Making My Home A Haven is important to me. Sharing homemaking skills. Recipes and food. Bible Studies. This is a treasure chest of goodies. So take a seat. Have a glass of tea and enjoy. You will learn all about who I am.
We all want our homes to be safe havens, but it becomes increasingly important to create a secure sanctuary when you have children. As a parent, your number one priority is keeping your child safe and making sure they’re happy and content. Providing a comfortable, serene environment is key. If you’re expecting, you’ve recently welcomed […]
December 24 It’s Christmas Eve and this night above all other nights of the year speaks of the hope and promise of peace like no other. And yet for many, peace is elusive. This year has been a horribly divisive year for our communities and our country. All one has to do is scroll through […]
I still get asked on occasion about the Debbie / Sarah name….Mainly because on my emails I am listed as Debbie Sarah. This is a picture of Bobby, Danny and I taken in April 2006. (Easter Weekend- Manitou Springs, Colorado…One month before Bobby died. ) I was Bobby’s Mom and Danny’s Sarah. It was Bobby […]
Today’s memory verse Today is the third day of Making Your Home A Haven Bible study. My gratitude and prayer list. There are so many verses to pick for my SOAK today.I particularly liked this verse, Psalm 37:3 Trust in the Lord , and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily […]
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4
{Cue the Confetti!!!}
It’s time to begin the 11th Annual Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! This week’s spiritual focus is to Delight in the Lord! Join me for Week 1’s video as we discuss How to Delight in the Lord —then pull out your journals and begin!
When our schedules are full and our to-do lists are overwhelming, it’s hard to stop and enjoy life to the fullest. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross and the forgiveness of our sins, we have a personal relationship with God. Not only should we delight in God as our savior and friend, but God is also a giver of good gifts, that he wants us to delight in!
So how do we delight in the Lord and the good gifts he has given us?
We must stop.
We must stop and open our eyes to the generosity of our God. When we sit still in his presence and simply enjoy the Lord, we find that our souls can be satisfied in him. He is a delight to know!
Once we are still in God’s presence and delighting in him, the fullness and richness of all God has given us, comes to life. Suddenly we see God’s hand in everything. We see God’s love in the chirping birds, a crispy apple, a hot cup of coffee, a bouquet of flowers, a hug from a friend, a beautiful sunset, a powerful storm and the changing leaves on the trees.
People who work too much, don’t delight in life. Instead of experiencing freedom in Christ, they lack the self-control and faith to simply stop, rest and delight.
Every evening the sun sets, signaling it is time to rest. And on the seventh day of creation, God rested. Rest and delight are God given, built-in needs for our souls.
So, it’s time! It’s time to take 15 minutes a day to stop and be grateful, pray, meditate and delight in the Lord and then go forward with the day, delighting in the good gifts God has given us to enjoy. Let’s get started.
Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, let it remind you to say a prayer of thanksgiving and a prayer for peace in your home.
I will be starting mine in the morning but you can start yours at dinner time or whenever is convenient for you. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home. Let’s make our homes feel like a warm hug and a sweet haven all month long!
You see when we do not take the time to tend to our own souls – we have nothing left to give to others. So many times I have found myself busy and running on empty and then I snap – in a moment of frustration and weariness I say or do things that I would never do if I was more rested and connected with the Lord.
And so this month – let’s be intentional!
Begin your gratitude list now.
Pull out a pen and paper and begin. As you set your pen to the paper – wait on the Lord. Seek God and ask him to show you all the ways he has shown himself to you lately.
Give thanks to God for both the big and small blessings in your life.
They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Introducing the 11th Annual Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study
From Sarah:
FROM SARAH I WILL BE STARTING WEEK ONE TOMORROW : MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2020
This study started last week for everyone else. I had to delay starting it due to being sick. Truly sorry about that. The first part was posted early October. It Introduced The Making Your Home A Haven Study For The 11TH Year. The following are the posts that followed. Women Living Well /Good Morning Girls Check Out The Printable Book Mark And The Coloring Book For Children In The 2nd Post.
