On The Right Track!

"Train up a child
in the way he should go: 

and when he is old, 
he will not depart from it..."

Proverbs 22:6

Happy Birthday

Joshua and Daniel!

Give-Away Drawing...

I apologize for posting

this so late today...

We have been experiencing

severe thundershowers today...

Whenever this happens...

we sometimes have difficulty

accessing the internet...

 

I want to thank all those

who participated...

I have really enjoyed

reading your comments!

 The name chosen

for this give-away is...

Congratulations, Melanie!

Please just send me your

address via e-mail

and I'll get these right out to you!

Just A Little Reminder...

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to remind you

that I will be drawing a name

for my give-away this evening

before bedtime...

 So....

There is still time!

Check back in the last 

several posts...

There are multiple ways

to enter...

Leave a comment

on tonight's post

about something that you would

like to give someone else

if you could...

It will count as the final entry!

Have a blessed evening!

I will post the winner 

tomorrow morning!

"A friend loves at all times..."

Proverbs 17:17a

The Road Map...

Is your life a "road map"

that will lead others to Christ? 

I hadn't thought much about this...

Until Monday...

Sitting in the truck...

At our transfer station 

(aka "town dump") 

I had just finished

placing our recyclables

in their appropriate containers

when a lady approached me

with something in her hands...

I've seen her around town before

We've exchanged smiles and "hellos"

But before today...

that was about the extent

of our conversation.

She came up to the window

of our truck and asked...

"Would you like to have these?"

She told me that she was so glad

that she had run into me.

She had been cleaning out

her mother's house

and found these Bible maps...

She was going to just "recycle" them

But when she spotted me...

thought that I might be able to use them.

I was so touched...

But also a bit unnerved...

How did she know this about me?

That I might enjoy these maps?

So often,
we don't realize that others are
constantly watching us...
To see if we are "for real"

I thought about the times
when, perhaps,
my "Road Map to Christ"
may have appeared a bit
"rocky"... so to speak...

Times when I'd been in too
much of a hurry
to stop and help someone...

Or when I'd offered
just a "quick response"
to someone who really needed
me to listen to them...

Or when I'd been
"quick to anger"
when I am frustrated
or tired...

Of course, 

a trip to the dump

is not complete without 

a stop at the metal pile...

And road maps weren't all

that we "rode" home with...

To go along with our maps...

Samuel found two

go-cart frames!

For, of course,

If you plan to travel

life's highway...

You need something cool
to ride in!

"Enter through the narrow gate.

For wide is the gate

and broad is the road

that leads to destruction,

and many enter through it.

But small is the gate

and narrow the road

that leads to life,

and only a few find it."

Matthew 7:13-14

Only 3 more days til 

my "give-away!"

Leave a comment today

about some neat yard sale

or "dump"find...

I'll count it as another entry!

"Berry" Strange Indeed!

Another beautiful sunny morning...

Praise God!

After weeks of unsettling weather...

I must admit that some of

my garden got a bit neglected...

This Saturday I ventured out to

the strawberry boxes to

examine their progress and 

check for weeds... 

Much to my surprise...

In addition to the 

unwanted guests (weeds!)

I found this...

Lettuce growing!

 

And not just one plant

but quite a few!

As I weeded...

I tried to imagine how

they happened to be growing

in my little strawberry bed.

Perhaps the straw I had mulched 

with contain lettuce seeds...

Perhaps the birds... 

or the wind...

And I got to thinking...

Sometimes there are things in our lives

Not necessarily "bad"things, mind you,

Sometimes very good things...

Like lettuce...

That are just "out of place"

If there are things...

No matter how good they might seem...

that are taking our precious time away

from our families...

or our Lord...

Perhaps it is time for us

to "remove" them

and put them "in their place..."

 Just a thought...

On this sunny morn'

"To every thing there is a season, 

and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Please don't forget my give-away!

