A Country Afternoon

"That's what friends do for you!"

This week, I have received a few messages by various means asking that I pray for various situations.  To be honest, my heart has felt weighted down by the burdens that others are facing and carrying.  I think about how important it is to help each other carry those burdens.  I can't do it alone!  Without the Lord, every burden seems to be too much!
Yesterday, I was impressed by the implications of last night's stamping activity.  Yes...we had fun.  Yes...we crafted.  But why?  We weren't doing it for ourselves...really.  We were making cards to give to others.  Cards that could potentially hold encouraging words, thoughts of love, commitments of prayer, and so much more.  How often do we take time to sit down and compose our thoughts into words...then write them down?  Texts, phone calls, emails, and fb messages are all nice and quick!  But the power of a card in human script...
Proverbs 25:11 came to mind..."A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."  Gold and silver are precious metals...they are valuable...they are desired...they are beautiful.  Our words are to be so!
I've been on the receiving end of such notes...from friends and family...near and far.  They have sent notes at "just the right time"...not by chance...but God ordained.  I really think sometimes we just "send a note" and check it off our "to do" list...not really stopping to think what God can do through our words in the heart of another.  We know how cruel our words and tongues can be.  We all feel the effects of such selfish hearts.  But have you considered the goodness of right words lately?  It was refreshing for me to think about the blessing that we hold in our heart...when we are walking in the Spirit.  That blessing should and will spill out our mouth!  Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..."
I am asking God to use my words to bring blessing and life...as they travel through the air to the hearer or across the paper to the reader.  I am praying for these friends in their time of testing...because that is what friends do.  I've been at those points...still there...will be there again and again.  I don't want to lose the blessing of seeing God answer prayer...in the life of friends, family, and in my own life.  We are burden bearers...not to carry the load and try to fix things...but to carry that need...and lay it at Jesus' feet.  I read this poem at the host church when Mom and I were at the reunion.  We all have needs.  We all need people along our path to pray for us...and to remind us who we need to go to for the answers and strength...because that's what real...true...godly friends do for you!

 Hang It On The Cross

Lisa O. Engelhardt

If you have a secret sorrow,

a burden or a loss,

An aching need for healing...

Hang it on the cross.

If worry steals your sleep

and makes you toss and turn,

If your heart is feeling heavy...

Hang it on the cross.

Every obstacle to faith

or doubt you come across,

Every prayer unanswered...

Hang it on the cross.

For Christ has borne our brokeness

and dearly paid the cost

To turn our trial to triumph...

Hanging on the cross.

LNO on a Friday Night equals FUN

The best two helpers a mother could ask for!  I could not have done this without them!  Thanks, girlies...and there are treats for you...we didn't eat them all!

Ladies Night Out Stamping Fun proved to be a profitable night for the ladies' personal card collection!

In my calculations...this is the sixth time we have done this.

I didn't get a picture of this table during our creating...it was the hub!

We listened to A Quiet Place II and smelled chocolate all night!  We laughed. We talked.  We got ink all over our hands.

The gals stamped to their heart's content.  Someone said we needed three more hours.

I met a new favorite snack...mango salsa from Woodmans! 

I kept getting hot parts...but kept going back for more! 

I don't know exactly how many total cards were made...but there were some serious bouts of creativity happening!  This year was more of a free-for-all...tons of stamps to choose from, ideas, scraps of solid papers and patterned papers, embellishments...

My cheery friend and stamping queen friend had some neat ideas and techniques...

and hilarious commentary too.

Use a paint brush to brush ink on the edges for a vintage look.

When asked how the evening went...I think it went well...I didn't get home till 10:30pm. 

And a special thank you to the ladies who helped me clean up!

It was all coming together nicely...

Things are purchased and set out to load up in the van for tonight's Stamping Extravaganza.  I was putting some final touches on something and thought, "I really don't have a good hold on this...and when I go to flip in it...it could burn me..." And now I know why Martha Stewart says to have a cup of cold water nearby every time you work with a hot glue gun!  You can't get it off fast enough.  You disrupt the good children concentrating on schoolwork.  You realize how much you use your thumb.  You lose the momentum you had going this morning to get things finished.