“Welcome to the 11th Annual Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! 11 years ago, we began this series and never could I have imagined how much it would resonate with so many women around the world!
Our souls desperately need a deeper connection with God.
So many times we try to mask our struggles, pain, confusion or emptiness by keeping busy and distracted, eating food, going on vacations, seeking success or elevating certain relationships. While many of these things are blessings from God, they are not good substitutes FOR God.
This Bible Study is going to help you slow down.
It is going to force you to pause every day and enter into the presence of our Almighty God.
God’s pace is much slower than this world’s pace.
We must slow down to catch up with God.
We must create calm moments in our day because it’s in the unhurried moments, that we can clearly see and hear the voice of God.”
“Self-care is a very popular concept these days, but I believe that soul care IS self-care.
So, let’s take care of our souls by intentionally creating a physical environment, as well as a spiritual environment, in our homes that brings us closer to God. As a result, we will experience peace and a sense of calmness inside our souls, no matter what we are facing.
Each week, I will provide for you a practical challenge of something I do in my home that makes it more of a haven. I hope you will take the challenges. They do make a difference!
Each weekday, we will pause, give thanks, pray and meditate on God’s Word through SOAKing in the daily scripture reading for the day.
Also, you will find 4 videos, one per week, that correspond with the scriptures we are studying.”
All the resources are free for this study but there is an optional Study Guide available on Amazon titled: Delight in the Lord
The Study Guide is optional, as I will provide for you the daily Bible Reading Plan and many free resources each week here on the blog. BUT I highly recommend the Study Guide. It provides space for your daily gratitude list and daily prayer requests, plus a place to keep all of your Bible study reflections/SOAKs and video notes.“ https://womenlivingwell.org/2020/10/resources-for-the-delight-in-the-lord-bible-study/
Here’s the topic schedule:
Week 1: Delight
Start a daily gratitude list and delight in the Lord, the giver of good gifts.
Go buy an extra-large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, stop, pray and give thanks.
Rejoice in the Lord always; I will say it again, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)
Week 2: Draw Near
Slow down, be still, listen, pray and commune with the God of the universe. He is near.
Keep your candle going and add to it soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that helps you focus on the Lord.
The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5)
Week 3: Desires
Take your desires to the Lord in prayer this week.
Keep your candle burning, the music playing and purchase a small bouquet of flowers for yourself. Let that bouquet be a daily reminder of God’s love and presence with you.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Week 4: Dependence
It takes faith to rest in the Lord and depend solely on him but he is trustworthy. Delight, draw near, and exchange his desires for yours and depend on God. He loves you so!
Rest is a need not a want. Rest is not optional and it is a blessing from the Lord. So, seek out a place of solitude to rest and pray. Get alone with God outside or in your home. Be still with God and take a much needed bubble bath, nap or still time with the Lord.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)”
I collapsed into bed, expecting to fall asleep in 15 seconds flat, but anxious thoughts kept me wakeful. I’d just seen a text reminding me of one more thing I needed to do. Now instead of drifting off to sleep, my mind raced to plan my already loaded schedule. The room was silent, but my…
PEACEFUL THANKSGIVING Family, friends, and stranger’s everywhere, it’s two thousand and nineteen, To all of our family members who are not here this year, we think of them. Wherever they may be, in heaven or on faraway missions to foreign lands, They may be where we don’t ever want to be and we are where […] […]
Candles are an important part of the Making Your Home A Haven Fall Challenge. Do you have to have a candle lit in your home to take the challenge? Of Course not. Why wouldn’t you want to have one lit? I do understand there might be those of you out there that for some reason, […]
AD – This is a pre-written post Feel as if your home isn’t quite the way you want it? Whether you’re a home bird or a seasoned traveller, a house you can look forward to coming home to is sure to keep you in high spirits this winter. As we’ll all be spending more time […]
