My husband's favorite aunt, Aunt Poochy, moved to a smaller apartment and was cleaning out stuff. Look at what she had tucked away in a cedar chest all these years!

I am very blessed to have them in my possession.

Look at the beautiful handiwork....

They are very large for tea towels, so I am trying to decide how to display them.

Do I dare cut them up and make them into something?? What would you do??

My husband's favorite aunt, Aunt Poochy, moved to a smaller apartment and was cleaning out stuff. Look at what she had tucked away in a cedar chest all these years!

I am very blessed to have them in my possession.

Look at the beautiful handiwork....

They are very large for tea towels, so I am trying to decide how to display them.

Do I dare cut them up and make them into something?? What would you do??

Darya is coming home!!

More information here....

More information here....

Not from me! Even though my youngest of 4 is 13 and taller than me, thank-you-very-much, I need parenting advice...Take Your Vitamin Z has a fantastic post 10 Things To Remember When Your Child Is Disobedient.

#2 is the one I need to remember.

Hat tip: Challies.com

Not from me! Even though my youngest of 4 is 13 and taller than me, thank-you-very-much, I need parenting advice...Take Your Vitamin Z has a fantastic post 10 Things To Remember When Your Child Is Disobedient.

#2 is the one I need to remember.

Hat tip: Challies.com

Even if  adopting again is not part of the plans God has for our family, as far as we know (right, honey?? :-D) I am always looking for ways to support those families that do and I am especially drawn to families that are looking to adopt children with Down Syndrome.

Renee of Life With my Special K's, who themselves are bringing home a sweet little girl with Down Syndrome in a matter of days, has posted about another amazing family with a very special request. Go read the details at Special K's and if you have a dollar or two, please donate to the Darya Project. Let's help bring this little girl HOME!

Even if  adopting again is not part of the plans God has for our family, as far as we know (right, honey?? :-D) I am always looking for ways to support those families that do and I am especially drawn to families that are looking to adopt children with Down Syndrome.

Renee of Life With my Special K's, who themselves are bringing home a sweet little girl with Down Syndrome in a matter of days, has posted about another amazing family with a very special request. Go read the details at Special K's and if you have a dollar or two, please donate to the Darya Project. Let's help bring this little girl HOME!

For a while I have been experiencing 'cares'...In other words, 'worry' and 'anxiety'. That's why I have been so quiet. I would love to share what is going on in my life, the fact is, I may NEVER be able to share in this public forum, but I can share that God has been faithful....He hears all my cries of fear, anxiety and worry and He calms me with His Word and with prayers of the faithful. I am especially grateful for a faithful pastor who preaches from God's Word, line by line, precept upon precept to prepare his flock for the difficult times that life will have. I've had excellent teaching to fall back on the last week or so...

This morning, I was deeply blessed by today's Grace Gem devotional. It speaks perfectly to my situation at hand. May it be a blessing to you, as well....

****************************

For the Christian, all of life's conditions and circumstances are transformed.

Take the matter of CARE. Every life has 'cares'. There are cares in business. There are cares in home-life. There are cares of poverty--but no less has the rich man his cares. Childhood has its anxieties; young faces sometimes appear careworn. No one can escape care!

To many people--life is very hard. But Christian faith transfigures care, for those who are Christ's and have learned how to live as He teaches us to live. He tells us not to worry about anything, because our Father is caring for us. He tells us that life is a school, and that all our cares are parts of lessons which He has set for us. That means that every care has hidden in it--a secret of blessing--a gift of love which our Father has sent to us. Every time you come to a hard point in your life--an obstacle, a difficulty, a perplexity--God is giving you a new opportunity to grow stronger, wiser, or richer-hearted.

We try to make life easy for our children--but God is wiser than we are. He wants His children to have struggles--that they may grow strong, holy and noble!

Thus it is that common care is transfigured by the grace of Christ! It enfolds blessings for us. It carries in its 'dreary form' secrets of blessing for us. Even our 'drudgeries' have blessings in their wearisome routine; we get many of our best lessons out of them.

All we need to learn is how to meet our worries, and they are transfigured for us! Paul tells us in a wonderful passage how to get this transformation of care: "Do not worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7. God's peace will then shine through all life's frets. Thus care is transfigured, by the love of Christ in the heart.


