Goodies and BOM info

Today I was able to make a stop at one of my local Goodwill stores and I found a treasure. Well that is what the back of this nice candy dish(?) above says. It says "Treasure Craft" and the number of the item. I love the squirrel and the flowers along the edge of it. The outside of this looks like it is made from a tree - like it looks like bark but it is actually ceramic or pottery. I love things that have detail to them like this piece does. I sure wish I knew more about it. Like when it was made. I have looked on the Internet and the company made things as far back as like 1940's I believe. I thought that was cool. I am hoping to be able to find out more about this. If any of you guys out there know anything about it - let me know. Oh and it was $1.00. So to me this was a great deal!

Oh looky what I got in the mail. I could not believe it! I ordered these DVDs on Sunday. I ordered them directly from the Homestead Blessing website and I got them Thursday! I thought that was awfully quick shipping. I can't wait to be able to enjoy them. And I can't wait till their next DVD comes out - "The Art of Quilting."

Speaking of quilting. This morning was my monthly Block of the Month meeting. Well I told ya'll last time that I would share more about how the block of the month program works - at least at the quilt shop that I enjoy going to each month.(well more often than once a month - but that is how often the BOM is) Anyway, this is the way that I get my BOM packet.

Here is the directions of how to cut the fabric out and sew the pieces together. And here are the pieces of fabric.

And here is what the block will look like when it is finished. I think it is a very pretty block. I will try to take a few photos while I am cutting out the pieces and sewing this block together.

Oh and the next time I go to the quilt store, I am going to try to take my camera so that I can take some photos for you all so you can see our cool quilt shop. It is great. Only problem with it is that the owner - although she is a super nice lady is more into civil war fabrics and 30's than with flowery, feminine fabrics. But she does try to have a good selection of stuff. But the good news is that there are quite a few quilt shops within about a 30 mile area around our house so we do have different shops we can go to. But I enjoy this shop the most because the people there are great. Got to support our local shop!
I hope you all have a wonderful evening!

Thankful for the faith of a few good friends..

As you all know yesterday evening was pretty rough. I did not sleep very well. I got woke up by my cats a couple of times. And got a lot less sleep then I normally get. It even caused me to not wake up with the alarm and so I got my husband up about 25 minutes later than usual. Praise the Lord he was only a couple of minutes late to work. He does not like to be late. Today has been a better day - not all sunshine and roses but a lot better than last night.

This morning I got a special e-mail from a friend -Thanks Debra - that told me a some great sermons at Joyce Meyers - I think that is how you spell it. So before I got going for the day - I watched the first sermon on "Determination" It was very good. I will be spending a lot more time there watching sermons. It is a great resource- if anyone is interested and have a hard time finding the website just let me know and I will send you the link to it.

Then I was reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses. I posted it on Facebook.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6

Then a friend said she really likes to use these next verses with Proverbs 3:5-6.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Then my good friend Susan posted this verse. Of course she added (woman) in there.
"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" Psalms 34:8

Last night I had posted on Facebook about having such a rough time and I asked for prayers. It is amazing what prayers can do. And especially when people gather together to pray. I know these people were not actually together but they were praying for the same thing - peace for me - and I am SO thankful.

Then another friend sent an e-mail and let me know that she hears what I am saying. That, too meant a lot.

I have decided to take these promises and copy them onto paper and place them around my house. So that periodically I can be reminded of those promises. Satan works so hard to take our peace, to place thought of despair and fear in to our minds. And we need to replace those thoughts with TRUTH - truth from God's word.

Again I want to thank you all for your support. I am so very thankful that I have such godly woman around me. That are willing to hold me up when I don't have the strength myself.

In the back yard..

Yesterday I spent a while out in the yard. The weather was just gorgeous. The temperatures lately have been fantastic. We still have not turned our AC on. There have been many years - probably about every year up until this year that we would already have our AC on at least by mid April. But lately we have had nights in the 50's and 60's and highs during the day any where from 70 - 80's.

This weather has made it very nice to be able to take care of the chores outside. There is always chores like letting the chickens out in the am and locking them up at night, making sure they have fresh water and enough food.

I am so thankful to have the responsibility of taking care of the chickens and our small garden because it takes me outside more than I might normally be out there. And I really enjoy it.

This Chicken to the right - is one of the chickens that lay the green or blue eggs. We love these chickens. I was trying to get a good photo so you all could see the pretty pattern on her.

Yesterday I spent some time changing out the hay in the chickens laying bins. My husband came up with a great way to do it. It is a lot easier on the back and I can do it by myself. It is fun to work on changing the dirty hay out for fresh clean hay. As I sat there working, I had several of my chickens come in and check out what I was doing. I tried to get some photos of them but my phone was taking weird colored photos. Don't know what the problem was.

And then today when I went to get some great photos of my chickens, I thought I would get a photo of some of the eggs that are in one of the bins. We have a 10 bin on each side of a small shed. So they have plenty of places to chose to lay their eggs. We have been averaging about 18 eggs a day. My husband has found a few eggs in places other than the bins. We have a couple of ceramic eggs that we bought from Cracker Barrel to put in a couple of the bins. Chickens tend to lay eggs where other eggs are at.
Alot of times I hear of people romanticizing the simple life style. I don't know if I would go that far, but I would have to say it is very therapeutic to be out in the yard taking care of the animals and the garden. And it gives me time to think and I think it brings me closer to God as I enjoy his blessings.

Here is a beautiful flower bed that my husband made for me about a year ago. There are rose bushes in the top section along with a few of the same flowers that you see on the lower level. I love the little birdbath that my boys bought me for Mother's Day about a year ago or so. As you can tell I need to get some water in it. I will do that in a few minutes. I have a few plants in my yard that need to be watered. Along with a few trees that we have bought but have not yet planted.

Here is our small garden. We have a long term plan as to what we want to do with our back yard to make a good sized garden but we had so much rain this year that we could not get the big equipment into the back yard that would be needed to do the work. But until then we are blessed to have a few plants that will provide fresh produce for our family.

Look at what I found when I was looking at my plants today?! Lots of yellow squash. We have 2 yellow squash plants. And we have 2 zucchini plants. And I found some baby zucchini's too!

