Sunlit Sunday

I'm  joining  My Little Home and Garden  and
 her  Sunlit Sunday  theme today....  I took this photo bright and early  one morning last week....  I used to get   up this early  all the time... but I have  found my " sleeping in til  8" at least lately....  I used to be so wired  to get up at 5:30 and couldnt break the habit  for years after I retired!   But  when hubby said, enjoy  the sunrise,  I   popped out of bed and grabbed my  phone and shot....

Friday Fave Fives

Sharing my FFF with  Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.
1.  Hubby and  celebrated the Chinese new Year a bit early  ...  stopping at  Sechzuan,  our favorite restaurant.. we  got there at  4:15...   and beat  the Friday night  crowd!!  I was hungry for  General's chicken...  hoping  its spiciness will  help clear up my  sinus and allergy woes!   


2.  Spent a   fabulous 90 minutes in praise and prayer this morning  with  our  transform  through prayer  group.....  I  absolutely  love   the praise music of Terry Macalmon... I first heard him when  he  worshipped at our  previous church....
 Our prayer leader  shares  his  cd's  at out    prayer gatherings...  I just think he is  so  precious and  anointed  ..

3.  Last night was the first meeting of the new  Lifeway  Bible study  I am  beginning....  and I had to miss it.  I  was  feeling so bad  and  feverish yesterday with this  sinus problem...

I do  really believe that    many of us who  are  attempting to interceded  against the wiles of the enemy are undergoing   terrible  warfare  with  the enemy... he will  really attack  you and thwart you  when you   step out in the open   in intercession..  so many   I know  are suffering  all  kinds of trials...   but we will   overcome...  I really need this  study...
Author's note: " bold, practical, and communicated in a way designed to set readers free from the negativity that erodes happiness. This new revision now includes study application questions in each chapter to help readers identify the attitudes of the heart that need change in order for God's abundance to flow."
I know that  when I  become bewildered over  things that are outside of my control, I sometimes have a very hard time seeing  God  at work...  behind the scenes  because  things  aren't lining up with  what I  think they  should be,  biblically,   righteously,  etc...  but  then I  must  give  my  heart and mind over to God  because He is the one    working ALL things for our good and  He may  allow things to happen  that  may not appear  to be    my way,,,  but that doesn't mean  they a re  wrong.. especially  because He is in control...  That is a real hard one for me....  my  hard head  cant seem to  wrap itself around that one....sometimes!! Anybody know what I'm talking about?
4.  Yesterday  our precious  new granddaughter turned one month old...  I cant wait to see her again... I had hoped to see her  yesterday on face time,  but things didn't  work out... I will content myself with  how  she looked the last time I saw her...

Here her older sister  is   being shown how to hold her... 

 Our precious lil  Cuddle bug....   she loves to cuddle!!!  Wish I was there  right at this moment...  cuddling with her!!!!!

 5.  Today while we were out we stopped  by Barnes and noble and  I found a  newer  Lynn Kurland  time travel book...    I just  love these  love stories..  she  keeps them  adventurous and not    steamy 

 She has  two  Scottish families   going the  MacLeod's and the De Piaget's. Mine is  from the  De Piaget line...  and it is best to read her books in  chronological order not the order in which they are written...Of course, the fact they a re  Scottish really  appeals to me...  I find  I really enjoy medieval   stories  very much....   I  am a true  romantic and love  chivalry!!!

Do numbers count that much?

I dont quite understand... I know it shouldnt make me sad,.  but it does...  to see that in  less than a week, I have lost 6 followers... I try to get arund  to many  blogs... as many as I can  in a day.l. and I confess I dont always    comment..  but  something is wrong with my system.. it says  that  my  comments dont get through.. I get a  mail  delivery prob  many times..  I dont know why....    I dont mean to  unload  about this.  and numbers shouldnt matter... but  I  guess  they do.  any  one  wish to  comment on this..maybe it is just  this   horrid  virus that  will not go away  tha  has me  feeling   bad ....  anyway...   blessings to  blogland.....

Thankful and Loving It

Well, I have finally  gotten  my kitchen  the way I want it...

You might remember that last  summer we redid the kitchen   but as you can see... no walls what ever,  except  right over here by my desk area!

