A Merry Heart Journal

Winners!

2012-01-26T16:13:00.002-07:00

Thank you to everyone who checked out this video and entered the giveaway.

I pray that everyone was encouraged by the video and that the Lord will use you mightily to share the gospel.

Michael chose the winners and they are:

~Nadine of Nadine's Nook

~Gert of Gert, Tom and Rusty too!

and

~Raeann of Lady Farmer Parables

Ladies, please e-mail me with your mailing info (if I don't already have it :) so I can get this out to you!

A Giveaway: 180

2012-01-11T21:35:00.001-07:00

This video is such a powerful tool. Michael and I saw this just before Christmas and were just amazed at how little our youth know about history and how the world views abortion.

Be forewarned, the video is graphic in some places.

Michael and I want to give away 3 copies of this DVD.

Please leave a comment after watching and let me know that you would like to be entered.

We need to share with those in the world and Ray Comfort gives us some great examples of how to do that.

Deadline for giveaway will be January 25th and the winner will be posted January 26th.

Have a most blessed day as you seek Him!

Love,

Sharon

Live Long and Prosper

2012-01-08T19:50:00.002-07:00

Live Long and Prosper

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:8

Some of the ladies and I have been going through Elizabeth George’s study “Following God with All Your Heart”. This has been a very thought provoking and encouraging study and I would highly recommend it :)

As the New Year has come, we see well wishes for a ‘prosperous’ New Year.

But I would like to add to that a “prosperous new year in the Lord”.

When we see the word prosperous what comes to mind?

Health, wealth and happiness come to mind for most, but for us as Christians this is what we should see:

Prosperous: Advancing in the pursuit of any thing desirable. Webster’s 1828

~What is a desirable pursuit for us?

~Is it our relationship with our Lord?

~Worldly pursuits?

Things of the world can be okay if they do not cause us to compromise our faith or if they do not become an idol, but let’s focus more on godly pursuits.

Looking back at verse 8 of Joshua chapter 1 we see the steps involved in becoming prosperous:

~Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth. Meaning it should always be with you.

~Meditate IN it day AND night

~Observe to do according to ALL that is written in it

Then what happens?

For then you will make your way prosperous.

~Does this mean that we will be healthier?

Yes, spiritually healthy. I think it’s safe to say that we all know what makes a living thing grow and become healthy. When we have plants, we water them, we make sure that they are nurtured. This is necessary for them to thrive and bear fruit. We need His Living Water to grow and thrive therefore making us spiritually healthy :)

~Does this mean we will be wealthy?

Yes, spiritually wealthy :)

Therefore I also, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints,

do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the ones believing according to the working of His mighty strength which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age.

Ephesians 1: 15-21

Need I say more? :)

~Does this mean that we will be happier?

No. Happiness is based on circumstance. Now we will have JOY. Joy comes only through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God’s precious gift to us.

Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:18

The word ‘joy’ used here is a verb, an active word. It is our decision to ‘joy’ and what better way to sing praises to our King than to ‘joy’ IN the God of our salvation :)

Prosperous: Advancing in the pursuit of anything desirable

To advance means to ‘move forward’ or ‘to proceed’

~So, how can we move forward in our pursuit of the Lord?

-Seek Him

-Read His word

-Study His word

-Meditate in His word

-Live His word

Ladies, I propose a challenge :) Let us strive to move forward in serving our Lord, in knowing our Lord and in loving our Lord. Let us make a commitment to spend even more time in His word, memorizing it and living it. For then we will make our way prosperous and then we will have good success :)

Our Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us, we thank You that You have called us into Your family and that we have heard You. Father, You know our heart’s desires, to know You more to bring glory to You always in everything we do. Father we ask that You would give us knowledge and understanding of your word, that You would help us to draw close to You and that we may be pleasing in Your sight. We ask that we would be able to memorize Your word and that it would never depart from our lips. We thank You Father and praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus’ name we pray…Amen.

Candied Cuties

2012-01-02T04:00:00.005-07:00

A box of Clementines, sugar and water

~Smile~

Recipe found HERE

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T11:27:00.002-07:00

May the New Year be prosperous for you as you serve our Lord and draw closer to Him!

Happy New Year!

Love, Sharon

O Come Let Us Adore Him

2011-12-24T20:00:00.001-07:00

Today and every day.

Praying that you all have a wonderful and Blessed Christmas rejoicing in the birth of our Dear Savior.

Thanks be to God for His Indescribable Gift!

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

2011-12-03T11:02:00.004-07:00

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

It’s the holiday season. The CHRISTmas season to be exact.

We are spending time preparing for the holidays.

-Preparing menus

-Preparing cards with Christmas greetings

-Preparing our home with decorations

-Preparing our shopping lists

BUT, what is the single most important thing for us to prepare?

Our hearts.

As the classic Christmas hymn goes…

“Let EVERY heart prepare Him room.”

~Whose heart?

Every heart.

God desires that all men be saved, He does NOT want a single one to perish.

~Why?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall NOT perish BUT have eternal life.

John 3:16

~Have we met our Savior?

His name is Jesus.

-The One that loves us so much

-The One that suffered for our sakes

-The One that took on our sins

-The One that was beaten and tortured for us

-so that we could have eternal life

-and be with Him forever

~Have we prepared room in our hearts for our Savior?

Good question. What exactly do we keep in our hearts?

When we ask the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts, He reigns with us.

He is always with us, He never forsakes us, He is right there with us through joy and trials.

Our Comforter, our All in All.

Throughout scripture we are commanded, encouraged and exhorted to keep Christ and His ways in our hearts.

~So how can we do this?

Prepare Him room. In order for Him to dwell in us, we need to put aside the flesh and make room for the Spirit :)

Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

Ask yourself, “Does this glorify the Lord?”

Think on whatever things are lovely and of good report. Hold every thought captive.

Place Him first.

Bask in His presence. Hunger and thirst for His righteousness. Be wholly surrendered to our Master as Mary was:

…and (your name goes here) said, Behold the servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according your word :)

Oh ladies, He IS our everything! He is so loving, so gracious, so kind, so merciful. The list goes on and on.

~What happens when we prepare room for Him in our hearts?

This is the good part :)

We have:

JOY

-the joy that comes from knowing that we have pleased our God

-the joy that comes from seeing Him work in our lives

-the joy that comes from when we are serving our Lord

-the joy that comes from being faithful in our calling

-the joy that comes from sharing Him

-the joy that comes from reflecting His light to others

Joy TO the world!

The Lord IS come.

Ladies, let us be encouraged to prepare room for our Lord. To empty the things of the world from our hearts. To place our loving Savior first and to experience the joy that only He can bring :)

Our Prayer:

Oh Heavenly Father, we love You so much! We cannot even begin to thank You for everything that You have done and continue to do for us. We praise Your name! We thank You Father for Your Son and His precious sacrifice on our behalf. Lord, we are so unworthy, so unclean, so undeserving, BUT You love us no matter what! We ask Father that You would help us to prepare our hearts to fully welcome Your Son, to live for Him and to share Him so others can experience the hope and joy that only You can bring. We thank You Father and pray these things in Jesus’ most precious name. Amen!

Relaxing

2011-11-26T13:23:00.002-07:00

On this blustery day. Just brought firewood in, soup cooking, bread baking and watching one of my favorite movies:

By The Light Of The Silvery Moon

with Doris Day & Gordon MacRae.

I love this film!

I've been MIA lately, alot going on.

Michael finishing up his work season, some health issues for both of us and a trip to Albuquerque for surgery for Michael. Carpal Tunnel Release.

Praising my God that He is so faithful and blesses us abundantly.

Michael now has feeling in his fingers :)

Thanksgiving dinner was postponed (surgery was 2 days before and Albuquerque is about a 5 hour drive in nice weather).

Mom may be coming out :) If she does, we will celebrate then with a turkey dinner. BUT everyday is Thanksgiving for us :)

Praying that everyone is having a lovely holiday!

I love you all!

~Sharon

Think on These Things

2011-10-08T20:11:00.000-06:00

Think on These Things

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, o Lord my strength and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

Lately, the Lord has really impressed upon my heart ‘meditation’. We hear of many different religions practicing ‘meditation’, but what exactly does that mean for us as Christians?

~What does meditate or meditation mean?

Meditate: To dwell on any thing in thought; to contemplate; to study; to turn or revolve any subject in the mind

So we see that to meditate is:

~to dwell

~to contemplate

~to study

~to turn and revolve in the mind

~What do we tend to dwell on?