And look we even have some cherry tomatoes. I LOVE cherry tomatoes. They are so good just to pull off the plant and pop in your mouth. Mmm, just thinking about it gets my mouth watering. We have 2 cherry tomato plants and 2 regular tomato plants. Oh and we have strawberry plants as well as a cucumber plant. Next year we are hoping to be able to add more of each of the plants that we have along with some beans, corn and okra. Probably a few more things - just nothing else coming to mind right now. I am sure my husband will want to have some cantaloupe and watermelon plants as well. I think I want to try to grow some herbs as well. We will see though. I don't want to over do it and have more to take care of then I can handle.

I wanted you to be able to see my yellow squash plants and how big their leafs are.

The pole there in the photo is one side of my clothes line. I am thankful to have it as well. I love to hang out clothes but do not hang things out all the time. I do love my dryer. But it is cool to use the line when I can and also when I wash up our quilts.
Well I think I have about talked your ear off so I will close for now. I hope you all have a wonderful day! And I hope that you have enjoyed a little tour of our back yard.

Weighed...Measured...Wanting

In my life I have felt so many times that I am held to a higher standard than those around me. I think it all began many years ago as a child. My Mom and Dad were both teachers and for several years either one or the other was my teacher at small private schools. And of course, since I was the teachers child - I needed to be a good example to the other kids. I know my parents had no idea what message this put into my head. The message that I needed to be perfect. And that I would just never measure up. And a very sad by product of this thinking is that I have held other people up to higher standards as well.

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to be going to a 12 step meeting and I have people that I can share my thoughts and feeling with and they can help me think in more healthy ways. I keep being reminded that I need to keep my focus on God. And that God created me - to be me. Not what others expect me to be. That is part of my defect of being a people pleaser. And let me tell you - you can't please everyone. And when you do allow people to be your guide of if you are good enough - you will never feel like you are good enough.


"You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting."

This is how I was feeling earlier today. I had taken my focus off of God and his love for me. And I had allowed someone who had very good intentions in what they said to me - make me feel less than.

"I am sorry you feel that way" and " You may be right"

These are two very useful tools to use when dealing with people. There will be times in all of our lives when something happens and if we go down that road - it will take us to unhealthy thinking and feelings. And instead of going down that road, it is best just to use one of the lines above. It will help defuse the situation and we can continue in our pathway to health.

This morning I had a nice, long talk with my sponsor. She is a very godly woman and I thank God for bringing her into my life. She reminded me that there will be times that I do not measure up to other peoples expectations and that is OK. I am free to be ME.

So the next time that someone wants to hold me up to a high standard, a standard that I can not measure up to - I will say to myself "I am sorry I don't measure up to your expectations." Then I will try to take the focus off of me and focus on God and what he wants to do in my life. I have spent way too much time feeling sorry for myself. Way too much time trying to be someone that is perfect. And I am tired..tired of trying to be someone I am not. I am not perfect and I never will be. One day Jesus will come in the clouds of Glory and I will be changed in a twinkle of an eye - THEN I will be PERFECT - I will be perfect because all of my inperfections will be covered by the Blood of Jesus Christ. But until then I will be journeying towards who God wants me to be.

One Day at a Time

Well this morning while I was working, I had the chance to just do some thinking and it dawned on me that I need to stop worrying about the future. Let me tell you ever since my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's, I have spent too much time thinking about what the future may hold, worrying about if I can handle it. And let me tell you- if I did not have a vivid enough of an imagination when it comes to the what ifs- all you have to do is look at Michael J. Fox or look up Parkinson's on your search bar on the Internet to get an idea of what the future could hold. And it is very depressing. It is hard to imagine my husband losing his ability to do the things he loves to do - riding his motorcycle, fishing, building things...just to name a few. Will I be healthy enough and capable of taking care of him when he really gets in bad shape? These are just a few of the things that I have been worrying about. I also realized that I have been being a lot less patient than I need to be. I have been getting frustrated when there are miscommunication and getting upset instead of just asking the question in a different way. And I guess part of me is just angry and taking it out on him. He does not deserve it at all. He has enough to deal with. So I am praying that God can come into my heart and help me to be more like him, to have patience and love and to let this anger go.

And I want to do my best to live in the present. I want to be able to trust that God will give me the strength and courage that I need now and in the future.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:34

God knew long ago that we would struggle with worrying and he left us a special message in His letter to us - the Bible. Today's troubles are sufficient for today. Isn't that the truth?!.

I don't know what God has in mind and I don't need to try to look into the future to see or imagine what is going to happen. I have enough to worry about now. I want to be able to enjoy my life. And I am going to try to live by a very powerful tool- to take - ONE DAY AT A TIME. And when I find myself worrying about things that I can do nothing about to remember to trust God.

Here is another one of my very favorite Bible promises:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6


I hope that if you have things you are worried about that you will allow Jesus to help you. He loves you and he will take care of you.

DVD Collection - some of my favorites

Today I was blessed with the ability to be able to order two new DVDs for my collection. I am very selective to what movies/DVDs that I buy to add to my collection. And the following are the two I was blessed to be able to order today. I am so excited! And I can not wait to get them. About a year ago or so - my husband bought me the set of DVDs that they had. I have really enjoyed these DVDs. They are very educational.

Here is a link if you are interested in The Homestead Blessings "The Art of..." series.

http://homestead-blessings.com/

Below is a photo of my DVD collection. There are some great movies here. If you have not seen the movies - "Flywheel", "Facing the Giants", and "Fireproof" I highly recommend them. The messages in these movies are so uplifting. Well worth the money paid for these movies to add to my collection.

You have probably noticed the Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad All By Myself" movie?. Well I know that not everyone would be into this type of a movie. Or any of the Madea movies for that matter, but what I really appreciate about Tyler Perry's movies is that he always has at least one good solid male role model. And his movies usually have a redemptive story it them. They are also uplifting - but a little more subtle then some of the other. But still very good. And you get a really good laugh at the same time.

Oh and something I am also very excited about - The Homestead Blessing and The West Ladies are going to be coming out with a new DVD - "The Art of Quilting" so I am looking forward to adding this one to my collection as well!

Oh and by the way - if any of you have any suggestions of good, wholesome, uplifting movies to add to my collection - feel free to leave a comment with movie titles. Thanks so much.

(2 photos above - were borrowed from Homestead Blessings website)

Look What I got in the Mail!!

