by Michale Talbot

So here I am, gathered to follow him into this new day.
It is such a good thing to be gathered and not alone in the night.
Present and alert x4

Quilting...Sewing Lessons

I have been giving sewing lessons once a week to a sweet friend of mine.
Beloved covers me the dishes and kitchen chore, tends the children and supports her and I.
She has been providing the supper, so I am covered for the cooking.
Then I commence to teaching her some skills of the needle, fabric and pattern.

We made it to this point in her project tonight. Tomorrow night we will do minding on two intersections, tie it and do a satin binding. She will have her quilt for her grandson for Christmas It is 10:20 and we just finished up. I am tired!
I must start sewing my gifts in earnest tomorrow!

We work well together. Funny it was she who once mentored young women, now I am sharing my skill sets with her. We enjoy our fellowship. We are not to far off in age.

It has been her heart to learn to sew to make her grandson a quilt. He is now seven months. She looked into lessons at a quilting store and was startled at the costs. she then remembered me. We have had a nice time catching up with each other it had been a couple of years.
She is a delight.
She came with homemade chicken soup and bread for my family and cookies too.

A good read!

I met someone new. You gotta read this post!

Hear Me Roar

December 10, 2007

Hear Me Roar

Michelle at "Life in the midst of Writting"presented this award to me today: The Roar Award, for powerful words.
Thank you Sweet Heart.

The award was started by the Shameless Lion Writing Circle and is "the chance to scream from the mountains the good news about the powerful posts that are produced every day in the blogosphere, despite what some mainstream columnists and journalists claim."

Now I'm supposed to give this to five people.

1. "Yesu Garden"
2. "Just a Mom"
3. "Walking On"
4. "Spiritually Unequally yoked"
5. "Pieces from me"

Wow so many of you are worthy of this, and more.

Tails from the scales Weel #11

Time to admit (on the blog) an eating disorder. I have struggled all of my life with being able to manage my feelings in a healthy way. Food is a pacifier and a punisher for me. When I want to be nice to my self I have a "treat". When I am angry with myself I binge (eat stuff that will make me feel bad). When I am hurt I treat myself to make myself "feel better"Food for me is a feelings barometer. My meal plan....well I am not worth the hassle (although I know I need to be) . See a pattern here? I do.
I have been over extended and also neglectful of not only my meal plan for weight loss but I am ignoring my hands care as well. I just have too many things to attend to and in my habitual way "Taking care of me (my body) is just a hassle". Same with my knee (terror here) I do not want a knee replacement. I am over tired too.
I do not want to check my weight because I see "failed" on the scale. It is depressive. I know what I need to do. I do the things I do not want to do and do not do those things I do want to do.
I got up at 4:30 with Dash and am tired so NAP TIME for mom. It is 8:30 now, and I just dropped the kids off at school.
Maybe someone can relate. Real and honest.
~d
12:30
AFTER A THREE HOUR NAP, AND AN HOUR OF WAISTED TV TIME I FELT BACK TO FOCUS.
I DID WEIGH AND GAINED 1 POUND. IT WAS NOT AS MUCH AS I HAD EXPECTED. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR KINDNESS. NOW I NEED TO GET TO WORK. GOT TO GO GET DOG FOOD, AND START THE CHORES. CHRISTMAS CARDS MUST GET DONE SO I HAVE THE TABLE. I TEACH TONIGHT (SEWING LESSON).

Wordless Wedensday

If you look real close Daddy Man is holding Dash.
6:30 AM Foggy Morning.

Make it from Scratch Carnaval* Banana Pudding*

Tofu Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafers.

Place tofu in blinder with a 1/4 cup of soy milk
blind, add the vanilla pudding mix (see image) a little at a time pulsing the blinder.
layer the wafers in bottom of dish.

Slice bananas , and assemble.
wafers...pudding...bananas

add a row of wafers around edge
now again, wafers banana...pudding sealing the edge row with the pudding.
and top with wafers

Chill for several hours
Some folks top it with whipped cream
However this is at this point a dairy free dish.

Tackle It Tuesday

Mercy!