We are human and especially in times of strife or despair, we tend to dwell on circumstance. Scripture tells us not to worry and to focus on the Lord. I know, easier said than done. But give it a try!

Hide this in your heart:

Isaiah 26:3

~What do we spend time contemplating on?

Do we spend time contemplating about treasures of the earth or our treasures in heaven?

~What do we study?

We are commanded in scripture to show ourselves studied and approved.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

A good question to ask ourselves is this:

~How much time have I spent reading or studying my Bible in comparison to_______?

Ouch! That really opens our eyes, doesn’t it?

~What revolves in our minds?

Do we squander away our time in things that are worldly? Time is a very precious thing, we are called to be good stewards of ALL that the Lord has given us and blessed us with, time included.

The Apostle Paul gives us this for encouragement:

Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8

Everything that Paul has listed here in scripture is what needs to be meditated on. If we start to worry or a ‘yucky’ thought comes to mind, we are to hold every thought captive and

‘Think on these things”

~So, what do we want our meditations to be?

Acceptable in the sight of our Lord!

~What exactly does acceptable mean?

Acceptable: That may be received with pleasure; hence pleasing to the receiver; gratifying.

Oh, to please our Lord. Our Strength AND our Redeemer!

To please Him with meditations of true, noble, just, pure, lovely things. Things of good report or reputation, anything virtuous, anything praiseworthy.

Hmmm, what falls into the above categories?

Our Father in Heaven and His testimonies.

Sounds good to me! :)

Ladies, let us be encouraged to hold every thought captive, to dwell on and meditate on our Heavenly Father and His goodness. To study His word and to be …

Acceptable in His sight, our Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer.

Our Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us like You do. You are so beautiful and precious to us! Father we ask that You would help us to meditate on You and Your word, to dwell on You and Your goodness, to study Your word so that we may better represent You and so that we may not be deceived but only think on those things of You that are pure, true, noble and full of virtue. To meditate on Your beauty and majesty that the words of our mouths and the meditations of heart will be acceptable in Your sight. We thank You and praise You Father God and pray these things in Jesus precious name. Amen.

Squirreling Away

2011-10-04T21:24:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit

Summer is my honey's busy season. In addition to pastoring, he owns a Professional Lawn Care and Landscaping business. So basically when business is hopping we start stocking :)

We were blessed to receive some Summer Apples. I was able to make a pie for us to enjoy and 4 to keep in the freezer. The recipe I used is from Country Home magazine. It's delicious!

Photo Credit

You can find the recipe here.

We have also been stocking up on corn. Sweet Olathe Corn to be exact from Olathe, Colorado. Olathe corn is some of the sweetest corn we have ever had. I purchased two cases and froze the ears.

~

Oh and the canning!

Dill Pickles,
Sweet Pickles,
Relish,
Banana Pepper Mustard and
Zucchini Salsa

But wait there's more!

~Sour Cherry Jam
~Sour Cherry Juice
~Jalapeno Jelly
~Peach Jam
~Salted Butterscotch Peach Jam
~Apple Butter (another blessing of apples from friends!)
~Strawberry Jam
~Loganberry Syrup
~Pear Honey

Whew! I am tired of canning!
I am almost glad that the deer got to the tomatoes!

Herbs are drying: Sage, Rosemary ,Thyme (nope, no Parsley :)) and Orange-Mint too. I think that the Orange-Mint will be so nice for tea :) Hot Peppers are also drying.

Pumpkins are harvested and waiting to be pureed and frozen :)

~

We were able to go to a Honey Pour. One of the local Beekeepers sells raw honey $2.00 a pound, just bring your own container.

This year I was able to get a Victorio Food Strainer. What a huge blessing! I have previously used a Foley Food Mill and spent so much time preparing apples for apple butter. I was done in about 20 minutes.

The side of beef is ordered. Firewood is getting stacked. I think we will be prepared.

~Smile~

How do you prepare for the colder months?
What are you working on?

What He Pleases

2011-09-08T15:33:00.001-06:00

What He pleases

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-11

Isaiah, chapter 55 in whole is such a beautiful and encouraging piece of scripture. I love this chapter of Isaiah and find it interesting that the name Isaiah means “salvation”. In chapter 55, the prophet Isaiah speaks of salvation through God’s grace.

Isaiah creates a visual for us in verse 10:

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater.”

Verse 10

We picture rain and snow falling down from Heaven, It’s hard to even imagine it returning there :) But the purpose of the rain and the snow is to provide health and nourishment to the soil and vegetation that it may be fruitful. Being a fairly new gardener, I appreciate the rains and watching the gardens bring forth bud and fruits. The fruits (or vegetables ;)) provide nourishment and they also provide seed to continue the harvest.

Likewise God’s word.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

Verse 11

~Whose word?

~From whose mouth?

God’s.

It is important to note that God’s word is the word that will not return void. God’s word spoken from God’s mouth, a vessel used for God’s Glory.

We often hear this verse, but not in its entirety. We often overlook the second half of this verse (guilty as charged!)

“…But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

~What shall it accomplish?

~Who shall it please?

~Will it prosper?

~What for?

It’s all about Him.

-It shall accomplish what God pleases.

-It shall please God

-It will prosper in the very thing that God sent it for.

Wow! Even better! :)

When I first read the whole verse I was so blessed, above and beyond. Not only does His word not return void BUT it shall accomplish what God pleases and will prosper for the very thing He sent it for :)

This caused me to think.

~How often do we miss out because we only catch some of God’s word?

~How can we be even more effective for our King?

*Spend time in prayer

When we spend that quality time with Jesus we see what He wants us to do. We become in one accord with our Savior therefore being a vessel to share God’s word and love

God’s word will accomplish what He pleases and it will prosper in the very thing which He sent it for.

When God sees our hearts, hopefully He sees a willing servant concerned with the salvation of others and glory being brought to His name.

The prophet Isaiah spent 60 years sharing God’s word and the redemption of man.

~How many years have we spent?

I often think of the years I have wasted not knowing my Savior or not serving Him as I should have.

The apostle Paul sums it up here:

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church by Jesus Christ to all generations forever and ever. Amen”

Ephesians 3:20-21

God will give us above and beyond what we need. He continues to bless us despite whether we are as faithful to Him as we should be. He is our reigning King forever and ever. Ladies let us be encouraged to constantly be in His word, to pour into our prayer life so that we may be used to accomplish what He pleases and bring forth the harvest to our King.

Our Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You are more than gracious with us. We thank You and love You so much! Father it is our desire to seek You wholeheartedly, to be a vessel for Your glory, to see others embrace Your Son as Lord and Savior. Father all praise and glory be to You our King. Thank You for loving us and welcoming us into Your arms. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Always Forever

2011-09-02T20:47:00.002-06:00

This song by Phil Wickham really speaks to my heart and I hope that you will be encouraged too!

Giveaway at Gail's

2011-08-25T20:32:00.001-06:00

My friend Gail over at Faithfulness Farm is having a wonderful giveaway.

And NOT ONLY THAT...

She has shared her

Grandma Mae's Apple Butter Cake

which sounds delicious!

Old Fashioned Bake Sales. Makes me think about the movie Pollyanna and those WONDERFUL LAYER CAKES :)

(hmmmm, frosting!)

Anway before I REALLY start craving frosting, head over to Gail's. She has such a heart for the LORD and baking too!

Faithfulness Farm

Hollyhock Hand Me Downs

2011-08-22T21:03:00.002-06:00

Vases of Hollyhocks by Van Gogh

Last year I was gifted some Hollyhock seed. I gently tossed them on the ground, sprinkled a little bit of potting soil and watered them. This was in the Fall. They took off in no time and before our first snow fall they were about one foot tall.

This Spring I had the true pleasure of seeing the blossoms. I wish I had taken some pictures before they started going to seed. The colors are luscious. A deep, dark rosy pink, a beautiful shade of burgundy and a black (actually deep, dark burgundy) blossoms. They grew to be 7 feet high! Imagine this 5 foot gal standing next to them (okay, I'm fibbing, I am 4 eleven and three-quarters ;))

Anyway, Hollyhocks seem to be the flower that keeps on giving. This is what the
Hollyhock Hand Me Down is about :)

I harvested some seed and would LOVE to share with this stipulation:

Next year, when you harvest seeds, you must share also!

I will send gladly send out seeds to those interested until they run out.

Please post a comment and e-mail me with your mailing info :)

Daddy's Girl

2011-07-22T04:00:00.002-06:00

I grew up being a 'cat' person. When I met Michael and saw that he had a dog (and a larger one at that) My thought was oh no! Zokie (our sweet Australian Shepherd) stole my heart in no time. Ask me if I am still a 'cat' person ;)

After a few years and realizing that we would not be able to have children, I wanted my own pup. Don't get me wrong, I loved Zokie SO MUCH! Michael had had Zokie since he was a puppy and he and Zokie had a very special bond. I wanted that too.

