Hearts in Service

I haven't done a Thrifty Thursday post in a very long time and I'm feeling the need to get my finances back in order.  The move really threw things into chaos and our circumstances have changed somewhat and I don't feel that I have a grip on anything. I've always tried to follow the old adage, "Plan your work and then work your plan."  At the top of my to-do list for the new year was setting a new budget.  It's so easy to merrily skip along and think things are under control and then all of the sudden, "Bam!"  You are out of money.  Our financial situation is better in the new church but it is still tight and we also have the added expense of room and board for Stephen, and also trying to help him out with living expenses. One of the first things we have always done when setting up our budget is to give back to God, right off the top.  It is so easy to want to pay the bills first and then see what's left over.  But we feel it all belon

I've been dismayed lately with the number of teenagers and young adults who choose to fight with their friends on facebook.  Every bit of anger and self-defense they have, they put out there for the world to read.  Or they make snide remarks about others, knowing that it will get back to them in one form or another. But the really sad thing is that adults do it too.  I've seen grown women and men with children of their own, posting on facebook and acting like they are still in junior high.  It's ridiculous!  I want to warn them to wake up and start thinking before they post. Yet, as I thought about this I realized that, in my own way, I can do that too.  I may not put it all over facebook, but whenever I try to subtly get people to take my side, I'm in that self-defense mode.  When I share something unkind that someone else said about me, in the hopes to get sympathy from other friends, I'm doing that.  When I plant a seed of negativity about another person to

Mondays. I'm not a big fan of them at times.  Usually I feel very drained from a busy weekend.  Today, however, I feel especially blah.  I think it mostly has to do with being sick and the howling wind and snow going on outside my window.  But, I've been determined to keep looking for the blessings and counting the large and small ways that God works in my life.   The wind is still howling.  The snow is still falling.  I still feel ill.   I generally still feel blah.   However, rather than keeping the focus on those things which will just keep me spiraling downhill into a total self-pitying mood, I'm choosing to look at the good.   This week I'm thankful for blessings #1911-1922 ♥ A productive week of sewing. ♥ Elders laying hands on people and praying for them.  ♥ A peaceful and encouraging congregational meeting. ♥ Connecting with Stephen throughout the week.  He sounds happy and this picture he posted on facebook says it all. ♥ A family who made m

I'm fifty-two years old today!  Fifty-two rotations around the sun.  It's funny because even though I'm in my 50s, I feel 25 in my head.  But my aching back and creaking knees and gray hair tell me, "Yes.  You are older!" I thought it would be fun to list fifty-two facts about myself that you may or may not know.  This is hard because I've done this before and would love to come up with some new things.  So here is the good, the bad, and the really weird things about me on my Fifty-second birthday.   (Disclaimer:  This is not me at fifty-two!  It's me at 49.  lol   I chose it because no matter how many facts I give you about myself, these are the only facts that count!)  1. I hate wearing shoes.  I wear them in the winter and when I go out, but the minute I'm home they are off.  I even exercise at home without them. 2. I cry at the drop of a hat.  I cry when I'm touched by something.  I cry when I worship.  I cry when I'm sad, happy, a

The temperatures have plunged the past few days to below zero.  It's frigid outside but we are nice and toasty inside.  One of the things I love to make when it's cold out is a big pot of soup for dinner and serve it with homemade bread.   I made this yesterday and it was so tasty, that I thought I'd share the recipe.  I originally got it from Faye's blog, The Blessed Hearth , but did make some changes.   Here is my version. Lentil Soup 4 slices of bacon, sliced into small pieces 1/2 onion, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 stalk of celery, chopped 4 carrots, chopped 1 lb. of dry lentils 1 quart of chicken stock (I used homemade) 4 cups of water 1/2 tsp. of thyme 1/2 tsp. of rosemary salt & pepper to taste 1 cup of elbow macaroni, or any small pasta Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese Slice bacon and saute in a Dutch oven or large pot until browned.  Add veggies and saute until softened.  Add lentils, stock, water and seasoning and simmer for ab

I haven't done a Crafty Things post in a very long time.  One of the things I was a bit sad about in the move was losing my giant sized craft room.  Of course, there are problems with having that much space.  It becomes a magnet for clutter and accumulation.  But I did miss having my own special spot. My personality is such that if I have to keep pulling things out and putting them away again, sewing just isn't going to happen.  Call it laziness if you will, but it just seems like too much work!  I also didn't want a giant mess in the sun room which is the one room that I could put up a work corner because that is the room everyone enters by.   However, one day I had an inspirational thought.  I purchased a fold away table that I can use at craft fairs and set up a little spot in our bedroom.  Our room is the biggest of the bedrooms and there was this big empty spot on one wall.  So I put up the table, set up the sewing machine and had some space to also store a few

