Nana's Notes

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T09:57:00.000-06:00

I've been busy making Valentine gifts this last week. Some turned out well, and others didn't. And, of course I forgot to take pictures until I got to work today! So forgive the messy background of the pictures, please!
But remember, especially today - when we are celebrating love - that God IS love. He gave you a very special valentine, which is His Word. It tells you how much He loves you and me (John 3:16). So bask in His love today - share His love with those around you - and don't keep it for just this one day. Show your love and tell others how much you care each and every day.
Happy Valentine's Day!

I got the mailbox in the dollar section of Target. The base is a glass candlestick from Target, which I spray painted. I used stickers and flowers to decorate the mailbox, and E6000 glue to attach the base.
I tried to decorate another box with scrapbook paper, which I had sprayed with spray adhesive. The paper looked cute on the mailbox, but didn't stick well. I was worried that if I used ModPodge it would show on the uncovered parts of the mailbox. (It had a very shiny finish). I will be trying to redecorate that mailbox at some point in the future.

Here are some goody bags I made up for my fellow staff members. I created the topper on my computer and printed it on card stock. I found the cute bug stickers at Michael's. (Again, I apologize for the poor quality of the picture - to top it off, my camera ran out of battery right after this picture.)

Currently

2012-02-03T15:26:00.000-06:00

Friday, February 03, 2012

Currently

Listening …to instrumental music, both classical and contemporary

Watching … Craig and I did go see Mission Impossible this week at the movie theater and we loved it. On TV I mostly watch HGTV - House Hunters, Property Virgins, etc. I am looking forward to watching the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Reading … nothing right now. I do have several books waiting - one is The Help.

Eating … carbs of every kind, unfortunately.

Drinking … Coffee (with sugar-free caramel Coffeemate) in the morning, Chai tea latte in the afternoon, water in the evening, and pop on the weekends.

Wearing … Funky socks with my work clothes. Today was "Reading Knocks Your Socks Off Day" at school.

Feeling … Not as good as I'd like. The weather have given me quite the sinus headache.

Weather …Mild for winter in our part of the world - but lots of fog and mist and grey days can be hard on me.

Wanting … more time - time to craft, time to be at the cabin, time to be with my family

Needing … A morning to sleep in

Thinking … about how thankful I am for my family, my health, and all the blessings God have given me

Enjoying … my craft room, when I can find time to be in there! I'm also enjoying having my husband home this week. Usually he's on the road, trucking, all week long.

What are you currently doing?

Found this through my daughter, Carrie, who found it at my dear friend.

My stress relief

2012-01-30T15:27:00.002-06:00

This is the view from my dining room windows at the cabin. Nothing relaxes me like being here. I remember the old song, "the bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle" but in my opinion the prettiest skies day or night are up north. During the daytime the skies are so blue, and the sunlight so bright, especially with some snow on the ground. At night time the stars are brilliant diamonds in the sky, and the moon is like a spotlight, lighting up the ground. It is absolutely gorgeous.

I am so thankful to God for our cabin. It is a place where we can get away, recharge our batteries, enjoy and appreciate nature and all He's made, and have uninterrupted time together.

Today I walked out on the lake, turned around, and saw this:

our bit of heaven on earth.

Maybe your place to get away and connect with God is right in your backyard... or at the park down the street, or in a coffee shop in town.. if you don't have place where you can leave the stress of life behind for a moment, make that your goal for this year. Find a place that speaks to your heart, visit it regularly, and meet with God to get the energy to keep on going.

More Faith In Nature Cards

2012-01-29T13:27:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the cards I made this week. I have been working with a Samptin' Up set called Faith In Nature. In all these cards I used black Stazon ink to stamp the image. I used my Aqua Painter to color in the image, then layered papers and added embellishments to finish the cards.

In addition to these cards I made a few with photos that I took last fall. Here's one example:

Leave me a comment and let me know which card you like best!

How was your day?

2012-01-25T20:00:00.000-06:00

Last night as I was saying my prayers, thanking God for the good day I had yesterday, I stopped to really think about why my day had been good. What I realized, unfortunately, is that too often I base my decision about whether or not it's been a good day on the things that happen to me. Have I had fun? Have I gotten/bought something fun? Was I able to have enough free time for me?

This made me sad. Because if I call myself a Christian, and I do, I should no longer be living for me but for God. So my basis for a good day should be more like this:
Have I pleased God today? Have I been obedient to Him? Have I shared His love with someone else? Have I spent time with Him, praised Him, read His Word? Have I used the talents, gifts, and finances He's given me in a way that pleases Him?

I have decided that this will be a goal for me this year, to reorient my thinking to be less me-centered and more God-centered. I want to make each day a good day because I am living my life for Him and in Him.

Will you join me?

The words of a child

2012-01-25T09:26:00.002-06:00

Last night I was given the opportunity to be with my grandchildren while my son played a hockey game. I had a great time with them, playing games and talking. I brought a bag of goodies with - things to do, and snacks to eat. After playing a couple of games the kids settled down to do some coloring on the blank paper I had brought, and my granddaughter (who is 7) did this:

I only had to help her spell two words - ever and special. I was blown away, not just by the neat handwriting and how good she can spell, but also by the content. I am so thankful that she knows that God is with us and that He will love us forever. Thanks, Izzy, for this very special note!! You are special!
(Don't you just love the arrow and the "r" reprinted on the second "ever"? That's her handwriting as well.)

God is the conductor - we are the musicians

2012-01-23T19:03:00.000-06:00

In our devotions yesterday Craig and I read about how God sometimes wants us to rest. He may say "no" or "wait" to a prayer. He may allow a disappointment or an illness to slow us down. The author of the devotional compared it to a rest in music. He talked about how musicians need to rest at times during a musical piece to allow others to be heard or for the music to sound right. The musician does not turn his back on the music, but counts out the beats until he can play again.

Craig and I took this illustration even further. When God is the conductor we need to be watching Him to now when to play our music, what the beat will be, how loud to play, and how long to rest. If we are looking around as we rest, or sitting with our eyes closed, or fiddling with something else, we will not see Him point to us to begin playing again.

Rests are important. They give us energy to begin again. They allow others to take the lead for a time. They keep the right notes together. But let's be careful while we rest that we keep our eyes on our conductor so that when He turns to direct us we are ready to follow His lead.

My Gallery Wall

2012-01-22T18:53:00.000-06:00

Every time I saw a picture of a gallery wall on someone's blog I dreamed of having one.
I tried to figure out where I could ahve one. I started collecting frames. I thought about what kind of pictures I wanted to include in my gallery wall. And,I kept looking at pictures of gallery walls online.

Someday I want to put together a gallery wall at the cabin - pictures of the cabin then and now, pictures of friends and family who have visited the cabin, etc. But before I can have a gallery wall there the walls need to be finished!

I did find a place for a gallery wall at home, however. I began with just a couple of pictures of my grandchildren. Tonight I finally put up all the things I have been gathering for this family themed gallery wall. I am so happy with it. There is room to add a few more pictures - which is good, since I don't have pictures up of some family members yet.

Here is my gallery wall so far -

I love it!

Dreaming of Friday

2012-01-19T11:15:00.000-06:00

I woke up today thinking that it was Friday. I woke up thinking of the cabin.

Friday is the best day of the week. The whole weekend is ahead, and we usually head north to the cabin right after work.

It's really cold today. The WeatherBug app on my phone says that it's -13.

It doesn't matter what the weather is like when we're at the cabin. It can be sunny or rainy, snowy and cold, or just grey. The wind can be blowing. In fact, it's better when the wind is blowing some because the sound of the wind in the trees is music to my ears.

Whatever the weather, when we're at the cabin the stress of the week melts away.

I woke up this morning thinking of the cabin.

And then I remembered that today is Thursday.......................

Faith In Nature Card

2012-01-12T14:34:00.001-06:00

Last night I wanted to make a card with my new Stampin' Up set called Faith In Nature. For inspiration I went to the Internet, to www.splitcoaststamper.com. This is an awesome website where you can find bazillions of card ideas. What I like best is that you can look up your stamp set and see cards that others have made using that set. My inspiration came from Diane at http://www.inkinitupwithdiane.blogspot.com/2011/12/ccmc182.html

And here's my card-

I used Stampin' Up paper, their scallop trim border punch, Stazon ink, and More Mustard ink with Stampin' Up's Aqua Painter.
I like these cards so much - I can't wait to use the other stamps in the set to create more cards.

Crafts Update

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here's a look at two others projects I finished this week. These are the projects that Carrie and I started before New Year's. The first one is a picture hanger:

"Santa" gave me the board for this first project in my stocking, and Carrie had a picture of the finished project. I think she found it at Crafts Direct in St. Cloud.
The board had a beveled edge, which I painted a light blue to match the blue in the scrapbook paper I chose to cover it with. We used ModPodge to adhere the paper to the board. I used stickers for the words. My husband drilled the holes for the ribbon.
I found the clothespins at Michael's (they're the "medium" size) and painted them the same blue as the edge. After putting the stickers on I gave the whole thing a couple of coats of clear acrylic spray paint before threading the ribbon and gluing on the clothespins (I used E6000 glue). Now I just have to find a place to hang it up permanently.

Now, for the second project...............................

Carrie and I saw lots of pictures of button monograms on Pinterest and on crafting blogs, so this project was a top priority when she was home.

We printed out our initial in Microsoft WordArt after finding a font we liked. We made it really big. After printing it, we cut it out and traced it lightly onto cardstock. We used E6000 glue to glue on the buttons. We started with a base of buttons, trying to cover the outline completely, then we just kept adding buttons on top until we liked how it looked. This was a fun and easy project, and I just love the layered look.

Craft room additions

2012-01-11T14:54:00.001-06:00

For Christmas one of my sons gave me a new TV for my craft room. Now I just need to figure out how to hide the cords! Any ideas?

Last week, while shopping at my favorite Buffalo shops, I found this basket and just had to have it. I knew it would be perfect for organizing in my craft room. And I didn't even need to paint it.

I am having so much fun in my new craft room!

A new year for crafting

2012-01-10T16:10:00.000-06:00

I am so excited about the new projects I have started this year. Actually, my daughter, Carrie, and I began one of the projects before New Year's Day... but I am just getting it finished now. I'll post a picture of that particular project and the others I'm finishing up later this week.
Last Monday, January 2nd, Carrie and I made a crayon wreath using two embroidery hoops, crayons and hot glue. If I were to make another one I would either paint the hoops first - or use something like a foam wreath for the back. The hoops and crayons are a bit fragile.
Carrie had to go home before we decorated the wreath, but here it is - all finished.

I have it hanging on the side of the mailboxes behind my desk at school. It's just perfect for the office in an elementary school, don't you think?

Tell me again...

2012-01-08T11:19:00.001-06:00

I heard this song on the radio this week - Tell Me Again
(Words and Music by Geoff Moore and Steven Curtis Chapman)

Each verse ends with this line: The God of the past is still God today. And then it goes into the chorus:

Chorus
So tell me again of the old, old stories.
Tell me again of the faithful who walked,
In the lions' den and the fiery furnace,
Of Noah and rainbows and donkeys that talked.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me again.

I thought about all the Bible stories I learned as a child, the same stories I told to our kids and the kids I taught at church. Those Bible stories are so very important... but the stories shouldn't end there.
The song goes on:

Bridge
How the God of the ages,
Turned history's pages and saw my need.
Tell me again of the shepherds and wise men,
And the star that would lead them to the baby who was born,
So that we could be born again.

Second Chorus
Tell me again of the Gospel story.
Tell me again how the whole world was lost.
How the Only Begotten with grace so amazing,
Gave up His life on an old rugged cross.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me
Tell me again of the old, old stories.
Tell me again of the faithful who walked.
How the Only Begotten, with grace so amazing,
Gave up His life on an old rugged cross.
I don't want to forget so please, tell me again.
I dont' want to forget, so please, tell me again.

We need to share with our children how those stories, those words of Scripture have changed our lives.
We also need to share stories about how God has worked in our own lives. Our kids, our grand kids, our church kids, our neighbors, our co-workers need to hear that the God of the past is still God today.

We need to tell the stories to our family and friends of how:

God gave us peace in our decision-making about selling our house.
God protected Craig when he was trucking by sending a young man in a car to lead him out of a snow-drifted road.
I prayed from January - June when I found out my job was ending at the end of the school year, and that I was offered a new job at a new school on the last day of classes.
Jeff's brothers and friends gathered around him in the emergency room and prayed for him after he got hurt playing hockey, and when the doctor came back he had good news.
God provided a job for Brenton.
God waited for my brother to come home from Japan to see Dad before He took Dad home to heaven.
And many more stories of God's presence and provision in our lives.

The God of the past is still God today. The God that led His people out of Egypt to the Promised Land is leading us in our lives. (Exodus, Deuteronomy) The God who provided food for the people in the desert, provides for our needs. (Exodus 16) The God who met Paul on the road to Damascus, meets us where we're at and changes our lives forever. (Acts 9) The God who freed Peter from prison frees us from our fears and guilt and those things that entangle us. (Acts 12) These are just a few examples of the many, many Bible stories and how we can apply them to our own lives.

What are your stories?

Everyone loves a good story. So share the best stories of all - the old, old stories from God's Word, and the new stories of God's presence in your life!

Loneliness

2012-01-05T10:36:00.001-06:00

Last night I learned something.
I was home alone. Again. I thought I was used to being alone, since Craig has been an over-the-road trucker driver for the last 5 years, and our nest is empty.
My daughter and her husband had stayed with us for over three weeks in December and I got used to having them around. Then they went back home Monday. Craig had been home on vacation for over a week, and he left again on Tuesday.
I did pretty well Tuesday night, coming home from work to a quiet house. Percy (our dog) and I spent the evening together. But last night was a different story. It may have been partly because I was paying bills (yuck!) and the fact that I found out when I talked to Craig that he had hit a deer the night before and there was major cosmetic damage to his truck.
But after moping around all evening feeling lonely, here is what God finally spoke into my heart:

"You are lonely because you have chosen to be lonely."

Wow! I was blown away by that. But the more I think about it, the more I know it is true.

God says in His Word,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6
and Jesus said,
"I am with youalways, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
It even says in Psalm 68:6 that God makes a home for the lonely.

So when I am feeling lonely I need to read His Word and remember His promises and spend more time with Him.

But there are also other things I ~~could~~ should have done last night to feel less lonely. I could have called a friend. I could have done some chores around the house, or some fun crafting. I could have taken Percy for an extra walk. And I know there are more things I could add to this list.

The point is, I chose to sit around, feeling sorry for myself, and feeling lonely.

Thank goodness today is a new day, and that I am still teachable. Praise God that He speaks to us in our hearts, gently correcting us, giving us wisdom.
Now when loneliness threatens to overwhelm me, I know what to do. Do you?

Christmas 2011

2012-01-03T18:28:00.000-06:00

It's January 3, 2012. I went back to work today after being on vacation for 10 days. Craig is back to work too, and Carrie and Mardo have flown back to Guatemala. It is hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone, but it really was a wonderful Christmas.

Here are some of my favorite memories of Christmas 2011.

Our three days of Christmas - the first with Craig's family. It was so much fun to have his family over for supper. I will remember:

watching Julia and Lillian to Irish dances, and try to speak spanish with Mardo
Heather's snowman cheese ball and Mom's pretzel salad
conversation with Rick and Lynn, and the beautiful jigsaw puzzle they gave to us
seeing our kids, now grown up, talking with the others here
playing spoons and cutthroat Uno with the kids and laughing and laughing

Our second day of Christmas was spent with friends. A teacher from my school, and her family, came over for chicken and ribs. I will remember:

how Craig took time to talk with each person in Kim's family, finding out what they are passionate about and asking questions
playing Catch Phrase with Kim's family, and how no one wanted to be holding the game when the buzzer went off
watching Carrie, Mardo, Aaron and Kim's kids play Scattegories and arguing, good-naturedly of course, about what answers were acceptable

Our third Christmas, on Christmas Day was filled with our family. Our son, daughter-in-law and grandkids came up from Northfield to spend the day. I will remember:

the dining room table stretched to the max, with another table added so that everyone could fit
Craig's head bent down to hear what Andrew had to say during dinner
Andrew, Izzy and Jake gathered round the table to help us put together table favors for the people in Grandpa Virg's former apartment building. As they worked they sang Christmas songs, and there wasn't a sweeter sound during Christmas than those little voices.
the presents surrounding the Christmas tree, symbols of our family's love for one another. The gifts were picked out with such care and much thought, and the givers had as much fun watching as the ones who were opening the gifts.
more games and laughter, and hugs all around

But the memories don't start or stop with Christmas. There are others:

the concert Carrie, Mardo and I attended at the U of MN
Brenton and Jeff's hockey game
cooking and crafting with Carrie
watching Jake, Drew and Izzy at the swimming pool with Carrie and Mardo
going bowling with Aaron, Jeff, Craig, Mardo and Carrie
watching Mardo and Craig throw a boomerang while the grandkids played at the park
being at the cabin for New Year's Eve - and watching fireworks up in Outing, MN
shopping with Carrie - the Buffalo shops, Target and Barnes and Noble, trying on clothes together at Kohl's, and more
devotions each day with Craig
listening to Mardo play the piano
"Chickenfoot, chickenfoot"

All these memories and more will stay in my heart forever. Whenever I am feeling down or lonely I will pull out these memories and remember what a great Christmas season this was, how blessed I am with family, friends and more. I will be encouraged by these memories, and will look forward to more time with family and friends in the future. I will remember how much I am loved, how much I love others, and how much more God loves me.