We found Tirzah in the paper. Sharing a medium sized kennel with 2 large dogs. The poor thing. We brought Zokie and he approved of his new sister. :)

Her name was Ursa. Think Ursa Major Ursa Minor. We didn't really care for that name. I was asking the Lord one morning what name would suit her, one that fit her and that she would adapt to.

"Tirzah"

He said. After closing my prayers. I called out..."Tirzah" Guess who came running?

~Smile~

Tirzah (Hebrew: תרצה‎) is a Hebrew word meaning "she is my delight."

(If you look at this Old Testament Bible Map About halfway down (around number 8 towards the left) you see Tirzah. Further to the left you see Sharon :))

~Bliss~

Tirzah and both Mommy and Daddy now have a very special bond. It is so sweet to see Michael playing with 'his girl' and tucking her in bed at night :)

~Contentment~

The Lord has truly blessed us with a Delight!

What Could This Mean?

2011-07-18T04:00:00.012-06:00

While visiting one morning, I sat down in front of the computer with one of these

~Bacon Cinnamon Rolls~

I am ready to comment on a blog and when it comes time to type in the comment moderation code I see this:

Oh No!!!

What could this mean? After the hard work I have done on Weight Watchers!

I ate it anyway

~Smile~

( I am still working on tweaking the recipe and when I feel it is just right I will share :))

Heart Vision

2011-07-15T04:00:00.001-06:00

The blacktop on my daily walk

~Smile~

Shades of Red

2011-07-13T04:00:00.005-06:00

~Fruit and Herbal Vinegars~

~A special gift from a special friend~

~Strawberries!~

Can you tell they are faux?

~Ranunculus~

This is my first year planting Ranunculus and I am so excited to see blossoms! And the first blossom just happens to be my favorite color :) Notice the center of the flower looks like a little pearl :)

What is your favorite color?

Are you In?

2011-07-08T04:00:00.002-06:00

Are you In?

Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Acts 4:1-4

Prior to this event, Peter and John were on their way to the temple. At the gate called ‘Beautiful” there was a man lame from his mother’s womb asking for alms. Through the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ, Peter healed the man who then proceeded unto the temple to worship with Peter and John.

I LOVE that the gate to the temple was named “Beautiful”. How appropriate that we should remember our Lord and how beautiful He is so that we can prepare our hearts to worship Him :)

Now enters some greatly disturbed souls; the priests, the captain of the temple and the Sadducees.

~Why were they greatly disturbed?

Because Peter and John taught the people and they preached in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

What struck me while reading these verses was that…

“They taught the people and preached in Jesus.”

“In”

‘in’ not ‘of’

~What exactly does this mean?

Let’s pull out our handy Webster’s dictionary, shall we? :)

In: denotes present or inclosed, surrounded by limits; as in a home, in a fort; in a city

In…Jesus :)

We are in Jesus. Surrounded by Him the only difference being that with Him, there are NO limits.

~Are you ‘in’ Jesus?

~Do you proclaim the gospel ‘in’ Jesus or only ‘of’ Jesus?

I love how the definition gives the example of a fort.

“And he (David) said: The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer”

2 Samuel 22:2

“Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily;

Be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me.”

Psalm 31:2

These verses paint quite the picture of our Lord don’t they?

He IS our fortress when we are IN Him.

~Is He your fortress?

He protects us, He keeps us safe in Him.

When we dwell in Him, we gain so much. Not only for us personally but for our Lord, for Jesus, for our everlasting Father, to help further His kingdom.

Let’s see what happened in verse 4 of Acts chapter 4:

“However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”

Acts 4:4

~Doesn’t this give you goosebumps?

Nothing, absolutely nothing can stand in the way of salvation.

Ladies, let’s check our hearts to see if we are ‘in’ Jesus or not. Let us be encouraged to be ‘in’ our Savior, to proclaim the gospel ‘in’ Jesus.

To God be the glory!

Our Prayer…

Oh Heavenly Father, how we love You! Father we pray that You would speak to our hearts concerning the matters discussed. Lord, that You would show us if we are ‘in’ or not. If we are Father, we pray that You would use us mightily for Your Kingdom. If not Lord, we pray for Salvation, we confess our sins and ask for Your forgiveness. We recognize that You died for our sins and that You were crucified and rose on the third day so that we may enter into Your presence, Your fortress. We thank You for being our fortress and our Great Deliverer. Father please help us to be diligent in our witness for You living each and every day for You. We praise Your holy name! In Jesus’ name Amen.

Heart Vision

2011-07-06T04:00:00.003-06:00

The remains of my honey's espresso

~Smile~

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T04:00:00.006-06:00

Praying that everyone will have a blessed Independence Day rejoicing in our freedom from those who have served and are serving our country and their families.

~God Bless America!~

Teacup Feeder

2011-07-01T04:00:00.005-06:00

~A Teacup Bird Feeder~

Michael blessed me and made this for me with a thrift shop teacup and saucer I found. I wish I had a photo of the little finches that come and sit upon the edge of the teacup. Very sweet:)

Silly Salad

2011-06-29T04:00:00.001-06:00

Michael insisted that I take a picture of my salad and the little face that appeared.

Isn't it funny?

It made us smile that's for sure :)

A close up:

Have a blessed day!

Heart Vision

2011-06-27T04:00:00.004-06:00

~Smile~

Neat and Discreet

2011-06-22T04:00:00.006-06:00

Just a pre-cursor,

This post will mention unmentionables :)

I have been looking for a way to carry my girlie products that is discreet. I have had them fall out (from over-stuffing my purse!) and will never forget an incident a friend shared with me years ago:

Her aunt was shopping and slipped her hand in her purse to grab a pen while checking out. Well, you could probably imagine the look of horror when she realized that what she pulled out was not a pen! At least the sales clerk was female :)

I have always loved the Victorian Trading Company catalog and loved this:

Well, I thought to myself,
"This would be the perfect size to hold the unmentionables."

I found this eyeglass case at the Thrift Store for 35 cents. I cleaned it up and then proceeded to embellish it.

I found some beautiful trim at this etsy shop:

Mary Not Martha
(love the name btw)

And just used my trusty glue gun :)

The finished product:

Perfect for carrying a couple of unmentionables :)

Oh and to kick it up a notch, I placed a lavender scented cotton ball in the case prior to using it.

A cute funny :)

2011-06-20T04:00:00.002-06:00

I recently found this posted on a message board and thought I would share :)

A recent bride called her mother one evening in tears.

"Oh, Mom, I tried to make Grandmother's meatloaf for dinner tonight and  it's just awful! I followed the recipe exactly and I know I have the  recipe right, because it's the one you gave me. But, it just didn't come  out right and I'm so upset. I wanted this to be so special for George,  because he loves meat loaf. What could have gone wrong"? 

Her mother replied soothingly, "Well, dear, let's go through the recipe.  You read it out loud and tell me exactly what you did at each step and  together we'll figure it out." 

"Okay," the bride sniffled. "Well, it starts out, 'Take fifty cents worth of ground beef..."

Heart Vision

2011-06-17T04:00:00.001-06:00

~A Geranium Petal~

~Smile~

Fruit and Herbal Vinegars

2011-06-15T04:00:00.010-06:00

Herb and Fruit Vinegars are wonderful to have on hand especially in the summer to make vinaigrette for fresh salads from your garden. They also make lovely hostess gifts.

What you will need:

~Quart sized canning jars

~Funnel

~Decorative bottles or jars

~White Wine Vinegar or Distilled White Vinegar

~Assorted fruit or berries of choice

~Herbs of choice

Place pre-washed fruit and/or herbs in canning jar.

Sorry about the shadows!

Then you simply add the vinegar and fill to the top of the jar leaving about 1/4 inch headspace. Use plastic wrap and cover the mouth of the jar then add the lid and ring (unless you are using plastic lids).

Let steep for 2-3 weeks, turning the jar to mix the ingredients.

That's it!

When ready to place in decorative jars or bottles, strain using dampened cheesecloth and funnel into bottles. Label and store.

Jars of vinegar I made a couple of weeks ago

Sweet Cherries and Thyme

A friend blessed me with these bottles that are perfect! They hold exactly one quart!

Have fun and experiment!

