The Laughing Bride

I know this has been all over the net, but I just LOVE IT! I can see Emma doing something like this.



Now listen to their story. It is so beautiful, so SPECIAL! If only people would understand there is a reason why God said to wait, a reason why the consummation of the marriage is for the wedding night.



Look at the joy on their faces. Look at the way they look at each other. I LOVE IT!

A Stubborn and Rebellious Woman

For I do not do what I want – instead, I do what I hate.

Romans 7

I woke up this morning with such a heaviness. Why in the world do I keep doing the things I know I should not do, and don't do what I should??? Why am I such a slow learner? Maybe I am not slow at all, perhaps I am just stubborn and rebellions!

As I dreaded getting out of bed this morning because I was wracked with guilt due to my bad behavior, I asked God to help me. As I am muddling through the day, striving to take my thoughts captive, because to be completely honest I'm still a bit mad, I am reminded of my own sin.

I am also reminded how the lessons I am working so hard to instill my children are the same lessons God is trying to get through my thick skull.

I tell my kids:

• It doesn't matter what everyone else is doing, this is what you are going to do.

• It doesn't matter if you understand the situation, you need to cheerfully obey me anyway. Someday you WILL understand.
  

• Delayed obedience is disobedience.

• The ends does NOT justify the means.

• Trust ME! I know what I am talking about!

• Don't pout because you are not getting your way!
  

• Love other people -even when they are unlovable.

• It's NOT ALL ABOUT YOU! Quit feeling sorry for yourself and get busy doing what God has for you to do today!
  

ALL of these statements are the same things God keeps engraving on my heart. I don't want them written with a soft lead that can easily be erased. I want them engraved deeply so that I can live in peace. Engraving is a deep and painful process, that can not be easily erased or written over.

HomemakING

I LOVE making HOME! Making life more pleasant for the people I love most!!!

Is every task, every day a fun? No, but I do it because it is my duty.

Does everyone always appreciate what I do? No, but I can appreciate my work, knowing I have done my best.

Am I often taken for granted? Yep! But it is the Lord I seek to please.

Do I have days that feel like I just can't keep any kind of order? Sure thing!

But here is a thought: This duty is called homemakING, not home 'made'. Making is a present tense word. We rarely get things just the way we want them. Homemaking is a constant task. A task that takes a lot of attention and dying to self. If your heart is not into making home, then you will end up being a bitter old woman.


A true homemaker realizes that homemaking is about making life more pleasant for the people that enters her doors. If it were just about keeping a house clean and orderly it would be called housekeeping. But a homemaker is about making a home; a place where people long to come to, a place where people are nourished and revived.

It is all PERSPECTIVE! And the more people we have and the more activity we have in our house, the greater the need is for homeMAKING! :o) So don't grow weary in doing ***good***! Don't look for people to thank you or praise your great efforts. Willingly create a home filled with comfortable surroundings, satisfying foods, sweet aromas, and pleasant memories. Engrave these memories deep into the soul of your family, and as they grow up and out, only to return for visits; they will recall HOME, and remember the labor of love you poured into their lives.

The Perfect Pie Crust

Do It Anyway!

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.


~ Kent M. Keith

Dumb Bumper Stickers

How to Add Sacred Hymns to Your Day - For Free!

I have to admit, I love technology! I'm not near as savvy as I wish I was, but I just love all the gadgets and ways to communicate and learn.

We all know how easy it is to learn songs just by listening to the radio or CDs, so I realized that we can learn the sacred hymns by using Playlist (or your favorite version of this program).

The words of sacred hymns are SO DEEP and really make you think! I would love to get to where I know all the words to our most used hymns without using a hymnal.

On my playlist I am adding hymns we sing in church. I am searching for ones that have the words sung clearly, not necessarily a lot of background music. The hymn play list could also be used during your family worship time, this is especially good if you don't have anyway to play an instrument or if you are just learning the hymns.

To use Playlist you do not have to have a blog/website. You can simply make the list and and go to their site to listen. OR, you could do this same thing with Itunes by creating a play list of songs you bought. The good thing about Playlist is that it is free, and you can jump to the song you want. :o)

On my sidebar, under the songs about HOME, I've started my list of sacred hymns to learn. To create your own playlist just click on the button in my Playlist box in the sidebar. You can also go to Hymn Lyrics to print out the words.

Olivia and the Reporter

As Olivia and the girls were walking to the Art museum today in one of the coldest snaps for the south, a reporter stopped her to interview her.

Reporter: What do you think of all this cold weather?

Olivia (with a hint of sarcasm): Well, frankly, I am quite disappointed! Al Gore said we were supposed to be having Global Warming!

Reporter: No, I mean how do you think people in the south handle the cold?

Olivia (in her usual joyful tone): Well, all they need is a cup of hot tea and they'll be OK!

The reporter then decides it is too cold to mess with this girl! ;o) LOL Wonder why her comments didn't make the news broadcast?

The 12 year old with Olivia asked her about the nude statue of a fat woman, "Is that Buddha?"

Olivia responds, "No that's NUddha!"

Confession:

Today's sermon was encouraging and convicting!


^{Eph. 5:22}Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰for we are members of his body. ³¹"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." ³²This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Confession of my sin:

Sometimes I become sullen, angry, bitter when things don't go as I think they should. I don't always show it outwardly, but I sure am drowning in it on the inside. This is pride and God hates it. I am especially guilty of this with my husband. I do try to submit outwardly, but on the inside I am murmuring the whole time. ugh! Sin, yes, I know!

The thing about sin is that you cannot keep it to yourself. Because it is in your heart, it will eventually escape through your mouth. :o( How do I know this? Experience!

In my recent bout of living with a husband who is human and my heart that is prideful I knew I had to get a grip, take my thoughts captive! Rather than dwell on his weaknesses (as if I have none of my own) I needed to beg God to help me see what it is that He wanted me to learn. I really wanted to stomp my feet and whine... "But God...", but I know that gets us no where.

The women sets the tone of the house, she chooses the aroma of the day. If Satan can keep the wife angry, uptight or distracted from her duties, then the whole family will become angry, uptight and anxious to get out as soon as they can!

One thing I am constantly telling my kids, "It doesn't matter what your circumstances are, YOU are to do the right thing. YOU are to choose to walk in the path of righteousness! YOUR attitude is everything!" So of course, God wants me to walk this truth, not just talk it.

It does not matter what my husband is doing or not doing (apart from sin). What God wants from ME it to respect him, honor him, regardless. Respect and honor are attitudes. So, first I repent to the Lord and find the many, many things to be thankful for concerning my husband.

See, the REAL problem was the focus on ME! That is where the pride takes root and grows.

My husband is wonderful, imperfect, but wonderful! He rarely reads this blog so I'm not just saying that, he really is wonderful.

The sermon this morning was about our responsibilities in the family, husbands, wives and children. God's timing is so perfect!

After the worship service, the man sitting behind us told Jeff, "Jeff, it was nice it sit behind you this morning rather than sit in front of you. I couldn't help but to notice how tender you are with your wife." Oh, how this melted my heart and convicted me. Yes, he is so VERY tender. His arm is always around me while we stand and sing, always with a gentle touch. Because I receive this week after week, I guess I take it for granted.

When I awoke this morning he had my cup of coffee already poured as I drug myself to the kitchen. He has a true servant heart. Many women would love to have a man that is faithful to come home every night, or a husband who would take them to church.

And I dare complain...at all.

Jan 2

Did some bulk cooking for the week ahead.

Recorded soap making with Olivia for the next video.

Watched videos with the girls...while I worked/played on the laptop.

New Years Day 2009