Look what I got in the mail!!!

A fellow blogger recently shared how she had gotten her Mary Janes Farms magazine and how much she enjoyed this magazine. Thanks Debra! Well I decided I would check it out. Well I have gotten my very first issue and from what I have looked at, I think I will really enjoy it. I love magazines that are inspirational and this one looks like it will be.

Oh and if you would like some inspiration on what all you can do with your piece of land:

http://debrasotherthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/04/mega-gardening-inspiration.html

Today I will be working on weeding my small garden. I will try to take some photos of it to share with you all. I may do that later today. My garden is small - but I think it will be a good start to something wonderful. We have big plans and we are slowly working our way to those plans.

I think I might wash up some of my quilts and hang them out on the line. It is such a beautiful day.

My husband took his 22 year old brother and our youngest son on a camping/fishing trip this weekend. They had a good time and each caught some fish.

And I invited my sister over for a visit and then we watched a movie. Lots of laughs were had and at one point we both screamed! But it was a great movie - funny - comedy - one of my favorite kinds of movies.

I better get off of here and get outside to enjoy this beautiful day that God has blessed us with!

Pink and Brown/Blue and Yellow

Above is a photo of a Pink and Brown Quilt. Several years ago I made these blocks in my Block of the Month program that I am in. I love these blocks. Well my Mother said how very much she liked the blocks. So I thought that I would be nice and so for Christmas a couple of years ago - I gave her the set of blocks. Well she went and got all the fabric and decided how she wanted to put the quilt together. Once the quilt was done she looked around her room and decided that it would be too much trouble to paint a blue book case so she decided she wanted a Blue and yellow set of blocks I had. So she gave me this quilt back. And I nicely gave her the blue and yellow blocks. Well I had bought several fabrics that I wanted to use with the blue and yellow quilt and I gave those to her as well. And she put that quilt together. I will see if I have a photo of that quilt and post it below.

Here is a close up of one of the block - I believe this 12 inch block has just over 70's pieces in it. Wow!

Although this is not how I had envisioned this quilt when it was finished, it is a pretty quilt. The only problem is that when my Mother was quilting the quilt some how the needle tore a section of it. And I just don't know if I will be able to fix it. She used some kind of a glue on the spot to keep it from raveling. I am thinking I am going to take it to my Quilt Shop and see what the ladies there suggest I do to fix the quilt.

Here is a photo of the blue and yellow quilt. The fabric that she used that I really liked is the sashing squares and a border. I know in this photo you can't really see the fabric very well but trust me it was gorgeous - a floral print. Anyway as far as I know she is actually using this quilt. Oh and by the way I talked her into going to the Block of the Month herself so that she can get her own blocks, make her own blocks and then make quilts using her blocks. :o)

I hope you have enjoyed the quilts.

Parkinson's Clinical Trial?..

As I have shared in the past, my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's about 6 months ago. A couple of weeks ago we attended a Parkinson's Symposium. At this symposium we heard the results of a few clinical trials going on. And while one of them showed some improvement, there was a group of people who did not improve with what ever they were giving and really never did get to as good of a place as the others in the group. I tell you all of this to help you understand why when today my husband told me that a Dr. from the large hospital nearby had called him and asked him if he wanted to be involved in the Parkinson's Diseases Clinical Trial - that I cried.
My husband then explained to me that he had prayed about it and had prayed that if he was to participate in it that they would call him and if not that they would not. We knew that they had been interested in him and we knew that they had the info- they got it from him while we were at the symposium. Oh and by the way he will go into the Dr office to get some info from the Dr tomorrow morning. I know that God is in control and that I need to trust Him. But it is still hard for me, fear makes me wonder- what if he is one of the ones that doesn't improve and he is worse off for being a part of the study. My husband also told me that one of the reasons why he wants to be a part of this study is because if he can help someone out he wants to. And he did not want our two sons to have to go through this. I am still soaking this in. It is such a good thing that I am learning so many tools - let go let God and One day at a time.

Finding Treasures

Today I had a good list of errands I wanted to get done. So I headed off. I decided to stop at Goodwill first. As I got closer to the parking lot, I noticed that it was more full than usual and then it hit me- it is half price day! Now let me tell you up until the past 6 months to a year, you would NOT have found me at Goodwill on half price day. I really do not like a situation that makes a store really crowded and all. I have come along way since then. I still don't like it when the parking lot is totally full but I at least make an attempt now.

Anyway I decided to see if I could find a parking spot and if so I would stay. Well sure enough I found a spot to park. And I was even able to get a basket. I shopped around - found a couple of shirts I like(did not even try them on- too busy back there at the dressing rooms.) Then I found this great lead Crystal piece - not positive of what it is suppose to be used for(if any of you know- please let me know), but I LOVED the hearts all the way around it so for $1.00 - it was a great find!!

Then I found a true treasure! Lately I have been drawn to older furniture. It was just made so much better a long time ago. And the details are great!

I found a drop side table I think is what you would call it. This is it sitting behind my car. It was quite heavy but I was determined to get it and get it then.

Here it is after I cleaned it up. And put it where I want it. I have always thought that this space at the end of my bed needed something but there is not a lot of room there - so what ever was to go there needed to be small. Well this fits perfectly. My husband said that I will get hurt in the middle of the night going to the bathroom but I am determined enough to have it there that I can use a flashlight if need be. Now hopefully when he comes to bed(since there are times he stays up later than I do) he will not get hurt.

Here is a photo of it opened up all the way. It is so cute. I am so happy with it. Oh and I forgot to tell you what a great deal I got. Well it was marked $15.00, so I paid $7.50!! I probably would have paid the $15.00 for it, I love it so much!! Now to figure out what to put on it that will look nice but that my cats won't hurt.

And look what I got in the mail today! This will be fun to look through and see if there are any projects I just have to do. But of course, I will need to finish the other projects I have going.

