Hearts in Service

I had planned on one topic for the blog this morning, but after receiving an email from a friend, I'm taking it in a different direction. My very sweet friend, tread in with boldness, and told me that she noticed how many times I put myself down.  And she's right.  I often crack jokes about my weight, my graying hair, my sagging neck and so on.  I don't really sit around and think bad things about myself but in some ways it does come out in my joking. So today, rather than put myself down, I decided to write some positives about myself.  I think it's a good exercise to do.  So often, especially as Christian women, we think that we shouldn't think to highly of ourselves.  But why not?  God created us in His image.  He spent time working over us.  And He doesn't make junk! So, here goes.... ❤  I'm thankful for hands that have worked hard my entire life.  They are developing age spots and wrinkles, but they have worked h...

Today is my 55th birthday.  It started by being jolted awake by Nathan who barreled into our room with some "crisis" which really wasn't one that couldn't have waited until a decent hour. ;-)  I was so disoriented that it took me about 20 minutes before I even remembered it was my birthday! With each passing year, I hope I'm getting a bit wiser.  I know I'm getting grayer and they do say that wisdom comes alongside the gray hair.  We shall see! My husband gifted me with tickets to see Wicked which is coming to the city near here.  I've been wanting to see it though I haven't said anything to him so it was a wonderful surprise.  He is taking me out to dinner tonight and Emily is making me a birthday cake.  It'll be a good day. When I was younger, birthdays were such a big deal but not so much anymore.  But as I reflect on the coming year, there is one thing I wish for myself. My name, Terri, means harvester and my middle name, Ann...

I made 4 different types of breads in the past two days for orders.  I decided to start taking bread orders at the shop rather than just make a number of loaves and bring them.  This way I'm assured they are being purchased.  Because it's not full of chemicals and preservatives, I want to sell it as fresh as possible.  Taking orders prevents wasted time and ingredients. But as I was kneading bread this morning for a loaf of whole wheat I began reflecting that raising children is a lot like bread making.  There are some parenting lessons we can learn from making bread. When I bake bread, I notice on the days when it is rainy and overcast the dough is easier to work with.  It's soft and subtle and comes together nicely.  On the sunny, beautiful days the dough can actually feel tough.  You have to know the atmospheric pressure to anticipate the best time to make bread because a low or high pressure system will make...

I realized this morning that it's been an entire week since I blogged.  A lot of my blogging/writing throughout the years has come through my inspiration I find in nature, as well as through daily happenings with my children.  However, since moving here, winters are hard for me to find that inspiration.  It's dreary and gray all the time with very little change.  My children are older - Nathan is out and working and Stephen is out of the house at college and Emily is a senior.  There isn't a lot of "cute" stuff that happens with those age groups.  lol So, my writing has dried up a bit.  There are only so many posts I can do of the same things - food, my shop, the same landscape over and over.  I'm pretty sure no one wants to read a blog post about laundry!  😉 Anyway, I'm rambling.  All that was just to comment that it's been a week since I blogged.  Today is Monday and I'm trying to list my blessings for the week.  I'...

So often I look at the negative side of everything and that becomes my focus.  Or I think thanksgiving comes from the many positives and blessings in my life.  And it is true, that it is easy to be thankful for the good things. But what about when things aren't going well?  Can you be thankful then?  Can you look at those hard times or inconveniences and truly be thankful?  I'm working on doing that though not always successfully.  My initial response isn't always to be thankful but instead, to whine and complain and throw a temper tantrum. But I do know that being a negative Nellie is only going to make things worse.  I also know that making my list does help me to see things through a different lens, so this week I'm counting again.  I've been doing it for a couple of years and it's been a very helpful exercise. This week I'm thankful for blessings #2857 - 2870. 2857.  Stephen was diagnosed with Lyme'...

I haven't done a Frugal Friday post in a very long time.  My life has been so busy and I'm finding that unless I plan ahead, being frugal won't happen.  The biggest downfall area is in the kitchen because if I don't plan we end up going out to eat or buying last minute, expensive convenience foods.  Even though some days it seems as if I don't have time to breathe, let alone plan, we've been doing pretty well.  My food bill has gone up some but that's because Stephen is home from college and he can pack away the food! :-) Over the past few weeks, here are some ways I've saved. $ Other than one purchase of some Valentine's Day fabric, I have not bought fabric or craft supplies.  I am working hard to use what I have and make do.  $ One area for me as a shop owner that could add up is window displays.  When I first opened, one of my vendors gave me a huge box full of Christmas decorations and I was able to use that to decorate through the first...

Psalm 42:11 ~ Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! This has been a tough week for many and it's easy to give way to discouragement, anxiety and even fear.  I know some of you are dealing with family issues, the loss of loved ones, financial problems, and so much more.  I love reading through the Psalms because many times the words there are exactly what I am feeling at the moment.  They seem to speak to the situation I'm in at the moment. This morning when I opened up to read in Psalm 42, this verse popped out at me.  It's as if David is giving himself a pep talk.  He repeats these exact words again at the end of the psalm to drive the point home. Are you feeling discouraged and overwhelmed today?  Look up!  Are you feeling anxious about  a situation?  Look up!  Are you feeling like there is no hope?  Look up!...

  Snow by Walter de la Mare No breath of wind, No gleam of sun – Still the white snow Whirls softly down Twig and bough And blade and thorn All in an icy Quiet, forlorn. Whispering, rustling, Through the air On still and stone, Roof, - everywhere, It heaps its powdery Crystal flakes, Of every tree A mountain makes; ‘Til pale and faint At shut of day Stoops from the West One wint’ry ray, And, feathered in fire Where ghosts the moon, A robin shrills                                          His lonely tune.                                         

It's been quiet in my shop the past two weeks as I knew it would be.  Christmas is over and January is a dead month in most businesses of my kind.  People have spent their money, there are no major holidays and so no need to shop.  I've had a few customers but it is fairly quiet.  However, I'm so thankful that I have other things to occupy me while I'm waiting for customers.  I spent most of the afternoon yesterday working on correspondence, newsletters and other items that need to go out this month for our Great Commission Women's organization.  As I sat typing, I realized once again how blessed I am to be able to combine all the things I love!  I have a heart for missions and our international workers and am able to help support them through encouragement and prayer.  I also love being able to encourage the women in our district churches to also support missions in my role as director.  I love staying in touch through email and ...

Psalm 121 (HCSB) ~ I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord , the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever

I n years past I've set out goals I want to accomplish in the new year, or a list of "resolutions" to achieve.  Sometimes I've accomplished some of them, though I don't think I've ever met all of them.  I don't think there is anything wrong with setting goals for myself.  If you aim at nothing, you generally get there. ;-)  However, the past two years, I've gone a different direction.  After reflecting for a bit and looking back over the previous year, and praying about a direction I need to go in the coming year, I've come up with a word to define 2017.  Many people do this so it's not something new or anything I've created.  One thing I've felt has been lacking in my life for the past couple of years is joy.  I get up in the morning and many days, I generally grumble and gripe my way through the days.  I snap at my family.  I generally feel joy-less.  There are periods of time when I feel joy retu...