You can use all herbs or all fruit or a combination of both :)

I recently made:

~Raspberry and Chive Blossom

~Dark Sweet Cherry and Thyme
~Blueberries and Sage (like I made in the photos above)

The possibilities are endless. What do you think of a Peach and Basil? Yum!

What flavors would you try?

Jesus paid it all

2011-06-14T04:00:00.004-06:00

Photo courtesy of Public Domain Pictures

"Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow."

Heart Vision

2011-06-13T04:00:00.004-06:00

A crocheted rug.
Okay I know it is intended to be heart shaped, but I couldn't resist :)

(This is my make shift clothesline ;))

~Smile~

Tomorrow's Supply

2011-06-09T04:00:00.003-06:00

I have been SO BLESSED reading "Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy"

by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. I highly recommend this book to encourage you in your relationship with Jesus.

In the back of the book is a 30 day devotional guide to encourage you in your thanksgiving. On Day 5, Nancy quotes a friend,

"If tomorrow's supply depended on today's thanksgiving, how much would I have tomorrow? "

Boy howdy! That really puts things into perspective for us doesn't it?

Ladies, let's re-evaluate our "supply" and be encouraged to praise Him in the good times and to praise Him in the storms.

Something that I share with my Sunday School children is this:

Our lives are a blank canvas. God is the Artist. Sometimes, things don't go as planned and we feel as though blobs and blobs of paint are being dumped on us. BUT, remember this:

God is the artist.

He has a plan for that canvas.

The plan to create a beautiful masterpiece.

Thank You Lord for Your unfailing love!

Taking Stock...

2011-06-07T07:07:00.000-06:00

~Smile~

I just LOVE the spicy scent of stock.

A Day of Puttering

2011-06-04T19:37:00.001-06:00

Well, my Mom left Thursday :(

It was an emotional day for me. Mom left at 7:30 in the morning and immediately I had a dentist appointment.

Note to self: Do not undergo anything traumatic like the dentist and Novocaine when emotional.

When I got home it took me a while to relax and settle my nerves. I was pretty shaky, I guess from both Mom leaving and the dentist office. I was however able to get ALOT of cleaning done, several loads of laundry and deep cleaning the guest bath and bedroom.

Soooo, Friday was a day of puttering around and doing what I felt like :)

After quiet time with the Lord I set about my day....

Tea staining some vintage doilies and lace material...

Making fruit and herb vinegars: Raspberry and Chive Blossom and

Dark Cherry and Thyme...

Started some reading with...

image courtesy of Mary Jane's Farm

and this... (I want to learn how to make my own lotions, etc.)

image courtesy of Amazon

Found some time to watch the next disc of Road to Avonlea that arrived...

I am REALLY enjoying this series and I know that my Mom enjoyed it too!

Michael and I are hoping that Mom can sell her home in Arizona and move here. Whether it be with us or if she gets her own place (up to her!)

What do you like to do when "Puttering about?"

Thank you all for visiting. I SO appreciate your comments and your prayers :)

I love you all!

Love,

Sharon

Plums for Dust! A Repost

2011-06-03T04:00:00.011-06:00

Print courtesy of http://www.art.com/

Plums for Dust!

A certain young man wished to marry but he was afraid to make a mistake  while choosing a wife. So he asked the advice of his father on how to  choose a good wife. His father recommended him to gather all the plums  from their garden and then to go through the village and to offer those  plums for household dust and refuse.

So the young man followed the advice of his father and he went through the village shouting: 

"Plums for dust!" "Plums for dust!"

And  all the women in the village ran to their houses and started sweeping  the floors and dusting and they came out with bags full of dust. Soon  the young man "sold" nearly all his plums in this manner.

Then  in the end of a street he saw a young maiden standing with a very small  parcel in her hands. The young man was surprised and he asked her if  that was all the dust which she had in her house. The maiden answered  that she had no dust in her house and what she had in her hands was the  dust which she had been able to borrow from her neighbours.

The  young man understood that this girl was the best homemaker in his  village so he proposed to her and she accepted. And they lived long and  happily ever after.

~Author Unknown

So ladies, would we be getting our canning equipment down to make some Plum Preserves? 

She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

Hmmm, the Proverbs 31 Woman:

Watches  over the ways of her household. How does she do this? I am sure that  she finds wisdom and strength in the Lord. By spending time with Jesus  first thing she is equipped for whatever lies ahead. She has a right  heart to tackle whatever may come her way.

I  think of the times in past when I have not been equipped. I easily  became frustrated, irritable, quick-tempered, not loving at all and had a  yucky heart. Not good. Not glorifying to God.

The  Lord makes things so easy for us and all we have to do is spend time  with Him. It shouldn't be a chore or like pulling teeth. It is a  blessing and a privilege. To think that the Creator of the universe, The  Lover of my soul, My Savior who shed His blood for me only wants me to  spend time with Him.

Upon spending that precious time with Him we see His goodness, His wisdom, His direction for our lives. We also see that...

"We can do all things through Christ that strengthens us"

Philippians 4:13

Blessed are the Flexible :)

Blessed are the flexible for we will know how to handle what arises each day with a joyful and merry heart :)

The Proverbs 31 woman also does not eat the bread of idleness. What exactly is idleness?

According to Webster's (I love my 1828 Webster's dictionary!) idleness is:

Abstinence from labor or unemployment;
another definition: the state of doing nothing

The  word idle reminds me of when you have your vehicle motor running. You  are parked and it is in idle. Running but not going anywhere. Living but  not doing anything.

Doesn't sound very productive does it?

As Christians, as Handmaidens for the Lord we are called to glorify Christ in all we do.

And whatever you do in word or deed, do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God. the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:17

Ladies,  let us be encouraged as we walk in the ways of the Lord to seek Him at  daybreak to seek His wisdom and direction for each day. That He would  anoint us with His Holy Spirit to equip us to minister to those around  us.

Our Prayer:

Oh Heavenly Father, we do love You So Much!!! Thank You that You have called us Your daughters. Thank You that You have called us to serve and glorify You. Thank You that You equip us with whatever is needed. We desire so much to be a Proverbs 31 woman. To be pleasing and beautiful in Your eyes. Father we ask that You would help us to be productive for You. To not waste our precious time being idle but by being good stewards of our time especially in the times we now live in. We pray for Your anointing and that Your Holy Spirit would equip us to minister to others and to help lead more souls to You. We ask these things in Your precious name. Amen!

Heart Vision

2011-05-31T04:00:00.000-06:00

A footprint

Would you believe that Michael is the one who had to point this one out to me?

I recently purchased a pair of Skechers for walking and didn't realize that the tread was full of hearts.

~Smile~

Pink Ladies

2011-05-28T04:00:00.003-06:00

~Yum!~

The bEsT Oatmeal Cookies

2011-05-25T04:00:00.006-06:00

I found this recipe for Oatmeal Cookies at this lovely blog:

A Place of Quiet Rest

Heather sets the tone by prompting her readers to put on some praise music and tie on a favorite apron before baking :)

You just HAVE to try them!

While recently watching Road to Avonlea, there is an episode in which Aunt Hetty is being pursued by Wally Higgins a Skate Salesman. Mr. Higgins presents Aunt Hetty with a box of imported chocolates and says,

"When you nibble these, think of me."

~smile~

I think I just may pack some in my honey's lunch box with a note :)

Redbirds in a ...

2011-05-20T16:18:00.002-06:00

Photo courtesy of Colorado State University

Tree :)

I just planted some of these and cannot wait for them to blossom :)

The blossoms look like little red birds, too sweet!

I have a hard time keeping the Hummingbirds around due to wasps and other insects drinking from their feeders so I thought that I would plant some flowers to attract them and provide nectar :)

So, I have planted Redbirds in a Tree, Bee Balm and some Echinacea.

~What flowers have you planted?

~Do you have any recommendations for flowers that attract Hummingbirds?

Have a beautiful day in Jesus!

love,

Sharon

Blessed is

2011-05-19T04:00:00.008-06:00

 John Waterhouse

~Blessed is the wife who greeteth each day with the thought “This is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” 

~Blessed is the wife who taketh time each morning to bathe her soul in the word of God and prayer.  

~Blessed is the wife who refuseth to think upon her husband’s faults. 

~Blessed is the wife who puteth her husband’s wishes before her own and provideth well for his spiritual, mental and physical needs.  

~Blessed is the wife who is never heard to contradict her husband in public.  

~Blessed is the wife who waits to bring complaint to her husband till he is neither tired nor hungry.  

~Blessed is the wife who is contented with whatever her husband is able to provide.  

~Blessed is the wife who considereth her home to be a palace and not her prison.

