Happy Homemaker Monday

 Hosted by Sandra ! 

 

♥♥ The Weather ♥♥ 

Monday - rain, 64/54

Tuesday - partly cloudy 73/50
Wednesday -cloudy, 69/48
Thursday -partly cloudy 70/47
Friday - partly cloudy, 71/51

♥♥ As I look outside my window ♥♥ 
It is wet and rather dark for 9:30 am.  Today is a pretty slow day for me.  Yes, I am still in pj’ s and just moving pretty slowly.  

 ♥♥ Right now I am ♥♥ 

I am working on this post , looking forward to my first cup of coffee!  My allergies and ringing ears are keeping me company!

♥♥ Thinking and pondering ♥♥ 

I am sorry that this post is pretty boring so far.  I am now trying to think of something interesting!  Hmmm,,, today I do plan to start decorating the home for Christmas in earnest!  I have removed all the autumnal items and actually have been checking online for some new decor to go along with our new colors.   I think I want to check out Kirkland this week for their Norfolk Pine garland and spikes. 

P.S.  

 I have ordered this garland  and the spikes from Kirklands and can pick it up this afternoon in a nearby town..  Hobby Lobby is there, as well. 

So pleased I was able to get it!

♥♥How am I feeling ♥♥ 

That for me, staying actively engaged in things around the house is my best frame of mind..  that sounded odd even as I wrote it, but just like digging in and trying to do a bang up job of Christmas decor, or planning a special holiday dinner for our best friends,  being very intentional about what to buy others for Christmas..  I already did that for the girls, I have spent probably a couple of hours going through a thrift books picking out specific books for each of our grands. Of course, I had to call their mom twice to go through my list because they read all the time.   And have so many of the classic books I was looking at, but since I was a n elementary teach I am well prepared to choose some wonderful award winning books that would suit each girl!  When I throw myself into a project it is for my best. Otherwise, when I have no plan,  I can just sit and vegetate which is not for my best!  

♥♥ On the breakfast plate ♥♥ 

    I finally got my coffee, and see how it got me going.   Lynn is so wonderful to have my coffee and fruited yogurt ready every morning!

♥♥ On the dinner plate ♥♥ 

We have some  frozen Buffalo chicken strips in the freezer.  I love to make us nice chef salads with sliced chicken on top.. very yummy!

 ♥♥ What I'm wearing ♥♥    

Uh, oh, still in my pjs. 

♥♥ On my reading pile ♥♥ 

 In my daily Bible Reading I will be starting  Isaiah  35 this week.  I, also, received my new Christmas  English Home. Magazine.  Lynn ordered me  the subscription for an early Christmas present . I love the Christmas issue.  Every page is a delight and I hope to read it all this week for that added inspiration!

♥♥ On my TV this week ♥♥ 

 

Creative Update:

Well, ,I am happy that the Hallmark Christmas movies are back. One is on now as I type. I do enjoy most of them. I prefer the older ones to the newer ones. I still love to check out vlogs. In fact it was a blogger who clued me in on those fabulous garlands at Kirklands. 

♥♥ Looking around the house ♥♥

 I see a blank slate just waiting for some Yuletide attention. One thing I really want to do today is reset the table and yes, in Christmassy style.  

♥♥ To Do List ♥♥ 

• Reset the dining room for the holidays
• Hopefully go to Kirklands tomorrow while we are out and about
• Regular doctor check up
• Marketing 
• Bring up the Christmas boxes and begin some experimenting (hee hee)
• Vacuum the living areas and dust
• Allergy shot and Bible Study
• The rest of my week is free so it seemed  like a great week to attend to Christmas!,

♥ ♥ From the camera ♥ ♥

I was checking my photos from a year ago and this one popped up.  They look so young. I cannot believe they have changed so much.   Of course, I lot  has changed since last year. They have travelled across Europe.. seen the world. And now instead of playing house, they are violin and piano students.  And I only get to visit with them a couple of times a year.  Hard for me to keep up!

♥ ♥ Devotional ♥ 

Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what to pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

This is the deep mystery of prayer. This is the delicate divine mechanism which words cannot interpret, and which theology cannot explain, but which the humblest believer knows even when he does not understand.