Highlights of 2011

2011-12-30T11:25:00.001-06:00

My son, Brenton, posted his highlights of 2011 and I liked his idea so much that I am copying it.
Here's my list of highlights in no particular order:

My daughter's wedding in Guatemala (she was such a beautiful bride!)
Traveling with my family to Guatemala
Getting in-floor heat installed (finally) at the cabin
Watching our grandchildren swim at the cabin
Getting new furniture and a new arrangement for my craft room
Craig's new truck - a 2003 Kenworth with a nice sleeper to make his trucking easier
Fencing in the back yard, so that Percy and I could play without having to have him on a leash
Traveling to Seattle to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins
Playing games with my kids (Sequence, Cutthroat Uno, Spoons)
Three days of Christmas - an evening with Craig's family, then another with friends, and finally a whole day with our children and grandchildren
Doing crafts with my daughter
Going to church in Emily, and getting to know the people there
Listening to my son preach at the church in Emily
Every moment spent with my children/grandchildren
Secretaries'conference in Duluth this fall - Duluth was so pretty and weather was mild
Helping Craig left our carving pole out of the water at the cabin

What are you getting for Christmas?

2011-12-24T10:30:00.001-06:00

Today is Christmas Eve, and families everywhere are exchanging gifts. There are piles of presents under the Christmas tree. Kids can't wait for tomorrow - to see what Santa brings.

But there are also families who are struggling financially. In their homes there are no Christmas presents under the tree - there isn't even a tree. There are people who are alone this Christmas, no family to celebrate the season with, no where to go.

However, there is a gift for everyone this season - it's wrapped in love, given with no strings attached. It fits perfectly, never goes out of style, and never breaks down.
James 1:17 says,

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights."

God gives perfect gifts to everyone who will accept them. And the greatest gift is Jesus Himself.
John 3:16 says,
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son..."

It is up to you and me to accept this gift. When we accept Jesus as our Saviour it's a gift that keeps on giving. We receive the promise of eternal life in heaven, but we also receive peace that passes understanding, the presence of the Holy Spirit to help us each day, wisdom through His Word, forgiveness for our sin, and so much more.

This Christmas won't you accept God's perfect gift of His Son? Just pray a simple prayer, letting God know that you need His gift, that you realize you're a sinner and that you accept Jesus as your Saviour. If you just ask Him, He will come and give you His perfect gift of love - Jesus.
It's the best Christmas present you will ever get.
"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" - 2 Corinthians 9:15

Merry Christmas!

Projects for Christmas

2011-12-21T11:52:00.000-06:00

I've been pretty busy these last two weeks, trying to finish up all my Christmas shopping, gifts, decorating, cards, and the list goes on and on. So blogging had to take a back seat.
But now there's 4 days left until Christmas - and it's time to show you a couple of the gifts I've made.

For these I used ordinary wooden clothespins, scraps of scrapbooking paper, Mod Podge, E6000 glue, magnets and buttons. I cut the paper and glued it on the clothespin with Mod Podge. After it was dry I added an additional coat of Mod Podge, and let it dry again. Then I glued magnets on the back with E6000, and buttons on the front.

I added the little snowman cards which say "Merry Christmas" on the inside. I also clipped a piece of Giardelli chocolate in the clothespin before giving them to my colleagues.

How do you like these guys? They are made from wine glasses - I think they're the size for drinking Claret. I'm not much of a wine connoisseur so I don't really know.

I saw this idea on Tatertots and Jello. I used the Deco Art Snow-Tex (bought at Michael's) and some glitter I had on hand for the snow. I already had googly eyes and orange pipe cleaners, and some black and orange buttons, but bought the ribbon at WalMart. I also got the glasses at WalMart. (4 for $5) After I made the first ones I liked them so much that I went back and bought two more sets of glasses and some more buttons.

First I painted the Snow-Tex onto the glasses, sprinkled it with glitter while the snow was still wet, and set them aside to dry.

I used hot glue to add the eyes, nose and mouth. I even hot glued the ribbon - first in back, then I tied the bow and put a dot of hot glue under the bow in front to keep it in place. Finally I added the button on top of the bow. On some others I put a little holly on top of the bow. You could dress them up with whatever you have on hand.

I added a candle inside and wrapped them up to give as gifts.

I just love how they turned out. I might have to keep one for myself!

Christmas Cards

2011-12-04T14:50:00.001-06:00

I wish I could say that I had started making my Christmas cards during the summer, and that they were all done.... but I can't. I think it's hard for me to get in the mood to make Christmas cards when there's no snow on the ground.
We still don't have much snow - but at least the ground is white. The lake is finally frozen.

Percy is no help. He just wants to lay in the sunshine.

Last week I finally came up with a couple of designs for this year's cards. So when I was packing for the cabin, I packed my stamping things. Yesterday Craig went to work at the shop for the day...a perfect time for me to begin. And so I did.

Here are the designs I am using this year.

In this design I used an embossing folder from Stampin' Up. The snowman is from Inkadoo. I used a snowflake punch to punch out part of the snowman and let the paper beneath peek through. There is a small pearl stuck in the center of each snowflake, and the silver snowflake on the ribbon is a brad.

For this card I used a stamp from Northwoods Rubber Stamps Co. I used Stazon ink, and then colored the cardinals with a red marker from Stampin' Up followed by using Crystal Effects from Stampin' Up to make the cardinals pop. My photo doesn't really do the card justice. (Sorry!)

This card is similar to the first but instead of punching the snowflakes out of this snowman, I punched them out of another one I had stamped, and put the snowflakes on top of this image. I used a little piece of Stampin' Dimensionals (Stampin' Up) to lift the snowflake off the page a bit, and put a pearl in the center. The snowman's scarf is colored on both the snowman and the part of the snowflake on top.

What do your Christmas cards look like?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-11-27T11:53:00.001-06:00

Christmas has come to the cabin....

Billy greets everyone on the road.

Here's the Yule Log we made at our church's
Advent Festival last Sunday.

This is the first year we've had a full size
Christmas tree at the cabin! (please ignore
the plastic and red tape on the walls!)

We need just a bit of snow to make it really look

like Christmas.

Yesterday we had Christmas carols playing on the radio, and I made maple sugar cookies. It's beginning to feel like the holiday season.

Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-24T14:25:00.001-06:00

What did you have for our Thanksgiving dinner?
I remember one Thanksgiving when we did appetizers and snack food because Jeff had a hockey game at 3 PM.
Another year we had barbecued ribs and meatballs.
Over the years we've tried a few other foods, but it doesn't seem like Thanksgiving without turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy. So this year we didn't even fight it. We had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I did try a couple of new recipes, however, and they were a big hit.
I used a recipe from www.tatertotsandjello.com to marinade our turkey.
My daughter saw this green bean hotdish recipe at www.picky-palate.com and sent it to me. Everyone at the table loved this new twist to an old favorite.
For our sweet potatoes I went back to a trusted source - my Betty Crocker cookbook ( a wedding gift 33 years ago). I boiled the sweet potatoes and then skinned them cut them into pieces and put them in a dish.Next I melted butter and added brown sugar, milk and salt, let it boil for a couple of minutes, and then poured it over the sweet potatoes. I added some marshmallows, and popped the dish into the oven for 15-20 minutes. The marshmallows melted completely, but the sweet potatoes were great.
We also had mashed potaotoes and gravy, rolls and Snicker Salad. My nephew brought creamed corn that he had made from scratch. I'm going to have to get his recipe. It was delicious!
My son brought over a pumpkin pie, but we were all so full from the meal that we're saving the pie for a bit later.
For supper we'll have leftovers plus some buffalo chicken dip that Aaron is making, some crescent roll hotdog bites, chips and grapes.
I think we had better go fo a walk first!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankfulness - a daily attitude

2011-11-23T21:17:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. A national holiday. A day when most businesses are closed, and families and friends gather to eat and spend time together. But how many will really take the time to say thank you - to someone else, or to God?

Colossians 3:15b says, "...and be thankful." (NAS) In the Message is says to cultivate thankfulness.
As Christians we are called to be thankful...and for me it starts with the realization that absolutely everything I have, everything I am, even each breath I take - everything is from God. And then I think about how selfish I am, how sinful I am, and yet God loves me so much He gave up His Son for me. Since I have accepted Him as Lord of my life He calls me His child. He allows me to experience everlasting life - here on earth, and when I go to be with Him some day. Now that's a lot to be thankful for!

So, as I wake up each morning, I start my day thanking God - for a new day,for a good night's sleep, for my life, my family, my friends, and my health. I thank Him for his goodness and His love. At the end of the day I again thank Him for my day, and for His presence with me. And during the day I try to be aware of His provision, the blessings He brings my way, the protection He gives me, the ways He is teaching me. I am trying to be thankful all day long.

We are called to be thankful - but it's not just about being thankful to God. We need to be thankful to the others around us. When we stop being selfish, when we stop being me-centered, we can see how other people bless us each day, and we can thank them. You never know what a simple, "thank you!" can mean to the overworked clerk at the grocery store, or to a co-worker who feels unnoticed or unappreciated. Our spouse needs to know that we appreciate him/her. Our children need to see us modeling thankful hearts.

Let's begin tomorrow, on Thanksgiving Day, to cultivate thankfulness and to make it a daily attitude, a daily part of our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Craft Room Closet

2011-11-22T08:49:00.001-06:00

A cluttered craft room clutters the mind and suppresses creativity.
Right?
At least that is the way it is for me. When it takes too long to find supplies, and I have to clear a space before I can start working, I lose my energy for crafting. So I have been on a mission to make my craft room clean, organized, and ready for crafting.

Last week I put up my new craft table. I put three coats of Polyshades on the top - but I am planning to do one more coat this weekend, so that the top is nice and smooth. Finishing the base cabinets will have to wait until after the holidays - so you'll have to wait a while for pictures.

Last night, however, I worked on organizing my craft closet. I would like to put up permanent shelves, but again, that will have to wait until next year. I spent a couple of hours going through my stamps and other supplies.
Here is what my closet looked like before I began.

And here is what it looks like now:

I still need to reorganize the boxes on the top shelf, but doesn't the rest of it look nice? I even made labels for the containers, so I can find what I am looking for much more quickly.

Let the crafting begin!
_________________________________________________________
I'm still working on memorizing Scripture. The verses for this week are Hebrews 10:23-25:
²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (NAS)

I love that part...."for He who promised is faithful." What a wonderful thought to remember today - God is faithful!

Craft Room Update

2011-11-13T19:07:00.001-06:00

Remember what my craft room looked like at the beginning of last week?

Craig and I stayed home this weekend and we made some progress.
We actually had a very productive weekend overall. We:

cleaned the garage
put up some Christmas lights (more about that later!)
watered our trees (it's been such a dry fall- we thought our trees needed a good drink of water)
washed windows
dropped off things at Goodwill
and - we worked on my craft room!

Earlier in the week I had cleared off the white table and put it away in the garage, and we moved in the new dresser. So yesterday we moved the desk downstairs, and took out the bed. Then we took off for Home Depot and Menards to check out supplies for my new work space. We ended up buying cabinets from Home Depot because their cabinets had the nice maple veneer on the insides, and they were 20% off. The depth of the cabinets is 24 inches, so I wanted a top that is 26 inches deep and 80 inches long. We talked to sales people at both stores about what materials we could use for the top. We could have bought a piece of granite - for $269. We looked at laminate countertops, but they had a backsplash, and I thought it would make my workspace look too much like a kitchen counter. So, we decided on a solid core door, which would be inexpensive but nice for a work surface. Menards didn't have any in stock, so we bought that at Home Depot as well. They didn't stock a 26 x 80 inch door, but they were willing to cut down a 30 inch door for me. And the door was only $22!

So here's what the room looks like now:

There was room for a bookcase. Hurray!

Here's my dresser! There are 5 nice wide drawers. I might need to add handles to the lower drawers eventually. But don't these two pieces look nice together? I am thinking of adding casters to the little cabinet, so I can move it over by my new work top when I am using it.

Isn't this cool? I am so excited! The next step will be to finish off these surfaces. The sides and the toe kicks are just made out of pressed board, so we are going to cover it up with beadboard paneling. I plan to paint the base cabinets black, and stain and seal the top using a light colored wood stain.
I also need to go shopping for a stool, since this surface is higher than a desk. And I will need a work light - maybe on that mounts on the wall.
I am loving the new look of my craft room, and can't wait to start being creative in there!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T15:21:00.001-06:00

Mmmmmm......apple crisp!

Craft Room Redo

2011-11-09T10:31:00.000-06:00

I am on a mission to make my craft room more functional and to do it with beauty.

Here are a couple of my inspiration pictures:

So I have started my organizing some of my supplies, and I have purchased a couple of new pieces for the room. The room has to get messier before it gets better, right?

I am not repainting the walls right now. I like the color, and it goes well with the black furniture that I am buying. Here are a couple of pictures of the "mess" and two of my new purchases:

Here's the messy closet.

You can see the drawers for my new storage dresser on the bed. (Pictures of the dresser in a future post!) This weekend the bed is going up to the cabin, and the desk is moving downstairs. This will give me room to build a new, longer workspace like the ones in my inspiration pictures.

This little black cabinet is new to me. I found it at my favorite store - This N That in Buffalo, MN. It will be perfect for using my paper cutter and Big Shot die cutting machine.

This cute cabinet is also from This N That. The three drawers pull out from front and back. I put cardstock in one (4 1/4 inch by 8 1/2 inch size - cut for cards), envelopes in another, and store bought cards in the third. At least for right now.

I can't wait to have the room finished so I can start making my Christmas cards. What does your workspace look like?

Five Minute Friday: Remember

2011-11-04T10:50:00.000-05:00

Today I'm linking up to gypsy mama, for Five Minute Friday.
Only five minutes to write "For fun, for love of the sound of words, for play, for delight, for joy and celebration at the art of communication."
And the rule is that whatever you write about in that five minutes is what you post. No editing your thoughts. Today, her topic choice is "Remember....."

Ready. Set. Go......
I remember my dad...
working Christmas Eve morning, and then going shopping for presents before coming home. My brother and I would be anxiously waiting for him to come home. We knew that our family would open presents when dad got home. It always seemed to take so long... and then he'd arrive, bags in hand. And then we'd wait some more while he wrapped his presents...
I remember my dad...
waiting at night, watching for my mom to come home from work after dark, making sure that she was safe as she walked from the garage to the house.
I remember my dad...
taking care of my mom each time she had a sever bout of depression. He was so faithful to her. When she ended up in the nursing home next to their senior apartment building he would go twice a day to spend time with her, tuck her into bed at night, and pull the shades.
I remember my dad...
saying, "be careful!" each time I left home. I would say, "I love you too!" because I knew that's what he was really saying.
I remember my dad....
asking, "Do you need anything?" even when he was almost out of money he'd say that to me. And I would say, "not right now, but thanks!"
I remember my dad...
singing in the church choir, and the men's quartet. He had the most wonderful baritone voice.
I remember my dad...
bringing us a drink of water at night when my brother and I were growing up. Sometimes he'd make a game of it, bringing us hot water, or an empty cup. Then he'd tell us a story before saying good night.
I remember my dad...
making up stories about the indian, Falling Rock as we drove through the mountains on vacations.
I remember my dad... and I miss him...but I know that I will see him again in heaven because
I remember my dad...
and his faith in Jesus, His Savior.

Charge the Darkness!