.... Now  I need to  say  that  wall space is very limited in this house..  I love the double hung windows and the   other   design features that limit  us  but  finding places to  add  wall  adornment  has  to  be  a bit  creative... for example,  my  coat of arms  are proudly displayed  on a strip of wall  in the hall.  And in this  photo   you can see my  gallery,   hahah such as it is  of  my  P. Buckley Moss  prints...  which  are  right above  my desk  area    where I can enjoy them  most..Well,  hubby  finally got around this morning to  finish off some  items  that have been  gathering...

I love collecting  transfer ware  yet these three  lovely pieces  seemed  to just be extras  in my collection,  so   I was longing to    incorporate them in the kitchen decor.

 Imagine  my huge delight when last autumn I ran across this  commerative plate  of  Bunratty Castle in Ireland...  Even though we didnt actually  get to go there,  we were very nearby  and opted to dine at  another  castle , even though this one was listed on our  itinerary, originally.  I still love it as a constant reminder of our  dream trip  we took last spring! 

 This is  a Christmas present  sweet Amanda had made for me... just like one  a friend had made    and  I have used many times in responding to Ann Voskamp's  1000 gifts  posts...  "eucaharisteo"  means  being   thankful...  I love the gift... and particularly  its sentiment and reminder to be thankful in all things at all times!!!

I am loving the final product... To me the kitchen has come alive!!!! 

Thursday Favorite Things

 Home and Garden Thursday 

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Welcome to  WHP.. just click  the photo  to return to   our hostess!

1. Share a winter memory from 

your childhood. 

This photo was taken in 1955  and to tell you the truth,    I have always had an affinity  for  Sally Brown,  Charlie's  little sister....  and now I know why....  I am her!!!  ' I only want my fair share!"  My mother made most of my clothes  and I will never forget this stunning    outfit... it was a  navy blue  faille  blouse with  rhinestones sewn  in  centered  at the  peter pan collar and  a winter white wool skirt with  appliqued strawberries... 2 on the front and 2 on the back  with patent leather  baby doll shoes   and lace trimmed  anklets.  And  not so naturally  curly hair...  momma always curled my hair for  every picture!

2. What was on your blog this time last year? (Besides the Hodgepodge of course!) If you weren't blogging, what in the world were you doing with all that free time?
This time last year   I  really needed a diversion,.....  My  parents had  both passed away the  previous two Christmases and  I wa s sort of in a funk...  so we decided that now that our lives had changed so much and we had so much  free time, it was time to  proclaim a new era in our lives...

I do hereby proclaim that  during  the year of our Lord, 2015, I  will  organize our home and my life.....because  this is  really a spiritual exercise for me...  getting my house in order.....  our home and my physical  home in which the  spirit of God dwells.
The last several years of my life I have been necessarily caught up in  caring  for and  interceding for my  aging parents  and their business....  as well  as,  various and sundry  church activities that  have basically  drained the lifeblood from me.....  in order to attend to business I had to let  many things go.... myself.... my home,,,,  primarily..... I have posted recently   that my mom  passed  away right after Christmas,   while My dad  did  right before Christmas of   2013...  so this chapter of  my life  is closed and I intend a fresh start  in 2015!  My daughter and I  spoke  about  these things quite a bit while she was  here  a few weeks ago, and  since that time, I  have made  some  changes already....  I am cutting  back on  obligations   at church  a bit....  I will  follow  through with  my commitments I had already made,  but   there are  areas   which I have  cut  out  entirely  for a time. but the biggest change  for me personally  is the great satisfaction I am having  regarding   my   decision to organize the house.  I am committed to doing one    project everyday....   great and small.
Vocabulary words relatively new to me are:

Purge........... Donate............ Throw away...................Repurpose

It all started  with  the Christmas decorations....  I  had about 4  plastic bins... after purging the   worn out, tacky, and  out of style/tired  items I  have  room to bundle up all of my Christmas linens into  bags and pack away in the bins as well... That  made me so happy to find   that  empty space in my  hutch and linen closet!

It seems that  suddenly I found I enjoyed throwing away  stuff... like Amanda   told me,   regarding books,   If you cant   imagine yourself reading it again... or ever.....   donate!  I have  donated  4 bags so far and have  another  bag  ready to go.  

Now I can    find  bookshelf space for all the books I had lying all around the house!