~Blessed is the wife who counts it a joy to keep her home clean and orderly for the sake of her husband. 

~Blessed is the wife who would joyfully welcome a bundle of joy into her heart and her home. 

~Blessed is the wife who lives each day in anticipation of the heavenly Bridegrooms return

~Author Unknown

Hoping...

2011-05-16T04:00:00.001-06:00

that Michael and I can get away this Summer even if only for a couple of days.

This is where I would like to go...

Pioneer Guest Cabins

Crested Butte, Colorado is known for their wildflowers. Fields upon fields of beautiful colored wildflowers.

Here are a couple of photos of wildflowers Michael took a few years ago:

Tirzah modeling near some Mountain Asters. This is neat:
Michael and I had Mountain Asters in our wedding flowers not having ANY idea that the Lord would bring us here to Colorado :)

Michael took this photo by a running brook.

Here is the cabin I like :)

You can see the inside here

It has been a long time since the two of us have gotten away, so I'm praying :)

Good Character

2011-05-14T08:39:00.004-06:00

Photo courtesy of http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

A good character is the best tombstone.
Those who loved you and were helped by you
will remember you
when forget-me-nots have withered.
Carve your name on hearts, not in marble.

C. H. Spurgeon

Cute Ideas :)

2011-05-11T04:00:00.000-06:00

Photo courtesy of Threadbarestitcher etsy shop

Aren't these just so sweet?

Can't you just imagine them filled with sugar and flour sitting on your baker's rack or Hoosier cabinet?

They are available through this Etsy seller:

Threadbarestitcher

Ooh and I just LOVE these (anything hearts you know;))

Photo courtesy Bliss

Recipe and instructions for Doily Cookies from

Bliss

And this...

Photo courtesy of Sweet Nothings Blog

Do you remember Mrs. Butterworth?

I sure do and I think I just found a use for my bottle without a cap :)

A sweet vintage lamp :)

Cute!

2011-05-09T04:00:00.008-06:00

One of the little girls at church blessed me with a dandelion :)

It made my day!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-07T04:00:00.004-06:00

Happy Mother's Day ladies!

Michael and I are so glad that Mom is visiting and we can pamper her especially for Mother's Day :)

We picked up some carnations for the moms at church and after church, Michael will drop me off at home while he takes Mom for a drive. I am preparing a special brunch for her:

~Spinach Quiche

~Fresh Fruit

~Chicken-Apple Sausages

~Cinnamon-Sugar Pull Apart Bread

(recipe found here)

~Fresh Juice

~Coffee (roasted by my honey :))

We also picked up a very sweet Hobnail Milk Glass vase for Mom. She informed us that she has always liked Hobnail Milk Glass but never had any sooo... :)

What are your plans? I would love to hear how you are going to celebrate :)

I hope and pray that you will all have a very blessed day!

The bread just about gone! Delicious!

My girl :)

2011-05-06T04:00:00.004-06:00

I was at Walgreen's Pharmacy a couple of weeks ago. They and a local Pet Shop were sponsoring a Pet Photo of the Month Photo Contest.

I decided to enter this photo of Tirzah to see what would happen :)

I received an e-mail Monday...

Results

One happy Tirzah! She gets a gift certificate to the shop (I'm thinking treats for her :)) and an 8x10 photo from Walgreen's.

~Another smile brought to my face~

Down to...

2011-05-03T04:00:00.005-06:00

the last jar of Strawberry-Thyme Jam and I cannot wait for the strawberries to become available, hopefully soon!

We have been enjoying Mom's visit and she extended her stay for another month :)

I really am having fun with Mom, cooking and baking for her and we have had a blast watching movies like...

and...

We LOVE classic films :)

For dessert recently, I made this cake:

(Photo courtesy of Cooking Light)

It's a Cooking Light recipe (but you would never guess!)

Double Coconut Cake

Cooking spray

One Tablespoon cake flour

Two ¼ cups sifted cake flour

2-¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/3-cup butter, softened

1 2/3 cup sugar

Two large eggs

1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk

1-tablespoon vanilla extract

Fluffy coconut frosting

2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat two (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; dust with one Tablespoon flour.

Combine 2 ¼ cups flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (for about 5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap the pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

Place one cake layer on a plate; spread with 1 cup fluffy coconut frosting. Sprinkle with 1/3-cup coconut. Top with remaining cake layer, spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle 1/3-cup coconut over top of cake. Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator. Yield: 14 servings.

Fluffy Coconut Frosting

Four large egg whites

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Dash of salt

1-cup sugar

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon coconut extract

Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook. Without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed. Stir in extracts. Yield: about 4 cups

And...it's only 7 WW points! Start saving up!

I mention that because I started Weight Watchers last June. I have lost 23 pounds. It has been the only thing that has helped me to lose weight AND keep it off. I have gone from size 12 bottoms to a 2 or 4 and size large/extra-large tops to a small. I am still in shock. Maybe one day I will be brave enough to post photos :) I would love to encourage anyone who may want to check out WW, if I can do it, ANYONE can!

Here is a website for Weight Watcher recipes:

Gina's Skinny Recipes

I have tried so many recipes from her website and both Michael and I have enjoyed them :)

Well, that's all for now. I pray that everyone is doing well and pray that the Lord would bless you abundantly as you draw closer to Him!

Love, Sharon

Set and Fixed

2011-04-27T21:57:00.003-06:00

Set & Fixed

Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You.

Psalm 119:38

In this verse, we see the psalmist’s desire for God’s word to be established in him who is devoted to revering God.

~Whose word does the psalmist want to be established?

~Where?

~What exactly does ‘establish” mean?

According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, the word establish means:

-to set and fix firmly or unalterably to settle permanently.

To set AND fix firmly

When reading this definition “to set and fix firmly” I immediately thought about gluing an object in place. We can ‘set’ something in place, but until it is ‘fixed firmly’ it can be moved or shifted.

~How often do we only ‘set’ things in place when it comes to our relationship with Jesus?

“But none of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify fully the gospel of the grace of God.”

Acts 20:24

The apostle Paul gives us the perfect example of being set and fixed firmly. He has surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus Christ so that:

~He may finish the course

~Finish the course WITH joy

~He may finish the ministry which he received from the Lord Jesus Christ

~He may testify FULLY the gospel of the grace of God

Wow, I just love Paul and the example that he sets for us. And if he can do it so can we :)

Paul suffered hardships (above and beyond what most of us have ever gone through) BUT he still remains true to His Lord for His glory.

~So, how does one still remain faithful and true to the Lord?

Let’s look again at Psalm 119:38…

Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You.

Psalm 119:38

~What does the text tell us about the psalmist?

1) He asks God to establish His word to him

2) He refers to himself as God’s servant

3) He is devoted

4) He is devoted to fearing (revering) God

~So what can we learn from him?

-To desire God’s word. To set and fix it firmly in us.

And God will :) Remember He is faithful and true to His word.

-To be a servant to the Lord.

We often refer to Jesus as our Savior, but is He our Lord also?

-To be devoted

Appropriated by vow; solemnly set apart or dedicated; consecrated;

-To be devoted to fearing God

Fearing or revering God is where it begins.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10

In scripture, fear is used to express a filial or a slavish passion. In good men, the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun everything that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience. This is filial fear.

(Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

When I first became a Christian, I did not have an understanding of the ‘fear of the Lord”.

I love how this definition states that this ‘fear’ springs from a just view and ‘real love’ of the divine character (God)

Real Love.

Real Love and…Devotion.

Oh how He so deserves our love AND devotion!

He has done ever so much for us!

Ladies, let’s be encouraged to show our Lord and Savior how much we truly love Him.

Let us:

~Desire His word to be established in us, ‘set and fixed firmly’

~Recognize and act upon our role as His servant

~Be devoted to showing our Savior the reverence that He deserves.

The following verse is referring to Jerusalem, the city of God but I think it is something that we can also cling to in our lives:

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God shall help her at the turning of the morning.

Psalm 46:5

God is in the midst of we who believe and Christ abides in us. When we remember that and cherish that we know that God will help us no matter what we are experiencing.

Our Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we LOVE YOU so much! Father we thank You that we can come to You with anything and for anything. We thank You for Your faithfulness to us despite where we are at. Father we ask that You would help us to establish Your word in our hearts and lives. That You would cause us to read, meditate and study Your word and keep it in our hearts. We pray that we would also live Your word and apply it to our lives showing ourselves dedicated to serving You and showing You the reverence rightly due Your name. Father, we pray that we will be ‘set and fixed firmly’ upon You word so that we may not be moved yet finish our course with joy, and testify fully to the gospel of Your grace. We thank You ever so much for Your love and Your grace. In Jesus’ Name we pray…Amen.