2011-10-27T22:03:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday I went with my aunt and uncle to First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. The pastor's sermon was titled, "Spies, Rebellion, and Fear" from Deuteronomy 1:19-33. This passage is about the children of Israel, when they had come to the Promised Land for the first time. They sent 12 men into the land to search it out, and they came back with reports of how fruitful the land was but also reported of giants living in the land. All the people, except Joshua and Caleb, were fearful and didn't want to go into the Promised Land.

It's so hard to understand. After all, they had witnessed God performing miracles and delivering them from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, guidance with a cloud by day and fire by night, food each day, water from a rock, etc. How could they not trust that He would give them the land as He had promised?

It's hard to understand, until I look at my own fears, and my reactions to fear. And then I understand.
When I am afraid, my eyes are on myself and my fear - not on God - and I am paralyzed.
My husband, bless his heart, does not always understand... because he does not have the same problem with fear that I do. (Or at least he does not recognize it as fear.) He has much more self confidence, a curiosity about life, and he enjoys trying new things.

In Deuteronomy (and also in Numbers 13-14), Joshua and Caleb told the Israelites that they should take possession of the land, that God would be with them. They were trying to remind the Israelites to keep their eyes on God, their provider, and not on their fears. On Sunday the pastor expained it like this: he encouraged us to "charge the darkness." He told a story about his own family, how the kids were afraid of going into dark rooms, so they adopted a family motto, "Charge the darkness!" and they would run into the dark room together. The pastor taught his children to face their fears.

I have to say, I have found this to be true in my life. When I face my fears, when I do something in spite of my fears, I become stronger. I am less afraid. Each time I face the fear I am less afraid. And I find the strength to "charge the darkness" by taking my eyes off myself and seeking God, putting my trust in Him. Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes it's really hard. But as I memorize scripture verses about fear and about God taking care of me, as I pray, and as I act in spite of fear, I can overcome my fear.

Here are some other thoughts from the sermon:

If you're not a person of courage you willl not experience other fruits of the Spirit.
A life lived in fear is a life half lived.
It's a crime to live cautiously
Cut a courage groove. Each time you face a fear it cuts the courage groove in your life, which helps when you face the next fear. How do you cut a courage groove? Admit you fear. Face toward your fear,and then "charge the darkness"
Why do we need to cut a courage groove? There will come a day when we reach a moment of decision. It might be a moment of choosing right over wrong, or a time to speak out, or a time to go where God's leading.. and you don't want to make the wrong decision.
Are you going to play or stand on the sidelines? Fear keeps us on the sidelines...where it's "safe" but then we miss out in being involved in the game,making a difference, having fun, being involved, part of the team.
People living in fear may not want you to lead them where they don't want to go.
Don't miss out on awesome opportunities because of fear

What I have learned in my life is that it's not the fear that's right or wrong. It's my response to the fear. I can't wait to do something until I'm not afraid. I need to "charge the darkness" in order to overcome my fear. And as I trust God, and live in spite of my fears, the fears become less and I experience more of what God has in mind for me.

How about you? Do you live life in fear? I encourage you to trust God, memorize Bible verses that will encourage you to be strong and courageous and about God watching over you, and then......

Charge the Darkness!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T21:37:00.001-05:00

Thursday's note: Did you guess what this is? It's an old, old apple tree. The branches are covered with moss. The tree has been trimmed many times, but new growth comes from the old branches, and the new branches will bear fruit. The tree is gnarled and moss covered, but still fruitful.

I want to be like this tree as I get old - still growing, still bearing fruit for the kingdom of God.

Family Is Forever

2011-10-25T21:19:00.000-05:00

When I was growing up my family spent many summer vacations visiting my relatives in Seattle. Most of the time we drove, my mom and dad, my brother and me. We always went to spend a week or so - swimming, playing, boating, hiking, and just being there in WA.

This is my Auntie Joy and Uncle Ken's house. It looks much the same as I remember it.

I remember finally arriving after being on the road for 3 and a half days, and my aunt and uncle coming down this sidewalk to greet and hug us.

I have great memories from those vacations.
It had been quite a while since I had been out to Seattle, so this fall I went out there to visit my aunt and uncle, and my cousins and their families.

I arrived Thursday night after flying for 3 hours, and then riding a shuttle for another couple hours. My aunt and uncle met me at the shuttle stop, and it was so good to see them. After sharing a pizza, we stayed up until midnight, just catching up on new of our families and our lives.

The next morning my cousin Sue came for the weekend, and that evening Tim and his family arrived. The house was filled with laughter and conversation and it felt wonderful. It was even better than I remembered from those vacations long ago.

On Saturday we all drove out to Brad's house, and we were able to see his family. We visited the pumpkin patch where Heidi and their son, Peter, were working. Even though it was raining, the pumpkin patch was crowded with people. I guess the people of Washington are used to the rain, and it doesn't stop them from having fun!

Later that afternoon Brad and Heidi joined us as we all returned to my aunt and uncle's to watch football on TV and cheer on the Washington Huskies as they took on Stanford. It was a great evening - even though the Huskies got pounded :)

On Sunday we went to church together, and after we ate lunch on the back porch we had to say goodbye because Sue, and Tim and his family, had to leave. The weekend went by too fast!

Each meal shared this weekend triggered memories of years past when I'd be visiting with my family. Before each meal there would be a discussion of where the best place would be to eat the meal. "Should we eat in the picnic house, or on the front deck? Would it be better to eat out of the wind on the back porch, or are there too many bees there? Maybe it's a little chilly and we should eat inside." A decision would finally be made, and we'd all help carry food and dishes to wherever we were eating. I remember pancakes with blueberries and raspberries on the lakeside deck; suppers in the picnic house, and sandwiches on the back porch. S'mores by the fireplace in the picnic house, apple pie at the kitchen table, and ice cream in the yard. So many great memories.

The very best part of the weekend was just being with my relatives. It had been 14 years since I had been out there - but it felt like I had just seen them all last month. I couldn't believe how comfortable it was to be with them. We spent most of the weekend talking - sharing details about our lives, sharing ideas, laughing, remembering, just being together, and it felt so good. It healed a part of me that had been hurting ever since my dad died. After losing my dad this summer I was truly feeling like an orphan (my mom has been gone for 5 years.) My aunt and uncle showered me with love, and my cousins embraced me and made me feel like a sister. It was just what I needed.

On Monday afternoon it was my time to say goodbye. Ken and Joy took me to catch the shuttle that would take me to the airport. We hugged one more time, and I promised that I would not let 14 years go by before my next visit.

Thank you, Tim and Elizabeth, Abby and Andrew for making the trip up to spend the weekend with me. I know your lives are busy. Thank you, Sue, for traveling so far to be there. It was extra special to have time to reconnect, to hear about your family and your life, and to share what God's been teaching us. Thank you, Brad and Heidi, Ben and Peter, for spending the afternoon and evening with me. You,too, have busy lives and I really appreciate it that you came back to the house for the evening. And finally, thank you, Auntie Joy and Uncle Ken! Thanks for opening your home, your arms and your hearts wide and embracing me. You truly have a gift of hospitality, and you made me feel a part of your family.

I do not have the words to express the love I have in my heart for all of you. I am so thankful that we are family - both by blood and by our faith in Jesus. You will continue to be in my prayers, and my home (and my cabin) are always open if you should journey back to Minnesota.

Fall Mantel Decorations

2011-10-18T22:01:00.000-05:00

Here is my fireplace mantel at the cabin, decorated for fall.

I bought this picture of the dancing bear when I was up in Duluth. I love the colors for fall, and it makes me smile whenever I look at it.

The bottle to the left of the picture was purchased at The Porch in Buffalo.

I think I need some fall leaves instead of the evergreen garland, and maybe something taller on one side - but it's a work in progress and I am enjoying it.

Meet the newest member of the family

2011-10-18T12:54:00.002-05:00

Billy is the new "watch goat" at the cabin!

Painted Pumpkin

2011-10-15T22:02:00.000-05:00

Remember the pumpkin I started painting last weekend?
http://kristenbalvin.blogspot.com/2011/10/newest-diy-projects.html

I finished the monogram on it this week.

I printed off the letter on the computer - I found a font I liked, used the outline feature in the font tab, enlarged it, and printed it off. Then I took a piece of carbon paper and taped the paper with the letter on top of the carbon and onto the pumpkin. I traced around the letter with a pencil and the carbon copies it onto the pumpkin. Then I just painted it with a brush and my new favorite copper paint.
This picture was taken in my dining room, but the pumpkin actuallly is now sitting on the glass coffee table on my front porch. I think I need to pick up a couple of miniature orange pumpkins to arrange around this one, but I am definitely loving the look of this white monogrammed one.

Card Class

2011-10-15T11:55:00.001-05:00

Every month I go to Technique Tuesday - a card making class at the home of this Stampin' Up Demonstrator: http://stampinwithj.blogspot.com/
This month we learned two new techniques - how to do the wash on the side of this card:

We used a daubber, an ink pad, and a piece of scratch paper. We ripped the edge of the scrap paper, and then laid in on top of our cardstock. We dipped the daubber in the ink and drew it across the paper, starting on the scratch paper and going over the cardstock. (Sorry I don't have pictures of that!) This Thanksgiving card is one I made after I got home from class, using this technique. The leaves are stamped on after coloring that whole side using the daubber technique.

The second technique we learned was cutting the card like this one: We made slits on each side using a paper cutter but start and stopping in the middle of the page. Then we used the new scoring pad to make the folds, according the the pattern Jan gave us. It looks complicated, but was really quite easy. The snowman was colored using Stampin' Up's Aqua Painter and ink pads.

Then last week I had some time in my own craft room to create these Halloween cards.

The cat with the hat on has dimensionals underneath to make him pop off the page a bit.

Now that fall is here, and the days are shorter and cooler, I will have more time for stamping. I don't need to spend the evenings working on the yard and gardens. I can't wait!

Challenging Devotional

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the title of the devotional (Pathways) I read was, "Choosing and Using Time." Toward the end of the reading the author, David Jeremiah,wrote,

"Why not keep track of your time this week and see how much of it is spent with the Lord?"

This really hit me hard. I have been thinking about how I spend my time. I am gone 9.5 hours per weekday for work. I spend a total of about an hour walking Percy. But what do I do with the rest of my evenings? It's so easy to sit and watch HGTV, or read blogs and surf the web. I have housework to do in the evenings too, and then there's time I "NEED" for crafting.

To be honest, my time with God is squeezed into 5-10 minutes in the morning for devotions, and 5-10 minutes at night for working on memorizing Bible verses. Now, I do pray more than just at those two times. I pray when I walk, I sometimes pray when I'm driving. I pray before meals. Also, I usually am listening to Christian radio when I drive. But do those really count as time spent with God?

Doesn't He deserve more than just a few minutes here and there? Am I really worshipping Him? Am I really spending time in His presence each day?

It's time to rearrange my priorities a bit, I'm thinking. It's time to turn off the TV, turn off the computer, stop looking at the clock, and open my Bible.

_____________________________________________________________
Memory verses I'm working on: Romans 12
I would like to memorize the whole chapter, but I'll start with verses 1-2

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

I'm decorating for fall - see what I've found!

2011-10-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

I love, love, love shopping the occasional shops in Buffalo, MN. The shops do such a good job of having items that are appropriate for the season, and there are so many new things every month. Their prices are reasonable too.

Here are a couple of the things I bought this month:

Isn't this a cool lamp for at the cabin? I love the green glass shade and the curved stand.

This ceramic pumpkin is decorated with ribbon and jewels and is perfect for this space.

Remember the chairs I bought at the beginning of the summer? I found this coffee table last Friday. The legs were white - but a can of spray paint works wonders. Doesn't it look great with my chairs? Now I just need an outdoor rug! The curb appeal is awesome. And can't you just picture my white pumpkin with it's monogram on that table? (Check back for an update - I'm working on that pumpkin!)

This cute little pumpkin was one of my purchases in Duluth lastweekendwhen I went shopping along Canal Park. The top comes off and there's a candle inside. I just love the unconventional color.

_______________________________________________________

There wasn't enough light to take a picture of the fireplace mantel at the cabin, where there are a few more new things. Hopefully I'll be able to take pictures next weekend, and then I'll share them with you.

It's amazing how adding just a few new pieces reflects the changin season and makes me excited about my whole house.

Newest DIY Projects

2011-10-10T19:41:00.000-05:00

I had a great, very crafty weekend. I have to apologize in advance for the lighting in my pictures - I didn't have much natural light - and I wanted to have pictures with this post.

Last week I visited this blog and I was inspired:
http://hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com/2011/10/more-stencil-splendor-giveaway.html

So I stopped at WalMart and picked up a couple of stretched canvases. I got two 8x10 canvases for $5.97. I also bought a couple of small bottles of paint and some stencil brushes.

On Friday we headed up to the cabin, and I brought everything along. The stencils were already up at the cabin so I had everything I needed to be crafty.

On Saturday I painted and stenciled. When we came home Sunday I glued some ribbon to the edges to cover the staples, and here are the finished products:

I love them! I think these might have to be Christmas presents. What do you think?

I also started this..................................

The next step is to paint a monogram on the pumpkin. Stay tuned!

Fall at the cabin

2011-10-08T13:30:00.000-05:00

"Where are the kids when we need them?"

Here's how we got rid of the leaves this year. We raked them into piles, hauled them with the wheelbarrow to the trailer, loaded the trailer, and hauled the leaves to the yard waste site down the road.

We have been raking leaves every fall since we've been married. When we lived on the farm, and the kids were growing up, we raked the leaves onto big tarps and pulled the tarps into the field to dump the leaves. The kids did not like helping, and I'm sure they vowed not to have any trees in their yards when they grew up. It was a very big job.

Now we have a small yard at home, with few trees since it's a newer development. Our yard here at the cabin is smaller too. Some years we've used a leaf blower to blow the leaves into the woods, but this year Craig thought we should haul them away. His system worked pretty good, and the yard looks great!

The beauty of a tree

2011-10-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

A woodland in full color is awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart. ~Hal Borland

My favorite time of year to be at the cabin is Autumn. The cripsness of the air, the beauty of the trees, the absence of bugs. It is quiet - there are few boats on the lake or cars on the road - but the colors of the trees glorify God loudly. Being here refreshes my soul.

I just wish Autumn would last longer. But the north winds come quickly to blow the leaves down and cover them with snow. I need to look at the colors until my eyes grow tired so that these pictures of autumn are saved in my memory -and breathe in deeply the smells of autumn so that when winter comes and everything is white, I can pull up these sights and smells from memory and enjoy them once more.

A Week's Work

2011-10-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of nights last week I actually had time to sit down and indulge my crafting passion - card making. It takes so long to get going - to get out everything I need, to decide what stamps, paper, etc to use, and to come up with a design. I really should make multiple cards of the same design, because it goes much faster after the first one.
Here are the five cards I made - before you think, only five cards? You must realize that I only had two eveings, only 2-3 hours per evening, and in addition to card making I was doing laundry, moving sprinklers around the yard, and taking Percy for walks.
Which card do you like the best?

The stamps and paper for these first four cards are from Stampin' Up. In the last card, below, the stamps are from other companies, but I know you could get similar ones from stampin' up too.

The view from here

2011-10-01T10:11:00.001-05:00

This morning I was visiting a few blogs and read this line:

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing this morning, I hope you are enjoying the view.
(Thanks, Jen, for sharing this thought.)

It stopped me in my tracks. How often do I really stop and enjoy the view?
Sometimes it's easy.

Here are the views we had as we ate breakfast at the cabin this morning.

It's harder to appreciate this view:

until I stop and think about these things...

We had food to eat today. Not everyone has enough to eat.
I have a sink in whichi to wash the dishes, and running water. Not everyone has those "luxuries."
I didn't have to cook the meal - my husband made breakfast for us.

Thanks, Lord, for reminding me this morning to enjoy everything you have given me, for reminding me to slow down and really see the world around me - and to enjoy the view.

Five Minute Friday: On Friends

2011-09-30T09:36:00.000-05:00

Five Minute Friday - where you just write for five minutes, no editing, just put your thoughts down....
Todays' topic is Friends. So here goes:

When my kids were growing up, and even now as adults, they loved watching the TV show, "Friends." It wasn't my favorite show. I didn't always like the values - or lack of - and the humor wasn't always funny to me either. But I did appreciate the friendships that the characters displayed. They were close. They were there for each other in good times and bad. They helped each other.
In my life I have not always had friends like that, and have never had a group of friends to hang out with. I envied people who had a group of friends from high school or college that continued to get together for years and years afterwards.
But I do have three or four friendships that I cherish. And so I feel blessed. These friends do check in with me to see how I'm doing. They care. They would be there if I called. One friend has been a friend for about 15 years, the others are newer friends, less than 2 years. And then there's my best friend, my husband.
So, what is a friend? To me, a friend is someone who accepts me as I am. It's someone I want to spend time with, and that person wants to be with me. We can talk about lots of different things, and we both take turns talking and listening. A friend helps me to be a better person, and my life is richer because I have my friend.