One of the difficulties in recognizing alcoholism as a disease is it just plain doesn’t seem like one. It doesn’t look, sound, smell and it certainly doesn’t act like a disease. To make matters worse, generally, it denies it exists and resists treatment. Alcoholism has been recognized for many years by professional medical organizations as a primary, […]
These are unprecedented times, when everyone in the world is being encouraged to stay at home as much as possible. This can create a lot of anxiety for everyone. So it’s important that you create a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere, whether you have returned to lock-down or if you’re just practising self-quarantine or shielding. These […]
I had a new follower ask about my name : Debbie Sue (Sarah) from the About Me Page… I I told her it was under Am I Debbie Or Am I Sarah? I went to look for it and couldn’t find it anywhere. I had another shorter post about it as well. The title would […]
IT’S ALMOST THANKSGIVING This November has quite a bit of anger and stress, There is mistrust and a country becoming more divided. Crime and rioting is an every day occurrence in our Nation and world, It’s almost Thanksgiving in a land of hostility And resentment. As the holiday gets closer and the year’s end closes […]
Thursday’s Reflections/ I Am Thankful For The Peace I Am Once Again Feeling Inside Of Me
I have been in such a dark place for so long. Being sick for most of this year has really taken a lot out of me. I was spoiled after years of being in remission. Of having very few serious LUPUS and other Autoimmune problems. Off all lupus medications Add in Covid 19 earlier this year. It hit hard and won’t go away. I don’t have it anymore but the problems it brought have been lasting. For months I wasn’t able to smell much of anything. I could only taste a few things. The ONLY thing I liked about it was: I couldn’t smell coffee or Our WATER. I can smell both every once in awhile. It brought back lupus flares and blurred vision a good part of the time. Many other symptoms refuse to go away. Danny has been going through some issues of his own. His drinking has increased a lot. He isn’t happy at work. Or at home. He is NEGATIVE about so many things. Sex and emotional closeness from him seem only to be found in memories. So I have been in a very dark place of my own. Trying to keep both of us safe and healthy at home and at work. I have noticed in the last week or so, a light at the end of the tunnel. A small ray of sunshine.
HOPE. I am thankful for this hope. The peace that is beginning to settle over me at times. Even watching the news and seeing how divided our country is, I am still hopeful here at home. My eyes are blurry and achy so I will quit for now. I have so many projects that are behind. Blog posts that really were never finished. Our internet and satellite are often OUT or not allowing much of anything. Love and hugs, Prayers Sarah
Anytime I can sit outside and not be overly worried about getting too much sun, is a good day.
If I can sit outside and not be hot, it is a good day.
When, I finally start to feel better, after a long 5 weeks of being laid up…. Usually on the couch, it’s a good day.
Today, was a GREAT DAY. (Not counting anything to do with the elections and Covid 19)
WHY?
Because I live in Florida. Danny and I live and work at Lake Kissimmee State Park And Rolling Meadows Ranch.
We wear masks anytime we are around people. When We are on Rolling Meadows and in our yard, no masks needed. Well, I still should wear one to help with allergies. I don’t.
Breathing is hard enough without a mask.
Today, I was waiting outside on the back porch waiting for Danny to pull up.
It was 77 degrees.
Breezy.
Low humidity.
I wasn’t burning up.
I was comfortable.
The sun had already gone down.
Neither could Danny. Between the 2 of us, we already sneeze, sniffle and cough all day long. I use to worry about hay fields.
We live in an Oak Hamlet. I am allergic to Oak Trees (Among other things.)
It was going on 5 PM. Danny was late but I didn’t care. I was outside, just sitting on the steps. Waiting. But, I had company.
Then Danny pulled in. All was good in Our Neck Of The Woods. At least for those few precious moments, outside enjoying NATURE instead of being inside watching it. I am finally starting to have moments when I almost feel human again. Yes, I am Thankful For Every Minute.
Sunday, I hit rock bottom and Danny didn’t even notice.
I knew that leaving the cottage and going home was going to be hard. I knew I would feel the pain of not wanting to live there anymore. I just didn’t know that it would hit as hard as it did. I was fine until I walked in the door and Baby Girl greeted me. That should have made me happy.
