A lovely day

We had a lovely day yesterday. The girls went over to hubs' mom's house in the afternoon to make clay pots and play with their foster children. Whilst they were there hubs and I went out for lunch together (something we never do) and then on to our local garden centre. It was nice and relaxing.

Here's what we got:



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All these lovely Spring flowers really cheer me up.

My pink watering can certainly cheers me up! :)

Afterwards I finally made a start on cleaning my kitchen cupboards. I scrubbed the tops and doors and then cleaned out the inside of one.

This is just one half of the cupboard I cleaned out. I know it's not that interesting but I'm so pleased I've made a start! :)

I have the Spring cleaning feeling.

Hope you all have a wonderful week.

Happy Homemaker Monday

For more Happy Homemaker posts visit Sandra's Blog

The weather in my neck of the woods:
-1°C and cloudy. It's lovely and fresh. I just wish it was sunny.

Things that make me happy:
I know it's a bit dull, but a shiny clean house and everything organised. Simple things make me happy! :)

Book I'm reading:
Love's Enduring Promise, Janette Oke

What's on my TV today:
Not sure. I think we have a Primeval recorded to watch.

On the menu for dinner:
Chicken, mashed potato and carrots. Nothing too complicated. We Brits like our meat and two veg.

On my To Do List:
Wash towels
Clean kitchen
Starting Spring cleaning (I know, I know it's not even February!) :)
Work (in our local school's kitchen) - today I'm on pot wash in the big sink. Life's exciting huh?
Go with hubs to hospital appointment.
Take girls to dancing.
Church group tonight.
Collapse.
:)

In the craft basket:
Pin cushions.
A doll that's losing her stuffing.

Looking forward to this week:
Getting some Spring cleaning done. Perhaps tidying up the garden a bit - if the ground defrosts.
Spring is coming people! Yay. :)


Tips and Tricks:
Every time you walk through a room put something away. It's amazing how quickly a room will tidy this way. Every time you walk past your bookcase straighten just one book, in no time you'll have a very tidy bookcase.

My favourite blog post this week:
I've just read this post from Mary: If You Don't Do it when it's Hard You Won't Do it When it's Easy. So true, we so easily get out of the habit of doing good things. Things like church attendance and a prayer time are two things that Christians often fall out of the habit of doing.

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
Tea Time - a lovely blog with scrumptious pictures and inspiring quotes.


No words needed (favourite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Well, just a few words...this is pork roasted in the oven in garlic butter. So easy to make, great for a Sunday dinner.

Lesson learned the past few days:
That I can't do everything and in my weakness God shows His strength.

That if you put your hand directly on a grill element, your oven glove will burn right through to your hand! That's 3 pairs of oven gloves I've set fire to in my married life. They're a danger...or is it me who's the danger??

On my mind:
Hubs' hospital appointment this afternoon, hoping that I can finish work on time to go with him. He has a problem with his knee - an arthro-chondral osteochondral defect. He has damage to the cartilage and has a little bit of bone, which has chipped off his knee, floating around in there. When the pain hits him he's in agony. He needs a minor op to remove the bone and to do some other stuff. The appointment today is with the consultant to arrange the op.

Also, I am hoping to make and sell some things online. We've had a little bit of success selling some things on eBay, but I'm wondering if I could set up an Etsy account as eBay is more of a 'cheapest sells quickest' type place and I can't imagine home-made goods would sell that well. However, I'm not sure how well Etsy does in the UK. I haven't formulated a plan yet, so it might not happen. But it's certainly on my mind.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (NKJV)

Happy Monday!

Definition of porch

In America this is a porch...

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In Britain, this is a porch...

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So, when Rascal Flatts sing, "Sittin' on the porch drinking ice cold Cherry-Coke," I have a totally different image. It's a bit precarious up there and at any moment one might just fall off, or at least spill one's drink.

I rather prefer the American porch. It's a bit roomier and you can add a swing. When you're 'sitting on the porch' you are aren't on the roof.

:)

It's worth making even a small stand

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"It is a poverty that a "child must die", So that you may live as you wish."
~ Mother Teresa

I recently found out that an organisation I belong to had decided to encourage its local branches to support the pro-choice campaign. This upset me as I am pro-life. I was going to withdraw from this particular organisation but decided to ask my pastor's advice. He advised me to speak to my particular branch's secretary to express my concern and to ask that my money would not be used to support the pro-choice campaign.

I wrote to him and simply said that I was a Christian and vehemently against abortion and that I didn't want my money to be used in support of the pro-choice campaign. Basically, if this wouldn't be possible then I would be withdrawing my membership.