Oh - I also wanted to share something. Last month on half price day, I ended up at a different Goodwill in my area. As I was looking through the ladies tops - I over heard a lady talking about a piece of furniture. And so I looked at it. Once she walked away I went over to it. I loved it. But was trying to think of what I would do with it. Just a little while later she came over to where I was and looked at something else. We began to talk. She was measuring something to see if it would fit into her efficiency apartment. As we are talking I ask her - the furniture is also half price - right? She asked a worker that was nearby and he said yes. Well she said the other piece she was looking at would not work but if I did not want this desk - to let her know because she would. Well I told her she could have it. It was hard to do but I knew it was the right things to do. She saw it first and she had really wanted it but just did not have the money to pay the full price. I left Goodwill that day without buying anything at all. Part of me was sad because I did not get this unique piece of furniture but part of me was glad that this lady got something that would work good in her small apartment. I am so thankful that God blessed her last month and I am so thankful that He blessed me this month with a very special piece of furniture. God loves us and delights in doing things for us.

Wings like eagles...

"But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31

I have a lot of errands to run and things to take care of today. I will try to get on later today and do a real post but I just wanted to leave you with some encouragement.

May God bless you all!

Great song

Home Made Macaroni and Cheese

Tonight - I made Mac and Cheese for supper. Let me tell you - home made mac and cheese can't be beat! I basically use the recipe from Betty Crocker Cookbook. If you would like to know what I do - just let me know and I will share. Usually it looks much better - this time I used some shredded white Italian cheese and a little cheddar cheese. Normally I just use cheddar on top and it browns prettier.

Along with a fresh salad, this makes a great meal!

I hope you all have had a nice day.

Great link with lots of Encouragement

Today I ran across a fantastic blog. It is so great that I want to share it with you all. The very first entry titled - "Do you feel like a Stepford wife?" is great and very encouraging. It seems to me that many times those of us that choose to be stay at home moms/wives tend to get looked down upon. Well that is only the worlds standards and values. God has placed us in our homes to minister to our husbands and our children. That is really our number one priority. Anyway I think you will be greatly blessed to watch the little video that she has done to answer the above question. She has such enthusiasm and I am hoping that it is contagious because I need more of it.

http://http://www.womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/

I hope you all have a great day!

I also wanted to add - I am sure there is a lot of really good information and posts on this blog and later today when I have some free time - I will be going back to check it out more.

Our Peaceful Week-end

This week-end has gone pretty good. It has been rainy and dreary but ever so often you need a week-end like this. My son and his youth group from church went camping this week-end. The first night they stayed at a regular campsite. Then the next day a smaller group hiked out to another spot - they were wanting to get a survivor honor. We are praying God that the bad weather that looked like it was going to hit them - did not - they ended up with more of a steady rain. Something I would NOT want to do but this is my son we are talking about and he had a pretty good time. And I am glad.

This year the weather has been pretty mild. We have gotten SO much rain. So much more than usual, but along with the rain we have had cooler temperatures. So far this year we have only turned our air conditioner one 1 time and that was late in the evening just to cool us off a bit. I love weather like this. I love having the windows open and the breeze blowing through. And last
but certainly not least I LOVE the lower electric bills.

Since we have had such rainy weather - our grass has really been growing. We have mowed at least 3 times so far and it really needs it right now. But we will have to wait until it dries up some before we can. I can not wait to get it mowed and get some weed eating done because I love a freshly mowed yard. I will also need to do some weeding of my garden this week, once it dries up some though.

A lot of people have been posting photos of the beauty of Spring around them and I have really been enjoying them. This past week our purple Iris's started blooming. For some reason ours tend to bloom a little after a lot of other ones bloom in the area. I don't know why that is. And my husband found our first roses on our rose bushes in the front flower bed. A big red one and a yellow rose bud were the first two that he sweetly picked and brought to me. I had no idea that they were blooming already. Then yesterday be got another big red one. We put it in a small little vase in the kitchen window. Later in the day I was in the kitchen working and ever so often I would smell a nice smell with a bit of a lemon sent. And I just did not know what I was smelling.
Then I finally figured it out - it was the rose. It smelled GOOD.

Our bathroom remodel is coming along nicely. My husband has about 3/4th of the walls grouted. He has the tile laid on the floor - we have not grouted it yet. It will all get done we are just taking it slowly - no need to wear ourselves out trying to do it all at once. Anyway this job goes so much better if you let things dry really good in between jobs. We have also decided what our next job around here will be. We will be building a covering for our back porch. So when it rains we could go and sit on the back porch. I have always wanted a nice back porch. Our goal is to eventually enclose it with a lot of windows - so that I will basically have a sun room. It will be a great place to sit and relax, read and do my devotions.

This week end I have been convicted that I need to spend more time studying the Bible. I heard a great quote yesterday that I wanted to share with you all. Charles Spurgeon once said, " I look at Jesus Christ and the dove of peace flew into my heart. I looked at the dove and the it flew away." Isn't that just awesome? I think way too often people these days are searching for peace but it is only peace that they want - they silently say no thank you to Jesus - thinking they do not need Him. Too bad for them because the only way to get true peace is by looking to Jesus Christ.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. " John 14:27

May we, not put our focus on peace, but on Jesus Christ..then we will find true peace. The only kind I want. Hoping you all are having a good week end!

A cool way to study the Bible - and it's free

Susan over at http://homesteadmomma.com/Has a great post about a great way to study the Bible. "How To Do a Word Study Using E-Sword"

She tells about a free download available on-line. And she even explains how to use it. I hope you all enjoy this. I think it will be a great asset when studying my Bible.

Wisdom to know it's ME

Today as I was shopping at Goodwill, I noticed this written on the inside cover of a Bible. Wow- so much wisdom in this little statement. The serenity prayer changed up just a bit and it really has a great message.

I think way too often we think we need to change everyone around us. Trust me..I know. This is something that I have had to realize was a character defect and that I needed to only worry about changing me. And what was and is really cool about it is that the more I work on changing me - it also changes people around me. See God wants us to focus on us and to listen to the small, still voice that leads us to do what is God's will for our lives. And too often we allow worrying about what those around us are doing. I think it is one of Satan's tools to distract us from dealing with our own short comings. It is so much easier to see where other people fall short, much harder to see it in ourselves. But if we will listen to that small, still voice we will discover things about ourselves that we never realized before. Once we realize that we have some character defects and if we are willing to allow God to work in our lives - God can replace those character defects with assets. Isn't that great news?! But as long as we are in denial and only focusing on the defects of those around us, we can not grow.

So the above statement will be written and posted somewhere to remind me - that it is ME that I need to work on changing - no one else.

