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.
The above quote pretty much sums up how we should handle everything in our lives. How we react to any given moment or action is usually how the situation gets handled. React calmly instead of panicking and you will have CONTROL over the outcome.
Go places you have never been. Ask for things that are important to you. If you don’t step up to the plate and do something,
You will never get anywhere.
You will always be stuck right where you are.
I can NOT say that I always choose what is right and what I should do. When it comes to mornings and forcing myself out of bed when Danny isn’t home, I sadly lack in this department. I usually roll over and try to shut out what is going on around me. As it gets cooler out, this problem won’t be quite so hard. I can and do get MOTIVATED During the FALL and WINTER MONTHS.
It is much easier to have a cheerful morning when I think positive when I first get up. If I can stay up and watch the SUN RISE, My whole mood is brighter. Even when I go back to bed, This mood carries me through the day. I smile as the sun rises and shines brightly, waking up the world around me. The birds start to sing. The sky clears up. The sun shines on the grass. Shines on my windows. I see it radiate throughout the house. It brights the inside of the house. Everything glows. My steps become lighter and I want to sing. To dance at this new day that I have been given.
I say this a lot. If Danny says anything positive in the morning my day is filled with JOY. I get more done and I am just happy.
Good Morning From Our Neck Of The Woods.
What kinds of color are you painting with today?
Love Sarah
Most of all you have to BE YOURSELF.
Don’t try and be like someone else.
Be Yourself.
Don’t try to copy what they do.
Be Yourself.
Do what makes you feel good.
Be Yourself.
Work on things in your life that you feel you need to but
Always be Yourself.
The Kitchen Is Not Just For Cooking But For Connecting
From Courtney On Good Morning Girls Facebook:
NEW POST: This is our final week of the “Making Your Home a Haven” Series! This week’s challenge includes Conversation Starters for your kids and some of Women Living Well’s Favorite Recipes! Come take the challenge!!
NEXT WEEK: We will begin a special Thanksgiving Series on Wednesdays that includes keeping our candles and prayers going.
WOMEN LIVING WELL
There blog is filled with wonderful ideas for this last week. Easy family recipes. Conversation Topics for Kids.
Courtney’s Stories and Family PHOTOS
The Kitchen Is Not Just For Cooking But For Connecting
This week we are focusing on the kitchen – the heart of the home. At the bottom of this post you will find this week’s challenge, some fun conversation starters for kids and Women Living Well’s Favorite Recipes!
The kitchen is not just for cooking but for connecting.
God created taste buds, the sense of smell, and the eye that is drawn to beautiful things – to please our senses. He created crunchy green peppers, fuzzy peaches, juicy watermelons, sour lemons, and sweet potatoes! Our God is creative!
“Just as it is good to get one’s fingers into the soil and plant seeds, so it is good to get one’s fingers and fists into bread dough to knead and punch it.
There is something very positive in being involved in the creativity which is so basic to life itself.
Home-made bread, home-made cakes and pies, home-made vegetable soup from home-grown vegetables or from vegetable market purchases, home-made jams and jellies, homemade relishes and pickles—these are almost lost arts in many homes.”
I admit the above list does not represent the cooking in my home. Very rarely have I made homemade bread dough; I tend to make quick and easy recipes (I included some of Women Living Well’s favorite recipes at the end of this post).
But it’s the coming around the dinner table that blesses the souls of our families.
In Luke 11:3, Jesus said to pray,
“Give us each day our daily bread.”
In America, we are so blessed we rarely have to ask God for our daily bread, but we must remember to give thanks for our food.
Bowing our heads as a family in thankfulness to God is a gift we give our children and a memory they carry with them into adulthood.
Check Out Courtney’s Stories and Family Pictures……… Family Times – The BEST TIMES
The kitchen is not just for cooking but for connecting!
“Food cannot take care of the spiritual, psychological and emotional problems, but the feeling of being loved and cared for, the actual comfort of the beauty and flavor of food, the increase of blood sugar and physical well-being, help one to go on during the next hours better equipped to meet the problems.”
Read Women Living Well for the
Conversation Starters For Children.
This Week’s Challenge:
Keep lighting your candles and praying. Focus on the kitchen, the heart of the home and connect!
“Cook things with pleasant aromas like homemade bread, pies, and cookies. Don’t wait to have a reason to make something special – do it simply to show love to your family. Invite your kids and/or hubby to cook along side of you – make memories in the kitchen – test tasting, being creative, laughing and loving. Remember the importance of dinner time around the table as a family.
Live out the fruit of the Spirit this week by showing love, goodness and faithfulness to your family.”
From Sarah:
Make sure you check out the easy recipes on WLW.
What are meal times like for your family?
What are your conversations like during supper time?
Do YOU Pray?
Do you have a special prayer or do you take turns?
FROM MONDAY: Luke 12:22-34 New International Version (NIV)
Do Not Worry
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]?26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
For Wednesday: Luke 12:35-40 New International Version (NIV)
Watchfulness
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
For Friday:
Philippians 4:10-14 New International Version (NIV)
Thanks for Their Gifts
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.
From Sarah: My favorite verse here is: 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
I haven’t” learned the secret of being content”. That seems to get
harder ALL THE TIME.
I will answer the following questions this weekend.