Precious Jesus

2011-04-16T21:11:00.001-06:00

The Passover Lamb by Frederick T. Heath

Precious Jesus

I remember You, precious Jesus, I remember You,

Healer of my heart, Lover of my soul

On Your sacred head, a crown of thorns pressed on Your sacred head

Mighty King of the universe, merciful Lamb, for my sin You suffered and bled.

Still, “Father, forgive them, they don’t understand.”

Sweet Savior, I heard what you said

I remember You, precious Jesus, I remember You,

Healer of my heart, Lover of my soul.

Jesus, Jesus, we remember.

As we drink from the cup of salvation, Your blood,

We remember Your sacrifice. We remember the way that You suffered for us.

Risen from the grave, Christ immortal, risen from the grave.

At Jerusalem ’s gate how You wept for the lost, Even as palm branches waved.

Then You proved how You loved us on Calvary’s cross,

And rose up on the third day so all who believe might be saved

And we remember You, precious Jesus, we remember You,

Jesus, we love You. Precious Jesus, we love You.

Jesus, we love You. Precious Jesus, we love You,

Jesus, we love You. Precious Jesus, Jesus we love You,

Healer of our hearts, Lover of our souls.

Getting Ready

2011-04-12T17:26:00.002-06:00

It's been a busy week. My Mom is coming to visit (YAY!). We haven't seen her in about 3 years so we are excited and hoping that she will want to stay :) I am so blessed in having a husband that loves his mother-in-love and wants her to stay with us, actually move in :)

Along with deep cleaning everything and Bible Studies I did find some time to craft:

I had this bird house and candle stick holder. I just never used them as they were.

But after painting the bird house and embellishing it with moss, branches, rosehips and buttons it has been revived :) I placed it on top of the candle stick. I think it came out pretty cute, what do you think?

I also found these sweet little birds at Hobby Lobby at our last trip. Hobby Lobby is about an hour away so we don't go very often. I found these cute little vintage tart tins and glued clips on the bottom. I then added some excelsior and placed the sweet birdie inside. I have a couple of these on a Norfolk Pine we have in our home (the ONLY houseplant I have not killed!)

While I am typing I have this bread rising and preparing itself for the oven:

Photo courtesy of Purple Chocolate Home

The bread already smells incredible!

You can get the recipe HERE at Jacqueline's blog. But, you really should visit longer because Jacqueline has some amazing recipes that she shares: Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Curd, Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes and Pumpkin Truffles wrapped in Marzipan that are too cute!

I picked up a new book to read and am praying about using it as our next Bible Study for the ladies since we are winding down next week with our last lesson in: A Woman's Walk with God by Elizabeth George. It has been a great study, very convicting AND encouraging :) The new book is:

By Nancy Leigh Demoss. It has received wonderful reviews and I am hoping that this is what the Lord would want us to be doing for a study. I thought that if we do in fact go through this book that I would pick up some composition books and have each gal decorate and embellish it for her gratitude journal. We can never have too many of those!

Well, I must run. A certain furry girl whose name I will not mention appears to have gotten herself dirty in time for Grandma to come :(

It looks like a bath has now been added to my to do list.

Sometimes I can't help but think that she does this on purpose:)

Have a blessed week in Jesus ladies and I will write and visit soon!

Love,

Sharon

Heart Vision

2011-04-06T04:00:00.000-06:00

~Smile~

Heart Vision

2011-03-30T04:00:00.001-06:00

Tirzah's Valentine's Day cookies: Strawberry Vanilla Hearts

~Smile~

He loves me...

2011-03-28T04:00:00.006-06:00

Graphics courtesy of The Vintage Moth

~He loves me

~He gave Himself ransom for me

~He extended grace to me

~He has shown me mercy

~He forgives me

~He strengthens me

~He brings me peace

~He brings me joy :)

~He gives me hope

~He is always faithful to me

~He heals me

~He gives me wisdom

~He directs me

~He provides for me...

~He loves me!~

Honeymoon Coasters

2011-03-25T04:00:00.001-06:00

For our Honeymoon 14 years ago, Michael and I stayed at a cabin in the mountains of Northern Arizona.

It was really cute with vintage decor. It was in January so there was snow on the ground, we were surrounded by huge Ponderosa Pines, very romantic. To make it even more cozy we were excited to see a fireplace in the cabin. On the porch to the cabin was a wood box filled with cedar and pine logs for burning.

Not only did we enjoy the cozy warmth of the fire but we enjoyed bringing a log home. I know, it sounds strange. Well, fast forward a couple of years. I come home from a Ladies Retreat and find these:

Michael took that log and made coasters while I was gone!

What a sweetie!

I just love the things he does for me. The Lord has totally blessed me with a wonderful, thoughtful husband.

The coasters sit in this wire basket in our living room and I am constantly reminded of my honey's love.

~I am blessed!~

Heart Vision

2011-03-23T04:00:00.001-06:00

For Breakfast

~Smile~

The Best Day Ever

2011-03-19T09:22:00.000-06:00

The Best Day Ever

This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Michael and I often tease about our pup Tirzah. Each day that passes seems to be the ‘best day ever’ to quote a certain cartoon character. :) It seems as though her goal is to make each day better than the last. A state of joy and bliss.

This made me think,

~Do I rejoice in each day that the Lord has made?

~Am I thankful for each day that He has blessed me with?

~Am I a good steward of the time He has given me?

These are good questions to ponder. Let’s see what God’s word says.

Back to Psalm 118:24

This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

~Are we willing to rejoice despite circumstance?

1^st Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 16 tells us to

“Rejoice Always.”

But how can we rejoice when we are facing trials?

Simply seek Him. Place our lives in His hands. Totally, wholeheartedly surrender to Him.

To rejoice is a decision that we purpose in our hearts. It’s not just based on feelings.

He is ALWAYS there for us.

He KNOWS what is best for us.

He LOVES us.

~Do we make it a point to be thankful for each day that He has granted us with?

Remember ladies, His mercies are new each day! And not only that :)…

It is another day to serve our Savior!

Recently in Sunday School, one of the children was celebrating a birthday. His prayers for that day were:

“I want to thank God for my birthday and that I was born to serve Him”

I was (and am still) in awe of his heart. Amazing. This prayer also caused me to ponder:

“Am I thankful that I was born to serve my Lord?”

~How many of us honestly have even thought of that thanksgiving?

This puts things back into perspective for us, doesn’t it? :) It puts the focus back on Christ where it should be.

~Are we faithful in redeeming the time?

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Why be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Ephesians 5:15-21

Scripture tells us to redeem our time wisely. To walk circumspectly that is to

Be careful to consider all circumstances and possible circumstances. To be prudent.

Why?

Because the days are evil.

~How shall we redeem the time?

-Walking circumspectly

-Seek the Lord for an understanding of His will

-Be filled with the Spirit

-Speak to yourselves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs making melody in your heart to the Lord. (I LOVE that! Making melody in our heart to the Lord :))

-Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

-Submitting ourselves to one another in the fear of God (In reverence to God)

Ladies, I am sure that I do not need to tell you that we ARE living in end times. Time is at hand and there are so many lost souls. Souls that have not yet called upon the name of our dear Savior.

~Let us rejoice EVERY day despite circumstances so we may proudly bear the name Christian and show the world where our hope comes from.

~Let us be thankful for each and every day and seek Him to show us the opportunities that He has for us to be witnesses for and to Him.

~Let us strive to make each day ‘The BEST day ever” by serving Him.

Our Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we love You SO MUCH! We thank You for each and every day that You have blessed us with. Father we pray that we would glorify You each and every minute of the day in all that we do. Lord, we ask that You would show us Your will for us , how You desire to use us, the appointments that You have for us. We praise Your name and are so very grateful that you have called us to be Your daughters, we pray Lord that You would help us to best represent You and help lead the lost to You. Father time is so very precious and we pray that we would always recognize that and redeem the time wisely, to strive to make each day the ‘best day ever’ in You. We thank You Father and pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen!

My Alarm Clock...

2011-03-16T19:51:00.002-06:00

Photo courtesy of: http://www.weforanimals.com

Every morning now that Spring has almost arrived, this is what wakes me up:

The Western Meadowlark

You can hear it's beautiful song here . Just scroll down and click on the sound clip :)

A blessing for sure :)

CSN Giveaway Winner!

2011-02-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for entering this giveaway. I wish that everyone could win a little something but unfortunately that's not how it works :)

I would like to congratulate Michelle!!!