Leave a comment on today's blog

about a time when you've seen

something "out of place..."

it will count as another entry!

The Narrow Path...

A beautiful sunny day 

on the coast of Maine!

Who would believe

that only a few weeks ago

we were in a tornado watch?

Yesterday, 

my husband was hard at work...

Again...

Fastening chicken wire

for our peas...

Several weekend's ago,

In fact, it was the one

before the tornado watch...

We spent the better part 

of a day taking down 3 trees.

To be perfectly honest,

It was not something I wanted 

to do...

There were other projects

calling my name...

Looking back now, however,

I am so thankful that 

my husband made the choice

to take down the trees that Saturday.

You see, they were dying,

and very close to the house.

One good windstorm

(or tornado)

could have caused immense damage.

There was one nagging issue, however.

One of the trees was located

in a spot that made

it very difficult to drop.

There was only a narrow pathway

for this tree to fall in...

Otherwise, it would hit

the house,

or the chicken coop,

or the garden,

or the newly planted fruit trees...

I watched my husband...

Carefully plan just how to drop 

that tree...

He leads our family by

such quiet example...

Teaching our sons to be

patient, hard working,

honest, fair, kind...

To trust God...

To walk down the 

"narrow path."

I guess I don't need 

to tell you,

That the tree landed

exactly where he planned.

I am so grateful

each and every day,

that the Lord brought

this amazing man

into my life...

Happy Father's Day,

Dearheart...

"There you saw how the LORD 
your God carried you,
as a father carries his son, "

Deuteronomy 1:31

Don't forget my give-away!
Leave a comment about a special
"Father" memory and it
will count as another entry!

"It Is Better To Give..." Give-Away!

I have been so blessed
with all the wonderful friends
I have made through blogging...

Friends who have encouraged me...
Taught me new crafts...
Spoke kind words...
Offered instruction...
Gave comfort when needed...
What a blessing!

The Lord has put it on
my heart...
To "give back" a bit
of the blessings
bestowed upon me...

So...
I'm hosting my first
Give-away!

 Lately, I have been
having so much fun with
recycled t-shirt yarn...

I will post on how this is made soon...

One of the items
I have made with this yarn
I call "Buoy Bags."

(Leave it to me to give it a name 

that has something to do with the ocean...

But I just couldn't help it...

They remind me of lobster buoys!)

Baby blue and white bag...

  These cute little bags

make great purses...

and will hold so much!

I can fit my wallet, brush,

change purse, keys,

cell phone, kitchen sink,

all inside with plenty of room!

(Well, maybe not the kitchen sink...)
 

Red and gray bag...

 I will randomly draw
a name from all entries
next Friday night (June 24th).
The person whose name I draw

will receive both bags...

One to keep and one to 
give away to someone  else.
 

Blue bag has a bright blue with white stripe lining..

You can make up to 6 entries

on today's post...

And there will be additional

chances for entries on other posts

throughout the week.
 

Red bag has a sweet red with flowers lining...

Ways To Enter...

1. Follow my blog and leave a comment...

Or just leave a comment telling

me you already follow my blog!

I love new readers!

2. Post about the give-away 
on your blog...

Feel free to use the first picture...

Leave me a comment telling me 

that you made a post.

3. Leave a comment telling

me which color bag you prefer...

4. Leave a comment telling me

who you will give the other bag

to and why...

5. Leave a comment about

a special gift that you
have received...

6. Leave a comment about

a time when you

gave someone a

"special gift..."

Please feel free to enter...

Even if you have never left

a comment before...

If you do not have a blog...

You can leave an "anonymous" comment...

Just be sure to sign your name

so I know who you are

in case you win!

I will post the winner

on Saturday, June 25th!

Again, thank you all

for being such a blessing

in my life...

May the Lord richly

bless each and every one

of you, dear friends!

"and to remember the words

of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 

It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Acts 20:35

Beautiful Slippers...

I am just so thankful today...

We have had two days of sun.