Joshua 3:5 (AMP) ~ And Joshua said to the people, Sanctify yourselves [that is, separate yourselves for a special holy purpose], for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. Joshua, the new leader of Israel, called the people together for an announcement.  The Lord was going to do a miraculous thing among them the next day.  He was going to show His power and might in an awesome way.  Joshua wanted the people to prepare themselves.  Some translations say "purify." God's miracle required His people to be prepared.  Does this mean God couldn't do the miracle without the preparation of His people?  No.  But in order for the surrounding nations to truly understand the magnitude of this miracle, it did require a holy people.   Can you imagine how ineffective it would be for God to do these amazing things for people who were living an unrighteous life?  There certainly would be nothing to attract people to the Lord. How about you?  Are you ready? Have you p

This is just a random bits and pieces post, updating those of you who have faithfully prayed for us.  I just want you to know that God is so faithful.  Every single item that I had on my prayer list before we moved here, has been answered.  Nathan has found a job and he did it without having to go through the agency for the disabled.  He hated using them and I truly wasn't sure how he would do without their assistance on certain things.  But he has been hired by Walmart in receiving. It's 2nd shift, what he was making at his old job and he'll be unloading trucks. Plus they are opening a new store down the road from this one and he was told he will get the first pick of the jobs.  He just has to wait for the results of a drug test they did to come back and then go through an orientation training. Emily is settling into the new school and making lots of friends. I will be practicing my batting skills since many of the boys also like her. :-)  Her math teacher tol

Romans 12:15-16 (NIV) ~  Re joice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.   I was recently invited to join our new church's worship team and love singing with them.  It can be a little intimidating because they are trained musicians and the singers have such a great ear for music that they can tell which note is being played or sung just by listening.  So at times, I get a bit timid that I may be hitting a wrong note. :-) But when the harmonies blend together, it's beautiful.  I sing 2nd alto, another woman sings 1st alto and then two other people sing the melody.  I love hearing how our voices blend together. I looked up the meaning of harmony on an online dictionary and this is what it had to say. Harmony ~ 1. Agreement in feeling or opinion; accord: live in harmony. 2. A pleasing combination of elements in

Proverbs 14:1 (CEV) ~ A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. Tumbling down walls.  Gaping holes in the foundation.  Broken windows.  Dirty and damaged rooms.   That describes many homes today.  Oh, they physically look beautiful on the outside and even on the inside, but the family is a mess. Are you tearing apart your home?  Is your foundation cracked and crumbling?  Are your walls caving in?   How does this happen? It happens every time we tear apart our families with our mouths.  We do it when we speak with rudeness, disrespect or harshness to our husband or children.  We do it with our attitudes when we think we deserve better or even worse, "I could have done better!"  We do it with our actions when we slam doors, stomp our feet or bang pots and pans.  We do it when we scream at our husband and children. So many homes are falling apart and falling down and it's through a lack of wisdom. How is your foun

Matthew 4:18-20 ~ One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. Dan & I went for a walk the other day to explore our new area.  It was a chilly day and the wind was whipping.  As we walked, we saw this man in his boat in the middle of the river.  I was amazed that anyone would want to be out there in the cold. Yet, fishermen who make their living this way, are out in all kinds of weather.  Sunshine, rainstorms, cold, heat.  It doesn't matter what the weather is, they have to make a living.  Peter & Andrew were two such men.  Day in and day out they were out on the water, fishing.  It was a dirty, smelly job.  It was hard work.  More often than not, they came home empty-handed.  No matte

Psalm 119:171-175 (NIV) ~  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. I love the words of David in this Psalm.  How many of us can say, "Let my tongue sing of your word" or "Let me stay alive just so I can praise you?"  I want that to be my desire.  I want to wake up each day with a song of thanksgiving and praise on my tongue.  Yet, so often I fail.  A complaint comes to mind.  I wake up and begin to grumble and complain. I love doing the Multitude Monday posts because it allows me to start my week off on the right foot.  I want my lips to overflow with praise.  My circumstances may not change, but my attitude in the midst of them will. Do you li

I feel like I live in a snow globe since moving here three weeks ago, but I like it!  It snows a bit every day and sometimes, all day long.  But the road crews work round the clock and you can always see a truck out sanding, salting or plowing.  They take care of the snow and ice very efficiently. We are settling in and learning our community and new church family and making friends.  I'm slowly feeling more at home and some good things have been happening for my children. Nathan He is now a member of the fire department and has been set up with a pager and gear.  He's even gone out on a few calls so he's happy on that end of things.  He applied for a job and was referred to a county wide employment agency to take a basic skills test. I have to say I was concerned.  We didn't go through the agency for people with disabilities because he gets so upset whenever we use them.  I did send an email to the employment agency to see if they gave testing accom