Onion Pie

1 T. oil
2 carrots, cut thinly on diagonal
4 onions, sliced on diagonal
2 - 3 green onions, chopped
1/2 water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 white or wheat flour
unhulled sesame seeds, optional

Saute vegetables in oil. Add salt, flour, and water. Cover. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often. You will make a pie crust or use a bought one - your choice. Put the veggie mixture from above into the pie crust and cover with the other half. Be sure and cut several incisions to allow steam to escape. Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes.

This recipe was from "Eat For Strength" cookbook. This is very good. I love this pie. It makes a great meal. I hope you all enjoy.

By beholding we become changed...

Several years ago I came across a blog that really intrigued me. There was a lot of talk of the simple life. At that time watching "The Little House on the Prairie" series -so this idea was very appealing to me. I started going to the blog every day. Well I soon found out that this blogger lived very close to me. That was a surprise. Well then when I got onto facebook - I came across her name and requested we be "friends." So we have been "friends" for a year and a half or so.
I don't know if she has really changed or if I have really changed - but since I am only responsible for cleaning up my side of the street-I will just focus on it being me that has changed. And truthfully it very well could be me. Anyway over the last couple of months I have noticed that we no longer hold to the same beliefs. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect everyone to believe the same way I do but I noticed that we were like on opposite sides of the spectrum. And I also noticed that when I read her status updates - it would rob my peace. So I have had some convictions that I needed to let this "friendship" go. I felt bad because I did not want to hurt her feelings. Well this morning when I made a post she commented on my post - and it because clear that our "friendship" was no longer something that I needed to have in my life. I want to be uplifted. I want to feel closer to God - not feel like I am being pulled away from God. I understand the idea that by beholding we become changed. Well since I tend to be a people pleaser I did not want to hurt her feelings by deleting her as a friend but I am not here on this earth to please people - I am here to please God. And I felt that no longer could I be "friends" with her and still be pleasing to God.

We live in a society that yells for there to be tolerance - but what I have found as of late is that these same people that yell for tolerance - do not have tolerance for others. And I think that we can have tolerance for people without allowing them to change us. I don't have to be friends with her in order to tolerate her - I can best tolerate her by allowing her to be her and giving myself the freedom to be myself. And if that is done easier without her being my "friend" then that works the best for me. So this morning I found her name and looked for the X to the right. And clicked it, I instantly felt peace.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

It is so cool that when you allow God to lead and you do what he directs - you feel peace. I want to continue on my journey towards a closer relationship with God. And if that means making some difficult choices then I need to be willing to do so. The reward outweighs any of the stress of doing what the Holy Spirit directs us to do.

Balance of work and relaxation...

Chickens really know how to live. There is a clear balance between work and rest. A little work a little rest. They can teach me a lot of lessons - and they actually have. I love how they love to take dirt "baths" while at the same time pecking away at what is in the dirt around them. When my life is a bit stressful all I have to do is watch my chickens for a little bit and it just relaxes me. I love to have a chicken haven here in my back yard. God has really blessed us with bringing us to this piece of land that we have room to have our chickens and a garden. The garden is only small this year but we will be working slowly towards a bigger garden.
Today has been a nice day. I went walking with my Mom this morning. I was happy that I was able to get it in before my shower. That way I could feel fresh and clean the rest of the day - after my shower that is. I ran a couple of quick errands while I was out. It was nice to have those things taken care of. Then I came home and have been able to get laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, and organizing today. I really enjoy days that I am able to spend here at home taking care of our home.
I hope you all have had a great day as well!

Serenity Prayer and what it does for me

This morning, I have been thinking of a very useful tool for the journey down the roads of life. Sometimes we spend so much time and effort worrying about things that we are not meant to worry about and trying to change things that we just can not change.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.


The first part of the Serenity Prayer helps me to decide if my worries are things that I need to be concerned about or if they are worries and concerns that I need to Let Go and Let God have them.

I think in life we get confused in thinking we can control everything around us. And that is just not true, nor is it healthy. We can not control what other people do or their feelings. We cannot control the weather or the traffic and so many other things in life. But there are some things we can control - like ourselves(sometimes only with the help of God though.) And what is so cool about this first section of the prayer is that it helps put it all into perspective. We are able to ask ourselves- can I change this and if the answer is yes, then we ask God to give us the courage to do so. And the very best thing that we can do for ourselves is to turn our life and our wills over to God. And by saying this prayer and asking God for His leading we are best able to allow Him to lead us.

And if we say this prayer and we realize that we find ourselves dealing with a situation that we cannot change then we can more easily turn it over to God.

I am So thankful to have tools like this one in my life that helps me to have more healthy thinking. Oh, I still find myself worrying about things that I can not change, but at least now I have a tool that if I choose to use - I can get back to a better state of mind.

May I continue to depend on God to help me through this journey we call life.


The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr
I have a very busy day today, so I better get moving on my day. I hope you all have a great day!

"Anne of Green Gables"

Last week on my weekly grocery shopping trip, I thought I would stop by a Goodwill store that is on the way. I found some great things. I found the whole set of "Anne of Green Gables" books! $1.00 a piece! I could not pass that up. I have never read these books, and I haven't even seen the movies that I have heard that they have. But I have heard a few people talk about how much they liked the books so I thought I would get them and give them a try. I am really enjoying my "Little House on the Prairie" books. I am half way done with the second one right now. If any of you have read these books and really liked them please let me know. If nothing else I will have the books here for my granddaughter, someday she may want to read them.

God Will Take Care of You

"He Himself has said,
I will not in any way fail you
nor give you up
nor leave you without support."
Hebrews 13:5

May your troubled heart
find peace and comfort in the knowledge
that you are never alone.
May God's presence ease
your trembling spirit and give you rest.
He knows how you feel.
He is ever aware of your circumstances
and ready to be your strength,
your grace, and your peace.
He is there to cast sunlight
into all of your darkened shadows,
to send encouragement through the love
of friends and family, and
to replace your weariness with new hope.

God is your stronghold,
and with Him as your guide,
you need never be afraid.
No circumstances can block his love.
No grief is too hard for Him to bear.
No task is too difficult
for Him to complete.
When what you are feeling
is simply too deep for words
and nothing anyone does or says
can provide you with the relief you need,
God understands.
He is your provider ~
today, tomorrow, and always.
And He loves you.
Cast all of your cares on Him...
and believe.

