Before We Get Up in the Morning

I had the privilege of attending the World Home Bible League luncheon in our area on Thursday. We had delicious food of chicken salad, muffins and a sweet dessert.
Judy Kay Schreur, a motivational speaker spoke on "Celebrate Life". She shared many things on how to be a happy Christian but the thing that I'm going to strive to do is before I get up in the morning think of 5 things that I am thankful for. Most of the time my bones are crying up for movement but the time I wake up and so my energy and thoughts are on my pain and discomfort. I'm going to try be thankful, instead of stressing because I hurt. I might add, once I get going my pain goes away. (So my #1 is I'm thankful that my pain goes away once I'm up and about.).

Have a great weekend!

Kindness

Be kind to all, let your spirit lift

those whose lives may be adrift;

Be pleasant and always wear a smile;

Let that be your "kindness style".

Be kind to all, don't be sad and blue,

If you smile your sun can shine through;

Let His heavenly love divine

around your happy heart entwine.

Be kind to all for life is frail,

Sometimes on stormy seas you'll sail,

But God is there, you won't be alone --

Because of the "kindness seeds" you've sown.

Nora M. Bozeman

Continue your kindness toward your friends,

your just defense of the honest heart.

Psalm 36:11

Wordless Wednesday

Giving Due Credit

Yesterday I showed you the shadowbox that I made. I got the idea from a blog entitled ALL THINGS RELATED. I should have mentioned this in Mondays blog. This lady has some real neat ideas.

My shadow box

This the shadow box I put together. I bought the box, stand and thingy for the top at Hobby Lobby. The little bird on top is a salt shaker and I found the birds nest at a Goodwill store. I lined it with an song sheet (There is Joy is serving Jesus). Sprayed painted with Heirloom White. It was fun to make and didn't cost very much. I put it on the mantle along with my candle and bird cage.

Did you know?

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little "stringy things" off of it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the steam, they ripen faster.

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Sunday Scripture

I give thanks to thee,

O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify thy name for ever.

Psalm 86:12

Being Where God Wants You To Be

I received the following e-mail today. I'm sure many of you have read it before but I think it bears repeating:

The Little Things

As you might remember, the head of a company survived 9/11

because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to buy donuts.

One woman was late because her alarm didn't go off on time.

One was late because of being stuck in traffic because of an auto accident.

One of them missed the bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.

One's car wouldn't start.

One couldn't get a taxi.

One put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot.

He stopped at the drug store for a band-aid.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing phone

all the little things that annoy me,

I will think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to be

at this very moment.

Have a safe and happy weekend.

Thought for Thursday

We cannot all be famous

or be listed in "Who's who,"

But every person, great or small,

has important work to do.

From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.

Proverbs 12:14

Today remember that the smallest deed accomplished with love, the tiniest talent used for God, the most minute gestures carried out with kindness are very important acts in God's eyes.

Wordless Wednesday

My new Spring Mantle

I've been working on the mantle in our living room. I bought the bird cage at the local Love store. It was black; I sprayed painted it Heirloom White. Also the tin flower pot was silver. I spray painted it. I painted the candle holder. I bought the birds from Hobby Lobby. I had the birdhouse and the PEACE sign from last year. I'm happy the way it turned out.

Cleaning tips

Cleaning Artificial Flowers:

To really clean and remove soil from artifical flowers, dried silk or polyester, place them in a bag with table salt. Add salt in proportion to the size of the flowers. Close the bag and shake the flowers in the salt for several minutes, or longer if the flowers are heavily soiled. Shake gently to remove the salt. The salt won't look dirty when you are done, but if you run water into it, you will be surprised how much dirt is removed from the flowers.

You can also place silk flowers in a pillowcase, tie a knot in it and put it in the clothes dryer on "air fluff" or "air only" for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Busy Sunday Blessings

My husband turned 71 this passed Saturday. We are now the same age until June when I turn 72.