Want to try out Five Minute Friday? Here's a link:

More about habits

2011-09-28T14:33:00.001-05:00

As I was walking Percy, my dog, I was thinking about how he has changed my life. He became part of our family last October - almost a year ago. Since we got him I have gone for a walk at least once every day - usually more than once. Percy loves to walk. It doesn't matter to him what the temperature is outside. Once or twice he hasn't wanted to go out in the rain, but mostly he just wants to go. And so we go.
I could say that walking has become a habit.
But that isn't exactly true. Why? Because if Percy didn't beg me to walk with him each day, I wouldn't be walking. I'd like to think I would - but really, if it's cold out or windy or if I'm tired or if there's something good on TV or if I'm reading a good book or for just about any other reason, I'd forget the walk and stay home. I know that walking is good for me. I know that I've lost weight and that I'm healthier because I'm walking. But it's not my nature to be physically active. I'm just being honest.
So here's how this relates to habits. I need to have an accountability partner - even if it's a dog. I need someone to help me maintain my good habits. I need encouragement to keep going.
Isn't that true in our spiritual lives as well? We need someone to encourage us, to remind us, to ask us how we're doing with our spiritual disciplines. Sometimes we even need someone to walk with us. Someone to show us how to have holy habits.
That's why we need to be part of a community of believers, so others can help us and we can help them.

Holy Habits

2011-09-27T13:49:00.002-05:00

This morning the title for today in my devotional book was "Holy Habits."
The devotion talked about holiness, and how God wants us to be holy as He is holy. Then I read about habits - how there are good habits, and there are bad habits.
I read Hebrews 12:1 which tells us to
"throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." There are bad habits that are sinful or lead to sin, and they do entangle us and lead us away from God, away from being holy.
The devotional ended by asking readers to examine their habits, asking God to reveal bad habits that need to be broken, and to form new habits that will lead to becoming more like Jesus.
My first thoughts were about last spring, when I was trying to memorize 100 verses. What happened to that, I asked myself. I realized that I had not worked on it enough for it to become a habit. I did memorize 40 verses. But then I allowed other things to take up my time. I did not keep practicing my verses or learn any new ones. I did not make it a habit.
I think that reading God's Word, meditating on it, and memorizing it is a holy habit I want to have.
A habit is formed one day at a time, so I will start again. I will not rely only on my own strength to form this habit however. I am asking God to give me the encouragement and strength to make this a holy habit in my life. So....................................

My memory verse for today is Psalm 55:22 -
"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will support you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken."

Will you join me in starting a holy habit? Ask God to reveal your bad habits, and identify a new habit you need in your life. Share with someone the habit you're trying to form, and ask them to encourage you along the way!

Chairs Finished!

2011-09-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

I finally finished the cushion covers for the chairs on my front porch. Aren't they beautiful? The material complements the chairs, and adds a nice splash of color to the front porch.

Now I think I need to look for a small round table to go between the chairs, or an oval coffee table in front. I'm envisioningblack rattan legs with a glass top. What do you think?
In addition, I need an outdoor rug to finish off this outdoor room. I'll probably go to Ikea for the rug, and just keep my eyes open at garage sales and occasional sales for the table.

End Table Redo

2011-09-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

Last spring I found this cute little table. It was painted pink, but I loved the shape so I bought it. The legs reminded me of oars, and I thought it would be perfect for the cabin.

After sanding it I gave it a good coat of primer. Then I painted it a light brown, and finished off the top be stenciling this pattern in the middle.

It looks great in our picnic house at the cabin!

New Cabin Tradition

2011-09-24T19:19:00.000-05:00

When we first bought the cabin, I bought a journal to use for our visitors to sign. I did fairly well for the first year or two, remembering to ask people to sign it. But since then...well, let's just say that no one has signed the book in quite a while.

But now we have a new tradition, and I think it's even better.

About a month ago Craig walked along the shoreline of our lake to the spot where a big log rested. We had checked out the log when we were canoeing, and Craig wanted to bring it back to our place. The log was hollow, and floated, but was still very heavy. Craig floated the log back home
.
I had no idea why Craig wanted the log. I figured he would use it in our landscaping somehow.

The next weekend Craig decided to try to get the log out of the water. I went down to the shore to ask him a question about something, and he said "What shoes do you have on?" I had flip flops on, and he was glad, because he said he needed my help for just a minute. I rolled up my pants and stepped into the water. Two hours later... I was wet, and I was still helping him. We were getting that log out of the water using simple machines. I remembered 5th grade science projects with the kids, learning about simple machines. We were using a pulley, a rope, and a lever. Using these tools, plus something called a come-along, we were able to lift the log out of the water and onto land. We slid a roller under it to help move it. Now it doesn't sound that hard - until I tell you that the log is about 14 feet long, must weigh about 800 lbs, and that we don't have the greatest elevation to our shoreline. We had to move that log uphill!

After lunch a neighbor stopped by, and after seeing our project he went home and got a long piece of steel cable and his 4-wheeler, which has a winch on it. He and Craig were able to maneuver that log so that it was standing upright, and they put it into the hole Craig had dug down by our campfire area.

You might be wondering at this point, what in the world does this log have to do with a new cabin tradition.
Well, I'll tell you.

That log is now our carving pole. When the grandchildren come up, we are going to take them down to the carving pole, measure their height and mark it on the pole. When friends come up, we will invite them to carve their initials in the pole.

This weekend Craig worked on a new path coming down to the campfire area.

So come on up, carve something in our pole, and enjoy the fire, the view, and the wonderful woodsy smells of being up north!

Cabin Projects

2011-09-22T22:22:00.000-05:00

Craig and I love working on projects together at the cabin. We have quite a list of projects on our to-do list. Some are big. Like finishing the walls and ceiling in the family room.

Then there's the donwstairs. We have walls to finish, lots of taping and staining to do in several rooms. It's a huge project!
Or we could look outside to the addition that needs to be done where the original back door was.

A slightly smaller project would be to finish the inside of the picnic house.

Finishing the bathroom upstairs is another smaller project.

We're getting close to being done in there - just one more coat of mud for taping, then sand and paint the walls, and buy a mirror.

But when we're only at the cabin for the weekend, we just don't have time to tackle any of these. They will just have to wait until we havc more time.

So this past weekend, however, we decided to do a small project - installing a storm door. I forgot that there's really no such thing as a "small" project. After reading the directions (over and over) and making numerous trips back and forth from the door to the garage for more tools, holding, measuring, cutting, nailing, etc... (4 hours later) we were able to stand back and admire our new storm door.

Isn't it a thing of beauty?

Making Progress

2011-09-17T10:17:00.002-05:00

This week I starting working on #4 from my DIY list - making cushion covers. Since I work full time, I only had a couple of evenings to sew, but I did finish one set of covers. I bought the chairs at a secondhand shop early this summer. I liked the shape and feel of them, but the fabric was musty smelling and not too exciting.

I am really happy with how the new fabric looks on the black frame. It has so much more character.

I have the fabric cut for the other set of cushions. I hope I can finish them next week - so we can enjoy them for a little while before the snow comes :)

DIY Project List

2011-09-12T20:00:00.000-05:00

There are so many projects I want to complete this year. Some projects are fairly simple, and others are more complicated. Here's a bit of a list: (no particular order)

1) New work space in my craft room. I want to get rid of the desk and dresser and make a new craft table. I'd also like to have pegboard on one wall. Kind of like this:

I want to have more work space than this picture.

Craig and I talked about having an l-shaped counter: buying two 4-drawer cabintes for the ends, and a corner cabinet with a lazy susan in the corner. Maybe a space like this.....but I'd add pegboard like in the first picture.

2)Install board and batten in my downstairs bathroom. One of my inspiration pictures:

3) Gallery wall - at the cabin. I've seen so many examples on different blogs. Here's one:

This is from http://www.proverbs31girl.com/ and in this post she even tells how to do it. I think I will do mine on a wall in my bedroom to start with. (The stairway wall at the cabin right now just has sheetrock. It needs to be taped and painted before it would be ready for pictures.)

4) New cushion covers for the chairs on the front piorch. I have the fabric. I just need to sit down and sew the covers.

5) Magnetic calendar made from cookie sheet

6) Treasure Tray - Archiver's has many samples of these trays. Here's another sample I found:

I have the tray - so I just need to decide on a theme, and get going!

7) Many more small projects: frames, cards, scrapbooking, etc.

What do I want to do with my life?

2011-09-11T21:56:00.001-05:00

I am uncomfortable with my life right now.

For the past 33 years I knew what I was supposed to be doing. I knew who I was. I was a wife, a mom, and a daughter. Most of my days revolved around those roles. I supported and loved my husband, I tried to be the best mom I could be for my kids, I loved and honored my parents. I was involved in church, and I had a part time job but my family came first.

And then I moved into a new season of life. Five years ago my youngest child went off to college. We became empty nesters. Just a few weeks after that my mom passed away. 3 months later my husband decided to go back over the road trucking, and I was home alone. My job becamse full time. Last spring my youngest, my only daughter, got married. And 3 weeks ago my dad died.

I still love and support my husband - but he's gone 5 days a week. I still try to be the best mom I can be, but my kids don't need me all the time like they did when they were young.

So, what do I want to do with my life now? More importantly, what does God want me to do in this season of life?

I have been reading the book, When Life's Not Working: 7 Simple Choices for a Better Tomorrow by Bob Merritt. Chapter 4 starts with this question. "What did you do today? Take a moment and think about all the things you did today and then ask yourself a second question: is what I did today the way I want to spend my life?" (page 83) I did spend the day the way I want to spend my life - but it's not all in my control. For example, I spent the day with my husband. We were at the cabin, and after breakfast we had devotions. Then we did the dishes together. We did some other chores at the cabin, and then packed the car and drove home together. Jeff and Aaron came over to have pizza and watch the football games on TV. But then the boys wennt home, and Craig left go back to work in his truck. I want to spend my life with Craig - but his job takes him away from home.

I keep reading the book, and Bob Merritt talks about making a list of your values, and putting them in order. He says that when you know our values, then your decisions big and small will be driven by those values.
It's a good place to start.

So here are my values:
1) To have a close relationship with God
2) To love my husband and have a great marriage
3) To love my children and grandchildren - to be close to them
4) To be involved in kingdom work
5) To be physically healthy

More on this journey in future posts!

Fall is in the air

2011-09-05T10:57:00.001-05:00

Craig and I are spending our 14th Labor Day Weekend at the cabin. Wow! The cabin is our place to go for rest, to recharge our batteries, to spend quality time together, and to enjoy God's beautiful creation. I love the view of the lake from our windows just as much now as I did 14 years ago. There is a magic here that I have not found anywhere else.
We have had a wonderful weekend. Fall is definitely in the air. The air is cooler and crisper this weekend. The flies are gone, and the mosquitos are on their way out too. A few leaves have begun to change colors. It is a perfect time for bonfires, for working outside on some landscaping, and for doing some painting/staining inside.
We went to Emily Wesleyan Church yesterday and it was a wonderful time of worship and fellowship. We have begun to make many friends there, and it feels like home.
Craig and I have had great times of morning devotions together this weekend as well.
I feel rested and ready for the crazy week ahead - the first week of school. I will carry with me the memories of this weekend, and will be able to draw on the peace that I found here when life is not peaceful during the week.

Where do you go to recharge your batteries, to meet with God, and to find peace and rest for your body and your soul?

My Dad

2011-08-27T14:16:00.000-05:00

It has been one week since my dad's memorial service.

My dad went home to heaven on August 16. He had been in the hospital for almost two weeks. He went in because of a fever and hip pain, but his kidney was failing. He and I talked during those first days in the hospital, and he told me that he was tired, and was ready to go home. So when the doctors came and told me that there was nothing more they could do other than to keep him comfortable, I knew that my dad was okay with that. It was time to leave his earthly, broken, wore out body behind and put on a new, imperishable heavenly body.

You see, I knew that my dad knew Jesus. He hadn't just read the Bible, he believed it was the written Word of God. He had accepted Jesus as His Savior when he was young, and he had walked with Him and talked with Him for many many years. He had experienced God working over and over again in his life. He had many hard times - but had experienced for himself the peace of God that passes understanding, and had seen many answers to his prayers. He believed the promises in the Bible. He knew that Jesus had gone to heaven to prepare a place for him. And so it was time to see that place.

Dad and I had time in the hospital those last days to talk. I will cherish those memories, even though going there to be with him was so very hard. It was hard to see him slipping away a bit each day. It was hard to say goodbye.
But here are some of the things he said:
He told me, and my family, what a great family we had been for him and how proud he was of us.
He told Craig and me that he loved us from the bottom of his heart.
He said, "The next part is the most interesting part." And when I asked him what that was he said, "I don't know. But it's going to be good!"
He sang,"This world is not my home. I'm just a passin' through..." and his favorite, "How long has it been?"
How long has it been since you talked with the Lord
And told him your heart's hidden secrets?
How long since you prayed?
How long since you stayed on your knees till the light shone through?
How long has it been since your mind felt at ease?
How long since your heart knew no burden?
Can you call him your friend?

How long has it been since you knew that he cared for you?
How long has it been since you knelt by your bed
And prayed to the Lord up in heaven?
How long since you knew that he'd answer you
And would keep you the long night through?
How long has it been since you woke with the dawn
And felt this day is worth living?
Can you call him your friend?
How long has it been since you knew that he cared for you?..

My heart is sad because my dad is no longer here on earth. I will miss how he'd tell me to be careful each time I said goodbye. I will miss how he would ask, "Do you need anything?" I will miss seeing him working puzzles, playing the keyboard, playing cards, watching sports, drinking Cherry Coke and having a corn dog. I will miss his smile, his gentleness, how his eyes would light up each time he saw me, and how much he loved me.
But the sadness is for my loss - not for him. I can't imagine how great it is for him to be in heaven now - to be walking (instead of in a wheelchair), worshipping our great God, seeing my mom again, and cheering his family on from above. He must be loving the music in heaven.
And my sadness is not without hope - because Jesus is my Savior too. So one day I will see my mom and dad again when it's my turn to go home.

Thanks, Dad, for your love. For believing in me, for helping me when I needed it, for showing me by example how to love and serve others, for teaching me about Jesus, for showing me how to enjoy the simple gifts in life, and so much more. I love you from the bottom of my heart too!

Gifts from the Father - written July 27

2011-08-27T13:49:00.000-05:00

It is morning - a new day has begun. I have already walked the dog, fighting off the flies and coming back with mosquito bites on my hands. The air is heavy with humidity. It rained last night, but the rain did not clear the air of moisture.
I sit here and look out at the lake. It is so quiet. There's a soft breeze - I can see it on the water, and I hear the rain fall out of the trees as the wind goes through.
This day is heavy for me. It is the last day of the first half of our week of vacation. Tonight our life will be filled with little voices - the wonderful sound of our grandchildren as we begin the second half of the week. They are coming to stay with us at the cabin, and I am excited about it. I love their exuberance for life - they want to do it all.
But this morning as I enjoy the beauty and the quiet around me, as I hear Craig breathing heavy in his sleep, I want to hold on to this moment for so much longer. I want time to slow down. I know that once the kids are here the days will fly and vacation will be over. Craig and I will go back to our jobs, and we will be apart again. And I don't know if I can keep living that way - apart, always wanting to be together at the cabin.
And then it hits me - I am looking at the wrong things. I am looking at the future instead of the present, what I don't have instead of what is right here, right now. I need to thank God, the creator of the beauty all around me. God,who has created me, has given me the breath that I breathe right now. God, who says, I am with you always. You are not alone.

DIY Welcome Mat

2011-08-07T15:56:00.002-05:00

A few months ago I saw a blog about making a welcome mat. Of course, now that I am finally getting around to doing the project I can't find my original inspriation blog. But I can show you how I made mine :)

I bought a plain welcome mat at IKEA for $4.99. It's a natural fiber mat with a latex backing.I also bought a pack of stencil letters at Menard's for $3.99.

I used masking tape to tape off my pattern.

At the cabin I had some exterior solid color brown stain, so I used that and applied it with a small brush. I used the same technique as you'd use for stencilling, but had more paint on the end of the brush since I wanted it to go into the natural fibers.

After I was done painting, I removed the tape, and let the mat dry.