I was so pleased to receive an email from our branch secretary letting me know that our local branch had voted and had agreed NOT to support the campaign. I am so pleased. Who knows how many others had expressed concern, but it was certainly worth making my views known. Perhaps my concern was the tipping point, you never know. I hope that all the branches would vote this way.

Meme

I saw this at A Quiet, Gracious Life and wanted to join in.

I Am...........struggling to use this lap-top, some of the key strokes are different. Grrrr! :)

I Want........to be a stay at home mother again - but needs must.

I Should........worry less.

I Wish..........that I was more patient.

I Hate.........dog mess on the pavements. Triple grrrrrrr!

I Fear.........my children growing up and turning away from God.

I Hear.......the tumble dryer humming and Squidge crumpling up tissue paper in the Living room (we've just made a Tudor Rose out of the stuff).

I Search.......to hear the still small voice of God.

I Wonder..........if I'll ever get to clean the inside of my kitchen cupboards this year!

I Regret.........many things, but praise God for Jesus!

I Love...........the kittehs. Meow.

I Always.........have coffee in the morning, I'm not human without it! I look like this without my coffee:

Gruffalo

I Usually.........have a prayer time at 8.00 am.

I Am Not............a great talker first thing in the morning (see above).

I Dance.........in the rain...ha, NOT.

I Sing............like an angel...in my head. I'm actually not too bad, but I'd never sell a solo album. :)

I Never.......ever, ever, ever, want to eat butternut squash again...yukkk!

I Rarely......walk slowly downstairs. I bound.

I Cry.........when teachers say nice things about my children, at the sad bits in films, when I read scripture (particularly out loud), when someone gives their testimony, when anyone else cries....you get the picture! :)

I Am Not Always.........as punctual as I should be. I underestimate how much time things take.

I Lose........my mobile phone far too much. And I don't know my own number so I can't even phone it from the mainline to find it!

I'm Confused.......with disturbing regularity.

I Need........to clean out my kitchen cupboards! It's really getting annoying now. If I had the energy I'd do them right now, but I've been out all day...moan, moan, moan. LOL.

I Have............more blessings than I can count.

If you do your own mememememmemeeeeee let me know and I'll visit.

Books again and a brief chit-chat

All I seem to write about recently is books. :)

Chatterbox and I are still reading our latest Famous Five book, Five Go Off in a Caravan. We've just got to the exciting part and I'm afraid I am just as interested as Chatterbox is and we read far too late!



Squidge has acquired a new Julia Donaldson book (we love Julia Donaldson books - of The Gruffalo fame), Tabby McTat - the busker's cat. Wonderful.

Tabby McTat

‘Tabby McTat was a busker’s cat
With a miaow that was loud and strong.
The two of them sang of this and that,
And people threw coins in the old checked hat,
And this was their favourite song:

“Me, you and the old guitar,
How perfectly, perfectly happy we are.
MEEE-EW and the old guitar,
How PURRRR-fectly happy we are.” ‘

After putting aside The Three Musketeers, I read 'Sister Freaks - Stories of Women Who Gave Up Everything for God'. It's a series of testimonies of various women who have overcome hardships of differing kinds to follow Jesus. It wasn't as inspiring as 'Jesus Freaks' - that book deeply moved me. I don't think this one was particularly well written to be honest, the writing was a bit stilted and what should have been moving stories felt mundane. But it was OK.

I'm now re-reading the Janette Oke series Love Comes Softly. I first read Janette Oke after I was given the 'Seasons of the Heart' series. I loved the books. They are easy to read and are beautiful, simple stories. Michele, my friend from A Quiet, Gracious Life, kindly sent me the whole Love Comes Softly series. I loved them when I read them the first time and I am loving it all over again! So thanks again Michele!

Janette Oke books

So, how am I?

I've not been 100%, been feeling tired and having a few dizzy spells. Hopefully it'll blow over, I'm off to the doctor's tomorrow so hopefully it's nothing. I'd be grateful for your prayers of course! :)

I haven't got any deep and meaningful words to say. Here are a few scriptures we've been learning about at church:

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
~Romans 7:21-25a

Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

“ God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
~1 Peter 5:5b-7

We ought to be humble for if it weren't for our Lord Jesus Christ we would be lost in our miserable sin. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ!

This is soooo adorable.



Just for 'teh kitteh' fans out there.

Inspiration and whimsy

Teach us, good Lord, to serve Thee as Thou deservest; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to ask for any reward save that of knowing that we do Thy will, O Lord our God. - Amy Carmichael



"Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh?" he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you."
— A.A. Milne, 'Winnie-the-Pooh'

Bits and Bats and Books

Just a few pictures from Christmas and then a little about books.

