Happy Hearts Day!

Ah! It is Valentine's Weekend!  This is probably my favorite holiday.  Hubby thinks that that is odd, but I love to love, show love, and to be loved - who wouldn't?  I love the heart decorations - the sparkles - the sweet sentiments.  Even hubby is getting in on it ... he has been wishing me a Happy Valentine's Day all week :) 

Saturday morning - cleaning morning.  It is 9:45 and the trailer is clean and a batch of English muffins is about 1/2 done.  I did not go back to bed this morning when hubby left for the farm.  I guess I will have plenty of time to exercise, practice violin, and "primp" for a Valentine's Eve date.  The sunrise was beautiful on our freshly fallen snow this morning - this has been a tremendous winter ... it actually feels and looks like winter here in NC.  I think we got about 3-5 inches overnight!

Received my own "token for good" yesterday.  I had been very discouraged about my violin lessons.  My teacher turned to me yesterday at lessons and asked if I had played before starting lessons in September because I was progressing very quickly.  Wow!  A bit of encouragement to keep me going.  I am supposed to get my recital piece next week and will major on that!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and the Lord's Day!  Give God your love and devotion!

I John 4:19

We love him,

because he first loved us.

The little things

I am thankful for...

...the smell of laundry hung outside.

...cupboards - full and overflowing with provisions.
...an extra minute with my hubby in the morning before school.

...a Scripture chorus running through my mind all day.

...a great deal at the local discount store.

...an understanding ear.

...a hot cup of coffee on a cold day.

...a cold glass of sweet tea after working outside.

...family and friends far and near who pray and encourage.

...the sunshine warming my favorite reading chair on a cold morning.

...the fellowship and exhortation of a Biblical local church.
...the feel and smell of earth as its prepared for a garden.

...the love of an Almighty God for a sinner like me.

...the smell of freshly cut grass.

...the beauty of freshly fallen snow.

...the appearance of the first seedling of spring.

...the Bible which teaches, instructs, reproves, and corrects.

...health to do the things that need to be done each day.

...a hug that melts away the stress of the day.

...YOU!

Have a great day!

"In everything give thanks,

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus

concerning you."

I Thessalonians 5:18

Happy Anniversary!

It is my eighth anniversary today!  On Febrary 10, 2002, I was introduced to my future husband.  He had walked into the church that I attended about a month before and of course I was curious about this single sailor (he just figured that I was married), but it was not until this special Sunday night that we were finally introduced.  When I celebrate this anniversary, it always reminds me of the benefits of waiting for God's best.  Like many girls, I imagined myself falling in love in college and getting married soon after graduation.  That was not God's plan for me.  It was not until 5 years later that He would bring me my heart's desire.  It is easy to get impatient and I am the queen in that department, but "God always gives His best to those who leave the choice to Him."  Did you ever make a list of qualities that you were looking for in a future mate?  Yes, I did!  The funny thing is that I "wanted" a military man and a man in the ministry.  I guess I should have been looking for a Chaplain :)  God brought me a man in the military who within a year of marriage would have a heart to one day train for the ministry that God would show him. 

Chapter 14 of Created to Be His Helpmeet is entitled "Kings and Kingdoms."  The topic again is reverence for the "king" in your home.  Men were created to lead and all men have that opportunity to lead in their homes if no where else.  When I, as a wife, show proper reverence and love (not only in action, but in word and body language), my husband can rule with honor, with confidence and in turn with love for the ones who are encouraging him.  Though I respect my husband because he is a great leader, some wives must learn to respect the position and give reverence simply because it is the leader that God placed as head of their homes.  Elizabeth Elliot once wrote, "the very heart of reverence is extreme appreciation and profound thankfulness that this man, just as he is, has chosen to love me, just as I am."  I love that statement.  My husband CHOSE me out of all the women that he knew.  Wow!  He must think that I am pretty special and I can make myself more beautiful in my reverence and respect of him and his position.

I am excited to start the next study of 8 practical things from Titus 2 that God requires of a woman. 

Act like a queen today and think of some practical ways that you can encourage the king in your home today!

"A Token for Good"

It was a beautiful day yesterday.  I passed on the computer work and headed outside.  I finished turning over one of my small garden plots trying to get the leaves and compost mixed in well before the planting starts (in about 2 weeks).  I have to re-dig one of my plots because it was overrun with weeds.  That's not a lot of fun.  I have my "green house" started again with peppers, cabbage, and broccoli ...  the tomatoes and cauliflower will start by the end of the month!