I am really pleased with how it turned out! The total cost for this project was only $8.98 inlcuding the stencils, since I already had some paint on hand.
I can just see the possibilities of making mats for different seasons, or for gifts.

Kids' Crafts

2011-07-31T21:44:00.001-05:00

This weekend with our grandkids we spent most of our time outdoors. But there's always time in a day for being creative. Right?
I picked up some acrylic paints at the dollar store, and some wooden spoons at the grocery store, and with s couple of things I had in my craft room at home, we were all set for two craft projects.
For our first project I had the kids pick out some flat rocks. We washed the rocks and let them dry.
The next morning we spread out the newspaper. I told the kids that they could either paint their own design on their rocks, or we could put a sticker on the rock, paint around it and remove the sticker when the paint dries.
Here are their finished rocks:

Andrew chose to try the stickers, and I think his rocks look awesome.

Izzy chose to do her own design - I (heart) U- aren't they cute?

Jake tried both methods. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the rocks he painted using stickers. He spelled out the name of his dog - Manny. Then on his third rock he painted this cool design. Looks like a hieroglyphic, doesn't it?

For our second project we painted wooden spoons:

Then we added googly eyes, yarn for hair, pipe cleaners for mouths (and arms), and used markers for other details. The end result is a very cute puppet.

We sure had fun!

At the cabin - a sneak peek

2011-07-29T18:25:00.001-05:00

I don't have time to write much, but here's a peek at what's happening at the cabin this week...

Most recent purchases

2011-07-25T16:42:00.000-05:00

This past spring my daughter, Carrie, and I had lots of fun checking out the occasional sales in Buffalo wa well as several thrift stores in the area. We were looking for items that we could use in decorating, items that could be painted or spruced up in some way like things we were seeing on the DIY blogs we like to read.
Since Carrie has gone back to Guatemala I have continued this new hobby.
Here are some pictures of last month's purchases:

I haven't decided where to display this tray - it would look cute in my craft room, but it would also work well with the decorations in the office at the school where I work.

I fell in love with this little glass bottle. When I got it home I filled it with these colorful glass rocks.
It will have a prominent place at the cabin- with it's colors so like the woods and water there.

I also fell in love with this little lamp. I want to jazz up the shade a bit. Watch for more info about that in a future blog!

My husband had been asking me to find a hanging globe light similar to one our neighbors at the cabin have. I was so excited when I walked into The Porch, one of my favorite shops in Buffalo, and found this light.

Now I just have to do something about those ugly white plastic chairs! The light looks awesome at night, but my camera just won't take a good twilight picture.

You can be sure that next month I will be looking for a love seat or a couple of comfy chairs to replace the white ones. I will also be looking for a square table for the other side of this area. We call this our Picnic House. It have combination storm/screen windows on all four sides, and is only about 15 feet from the lake. My husband and I built it several years ago, but haven't had the time or the money to finish the inside yet. We love eating our meals down there, where the bugs can't get us and we can view the lake while we eat. Here's where I want the table to go.

You can see that this old picnic table is just too big for the space. I think a square table that could be pushed up in the corner when it's just the two of us eating, or pulled out so people can sit on all four sides when we have company, would be better. The white chairs and my new lamp are just to the left of this picture.

How to enjoy a vacation

2011-07-24T21:14:00.001-05:00

Last week I read a post by the Gypsy Mama entitled, "A quick crash course in surviving goodbye". She listed 10 things she's found that help when saying goodbye when you're leaving and won't be back for a long time. This blog post resonated with me since we have said these kinds of goodbyes to Carrie.

My husband and I are on vacation this week. We have been looking forward to a week together for a long time, a week of relaxing and spending all our time together. This time is especially important to us because Craig is usually on the road all week each week and we are apart.
But last week, as I made preparations for this week of vacation (laundry, groceries, etc.) I was already anticipating the sadness of the end of vacation. As we made plans for what we would do during our vacation I thought about how fast the week would go by. I realized that a week is not much time to make up for all the weeks apart.

I looked back at the list Gypsy Mama wrote about surviving goodbye and realized that there were ideas I could use to help me enjoy my vacation more. Here are my adaptations:

1. Do not panic

There is so much we want to do during our vacation. Some of the activities are just fun, others are projects we'd like to finish. So much to do, so little time. As Gypsy Mama said, "Panic kills memory making. Slow down, savor instead."

I will not rush to get to the next thing so that I can cross off everything on our list.

2. Go slow and don't overbook the days

I will enjoy my cup of coffee in the morning while looking at the mist rising off the lake. I will take time to smell the pines and feel the sun on my face. I will fill my days with times of slow - time to savor the moment. I will take time for friends and family. I will enjoy the process of each project, not just it's completion. I will savor the moments of working alongside my husband and times when we just relax together.

I think it's a good idea to have some plans for our week, but I do not want to overplan. I want time to be spontaneous. If we see somewhere that looks interesting, let's stop and investigate, even if it's not in the plan for the day. If we feel like calling up friends to go for lunch, we'll take the time to do that.

It's so interesting that slowing down actually makes the day feel longer and better.

3. Do regular activities in a new way.

Do you always eat your meals at the kitchen table? Pack up the meal and go for a picnic- even if it's just in your back yard. Go grocery shopping together for a change or go to a store you've never been to before. Sleep in the guest bedroom instead of your own. Bring your spouse or friend breakfast in bed. Doing routine chores in a new way is refreshing. I will try to do something each day in a new way.

4. Eat

Gypsy Mama included this in her list. She talked about how meals together are good for the soul. And she's right. We've already had friends over for lunch and we ate spaghetti together in the picnic house. It was such a good time.
Craig and I had fun planning meals for the week - adding some new recipes to try and some of our favorite foods. We enjoy cooking together too. So this week we will enjoy mealtimes- taking the time to cook together, and to linger over our meals rather than eating on the run.

5. Don't anticipate the last day of vacation.

I will not be sad about the end of our vacation. I will live each day to the fullness of the day - whether it's packed with activities or quiet delicious slowness. I will even try my best to enjoy the last day because it will be a day when we are still doing everything together.

6. Collect memories

I want to collect these special memories so that on the days when life seems hard I can look back and remember this vacation, and have hope for the next time. I will take pictures. I will journal some of my thoughts and the best times of the week.

7. Start a new tradition

Gypsy Mama talked about squeezing in a last touch - how they play a "game" of being the last one to touch the other. That last hug. She also mentioned downplaying the moment by saying "see you next week" even if it would be a year. It was something she and her siblings had always done. I would like to start a new tradition something like that, something that we do one every vacation, something we can do in between vacations that will bring back the memories, and build anticipation for the future.

I'll have to think on this a while. Or maybe something will happen this week, and I'll say, "that's it!"
We do have fun traditions in our family already - like putting the cold spoon on someone else, giving hugs when we say hello and goodbye, doing the digger, and others. But it would sure be nice to have something special that will remind me of our vacation.

8. Pray

Prayer is already a big part of our lives. We pray each day- for our families, for each other, for friends, for special needs and for our country. During this week of vacation, however, it would be easy to get busy with activities, busy having fun, and forget to pray.

This weekend Craig and I talked about some Bible verses that have been meaningful to us this week. They talked about the importance of being in Christ and having Him dwell within us. They included words like dwell and abide - and the two best ways to abide in Christ, to dwell in the house of the Lord, is to spend time reading His Word and spend time in prayer. I want to make sure that we take time this week to refresh our spirits by abiding in Christ and in His Word.
The Bible says that He is with us always, that He goes before us, that He works all things together for our good, that He loves us so much. He will be with us this week and I will thank Him for the beauty all around me here at the cabin. I will thank Him for this week of vacation, and for a job to go back to, a home and a family, and most of all for His presence and help each day of my life.

9. Remind each other that this is not the end of life - it's just the end of a week.

We will continue to live life together. Our daily routine will be different, and we may be in a different place than we are when we're on vacation, but we will still be living it together. There will be more moments to savor, more good times, more opportunities to work together on special projects. We will have more weekends at the cabin.

10. Plan something special for the way home, and for the first day back.

I think we need to stop at Happy's or Dairy Queen or somewhere else fun, so that the ride home doesn't seem so sad. Craig and I will talk about what our next project at the cabin should be, so that we can look forward and plan for it, not just dwell on the fact that our vacation is over.
I also want to make plans with a friend for one of the first evenings home. It will help me to remember that I didn't leave all the fun behind at the end of our vacation.

A grand visit from the grandkids (and their parents)

2011-07-18T19:08:00.001-05:00

Last weekend our son, Brenton, and his family came to the cabin. Unfortunately, Craig's company sent him the other direction (south) to Mississippi with a load so he couldn't be with us.

On Saturday we had lunch in the park in Emily where there were all sorts of vendors for Emily Day.

Izzy modeled the hair band that she and her mom, Stephanie, had made. We saw some for sale at one of the booths, but they weren't as nice as this one.

We ate corn dogs, mini donuts, a huge pickle on a stick, cheese curds, and brats. The kids played the games and we all watched the parade. Then it was back to the cabin for the afternoon.

Thanks to our friends, the Mileskis, the kids got a pontoon ride around our lake, and jumped off the pontoon for a swim.

The kids loved being on the water, and in the water.

Jake, Izzy and Andrew all had lots of fun swimming, fishing, and paddling around in our paddleboat. Andrew did some cannonballs off the end of the dock. Izzy and Jake jumped off the paddleboat, and counted on me to help them get back in the boat. Jake and Brenton did some fishing, both from the dock and from the paddleboat. They caught:a bluegill, a small northern, and two perch. Stephanie brought yummy food for us all to eat. She was also the one with the bug spray, making sure that the bugs didn't carry the kids away. (The mosquitos and flies were terrible!)

Brenton and Stephanie brought their dog, Manny, to the cabin too. We wondered how Manny and Percy would get along together, but it turned out just fine. There was some barking and growling, and a little bit of chasing around the cabin, but then they settled down peacefully.

On Sunday we went to Emily Wesleyan Church, where Brenton was the guest speaker for the sermon. He spoke about how God has been working in his life, and he shared 5 promises from Scripture that everyone can hold on to when life is hard.

You can hear his sermon here: http://www.emilywesleyan.com/

Jake, Izzy and Andrew are excited because they get to come back up to the cabin in two weeks, with just Craig and I. I am sure we'll have lots of fun - I just hope the bugs go away!!

This bed is just right!

2011-07-07T07:26:00.000-05:00

In the story, Golidlocks tries the beds of all three bears before falling asleep in baby bear's bed, which was just right.

In Percy's world, every bed is just right. Another day, another pillow to curl up on.

Can you find him?

2011-07-06T07:34:00.002-05:00

Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?

Did you find him?

Oh, there he is! Behind the pillows on my bed, all curled up.

He just loves those pillows!

Holidays at the cabin

2011-07-04T11:47:00.001-05:00

It's Monday, July 4th at the cabin. The weather's been beautiful this weekend, and we've had a great time.
We came up on Friday. One of the first things we did was rearrange the furniture. You see, this stereo cabinet used to be under the window. After Percy jumped up on it about 6 times to see out the window, we decided to make some changes. So we moved the stereo here...

and we put the couch under the window. To our surprise, we like the new arrangement. And Percy loves the view out the window. As you can see, the cabin still needs to be finished but we enjoy being here.

On Saturday we put the boat in the water, and took Percy on his first boat ride around the lake.

When we got back to our dock, we had a great surprise. Jeff and Whitney were sitting on the dock - and Aaron and Graham were waiting in the cabin.

It was great fun having them up for the weekend. We played card games, ate good food, and spent a lot of time just relaxing.

The worst part of the weekend is saying goodbye. I can't believe how fast the time went. It seems like we can't wait for a holiday to come, and then before we know it, it's over.

I want to hold on to the weekend - to keep my kids here, to stay at the cabin with Craig... but that's not reality. We all have jobs to go back to, and my kids have their own lives to live.

So instead of holding on to the weekend, I will hold on to the precious memories, and hold on to the One who never leaves.

Thanks, God, for this weekend...for the freedom we enjoy in the US that we celebrate on July 4th...for family and friends...and for Your presence with me always.

Inspired to Create, part 2

2011-06-25T16:25:00.000-05:00

I don't consider myself to be a particularly creative person, because I have a hard time coming up with ideas on my own. But I can copy/modify other people's ideas.
Here are some more cards I made, based on the pattern of a card I made at the Stamp-A-Stack class.

It's pretty easy to make multiples of a car style, once I figure out what I'm doing.

Here's another project I made after seeing the idea on a blog called Tatertots And Jello. There was a guest writer named Amanda, who also has her own blog. She made a message board from a tile.
Here's mine:

According to Amanda you can use a whiteboard marker to write on the tile, and it wipes off. I haven't bought a marker yet to try it on mine, but I like my tile just the same. I am just trying to decide if I want it setting on the counter like Amanda's or if I want to hang it on the wall. I bought a plate hanger which will hold the tile, so I might just hang mine in a handy place. (Sorry for the glare from the flash.
This was an easy and inexpensive project because I already had all the stickers (left over from scrapbooking). The tile cost $1.04 at Menard's. It's 8 x 10 inches. And the plate hanger was less than $3 at a hardware store. I probably could have picked that up at Menard's as well, but didn't know I needed it until later.

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I am so glad to be up at the cabin, partly because last time I was up here I accientally left my 100 Bible Verses book up here.
Today's memory verse is I John 1:7:
But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
What a wonderful verse to remember! The blood of Jesus cleanses me from all my sin. You can be cleansed too!
I peeked ahead, and the next verse is I John 1:9. Maybe I should just start working on memorizing the first chapter of I John!

Five Minute Friday: Wonder

2011-06-24T08:04:00.001-05:00

I wonder what my kids are doing today. Aaron is at work. I wonder what case he's working on. Is he happy to be at work? Is he content with his life? I wonder...
Carrie is probably still sleeping. Is it raining in Guatemala where she is today? I wonder what her plans are for today...
Is Jeff at work this morning? Did he and his crew get the truck all unloaded, and shelves stocked? Has he heard about his next position with the company? I wonder...
And what about Brenton and his family? They're probably just feeding the kids breakfast and making plans for this beautiful day. Are they enjoying their summer vacation? I wonder...
It's so good to know that God doesn't wonder what I am doing or thinking. He made me. The Bible says He knows my comings and goings, my thoughts, hopes, dreams. He even knows how many hairs are on my head! He cares about me. Wow!
He cares about my kids too. So, even though I wonder about how they're doing, I can rest in the knowledge that He KNOWS how they are, and He takes care of them.
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Want to read what others wrote about "Wonder"? Just go over to The Gypsy Mama.
You can join us in writing a Five Minute Friday blog too.

Inspired to Create

2011-06-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I wrote about the card class I went to, where I made 15 cards.
Last night I finally had a bit of time to get into my craft room and begin to make some cards based on the designs I got at the class.Before I could start stamping , however, I had to clear a space to work. That means trying to figure out where to put things. As much as I try to organize, it seems like I'm always out of space!
After clearing a space, it took a while to decide just which stamps to use and how I wanted my card to look. Then I needed to find paper to go with the design. So by the time I had everything figured out, and I was ready to assemble the cards, it was bedtime!
I stayed up a little later than usual, so that I could finish these two:

What do you think? I can't wait to get back to my craft room and keep going - I've got lots of ideas for cards now. I just have to remember them :)
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I have been struggling with my scripture memorzation lately - I've been letting other things get in the way, but here is the verse I've been working on :
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
How are you doing with putting God's Word in your mind and in your heart? There is NO better thing to put in your mind than the Bible. It will make you a better person, it will keep you spiritually healthy, and it will help keep your brain young. Let me know what verse you're feeding your mind today.

DIY Projects Now and Future

2011-06-17T09:23:00.000-05:00

I promised my daughter some pictures of what I'm working on now. Last weekend I picked up a couple of things at a garage sale:

I'm not sure what I will use the wooden pot for yet, but the price was too good to resist.
The black coffee table is going to become a window seat bench. I'll post an "after" picture once it's done.
Here are a couple more smaller projects:

My daughter started painting this canvas when she was home earlier this spring. She painted the stripes.

I have added the flags but the canvas needs a word or something else to complete it. Any suggestions?

I was inspired to make this frame after seeing this blog.http://themagicofordinarythings.blogspot.com/2011/05/farmers-market.html
I am trying out a few other colors, paper and embellishments on other frames. I'll try to put up some pics of those when they're done.
It was really my daughter, Carrie, who inspired me to get back to crafting. When she was home this winter we made many DIY projects together, shared ideas and talked about blogs we'd read that had ideas for crafts, decorating and recipes. I can't wait to see the projects that Carrie makes on her own, and to share ideas and inspiration with her in the future.

