A Fun Filled Friday

Last night we had three young men descend upon our home to stay for a conference our church is giving. Unfortunately some of the group had problems with flights and hubby and I decided to stay up to meet them and show them where they will be sleeping while they are with us.
Two of the young men are brothers and still in high school and will be with us until Wed. and the other fellow is a bit older, from Australia and will be staying with us for three weeks. Today I started off a little slower than normal due to the late night but once I got to my youngest girls house we began running errands. I could actually tell her I understood, in a limited way, how sleep deprivation is so hard on moms. Having a month old baby as well as a child with GERD who doesn't sleep all night has drained my girl of her normal energy. As we drove on our errands we just put on the Praise music and sang our hearts out and that lifted our spirits in a way nothing else can do.
Later this afternoon our oldest daughter had to take their 10 mos old in for shots so while dear hubby did wood working with their two boys I got to play with their puppy Lily. She was such a bundle of energy at 4 mos old but finally she tired herself out and dozed in the sun. I read and even closed my eyes a bit until my girl got home. Tonight we will be answering the door to give the children treats and then getting to bed at a reasonable hour; having said that I wouldn't change a thing about my day except maybe go to our church service tonight and sing some more worship songs.
What a glorious life! May you be blessed with those things that make you happiest.

Autumn

I love the simple life. I love the simplicity of the Amish and Mennonites and how they live their lives without getting caught up in the world around them. I tried to post a picture from Webshots but it wasn't showing up so I've removed the link to Webshots. However the picture was pumpkins and also hay made into the figure of a horse pulling a real Amish wagon. Someday, I may actually figure out how to post some of the photos I love so much.

I love knowing that I need not fret about tomorrow, for tomorrow can take care of itself. Yesterday I was reading a devotional that was from a book I have in my library entitled, "Keep A Quiet Heart" by Elisabeth Elliot. I don't read it on a regular basis but saw a quote from the book that stirred in my heart. She was quoting from Martin Luther "He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, [that means not worried about tomorrow]but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved, as in sleep'. They must work and watch, yet never be careful or anxious, but commit all to Him, and live in serene tranquility, and with a quiet heart, as one who sleeps safely and quietly."

In today's current economic and political state of unrest, many are fretting and yet all the worrying in the world will not change what happens tomorrow. May we learn to keep a quiet heart and be steadfast in spirit.

Lord, help us to trust in You, and not be anxious for anything but in everything by prayer and supplication let our requests be made known to You. Amen.

Things that make you smile

Recognize the look on Shannon's face? She doesn't have t.v. at her house so when they are over she is always asking to watch her favorite show-but doesn't understand that I can't choose what is on t.v., especially if I don't have the video she wants to watch.

Don't you just love this little outfit-but it pales in comparison to my little Mackenzie whose wearing it! I could just love up on her all day long.

Of course, today when I took my other group over to my friends to see their miniature horses, it made me smile to see Faith getting up on the back of one horse. This is the little one who is still unsure of dogs. 8-)

It made me smile today when hubby came home from the Safeway gas station announcing that he paid $2.27 per gallon....

It makes me smile to play with dogs, especially one cute little bundle of fur.

It makes me smile when I get to read all the wonderful Christian blogs out there and how they encourage and inspire me.

It makes me smile that I finished the top of the baby quilt today and my daughter Kim absolutely loves it!!!

It makes me smile to think of our Father's great love for us.

Country Life

A new friend of mine lives out in the country~it is within our city limits but each home has between 1-3 acres. My friend has three grown children and two pre-adolescent children; they bought their home 4 yrs ago because they wanted more room to spread out. Well although they have about an acre it is a wonderful place for children. I took my oldest daughter and her four little ones out there today to see the miniature horses. They all had a great time and Faith even got to sit atop one. Can you see her big smile, she is all about horses right now. So this was like a dream for her and the boys thoroughly enjoyed it as well.

They fed the chickens grain and played on the jungle gym and also swept up fallen leaves for my girlfriend. What a joy to sit on her back porch and watch the three oldest grandkids play; this is the type on home I hope hubby and I can buy within the next year. We'll see-hubby's idea of a perfect home is one overlooking a lake and golf course but I am a country girl at heart so that is where my dreams lie. Time will tell.