Yesterday afternoon (Sunday) the kids all came home to celebrate Dads/Grandpas birthday. It was a fun time. You can imagine the noise when 2 13 year olds, 4 17 year olds, and a 21 year old get together. We were all in one room to start out but later on the Dads went for a walk outside and the Moms ended up in the living room. The kids stayed in the sunroom.................
Wel had a good time. The cake and ice cream was delicious.
It was very quiet when everyone left. This was a real Sunday blessing!!

A thought for Friday

No one is rich enough to do without
a neighbor.

Danish Proverbs


Have a great weekend.

The trip Home

A great little story; may all of us be able to stay calm in the midst of the storms that come our way.

A pastor had been on a long flight between church conferences. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten Your Seat Belts.

Then, after a while, a calm voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened."

As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive.

Later, the voice on the intercom said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."

And then the storm broke...

The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightening! lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.

The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfit and fear of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.

Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly.

"Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world.

When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid." The minister could hardly believe his eyes.

It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time.

Having commented about the storm and the behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.

The child replied, "Cause my Daddy's the pilot, and he's taking me home."

There are many kinds of storms that buffet us. Physical, mental, financial, domestic, and many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparently uncomtrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.

Let us remember: Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and taking us home. Don't worry!

Wordless Wednesday

Tip for Tuesday

Keeps flies away!!

Fill a ziploc bag half full with water. Drop 4 pennies into the bag and zip shut. Place bag near your picnic table or whereever you have trouble with flies. This will keep the flies away.

The reason this works? Millions of molecules of water presents its own prism effect and given that flies have a lot of eyes, to them it's like a zillion of disco balls reflecting light, colors and movement in a dizzying manner. Flies do not like this light and movement and will fly away.

Try it, you'll like it. (My friends say it works!)

Signs of Spring on the Farm

We have a horse farm next door. Just in a last few days this is what is happening over there. Moms and babies are doing fine. It is so much fun watching them wobbly little colts run along with their mother. This is just one of the joys of living in an rural area.

Thought on Friendship

Friendship is like vitamins; we supplement each other's minimum daily requirements.

Thought for Thursday

The Christian who tugs on the oars hasn't time to rock the boat.

A. A. Lewis

Obedience to God today is the best preparation for tomorrow.

Roy Lessin

Have a great day.

Wordless Wednesday

Just rub my nose, please..................

Sewing Class

We ladies met again Tuesday to work on our 100th anniversary quilt. We have 94 squares so far. What a variety! The squares certainly bring out the personalities of our church family.

Today we started to put the squares in order and also cut stripes of material to go in between each square. We have our work "cut out for us" for sure.

We're having a great time working together and look forward to meeting again in a couple of weeks.

Tips for Tuesday

Spring Cleaning -

.......Keep your dresser drawers and their contents smelling fresh by taping a fabric softener sheet to the inside back of each drawer.

.......Freshen your closet with a potpourri sachet. Cut off the foot of an old nylon stocking, fill it with potpourri, and tie off the opening. Hang your sachet from a hook in the closet or from the neck of a clothes hanger.

.......Double the hanger space in your bedroom closet by hanging a shower curtain ring from the neck of each hanger. Then you can hang one item on the hanger and another on a second hanger hooked onto the ring.

Happy Spring Cleaning!!

Monday Blessings

I am so very thankful for --
..............my daughter and her family.
..............the resurrection.
..............a church where the Word is preached.
..............friendships.

Today refresh your mind, body, and spirit.
Look around you. God is rejuvenating the earth. He can do the same for you.

An empty tomb, a stone rolled away speak of the Savior who rose Easter Day.

But i trust in thee, O Lord, I say, "Thou are my god."
Psalm 31: 14

Today keep the resurrection of our Lord and its powerful impact uppermost in your thoughts.

Good Friday

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was otrn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:44-46 Stay tuned..................

A Spring Bouquet

My husband picked a beautiful bouquet of daffadils that he found growing in the woods. I took a picture of them with my camera but it didn't turn out so I went to the internet and found this one. Don't they look like Spring?

I'm off to work at Love In the Name of Christ this morning. This is a thrift shop in our area. I wonder what I will find today that is calling my name. Last week I bought an electric food chopper for $1.oo. Works good too. I plan on giving it to my daughter.

Today be thankful for the beauty, the peace, and the marvel found in nature.