Michelle has a wonderful blog and heart for the Lord. Pay her a visit :)

Gather the Lambs

Thank you again everyone and thank you CSN for allowing me this opportunity to bless my readers.

Have a blessed day!!!

A CSN Giveaway!

2011-02-16T11:24:00.006-07:00

CSN Stores has over 200 wonderful online stores where you can find anything you need whether it be swingsets , bed linens and outdoor décor.

I know that I am ready for Spring and am sure that you are too!

Upon waking up wouldn't this be a wonderful way to start the morning?

Filled with some of this Roobois tea (one of my favorites :))

Maybe start on some gardening...

Dusk is approaching...

Aaaah. Contentment :)

These photos show only a very small selection of the beautiful items that CSN Stores has to offer.

About the Giveaway...

The winner will receive a Gift Card in the amount of $45.00 for CSN Stores.

*The giveaway is open to Residents of the US and Canada*

To Enter:

~Just leave a comment telling me what you would purchase if you were to win.

That's it!!!

All entries must be received by February 26th. The winner will be announced on February 27th.

Thanks girls and thank you CSN!

*Edited to add that I do NOT receive any compensation for hosting this giveaway :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T07:37:00.001-07:00

Wishing you all a lovely

Valentine's Day!

Speaking of tea (were we? :))

Have you tried this?

You can find it Here. It is so delicious, but only available this time of year.

I have been enjoying it very much in this lovely mug. One of the sweet things my honey got me for Christmas.

www.victoriantradingco.com

Things have been busy lately. This past Saturday we had our Ladies Brunch and Valentine Fellowship. It was such a blessing. It amazes me (but shouldn't) that the Lord puts on everyone's hearts what to bring for a Pot-bless :)

Our menu:

~Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches on Saffron-Raisin Rolls

~Scrumptious Fresh Fruit

~A Tasty Cheese Plate

~A wonderful Pasta Salad with Dill, Tomatoes and Cucumbers

~A Delicious Blueberry Strudel

Oh yum!

We served the Strawberry-Chocolate Tea along with some Strawberry-Lemonade, Iced Tea and

Sparkling Cider.

Fun was had by all. We shared a devotional (see Prior post) and just had a great time of fellowship in the Lord.

We exchanged Valentines. This is for anyone who wants to participate. Last year we had all handmade items. This year was quite busy for everyone :)

I received a Blackboard Coffee Mug with some chalk that was filled with Heart-shaped Marshmallows :) Had to be hearts you know :)

I found this sweet towel for my recipient:

Courtesy of 12LegsCuriosities etsy shop

Which I found Here. She has some adorable seasonal towels and faux cupcakes that look SO GOOD!

I made some Vanilla-Mint Lip Balm for the ladies along with some Chocolate-Cinnamon Milk Bath Powder. Everything smelled wonderful! (I will try to post pictures) I just love being able to make things like these for the girls, I just want to bless them :)

We usually have a Door Prize at our Ladies Fellowships. I always chose a book :) We can always glean something to further our relationship with the Lord.

This time it was "Mornings with AW Tozer".

Tonight my honey and I will be celebrating with a nice dinner consisting of:

~Baked Stuffed Lobster Tails

~Baked Potatoes

~Oven Roasted Asparagus

~Sour Cherry Cobbler

I am going to try and visit today. I have been bad about that and I apologize. I am just not spending as much time online and am limited now that I share the computer with Michael :)

So...

What are your plans for today?

How Do I Love Thee.....

2011-02-01T19:43:00.001-07:00

Graphics courtesy of http://vintagecatnip.blogspot.com/

Let me count the ways. Or so the famous lines of Elizabeth Barrett Browning are quoted.

~How do I love Thee?

Let us look at Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 5:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:5

I think that the first thing that needs to be established is, “Who is our God?” We can find out by asking ourselves these questions:

~Have I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior?
~Do I love and serve Him?

~Am I walking with Him?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to these questions then it has been established who your God is, if not please e-mail me. I would Love to introduce you to my Lord

Moving along :)

~How are we to love the Lord our God?

The word ‘love’ in the Hebrew (Ahav) means to love, desire, to delight.

1) With all of our heart.

To love our God wholeheartedly.

To truly love Him

To truly Desire Him

To truly delight in our Savior

2) With all of our soul.

~What exactly does this mean?

The Hebrew word for soul is nephesh (#5315). It is a breathing creature, breath, respiration, life.

So we are to love the Lord our God with every breath we take, every fiber of our being. Our very being.

3) With all of our strength.

Meod (3966) in the Hebrew: with vehemence, wholly, speedily, diligently.

Love Him with vehemence

Love Him wholly

Love Him speedily

Love Him diligently

Note the key word used in Deuteronomy 6:5? ALL.

We are to love the Lord our God with ALL our heart, with ALL our soul, with ALL our strength.

I find it interesting that this is a commandment. Don’t misunderstand me, but it seems that this is something that should just flow from us knowing ALL that our Savior has done for us. The fact is, we are human. There are always distractions, trials, tribulations. We fall short. However…

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

Philippians 4:13

He is so amazing!

God loves us so much that:

~He sacrificed His only begotten Son to redeem us

~He desires for us to spend eternity with Him

~He has loved us unconditionally

~He has loved us with an everlasting love.

And SO MUCH MORE!

The Apostle Paul tells us …

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:28-29

So we see from the above verses in Romans what can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Can…

~Death

~Life

~Angels

~Principalities

~Powers

~Things present

~Things to come

~Height

~Depth

~Any other created thing

separate us from the love of God?

No. Absolutely NOTHING! Thank you Lord!!!

~Is God going to change His mind?

No, His word is true.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

Ladies, just as our Lord remains true to us, let us be faithful to Him. Let us re-kindle that flame in our relationship with Him, our first True Love. With the One that sacrificed for us.

Our Prayer;

Oh Heavenly Father, we do love You so much. We thank You that You love us so much that you have sacrificed Your Son to die for our sins. Thank You for Your mercy and Your grace. Thank You for not allowing anything to separate us from Your love, we treasure that. Father we ask that You would constantly remind us of Your great love for us and that we would not be distracted by things of the world. We also ask that You would fill our heart and soul with such a wondrous love and passion to know You more. Thank You Father for remaining true to us. In Jesus name we pray…Amen.

My new love...

2011-01-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

Persimmons.

~smile~

A Happy and Blessed New Years to You!

2010-12-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year to all of you wonderful friends!

May the Lord continue to bless you as you serve Him :)

CHRISTmas Greetings

2010-12-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Praying that you all have a most Blessed Christmas rejoicing in the birth of our Dear, Sweet Savior!

Love,

Sharon

2010-12-11T15:58:00.001-07:00

Who is He?

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And there will be the sign to you; You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying;

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2:8-14

I can only imagine how wonderful and magnificent it would be to witness this. To experience the glory of the Lord shining about and it gets even better; to hear of the arrival of the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

I would like us to look at what comes next…

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

(Notice the exclamation point :))

Glory to God in the highest.

When studying these passages I felt that the Lord wanted me to share on Peace. However when I sat down and began to write, I felt that I could not just ‘glide over’ Glory to God in the Highest.

I really struggled with this and could not go further without touching on the Glory due His name.

Glory to God in the highest.

This says it all. God should be glorified in all that we do. Praise to Him alone. All glory to Him.

While studying the Greek word for glory used here (Dokeo #1391), I found that to ‘glory’ means to think, to recognize Glory, spoken of honor due or rendered praise. Along with this definition I think it’s important to see just how this word is used grammatically. It is considered an ‘anarthous construction’. Anarthous constructions are most often intended to point out the quality of something. So we see that the word glory is here to point out the quality of something (or someone in this case), and also to recognize Glory.

~Do we recognize ‘glory’?

Growing up, my family ‘rarely’ went to church. In fact I cannot even recall a time I went to church with my family. I remember our family doctor, Doctor Bond picking up my older brother and I and bringing us to church with him. He would arrive in his blue sedan, donning a black suit and tie complete with horn rimmed glasses and wing tipped oxfords. I can only recall a little bit of Sunday School and the ornaments my brother and I made, but that’s about it. After church, Dr. Bond would take us to Jones’ News Stand to pick up a Sunday Paper for himself and a candy bar for my brother and I. Almond Joy was my favorite.

The only ‘Jesus” I knew of was the One from the Christmas carols I heard. I knew of Him (sort of) but I did not know Him. I did not recognize ‘glory’. I do remember showing respect for Him, capitalizing the letters in His name but I didn’t recognize who He really was. Looking back now, I see the ‘glory’ working in my life, I see all of the ways my Lord spoke to me that I was blind to see.

