Spring Has Sprung--At My House, Anyway!

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She worketh willingly with her hands
• She maketh herself (and her home) coverings of tapestry

I know it's still February, but I'm tired of the cold and dreariness and teasing days of warmth and then cool and dreary all over again--so I've decided that at my house, spring is here! I pulled out this thrifty wreath that I made last year with refurbished grapevine wreath and frou-frou I bought at the Dollar Tree and hung it on my door.

If you want to see the how-to play-by-play, see this Dollar Store Decorating--Thrifty Spring Wreath post from last year.

I'm feeling a little inspired already, who knows, I may tackle cleaning the patio furniture next!

This post is linked to:

Making a Home at Linda's Lunacy

Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog

Show Me How at It's a Blog Party

Until next time...

Climbing Outside of the (Comfort) Zone

• 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

Last week I read an interesting, timely post over at the Praise and Coffee blog, Feeling left out of the cool girl circles.

Interesting, because of the content, and timely, because there was this women's ministry conference coming up that I really wanted to attend, but I couldn't find anyone who had the time/money/desire to go with me. And who in the world wanted to go to one of these things alone? I mean, half the point is the fun you have when a bunch of fine, upstanding, responsible women get off on a jaunt together and maybe let their hair down a little. Or a lot.

I've always come back from these little retreats refreshed, renewed, and rejuvenated. But not alone.

I waffled back and forth for a couple of days--in reality, closer to a week. Or two. And then two days ahead of time, I decided to just do it. I didn't even have time to pre-register, I just made my hotel reservation and went straight to the really important things--I ran to my closet to see what I was going to wear. Then I rushed to town and had my nails done and bought a new pair shoes. Because who could go to a women's conference with unkempt nails, or shoes? Oh, and I cut my hair, too. Because really, you need your hair to look it's best, too, right?

What was I doing? Trying my best to look as though I might fit into the cool girl circle. Those ladies might feel sorry for me for being alone, but they certainly wouldn't feel sorry for me for having unkempt hair or nails--or accessories.

When I drove up to the church where the meetings were going to take place, I took a deep breath, and walked in and up to the registration table. When the lady at the table found out I there alone, she immediately invited me go to lunch later--with the cool girls--I was certain of it! Was it my hair? My nails? My cool purse, or new shoes? No. It was just a lovely Christian lady extending a hand of love, acceptance, and friendship.

I have to say, ladies, (and any gentlemen who read this, too), that I believe I had a divine appointment at that conference. The teaching was good, the testimonies were riveting, the fellowship was great, the praise and worship awesome---but I believe with all of my heart that the Lord knew just what I needed, and it had nothing to do with the cool girls.

It had to do with time spent with Him, pursuing the things that I believe He wants me to pursue; making some connections that I believe He brought about; and trusting Him to take me where I need to go, when I need to go there--even if I go alone in the flesh, I'm never alone in the Spirit.

How often do we allow fear--of the unknown, of whatever--to hold us back from the things we should be doing, and the place we should be going?

Thanks, Lord, for giving me the courage to climb outside of my comfort zone--I needed that.

This post is linked to:

Making Your Home Sing Monday at Mom's The Word--because what makes me sing makes my home sing, too!

Until next time...

Everything's Coming Up Carrots

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• with her hands she planteth a vineyard (or other things!)

Look at what we harvested this weekend from the vestiges of my neglected garden! With all of the cold we've had, including ice and several hard freezes, I hadn't even been out there to check on things in quite some time until this past weekend. We've had some gloriously warm and sunny days, hubby was outside washing his truck, and I was sitting on the porch watching him, when he reached and pulled a baby carrot and ate it. Then we both started pulling, and lo and behold...

This is about half of what we picked--we ended up with a gallon bag 1/2 to 2/3 full!

So far all we've done is eat them raw, but they are delicious, and visions of my spring garden beds are dancing in my head!

This post is linked to:
Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage


Until next time...

Sometimes We Need a Fresh Perspective

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• ...she openeth her mouth with wisdom...

As you may have noticed from the length between posts this month, I've had a bit of "bloggers block", both here and on my food blog.

Almost every day I've thought, "I need to do a blog post today." But I haven't. No real reason, I just--haven't.

Couldn't think of anything worth while to say. Had too much to say to put into one post. My house is too messy to take pictures. I haven't cooked anything new, done anything new, bought anything new, gone anyplace new--nothing new, nothing to blog about.

But it's my party, and I'll blog if I want to--even about nothing new.

Although, now that I'm blogging, there are some new things going on in my life, and I have had to change up my routine, and I have gone to some different (for me) places...but for some reason, they just didn't feel blog-worthy at the time!

So, what has been going on for me...

I went to a regional minister's business meeting in Shreveport a couple of weeks ago, and heard one the best seminar speakers I've ever heard at one of these things--Pastor Thomas Moore from Bonifay, Florida spoke for two sessions, and I could have listened to 10 more--his message was inspirational and practical and relevant, all at the same time.