... Today is a different story.  It is very gray with the promise of rain.  I plan to do some shopping this afternoon and then hit the computer and get creative (that is quite the task for me).  Typical morning exercise and violin practice coming after I finish writing.

Thinking on this verse recently:

Shew me a token for good; ...

because thou, LORD,

hast holpen me, and comforted me.

Psalm 86:17

I pray this verse often when I am discouraged or when my mind needs to be set on good things.  The verse reminds me to look around for those ways that the Lord is showing me His goodness each day.  They are there, large or small, to encourage me when I am down.  I saw one of those "tokens" this morning ... Are you seeing God's hand of goodness around you?  Open your eyes, because His goodness is all around us. 

Greeting Another Week

Good morning, blog friends!  I love that it is getting brighter earlier each day.  I have had my hot rice cereal and a BIG cup of coffee this morning.  My third load of wash is spinning in the washer and waiting for time outside on a 50* sunny day!  I just love bright days.  I am hoping that hubby wants to take a nice long walk this afternoon.  The snow is gone except for a few little "blobs" here and there that used to be cheery snow men.  The ground is slowly drying out.

Had a good weekend.  Saturday was a little on the dreary side, but I accomplished much in the house.  Sunday was a good day in the Lord's house with preaching on recognizing our citizenship in the Kingdom of God.  There is so much stirring around us that is distressing (the direction of our nation, growing apostasy in the church, indifference in society toward the things of God), but I must remember that "this world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through."  Did miss having hubby at church with me last night - he finally fell to a bad cold or the flu and did not want to pass anything to the other families in the church.

The lemon bars I planned to make Saturday night turned out well, though hubby preferred the whole wheat m&m cookies that I had baked already.  Actually, neither of us are overly fond of lemon - but the change just sounded good to me.  Have also been experimenting with my sweet tea.  I have been mixing sweet tea with pomegranate-cranberry juice ... YUMMY!  I like the little "kick" it adds.

Laundry today and then remake beds.  Going to plant some seeds inside as well.  Need to make bread, though it will be a little more "white" than I like because my bag of wheat flour is almost empty.  Need to mend another tie and hope to start making some worksheets/take-home papers for some Sunday School classes.  First one more load of wash on the line, a good workout, clean-up, and some violin practice.

Stay industrious in your realm today ... I have plenty to keep me busy, just have to stay disciplined to get it all done.

Just Drippy

This week, I have felt slightly like I have been back in the Pacific Northwest starting with an icy, slushy weekend and ending with rain upon rain upon rain.  The ground is just like a sponge and I am hoping for a beautiful week to dry out my garden spot so that it will be workable by the middle of this month - feels like wishful thinking right now.  At any rate, I will plant some seeds indoors at the beginning of next week and I look forward to watching the new life and enjoying the excitement of gardening again.

I am waiting on hubby to come home from work at the farm, he will be cold and WET!  It is days like this that he wishes he were working at a local fast food restaurant to supplement through school.  Dinner is in the crockpot - Chicken and Broccoli that we will serve over whole wheat noodles.  The house is clean and laundry mostly caught up.  It has been a bad week for drying, as I am trying not to use the dryer and only so many articles fit on the small drying rack at a time :)  Maybe I need to prepare a special dessert ... better get to it ... the latest Prevention magazine had a recipe for reduced calorie lemon bars that looked intriguing ... might try that.

Have a great Lord's Day tomorrow!  Rest and keep your focus on God.

Safety

Proverbs 22:31

The horse is prepared against the day of battle:

but safety is of the Lord.

I am thankful that the Lord has given us safety this week.  The Bible shows that we need to be wise, that we need to prepare for situations, but ultimately our safety is in the Lord's hands.  We have had some terrible downpours the past two weeks, have had some days of icy roads, and their have been a few mishaps at hubby's work that could have been worse than they were - I am thankful for God's protective hand.