Oh, the burdens that we love to bear and cannot understand! Oh, the inarticulate out-reachings of our hearts for things we cannot comprehend! And yet we know they are an echo from the throne and a whisper from the heart of God. It is often a groan rather than a song, a burden rather than a buoyant wing. But it is a blessed burden, and it is a groan whose undertone is praise and unutterable joy. It is "a groaning which cannot be uttered." We could not ourselves express it always, and sometimes we do not understand any more than that God is praying in us, for something that needs His touch and that He understands.

And so we can just pour out the fullness of our heart, the burden of our spirit, the sorrow that crushes us, and know that He hears, He loves, He understands, He receives; and He separates from our prayer all that is imperfect, ignorant and wrong, and presents the rest, with the incense of the great High Priest, before the throne on high; and our prayer is heard, accepted and answered in His name.
--A. B. 

Monday - Purposeful Living

Purposeful Living

After reading an article on purposeful living a couple of tips suggested that it was  important to choose to be happy. Keeping a positive attitude is a daily choice. It means adjusting your expectations  to be reasonable and keeping a sunny disposition.  Sure, bad things happen to good people as they say, but we can choose how we will respond to bad things.  This time last year I was given the worst news about my health that I have ever had. But as God’s child I barely gave it a thought of “what if “etc. I knew God was in His heaven and He would see me through. He is sovereign over everything that happens and nothing takes Him by surprise.  So trusting Him in all things is the path to happiness, even in trial!

Another thing to have a happy life is to make some time to do what is important to you. For me, I love to draw. I used to have my students during their handwriting session, copy a short poem I wrote on the board and then I drew a fun picture to illustrate it and asked them to copy it on their handwriting paper. When I retired I started a bird nature journal, copying the various birds I saw in our yard.  Just this summer while I was in Scotland, I kept a photo journal of each day. I bought a sketch pad at 5 Below.. really nice for $5. Sometimes I sat in the window of our Airbnb and sketched the view.. then I’d color it with colored pencils. It was not only so relaxing but now I have the most amazing way to look back and enjoy the memories we shared each day. This truly makes me happy.

Definitely a beginner, nothing special,  but it means a lot to me!     

 To facilitate my hobby, I bought a small knapsack,  filled  it with pencils, erasers, colored pencils, fine line pens, and a small pencil sharpener.  It is large enough for my sketchbook and I have loads of paper left so whenever I have some time to kill in a waiting room or whatever, I can take it out and sketch whatever I see. 

If sketching is something you might like I highly recommend the sketch Skool YouTube channel. There are scads of very cool vlogs that will completely inspire you. I even signed up for Danny’s  daily Essays on drawing.   It is, after all, something important to me.. not only that, but it is growing me, making much more observant in life, and kick starting my memory.  I have brain fog from my last covid booster! But now I have this tool which will facilitate me to remember the days of my life!  

God bless you in living more purposefully! 

If you are interested in sketching these two really get you started!

Sunday- Abiding Worship

                

You will remember  from  the October 2nd   post    that we are to abide in Christ  because He is  the True vine and we are his branches.. 

  That we are to remain in Him (Jesus).  and bear much fruit. The scripture in John 15 goes on to say,8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

• These underlined phrases are not suggestions,  but  there are imperatives!!!  Commands.. and in particular  was leading his  disciples to  verse 12.Love each other as I have loved you..  Now we know how Jesus loved us..  I suspect that if you are  a Christ follower you can  recite John 3:16, so I will not  add it here.    If you are unsure,  by all means  look it up; it is one of the most important  verses in the Bible and one  most new believers memorize first. The all important   phrase of that verse states "He gave His only begotten Son"  what  are the ramifications or consequences of that phrase.
• God gave His only begotten son to leave heaven and  come down to earth  for a grand purpose ...Jesus had been with His Father forever   ..  he  was   spoken of in Genesis  1..26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:  and Jesus appeared as the Chief High Priest Melchizedek  in chapter 14  to Abraham. 
•  But God gave His only begotten son to   give up heaven and put  on humanity,  be born  in low estate   and live a humble life before mankind.   Jesus told His disciples in John 14 that He only did what he saw His father doing,  thereby introducing them to the Father. They had known about God but had no idea  Jesus was actually His son!  Then Jesus  died a sinner's death ;a death so cruel it was meant only for the wicked ; death on  cross.  .. He had taken on every sin ever committed  and carried them all on the cross.As He hung there  He was so  reviled His Father had to look away, because He is so Holy He cannot look upon sin...  and Jesus was utterly alone for the first time..  in His  suffering ... for us!!  By this act of love Jesus  washed away   all of our (We who believe in Him as Our Lord and Saviour!) iniquities   .. til we are white as snow.  and  would then be children of God.
• And if we return to John 
  15:13 Jesus goes on to say: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."
• Oh, by the way, in the link above I gave you more than  the verse,  but  an exceptional explanation  for our need for Christ in our lives. I hope you will take time to  digest  the information given.  It is life changing!!