Being Creative

2011-06-17T08:13:00.001-05:00

Last night I went to Susan's house for a Stamp-A-Stack class. It was a wonderful evening of stamping cards. Susan and some other demonstrators had all the cardstock precut and packaged. They had stations for each card, and had examples of each step along the way to creating beautiful cards. When I left I took with me 15 cards that I had made. Here they are:

It was such a fun evening, made even better when I met a friend there that I didn't know was going to be there. We had fun making cards together, and talking about our families, etc.

I am inspired to go home and make more cards using these fun new patterns.

The First Week of Summer

2011-06-16T07:09:00.000-05:00

As I walk the quiet halls of school I realize that time goes by too quickly. Another school year is complete. Students and staff are off to their summer activities. And I have to admit that I feel left behind.
I remember this feeling from last year. And, thankfully, I remember that this first week of summer is always hard. It's hard to adjust to a new routine- getting up earlier to go to work, being by myself most of the day at work, and a slower pace.
I realize just now that part of the problem is that I'm alone at home in the evenings. So the days seem long when I'm alone at work. I miss the conversations with other staff during the day. I miss having students and parents coming and going through the office.
I know from past years that it takes at least a week to settle in, to find a new rhythm. I know that eventually I will come to a place where I am content with my days... and then a few weeks later school will start again and the noise and bustle around me will take some getting used to.
I remember when the kids were little, and they would be out of school for the summer. It would take them time to adjust to the new schedule too. They would be bored for the first week - because they didn't have someone (the teacher) organising their day or talking to them a lot.
So I need to be patient. I need to just make it through the first week or two and let myself adjust. I need to plan times to be with others, and time to just slow down and be with God. I need to be thankful for the summer, and remember that fall will come so quickly I will wonder just where the summer went.

Lesson #3 from my dog

2011-06-06T13:21:00.000-05:00

What we want is not always what's best for us.

We are up at the cabin. Percy is looking out the window and whining. He was just outside a few minutes ago so I know he doesn't need to go out. But he wants to go. He wants to be able to run free outside, to follow the scents of squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits and even deer. He wants to chase the birds.

But we know that we can't let him run. Why? Because he might run so far through the woods that he wouldn't be able to find his way home. Because he might get into poison ivy. Because we have bald eagles in our neighborhood, and he isn't much bigger than a big rabbit- and would probably look like one to an eagle. Because there are cars on the road that might not see him in time to stop.

We know things he doesn't. It is for his safety that we keep him on a leash. Because we love him, and would be heart-broken if anything bad happened to him, we keep him inside at times.

God doesn't keep us on a leash, but He does watch over us. He knows what we don't know. And sometimes I think He says no to our prayers because He knows that what we're asking for wouldn't be good for us. He patiently teaches us that His way is best. He protects us even when we don't ask Him.

We keep Percy inside and don't let him run free, but God lets us run when we want to go. He doesn't force us to follow His plans for our lives. He has given us free will. we are bound by time and space. We can only see the things right around us right now. But God isn't bound by time or space. He is everywhere, so we can never run away from His presence. Psalm 139: 7- 12 says
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

So even when we run, He sees where we are going, and He watches over us, waiting for us to come back to Him, protecting us even as we run.

We give Percy rules and boundaries because we love him. God gives us rules and boundaries because He loves us more than we can ever comprehend.

Five Minute Friday - Every Day

2011-06-03T15:33:00.000-05:00

Every day I start off the day with prayer. I thank God for another day. I praise Him. I pray for my family, and others who come to mind. I ask Him to forgive me for my sins, and to help me throughout the day to let His light shine through me.
And then every day I fail. I go to work, and I let the crabbiness of coworkers steal my joy. I react instead of responding in love. Every day I am selfish, proud, and greedy. I worry instead of trusting.
Thankfully, God's mercies are new every morning. Praise God!

Memorial Day

2011-05-31T20:36:00.002-05:00

Yesterday on Memorial Day Craig and I watched a documentary film on TV called, The Conscientious Objector. It told the story of Desmond Doss, a medic in the army during WWII, who was a conscientious objector. He went in to the army willingly, but made it known going in that he would not carry or fire a weapon of any kind. It was against his religious beliefs to kill or injure another person.
I was so impressed by this man's faith. He was ridiculed during basic training. Other men threw their boots at him as he prayed by his cot at night. His superiors tried to have him kicked out of the army. But he never once gave in. He said that he knew if he compromised his faith once, he would have to compromise again and again. He even asked for a pass each Friday to leave the base to celebrate the Sabbath, even after he was told that he could not get one ever again. Desmond just continued to put God first in his life.
The story goes on to tell about how his troop saw action in Guam and Okinawa, and how all the men in his troop gained such respect for him because he cared so much for them - even the ones who had taunted him or threw their boots, or tried to get him kicked out. He was not afraid to go into battle to try to help a wounded man.
His company came to respect and love him so much, that one time his superior delayed an attack so that Desmond would have time for devotions and prayers. Another time Desmond lost his Bible during a battle, and the men in his troop, knowing how much it meant to him, risked their lives to find his Bible. Finally, there was a specific battle where he saved 75 men during heavy combat. He said that he just kept praying, "Lord, let me help just one more."
Even when Desmond got wounded himself he kept trying to help others. He gave up his litter (the cot he was being carried on) for another man who was more seriously wounded.
For his bravery, he earned the congressional medal of honor- one of only 3 conscientious objectors to ever receive that honor.
His story really made me stop and think. Do I really live what I believe? How much do I love Jesus? Am I willing to endure ridicule and more? Do the people around me know what I believe?
I want to be like Desmond Doss. I want my beliefs to affect how I live. I want to be faithful to God all the time.
I am so thankful for the men and women in our military, who are there defending our freedoms, and fighting so that others might be free. I say thank you to them, and to their families!

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In my Bible memorization using the book, 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart as a guide, I have come to a section called "Promises: Verses to Stand On."
The first verse is Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
The author of the book takes time to talk about the whole passage, Matthew 6:19-34. He says that it talked about the sin of worry. I am going to take some time to meditate on this passage, since I have trouble with worrying.
He ends this section with a quote by Charles Spurgeon, a paraphrase or sorts of Matthew 6:33:
Seek ye first the Lord, and then He will provide for you everything that is profitable for you in this life and He will crown it with everything that is glorious in the life to come.
What a wonderful promise!!
Won't you memorize Matthew 6:33 with me today?

Lesson #2 from my dog

2011-05-28T15:47:00.000-05:00

This spring we fenced in our back yard so that Percy can be out there and move about freely. It's a large space. There are lots of trees. I couldn't wait to let Percy out there so that he could explore. I figured that I would let him out the sliding door in the dining room and he would be happy out there for a long time.
I also hoped that in the mornings I could let him out the door to do his business while I got ready for work, and I wouldn't need to walk him unless I wanted a walk.

So far, it hasn't really gone like I hoped.

Percy likes being out int he back yard - if someone is out with him. Not alone.
When I am outside cutting the grass, or working in the garden, it is nice to have Percy out there with me. He will find a place to lay or sit where he can see me, and still watch the neighborhood.

But when he is out there alone, he mostly stays along the fenceline, watching anyone in the neighborhood, wanting to get out. He doesn't relax, but keeps moving around the fence. Or he stands at the door, barking for me to let him in.

Is that the way I live my life? Instead of enjoying what I have, do I spend most of my time wishing I had things others have?

Am I only looking at how green the grass is on the other side of the fence, instead of enjoying the beauty of my own yard?

Do I stay at the door of my life, wanting to go back (inside) where it's safe, instead of exploring, going out into the world?

Lesson #1 from my dog

2011-05-25T09:20:00.001-05:00

I know you read the title of this blog and probably thought I was going to write on learning about unconditional love - how Percy is always happy to see me and be with me, even when I've left him alone all day.
While I have learned that, that's not what I want to write about today.

Every day Percy and I walk 2-3 times. I have one of those retractable leashes and a harness for Percy. Here's what happens:
Percy runs in front of me until he runs out of leash. Occasionally he stops and waits for me. But more often, he turns to the side and begins to explore. So I pass him up and usually end up pulling on the leash or calling him. Then he runs in a circle around me, and runs out in front again. Sometimes he sees another dog and begins to bark and act really aggressive towards the other dog. At other times he sees a bird, or a bunny, or something else that interests him and he takes off running in that direction, and almost pulls my arm off - straining at the leash to go as far as he possibly can. We have begun to work on having him walk beside me, but we have a long ways to go with that training.
Here's what I realized: I am often like him in my relationship with God. I should be walking alongside Him, following His lead. But more often than I want to admit, I am running ahead, or taking off to the side after my own desires, or running circles around Him impatiently. Sometimes I even snap at people around me. At the very least, these actions make me exhausted. I'm running and running, but not really getting anywhere. Occasionally I think God even says, "So you want to go that way? Okay. It's not where you should go. It's muddy there, and full of thorns (or ticks), but if you're determined to make your own way - go ahead." I know God doesn't have me on a leash. I have free will to make my own decisions, determine my own path. But when I don't let God lead, I probably won't go on the path where He wants me to go, the path that is best for me, the path that He has specifically planned just for me.
Just as Percy needs to learn to obey my commands, and to follow my lead when we walk, I need to learn to listen to God's voice, to obey His Word (Ps.119:11 - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path), and to follow Him.

Quick Trip

2011-05-22T16:18:00.000-05:00

This weekend Craig had to deliver a load up in Duluth, so Percy and I met him in Forest Lake. We left the car there, and rode with Craig. We stayed in the truck overnight at a truck stop in Cloquet. It rained on and off all weekend. Fog rolled in just before dark and stayed all the next day. It reminded us of times we were camping in the rain when the kids were growing up. Every time we took Percy for a walk we needed to wipe him dry, and the truck smelled like wet dog for about an hour. We took our shoes and coats off in the cab before going back to the sleeper so that it stayed dry back there.
There was road construction going in to Duluth, and we wondered if we'd be able to find the place where we needed to deliver the load - but Craig drove right to it. It was close to Lake Superior, but we couldn't see the lake because of the fog.
After unloading we did find some rocks to climb before heading back to the Twin Cities.

Craig needs to be down in St. Paul tonight to get the trailer washed out, and he'll be leaving from there in the morning. It was so nice to be able to be together this weekend, even if it meant staying in the truck and walking Percy in the rain and fog.

Percy did a great job riding in the truck. He sat on my lap most of the time, but he slept on one of the seats for most of the night while we slept on the bed in the sleeper. I can see more trips together in the truck in our future!

One more note- we got back in town just as the storms hit. After eating at Davanni we walked in to CUB Foods to buy some groceries and a manager there said we'd have to go back by the freezer and wait because there was a tornado warning. We decided to leave without groceries because Percy was out in the car. After watching the sky for a while it was apparent that the worst of the weather had already passed by. I guess the spring storm season is here.

God Hears Us

2011-05-21T09:01:00.000-05:00

This morning as I walked Percy I listened to a sermon on my iPad by Matt Chandler from Village Church. He has preached a whole series on the book of Habbakuk, and I was listening to the 2nd sermon in the series.
The message was simple and profound. God hears us when we pray, and He responds.

Such a simple message, but one that I haven't really heard deep down in my soul.

I have always known that God hears prayer. I have memorized the BIble verses that talk about it, most recently these verses from I John 5:
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

But I have still wondered if He hears my prayers. I feel at times like my prayers don't make it farther than my own bedroom. I must not have enough faith, or know enough about God, or are good enough, or maybe I'm not praying the right things or spending enough time praying.

Matt Chandler showed me from scripture that it really doesn't have anything to do with me. It's all about God. (And really, all of life is really all about God!)

Matt talked about Habbakuk, who was wondering why God was allowing things to happen. And God responds. Matt shared other examples from scripture - God heard baby Ishmael's cries and responds. He heard the cries of His people in the wilderness, even though they didn't believe He was taking care of them. There are lots of examples in the Bible - or normal, human, sinful people who cried out to God, and He heard them. He heard them, and responded.

Because He is God.

Do you hear the message for you and me?

God hears my prayers, and He hears yours. The Bible says he knows our thoughts, He knows how many hairs we have on our heads, He knows us intimately. And He loves us. So He hears our prayers and responds.

Are we listening for His response?

Or are we only listening for the answer we want to hear?

Rest today in the knowledge that you don't need to be a theologian, or a pastor, or a missionary, or some super spiritual person in order for God to hear your prayers.

He hears every prayer you pray. And He responds!

Five Minute Friday - When Seasons Change

2011-05-20T09:05:00.002-05:00

It's time to write for five minutes - no editing, just putting thoughts to print.

So here goes....

When Seasons Change

Last night I went to my grandson's baseball game. I watched my son coach the team, encouraging the boys, pitching to the team, and picking up equipment afterwards. I watched my grandson play pitcher, and later first base, catching everything thrown to him, hitting the ball way into the outfield, arguing about calls, totally into the game. While the game was going on I also watched my younger grandson - picking dandelions, playing by the bench with the extra equipment, drinking his brother's gatorade. I watched the other parents sitting on the bleachers, cheering on their boys, pushing babies in strollers, and visiting with each other.

I remembered years of baseball when I was the mom - with a child on the field, and others playing nearby. I remember, as if it was yesterday, trying to watch and remember each play my son made, while also keeping tabs on the other 3, and also visiting with friends. I remember helping my husband make up the batting order when he coached our kids, bringing snacks for the team, keeping score during the game, and praising my kids for all the great things they did.

How the seasons change... now I'm the grandma, enjoying the game but somehow removed from the action. And I miss it! But I know that I need to enjoy this new season - a bit slower paced, with time to just enjoy my grandchildren instead of all the busyness of schedules, clothes, meals, practices, and responsibilities of being a parent. And so I will embrace this new season!!

Great recipe

2011-05-19T13:20:00.002-05:00

I found a dessert recipe over at Joy's Hope that was so easy to make, and everyone at work absolutely loved it. The recipe was for mini tarts, using sugar cookie dough for the crusts, and CoolWhip and cream cheese for filling. You can get the recipe and see pictures here. I did make one small change - I added a drop of vanilla to the filling. A friend suggested adding almond flavoring instead of vanilla, and that sounds yummy too.
So, if you want to make a dessert that looks like a million bucks and tastes great, but is acutally simple to make, try these fruit tarts.
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More from my lists of 1000 gifts:
105. The smell of freshly cut grass
106. Putting the dock in the water announces the arrival of spring, and the promise of summer
107. my beautiful daughter, on her wedding day, who absolutely sparkled with happiness
108. 8 hours of sleep just makes me ready for the new day
109. our new fence; seeing Percy enjoy the freedom to run and explore without having to worry about him running away
110. sunshine after a week of clouds. The sky looks just so blue!
111. new friends

ABCs I Adore

2011-05-16T12:00:00.002-05:00

M, N, and O. What things do you like that start with these letters?M is for music. I like lots of kinds of music - classical, classic country, piano, male quartets, show tunes, Christian contemporary and hymns. It amazes me that people can write such beautiful music and that new tunes continue to be written. How do composers write all the parts for a song? I recently bought an ipod, and now I can enjoy my favorite tunes no matter where I go. It's awesome!
I love looking at the night sky, especially when I'm up at the cabin. It is so beautiful, it is so vast and the stars are so plentiful that it would be hard to count them. I have never liked night time: when I was growing up I told me mom that sleeping was a waste of time. As I have gotten older I have come to appreciate night time as a time of rest, and I love the beauty of the moonlight, the twinkling stars, and the Milky Way. Another N word that just has to be listed here is neighbor. We have a great neighborhood, friends who are there to help each other. I feel so safe when Craig is gone because I know my neighbors are watching out for me.
O is for orange pineapple juice. I love to have it on the rocks. I would also love to live by the ocean. Each time I have visited my relatives in Bellingham, WA I have spent time on the beach watching the ocean waves, checking out tide pools, and listening to the special sounds of the ocean.
I'm over half way through the alphabet. It's fun to think about my favorite things in this way, and I am thankful to God, the magnificent Creator that He is, for giving me so many wonderful things to enjoy.

Wedding DIY projects

2011-05-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

Carrie and I made several decorations for her wedding. We had a lot of fun browsing DIY blogs to find ideas, shopping for supplies, and making the projects. Do you like them?

We bought cheap wooden frames, spray painted them red or black, made balck and white copies of her and Mardo, and mounted the pictures on scrapbooking paper or sheets of music before putting them in the frames. There was a picture for every table at the reception.