~Linda E. Knight~

Yesterday I found this cool book. I just could not pass it up. It looked like it would have a lot of encouragement for me and for me to share.

Oh and in the background of the photo above is the table cloth that I found. And I am so happy to say that it does fit our table perfectly. It is so hard to find cloth table clothes at thrift stores. And then they are not labeled as to what size they are so you have to just guess and hope you are right. And I am thrilled that I was right. I will continue to look for a few more cloth table cloths. I would like enough of them that when one gets dirty I have another pretty one in the drawer to replace the one that needs washing. I think that cloth table cloths really give your home a more homey feel and I like that. It seems that older I get the more I appreciate things like that. As I have gotten older I appreciate flowers and birds and simple things like that more now. It is funny cause there has been a lot of talk going around about the simple life and I am drawn to that but a lot of times it is just lip service nothing more. Some people that talk about liking the simple things in life - really mean - simply the best. The things that we have are only things and we will not be able to take one thing with us when we go to heaven. Don't get me wrong I do like having some nice things but what brings me more joy is finding nice things for cheap prices. That makes it so much more special to me. All this to say that God will take care of our real needs. And sometimes just because he loves us so much he throws in the wants in life.

Hoping you all have a wonderful day!

Our "Mental Health Day"

My sister works full time so she does not have a lot of extra time to get to do fun things. Well ever so often she and I get to spend a Sunday going thrift store shopping. We call this trip our "Mental Health Day." And today was our day to go. We had a great time. The first shop that we really like to go to - because normally we find ALOT there - was a bust. I found 1 shirt for me and 1 for my son. And my sister found one pair of pants. Then we went to the Goodwill in that area - I had a little better luck there. I found a cream colored linen table cloth that I am hoping fits my table. It is hard to find good cloth table cloths and I really would like to have several to change between. I also found the cutest bell. It was tarnished but it was too cute to pass up for only 75 cents. It is the photo above. The photo does not do it justice. The bell is silver and the bow is brass. My husband worked really hard to get it shiny and pretty for me. I will see if maybe tomorrow I can take the bell outside and take a photo and see if the photo will do it justice.

We had been planning on going to a thrift store on the other side of the big town we were in but as we were trying to get onto the hi-way it looked like it was like bumper to bumper traffic so we decided to go straight and go a back way - that was really out of our way. But we thought it would be a lot easier. So we went straight and as we got to a stop light we noticed a Goodwill on the other side of the road that we had never seen before - this store is probably only about 6 months old. We stopped and shopped and ended up finding some really neat tops. So it ended up being exactly where we needed to go. We had a really nice time. And it is great just to be able to spend a few hours together. Now I am trying to catch up on some laundry and cleaning around here that I had let go the last couple of days with being so busy. I have the table cloth in the dryer drying and I can't wait till it gets dry so I can put it on the table and see if it will work. I am hoping!

I hope everyone had a great week end and I hope you all have a great week!

The Lord is my Strength...

My husband and I made it to the Symposium. UT Southwestern Medical Center is a very nice place. Of course it is huge and we went to the wrong place first but we finally made it. Everyone was very helpful and they served a nice spread of breakfast foods for us before the Symposium started. The Drs were all very nice and tried to make things easy to understand. There was one part of it that was pretty difficult for me to handle. Halfway through, we had a short break where they had bottled drinks and granola bars for us. They also had a few table set up with some free goodies and information. A couple of free books to help with the journey with Parkinson's. And of course, I have to mention - my husband and I were the youngest ones there. It was a good thing that he warned me just before we got out of the car. In a way that was one of the things that made me upset. You know with his Granny and Step-dad - they both had late onset Parkinson's. So it did not have a lot of time to do a lot of damage.

Anyway I just want to thank everyone for their prayers and also for letting me know I am not alone. A long time ago (like when I was about 11 years old) I learned I had to be self reliant. And self reliance can be a good thing to a point, but you can also go to far and get to the unhealthy side. I think there are a lot of down falls to this kind of unhealthy thinking. I know for me I stopped asking other people for help when I needed it and did not think I could depend on other people. But I think the worst downfall with having total self reliance attitude is that you no longer look to God for your strength. And that is not a good place to be. So I am choosing today to hold onto this promise ~ The Lord is my strength! I am so thankful that I have Him to trust in and I am so thankful that he has sent me some wonderful people to hold me up when I can't. It is like the song "Faith of a Few Close Friends"(great song by Steve and Annie Chapman) Praise the Lord for the strength He gives and for the Faith of my friends that encourage me when I am down.

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him." Psalms 28:7

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalms 18:2

Feeling like the Lone Ranger

Lately I have felt like the Lone Ranger.. well that is the only way I could think of to explain how I feel. You see I had my first baby at 20 years old. A lot of my friends and people at church were not having babies at that point in their lives so I did not have a group of ladies all going through what I was going through. I would have loved to have had Internet back then. It would have been so nice to be able to connect with other ladies going through the same things that I was. I was mostly a stay at home Mom and I loved it but was still lonely. Now I have 17 year old and a VERY soon to be 20 year old - and most of the ladies at my church that are my age have younger children. Now I am also a Grandmother... NO one my age is a Grandmother. So now I feel like I am going through this stage..alone. Oh and not to mention being a Mother in Law. I think Mother in Laws get a bad rap. It seems that no matter what you do - you can not really please your daughter in law, but see I have no one going through this stage and so I can't even share my thoughts and hurts off of anyone.

I really did not start a blog in order to just gripe and complain but I am just going through a rough patch right now. And I also want to be a more authentic person. And I think that I am a little on the emotional side today because of the symposium tomorrow. I am afraid to hear what the prognoses is for my husband. So I am just more sensitive than usual. Then several different things along the lines of being a MIL and a Grandmother have happened this week and it has just really been hard to go through. Long ago I learned to build walls around my heart but it is so much harder when ever other people are involved. Before I just had to block my own pain, my own disappointments. But now, the things that are going on are affecting my husband as well. And I know it hurts him so much. And so it makes it so much harder. It is harder to put that pain in a box and set it aside and say it really does not matter to me. It is harder to deny the pain when you look at the person you love that is being affected by the same situation and see the pain in their eyes and not feel it yourself. This past week I have been trying to understand how I felt and by writing out this post, the feelings finally came though enough to be able to explain why it hurts more. Why I can't put those feeling out of my mind. Life was easier when I could do that. I was used to disappointments. I think I already explained that as a child growing up we moved all the time. And it was so hard on me. I learned long ago with the pain of leaving friends, security, and sometimes family behind that it was much easier when I talked myself out of letting it bother me. When I packed those feeling up neatly in a box and tried to leave them on the moving trucks. But now...Praise the Lord I have had the privilege to live in the same place for almost 10 years. But at the same time my life has gotten to the point of having more situations in which I can not box up and set aside..where others in my life are also suffering.

