Hearts in Service Blog

        I feel like I'm living in the midst of piles of messes all around my house as you can see in the first picture of my kitchen island.  I'm racing against the clock to finish an order that went from 25 tea totes and 10 cozies to 65 totes and 18 cozies!  I also am trying to get things together to put in a new store tomorrow morning as well as gather and make items for a farmer's market tomorrow night.   This morning I came to the conclusion that 1) the customer who changed the order on me will just have to be content to wait a day or two longer to receive it, 2) there is no way I can do it all so I'm going to have to just show up with what I have at the shop and the market and, 3) I may have truly lost my mind. ;-)   I've been trying hard to stay on top of meal making and housekeeping in the midst of all this but the fact that it's 1,000 degrees out and even in hotter in the house doesn't h...

I sat on my deck, reading my Bible and praying this morning and as I sat there the bees caught my attention.  They never stop moving and fly from flower to flower, collecting the pollen inside. Then I had to laugh because that is how my past few weeks have gone.   I feel like I'm a bee, buzzing around, getting my many tasks done.  So I haven't had a lot of time to sit and think of inspiring blog posts.   This week alone, I need to do the following:   Fill a large order of 60 tea totes and 18 tea cozies. Make multiple batches of soap. Make multiple batches of salve. Get my hair cut (that's happening this morning) Run to a new shop that will be carrying my things to set up a display. Pick up fabric to fill an order. Meet with a customer about a new order. Make multiple batches of jam. Make a few batches of granola. Head out on Friday night to a new venue in town called, Uptown Fridays, where I will have a table to sell...

Genesis 1:29 (ESV) ~ And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. Genesis 1:11 ~ And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so.   Genesis 1:12 ~ The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  

I Thessalonians 5:11-14 ~  "So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.   Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other. Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. Are you an encourager?  If someone were to describe you would they say, "She is an encouraging person to be around?"   Even if this is not your primary personality characteristic, we are all called to encourage one another.  However, it always surprises me at how many people find this difficult to do.  We don't give it much thought even though so many really could use an encouraging word.  Some people feel loved when they ...

Colossians 2:6-7 (HCSB) ~ Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him,  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.   I am overflowing with gratitude this morning!  I have so many things to be thankful for this week that I don't even know where to start.  We haven't been on a real vacation in quite a few years so it was such a joy to get away, clear our heads and rest.  Having a beautiful setting to do that in was a huge blessing. I was able to spend time in prayer and meditation.  I wrote, walked, talked, sang and communed with the Lord as well as my husband.  It was good. This week I'm thankful for blessings #2521 - 2530. 2521. The generosity of my brother-in-law and sister who gave us an efficiency apartment at the retreat center he is the director of for free. 2522.  Warm days and cool nights made for wonderful sleeping. ...

We were so tired from the week that yesterday was spent at home, catching up on laundry and baking a bunch of items for today's outing.  Last night Dan and I headed out for something different - a dessert theatre to hear a professional storyteller and folk musician.  I'm glad we did because they were really good.  It was definitely a different style than we were used to but I'm glad that Dan is always willing to try something new because he ended up really enjoying himself.   This morning, we headed out early to my aunt and uncle's home in the Catskill Mountains and had a family get together.  The last time I saw any of my extended family was a year ago so it was fun catching up. I ended up getting my daughter back but gaining a niece too!  lol  I'll be taking her back on Thursday but Emily wanted her cousin, Lydia, to come and I thought, why not?  They never get to see each other and get along so well.  So...

After a breakfast of pancakes and sausage, we packed up the cars and headed home.  We left one precious thing behind and that was our daughter. :-). She is spending a few more days with her cousin. We got home, unpacked and then Dan and I headed out for a long awaited combination birthday/Father's Day/Anniversary present.  I had purchased tickets back in May for Dan and I to go see Jerry Seinfeld's standup comedy act.  Tonight was the show.   We stopped for dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant and got appetizers, drinks, the main meal and dessert for $45 which included the tip.  So while not necessarily frugal it was a lot of food for the price and it was a celebration meal. Then we headed off to the local theatre and laughed until it hurt.  Jerry's act was clean and without the bad language.  It was definitely worth the ticket price! We still have two more days of vacation and so far I'm staying within my budget!