A second project was making books to have on the table for the guests to write notes to Carrie and Mardo. We bought inexpensive journals, covered them with black/white patterned scrapbooking paper, and decorated them.

Our third project was macthbox favors filled with chocolates at each place setting. We used a die cut from Stampin' Up to cut out the boxes. We filled the boxes with Hershey's Nuggets. They were a definite hit at the reception - it's hard to get chocolate like that in Guatemala.

Our fourth project were these flower cones decorating the aisle at the wedding. We bought patterned (embossed?) wallpaper at Menard's, cut it into 8.5x9 inch rectangles, spray painted them silver, and rolled them into cones. We used silver ribbon to hold them together and hang them from the chairs.

Our final project was designing a program for the wedding. You can see a picture of it at http://www.keelyjoyphotography.com/blog/
We used a stamp set from Stampn' Up.
The red and black theme for the wedding was fun to work with, and turned out so pretty. Don't you think?

Mother of the Bride

2011-05-14T10:58:00.000-05:00

A week ago we were in Guatemala for our daughter's wedding. We traveled together with our sons and daughter-in-law, and our daughter's good friend to meet Carrie and her maid of honor in Antigua, Guatemala. We had been planning this journey for a long time.
Five years ago Carrie fell in love with Guatemala. She had gone there for spring term with Bethel University. She had been stuying spanish all through junior high, high school and college and was anxious to try speaking in a spanish speaking country. I encouraged her to go, wanting her to have many experiences in college, not realizing that Guatemala would steal her heart.
That first trip led to three more, and finally to a job teaching in a bi-lingual school there. Two years ago she met Mardo at a church there. After dating for a year she invited him to visit Minnesota, and they came home. We enjoyed getting to know Mardo, and soon realized that Mardo would probably become a member of our family. Mardo came again at Christmastime, and shortly after the new year he asked Carrie to marry him.
So for the last 4 months we have been planning a wedding, and our trip to Guatemala. Carrie and I spent many hours talking, planning, shopping, and making things for the wedding. I soon realized that as mother of the bride, my main role was to listen to Carrie. It wasn't my job to make decisions about the wedding but to help Carrie sort through her dreams, see her options and give her alternatives. I'm not sure that I was always successful in being a good listener, but I tried. I tried to be there to give a helping hand, but not take over.
Two weeks before the wedding Carrie left for Guatemala, to finalize details there. After she left I finished programs and decorations, packed her wedding dress, and made final plans for the rest of the family to travel there. On May 2 we boarded the first of 3 airplanes to travel to Guatemala. After traveling all day we arrived in Guatemala City. Carrie met us at the airport and the wedding week began.
As mother of the bride my job that week was to support Carrie, and to be the liaison between her and the rest of the family. Since spanish is the language spoken in Guatemala, and Carrie was the only one in our family who could really speak spanish, she had the additional burden of interpreter for all of us. I think it was very stressful for her as she tried to coordinate some activities for us to do and also do all the little things that need to be done in the last days before a wedding. There were a few moments of frustration for both of us, and a few tears, but when wedding day came it was forgotten. Carrie was ready to get married, and it was a day of happiness, peace, and joy. I am so thankful for a moment alone with her as we walked to the market early that morning to buy roses to decorate the aisle. I loved just being with her.
In the hours before the wedding I helped Carrie get dressed. I decorated the reception tables, and put the flowers down the aisle for the wedding. I tried to just be there for Carrie, to smooth out wrinkles and take care of details so that she could focus on just getting herself ready.
And when the ceremony started I sat back and enjoyed the wedding. My doughter was a beautiful bride, and Mardo was so happy to be marrying her. I know that he will love her, cherish her, and take care of her and I am happy for them both.
I have now exchanged my "mother of the bride" role for a new role - "mother-in-law." It is one that I am familiar with, since my oldest son has been married for 9 years. I welcome Mardo as another son, and look forward to a richer future as our family continues to grow. I look forward to being my daughter's friend more than being mom, and realize that my greatest responsibilities continue regardless of whether I am mom, mother of the bride, or mother-in-law: to love my children and to pray for them always.

ABCs I Adore

2011-04-27T21:48:00.000-05:00

It's time to write about J, K and L and things I adore.
Last weekend was Easter, and we spent a lot of time thinking about the gift of eternal life we were given because Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again. So J is for Jesus. He is my friend, my shepherd, my advocate before the Father, my teacher, my Saviour. As I spend more time memorizing Scripture I am learning more about Jesus and my soul rejoices within me. It really does!
K is a bit harder. When my boys were growing up they might have said that they love Ketchup - we went through bottles and bottles of the stuff. But I think I will say that I adore kisses. I remember those soft little baby kisses when the kids were tiny and they'd softly press their little lips to my cheek. I've gotten some wet doggy kisses from our dogs over the years - and now from Percy. I love the kisses get from Craig when he comes home from a week on the road. And I can't move on without mentioning Hershey's Kisses. My favorite is the dark chocolate kisses!
The letter L has to stand for Library. My mom was a children's librarian. We always had lots of books around, and she instilled a love of reading in me. I loved going to work with her, and my first job in high school was as a shelver in a public library. I recently visited the new Maple Grove library and I was so disappointed. It just not feel or look like a comfortable place to settle in after finding a good book. I'llhave to find another library to go to from now on.
So those are my ABC favorites for this week. What are your favorites for J, K and L?

Good food, good times

2011-04-23T20:22:00.001-05:00

Craig is home and we're having fun cooking together. Here's what we had for meals today:
Breakfast - raspberry pancakes

I used Hungry Jack pancake mix but mixed some raspberry jam into the batter. I made the batter kind of thin because we like thin pancakes. They turned out super good!

Lunch: Craig had a grilled salmon salad sandwich- his own concoction. He started with a can of salmon, mixed in mayo that has olive oil in it, added onions, pickles, and green olives. He put that on our electric fry pan to make a kind of salmon pattie. It browned nicely and got a crisp outside. While it was cooking he buttered a hamburger bun, put the salmon pattie on, added spinach leaves and pepperjack cheese. He loved it.
I made myself a grilled tuna sandwich - since I'm not a big salmon fan.

Supper: country pork ribs from the crockpot, hash browns with onions, grilled asparagus, and french baguette bread right out of the oven.
For the ribs I bought country pork ribs. I put them in the crock pot this morning along with 1/2 onion (chopped) and 4 cloves of garlic. I poured Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce all over, and turned on the crock pot. The ribs simmered all day, and the meat fell off the bones. It was sooooo good!
We cooked the asparagus under the broiler. First I washed the asparagus and cut about 1/2 inch off the bottoms. Then I laid them on a cookie sheet and brushed them with olive oil. Next I sprinkled them with garlic pepper. Craig added some Garlic Garlic (from Tastefully Simple) to make sure there was enough garlic! We put them in the oven on the top shelf and broiled them, turning often, until they started to brown and they were tender.

For dessert we split a piece of apple pie. What great meals today and it was fun to cook together. Our kitchen is kind of small for two cooks, so we kind of dance around one another. Percy came often to see what we were doing and to clean up any crumbs.
I can't wait till tomorrow to do some more cooking together. We're having the kids over for burgers on the grill and cheesy hashbrowns.
What's your favorite meal to make?
_____________________________________________________________________
97. Seeing an eagle in the sky on the way home from work
98. BLT's for supper
99. kettle chips
100. A snow day = no school
101. Electricity
102. soft chocolate chip cookies
103. The ability to memorize Scripture
104. Being able to stay in my warm fuzzy robe all morning.

Do you have peace?

2011-04-22T08:19:00.000-05:00

The Bible verses I have been learning in the past few days have all talked about peace. This peace is something I really need right now, with my daughter back in Guatemala, my husband on the road, my oldest son out of work, and my dad's health declining.

The Merriam-Wesbter Dictionary defines peace like this:
1: a state of tranquillity or quiet:
2: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
3: harmony in personal relations
4a : a state or period of mutual concord between governments b : a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity
5—used interjectionally to ask for silence or calm or as a greeting or farewell

4 of the 5 definitions have to do with relating to others. The Bible verses I have been memorizing, however, are about having peace within one's self. I like how Robert Morgan describes it in talking about Isaiah 26:3(p. 98, 100 Bible Verses everyone should know by heart):

The word shalom (Hebrew for peace) means more than a cessation of conflist. It conveys the idea of wholeness, quietness of spirit, safety, blessing, happiness of heart.

Doesn't that sound like something to pursue in your life?

Isaiah 26:3 says that God will keep us in perfect peace. This peace, this wholeness, quietness of spirit and happiness of heart only comes from Him. In John 14:27 Jesus says, "Peace I leave you. My peace I give to you."

So if Jesus gives us peace, why don't we always feel it? Because there is something we have to do. Go back to Isaiah 26:3 and keep reading. God says that He will keep us in perfect peace IF I keep my mind on Him. Jesus says in John 14:27 "Your heart must not be troubled or fearful."

How do I keep my mind on God? Deuteronomy 6:6,7 tell me how - by putting God's Word in my heart, repeating it, meditating on it. The more I fix my thoughts on God and His Word, the more peace I will experience in my heart. Robert Morgan says that we need to "manhandle anxious thoughts, turning them forcibly toward Christ and making our minds stay on Him."

I know that this is true from my own life. When I allow anxious thoughts to take over, I do not have peace. But when I stop and pray, and remember God's promises, and meditate on His Word rather than on my own anxious thoughts, peace comes. It's not easy, but it is worth the effort.

How about you- do you have peace?

My daughter, my friend

2011-04-20T21:47:00.002-05:00

Today my daughter, Carrie, left to move back to Guatemala. She's been home since Thanksgiving Day, and so the house feels rather empty tonight. I can hear the echos of her laughter, almost hear her talking to Mardo on the phone (which she did every night!) I see her sitting in the craft room working on a project, or at the dining room table using the laptop.
So I think back to all the fun times we had while she was home:
Trying new recipes...some, like wanna be pf changs lettuce wraps, turned out great. Others, like stroganoff, weren't quite as good.
Going to Stages Theatre with Stephanie and Izzy.
Eating at Olive Garden, Panera, Noodles, and Don Pablos
Shopping the occasional sales in Buffalo
A girls' weekend at the cabin - just her and I- we got a lot of scrapbooking done!
Shopping the thrift stores
Walking Percy and talking
Going to Michaels and Archivers to get supplies for wedding projects
MaryBeth Carlson concert in December
Cleaning the house together before Christmas, and other times
Challenging each other in step aerobics with the Wii
Eating Carrie's homemade popcorn together
Looking at DIY blogs together
Making our word plaques, and magnet trays, and flower headbands, and glitter candles, and jewelry boards Going to stamping class together twice
Buying her wedding dress, and going to the fittings with her
Watching the grandchildren play at the New Brighton playland together
Talking late at night, when she was in her bed and I was in mine
Having our own stamp class here, and Carrie's friend Marni joined us
Shopping at Target
Planning meals for the week together
Going to Rosedale to look for my dress for the wedding
Watching HGTV
.......................and much more!
I have so many good memories from the last 5 months because we spent so much time together. We talked, we laughed, we cried, we shared. I am so thankful for these memories, this very special time with my daughter.
It is time for her to begin the next chapter of her life, to get married and have her own home. I know that I must let her go. I am confident that she is ready for this new season of life. And I have even more confidence in God, her Heavenly Father, that He will continue to watch over her, to provide for all her needs, to help her in ways I cannot, to love her with His perfect love.
I can't promise that I won't have any tears, but I know that this is the right time, the right thing for her to do. So I will pray for her (and Mardo). I will write to her, call her occasionally, think of her all the time, cherish the special memories, and thank God for her - my daughter who is also my friend.

________________________________________________________________
It's been a while since I've shared some of my 1000 Gifts... so here are a few more gifts/blessings in my life:
90. Brenton, Aaron, Jeff and Carrie - gifts God gave specifically to Craig and me
91. Frost on the street in the early morning that sparkles like glitter
92. Going to Fleet Farm to buy 10 gallons of motor oil for Craig because it's on sale - and getting the last 10 gallons they had.
93. Being able to walk outside without a hat or mittens
94. Kettlekorn and pineapple orange juice on the rocks
95. An email from my brother, letting me know he and his family are okay (they live in Japan)
96. Supper with a friend

The ABCs I Adore

2011-04-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

Last week I shared my favorite D, E, and F things.
I feel a little like singing the song from Sound of Music...
"Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens.....
Brown paper packages tied up in strings,
These are a few of my favorite things!"

Today I am thinking about G, H and I.
Let's see...girafes? No. The color gray? Definitely Not!!!
Green grass? A possibility, especially today when it's covered by snow in the middle of April.
But I think my favorite G today is grapes. I love green grapes and red grapes. I love grape jelly. Grape juice has always been my favorite kind of juice. My grandpa grew grapes and grandma made grape jam and wine from the grapes. So G is for grapes.
Next comes H.
Today H will be for hymns. I grew up in a Baptist church where we sang hymns every Sunday. My dad sang in the choir, and loved to sing hymns. I don't think I really appreciated the words of hymns when I was young, but I have learned that they are so rich, so good for teaching and learning about God. My favorite hymn of all is Blessed Assurance (You can listen to it here.)

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.
Heir of salvation, purchase of God.
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story,this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song.
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

The letter I has to be for ice cream. I remember going to 31 Flavors as a child, a very special treat. We also went on special occasions to Bridgeman's Restaurant, and they were known for their delicious ice cream. My favorite there was german chocolate. Another fun place to go was Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour.
These days my favorite ice cream shops are up by the cabin (Sweets N Such, Owls and Things, Happy's) where I love to get french silk chocolate. I'm not a big fan of blizzards, or mixtures from Coldstone. I don't like lots of stuff in my ice cream. Put some hot fudge and peanuts on top, however, and I'll be your friend forever!

What are some of your favorite things?

Five Minute Friday

2011-04-15T19:23:00.001-05:00

On Distance.....
As I prepare to say goodbye to my daughter, who is moving to Guatemala next week, I realize that though we may physically be miles apart we will always be close because of love.

Today I picked up the phone and called her just as she was lifting the receiver to call me. This afternoon she called my cell phone just as I was getting into my contacts to call her. We hold each other close in our hearts.

Modern technology makes it easier to connect. We can call the landline, or use our cell phones. We can see each other as we talk if we use skype. There's always something special about getting a card, letter, or package in the mail. And when we pray for each other we are together in Christ.

She may be moving far away, but she will always be close to me because of our love for one another.

Some people feel alone even in a group of people because they feel that no one cares about them. They feel distanced from those around them. Love is the bridge that closes the gap and makes the distance melt away.

I am so thankful for the love of my whole family. Even when we're apart there's no distance between us.

Sunday Morning Reflections

2011-04-10T09:49:00.001-05:00

This morning Percy let me stay in bed until almost 7 AM. On weekdays we get up about 5:45 so that we can walk before I need to get ready for work. So sometimes on the weekends Percy still thinks we should get up early. 7:00 was a perfect time to get up and go for a walk.

When Percy and I left the house this morning, the first thing I noticed was worms. Worms everywhere! It had rained during the night, several times, and I guess the worms wanted to enjoy the rain. It means that spring has finally come after the long cold, snowy winter. I'm not one who loves worms, but I did appreciate the fact that if the worms are out it must be spring.

The second thing I noticed this morning was green. The grass is starting to turn green, and the evergreen trees looked greener. I guess everything outside appreciated a bit of rain.

As we walked I could hear the birds singing. I got warm in my coat, and realized that the breeze was not a cold breeze anymore. I don't need snowpants, boots, mittens, hat and scarf anymore. They are all getting cleaned and packed away this week!!

This morning has been a time of reflection. Just as the seasons are changing, so is life changing. Yesterday I was at my son's hockey game. I've been to thousands of hockey games in my life, with 3 boys playing hockey all through school. But this time I was at Brenton's game, sitting by his wife - and watching my grandchildren (Brenton's kids) runnng around. I remember keeping an eye on Carrie and Jeff as they ran around at Brenton's games years ago.

I thought this morning about how quickly life changes from needing shovels for snow to lawn mowers and rakes. Before I know it I will be moving sprinklers around the yard, weeding the gardens, and picking out flowers to plant.

I thought about the cabin, and wonder what it looks like there - is spring coming softly there too? It seems like we just took the dock out of the water and soon we'll be putting it back in, taking out the lawn chairs we put away last fall, and opening up the picnic house.