Last night I heard Rabbi Dale Cohen speak on the parable of the prodigal son from a first century Jewish perspective--and I will never look at that passage of scripture the same way again! What depths of meaning there are in the Word that we miss if we never dip below the surface!

I read a good book recently--10 Things Every Minister Should Know, by Ronnie Floyd. Although I would rename it, "10 Things Every Christian Should Know". It's short and to the point, but there's a lot of excellent information there about setting priorities and "ordering our days"--something we virtuous women know a lot about!

I had dinner with a friend recently, one that helps me cut the chase when I waffle back and forth on things and get too caught up in emotions and "what if's" and self-doubt--she is always my champion, but also realistic with me about my gifts and abilities.

And there's more, but I'll save some of it for another time. Meanwhile,

it's time for this virtuous woman to get off the computer for now and go have a new adventure--or maybe just do some laundry, but you get the idea.

Until next time...

If At First You Don't Succeed--Blogging Through the Bible in 90 Days

You may remember that last year I participated in the Bible-in-90-Days challenge, sponsored by Amy at Mom's Toolbox. Unfortunately I didn't complete the challenge, much to my disappointment.

Why not? Some of it was life, some of it was myself. I never forgot how blessed I was by what I did read, and what a great sense of accomplishment I felt as I checked off each day's reading on my Bible-in-90-Days bookmark. And even though I've read most, if not all of the Bible before, I've never read it straight through cover-to-cover, nor that quickly so as to retain a sense of the overall whole like I did when I read along with the Bible-in-90-Days program.

So, I'm giving it another go.

I had a restless night last night, and ended up getting up about 4:00 a.m. this morning, so I wouldn't wake my husband with all of my tossing and turning. Wrapping up in my flannel housecoat, I grabbed my current "reading" Bible, a Holman Christian Standard, and settled onto the sofa in our front bedroom--it's the office/library/reading/whatever room--and opened to Genesis 1:1.

"In the beginning...", what promise that holds!

We're in a new year, and a new decade--who knows how everything will turn out? I'm looking forward to finding out.

And meanwhile, back to Genesis...

Until next time...

Seasons of Change--Reflections From My Garden

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She openeth her mouth with wisdom...

Lately I've been feeling just a bit like my garden looks--sad and neglected.

There are some parts that are like this corner--it used to hold flourishing squash plants, but after a good frosts and a hard freeze or two, it's empty and full of dead leaves.

Other pieces of me feel overgrown and gone to seed, like the lettuce. Did you know that when lettuce bolts, even though it looks just as pretty and green and growing on the outside, it becomes inedible and bitter? There are some parts of us that need to be discarded and left behind--good for the compost heap, but not much else--to keep our hearts tender and tasty instead of tough and bitter.

The good news is, that there are pieces of me that are like this little patch of carrots--still green and pretty, and still giving little bites of goodness--I failed to thin these, so they don't have much room to grow, but even though the carrots they produce are small, they are sweet and delicious. And what's more, they're thriving, even with the wacky weather we've had--cold, warm, rain, no rain--doesn't seem to matter, they just go right on growing and bearing fruit.

We also go through seasons in our lives--some warm, some cold; some moist, some dry; some fruitful, some not. The Master Gardener sees the big picture--He knows that sometimes you have to let some things go dormant; others need to finish up and go to seed so that we'll have something to plant for next year; and others He'll make sure that they continue to bear, however small the fruit.

I'm praying that the Master Gardener will bring me through this season to another spring--one of growth and new life and bearing of more sweet fruit.

Until next time...

Are You Waiting For the Light?

The house is quiet.

Everyone else is in bed.

The gifts are wrapped.

Most of the cooking is done.

It's raining outside, and the only other sound I can hear is the humming of the laptop and the sound my fingers make on the keyboard.

And lest you think that I have it all together, let me tell you otherwise. I have a small family, with no little ones anymore. We keep Christmas very simply these days. The gifts got wrapped today and tonight. The cooking is done because I just decided to call it quits and make do with what I've already done (which is plenty, don't get me wrong), not because I checked everything off of my list. I just shortened the list when I realized that some of it wouldn't get done.

Every year I tell myself that next year will be better. I'll be better organized; or maybe just more energetic.

Or maybe, just like this year, I'll do what I can do, and ignore the rest.

I haven't sent Christmas cards in years. Years.

I always intend to give goodie bags and little gifts to many, many people. In October I intend to. By December I'm just hoping they won't give me anything so I won't have to scramble to return the favor.

I've had a rough time the last few weeks. Not for any particular reason. My bark is worse than my bite. Or maybe it's just that I always, always, always, bite off more than I can chew. Or maybe it's that my eyes are bigger than my stomach. At any rate, I think it's in my nature to have Great Expectations that will never come to pass, at least not in this life.

But the house is quiet. What's bought is bought, what's wrapped is wrapped, what's cooked is cooked.

It's raining outside. And the house is quiet.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light....for unto to us a child is born, and unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

I like that part that states that the government shall be upon HIS shoulder--not mine, not yours, HIS.

Thank you, Lord, that I don't have to take any responsibility that isn't mine. Thank you that you love me beyond my ability to perform.


Until next time...