Darlene’s video is excellent: She answers the question:
What is the difference between happiness and joy?
Question: “Is there a difference between joy and happiness?”
Answer: A dictionary definition of happiness is “a state of well-being, a pleasurable or satisfying experience.” The definition of the word “rejoice,” from which our word “joy” comes, is “to feel great delight, to welcome or to be glad.” Depending on the translation, the Bible uses the words “happy” and “happiness” about 30 times, while “joy” and “rejoice” appear over 300 times. If we look at some verses it will help us understand why joy is different from happiness.
Genesis 30:1-13 tells the story of two sisters, Rachel and Leah, and their rivalry over their husband, Jacob. Each woman tries to have more male children in order to please him, even using their handmaidens to conceive more offspring. Leah’s handmaiden, Zilpah, bore Jacob a second son, and verse 13 says, “Then Leah said, ‘Happy am I! For women have called me happy.’ So she named him Asher.” Thus the word “happy” comes from the Hebrew root word ashar and means “to set right or be blessed.” We also find the word “happiness” in Deuteronomy 24:5, which says, “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.”
The word “joy” comes from the Greek root word chara and means “to be exceedingly glad.” James 1:2 says, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials.” How could we ever consider going through difficulties and trials a reason to feel joy? James 1:3-4 gives us a clue when it says, “Knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” The deep, abiding joy comes as we persevere through trials, with God’s help, and our faith matures and is strengthened. So happiness tends to be fleeting and depends upon temporal factors like circumstances or other people.
Joy, on the other hand, is true contentment that comes from internal factors like our faith in the Lord. True joy is everlasting and not dependent upon circumstances. The book of Philippians is a great study in the difference between joy and happiness. Written by the Apostle Paul while imprisoned in Rome, this book uses the words “joy,” “rejoice,” and “joyful” 16 times and teaches us how to have true contentment in Jesus Christ, despite our circumstances. In chains and aware that his life was coming to an end, Paul talks about his faith and trust in Christ and how it had changed his whole perspective on suffering. In Philippians 1:12-24, Paul says that because of his two-year imprisonment (Acts 28:30), the whole Roman guard heard the gospel from him, and it had even spread throughout all of Rome. In verse 18 Paul says, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.” Paul goes on to encourage others to have peace knowing that God strengthens us (Philippians 4:13) and “supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
So the Bible teaches that happiness is fleeting because it often depends on things outside of ourselves, but true joy is eternal because it is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ, which is itself an everlasting source of joy.
It’s been busy here in Our Neck Of The Woods. Very busy.
I’ve mentioned briefly the Event this Saturday. It’s huge. The work there will be less intense once the Event is over.
We are talking Media. The works.
Once it is over, we can get back to work on making the Paddling Trail better. Kiosks and things needed that we haven’t done yet.
We will still be busy but it will be back to NORMAL. We are used to a full campground and boating tournaments.
I can go back to a MUCH NEEDED SLOWER PACE.
Physically, my body can’t handle this many hours.
Mentally, I am THRIVING ON IT.
While I am there: I am capable. Slower and I need assistance but I function well.
I let my guard down as I enter our gates here at Rolling Meadows.
So, what does the above have to do with MEDITATION or My Morning Routine?
Everything.
I have been more relaxed overall at work.
WHY?
I really believe it is because of my attitude and the SLOWER way I start my day.
The first half an hour is still ALL about getting Danny OUT the door and off to work.
Now though, instead of following him into work, I slow way down.
Since he is gone, I relax my guard. Slow my pace…which helps my ankle.
I spend a few minutes of quality time with Mr. Bojangles and Vittles.
I try and drink at least a glass of water.
(I really gag sometimes). I add cucumber to it. Or lemons.
I use a glass I like.
I make the bed. I mean I MAKE THE BED. I have always made it. Pulling up the covers etc.
Now, I make it so it looks nice.
Arranged. Pillows looking nice. My nightshirt laid on the bed and not where ever I left it.
It does make a difference.
Later on, As I come into the bedroom, I smile. I usually spend a few extra minutes straightening up the laundry basket.
If I have time, I take my morning walk. I haven’t done so this past week and a half because I don’t need to wear myself out early.
I really enjoy this time period.
Next comes my shower.
Then:
I spend time with the Lord. I usually don’t do my Bible Study in the mornings when I work.
I do TAKE the time to pray. I have added this to my meditation routine since I haven’t really got into meditating yet.
Since I haven’t been up to working on my Meditation Room…I have been using the small bathroom. I just cover up the toilet and either sit on it or if I am up to it I sit on a comforter on the floor. I have running water going. Window Opened and AC turned DOWN.
Candles Lit and Music going.
It works for me.
It’s a Start.
Then I get dressed in my work clothes and hop in the truck and off I go.
I usually get to the park around 8:15.
Home around Noon or by 1 PM.
I Hurt by then and just rest as much as I can.
Sometimes, I CRASH for hours. Usually, I just rest.
I have music I listen to while I rest.
Danny usually gets home around 4-4:30.
I can’t explain why I am so tired. Exhausted. My body is heavy. (Other than Lupus, Fibromyalgia etc.) My ankle THROBS and both legs hurt.. ALL the time right now.
It is worth it. It is so worth it.
