Family Circus Inspiration

Sometimes I struggle to maintain the right perspective re: my home vs. TRUE TREASURES, especially when we're anticipating guests and I want the house to be 'perfect'.
I love this cartoon, and have kept it for many years to remind me of how important it is to cherish this season, and to prioritize what's important!
For a better view, click the photo.

This is my prayer today...

"Bless our home, and make it fit for Thee, Oh God.
Send your Holy Spirit into each nook and cranny.
Let the walls resound with love and laughter.
Let your birds sing on your trees outside
and your lilies flourish in your gardens.
Bless our kitchen and fill it with the warmth of shared bread.
Bless our family room and fill it with loving communication.
Bless our bedrooms and fill them with restful slumber .
Bless each room and each of us, dear God,
and make yourself at home with us."
~ Dolores Curran

Homemade English Muffins

Katherine and I were recently inspired by a new blog friend's Homemade English Muffin recipe, so we excitedly made them last week!
My, they were yummy delicious! This is now our new favorite recipe!

Thank you Blessed Friend! :-)


Combine in a mixing bowl:

1 cup water

1/2 cup scalded milk

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. yeast (the equivalent of 1 pkg. of active dry yeast), dissolved in 2 T. warm water.

Add 2 cups of sifted flour, measured after sifting. We used fresh ground wheat flour.












Mix thoroughly. Cover and let rise in a warm place to sponge until mixture sinks back down into the bowl.

Beat in 3 tbsp. soft butter. Beat or knead in 2 more cups sifted flour, again, measured after sifting. We used all purpose flour.


































Cut into three inch rounds on a board dusted with corn meal.

Place on a sprayed griddle. Cover and allow to rise until double.

Heat on a hot griddle until golden, turning once. We set our temp between 325-350 degrees, and left them to heat approximately 8-10 minutes on each side, which may vary according to each griddle.

Cool slightly on a rack.

"To serve, split into halves with a fork and butter generously, toasting if desired. The uneven browning gives them great charm." CA~M

Yield: 16-20

ENJOY!!

Calvin: Little Paws Prayer

This is a prayer for little paws
All up and down the land,
Driven away, no friendly voice
Never an outstretched hand.

For weary paws of little beasts
Torn and stained with red,
And never a home and never a rest,
Till little beasts are dead.

Oh God of homeless things, look down
And try to ease the way
Of all the little weary paws
That walk the world
today.

Author Unknown

I'm Blessed

I'm Blessed: Author unknown

A song handwritten by my Grannie Maude, my father's mother.
For a better view, click the photo.
I wish I knew more about this song, and the day/year she copied it.
Grannie loved the LORD. I cherish the memories I have of visiting her home and seeing her Bible sitting next to her chair in the living room.
I treasure having her thoughts on paper and imagine hearing her sing it from her heart while working in her garden!
I'm blessed for knowing Grannie's heart was marked by a thankful, contented spirit.
The verse she noted most in her journals was...

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (I Thessalonians 5:18).

Identity

Angel Trumpet plant budding on the west side of the house. It was first given to me a few years ago by my Dear Mom. It was simply a stick, and she said, "Put it in the dirt and watch it sprout in the spring." WOW! Was I ever surprised when it did!


I am enjoying this series of devotions by Elisabeth Elliot, so wanted to share!

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

The search for recognition hinders faith. We cannot believe so long as we are concerned with the "image" we present to others. When we think in terms of "roles" for ourselves and others, instead of simply doing the task given us to do, we are thinking as the world thinks, not as God thinks. The thought of Jesus was always and only for the Father. He did what He saw the Father do. He spoke what He heard the Father say. His will was submitted to the Father's will.

"You have no love for God in you," He said to the Pharisees. "I have come accredited by my Father, and you have no welcome for me....How can you have faith so long as you receive honor from one another, and care nothing for the honor that comes from him who alone is God?" (Jn 5:42-44 NEB).

This is the result of the inward work of God in the stick Mom gave me! The stick simply did what it was supposed to do. I never imagined the beauty that would come from this 'stick in the mud'! I must admit, I was not at all first impressed, but look at its beauty now! I wish now I'd taken a photo of that stick in the mud!

If only we would allow room in our hearts for HIS way in our lives...choosing to be content with the conditions He ordains/allows us to be in, and smile sweet peace/joy through the mundane tasks and work He calls us to do.

If only we could see ourselves through HIS eyes, wait patiently for the glory to come without charging after a better image, a special work, praise, and approval from others! Oh what shame this brings upon HIM and us!

I'm so happy the stick was simply willing to be stuck in the mud for a season!

What glory we enjoy now because that ordinary stick thrived in the conditions where it was placed!

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:5-11).

What Can I Do For God?

Amaryllis-I found these bulbs in the flower bed on the west side of the house when we bought our house (Dec. 1990). We've since enjoyed this short, but faithful display of Spring beauty every year.


Author: Elisabeth Elliot

"Most of us would like to do something special in life, something to distinguish us. We suppose that we desire it for God's sake, but more likely we are discontent with ordinary life and crave special privileges. When Israel asked if they should offer some spectacular sacrifice--thousands of rams, ten thousand "rivers of oil," a firstborn child--the answer was, "He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God" (Mi 6:8 RSV).

There is nothing conspicuous about those requirements. It is not a "special" service for which one would be likely to be decorated or even particularly remembered. But it is worth more to God than any sacrifice.

Lord, deliver me from the delusion of imagining that my desire is to serve You, when my real desire is the distinction of serving in some way which others admire."