I guess another thing that has me bothered is that I looked at the web site of a hospital near us to see if I could find a support group or education class about Parkinson's and I found NOTHING. I am feeling like I will go through this alone as well. I guess I should be used to it by now.

I guess I really should not say that I have had to go through all the phases of my life alone because I know that God has been there every step of the way. And I am so very grateful that He has been. I just think it would have been nicer and more enjoyable to have had other ladies going through the same thing to be able to talk about the different issues being faced.

God has a plan for my life and I just need to trust Him. I have heart to trust His heart when you don't see His hand. Well that is what I will have to do. Trust God.

Parkinson's Symposium/Prayers

OK - Just a quick post to say that tomorrow I am probably going to need prayers. My husband and I go to a Parkinson's Symposium and I am just a little emotional thinking of going. I do not want to be there crying and all. This is all quite new to us -He went to the Dr. in Sept and we found out for sure not to much later after that.
I appreciate your prayers. Thanks so much.

Keep these Meal-Planning Tips in Mind

1. Remember the daily need for green and yellow vegetables and the importance of contrast in flavor, color and texture.

2. If the main course is light, such as salad or soup, choose a heavier dessert.

3. If you are having a hearty main course, serve a light dessert.

4. When planning and entire day's menu, keep all meals in mind for total balance.

5. Consider your food dollar:
Plan meals before you get to the supermarket. Read the food ads thoroughly.
Buy family treats like sirloin steaks when they are on specials.
Go all out on a special meal and cut down on the next.
Keep leftovers in mind (look in the refrigerator when planning meals).

*Taken from "American Home All-Purpose Cookbook" page 24


I love all this cool information. In fact, I wish that I had have had a cookbook like this when I first got married. I have learned a lot from trial and error, from watching my MIL cook and from other people. And as I look at this cookbook I am actually learning some very cool and important information.

I love the idea of keeping leftovers in mind. In just the last year or two I have finally figured out if I make a roast one day then what ever left over meat I have - I will make beef tips over rice or beef stroganoff. When I get 2 meals out of a roast -it makes the money that was paid for the roast go a lot further. I also do not buy roast unless it is on sale. So that too is great advice. If you cook a whole chicken - then the next day I can use what ever is left over and make chicken pot pie. I am still learning possibilities of how I can use leftovers to save money.


I have a lot of ideas of things that I want to write about but just don't have the time today to get all my thoughts together to write a post. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

What Technology has done for me

You know I have heard quite a bit of talk about how all this new technology has caused people to become more isolated and has caused problems with interpersonal relationships. Well I guess in some ways that could be true but with me, it has really helped me get to know who I was and meet more people. I think it was about 2006 that I discovered Blogs. I found a few that I really liked and followed them. I thought that there was no way that I would start a blog - I would not have anything to offer. Well in the last 4 years a lot has happened. Since then I started on Facebook. There again - I was very hesitant. I slowly began to write small status updates. And enjoyed reading others. And I found that it gave me the ability to connect to people that in my day to day life I did not have the opportunity to talk to and get to know. Everyone is busy and unless there is something that you have to do together - like kids sports or the like - you just don't have the opportunity to get to know people. Facebook has helped me get to know people I would not otherwise have the chance to get to know. And as I have visited a few blogs, I have really gotten to know the ladies writing the blogs and we have become friends. These are people that I would not have had the chance to get to know. Our paths would not have crossed.

Another really cool thing about blogs and Facebook, I guess. Is that you really get to know a person by reading their blog. I am sure people don't share everything but they share enough of who they are for you to get to know who they really are. And I really appreciate that. I am drawn to authentic people. I think we live in a day and age where people try to be something that they are not and it is hard to get to know those people.

So this technological age we live in has actually helped me in many ways. It has helped me not to be so isolated. It has helped me to slowly learn who I am and build the confidence to share myself with other people. And that is a big stretch from who I was just several years ago. So I, for one, am thankful for the opportunity to share who I am on Facebook and here on my blog. It is awesome that God uses so many different avenues in order to take us along our journey.

Weather, Skirts, and Shoes?

This year Texas has actually had all 4 seasons. Normally that is not the case as a lot of you may already know. The past couple of weeks have been really nice. Today the weather is just gorgeous - Highs in the upper 60's and tonight it will actually get to the 40's. That is SO unusual for Texas, but I LOVE it. The windows have been open and the breeze blowing through feels so good.

I wanted to share a blessing with you all today. Normally I buy my clothes at Thrift stores or Goodwill. There are great brands for very reasonable prices. I love shopping at them. Ever so often I go to Cato's or other like store and shop off of the clearance racks. Well a couple of weeks ago I found a fantastic brown skirt at Cato's for $5.99! I have a nice black one and I had been looking for a brown one for a while. Anyway while I was at the store I looked around to see if I could find a shirt to match. Well I had a little extra money so I thought I will find a shirt here and with the savings on the skirt it will be OK. Well I finally found a shirt for $19.99 and I thought well that is high but I may not find a shirt to match the skirt if I don't buy them together. When I got home I tried the shirt on and it was OK - not like the perfect shirt. Well I thought about it and a couple of days later I thought you know what - I can go to GW or my thrift store and buys several shirts for that. And I just could not believe that I paid that much for the shirt in the first place. So I took it back. Well about a week later I was at one of my thrift stores and found a really cute shirt that had small roses on it and I just loved the shirt enough I bought it without even trying it on. I got it home and I loved the shirt but it was a tad bit too short(because I am self conscience about my stomach). Well I hung it up and went about my day. Later that day I was taking care of something else and when I looked up - I noticed that I had hung the "new" shirt up in front of the brown skirt. And they looked great together!! Yay! God had answered my prayer for a shirt to match the skirt -without me even realizing it. Then today I was pulling out my summer clothes and I found a gorgeous turquoise/brown/black top - like a leopard print. I knew I had it but had forgotten all about it. In fact, that was the shirt that had caused me to go on a hunt for a brown skirt. But I had totally forgotten about it since I pack up my summer stuff during the winter. So I have 2 great shirts to go with the skirt. I love to have a couple of great tops to wear with skirts. That way you have a couple of different outfits using the one skirt.