The garden is drying and, Lord willing,

we will plant potatoes this weekend. 

This morning while walking

I found a rare and beautiful site...

A whole clump of
Wild pink lady slippers...

They are such delicate flowers...

And only grow when conditions

are exactly right...

In fact,

If the plant's blossom does is not
permitted to cycle through,

it will not regenerate;

so it is best not to pick 

these lovely wildflowers.
 

The flowers can lay dormant

for many years...

And then suddenly seem

to appear...

Where they never have before.

Much of our land is wooded...

So each year we usually

see one or two

scattered here and there...

What a treat to stumble

across a dozen or more

all together.

These lovely 

"Gifts from God"

are also known as

"Moccasin Flowers"

for they look like tiny

pink ballet slippers

or moccasins.

Seeing so many together

reminded me of the
scripture verse about
"beautiful feet."

"And how shall they preach, 

except they be sent? as it is written, 

How beautiful are the feet 

of them that preach 

the gospel of peace, 

and bring glad tidings of good things!"

Romans 10:15

Recently, our family
has been searching God's Word
for instruction on being
"good witnesses"
of the Gospel.

As the sight of these
lovely flowers
blessed me this morning...

 

I was reminded of
what we had learned
thus far...

How living our lives
in a way that is pleasing to the Lord..
Is a wonderful way to be
a physical example of
the gospel of Jesus.

And that as others see us
"walk about" in our daily lives
we are sharing the
"Good News..."

But, just as these

lady slippers

will only grow
in the "proper soil..."

We can only be effective

for the Lord

if we are "growing daily"

in His Word.

 

And that,

Just as a lady slipper

can lay dormant for many years...

 

A kind word or deed 

that we may do for a neighbor...

Might seem to go unnoticed...

But may just be the "blossom"

that brings that person to the Lord.

 

It is my daily prayer

That I may have

"beautiful feet..."

 "And your feet shod with

the preparation of the gospel of peace;"

Ephesians 6:15

What's The Point???

This winter sure was harsh

on our little chicken coop...

Two broken windows

and three cracked ones...

My husband planned to replace

the windows this weekend...

So he asked me to pick up the panes

of glass during the week

and get the "points"

that hold the panes in place.

  In these old window panes
the glazier points are essential
for holding the glass in place.

Recently, I heard someone remark...

"What's the point of reading the 
Bible and memorizing verses?"

This person clearly thought that
it would not serve any purpose
and was a "waste of time."

I remember a little poem
I had come across once...
Although I am not sure
who wrote it...
 

 Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

 

 We are often careful about the food

we put in our mouths because, after all...

You are what you eat!

But just, if not more importantly,
I would venture that...

You are, and are becoming,

what you think!

It does not matter what
service we do for the Lord...

Or how we act in front
of others...

What matters is
what we are like
on the inside...
  

"As water reflects a face,

so a man's heart reflects the man."

Proverbs 27:19

 

Christ reprimands the

Pharisees and the 

teachers of the Law over

this very issue..

"Woe unto you, 

scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! 

for ye make clean the outside 

of the cup and of the platter, 

but within they are full of extortion and excess. 

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is 
within the cup and platter, 
that the outside of them may be clean also.
 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye are like
unto whited sepulchres, 
which indeed appear beautiful outward, 
but are within full of dead men's bones.
and of all uncleanness.
 Even so ye also outwardly appear 
righteous unto men, but within 
ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

Matthew 23: 25-28

You see, God is not

impressed with appearances.

For He can see "through" us

To what we are like on

the inside...

 And He wishes to change us

from the inside out.

If we are clean on the inside

we would automatically be

clean on the outside.

The "point" is...

We cannot know and do

God's Word...

If we are not in God's Word...

And, most importantly,

If God's Word is not

in us...

I see your "point" more clearly now!

 "May the words of my mouth 

and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight, 

O LORD, my Rock 

and my Redeemer."

Psalm 19:14