Family Heirlooms

Both of these quilts arrived yesterday, sent by my Mother-in-Law(Mom). I was so thrilled to get them to add to my collection of family heirlooms. Mom is getting up in age and beginning to share her things with us with the approval of all the siblings. This is not to say we are cleaning out her home for we truly hope she has many years left living there but she is wise enough to know that sometimes the gift of giving now gives more pleasure than later on. I am the only quilter in my hubby's family and the one who cherishes the old as well as newer quilts so it seemed fair that they come to us and in turn be passed onto my daughters(her only granddaughters)who would love them as well. The Double Wedding Ring was made about 20 years ago by a cousin in Tennessee for Mom and although we did have to give it a good washing with quilt soap, it looks brand new. The Grandmother's Fan quilt was made in the late 1920's-1930's by my husbands grandmother. Unfortunately it was stored in direct sunlight and in a home where there were smokers so the material has deteriorated and in places is shredding. I aired it out and now it just smells old and musty so I am sure it will not be used. I won't hand wash it for I fear the fabric would fall apart. When I showed my grandsons this quilt they had a hard time fathoming just how old 70-80 yrs is. I love looking at the fabrics and trying to see if there are any that match the 1920's Trip Around the World quilt hubbies grandmother made. That particular quilt is hanging in our basement, adorning the wall that faces the stairs-so all can see it when they go downstairs. The most important part of the heirlooms I hope to give is not necessarily their monetary value but the sentimental value-things made by woman in our family.

Motherhood

From the time I was a young mother, my mission for motherhood was deeply implanted in my spirit. I can remember telling a neighbor who was a good friend my viewpoint on this huge task ahead of me. Motherhood is the most important job a woman will ever have; for not only is the child's life impacted by what you do or don't do, but every other person with whom you child will have contact with throughout their life. It will impact our home, our neighborhood, their school, their friends, their employers, their future spouse as well as any future children. If we do the job as the Lord intended us to, hopefully their lives will be filled with His love and grace. If we fail, their lives could negatively impact generations to come.
Now, that isn't to say that sometimes somewhere along the line children make wrong choices and live lives that are difficult to behold; but I truly believe this is the highest calling a woman can have.

I recently read a quote by Sally Clarkson on Touching Your Child's Heart and my thoughts resounded in it.


"The mission of motherhood is strategic in providing the next generation with wholehearted, emotionally healthy, and spiritually alive adults. It is not simply a lifestyle choice. It is a divine calling that will indeed affect eternity."
-- From "The Mission of Motherhood - Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity" by Sally Clarkson.

Just because my daughters are grown does not mean my job is necessarily over, and my joy is that I get to watch as my daughter's take the torch and rear their children in the Lord.

Beauty to Behold

Each time I drive by this street I am in awe~the beauty of the Maples and the view of the Rockies, now covered with snow, take my breath away. God has such a wonderful palet of colors that He decorates His world with. But there are so many other things that daily I want to stop and thank Him for; today a friend shared bounty from her garden, lives filled with the laughter of children(my grandchildren) who call from the top of the stairs pretending to be a Star Wars character. It needs to be noted, my daughter's family does not have a t.v. and has never had cable; they are very careful in what the children may watch and the boys saw clips about star wars on a computer program. I'm thankful for my beloved hubby and all the prayers that have been lifted up for him over the years; I am so thankful for God's precious promises concerning those prayers. I am thankful for the close knit family we have and the joy we get in spending time together. I am so thankful for new girlfriends here in our area that bring me joy~it seems like a long 9 mos in getting to know other Christian gals. I am also thankful for the good report I received about a dear friends' daughter who just underwent surgery for brain cancer. In case you were one of the many upholding Leslie-the surgeon said he got all the tumor and she is making quick progress at Stanford. Thank you for all your prayers; she still has a long, rough road ahead of her but with the Lord's help she will make it through.

I am also so thankful for all the new friends I've made in our blogging world...it is so good to be connected even if just over the Internet.

Blessings to each of you this weekend.