Pink Saturday

Hosted by Beverly! 

♥October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month♥

I was certainly aware. I had 3 mammos this week!  OW!!Don't ask!  But the great news... All is fine!!! 

 ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Happy Pink Saturday

♥♥

Welcome to Pink Saturday.  

Ok,  I am just going to get right into it.. I've had fill of gold and orange..   I know  November is still a couple of days away,  but it is Saturday and  it says Anything Goes.. soooooooo 

                             Here Goes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I am ready to start decorating for Christmas.. Well, I will not be home  half of December..  so I  have to make up the time on this end!!  Besides, I love Christmas and  the music, the smells,  the  joy,  the  cosy fires.. the hot chocolate.  Hmmmmmmmm!

And well, I do have a tiny bit of a dilemma.  Since last year  we have painted the  downs stairs  blue..  it was a warm  creamy gold color and which  looked pretty   good for  twenty years on our  stucco walls. But  blue started calling my name..  and has looked so  sweet all year,  until  now  when I consider Christmas.

So let's take a walk down memory lane and see what  Christmas was like  last year.

Since last year, we have retired   the  above fireplace  tapestry  for  one  that  is more blue and just my  style  for my new room. But the previous one   sort of anchored the room for the holidays. I, also, replaced the red chairs  for new  blue ones!!  

So my dilemma now is  can I still use  just my red and green   decor, or need I continue to browse online for  something more  white and silver.. I do not like  blue  Christmas decor,  but I am not averse to  finding something teal-ish  too because we do have teal in some other rooms..  I  would love some  feedback from  anyone  willing to share..  Here is a little secret.. I feel in love with light blue last Christmas because so many Hallmark movies had  light blue and  the Christmas decorations looked  fabulous,  but  they, also, had  a lot of lights on everything.   So, I think, in particular, I will need more lights!!!  But, please let me know..  The  fall decor has been put away and I am ready to start !!!    Have a blessed weekend!!

FFF

Hosted by Susanne!

Is it just me or are the weeks flying by. I can't believe it! I can barely get through day it seems and a week has passed.  This hasn't been  my greatest week. It started out last week when I went to get my mammogram and was told  that a medication I was using topically was showing up on the scan and looked too much like a  calcification to continue.  So I had a followup appt this week.... Well, I did everything I knew to do to  remove any trace of the medication and went to my  procedure  feeling  tip top.  But after it was  done, the nurse said  the  calcification still was showing up.. so we tried a few things and she marked the areas where I had been using the meds  and  redid the mammogram,   and  it still showed up  on the scan, but not with the eye so the  radiologist came gave a look and  declared  it was just from the medication..   and  said I was fine.  So I asked,,  "so there is nothing  anywhere on the scans to  show a problem?" and the  answer was  a  lovely "No problems!."  So at least I did get a good report. ButI am definitely going back to my skin doctor to ask for a  different medication!  3 mammos in  a week  is just  too much! 

Because I had had such a miserable time  at the   appointment that day, sweetie took me out for  a  lovely breakfast at our new favorite place.. 

This is a relatively new  spot in town   and   thankfully is doing well after covid.  We have lost so many old faves. THis place is so fresh and the staff is  very gracious and  really terrific! On this morning they were offering pumpkin spice waffles with  fruit cup. Of course, I had to try it...

 I shared with Hubs.   It was so light and delicious!  Oh, my!  It  took   the pain and memory of the morning right away on the October  breezes!!!