I also  found purging old Christmas cards  fun!    That was a very novel thing for me...I mean I  retired from teaching 11 years ago...  I hardly think  I could ever really repurpose  those any more!

 Getting the  house   decluttered  as we  are  deciding  what else we need to do to put it on the market  as we are downsizing....  I  really needed to  organize  my paperwork....

Ikea  helped me  greatly with  that.

 Yesterday's project was   clearing out   all of my   silk flowers  from the  basement storage room  ...  goodness  they  were  stuffed away in various  boxes,  bags,     a royal  mess....    This    project meant quite a bit of  throwing out  the sad and  broken,     donating   flowers  that  do not match  my home anymore.... ( I used to   go  Victorian with  pinks and mauves  about  15 years ago)   does this qualify  me  as a hoarder....  aha... no more!!! Now they are  assorted seasonally   in  labelled tubs  ...   that was part I.  The storage room itself needs more  decluttering and   arranging to make space for  new  shelving....  that will come a bit  later...

Today's project involved  something  Lynn inherited years ago from his brother...

he had been wanting to    get these pennies  in sleeves  forever so long...  because of the nasty weather  and our desire for a low key project today... we   did just that....

 We rolled  126 rolls of pennies.....  wow  $63.00... and grimy fingers.... yuck! I guess you could say  we  re- purposed those pennies into  hard earned cash!

 I think  my daughter is delighted with this   resolution I am  determined to keep... this proclamation to  reinvent  myself  and  my home!

3. Ellen Goodman is quoted as saying, 'We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives...not looking for flaws, but for potential.'

Do you see more flaws or more potential in your life at the start of a new year? Have you done anything specific this month to address either one? Does the new year truly begin for you on January 1, or is there some other month of the year that feels like a fresh start and new beginning?

I am feeling sort of behind this  year  about getting into the    groove...with the new year! Last mid December we drove up to Boston to be with our daughter  who has about to have  her second child...  Our job was to help with her  2 year old  and    other  household   things..We  had planned to stay about 2 weeks  following the birth to really help her  get  established....when the baby  came 2 weeks  after we arrived... almost a week past her due date.. and we added on a couple more weeks.. we  actually were they almost a full month.  Which was wonderful...since we  don't get to see them that much during the year... and I   loved  my  supporting role of Grannie!  But  when we came home,   being tired from our 2 day  drive ,  my regular  winter  allergy,   cold,  sinus    problems  came upon me with a  vengeance and  I cant seem to shake them...  I found out  now that I am on glaucoma drops I  cannot take allergy shots anymore....  so  I'm rather in a quandary  about  how best to  alleviate  some of these symptoms...  all that to say...  I  have felt yucky all month with no end in sight.  Not much ambition....so I am taking things one day at a time... I get my most  enjoyment out of blogging  and  reading  now...   one of my favorite  books  Ive been reading  now for  about 6 months is  Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.    One of my  flaws Ive  been working on  for some time  is a stronghold   that  satan has  been  plaguing me with  it seems for most of my life....  because of  several  events in my life,  I  developed a victim mentality...I wont  go into the events  but each of them  had  some physical attack  associated  with it...not  terribly life threatening,,  and I was an overcomer in each of them,  but  it  cemented  the idea  in my mind  that  when I heard of something  bad  happening to  someone  anywhere,  it would eventually seek me out and get me too.So  with all  these  horrible  terror attacks  and  publicized  threats,  I  was  the most  cautious and  tormented  person..satan  can put a lie in your heart  and   it can fester there  for many years until it is dealt with  by the blood of Jesus,  but it takes a very conscientious effort to deal with it and I  have been prayed  over and  done spiritual warfare over this  demonic activity in my   heart   and I am better....  but just like Scripture says...  once you have had your  soul swept clean of  the troubling tormenters,  if you  don't  fill the void with things of god  a hoard of  the  demons will  overtake you again...  that is where  Jesus calling  is helped me so much....  These   devotions  have a central theme...enjoying  peace in His Presence...Where He is, nothing  can  rob you of  His peace...  and even though  He is always there,   we have to be purposeful to  realizing  it....  we do that by  attending to Him and not the pressures, fears,  troubles of the world..These daily devotions  are the best way to fix my mind and heart each day to   face  what comes knowing that  He is already there  and  that nothing takes Him by surprise!