I love Baby Girl. I really do. It not her fault that I miss Mr. Bojangles and even Vittles, the rabbit I had for 12 years. I needed Boo to cuddle with. Or Vittles. Baby Girl I s a loveable cat but she doesn’t cuddle.
I did okay most of the day before we got home. I was on the porch waiting for the sun to rise. It never did. I was thankful for that. The foggy morning was perfect for my mood. I enjoyed just sitting there. Listening to the birds.
Wishing Danny hadn’t stayed up all night again. Wishing he was sitting with me, just enjoying the morning.
We had a 4 hour wait between trains on Sunday. Danny and I had not eaten at a restaurant since mid March. We were trying to find a place to go where we could eat and not be outside in the heat and humidity. I was having problems with breathing already. The heat was getting to both of us. We found this Mexican place that looked deserted. There was seating outside if we needed it. So we decided to go inside. The food was really good. Cheap to. I was wishing I had more room in the cooler so I could take home some cow tongue and guacamole. Danny has the Queso Dip. I had a few bites. My Guacamole dip was a bit different but really good. Salsa And Chips
Everything was fine until people started coming in. All of a sudden, we had to get out of there. I have never been like this before. Flu season never kept me at home. We never wore masks before. We both have seen too many people get really sick and die from Covid 19. I am almost 62. I have lupus and a number of other health issues. I am also overweight.
We had planned on exploring the Hotel Jacaranda. It had CLOSED SUDDENLY. We were told a few of the staff had Covid.
Exploring Main Street across from the hotel.
Our last place we filmed. Outside of Avon Park. It was a perfect location.
After the last train came, we headed home. Only a short drive. I was still doing well. We had good conversations. Then we pulled into the entrance. I felt the pain come. I wanted to turn around.
I did everything I had to do. We quickly unloaded the car. Danny immediately went to his computer room. Yeah, Home Sweet Home. !!!!!!!!! Lonely home. Danny left me to put all the food up and to take the suitcases etc to the bedroom. I was used to that. He also left me to deal with Baby Girl. Who needed ATTENTION. A LOT OF ATTENTION. I had to force myself to give it to her. I didn’t want anything to do with her. Sad, Because, I am the one who wanted her when Danny found her in the campground. I love cats. I just can’t handle her now. Two hours after we got home, I headed to the couch and barricaded myself under the covers. I needed sleep. It NEVER came. I needed Love. I spent the evening and the night under the covers. Silently crying. Danny never said a word. All it would have taken was a comment of understanding. A hug. ANYTHING.
I am not lonely at home by myself. It’s only when Danny is around that I often feel this way. I usually thrive when I am by myself.
Today, I am ragged and jittery. Feeling older. Feeling used. Even though I am home and Danny is at work, I am waiting for the next shoe to drop. I don’t usually feel like this until shortly before he gets home. I may need to sleep during the day because he kept me awake all night. The last 2 days, I can’t sleep and I can’t relax. He has literally taken everything I have.
This will be short. I have promised myself that I would post something of my own every day. It’s important to me to keep this promise. I am also trying very hard to be upbeat. That being said….I am finding it very hard to do that.
Who We Are At Home Is Who We Really Are By Women Living Well And Good Morning Girls. October 20, 2015 by Courtney This is the same Bible Verse that I did for my morning Bible Verse and Study. “This Week’s […]
I was going to start the series with everyone else this week but due to being really laid up, I will be posting this weekend and officially starting on Monday. I am sorry for the delay. Love And Hugs, Sarah
I wrote a very short post yesterday after we got home from Avon Park.
I was in a dark place. It hit hard as soon as I walked inside the house.
I didn’t want to be there. I wanted to be anywhere but home. After Danny unloaded or rather helped me unload the car, he immediately headed to his computer room.
I lost it. Quietly. I never said a word. The blackness just enveloped me. All I could to was head to the couch and try to sleep.
Goodness knows, I needed the sleep. I rested.
I woke up this morning, feeling a lot better. That horrifying darkness was gone. My depression was still really bad.
I still kept it to myself. I wanted to tell or scream.
I was seriously wishing I would have stayed at the cabin by myself. I would have enjoyed it.