You end up going upstairs to get an ice cube, a big dab of Neosporin, just be by yourself...so you can cry.  Then you take some time to just sit and let the Ibuprofen kick in so you can get back to work...knowing that your children saw your red face and whispered, "Mom was crying!"

I really didn't need this today...

really...

Those afterschool appointments

It has been a couple years since the kiddos have had their eyes checked.  With family history, increased reading, staring at computer screens, and little music notes to follow...it seemed like a good idea!  The doctor told us that these were their new glasses...but don't worry...they come with a neck brace and parking sticker.

The appointments were scheduled back to back, so they got to watch the process.  When  it came time for Alisa to read the little letters...they were all not what was on the screen.  The doc looked at me funny and I sat there thinking, "Oh wow, how could I miss a problem like this..." until I looked closer...she was reading the letters right to left.  Why?  I don't know...it is Alisa.  The doc figured out what she was doing and we all laughed.  Phew!

As hard as he tried, Teddy couldn't find three of the numbers in the two-colored pictures.  He carries the color-blind flag in our family.  The only time there is a problem is with shades of color groups.

All kiddos checked out great...for now.  They all have astigmatism, just like Dad and Mom, that will eventually lead to glasses/contacts.  The girls were a little disappointed that it wasn't quite yet when they saw the pink or purple...or green (? guess who?) glasses.

There's something wrong with this picture!

Can you tell?

It is an unopened package of Oreos.  Yes, I said unopened.  For two whole days.

A gal from work asked Ted if I would bake the chocolate chip Oreo inside cookies for her to give as a birthday gift to someone on Friday.  He said yes. 

And only bought one package of Oreos.

Sheer torture.

Our gallon of milk wore a label that said, "Milk's favorite cookie is the Oreo!"

The back seat driver...who...is...nine.

On our way home from music lessons today, I came upon a bright yellow light.  It wasn't a greenish yellow light, nor was it a yellowish red light.  I did what I learned in driver's ed...I stopped in preparation for the soon to be red light...and from the back I heard, "Oh...you could have made it!  Stomp on that pedal!" she giggled.  Since we were stopped, I turned to look at her..."Nice!"

I wonder where she learned that move?!

Not me!

Feels like we jumped into winter...

without our socks and boots on!  We haven't turned on the furnace yet...so I warm up the house by baking a yummy breakfast and serving hot chocolate!  I laughed when the weatherman said last night that people needed to close their windows...uh, he was serious!

 "Kids, if you're cold...put some clothes on!" and all of us laugh. Ted and Kari laugh because we sound like our parents back when we lived at home.  The three kiddos laugh because "We have clothes on!" 

"Oh Wow!"

That is exactly what came out of my mouth as I flipped to the last page of this book.  I will say that James MacDonald spoke very plainly.  He didn't say anything new.  He had the courage to say it out loud, so to speak...and I think that is what grabbed my attention.  He had a tactful way in some parts and in other parts he was blunt.  It has taken me a week to go through this book once...but it will take much longer to meditate on the thoughts and submit to the changes that need to be made.  I now know several of my weak spots.  Correction...I've known...I just haven't been called out on all of them!  Now God can and will hold me accountable for what has been clearly pointed out...I know it and I know He knows it!  How stupid I can be...He has known it all along!  And to think I thought I was dealing with things ok...is laughable...well, not really...but you understand what I am trying to say.

  I was given this book..."to be an encouragement to you especially in relationship to what you have been going through and dealing with."  When I looked at the cover, I thought, "Yikes! I'm doing something wrong if my friend told me to read this...and double yikes...she spent money to buy it for me." 

But I know my friend and she truly meant this as a healing ointment.  She has heard my heart and has felt my hurts.  She has prayed for me.  She knew that I needed hope and a healing balm.  As I read, the tears flowed and with them came that healing...

a realization that there is always hope in God...I don't have to stay in the wilderness!