Carrie and I talked and planned last night. She has one week left at home before moving to Guatemala. I remember packing her up to go to summer camp; moving her to Bethel College her senior year; driving her to Indiana for the summer when she did an internship at a church there; moving her back and forth from college; taking her to the airport many times- to fly to LA for another summer, to go to Guatemala the first time, and the second, and the third, and the fourth... And so life changes once again as she moves there to marry the love of her life and begin her new life there.

This Sunday morning I am thankful for the changes, because they cause me to be more dependent on God.
He is with me to help me through life changes, and to use those changes to make me more like Him. Like the rain last night, which washed away the dirt of the winter and brought new growth, the Holy Spirit rains on me during times of change and brings new growth in my spirit.

I am also thankful that God never changes, as it says in Malach 3:6
"For I, the Lord, do not change "
and Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

During times of change I can look to Him, the unchangeable One, to be my anchor, my shelter in a storm, my Rock to cling to, my hope for the future.

Five Minute Friday

2011-04-08T14:49:00.002-05:00

If you met me...

You would see a middle-aged wife, mom, nana, and friend who tries to always have a smile on her face. I hope that you would meet the person that I want to be, that I try to be each day... someone who wants to share Jesus' love with others by listening, serving, and encouraging.

I'm not sure if you would get to know me well. I'm not always very good at sharing my inmost thoughts or giving of that very inner me. I am an introvert - so I do best when I have time to think things through and re-energize my batteries by myself.

I am good at helping others, but don't share of myself as much as I'd like. I am trustworthy, faithful, and loving....I'll just have to keep working at being more transparent, especially around family and friends.

This was my first Five Minute Friday - and it's harder than it looks, but fun too!

ABCs I Adore

2011-04-07T08:10:00.001-05:00

My daughter, Carrie, has started a weekly post about ABCs in her life, so I am joining her. It's fun to take some time to think about the things I like in my life. You can read my A, B, and C things here. Now it's time for D, E and F.

So, here I go.............................

Since Carrie already talked about DIY projects (which I love doing with her!) I will have to list these very special D's: my Dad, my Daughter, my Daughter-in-law, and my Dog, Percy.
I've also always wanted to learn how to dance, but haven't taken any lessons - yet. (Maybe that's why I like the movie, Shall We Dance?)

Percy at his "post" - watching the driveway at the cabin.

Egg salad is one of my favorite kinds of sandwiches. And lately I've been making Egg sandwiches that have been fantastic. You might ask, what's the difference? Egg salad is made by cutting (or mashing) hard boiled eggs, mixing it with mayo and/or onion and celery, throw in just a pinch of pickle relish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and maybe even a dash of mustard. Then spread on a piece of bread or a bun, add another piece on top, and enjoy. An egg sandwich can be made two ways - fry an egg, toast the bread and butter it, and put the egg on the toast. Or, hard boil an egg. Put mayo and lettuce on the bread (I've been using Deli thin sandwch bread) and slice the egg on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and eat.

Actually, I should just say that E is for Eggs. I like eggs fixed almost any way - in sandwiches, fried with hash browns, deviled eggs, Easter Eggs, etc.

That leaves me with F. I think I'll stay in the food category and say fries - I love McDonald's french fries. They're not the healthiest things to eat, but they sure taste good.
When Carrie and I were at Trader Joe's a while back we picked up some sweet potato fries. They are really good - and maybe a little bit better for me?

What are the ABCs you adore?

Packing for a new life

2011-04-06T07:58:00.000-05:00

My daughter leaves two weeks from today to move to Guatemala. One month from today she will be getting married. She and Mardo will be living in Guatemala for at least a year, and she will probably never live in our home again. In the past months we have had such fun together doing DIY projects, walking Percy, trying new recipes and cooking together, shopping, watching House Hunters and chick flicks, AND planning the wedding.
Now we are making lists of things that need to be finished or bought in the next two weeks. Carrie is going trough all her things and making decisions about what to take, what to keep, and what to give/throw away.
How do you decide what to keep when everything you want to take with you might need to fit in a suitcase? What do you do with the scrapbooks, yearbooks, pictures, etc. that you really do want, but can't take with you? How many pairs of shoes do you take if you're not coming home for a year? How do you pack a wedding dress to take on the airplane?
Carrie and I have done some of this decision-making before. She lived in Guatemala for two years while she taught at a school there. She came home about every six months and we would have a couple of weeks to cram in all the activities we like to do together. She would shop for clothes, shoes, and other things she couldn't get down in Guatemala. We'd pack , weigh, and repack her suitcases until we could get everything in that she needed.
Somehow this time feels different. And it is different.
She won't be finishing a work contract and coming home.
She is beginning a new season of life.
So what needs to go into her suitcases this time?
How do we pack up love, confidence, and encouragement? How do we fit in reminders of her roots, and leave room for wings for her to fly from our nest and begin her own?
So many questions - but I do have a place to start.... she will pack her Bible and her cell phone. In her Bible she can read about God's love. He can encourage her and guide her and give her so much more through His Word. And with her cell phone she can call home whenever she needs to hear from her family and friends here.
I'm sure there will be room in those suitcases for recipes, shoes, clothes, jewelry, a few picture frames for her future gallery wall, games, and other bits and pieces. I'll slip in all my love and prayers.
We'd better get packing!

Do you know the way?

2011-04-02T09:24:00.002-05:00

Thomas a Kempis said,
"Without the way, there is no going; without the truth, there is no knowing; without the life, there is no living."

Have you ever asked someone directions and after they gave them you still had no idea how to get there? So you wander for a bit on your own, and then stop to ask another.This cycle may continue until finally you've asked enough people and gone a long ways before you finally stumble upon your destination.
How much happier are you when you ask for directions, and the person says "Follow me. I'll take you there."

I have two important questions to ask you today.
Question #1
Do you know the way to heaven? We can know for sure that when we die we will be in heaven with God. Jesus says in John 14:6:
"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

And, in John 3:16 it says,
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting (eternal) life.

Also, in I John 5:11-12 we read,
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life. The one who doesn't have the Son of God does not have life.

We can know we are going to heaven if we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
He is the only way. And He says in John 14:2-3,
"In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receiv you to Myself, so that where I am there you may be also."

What a wonderful promise - and it's yours to claim if you have accepted Jesus into your heart. He is the way. He is the only way. But He does not leave us to stumble around in darkness, trying to get to heaven on our own. He's gone ahead to prepare a place for you and for me. And He's promised to come back and get us so that we can be where He is.
The Bible has many many more verses about the assurance of eternal life for those who believe in Him. (John 3:36, John 6:47, John 17:3, I John 5:13 to name just a few.)
Just remember this: there's only one thing you need to do to have eternal life: Believe. (See Romans 10:9 and Ephesians 2:8-10)

Question #2
If you already know you are going to heaven, are you a sign post for someone else, or a stumbling block?
As Christians we need to be pointing the way to Christ so that other's may receive Him. Are you somone who's coming alongside hurting, lost people and saying "Here, let me show you the way"? Does God's light so shine in you that others want to know more about Him? Or are you giving mixed messages, confusing people because your life and your testimony don't go together. You say you're a Christian but you don't live it.
As Christians we need to be sharing God's love with those around us, and pointing the way to Jesus - because He is the only Way.
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If you're joining my in my memory verse journey, the memory verses for this week are John 14:1-6. It is so powerful to memorize Jesus'words. Let them sink deep into your heart this week!

John 14:1-6:
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.
In my Father's house are many mansions; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you.
If I go away and prepare a place for you, I wil come back and recevie you to Myself; so that where I am you may be also.
You know the way where I am going.
"Lord'" Thomas said, "we don't know where You are going. How can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

April Showers Bring ....

2011-04-01T09:38:00.001-05:00

Today is the first day of April 2011. And just as the saying goes,
"April showers bring May flowers."
It is raining this morning. I hope the rain will wash away the rest of the snow and winter dirt. I hope that we will have flowers blooming by May.

At my house April showers are also bringing a May wedding. This Sunday there will be a wedding shower at my house, hosted by my wonderful daughter-in-law, Stephanie, and the shower is for my daughter, Carrie.

Carrie and Mardo will be getting married in May down in Antigua, Guatemala. Our whole family (except for our grandchildren) will be flying down to Guatemala for the wedding. I am so excited for Carrie and Mardo, to be starting this new chapter of their lives. I am also excited to be taking this "vacation" with all of my kids. We haven't done that in a long time.

April will also bring a few showers of tears. Carrie will fly down to Guatemala in two and a half weeks to finish wedding preparations. She and Mardo will be deciding on a place to live. This time when I take her to the airport I do not know when she will be coming back. It's much more permanent. I know that there will be some tears, but I am so thankful that I can trust God to continue to take care of her. I know that He is guiding her and Mardo, that they trust in Him. And He is worthy of our trust and our praise. So we will cry tears of sadness, and tears of happiness, and know that God keeps track of our tears (Psalm 56:8) and understands.

The ABCs I Adore

2011-03-31T08:28:00.001-05:00

My daughter, Carrie, posted this today. So I thought , "That's a good idea! I will post the ABC's I adore too."

April - the month that I can (finally) put away my long underwear and snowpants, and hear birds singing, see green grass peaking out, and maybe even glimpse some tulips growing!

My Boys - Brenton, Aaron and Jeff - and Jake and Andrew too.

C is my favorite letter because so many of my favorite things start with C... Craig (my husband and my best friend), Carrie (my daughter and my second best friend), the cabin - my favorite place to be, chocolate, Cherry Coke (like the double C?) and coffee (with Coffeemate Vanilla Caramel).

I have to add D - because of my dog, Percy. And I need to add my daughter-in-law too!

What are the ABCs you adore?

It's a dog's life at the cabin

2011-03-28T22:12:00.000-05:00

Percy loves being at the cabin. His favorite pasttime is looking out the window. But he's little, so he needs help.

This window is in the kitchen area. Percy can watch the driveway from here.

I found this stool at an occaional shop, and all I did was re-cover the cushion.

When Percy wants to look into the woods he goes to one of the windows in the family room.

I bought this bench at another occasional sale shop. It was originally a piano bench.I've added a cushion to the top, and the legs have been primed. When it gets warmer outside I will spray paint them a dark color.

Here's another window in the family room. I think this is Percy's favorite vantage point. From here he can see the squirrels playing in the oak tree, chipmunks running across the driveway, rabbits under the propane tank and anyone walking along the road.

I need to find a suitable bench for this window. Craig made the bench that is under the window right now out of barn wood. Percy needs a bit of help getting up onto it.

After a full day of running from window to window, jumping up and down on the benches, and keep track of everything that's going on outside the cabin, Percy is ready for bed.

Look at the heart

2011-03-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

A very good friend of mine gave me this heart for my birthday. I have it hanging in my cabin kitchen window.

This week God taught me something. He told me that I need to look past the surface of people around me and look at their hearts.

I work at an elementary school and it's so easy to be annoyed by some parents who call or come in and are pushy,rude, or needy. But God told me to look past that. I need to look at their hearts. These parents love their children. They want only the best for their children. They may not be very polite or even nice in articulating their needs. They may be demanding. They might not understand how a school works or what our limitations are. They might not even really know what's best for their child. But they do love their child.

I need to remember this. And when I do, my attitude towards these parents changes. And my change in attitude leads to a change in my actions. I can give more grace. I can be more patient, more helpful, more understanding.

How I react to people around me - not just at work, but everywhere I go - is a choice I make.

I must take responsibility for these choices I make each day.

And I must choose to look at the heart - and give grace.

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Memory verses: (Have you been learning some of these verses along with me? I hope so!)

I John 5:11-15

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

The one who has the Son has life.The one who doesn't have the Son of God does not have life.

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.

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79. Seeing 6 deer, but not hearing them. How do they move through the woods so silently?

80. Cheesy hashbrowns...not only are they delicious, but they bring back such good memories of family gatherings

82. Flowers delivered to me at work for my birthday, from my husband

84.Birthday pictures from my grandchildren

85. Having just enough money to pay the bills

89. The U.S. flag waving outside my window at work - it reminds me of freedoms we too often take for granted

The Cabin - our biggest DIY project

2011-03-26T13:48:00.015-05:00

Craig and I have owned our cabin since 1997. When we bought it it was partially finished. The sheet rocking was done, and the bathroom was done too. But there was no kitchen. And the cabin sat on posts, the underside exposed, which allowed little critters to get inside.
Over the years we've made quite a few changes and additions. It didn't always look like this.

First we finished the kitchen. (As you can see by the dishes in the drainer and the towel on the fridge, these rooms were not staged.)

We built a storage shed and a picnic house. We added decks to the cabin.

And then in 2004 we decided to put a basement under the cabin, and add a tuck under garage with a family room above it. (I'd had enough of the critters!) We had all the exterior work done by "professionals" and also hired an electrician and plumber.

But after they were done we decided to finish the interior ourselves. It's been a slow process, partly because we're trying to pay as we go, and because we don't have a lot of time to work on it. We don't want to spend every weekend working.

So last fall we hired a carpenter to finish our stairs.

Today I sit planning what our next project might be here at the cabin.

Craig and I do really enjoy working on it together. Read a little about that here.

It's funny, because when I am walking around the cabin, I see it as it's going to look when it's finished - not as it really is. Here's our partially finished family room. I see pine covered walls and ceiling, and carpeting on the floor.

Here's our partially finished bathroom. I see pine molding around the ceiling, walls that are painted, a beautiful mirror hanging above the vanity.

Sometimes I am impatient. I want to really see it finished, not just dream about it.

However, I have decided to enjoy the cabin now, to enjoy the process of finishing it. My husband says, "enjoy the train ride - not just getting to the station."

Thank you, God, for this cabin: this place of peace and beauty and dreams becoming reality.

More on Memorizing Scripture

2011-03-24T08:00:00.002-05:00

In my blog yesterday I talked about my journey - to recognize gifts, and to memorize Scripture. God's Word is a gift to each one of us... and it is a special gift because as we accept it and use it in our lives we are given more. It is a gift that keeps on giving.. it comforts, encourages, teaches, corrects, and instructs. Scripture helps us to know God better, and to know how we should live.

The verses I have been memorizing this last week are all about the Word:

2 Timothy 3:16: All Scrpiture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuke, for correcting, for training in righteousness.

Hebrews 4:12: For the Word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart.

Joshua 1:18, Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Psalm 119:11, Hebrews 4:16, I John 5:12-15

But here's what I have learned the most-

When I practice the verses I have been learning, I forget about myself.

Memorizing verses makes me want to memorize more verses.

As I think about the verses I am memorizing, I learn about God.

And I realize just how much I need Him - His mercy and grace, because I am such a sinner; and His daily presence within me, giving me strength, compassion, patience, love, and everything I need to become a little more like Him each day.

The Gift of a Snow Day

2011-03-23T09:25:00.002-05:00

At 5:30 this morning my phone rang. When I answered I listened to a recorded message from the school superintendent, announcing a snow day. No school today. A gift...a day off I hadn't planned. A day to make my own.

Percy still needed to be fed - he was on "school time" so he wanted breakfast at 6 AM and a walk afterwards. I woke Carrie up a little early, because her school was not closed today. (Poor baby!) Usually I am leaving as she is getting up. So I gave her a little gift - I made breakfast for her. She called when she got to work - it took her an extra 20 minutes to get there, but she made it safely. (Thanks, God!)

I have begun this gift of a day with a cup of coffee (sugar and vanilla caramel Coffeemate added, of course) and my Bible.

I have begun a journey of sorts - a journey with two parts. The first part is to memorize at least 100 verses. Read more about that here and in a future post.

The second part, which you can read about in a past post, is about becoming more aware of the gifts I have been given each day. It has been harder than I realized to put this thankfulness down on paper, to really identify the gifts. I have been on this part of the journey for almost a month and I only have 104 things written on my list of 1000 gifts. I think part of this is because I receive many of the same gifts each day and I don't want to list them twice. (Examples- my children, talking with my husband, food on the table, etc.) But I also think that recognizing gifts takes time - and I don't always want to slow down and savor the gift. I am in too much of a hurry to get done with my day.
So today's gift of time- time to be home, time to stop and think and pray- is also going to be a time of beginning to learn how to savor the gifts in my day. I am going to slow down my thoughts and appreciate the gifts - and thank the Giver:
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (God),with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. James 1:17
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63. new shoes that are good for my body (support) and are cute too
64. reading a blog online about hw God is healing Joanne
65. scrapbooking - creating beauty, preserving pictures and memories
67. the words, "In the bgeinning God..."
70. the internet, to watch and listen to one of Brenton's sermons
72. my husband is my best friend
75. the smell of pizza outside and italian restaurant
78. hearing a woodpecker