Tuesday, February 28, 2012

An Attitude of Gratitude...

My dear sweet Ladies...

First, may I take a moment
to apologize for
"disappearing" for a few weeks...

Several of you have sent
kind and touching comments
and it may seem as though
I have been ignoring you...

For that, I am truly sorry...

Have you ever noticed
that sometimes when things seem
to be going along so smoothly and orderly...

"Life" throws us a "curve ball"...
And everything just seems
"out of sync..."

For the last week or so
The computer has been one of
the furthest things from my mind...

And yet, each day,
A little something "special"
would happen...
That I really wanted to give
thanks for...

So, this morning,
I was determined to set aside 
a few moments
to share these with my
wonderful friends...

A sweet comment from
my dear friend Judy...
Sharing about her husband
and his recovery from surgery...

Knowing that the road is long
but trusting that God is in control...
We continue to hold you both up
in our daily prayers...

My first "blog" award ever!

Given by a dear sweet lady, Melanie,
 
Thank you so much, Melanie,
I was so surprised and touched when
I found out that you had
chosen me...

And, dear friend,
as we both know...

God is so Good...

This came in His "perfect" timing...
just when I needed a little "liebe"...

 And then,
Oh, my!
I feel like it is my birthday!
Four give-aways
in a week!

Three from a lovely blog called
Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe...

The pattern for this
beautiful sampler...


A package of hand-dyed cluny lace...


And the directions
for this adorable sampler!
I think I'll do this one for mom...
Please don't tell her!


Thanks so much, Nancy!

Then, from the
incredible "helpful hints" blog,
Living on A Dime



This amazing cookbook
"jam" packed with countless
frugal tips! 

Dear Ladies,
Did you ever notice how easy it is
to give thanks when something
wonderful happens to us?

And, yet,
Well, you know...

Yesterday, I was having
a little "pity party"
for myself...

Nobody else was invited,
of course...

I was just too busy
feeling sorry for myself
to send out invitations!

Then, in His infinite wisdom,
God gave me little glimpse
at my "attitude of gratitude" recently.

You see,
I have been rereading 
the amazing story of 
Corrie Ten Boom

Many of you may know
that Corrie and her family
had been arrested for hiding Jews
from the gestapo in the 1930s...

She and her sister, Betsy,
were sent to Ravensbruck,
the dreaded concentration camp
in the heart of Germany.

To paint a small picture of her world...
Fourteen hundred women were forced
to sleep in a concrete room made
to hold only 400...

The bedding hay was soiled and rancid...
 Eight putrid, overflowing toilets
served the entire room...
The fleas were overwhelming.

Exhausted, malnourished, diseased,
most of these women did not share
a common language. 

Corrie cried out to her sister, Betsy,

"How can we ever survive here?"

Betsy's simple, yet profound, response
taken from the pages of the tiny
New Testament that they had 
smuggled in with them... 

"Our Lord has given us the answer...
We can give thanks in all 
circumstances! We can start
right now to thank Him for every
single thing about this new barracks!" 

And so they thanked the Lord...

for being placed together...

for no inspection,
thus they were able to keep
their Bible...

And for the crowded quarters,
so that even more would hear
when they read the Scriptures...

They even found thanks for the fleas...
Corrie and her sister held nightly
worship services which would
have been quickly thwarted had
it not been for the fact that the
prison guards refused to enter
the disgusting, flea-infested 
barracks for an inspection.

Even the fleas were a miracle...

Oh, me, of little faith...

Dear Lord,
Thank you so very much
for my little
"attitude adjustment..."

"Rejoice evermore.
 Pray without ceasing.
 In every thing give thanks:
 for this is the will of God 
in Christ Jesus concerning you."
I Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

"Planting" Love...

Happy Valentines Day, Ladies!

I just wanted to share with you
one of the several special "surprises"
that I received today...
 
My paperwhite narcissus 
had pretty much gone by...


But just in time...
I received this lovely plant
from my parents...
(rumor has it that my dad
picked it out!)

And a beautiful card...


My 88 year old dad
makes all his own cards
on the computer...

Pretty amazing for a man
who didn't even know how
to turn one on
a few years ago!

Of course,
What really touched my heart
were the two handwritten messages
on the inside...

One from my mom...
One from my dad...

Thanking me for always 
being there for them...
Especially through the
"hard times..."

It's moments like these...
That make it all worth the effort...


 Naturally, I show my love
through food!

Haddock chowder
for my parents
and my sweetheart!


And chocolate peanut butter
cookies for my sons...

Their absolute favorite!

Hope you all had as wonderful
a Valentines Day as I had...

And here's a heartfelt
Valentine's Day prayer...

Going out to Judy and Kenny...
Two very special people...

May the Lord wrap His
Loving Arms tightly around
you both this evening...

"Beloved, let us love one another:
 for love is of God;
 and every one that loveth
 is born of God, and knoweth God..."
John 4:7

Monday, February 13, 2012

"Thread Catchers"....Caught!

Good Morning, Ladies!

Before I reveal the winners
of the "Thread Catchers" giveaway...

I just wanted to share with you
a way to use these as little
party favors or gift toppers...

In my previous post 
I shared that I made some
of these for a church charity
for infants...


Before I place them in the box...
I put a small piece of styrofoam
in the bottom to
stick the diaper pins into...

Then I place them in a little
clear bag...
Tie a pretty ribbon...
And attach a heart
with the name on one side
and a scripture verse on the other...


A very simple gift idea!

Now, on to the three winners...

All the entries were put 
into a basket...


The three names 
picked out were...


Congratulations, Ladies!

And many thanks to all who entered!
Please watch for another give-away
coming soon!


"Every man shall give as he is able,
according to the blessing
of the LORD your God 
which He has given you..."
Deuteronomy 16:17
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