On this table I have the Christmas cards, the kids stuff to put away.
Then after school tomorrow (because I have to watch 2 kids for a Mom after school today) we decorate those cookies we made.
I have the bills to write out and to send,
also paper work to sort and toss and file.

I maid the lunches for the children and took them to the school
The bills are paid and ready to mail.
I got the Christmas news letter done.
and around 30 Christmas Cards done.
That is all...Where does the time go?
I have to go get the kids and then have 2 extra for the afternoon.

Dash wanted a tortilla with refried beans for supper, so I went to the grocery store. They had three specials I wanted to get in on $7.79 a pound roast for 1.79, 18 count eggs buy on get one free and a coupon I had for a free salad mix valued at 3.79. So My bill was 86, and I started to step away with Dash distraction and looked down to see they neglected to give me the credit for the specials. I went back to the register and walked away with $50. refunded me. I got $86. worth for $36, and Dash got his tortillas.
Beloved came to get me around 9 p.m. while still at task.
That blue basket was fill of little scraps of papers with phone numbers emails addresses and little important notes. It is almost empty. I transcribed them all onto two yellow pad sheets front and back fine print. I was able to address another 40-50 cards. I have yet to sign and place a news letter into them. I felt food to make contact with so many who I have neglected to do so with this year. So many old friends who also have such busy lives. Then there are those who I let go off who have years past fallen away from my radar into the promise of only seeing them again in the by and by. I still think of them and pray. Thats the best contact with some. :) Many old acquaintances are forgotten. Life is just that way.

Beloved and I are meet in his office to watch old reruns of "The Office" , a VERY funny show that we enjoy. Then it was off to showers and bed by 10:30

YIKES!
This was not touched yet
I have all the records to go through to essentially do the medical deductions for 2007 for Dash to have the coverage at the clinic at St. Joe's.
Then all these things need to be made
packed and mailed.
Wrapping of gifts for the kids as well.
I got the kitchen done part way.
There is laundry waiting to be hung in the master closet.
YE HAW!

Today is adoption day #6 for Dash.

Today is adoption day for Dash. Home now 6 years.

That is so amazing and hard to fathom.
(pardon the cake it is not my best work :)

Six years ago I brought home a son. I had waited 20 years for him. He is my Son.
I had a promise much like Sari of the Old Testament.
I saw it come about.
On this Day of remembrance, as we all watched those old tapes of us in Russia it was plain even
then that this was a wonderfully bright child.

We all went to Taco Bell for supper
We sat around the table and we each spoke what we liked best about Dah, then Beauty then Me and Beloved.

Dash liked best about us ...
Our Character :)
Beauty loves my laugh.

I read a poem to him.

Not flesh of my flesh
nor bone of my bone
but still miraculously my own
Never forget for a single minute
you did not grow under my heart
but in it.
He said..."Cool, I like it Mom"

We gave him a Bionical spider man to build.
He and Daddy man did it while we watched his adoption videos.

Beauty ran to get a gift to give him too.
A cord with keys on it.

.

I am so blessed.
He is such a wonderful Son.

Gift Ideas...

This is an exert form a devotional Shorty Bear sent me...

1. A homemade gift. Giving something you make represents time and effort invested on the recipient’s behalf. Each year, we make hot chocolate for our neighbors, scoop it into decorated mason jars and deliver it to their doorstep. The best part is ringing the doorbell and the running like crazy! Our neighbors love it and it has become a prized family tradition.

2. A treasured gift. Give something you already have, something that is of special value to you. Not your junk, but your treasure. Don’t ask the question, “What can I buy for Sally?” Ask the question, “What do I have that would mean a lot to Sally?” My pastor husband once mentioned in a sermon that he collects old Bibles. The next Christmas, one of our church members gave him an old and cherished family Bible. It is still one of Dan’s most precious gifts.

3. A gift of time. When we give thirty minutes of time, we are giving thirty minutes of life. While Dan was in seminary, we were always short on time and money. When Christmas came, one of our friends handed us a Christmas card with his gift inside, a coupon good for one afternoon of babysitting each week for the whole year. To this day, I still remember how thrilled I was when Scott handed us that card. Give a gift of time spent in prayer for a friend or an afternoon of errands run for an older friend. Time is a precious gift.