(J. R. Miller, "Life's Byways and Waysides")

For a while I have been experiencing 'cares'...In other words, 'worry' and 'anxiety'. That's why I have been so quiet. I would love to share what is going on in my life, the fact is, I may NEVER be able to share in this public forum, but I can share that God has been faithful....He hears all my cries of fear, anxiety and worry and He calms me with His Word and with prayers of the faithful. I am especially grateful for a faithful pastor who preaches from God's Word, line by line, precept upon precept to prepare his flock for the difficult times that life will have. I've had excellent teaching to fall back on the last week or so...

This morning, I was deeply blessed by today's Grace Gem devotional. It speaks perfectly to my situation at hand. May it be a blessing to you, as well....

****************************

For the Christian, all of life's conditions and circumstances are transformed.

Take the matter of CARE. Every life has 'cares'. There are cares in business. There are cares in home-life. There are cares of poverty--but no less has the rich man his cares. Childhood has its anxieties; young faces sometimes appear careworn. No one can escape care!

To many people--life is very hard. But Christian faith transfigures care, for those who are Christ's and have learned how to live as He teaches us to live. He tells us not to worry about anything, because our Father is caring for us. He tells us that life is a school, and that all our cares are parts of lessons which He has set for us. That means that every care has hidden in it--a secret of blessing--a gift of love which our Father has sent to us. Every time you come to a hard point in your life--an obstacle, a difficulty, a perplexity--God is giving you a new opportunity to grow stronger, wiser, or richer-hearted.

We try to make life easy for our children--but God is wiser than we are. He wants His children to have struggles--that they may grow strong, holy and noble!

Thus it is that common care is transfigured by the grace of Christ! It enfolds blessings for us. It carries in its 'dreary form' secrets of blessing for us. Even our 'drudgeries' have blessings in their wearisome routine; we get many of our best lessons out of them.

All we need to learn is how to meet our worries, and they are transfigured for us! Paul tells us in a wonderful passage how to get this transformation of care: "Do not worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7. God's peace will then shine through all life's frets. Thus care is transfigured, by the love of Christ in the heart.


(J. R. Miller, "Life's Byways and Waysides")

Game over...Stellan has been healed. \o/

Game over...Stellan has been healed. \o/

I love Tim Challies' blog. He is one of the few that I regularly read all that he has to say. Today's post is especially poignant to me...

Read and be blessed....

*******

Last week I posted a prayer by pastor Scotty Smith. Today it seemed like it would be good to post another one. This one stood out to me as one I needed to pray—a prayer about impossibilities. It is based on these words: “Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’” (Luke 18:27)

*****

Merciful and mighty, Lord Jesus, how I need to wrestle with this hope this day. First of all, I want to thank you for the freedom the Scriptures give me to be honest about situations which are impossible to me. It’s so good to know that the gospel calls us to hope, not to hype… to believe, not to make believe… to intercession, not to presumption.

The disciples were vexed over a camel making it through the eye of a needle with greater ease than a rich man making it through the door into your kingdom. Sarah laughed at the thought of having a baby in her nineties. Mary was shocked at the thought of giving birth to you, as a virgin, and understandably so.

But because you did come to us, Jesus, in a most improbable, impossible-to-mere-man way, I am more inclined to say with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant… may it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). And because you did overcome death and evil through your resurrection, I am more ready to say with Paul, “this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9). And because “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6:18-19), I will flee today to take hold of the hope offered to me in the gospel—a firm and secure anchor for my soul, which is floating on a sea of seeming impossibilities.

Lord Jesus, I’m asking you to breathe new life into the hearts of some of my friends who are in the paralyzing lockdown of shame, guilt, contempt and utter despair. Bring your resurrection power to marriages of friends that are, at best on life support, and others that are about to be rolled into the morgue.

For my friends who have spent everything they have on a multitude of doctors and cures, but are not better at all, have mercy Jesus, have mercy, I ask. For me, Jesus, please give me the assurance that you really are at work in my life—freeing me from the idols of my heart for the passions of your heart and kingdom. Whatever is impossible with me, is more than possible with you. So very Amen, I pray, in your anchor-for-my-soul, Name.

Link to Challies.com

I love Tim Challies' blog. He is one of the few that I regularly read all that he has to say. Today's post is especially poignant to me...

Read and be blessed....