I do so love the snow, January is now rather bleak and soggy. The previous two pictures were taken in December when heavy snow was falling, my camera, unfortunately didn't pick up the flakes.

Squidge opening her presents on Christmas morn. Can you see her fantastic 'bed-hair', she is always in full 'fluff' in the morning.

Chatterbox opening a present from her Nana and Grandpa. Can you see the white box on the sofa behind? That is a thermometer, we were only just getting over the flu then.

After church we went to my Mum and Dad's house for Christmas dinner. More presents were opened!

After Christmas we visited Hub's brother, wife and two children (including a cute new baby) for new year. Here's Chatterbox and I checking out facebook I think! :)

~ooOoo~

Books

I'm afraid I've given up on The Three Musketeers. I'm over halfway through and all the characters are still annoying me and I'm yearning for the book to be over. There's never any reason to continue reading a book that is so disagreeable (unless you're at school and you have to!). I would like to read Dumas' The Count of Monte Christo because I loved the film. Cabcree, if you're reading, I seem to remember you really like The Count of Monte Christo book?

Here are a few reasons why I don't like The Three Musketeers personally: 1) D'Artagnan - honestly, he's so 'in love' with Constance Bonacieux, even though he's only spoke about two words to her and she's married; 2) Nobody seems to be able to trip up near another character without being challenged to a duel. So what if bodies line the streets a man's honour is at stake!; 3) Despite D'Artagnan's 'love' for C. Bonacieux he's been romancing 'Milady' and upsetting her servant Kitty who is in love with D'Artagnan - but of course he works hard to keep Kitty in love with him because his ego is so huge; 4) Aramis is apparently a theologian who can't decide if he's to join the church or be a musketeer - of course a big bag of money and a pretty woman with always change his mind from the church...I could go on, but I'm sure I'm boring you. I just cannot put up with these characters. I want to bang their heads together more than I did with Austen's 'Emma'. LOL! :) I suppose a lot of it is supposed to be perhaps tongue-in-cheek, but I don't get the joke, so I give up!

On to the kiddiwink's books:

I was reading The Children of Green Knowe with Chatterbox. Somehow the book has lost a little of its charm for me. Maybe it's because I read the book originally in my early teens after watching the BBC adaptation, which is simply magical: Here is episode 1 on Youtube. The book is good, don't get me wrong, but it isn't an easy read-aloud book. It isn't divided into chapters and is very descriptive. It also raises some theological questions about dead people walking about that maybe you might not want to delve into with your child. I simply explained it was a fantasy to Chatterbox and she seemed to accept that. Also, I was rather amused that Tolly 'saw dead people...walking about like regular people', rather like the child in the film The Sixth Sense. Some children could find it creepy, some adults could find it creepy. But we finished it and she seemed to enjoy it.

But onto more solid jolly good books...like the Famous Five! Chatterbox wanted me to read to her one of the High School Musical books that she'd picked up from the library, and whilst I haven't banned her from reading them I certainly am NOT going to read it to her. "It's trash! I exclaimed." :)

So we compromised and picked up one of the old Famous Five books I'd picked up in our Antiquarian book shop. Oh it's just wonderful to behold!

Lovely old hardback. Smells old and fusty. Super.

Beautifully illustrated.

And with a charming inscription. Funny how Father Christmas's handwriting changes with each family. :)

We've only just started. The joy is, I don't remember this particular Famous Five story. So it's quite an adventure of our own. :)

~ooOoo~

It's back to school for the girls and back to work and the old routine for me. I was so behind after being ill and then Christmas. But things seem to be back on track. Something always comes up though, life never just smooths along does it? :)

Hope you're having a lovely January. Just remember, Spring is coming! :)

I'm spending less time on the computer at the moment, so apologies if I don't get to your blog and if comments take a while to be published.

Hugs.

The gate of the year...

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I said to the man
Who stood at the gate of the year,
'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.'

And he replied,
'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!'

So I went forth and finding the Hand of God,
Trod gladly into the night.
He led me towards the hills
And the breaking of day in the lone east.

So heart be still!
What need our human life to know,
If God hath comprehension?

In all the dizzy strife of things
Both high and low,
God hideth His intention.
God knows. His will is best.
The stretch of years which wind ahead, so dim to
Our imperfect vision, are clear to God. Our fears
Are premature; in Him all time hath full provision.

Then rest: until God moves to lift the veil from our
Impatient eyes, when, as the sweeter feature of life’s
Stern face we hail, fair beyond all surmise God’s
Thought around His creatures our minds shall fill.

Minnie Louise Harkins 1875-1957

~oOo~

Hat tip to Angela from Tracing Rainbows, I had not heard this poem before. Pop over to her New Year post as she shares a little of the interesting history of this poem.