~Do I truly know Jesus? Or know only of Him?

~Who is Jesus to me?

~Do I have a relationship with Him rather than just religion?

~Who is He?

The Prophet Isaiah pens who Jesus is in the Book of Isaiah. Let’s take a look :)

“For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

Let us look at each one of His wonderful names. (These definitions are all from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

Wonderful: Adapted to excite wonder or admiration; exciting surprise, strange and astonishing.

I can only think of the “exciting surprise’ the shepherds had that evening :)

Now many people do not take note of the comma between ‘wonderful’ and ‘counselor’. But when we look at the text correctly we see that ‘Wonderful’ is one name for our Lord and ‘Counselor’ is another.

Counselor: Any person who gives advice; but properly one who is authorized by natural relationship.

I LOVE this definition! “Properly” ONE who is authorized by natural relationship :)

Who knows us? Who knows what is best for us? Who knows everything about us?

Our Lord!

Not only does scripture tell us that He is our Counselor but if we look at Luke, chapter 2, verse 25:

And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon Him.

Luke 2:25

Jesus is our Consolation as well.

Mighty God: The Supreme Being; Jehovah; The eternal and infinite spirit, the creator, and the sovereign of the Universe.

I think that pretty much sums up ‘Mighty God” :) Almighty and all powerful! What an awesome thing to know. The very One who created us is so powerful and so loving. He is everything!

Everlasting Father

Everlasting: Lasting or enduring forever; eternal; existing or continuing without end’ immortal.

Wow. Our Heavenly Father, our Everlasting Father. That means He will always be there for us no matter what! The same yesterday as today, never changing, always remaining true and unconditionally loving us.

Aha. So now we come to Peace :)

Prince of Peace:

The word Prince means a Sovereign, a Ruler. But what is Jesus a Ruler of?

Peace

~What is peace?

Peace: A state of quiet or tranquility. Heavenly rest.

Freedom from:

~Disturbance or agitation

~War

~Internal commotion

~Private quarrels, suits or disturbances

So, we see that Jesus is our Prince of Peace and with Him and through Him we can attain that peace.

Glory before Peace.

When we recognize God for who He is and the awesome sacrifice that He made for us, for you and me we render our adoration to Him. It is now about Him, not us but Him. We exult with joy!

Peace:)

Which is a result of:

~Placing our Lord first

~Giving all honor and praise to Him with a joyful heart

~Giving our lives to Him

~Surrendering our will to Him

Ladies, let us be encouraged to deepen our relationship with our God who is Wonderful, our Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace and praise His holy name for His indescribable Gift of eternal Life with Him.

Our Prayer:

Oh Heavenly Father, as we study Your words we are just filled with awe. You are so Beautiful!!! Thank You so much for Your unconditional Love, For the awesome Sacrifice You made on our behalf so that we would not only have eternal life but have that wonderful privilege of spending that eternal life with You. God of all, Master of creation. Abba Father. We praise Your holy name!!! In Jesus; name we pray…Amen.

Enough

2010-08-28T20:21:00.000-06:00

Enough

You are my supply, my breath of life

Still more awesome than I know

You are my reward, worth living for

Still more awesome than I know

Chorus:

All of You

Is more than enough for all of me

For every thirst and every need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough

You’re my sacrifice of greatest price

Still more awesome than I know

You’re my Coming King You are everything

Still more awesome than I know

Repeat Chorus

You are more than enough

More than all I want, More than all I need

You are more than enough for me

More than all I know, More than all I can see

You are more than enough for me

Repeat Chorus

Shout To The Lord!

2010-08-21T20:48:00.000-06:00

Graphics Courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Shout To The Lord

My Jesus, My Savior

Lord, there is none like You

All of my days, I want to praise

The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort, My shelter

Tower of refuge and strength

Let every breath, all that I am

Never cease to worship You

Chorus:

Shout to the Lord

All the earth let us sing

Power and majesty praise to the King

Mountains bow down and the seas will roar

At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hand

Forever I’ll love You forever I’ll stand

Nothing compares to the promise I have in You

~1993 Darlene Zscech Hillsongs Australia

Confrontation

2010-08-19T13:09:00.000-06:00

Graphics courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Confrontation

But I determined this within myself that I would not come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? And I wrote this very thing to you, lest when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love, which I have so abundantly for you.

2 Corinthians 2:1-4

Confrontation

Conviction or being judged?

Repentance and restoration or separation from God?

Confrontation:

The act of bringing two persons into the presence of each other for examination and discovery of truth.

Confrontation is a hard thing to deal with, for me anyway. I don’t like ‘offending’ anyone telling them that they are sin. (I have my shortcomings too!) But what does the Bible command? Are we to please God or man?

We see in the above verses that Paul’s heart grieves. His previous letter to the saints in Corinth was to correct them, to reproof them, to restore them and to bring them back into the fold.

He shares that his heart is sorrowful. He knows (as should we) how horrible thing it is to be separated from our Lord, to not be walking with our Savior. His desire is to see restoration and the many blessings that come from a sweet, thriving relationship with Jesus. He wants the saints to know that he corrects them out of his love for them. The same example that Jesus sets.

~Is there someone in our lives that we need to confront?

~Have we confronted in the past?

~How was our heart? Was it to simply point out faults and show ourselves more righteous?

~Did our hearts truly grieves for them and we desired to see them restored?

Ladies, let’s make sure that we are being obedient to God’s word and be a God pleaser. Let us remember to seek Him and His direction when that time to confront comes. That we would allow the Holy Spirit to directs our words and actions to ensure that it is done out of love.

Now, let’s turn the tables :)

~Have we ever been confronted?

~Have we received correction?

~How was our response? Defensive ? Accepting? Thankful?

~Did we feel judged?

~Convicted?

~What did we do with that knowledge shared with us?

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not,

They are new every morning

Great is Your faithfulness

Lamentations 3:22-23

~Are we consumed?

No, through the Lord’s mercies

~Do His compassions fail us?

No, they are new every morning

~How is the Lord’s faithfulness?

Great!

I’d like us to also look at verse 24 of Lamentations chapter 3. We often stop at ‘Great is Your faithfulness”

But wait! There’s more! :)

“The Lord is my portion, says my soul.

Therefore I hope in Him!”

Lamentations 3:24

MY portion.

Portion: a part assigned; an allotment; a dividend.

~Who/What is our portion?

The Lord is.

The outcome of recognizing He is our portion:

I hope in Him!

If we look at the text, we see that this statement ends with an exclamation point.

“I hope in Him!”

What a powerful statement. What an awesome statement!

Not all of us have this precious privilege. Let us be obedient to our Lord and be the example that desires for us to be so that others may declare:

“I hope in Him!”

Our Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Oh how we love You so! We thank You for the wonderful example Your Son sets for us. Father we ask that You would direct our paths, with your love and sincerity, convict our hearts and restore us. Father we thank You that you recognize our need for a Savior and Your abundant mercies. Please help us to live a life pleasing to you so others may proclaim their hope in you! In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Heart Vision

2010-08-17T04:00:00.000-06:00

An Aspen Leaf

~Smile~

Giveaway Winner!

2010-08-16T07:50:00.000-06:00

Thank you everyone for participating in this giveaway! It's been fun

meeting new friends and visiting your lovely blog homes :)

The winner of the Giveaway is:

Bridgette

~~Stitch~~Save~~Live~~

Congratulations Bridgette and have fun shopping!!!

(love your name BTW)

I would like to also thank CSN Stores for sponsoring this sweet giveaway!

Ladies, I am planning another giveaway this Fall so be sure to check back :)

Have Mercy

2010-08-15T06:00:00.002-06:00

This is Tiny, one of the families in our fellowship (that raise sheep) found him in their field away from his mama.

He is only 1 1/2 pounds in this photo.

Have Mercy

Create in me a pure heart

Grant to me a new start

Keep me walking close to You

Heal my imperfection

Show me the direction

I must turn to be renewed (2X)

Chorus:

Have mercy on me

Create in me a pure heart

Grant to me a new start

Keep me walking close to You

Heal my imperfection

Show me the direction

I must turn to be renewed

Repeat chorus 3X

Create in me a pure heart

Grant to me a new start

Keep me walking close to You

~J. Hanz Ives 1994 Speak Softly Music

Hurry Up!

2010-08-14T04:00:00.000-06:00

Photographic Print by Jane Burton available at www.art.com

Giveaway Closes August 15th!

Winner will be announced the 16th :)