I read the Scripture passages.  I read the thoughts and challenges of this man and thought, "We don't hear preaching like this from the pulpits anymore."  It is too bad...because we need it now more than ever...

but I guess preachers are scared of the fall-out.  In stubborness and guilt...we lash out...before we seek God's forgiveness! 

If you are a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, or friend...and you think you have it all together...you are fine just as you are...can I tell you...you are not!?  And everyone around us...knows it.  Why do we think we are fine?  It is a lie from Satan!  He likes stagnant, apathetic, angry Christians. 

He can use them for his purposes!

I thought I was doing ok..."handling things pretty well, considering...".  I am consistently reading my Bible and dealing with things that come up...but at the same time...excusing some of my thought patterns.  "After all...it is not all my fault."

"Attitudes are patterns of thinking formed over a long period of time.  I choose my attitude!"

You know, the attitudes that we never verbalize...

but show to everyone around us with the facial expressions, tears, eye rolls, body language, and silence (because "If I don't say it, I won't have to apologize for it.") 

After reading this book and dealing with some of my attitudes...there are still several that need attention...

all I can say is, "Oh Wow!"  I get it now...preachers have quit preaching about these kind of attitudes...because they would get nailed to the door frame that they stand next to after every service...

to shake hands with those of us who think we are doing ok...

after all...

"There is nothing wrong with my attitude...it is everyone else who..."

"Oh Wow!"

I wonder what the children of Israel would tell us now...

standing next to the preachers in the door ways Sunday after Sunday...ready to shake our hands.

"You'd better watch out!  Your attitude...is showing!"

Not convinced that this was going to be a good idea...

I did it anyway. 

I know the kiddos like them. 

I wanted them to know that I loved them, even when they started off the day in difficult mode! 

I don't understand why our children fuss about taking showers every. single. time. they. are. asked!  Being stinky and dirty is not an option in this house and their parents are consistent reminders in their example.  I don't care if people call this a phase.  It is not acceptable on any level!  I won't go into the whole "I had a room-mate in college..." but I did...and it may have made me even more sensitive to this personal hygiene thing.  It is not acceptable nor reasonable to be stinky...ever.

So...to remind our children that I truly do love them...I sprinkled mini-chocolate chips over their pancakes.

"Woo-hoo, more sugar for breakfast!" said Teddy as he added syrup to his pancake.

Alisa whipered to Teddy, "We better not be bouncing off the walls during school...'cause she won't do this again for breakfast for us!"

Showers are good ideas...and will always remain good ideas.

The verdict is still out on chocolate chip pancakes...with syrup...for breakfast.

It is what they do!

The all day rain event on Wednesday into Thursday caused Ted to move to PLAN B.  We are finding that we are getting pretty good at adjusting to plans that never happen like we think they would...or should.  We were just thankful that Mr. Cement truck driver and his friends were working on Saturday!  We are too close to freezing temperature times.

Dad is not doing a fancy dance.  If you look closely...he is holding metal fencing above his head to lay inside the form.  My love spent time and energy forming up a patio area right outside the back door, as well as, a pad for a new shed in the back corner.  This also is a PLAN B, C, or D!  We have to wait on the city for their decision to put our garage where it is best for us. 

The brothers came to help!  It is what they do...help each other!  And we are so very thankful for their help!

Many hands...and muscles...make the job go quickly!

They moved on to the other cement laying job, and my love got busy smoothing!  An energetic squirrel scampered across the pad for the shed and left little footprints.  A customized cement pad!

Thanks to all our guys for their help!  We couldn't have done this without you!

She always does that!

Mom always brings some kind of goodies!  This time was no different...fresh garden produce, cheese, her canned works of art, and crafty fun.  I emptied the bag this morning and started looking at it and thinking...

and so far...all I've made is a mess!  I am not lacking for supplies...I am lacking the creativity.  It is Monday...but on Friday...is our LNO Stamping Extravaganza and I really need to pull things together!

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for coming to visit...and for bringing all the goodies!