Our Last Full Day / The Cottage At Lake Tulane /Flowers
I am already missing this wonderful piece of heaven on earth. I could stay here forever. Or as long as we have to stay in Florida. The lake makes the heat and humidity a bit more bearable. There is usually a breeze coming off the lake. It may not always be a cool breeze but it is better than nothing. The flowers have helped immensely. The brighten up my day.
I have been angry most of the last day and a half. Trying not to focus on Danny’s intentional “Whatever Danny wants, Danny gets, mindset”. His overlooking that this was supposed to be a vacation for both of us. Except for buying the gas and paying for his wine, Danny hasn’t helped with any of the expenses before or during this trip. I set everything up and did all of the research. His only concern has been videotaping the trains and being on his computer. He even started doing LIVES on other people’s channels. These lives are all on late and night and during the early morning hours. Meaning, I haven’t been able to sleep at all during the night. He will, finally, go to bed, usually around SUNRISE. He then crashes in the afternoon. Around SUNSET. Watching Sunrises and Sunsets have always been important to us. I have watched all of them but one sunrise. The ONLY thing that has really made me happy, this vacation, is sitting outside on the porch. Watching Lake Tulane. Hearing the birds chirp and squawk. Taking hundreds of photos. Make that thousands of photos.
Our Vacation is nearing the end. We have 2 full days left and 2 partial. I am not ready to go back to real life. I haven’t been happy with park life in a long time. Not really sure how I am going to face the endless days there. I haven’t had nearly as much Family Time with Danny as I needed. At least he hasn’t been able to hole up in a room and shut me out like he does at home.
I am staying HOME today. It’s my vacation to. I did walk across the street to video Amtrak this morning. Will do it again this afternoon. Danny took the car and filmed just down the road.
Monday was a mess of a day. One of those days you just wanted to g back to bed and start over. Except I hadn’t really been to bed.
Sebring : The following set of photos were taken when we were driving around in Circles because Danny has NO Sense Of Direction. Once he gets turned around, it’s over. Until he finally gives in and just listens. That is usually after a temper tantrum blaming everyone but him. Everyone in this case was ME.
We had missed the first Amtrak train. Why? Danny didn’t want to get up.
Instead of going to where we has been filming ( less than a mile away ) he decided at the last minute to head to the Sebring Amtrak Station. That was at least a 15 -20 minute drive, IF, you knew exactly how to get there. The train was due in Sebring at 11; 16 AM. We walked out the door at 11: 58 AM
We had a slight chance of getting there on time. IF the TRAIN WAS LATE.
UNTIL Danny drove passed the road to turn off on. I have to admit, I almost didn’t see Sebring Parkway until it was too late. He never saw it and continued on. I tried to tell him just to turn back. No Biggie. Just a few minutes. At this point, I really didn’t care of we made it there in time. I just wanted us to get back on the right road BEFORE THE EXPLOSION I knew was coming when he realized he messed up. It came and Yes, It was all my fault. So what did he do. He kept driving East. We needed to go North. He kept going until we hit a a lake and had to turn.. I could go on… It took us almost an hour to get to the station when it should have taken us 20. I was being QUIET. Not saying a word. We were at the station. Now we had at least a 3 hour wait for the next train.
They were working all around the building and driveway. No masks. I couldn’t blame them. They were using stinky smelling chemicals. We could stay away from them. The station was empty when we got there. It started filling up and not everyone was wearing a mask. I headed out to the car to wait. The train coming from Kissimmee was an hour late.
Did we have any trouble getting back home? It only took an hour?
All Danny had to do when we left was turn ONTO Sebring Parkway. No, he headed straight across the intersection. And drove miles out of the way.
The Moscow Metro System Watch the video, Please. At least part of it. Like It. It really helps. Danny and I need to make this work. Our Retirement Money. (Well, some of it. LOL)
The Old Depot Museum In Avon Park. Silver Meteor 98 Out Of Miami. Headed To New York. Wish we were. LOL
I am loving my early mornings here. I AM NOT AN EARLY MORNING PERSON.