Over the past year or two I have become more modest. I have never been immodest but I have just come to the point that I only like to wear long shorts - like to my knees or Capri's. And my skirts are always go down between my knees and my ankles. Those are the things that I feel the most modest in. God has blessed me with helping me to find some great deals. I am considering wearing more dresses - oh and when I say dresses I mean like skirts and tops. That is about all I wear any more. It is funny cause up until about 2 years ago - I only wore dresses - and would not wear skirts - I thought that they made you look fat. Well it seems that the style of dresses that I like have stopped being made - well maybe I need to say that I have not been able to find them at the places that I shop. So I tried skirts and I love them. So anyway I have been considering wearing more skirts. My problem has been that I need shoes that have arch supports because I have problems with my feet. So that has been something that has held me back in the past. I am looking into buying myself a pair of Keds. I used to buy the cheap ones from WalMart many years ago - but they have no support and that is one reason why I have feet problems in the first place. Wearing the cheap shoes and standing on concrete for long hours. So I need to go to the store and see if the Keds have arch support and if they would work for my idea. If any of you ladies out there know if they are good shoes - could you leave me a comment and let me know? Thanks a bunch. I am also going to look for a pair of sandals or two for this summer. In the past I have worn tennis shoes most of the summer - just to have good supportive shoes but I really need to have a pair of sandals or two in order to be able to be cool. It gets hot here. So that is something else I am on the outlook for. Anyway have any ideas?

A little help for the Journey..

"Mirror" by Barlow Girl

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes
of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me (Yeah)

Who are you tell me
that I'm less than what I should be
Who are you?
Who are you? (Yeah)
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

You don't define me (You don't define me) [x4]

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be
Who are you?
Who are you?
Yeah!
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try
Yeah

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be
Who are you?
Who are you?
Yeah
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, no, I won't try

I think that God tried in many different ways to teach me that I needed to look to him for my value and some how I just kept missing the point. A year or so ago I went to someone's blog. And I heard this song playing in the background. I had never heard the song before. I would go to this blog often to hear the song. Since then our computer messed up and I lost the link to this persons blog, but I am so thankful that I was able to find it and hear the song. It sure did the trick.
Anyway so now anytime I am feeling low or am questioning my value, I get my mp3 player and listen to this song. Oh I wanted to share one more song that helped in my journey to self acceptance.

"Video" by India Arie

Sometimes I shave my legs and sometimes I don't
Sometimes I comb my hair and sometimes I won't
Depend on how the wind blows I might even paint my toes
It really just depends on whatever feels good in my soul

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be the india arie

When I look in the mirror and the only one there is me
Every freckle on my face is where it's supposed to be
And I know our creator didn't make no mistakes on me
My feet, my thighs, my lips, my eyes; I'm lovin' what I see

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be the
india arie

Am I less of a lady if I don't wear pantyhose?
My mama said a lady ain't what she wears but, what she knows
But, I've drawn a conclusion, it's all an illusion, confusion's the name of the
game
A misconception, a vast deception
Something's gotta change
but,Don't be offended this is all my opinion
ain't nothing that I'm sayin law
This is a true confession of a life learned lesson I was sent here to share with
y'all
So get in where you fit in go on and shine
Clear your mind, now's the time
Put your salt on the shelf
Go on and love yourself
'Cuz everything's gonna be all right

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I Learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be the india arie

Keep your fancy drinks and your expensive minks
I don't need that to have a good time
Keep your expensive car and your caviar
All I need is my guitar
Keep your Kristal and your pistol
I'd rather have a pretty piece of crystal
Don't need your silicone I prefer my own
What God gave me is just fine

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be india arie

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Mine is going to be a busy one. I am so thankful for the beautiful weather we are having.

Benefits of Self-Acceptance - Part 3

Last week I shared about the importance of self acceptance. And that we do not need to be looking to other people for acceptance and for our value. I also shared that when I realized that my value came from God - that I was able to better accept myself - just the way I was. It was really freeing when I finally figured out that I did not have to be good enough in order to be of value. We are bombarded by TV, secular magazines, and billboards of what the worlds idea of perfection is. What is so sad about this idea of perfection is that it is set at such an unrealistic level that most couldn't achieve it with out the help of professionals. And I, like many, fall short of those standards.

Another great thing about realizing that your value comes from God and that his standards of value differ from the worlds is that you learn to accept others as well. They, too, have awesome value because God created them in His image just as He created you in His image.

This morning I was reading a short devotional that was talking about how the wilderness sanctuary that is talked about in the Bible shows a great example of how our beauty needs to be. From the outside of it - it was plain and simple but the closer you got to it you could see that the insides of it were beautiful. See to God our greatest value and beauty does not come from outward things, but from a beautiful character on the inside. So then the question is - how do we get this beautiful character? We need to get close enough to God, spend some time every day with Him. As we spend time with Him we will start reflecting His beauty. It is my prayer that I might be a mirror in which others can see God. Oh I have a LONG ways to go..but with God's grace and patience this is a goal I hope to achieve.

A Simple Guide to Planning A Dinner Menu

1. Choose the main dish first.
2. Select a starchy food-- potato, noodles, spaghetti, rice, etc.
3. Select a vegetable and/or salad.
4. Think about bread or rolls.
5. Decide on dessert.
6. Consider the extras, such as beverages, adding an appetizer, and making a special garnish.

If your main dish is a meal-in-one, all you need is a lovely salad ( a green one is delicious), a tempting bread, dessert, (if you like), and a beverage.

Taken from "American Home All-Purpose Cookbook" copyright 1966 page 24








A couple of weeks ago, I found this awesome cookbook at Goodwill and only had to pay $2.00 for it. It has a hardcover and has over 500 pages in it. Lots of cool charts and basic tips for cooking.

Today will be a busy day for me so I will probably not have a lot of time to spend on the computer. I hope you all have a wonderful day!