I am reading Isaiah as part of our through the Bible reading in a year. and I confess I had never read it straight through before. There are wonderful sections   within the text,  but  so much of it  is God's     dealing with the  evil and disobedient nations..and when You are assigned to reading  3 chapters a day,   it can become a bit  daunting.   But my very favorite  section was Isaiah's prophecy on the birth of  Jesus.

  THis  verse inspired  the writing of Handel's Messiah.  Oh, I cannot wait til Christmas.. but   Hey, I do not have to wait!

4 min

Today is my dearest Lynn's  birthday..  first of all,  praise God for Lynn!  He is  the absolute best husband..    At our ages now,  I am afraid I have been through so much that I  am  not as able to keep up with him.  And I know  there are times he doesn't feel like going out to mow or rake the leaves  but he is  so faithful  because he wants  things to alway look just so!    So I  pray God's blessing on him  for  good  health,  strength, and    happiness  every day..  Today  he gets  his free dinner from Mission Barbecue    for  being a veteran.  so I get to  enjoy doing out as well!  

 Today I put this family photo on Facebook  to celebrate   our wonderful life together!! Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!!    

Tonight we will go to IFA, Intercesors for America, which we have done for many years..  We love this  group of  precious   friends who, like us, are so concerned about the decline in our nation,  the rise in inflation, the  poor  government  that   seems to  prefer the criminals who  kill and maim our citizens without   justice. We  will be praying for a fair election..  and for godly  people to  win their seat in government.  We have a terrific neighbor   who lives down the street  who is running for town council and I so pray he wins.  He is a firefighter and a  fine man who puts his own life on the line for others in our community. 

We have a wonderful new sheriff   and our " woke" present town council refuses to  allow him to  put forth his  new policies to   defend out  city,  and  stop  the rampant crime that has diminished our  city's standing in the state.,  I hope   you  are all praying for our nation,  and voting for  men and women whose purpose  at this time is to take back our  land  for  good purposes and not for the evil that has  put us in such deep decline. "evil exists because good people do nothing!" 

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Weekend- Faith in Action

              

                                                       

  The autumn time is  such a busy time in churches..   and  it seems  they are all   rather hectic about doing God's business.. mainly serving those in need. I was a member of  a Charismatic church in the early 90's to the late  2000's,  then a  large Baptist   church   from 2008-  early 2019.  We, then, joined a  really small baptist church  in early  2019  just  before Covid took over.  Our  church body slipped from about 25  regular attenders  to about 8  not counting the pastor's family.  We absolutely loved this young pastor and  his precious family and we  stuck with him until he  decided to take a large church in Richmond,  but the  full body of  the church never really returned  they were so enamored with watching on tv... so it was  at that time   we decided to move yet again  to our present church, early this year which we love so much.  Whether  it was  a huge or small church   our mission  responsibility this time of year was the same.  We would  do  Christmas  shoe boxes   for Samaritan's Purse worldwide  mission , we also  kept  a local mission's  food pantry in supply in the inner city , as well, as provided diapers and wipes  for the  Inner City teen mission. This year we  filled  book bags with supplies, warm wear, and snacks to send to  Appalachia.   And in all of the churches we have  been in,  we  did Thanksgiving  bags for the needy.  It has been a delight to know that,  especially the children, would  be able to enjoy  their  Thanksgiving and Christmas and  it was  God's hands  of love we were offering..  through His Spirit!   I encourage you to   look for opportunities in your churches to  serve your community, especially during these trying times.   Extend the hand of God  to  those who need it so badly.  Churches everywhere are  looking for  loving hearts to join  in the work of serving and loving others!     

Thursday- Praising our Lord

     

                                                                     3:24

                                                                             4:30
"Is He Worthy?"

Do you feel the world is broken? (We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen? (We do)
But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? (We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? (We do)

Is all creation groaning? (It is)
Is a new creation coming? (It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? (It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? (It is)

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this?
He is

Does the Father truly love us? (He does)
Does the Spirit move among us? (He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves? (He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe
Every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
He is!
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
He is!
He is!

 

Wednesday- Sharing Thoughts on Encouragement

Dear God,  I want my spirit to be listening  always, 

To hear you clearly. 

remind me to spend time with you, and allow your

 love and wisdom  

be my guiding light.