4. A gift of encouragement. Tell someone what they mean to you. Write it down so they can read your encouraging words several times. Writing it down can help you say it better and requires more time and thought. You can also make a tape or CD of encouraging words and thoughts for those who can’t see well or for that hurried mom who spends much of her life in a car. In my bible, I have several notes tucked as bookmarks for special verses; notes of encouragement that have keep me on my feet during difficult times.

5. A blind gift. Give a gift to someone you don’t even know; a gift that is given in Jesus’ name, just because you love Him. I recently read an article about a millionaire who sets aside large sums of money at Christmas. Dressed in a disguise, he then walks the streets, pressing $100 bills into the hands of the needy. “It makes my whole year,” he says.

6. A secret gift. Give a gift to someone you know without them knowing who gave it. Give with no hidden motive and with no possible benefit to yourself. Like most newlyweds, Dan and I were on an extremely tight budget during the first years of marriage. At one point, we had no money for groceries, a fact we shared with no one but God. We wanted to see what He would do. Returning from church one Sunday night, we started up the steps to our mobile home. There, on the sidewalk, was a brown package. We hurriedly ripped off the paper to find a brick with two $100 bills taped to each side. We still don’t know who gave us that gift, but every time I think of them, I ask God to bless them for their secret gift.

I thought this was a great list of ideas.
~d

So many gifts given...

We had a really amazing weekend.
Friday night when I was preparing a dress for me and pants for beauty to ware to a Christmas Ladies (Mother/Daughter dinner at the new church . I was speaking on the phone to Beloved. I was telling him with Beauty and I doing something special he needed to find something special to do with Dash.
I had hung up for speaking with him and then the phone rang (just then). It was Diann (A new friend who we know from the kids school and our new church) Her and her husband Drew were calling us to offer a gift. Drew had purchased tickets to a hockey game with a voucher for hats and hot dogs with drinks! WOW! what a splurge. Beloved was stunned and thrilled to have such an adventure with Dash. They took Drew up on the generous offer. The bad part was that there little man was and has been ill with upper respiratory problems. If your out there I hope he is doing better today. Thank you so much. Beloved needs to call Drew and tell him how very much it meant to him. He hopes to call tonight, after the adoption day celebration for Dash is over.

Beauty and I went to the dinner and met up with Debbie and her delightful mother, MILove and her sister. We unfortunately were not able to all sit together. Beauty and I sat at an other table. Beauty was a bit board and so after the meal she was bummed out a bit yee haw some "time with mom" boring! I looked down at the good little sport and said ..."How would you like to get out of here and go play?" Her face lit up! she was so delighted! I did not know what to do but I had a few tokens from a pizza place in my purse and then realized that we had gone back to the grocery and fixed a mistake the store made I had $8 bucks in my purse and so we went to a "jungle Jim's pizza game center" and played the games. She was so delightful. She is really good at basket ball, a very good athlete. I really need to try to get more of that into her life. We then went home and wrapped the gift she got for her Daddy and for her Brother. That really pleased her. It was just her and I.
Beauty was up a lot of the night coughing, she had been on antibiotic for a sinus infection. Beloved lost around three hours sleep because just when he got her to sleep then Willy started vomiting again. He grabbed a sweet potato off the counter top and got a nasty mouth fun.

Saturday was a real treat! It started of with a morning play date that I canceled... Beloved and Beauty asleep until after 9 a.m. and Dash with me awake and busy. We had breakfast and I did the kitchen.
Everything was arranged for the day. So after beauty woke up (from the cough medication that knocked her out) she was good. We decided with the encouragement of Michelle to keep on track and have a Man/ Woman day the Mom/Dad needed a time out! :)
So Michelle and Joe took the kids from noon till 4:30 THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Jaye gave me a cell phone!!!! she has it as a extra and told us if it gets lost it is alright...we can cover the $10 a month and no problems if not... I accepted it.
That is strange to have a phone with me. It was nice to check on the kids. Beloveds folks gave us one some time back and we just do not like to have bills. It is such a luxury to me to use a cell phone. This is one that Jaye assures me no one wants needs or uses. No problem if it gets lost. You see Beloved and I would rather do without than to ever owe anyone. If we can not buy it ourselves we can not afford to replace it if it gets damaged. It is a way of character we have always lived by. I am so sorry for all those who have so often offered us to loan things. We would just be devastated if we could not rerun it as received. So we do not borrow.

