Hearts in Service

  Today is Thrifty Thursday and I decided to talk about making inexpensive breakfast and lunches.   Boxed cereals are outrageous , don't stretch very far at all , and ar e loaded with sugar .  You can probably get 5-6 bowls of cereal out of one regular size box and at almost $4-$5 per box, it's not worth it.   I have to make Dan's lunch every day and he has no way to heat things up so the standard leftovers won't work.  I don't buy lunch meat, except as a very rare treat, because it's expensive and also very unhealthy. Here are some of the meals we've had over the past week.  All of the baked good are homemade. Breakfast ► Sausage gravy & biscuits ► Grits (did not go over well - LOL) ► Omelots ► Bacon, eggs & toast ► Bagels and cream cheese ► Oatmeal ► Homemade granola. Dan's Lunches Over the Past Week (He likes salad so I do quite a bit of those) ► Salad with hard boiled eggs and leftover chicken , apple, chocolate ch...

Pro vision.  We say that God will provide and that we trust Him.  Ye t, more often than not , it's our checkbook ba lance we trust in.  It's our full cu p boards and full gas tank s that gives us com fort. Dan and I have lived hand to mout h for most of our 23 years of ministry, yet this ha s been the hardest year we've ever faced.  Some of it is the cost of living is going up and yet, we make less now than we did 20 years ago.   It's easy to speak the words, "I trust that God will provide." but not so easy to believe it or feel it when you have $20 to last a week and mouths to feed, gas tanks to fill, bills to pay , and children who need to go to specialists. I have to be honest when I s ay that I do have to daily and weekly fight down my feelings and trust what I know.  I know... ► God has provided for us during our 23 years o f min istering to others. ► We have not gone hungry. ► We have a roof over our head. ► Our bills get paid ....

Today is my birthday!  51 years of challenges and growing and stretching myself.  I always love taking time each year to think back over my life and evaluate where I've come from and where I'm going.  I thought that to celebrate I would list some things that I have found meaningful in my life over the past 51 years. 1.  My relationship with God.  I love the Lord and want to serve Him all my life.  Hence, the title of my blog!  I hope I have another 51 years to work in His service. 2.  My husband.  Anyone who has read my blog or knows me, realizes that my life revolves around my family.  My husband is one of the kindest, most patient, and most supportive men I've ever met.  I can't imagine my life without him! 3.  My children.  I thank God every day for these three gifts.  They challenge me, make me laugh, and at times, make me crazy!  But I love them with all my heart. 4.  My extended family....

For the past year we have had zero money to do much of anything in the entertainment department.  We did receive a gift card from someone at Christmas so went to the movies on that, but generally there just isn't anything extra. However, we've been able to find our own entertainment and still have fun. We have tons of board games and used to play them a lot when the kids were younger.  We've been dusting them off lately and starting to play more often.  Emily and I have been playing a game of chess each night after dinner. She took great pleasure in beating me last night. The nice thing about games is that you are actually interacting with each other instead of just staring at a screen. The boys aren't the biggest fan of them anymore but Stephen does like a rousing game of Scrabble.  I think it's mostly so he can show off his vocabulary.  He spent more time pouring over the dictionary than playing the game!  This probably isn't everyone's idea ...

I have a box of photographs and memorabilia from my dad that has been sitting in my sewing room for the past year and a half.  It's been there ever since my dad died. My parents divorced when I was little and I never had much of a relationship with my dad.  After I graduated from high school and went to college, I saw him about 5 times for the next 30 years.  Sad, but the reality of our relationship. I finally got up the nerve to go through the box last night, and immediately felt tears welling in my eyes and a tightness in my chest.  I learned some things about my father that I never knew, or had only heard bits and pieces about him.  ♦ My dad was a basketball player; a good one.  In fact, his team won a couple of championship games.  He was quite athletic and won the school wide athletic competition in his senior year. ♦ He was an average student, though he was quite bright.  He kept his report cards from all those years a...