Amen

As a means of  encouragement  during our darkest hours,

 God's Word tells us:

Psalm 27:1

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;  Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the defense of my life;  Whom shall I dread?

Isaiah 60:19-20

“No longer will you have the sun for light by day,

Nor for brightness will the moon give you light;

But you will have the Lord for an everlasting light,

And your God for your glory.

“Your sun will no longer set,

Nor will your moon wane;

For you will have the Lord for an everlasting light,

And the days of your mourning will be over.

Micah 7:8

Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy.

Though I fall I will rise;

Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me.

Numbers 6:25

The Lord make His face shine on you,

And be gracious to you;

Psalm 31:16

Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;

Save me in Your lovingkindness.

Psalm 4:6

Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”

Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord!

Job 22:28

“You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;

And light will shine on your ways

💗Ephesians 1:18💗

I(Paul) pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

We ought to pray  His Word back to Him  for His blessing to manifest in our lives!!!

Tuesday 4

Hosted by Annie!

End of October

 Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 and thank you for joining in and helping to keep it going.  It is very much appreciated.

October is fast slipping away though it seems to have only just begun!

Columbus Day is over but it will end with All Hallows Eve or Halloween.. the night before All Saint's Day when Christian martyrs are remembered and honored.   All hallows eve really means, the night before the holy martyrs day but somehow it  it got turned over to Halloween!

In the Catskill Mountains/Hudson Valley of New Yorkbecame associated with spooky happenings.  Let's talk about the end of October.

1. Do you give out candy on Halloween to neighborhood kids? Did you ever.. have you always?  We just do not get  children where we live now. .. so we also, do not turn on our lights until  around 10pm.  We do not have  children  within a couple of blocks of us and they stick to the  neighborhood  behind us..  We  are on a busy road and children do not  come to us..When we were younger and lived in a subdivision  we did give out candy  and I enjoyed it,  but I am not into halloween at all these days anyway.

2. We must dress up as this Halloween.. Yes, you have to !   What will your costume be this year?As I said  we don't do Halloween.  I think it has become  given over to the devil.

3. Have you ever carved pumpkins?  Have you visited the gorgeous Hudson Valley in New York state? I have carved pumpkins  long ago!  And yes, when we travel north to the kids we do travel  through the Hudson Valley.  It is lovely!!

4. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving takes place in Sleepy Hollow a town known today as Tarrytown, NY. a lovely town in the Hudson Valley not far from the Catskill Mountains, site of Rip Van Winkle.     The Hudson Valley is considered one of the most beautiful places in America. The Hudson separates NY from New Jersey      Do you know the Legend of Sleepy Hollow? How about Rip Van Winkle? Do you believe either could be based on true stories as some believe?  Why/ why not? I love that story  and   I used to read it to  my students.  We actually stayed in a  bed and breakfast one time we went to see the kids  hat was right in the Catskills because I did enjoy the  story so much.  But I think it is make believe.

Tuesday -Finding Joy

                                     

Romans 15:13  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Another way to  say  this verse  is "Joy, peace, and hope are three marks of a Christian, and this verse shows the way in which they are intermingled. Joy, peace, and hope all come from God, by the power of his Holy Spirit.

Paul meant this verse as  a blessing and a prayer.  He was telling us we can have these three  gifts from God, Joy, peace, and  hope when we put out faith and trust in Him.  Because He is faithful,  He loves us, and His love and mercy endure for ever.  Even through any trial I may face.  I feel like I am in this  gifted  place today, because  even with everything that  is going on in our world, YouTube videos that  warn of  such terrible  oncoming perils,   the  news  about   increasing crime,  and   recession, and   food shortages.. I can remember a time when I would be a nervous wreck just considering one of these things, much less all of them.  But with God,  I know whom I have believed  and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed  unto Him against that day. Timothy 1:12  tells me I need not  fear  because  God holds me in the palm of His hand  or  places me in the cleft of the rock  and I will not be moved  by anything the world throws at me. And even if  perchance  I am overcome by the world  I know that  He has  a perfect plan for my good.. even in death. Believing this  keeps me in a state of  peace,  hope and  joy.. Praise God He is able to accomplish much in our lives and mostly reveal to us His faithfulness in the events of our lives!!!   Please watch this  wonderful   11 min video!