*******

Last week I posted a prayer by pastor Scotty Smith. Today it seemed like it would be good to post another one. This one stood out to me as one I needed to pray—a prayer about impossibilities. It is based on these words: “Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’” (Luke 18:27)

*****

Merciful and mighty, Lord Jesus, how I need to wrestle with this hope this day. First of all, I want to thank you for the freedom the Scriptures give me to be honest about situations which are impossible to me. It’s so good to know that the gospel calls us to hope, not to hype… to believe, not to make believe… to intercession, not to presumption.

The disciples were vexed over a camel making it through the eye of a needle with greater ease than a rich man making it through the door into your kingdom. Sarah laughed at the thought of having a baby in her nineties. Mary was shocked at the thought of giving birth to you, as a virgin, and understandably so.

But because you did come to us, Jesus, in a most improbable, impossible-to-mere-man way, I am more inclined to say with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant… may it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). And because you did overcome death and evil through your resurrection, I am more ready to say with Paul, “this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9). And because “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6:18-19), I will flee today to take hold of the hope offered to me in the gospel—a firm and secure anchor for my soul, which is floating on a sea of seeming impossibilities.

Lord Jesus, I’m asking you to breathe new life into the hearts of some of my friends who are in the paralyzing lockdown of shame, guilt, contempt and utter despair. Bring your resurrection power to marriages of friends that are, at best on life support, and others that are about to be rolled into the morgue.

For my friends who have spent everything they have on a multitude of doctors and cures, but are not better at all, have mercy Jesus, have mercy, I ask. For me, Jesus, please give me the assurance that you really are at work in my life—freeing me from the idols of my heart for the passions of your heart and kingdom. Whatever is impossible with me, is more than possible with you. So very Amen, I pray, in your anchor-for-my-soul, Name.

Link to Challies.com

*tissue alert*

*tissue alert*

My new favorite CD....

Beauty Will Rise by Steven Curtis Chapman....

My new favorite CD....

Beauty Will Rise by Steven Curtis Chapman....

On the Swap, we have several swaps during the year. This is the time for us to swap mugs and favorite hot drinks. I was blessed with not one, but TWO packages. One of the Swappies sent me a mug "just because." :o)

I am going to save this one for when I am having a meltdown for real. It might help, right?

On the Swap, we have several swaps during the year. This is the time for us to swap mugs and favorite hot drinks. I was blessed with not one, but TWO packages. One of the Swappies sent me a mug "just because." :o)

I am going to save this one for when I am having a meltdown for real. It might help, right?

What is systematic theology? Why is it important? Where can I learn systematic theology?

Easy!! Drive By Theology! Todd Friel and R.W. Glenn teach 48 sixteen minute lectures that will give you a greater appreciation for the soundness of Scripture and provide a rock solid theological foundation.

Gotta run. I have some sewing to do and I want to learn more about the doctrine of Scripture.

What is systematic theology? Why is it important? Where can I learn systematic theology?

Easy!! Drive By Theology! Todd Friel and R.W. Glenn teach 48 sixteen minute lectures that will give you a greater appreciation for the soundness of Scripture and provide a rock solid theological foundation.

Gotta run. I have some sewing to do and I want to learn more about the doctrine of Scripture.

Early Christmas for me...Cause I am spoiled

Hubz bought me the new Apple Magic Mouse last night. It's amazing! My only complaint was the tracking wasn't fast enough, but never fear, just a wee bit of searching on the Apple Discussions produced a link to Mouse Zoom and all is well. No more dusty track balls to clean! Yeah!

Hubz bought me the new Apple Magic Mouse last night. It's amazing! My only complaint was the tracking wasn't fast enough, but never fear, just a wee bit of searching on the Apple Discussions produced a link to Mouse Zoom and all is well. No more dusty track balls to clean! Yeah!

Russ was cleaning out his sock drawer this morning and found a can of mace he bought a long time ago. In fact, so long ago that it expired 10 years ago. Being the manly man that he is, he sprayed it into the bedroom, just to see if its still effective. Those of us downstairs are also experiencing the effects, so its safe to say it is...*cough cough*

Russ was cleaning out his sock drawer this morning and found a can of mace he bought a long time ago. In fact, so long ago that it expired 10 years ago. Being the manly man that he is, he sprayed it into the bedroom, just to see if its still effective. Those of us downstairs are also experiencing the effects, so its safe to say it is...*cough cough*