Symphony

To live content with small means,
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion,
to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich,
to study hard,
think quietly,
talk gently,
act frankly,
to listen to stars and birds,
to babes and sages,
with open heart,
to bear all cheerfully,
do all bravely,
await occasions,
hurry never,
in a word to let the spiritual,
unbidden and unconscious,
grow up through the common,
this is to be my symphony.

William Henry Channing

Calvin's Capers Continues...

This is what Calvin has been up to the last couple of days....

I don't believe I've introduced to you the large aviary My Beloved made and gave me for Mother's Day...
Well, here it is, with Calvin adorned!
High temps caused us to have to move the aviary in from the back porch to the empty 'sew-wing' room next to our laundry area...yes, progress is at a standstill in there, but that's OK for now, for this is where the birds are more comfortable and out of the heat.

Calvin USUALLY enjoys lying on the floor in front of the aviary to watch the birds.
We often say, "He's watching the bird channel again!"
Well yesterday, Katherine found Calvin doing this...so I grabbed the camera, of course!




















Kat stuck around to watch, so Calvin proceeded to enjoy his leisure.
When he spread himself out, he discovered the clothes pins we store up on the roof of the aviary to have handy when we cover the aviary with sheets at night. So, he chewed on them....














I surely hope Calvin doesn't decide to make this his favorite place to rest...













This is just another example of the kind of pleasure and laughter Calvin brings to our home!

Little Okra...blooming!

Thank you, Sarah, for letting us know our 'little okra' is the bloom! We went out to look this evening, and this is what we found...It's beautiful already!!
There are more coming, and I can't wait to see them!

"For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations" Isaiah 61:11.

Stay tuned...

Garden Grace and Blessing

Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
Solomon 4:16

We ate blueberries and beans from our garden last week!
God gave, so again, we are very grateful for HIS continued blessings there!

We have surely learned this gardening experience is not about what we know or can do...it's beyond our control. We've been tempted at times to fret for how little experience and knowledge we have to do this, yet so much learning has taken place as we've watched and waited from day to day.




















Our corn tasseled beautifully (the male portion of the plant), but never sprouted ear shoots (the female portion); therefore, pollination could not take place.
I pulled the corn up this week, along with fruitless tomato plants (Blossom drop), and infested squash and zucchini. I have yet to find the bor...ers.
Maybe they are in the trash can with the dead plants by now.


















I'm considering asking the children to help me hunt them down next week, for I read today the 'big fat white caterpillar' will turn in to a moth and reproduce! UGH, such a dreadful thought!!
Our pumpkin plants look pretty sick, so we may not have to look long, maybe dig around a little in our pumpkin patch next week!

We have two small cucumbers growing!

























...and a tiny little okra! WOW! Did I ever see the blooms?













We have several green peppers growing also! Thank you Jesus!













In spite of the disappointments, we have rejoiced in our rewards!
I'm eager to return, and I anticipate what the LORD will continue to show us...

The Beautiful Garden of Prayer
Lyrics by:Eleanor A. Schroll, pub. 1920

There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
There’s a place that is wondrously fair,
For it glows with the light of His presence.
’Tis the beautiful garden of prayer.

Refrain

Oh, the beautiful garden, the garden of prayer!
Oh, the beautiful garden of prayer!
There my Savior awaits, and He opens the gates
To the beautiful garden of prayer.

There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
And I go with my burden and care,
Just to learn from His lips words of comfort
In the beautiful garden of prayer.

Refrain

There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
And He bids you to come, meet Him there;
Just to bow and receive a new blessing
In the beautiful garden of prayer.

FRIENDS: Birthday Blessings to Kendall~

A true friend is somebody who is faithful, who encourages you and makes you better. One of the marks of a true friend, a godly friend, is whether you are a better person for having been with him, and is he a better person for having been with you. A true friend will challenge you. A true friend is strong enough to say, "That is wrong, and I love you too much to let you get away with it." The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

Dr. Adrain Rogers, Love Worth Finding: Your Teenager's Friends

Mark, Matt, and Nate



















Mia, Joanna, and Kendall














Thank you, Leslie, for sharing your photos.~

Happy Birthday, Kendall!

For Goodness' snakes!!

I was thrilled to have our garden beans and new potatoes on the stove, and a rump roast in the oven. I thought, "While I'm waiting on dinner, I'll water the plants on the front porch", so out I went, but hardly got out the door before I discovered...

Dinner was already being served~ ugh! Poor frog!!













While Kat and I were grossing out, Matt was showing off his curiosity...


















He smiled like we were the sight to behold...
All I could think about was working for a couple of hours this morning out front, clipping the Asian Jasmine, the ground cover the snake was coming out of.
After I clipped and cleaned up my mess, I put the mulch down.

Yes~ I had just been there, and was quite unnerved to see this snake exactly in the area I'd been working just hours earlier!



















Digesting...













THEN, while uploading these photos minutes later, GUESS what happened?
I couldn't BELIEVE it~!

My family was in the family room looking out the back door at ANOTHER snake Maple had brought in to the back porch to play with~

I'm thankful this one was much smaller, but are you feeling my skin crawl by now?
Is it the same kind? I can't say! We're thinking the bigger one is a black racer, but we're not sure.












Katherine reminded me, "Mom, you know the LORD sometimes gives us real life lessons to go along with what we're studying in scripture", as she cringed, and danced away...ha!

"And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee".

Genesis 3:13-16

Kat and I will not soon forget this real life lesson. Meanwhile, the boys are collecting snakes~