He and I went to lunch at a wonderful Chinese restaurant called Pie Wei so good! It is like home cooked food done right! A big treat for me being as I cook every day. It was a luxury that was so enjoyed! Thank you Honey!
It was then, off to the picture show via a sweet gift card from a very thoughtful friend :) Thank you!!!!!! We watched a sweet movie " Life according to Dan" it was delightful! very good movie for the choices out there I am so glad we went to see it. I highly recommend it not "perfect", but really good.
We then went to Wal- mart to look for dishes. See post. We are so very careful these days to save every dime that it was hard for me to do this purchase. I had dishes and I did not NEED new ones. I could go on using them for a long time to come. Beloved had had enouhg of them. Now I really see why. I did not know the difference they would make. The old cups were all cracked and a lot of the finish is worn off. They were so heavy ! Wow the new ones are so easy to work with.!! I am so amazed! I would have to just lift may bee three plates at a time. Now I can easily pick up all 8 and lift them onto the shelf with out any struggle at all! WOW that makes it so mush less work to unload the dishwasher and stack! They take up so much less room too. What a big difference.
Then it was off the the bicycle shop and Beloved got new handle bars to lift up my posture on the bike. The therapist was concerned that my back was going to wind up a problem with being bent over so while peddling. We drove around and got some toner for the copier that has been out for 6 months. It is so nice now. the papers don't come out half black from the overflow getting on the paper. I had a big issue (just the stress of it) though because it is so hard to save and so easy to spend.
We drove around and went out to a supper at a Cracker Barrel and drove around some more looking for lights but could not find any big displays. We did not check the papers though. We hope to take the kids around soon.
Jaye met up with the children, here at 4:30, and watched them until 9P.M.! She totally played them out and they all had such fun! Thank you !! I will be very careful with it.
When we got home Beauty was a mess with her mania, it was really hard to come home too. She calmed down after about a half hour of working with her. Poor Dash missed out on Mommy because I had to tend to Beauty. She just gets so undone when she is tired. I slipped away to love on Dash and he fell asleep with his little arm around my neck.. He was tired. "Auntie" Jaye had a ball with them and they with her. She was even asked if she was their Grandma ha!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!! Every kid needs that sort of "Grandma" time. Just think how I feel when Beauty's peers asked if I was her Grandma! They showed me the ornaments and candy and toys!!! A cell phone for Beauty! (play one but she does not know that) . It is really funny she is practicing phone manners on a toy cell phone.

Sunday was spent minding fencings. Mis- understandings from the night before. It can not go without effect when parents go so long between alone times. We both get so tired we just need to be heard and neither has enough to really listen clearly to the other. We are very good friends. I need to listen better. I heard one thing but it was not his heart toward me. I was hurt because I was in "I" and not into Him and what he really meant. It is a good thing to always think the best of one another it made the mending of hurts more easy. Marriages can get full of frustrations when the marriage relationship gets so taxed by duties of life.
We got togeather and fixed the kitchen shelving problems. That is very loving of Hubby to do. His is a "Love Launguage of service" I think mine is words and service. He put the new handle bars on and it is great. What a difference 4 inches can make! I can ride now without the low back pain being so bad.
Now we just missed the viper literally! see this post.
We had a nice family movie night "the Walton's" and I baked a chicken. Our lives are full. We have so many adventures too.

I am so tired and yet I have many things I must do.
I have a cake to bake, a dinosaur. (so/so) he likes it.
Cake is finished.

Today is adoption day for Dash. Home now 6 years.

That is so amazing and hard to fathom.

Regarding...I do not understand what gospel you are preaching.