4. Who's an athlete you admire or respect and why?

That is easy....  definitely it is Tim Tebow....  a great  athlete and Heisman trophy winner  who is now a free agent...  because   he doesn't  compromise  his  faith and his desire to give the Lord all the glory in his life... Though his praise the  prayer  in  everything he does,  caused him to   lose his standing  in professional  football,  yet he was not deterred and stood  by his principles...  in a world where  so many   athletes are  terrible  role models to our youth.... it is a sad day when  those athletes  get  the glory and  fame  while  a  man of God is cast aside.

5. Do you like cream in your coffee? Whipped cream on your pumpkin pie? Cream cheese on a bagel? Sour cream on a baked potato? Cream of wheat for breakfast? Have you ever had a scone with clotted cream? Of all the creamy foods mentioned, which one sounds most appealing to you right this very minute?  Cream of everything... indeed!!!  And a scone with clotted cream sounds  delicious right this moment...

source online

6. Where were you last kept waiting for 'hours on end'? Or for what felt like hours on end? How well did you cope?  OH my I remember well  last  April  we had  about an 8 hour layover in PHilly   on our return trip from Ireland... it seemed  even longer....  because my dear hubby had contracted a hideous head cold  and I was kept running around the    terminal seeking to purchase  all of those  time  tissue  packs  that he  would go through so quickly...    we were both  completely miserable.

7. Believe it or not, when next week's Hodgepodge rolls around it will be February.Huh?!? Bid adieu here to January in seven words or less.

January, I feel like a barely knew ye!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Last night  we  had  our  first prayer event  of the new year... Four  ladies and myself  had been meeting for prayer every week  for about  3-4 years at church and  we had  the  habit of  going on spiritual retreat  every year to    build ourselves up through fasting and  reflection   and  on one trip  we came away with what we  knew was the commission to begin an interdenominational prayer  group in our city...  We knew it was of God because  without much  work really on our part things just fell together because  there was and continues to be such a huge need for prayer in our communities  because  around here anyway, the church  doesn't focus much on  corporate prayer.  we  have about  150 people on our contact list  and average about  50-60 folks coming to our bimonthly events  for the past 3 years. We have  many denominations  represented  but   only one pastor  involved...  which  we find rather   unfortunate,  but  we have also  discovered that  actually  there are  very few committed  what we  might call  prayer warriors in any given church....  even the  largest First Baptist church in town  only has about  half a dozen    committed attendees... Well, over time  crime, sex trade, and  drugs  has  continued to  rise   in our inner city  and last night  we were  co completely  thrilled to look out the window and see  a  bus  pull into the parking lot.  Six  fantastic  men  from an inner city  ministry  had heard about our group    and  were  there to join us....  it  was  so wonderful to finally  break across  racial lines  and  share   our hearts before God together...but this is how God works... a few weeks ago we had heard from  the man who does child evangelism  that there was  an elderly  lady    who had had a vision for Roanoke who wanted to share  it with our prayer group...  We were unaware that they even knew about us...  when i found out I knew the woman and she had been a spiritual mom to me  back in the 70's  I was  elated and  was given the privilege  to introduce her last night...  She is 92  and still does children's ministry and teaches Bible Study...but here is the thing... her vision touched the heart of  our visiting  ministering team..  it  hit upon the very heartbeat of their  work....  Everyone  attending last night even though we were a small group because of the weather.... yesterday schools were closed  but our church parking lot was clear...we only had about  40 there but no doubt they were the 40 god set aside to be there.. and I am so privileged to be counted  among them.. Help me Lord to    crucify my flesh and  be a willing servant  in  how ever  you deem  us to be  involved in your work this year, in Jesus name!!

Love is in the Air

Well,  with  about a foot of snow  still lying on the ground....    I am  looking at the calendar and am realizing  that  if it were  15 years ago, I would be    digging out my valentines to decorate my classroom and    planning the   valentine  box  and  typing out the valentine list of names for my third graders...  so  it is time to    think about  valentine's  around  my  house...  yippee..

It really does  feel good to make this  step toward    February  even as  I  hear the weather  forecast  say  by this time next week  we will be  enjoying 60 degree  days!!!

A simple change  in   the home  can really  create  a  dynmaic  change in the heart mind and soul....

And the Lord Jesus said, 

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."

