Heart Gifts....series

Prayers Are the Stairs to God

 

Prayers are the stairs

We must climb every day,

If we would reach God

There is no other way,

For we learn to know God

When we meet Him in prayer

And ask Him to lighten

Our burden of care_

So start in the morning

And, though the way's steep,

Climb ever upward

'Til your eyes close in sleep_

For prayers are the stairs

That lead to the Lord,

And to meet Him in prayer

Is the climber's reward.

 

~Helen Steiner Rice

 



Power of Prayer

"Every morning take time to begin your work with prayer.

Do not think this wasted time;

it is time that will live through eternal ages.

By this means success and spiritual victory will be brought in.

The machinery will respond to the touch of the Master's hand.

God's blessing is certainly worth asking for,

and the work cannot be done aright unless the beginning is right."

 - 7 Testimonies, 194

A Treasure I Wish I Had

Well I believe I told you that I was planning on doing a recipe book for each of my boys. So my original plan included the use of these: 

It was just like an original recipe binder that I set up before my husband and I went to Germany for his tour of duty in the military.

So my idea was to be - use each color for different things, breads, entree's, deserts, you get the idea. The only problem with this plan is that once a color is full - no more recipes can be used. The other problem is that if I wrote in pen - I could make mistakes and make it look messy. If I used pencil - it could get smeared and look messy. I didn't know what I was going to do. But I knew I needed to do something.

Several years ago- my Grandmother passed away. She was from Colorado. I did not get to see her very much. But I know she was a great cook! After she died - I really wanted her recipes. Well I wanted recipes but I also wanted to know more about her. I regretted the wasted time of not being able to find out who she really was. And as I would look at old recipe books I would be reminded of wanting some of her favorite recipes. So I knew I needed to revisit my recipe book idea for my boys and someday for my granddaughter.

I was talking to my husband and he actually gave me my idea. And I really don't know why I hadn't thought of it sooner. The plan was to type out my tried and true recipes- then I could copy off as many as I wanted to make.

So it was awesome when while I was thrift store shopping this week, I found a pretty pink 3 ring binder- probably a 1 inch binder. I thought it was great. It actually has 2 pockets on each side, instead of the usual one only pocket. I also found some dividers and bought a package of them. Here is a photo of my new recipe binder:

 

So now I am going to begin to work on my recipe folder. And then I will work on getting the boy's theirs made up. And I figured in order to make it more personal - I will write had written notes on some of the recipes. Like as I find something that might work better or options that can be done with the recipe. Just what ever I can do to make it more personal. That way my sons will have the recipes that mean the most to them. And something personal that their mother made them. Maybe it can help answer some questions for them after I am gone. Just a link to the past. And something they can pass down. A treasure- I treasure I wish I had. So I making it happen for the next generation.   

 

It Happened Again

So remember that I said that on Thursday I was going to have to take my mother in law, Charlene to the Dr appointment to have her stitches removed? Well I had heard the weather reports and they kept talking about stormy weather being here on Thursday. And I had allowed it to worry me. Trying to figure out how we could get a parking spot close enough nearby the hospital with all the construction going on and then how we could get into the hospital without getting soaked. How? How? I was a bit stressed about it as well. And I let myself worry about it too much.

I found out this morning that my brother in law was able to take Charlene to the appointment. Was surely a blessing. And to top it off- the bad weather did not come in as early as they thought it would. It is 1:30pm as I write this and it has not started raining yet. So as I was busy working around my home making up the first big batch of granola of the year, I was reminded that God is still in control - of everything. He can control weather or the abilities for others to be able to step up to the plate. And I need to learn how to wait on Him quietly...without worrying...without complaining...without fussing. These are things I need to work on....

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

Today I also tried out another one of the recipes of the cookies that we used to make at the bakery that I worked at. The recipes there were huge and in pounds and ounces, not cups and teaspoons. Anyway so my mother in law, Charlene, had been going through her recipes and found her original recipes and gave me copies of them- pride of Texas and snicker doodle cookies. And so today I made up a batch of the Pride cookies. They turned out awesome. So now it is time to type up the recipes.
Which reminds me, I have a new project that I am going to work on. I think that I have told you all about it before but I have a bit different way that I am going to do this project that I feel will work much better. Be sure and check in tomorrow to read all about it! :O)

Heart Gifts...series

 

 

A Sure Way to a Happy Day

 

Happiness is something

we create in our mind.

It's not something you search for

and so seldom find_

It's just waking up

and beginning the day

By counting our blessings

and kneeling to pray_

It's giving up thoughts

that breed discontent

And accepting what comes

 as a "gift heaven-sent"_

It's giving up wishing 

for things we have not

And making the best of

whatever we've got_

It's knowing that life

is determined for us,

And pursuing our tasks

without fret, fume, or fuss_

For it's by completing

what God gives us to do

That we find real contentment

and happiness, too.  

~Helen Steiner Rice

interrupted plans

Update on my mother in law, Charlene, she was released from the hospital and was able to go home. The timing wasn't the best but we made it all work out.  The day did not go as planned. Thankfully I had started a roast in the morning because it was 7pm before I was able to fix our supper.

So 15 minutes after my husband should have been on his way home I got a call from him saying that I would need to go pick him up, he had a flat - that could NOT be fixed. And then come to find out even the donut in his car was messed up. So I drove the 50 miles during rush hour to go pick him up.

So it was past supper time. I was a bit stressed because let me tell you- I could not handle driving all around the big city every day. We start to head for home and before we have even figured out how we are going to solve the problem at hand, Charlene calls. They are releasing her from the hospital could we pick her up. "How long till you get here?" She wants to know, anxious to go home. At least 45 minutes we tell her, it depends on all the traffic it could be more. We spend a good portion of the time headed to the hospital figuring out how we will get tire fixed and get car picked up and then, because of the way the tire shredded we knew that we needed to get all the tires looked at. Oh and after seeing the tire we were both thankful that there had not been a blowout or anything dangerous happen during his long commute.

By the time wide are driving into the hospital parking lot, Charlene is calling us again. We got her and got her taken home and things set up at the house for her. And got home a little after 7pm.

Thankfully my chickens all decided to go to the chicken coop(we are working on training them to do that instead of roosting in the trees). It's safer for them in the coop.

I was also thankful that I had peeled potatoes before I left- I put them in some salt water and into the fridge and they were in good shape when I got home a couple hours later.  So even though my plans got disrupted, we were able to have a good meal.

Well so this week will have trips to discount tire, another trip for me up to the big city- so we can get our other car home. And taking Charlene to see her Dr to have staples removed on Thursday . We are suppose to get stormy weather on Thursday so please pray that her appointment will be during a lull in the bad weather. I don't really like getting out in stormy weather.

Oh and something I was reminded about yesterday. I am very thankful for my husband and the fact that he works hard for us, but I was reminded on top of that he has to deal with a lot by driving in that mess every day. Also that I need to pray for his protection more often. There are a lot of crazy drivers out there.

Power of Prayer

 

Our Daily Prayer

 

"In the future life the mysteries that here have annoyed and disappointed us will be made plain.  We shall see that our seemingly unanswered prayers and disappointed hopes have been among our greatest blessings. We are to look upon every duty, however humble, as sacred because it is a part of God's service. Our daily prayer should be, "Lord, help me to do my best.

Teach me how to do better work. Give me energy and cheerfulness.

 Help me to bring into my service the loving ministry of the Saviour.' "

Ministry of Healing, page 474