Rejoice said...

life and death -- MUST HEAR IT You & your husband. I do not understand what gospel you are preaching. There is ONE GOSPEL ONLY. According to the Scriptures, which gives glory to GOD.
Four Awakening Truths.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=625070351

December 7, 2007 1:04 PM

Pardon me folks but this soul left no other way to respond to the question. If you truly want to understand it might be helpful to leave and easier way to contact you than to have to do a post to do so.

This comment can be found after this post.

Now I am not sure why you have issue with this, The scripture speaks about avoiding vain arguments. This sorta feels like one I do not want strife.

My heart that morning was feeling compassion. There are those who KNOW Him and those who do not but all who KNOW what it is to hurt. I was preaching to no one... I was sharing my heart with those who may be there is cyber space who hurt. That they might be comforted.

If perhaps you mean what am I preaching in general on my blog?

I listened to your suggested sermon. I was able to hear most of it the audio was old and hard to hear at times. I did not dis agree with it in fact found it very good stuff. I do believe that it is the Holy Spirit who quickens us. It is not my attempt to preach anyone into salvation. I just hope to support the working out of it in the lives around me and in my own. To offer and then find support as well. We are "becoming new", that speaks of a process.

I think there was a pained hurt that the questionable accusation hit me. Do you intend to hurt or just question? I do not mind questions. In fact I love to share ideas and hopes and dreams. I do not EVER wish to hurt anyone. Many have been hurt in the vain attempts of religion. Even in the wonderful sermon these things are spoken of.

Jesus plus nothing means to me that it is HE alone who I believe in not works of my flesh or acts of piety that will quicken my heart to God. I am a dead man walking without The Spirit of God giving me LIFE ( that is LIFE not performance or attempts to achieve on my own "holiness"). Grace is UNMERITED favor. I am a woman who lves God with all my heart, soul and mind. Mercy undeserved kindness.

Why you may ask do I not just say so.

Strife! That is why I respect others and try to offer an understanding non-religious blog. My relationship with God is just that...My relationship, my friendship that extends out to my "Friends (Abba God)" friends and all those who my "Friend" cares so deeply about. Whether we all think alike or not. Whether quickened or not. The compassion's I feel are based on the Grace and Mercy I have been shown. The bent I take has been educated from years of religious (doctrines of men) wounds.

Now the Battle is to choose life or death. Yes we have an enemy who hunts us down to kill steel and destroy. Too many religions deal with him as if he is really not there and the effect of this is when things happen God gets blamed and people walk away thinking God has abandoned them. If they would of just been told that there is a battle going on they may have sought to be armed.

Nativity... through a childs eyes.

I found this set up like this in the kids bathroom.

everyone is at rest

He is being worshiped holding the children.
(My sister made the figurine for me)
Beauty made the nativity a few years back

Organizing the Kitchen * New Dishes*

Good morning! I hope you have all enjoyed your weekend.
Because of some dear friend who stepped in and Made Beloved and I take some time out.
We had a date day Saturday, Just he and I. WOW!
Thank you Jaye, Michelle and Joe
His heart was to replace the dishes we have had for 10? years. I found them and received them because they were a good price but he has always disliked them. Now that We have the new ones I cant believe I was so accepting of them. They were so heavy to hoist up every day.

This was the only box of a double set and we got a plater and bowl as a part of it for the the same cost as two single sets of 4

We added a set of 8 little desert dishes and 8 luncheon plates too.
The lunchon plates are perfect for smaller servings :)

Beloved then helped me to re organize and get the lower things up where I can get them easier. Stooping and bending at the knee are real frustrations. Now I can get things much easier.
He lowered the upper shelves and we set things used everyday lower. We also set up a place to make better use of the glass cookware. The daily serving bowl and patter are now easier to get to. Wow, it was so much easier to unload the dishwasher I am just amazed!

I went through the kids dishes and set it up better too. I just can not get under there any more. It is so nice to have things where I can get to them.

He and Dash pulled all the pans out so they could get where the handles are in reach. This has been a real problem every day to me. I is so much nicer now.
I have to go buy some more bay leaves now to replace the other. Those work great to keep out bugs. Insects cant stand them.