"The Great Mystery"

It is "Womans Work Wednesday!"  I have hubby's work clothes in the washer and 2 additional piles of laundry awaiting their turn.  It is supposed to be sunny and mild, so I want to take advantage of the chance to hang things outside.  Church supper tonight, so I will be cooking up some homemade turkey soup - YUMMY!  Yesterday saw many accomplishments.  I got through my mending pile - 2 coats, 5 skirts, 2 ties, and a sweater ... Why do I wait so long?  At my brother's constant mention of homemade bagels, I attempted some on my own and they turned out very well (and were fun to make)!  Then I finished the taxes and e-filed last night - Until next January ...  Oh!  and I am learning a new position on the violin ... must keep plugging away.

Chapter 13 in Created to be His Helpmeet is entitled "The Great Mystery."

Ephesians 5:32-33

This is a great mystery:

but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular

so love his wife even as himself;

and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

This has been mentioned before, but my marriage relationship was designed to be a model of Christ's relationship to the church.  WOW!  How many people would want a relationship with Christ if they saw my home and marriage?  Is this why the church is not growing, why our soul-winning efforts are in vain?  Perhaps it is not just "our culture" but it is our disobedience to God and our poor example of His great love for us.  Am I obeying my husband?  Submitting to his desires?  Reverencing him by treating him with regard in ALL situations?

Ponder these quotes: "God entrusted to a man and his wife the opportunity, as a married couple, to be a living picure of this great mystery." (p. 127)  "A good marriage is good because one or both of them have learned to overlook the other's faults, to love the other as they are and to not attempt to change them or bring them to repentance." (p. 128)  "In today's churches, many women have failed to win their husbands because they have tried to be evangelists instead of wives." (p. 131)  "It is amazing how vulnerable a man is when a woman treats him with honor." (p. 133)

The commands in a marriage are very cyclical.  The husband is to love, the wife is to reverence and submit.  When my hubby shows me love, I can't help but submit and reverence.  When I show proper submission and reverence, he can't help but love.  A marriage can be transformed if one member decides to follow GOD"S PLAN for marriage.  Why not start with the person you see in the mirror?

Whom else would I trust in?

Psalm 73:25, 26, 28

Whom have I in heaven but thee?

and there is none upon earth

that I desire beside thee.

My flesh and my heart faileth:

but God is the strength of my heart,

and my portion for ever.

But it is good for me to draw near to God:

I have put my trust in the Lord God,

that I may declare all thy works.

My strength comes from the Lord. 

The seeming difficulties of life only draw me closer to Him. 

His power in my life is a testimony to the doubting world around me.

Weather Update:  The inclement weather avoided us last night and this morning.  There is still some "slush" in the forecast for later today, Thursday, and Friday.  Maybe "Phil" is right, we have some more winter on the way!

A Little Get-A-Way

Well, I am back after missing blogging for a week.  I feel more refreshed this week.  As I type at the dining room table, I look out our large sliding glass door and think that perhaps I am "on location" this week.  I sit with a large mug of coffee and look out upon a winter wonderlad.  There is even a faint, sparkly flurry in the air.  I am waiting for the flurries to end, so I can get my linens hung outside. 

On Friday and Saturday, NC got an abnormal snow and ice storm.  I would guess that we received about 6 inches of snow which was then covered with a layer of freezing rain.  Hubby had to miss work on Saturday.  We took our daily 4-5 mile walk down the middle of the streets which were covered with an inch or more of ice.  Services were cancelled at church yesterday.  When we went for a walk, the roads were clearing and the shoulders were getting slushy.  The temps are supposed to reach 49* today, so the melting should continue.  The forecast?  Freezing rainy tonight and tomorrow morning? 

It was nice to have 2 days with no pressing needs and no pressure to "go."  We enjoyed some internet messages yesterday.  One thought primarily stuck with me.  Psalm 119:126 "It is time for thee LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law."  The preceding verses speak of a servant of the Lord that knows and obeys the Word.  Though things around him are dismal and evil mounts, he focuses not on the evil, but on His reationship with God and leaves the difficulties in God's hands. 

Despite the cold weather, I made a seed order last week and planned out my square foot garden.  I am looking forward to a good year and this year I have the ability to can our surplus thanks to a generous Christmas gift of a pressure canner!  I will be starting some plants from seeds this week or early next week - broccoli, cabbage, peppers, and cauliflower!  All but the peppers will be a first this year. 

The flurries are abating and the sun is breaking through ... time to get the laundry outside and then a pile of dress shirts awaits the ironing board.  Have a great day, y'all!