Flooded In

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies...

This is the road from our house to the highway--looks like a good shot of "the road less traveled" doesn't it?

But if you back it up a bit, you see why it's "not traveled"--for today at least!

Somewhere under here is our little bridge

At least it's a change from the drought of last two years. Kind of makes me wish I was...

Until next time...

This post is linked to:

Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage
Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer
Garden Tuesday at Sidewalk Shoes

Just for Fun--States I've Visited

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies

I like to travel and see new things--other parts of the country that are often so different from the piney woods of Louisiana where I was born and raised and have lived most of my life. I was privileged to move around with my husband's job a little after our son graduated from high school, and so had the opportunity to live, at least temporarily, in some areas that were unusual for me (like Alaska) and some that were very similar to what I was used to (like Georgia). I found this fun map you can make by clicking on the names of the states you've lived in or visited or at least driven through, and was shocked to see how way Southern it turned out. I think my next road trip needs to head north east!

Click on the link and see what kind of map you can make, just for fun!

Until next time...

The UN-virtuous Woman

• Who can find a virtuous woman?

Hello? Anybody out there? Any Proverbs 31 wannabes left? I think the Virtuous Woman has left the building. At least, she ain't at my house any more.

You ever feel that way?

There used to be a funny cartoon that stated "the hurrier I go, the behinder I get". Lately, I'm so behinder, it isn't even funny anymore.

I found an old organizer of mine a while back. I was amazed--A-MAZE-D--at how much I used to do. So very involved in so much. And so ambitious to do more--to be more.

And I know I'm older now, and fatter, and have less energy--blobbity blobbity blah blah--but I just haven't been cuttin' it lately.

My house is a wreck--both of them. Not that the second one is that bad, but that's only because it's practically empty--just a minimum of stuff, but I have a tendency on my trips back and forth to just dump stuff with the promise that "I'll have time to take care of that next time". And sometimes I do have the time next time, but I don't always take the time.

Awhile back, my son told me that he thought we were about to be going through a time of testing. Like on a personal basis. And we have been. Nothing major, just little things. Lots and lots of little things. And medium things, too. No biggies, thankfully. Just seems like lots of lots of small and medium things.

And I've been wanting and meaning to get back into my blogging--I enjoyed it so much when I was posting regularly. But then the days and weeks stretch out, and you've been silent for so long, you feel like you can't just pick back up and start again. Not to mention when your blog is called "The Virtuous Woman" and you haven't been feeling or behaving very virtuously.

But I am.

Starting back again.

So--any other UN-virtuous women trying your best to Get It All Together out there?

Who can find a virtuous woman?

We'll just have to wait and see.

Again.

Until next time...

Prayer of Favor

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies

Hey everybody! I absolutely can't believe how long it's been since I posted. I had such plans, too, for December and even January, but alas! life intervenes and before you know it it's been weeks and weeks since you posted, and you can't just dive right back in after that long of an absence, can you?? But I am, anyway. Diving right back in, that is!

I was given a copy of this at church yesterday, and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share it with you. It's called "Prayer of Favor", and it's much more effective if you read it aloud in a good, strong voice. So find yourself someplace private, and read this like you mean it. You might be surprised at how much better it will make you feel.

Prayer of Favor

Heavenly Father,

I declare that I have your favor today.

I declare that I am strong and well able to fulfill my God given destiny; I know you are fighting my battles for me.

I declare that I am a victor and not a victim. I may have been defeated in the past but the past is past, this is a new day. Your word says that "I am the head and not the tail" "I will lend and not borrow". Everything I touch will prosper and succeed according to your perfect will because of your favor, my Father.

I declare that by your stripes I am healed today. I will live and not die. I declare that you are restoring health unto me, and with long life you satisfy me.

Father, today, I declare your favor in my relationship with you, favor in my relationship with my spouse and my family; favor in relationships with my friends, and favor in relationships in my business. I want to thank you for causing me to be at the right place at the right time. I want to thank your for causing people to want to help me.

Today, Father, I want to thank you for blessing me with creativity. I want to thank you for causing me to make good decisions with a clear mind.

I declare that you are smiling down on me today and that your favor will be in everything I do because I am pleasing to you.

I declare that I will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country, blessed going in and blessed going out.

I claim right now Psalm 84:11 that you are blessing me with favor and honor and no good thing will you withhold from me because my walk is blameless, through Christ.

I claim Habakkuk 2:3 that my vision is for an appointed time. Though it may tarry, I will wait for it, for it will surely come.

I declare today that I am filled with your can do power my Father. Between you and me, we are the majority and I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

I know that your Word says that no man has seen, heard, or even imagined the wonderful things that you have in store for those that love you, and I want to tell you this morning that I love you and I want to thank you for loving me.

God, I want to thank you for your favor today, not because of who I am, but because of whose I am. I am a child of the most high God, the creator of the whole universe.

I commit this day to you, in Jesus name,

Amen

Kind of makes me want to sit up straighter and hold my head up higher, doesn't it you?

Until next time...

Who's "Who" Is Your Who?

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies



• She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness

It's that time of year again. The silly season when we easily get so caught up in the prep work--cleaning, cooking, decorating, buying gifts, wrapping gifts, going to work parties and club parties and church parties and church services and family gatherings and on and on and on..that we forget the "Who".

No, not the "Who" down in "Whoville".

The real "Who".

As in, "Who are we doing this for in the first place?".

"Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and mete out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

"Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?" Isaiah 40:12-13

You know. THAT "Who"

For unto us a child is given. Right?

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

"For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no beauty of comeliness: and when we shall see hime, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah
56:1-6

I love this time of year--cooking, the decorating, the presents, the lights, the busy-ness. But as I catch myself being overwhelmed by my inablity to do more and to be more, I'm trying to remember to take some time out to remember who my "Who" is. Not just during advent, but whenever I found myself distracted and caught up in the whirlwind that is life.

He's my "Who". Who's Your Who?

Until next time...

Life on the Farm is Kinda Laid Back...

Well, technically, it isn't a farm. It's my parent's camp, but it's on family land that used to be a farm.

It's where my parents go to relax...


...and watch the wildlife...

...like this wild turkey...

They usually travel in packs, but that day we spotted only one.

We did find this teeny, tiny little lizard, basking in the sun...

on an overturned porch swing.

I think he tried to ignore us...

but we we were sitting about 10 feet away, so I don't think he could.

He finally tired of the spotlight and hid out on the light string under the porch rail.

Until next time...

I Got My Big Fat Check, How About You?

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies


• She looketh well to the ways of her household

Anyone remember the post I did a few months back about shopping online through Ebates?

Well, guess what? I got my big fat check for this quarter! $19.38! Yippee! It's not a lot, but sure does come in handy to get a rebate from something you'd be buying anyway.

Click on the link on the top line to read all about how you can sign up through one my referral links, and save money for both of us!

Until next time...