As I am lifted up, bolstered in my spirit to sing praise, think of others with love, compassion, and concern for their spiritual health... it activates my prayers and my actions...

Make It Pretty 

 Grace at Home

No Place Like Home

Happy Homemaker Monday

Click here to return to  our hostess!

The Weather:::

25  degrees  and  partly cloudy...  high today will be 43....    surely som4e of the  15 inches of snow we have on the ground will go away today!

Right now I am: 

I have just finished breakfast and am  continuing to enjoy  my  coffee..  hoping the  FEDEX man can get through... 

Thinking:

I  realized last night that  the new    eye treatment  the DR gave me last night is supposed to be used twice  a  day...  so  am hoping  that  I will begin to see some improvement this week....  allergy eyes are no fun!
On my reading pile:::

Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young
Saving Grace, by C. John MIller

On my tv:::

As a  great  Michael Kitchen fan(he plays  Christopher Foyle, in Foyle's War)  I really enjoyed  his  drama thriller...Alibi,  made in 2003..watched on youtube. This really demonstrates his range as an actor...

Looking forward to::
Amanda messaged me last night and  said  they were looking forward to  starting up our weekly    facetime   this week... maybe Thursday.... we  were up to visit with them for a mkonth  over the holidays  to help  with the  tot  while mommie  was  in hospital  with   wee one...and to help  afterward....   so I figured  there would be a bit of a break in facetime....  it turned out to only be a two week break!  Sweet!   

On my to do list:::

laundry,  dust, vacuum,   reading

Recipe Im interested in trying: 
I saw this on facebook and it looks  so tasty...
Baked oatmeal to go!

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::  Shamefully,,,   I  still havent  made these aprons....  my  machine is   so iffy....  I do wish I had gotten it done using Amanda's  new  machine
   bah!
 If I wasnt such a procrastinator Id  go  buy a new machine...  but  alas,   I  dont know..... 
  

Looking around the house:::

Except for dusting and vacuuming.. not bad!!!

From the camera:::

The Wolf Moon.......  wow!!

On my prayer list:::

The world, the church,  persecution, God's provision,  against evil plots and that they will be exposed and eradicated,  the family and  friends

Bible verse, Devotional:::

2Thess. 3

Warning Against Idleness

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you,8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It wasnot because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, butwarn him as a brother.

Maybe Too Much Fun

Ok.. my daughter tells me.." Mom,  you've got too much stuff..  when you do decide to put the house on the market  you'll have to rent a storage  unit for all your stuff"... and she is right....  how does one  remove  all of their  personal  stuff and depersonalize a home...  Im in trouble....  but  then  as I was  studying through my pinterest a while ago  I saw so many more ways I could  bring  some  olde world into my home.....I mean I'm working on this  as  fast as I can....  

 all photos are  from my pinterest

 

and  as far as the next one goes....  I am working on the red and black as well... I mean one only has so much storage.

I did  purchase  a hutch similar to this.... 

and I do change it out   with various collections

  and now that Ive  toured ireland Im sure I need to start my green collection..

  where is that "replacements'  email

If I get started I may be ready by St Paddy's Day... oh, boy,  a project!!!!

and who says less is more...  more is definitely more... and I like it!!!

 Oh, boy, as I said before,  I'm in trouble!!!

Just for Fun

I  was enjoying visiting around ....   blog hopping  my  blog roll,  and  when I came to Hospitable Pursuits, Lisa was sharing her      Preference for     lovely  classic  white home trimmed in black and it got me to thinking of my preference...  and I do mean if  money was no object here...   for we are well past  the  time of being about to even dream about our forever  home...  our  last home will  be  all on one floor and    quite a bit downsized...  but  in my   unattainable dreams this side of heaven...  I  will share  what  suits me....  I wonder if at this point any one might guess my style....all I have to go is  drag some pinterest  links on over here... my  maternal ancestors hailed from  Gloucestershire  so this  really  resonates with me!

I   love this thatched Irish cottage..

how about an English rural cottage

I could live here... no problemo!

So what  about my favored  interiors....   anyone else like these windows

how about these  windows and other architectural   elements

a cosy dining room  for  12

cosy  olde world charm

so at best  I  pick and choose elements  that   satisfy my  love for   these  ideals...

Fireside reads

Olde world  vignettes

and elements

For  beauty  is a state of mind   that flows from the  heart.