Psalm 119:171-175 ~  "May my lips overflow with praise,      for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word,      for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me,      for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, Lord ,      and your law gives me delight. Let me live that I may praise you,      and may your laws sustain me." Lips overflowing with praise. A tongue singing of God's word. Living to praise Him. All things I long to do, but fail at quite often.  I give God lip service with my praise, but more often than not, I walk around feeling depressed, discouraged and defeated.  And yet, God continually remains faithful.  He continually provides and blesses.   Despite my weakness. Despite my failures. Despite my sinfulness. What a testament of His love and faithfulness.  Love that I am un...

It's time for a confession.  It's not always easy for me to admit these things but I do find that it can be very healing. I struggle big time with feeling inadequate.  Which makes me want to please people constantly.   Which makes me feel like I have to do whatever anyone else wants me to do.  Which makes it hard for me to trust my decisions.  Which makes me very unsure of myself.  Which makes me change my mind a lot. WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That's a load off! ;-) This can be so debilitating at times.  When I have to make a decision to start or stop or drop or add something, I agonize about it for days.  I'll make the decision and then all it takes is someone suggesting I do the opposite or raising their eyebrow for me to start doubting that I did the right thing.  I feel like a yo-yo a lot!  I'll get very clear direction from the Lord sometimes and know that is where I need to go and yet, still feel in bondage to other peopl...

I had such a good week in the crafting department and it felt good to get back to my sewing.  Maybe what I really needed was a break for a few weeks to get back in the mood again! Here are some items I've made. Cards: A table runner. I also made two men's ties.   You can find all these items in my Etsy shop. One thing that I've found to be really helpful throughout the year is that I have a big Rubbermaid bin where I store all the items I've made.  If they don't sell on Etsy or if I know somebody's birthday or anniversary is coming up, I have the gifts all set to go.  I just go shop from my "gift" bin. S tephen's birthday is coming up so I need to start thinking about something for him.   I have a couple of ideas in mind and just need to start working on them.

It's Thrifty Thursday and I thought I'd talk about decorating your home on a shoestring budget. I've had two different people in the past few weeks tell me how much they like my house and that feels so homey to them.  The funny thing is that Dan & I have been in ministry since we were first married and have never had money for furniture or decorations.  With the exception of about 3 pieces of furniture, the entire house, top to bottom are either hand me downs or gifts.  I think the reason that it does feel that way is that I try to add little touches to make this house feel like a home.  They are just things that pull it together and make it warm and inviting. I have things that have been gifts that are meaningful to me and try to surround with those things. I tend to stick with classic colors that will go with anything.  I'm not into trendy items. I've added decorations that cost next to nothing, such as these hearts, that pull colors together....

  Today was a quiet, relaxing day around here.  Overnight snow caused schools to be closed so everyone was home together.  I did a very light day of school with Emily, but most of the day was just puttering around. ♥ Made waffles for breakfast (the first in about 3 years)! ♥ I finished up some yearly reports for our church. ♥ Made two men's neckties.  They are in my Etsy shop, along with cards and a table runner I made this week.  I decided to keep it open a few more weeks and see if things pick up.  So far lots of views, but no purchases.  ♥  Made a pot of soup. ♥ Photographed some birds. ♥ And worked on a baby blanket while watching a movie with the family. I love days when it snows and we are warm and cozy inside.  Tomorrow it's back to business.  I'm actually going to try and stay off the computer most of the day so I'm posting this tonight.  Have a blessed Thursday!

How can you find the multitude of blessings in the mundane of a January Monday?  The excitement and beauty of the holidays are over.  The months stretch out long between now and Spring.  The weather is gray, drab and the snow is melting away, leaving mud and slush everywhere.   To be honest, my spirits have been as gray and drab as the weather.  My thoughts start turning to dark and depressing things.  I find it hard to feel joy or excitement or peace.   Yet, this is the very time that I need to number those blessings.  To keep counting.  To keep finding the multitude in the mundane.  God is still there and blessing.  He doesn't go on  hiatus from January until April.  His presence doesn't change. So I'll keep looking, counting and naming the many ways that the Lord is working in my life. Today I'm thankful for blessings #14 26 - 14 40 . ♥ Our car fixed and returned. ♥ Eggs, cheese and cream baked t...