7 Ways to Practice Imperfect Hospitality

1. Find a style that works for you.

Stick with it and know that it’s okay to use the same dishes every time you have guests into your home, or the same tablecloth, and that potluck is really easy. Learn not to compare yourself with others. Step out today and invite someone for coffee and coffecake, or for cake and ice cream, or for Taco dip and chips. A simmering pot of soup is so inviting. Just do it.

2. Don’t invite more people…

…than you are comfortable seating around your table. Don’t over-commit.

3. Cook and serve the same three recipes over and over.

Practice makes perfect!. You’ll eventually master and memorize the recipe. I used to serve Baked Ziti every time we had guests for dinner. As I built confidence, I expanded my menus. When we were first in ministry we used to have people over on Sunday Nights and serve pop-corn and cool-aid. We had a blast and so did our company.

4. Remember that when you invite people to your home, they are coming to see you.

Your guests want to meet your family and learn more about your traditions in your home and around your table. They don’t want to be impressed. We have had many 'bloopers' including serving a dish that was 'rotten'....I blushed and got over it. They came back too....because it's not about being impressed.

5. Don’t try to do it all.

Include the family in doing chores, setting the table, and setting a standard that is “good enough,” not necessarily perfect.

6. Be intentional.

Consider inviting people you want to introduce to one another, or who you want to get to know more yourself.

7. Lean into your fears.

Why do I call it imperfect hospitality? Because not every element of fellowship will ever be perfect.

Maybe your dishes won’t match perfectly, maybe a dish will end up under- or over-cooked, or maybe your smoke alarm will go off! Figure out what works for you personally when it comes to fellowship. I believe it has a lot to do with our personalities and what we can handle, so learn to stop doing the things that make you feel like a failure, and do the things that are simple and easy.

And if unexpected things happen, laugh—and your company will laugh along with you.

When it comes to hospitality, what are your strengths? Your weaknesses?

Dirt

My Kitchen Dirt Today!

Everyone has something weird about them. Mine is sweeping. I love to sweep. I mean it, I like sweeping my kitchen floor. For a number of reasons. One of which is, a very long time ago I realized if I was going to go barefoot I better learn to love to sweep floors.

I am a barefoot girl who grew up in California and even though I live in Maryland now, I still like bare feet. Since I like going barefoot except on the iciest of days, I feel every crumb that I step on in my kitchen. The kitchen and the bathrooms need sweeping. Everything else in our home is carpeted.

One of my girls or I sweep the kitchen floor most days. We usually enter our home at the kitchen door, having passed three door mats. One at the entry door in the garage, one at the school room door and one into the kitchen. Three doormats! You'd think that would keep the dirt out since most of the dirt in a home is brought in from the outside.

Nope.

The above picture is of the dirt I swept up this morning, having missed yesterdays sweeping due to Basketball Games and a busy day, all day! Yes, all kinds of findings in there, including pop corn kernels from Monday nights pop corn fest.

So what? What is your point?

I was thinking last week about the dirt on my kitchen floor as I asked one of my girls to please sweep before I would be returning from an errand. Why Mom? The floor looks clean. Yes, darlin' it 'LOOKS' clean. Yet it is not. Trust me, you'll see.

When I returned, she had swept. "Mom, you were right, it was amazing how much 'stuff' was on the kitchen floor."

Then the thought came. Our lives are sometimes like my kitchen floor. Looks clean. Smells clean. Only a crumb or two in the corner. But if I 'sweep' with the 'broom' ....oh my what do I find? Dirt. Sins. Not just sins of commission but the ones of omission too.

~ Time wasted

~ Selfishness

~ Neglecting my quiet time

~ Unkind words

~ Gossip

~ An ugly look

~ Being in a bad mood

~ Over indulging (you pick of what)

~ Lack of self control

~ Gentleness neglected

~ Rebellion or rebellious thoughts

~ Disrespect

You name it. Some little crumbs (or big kernels) that just lay there, un-confessed. Day after day of not confessing and the pile mounts into a bigger pile. The answer? The gospel!

The Bible tells me there is none righteous, no not one. It tells me as I confess my sins, HE is faithful and just to cleanse me and make me white as snow. That's a fact. True for me and true for you, if you belong to HIM.

I still like to sweep. I found myself this morning talking to the Lord about 'sweeping' my heart even as I finished up sweeping my kitchen! Isn't that amazing!!!

Now I have a clean kitchen floor AND a clean heart!!!!

So Grateful to be HIS, Lynette

Dust?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/merwing/2057552929/

I ran across this pattern to make my own 'swiffer' dust helper. I usually purchase the 'refills' but decided to make two and therefore bank the savings. Neat idea don't you think for a few minutes sewing?! I had some micro-cloth terry type towels and used those. Happy sewing! And happy dusting this winter!

Dusting is part of life.

Grateful to be HIS, Lynette

Sewing is fun!

Grandma and Joschua playing after all the sewing!

Joschua likes it dark to sleep. We came up with the idea

of fleece (and on sale half price...yay) to make it dark and

insulate from the cold in winter and from the heat in summer!

Playing with his train. Two window treatments!

Matthew Scott liked the valances so well, he said "can you

make a bed spread to match?" SURE! Camo on one side,

blue on the other. AND it's warm!

Joschua's new bed, pillows and bed covers! Maybe camo

sheets next!

Lorelei's fleece curtains are yellow. Her room is pink and yellow!

(Paint is distorted in this pic, do not know why.)

Sewing is fun and can be very helpful and allows you to have more choices. Plus saves much-o

dollars! I am glad I like to sew and it is very rewarding too. Are girls still learning to sew in school? I homeschool, therefore Hannah is learning to sew as we make time to sew together!

Delighting in Jesus today, Lynette

~Recipes ~

Since Fall is here and the cold weather is right around the corner, I will share some McCurley favorite recipes for winter. In the summer we eat a lot of grilled stuff. But when winter arrives out comes the 'comfort food'....things that help keep us warm and cozy...smile! My hubby and son Caleb both love BISCUITS...so we have homemade BISCUITS twice a week from now til Spring!

Before I share a recipe or two, a couple time wise hints. I always (well, most of the time) double certain recipes, we eat half for dinner and I stick the other half in the freezer for those days I don't want to cook, or we are super duper busy. Saves time and money too. I like that my kids have 'caught on' through the years and just last month Rebekah, Hannah and Caleb made "garlic meatballs" while we were in North Carolina and I came home to a big bag of cooked "garlic meatballs" in my freezer. We had some last night! Very yummy!

~Vegetable Pie ~ One of my favorites

In a 9X13 pan (spray with PAM) layer in order ~ season each layer with McCormicks Season All

5 potatoes (washed and sliced thin)

5 carrots sliced thin (or mini ones)

2 onions cut in thin slices

1/2 cup rice (uncooked)

(any other veggies you like, squash, zucchini, celery, etc.)

1 pound hamburger (raw, uncooked...yes...you read that correctly)

Top with 1 quart tomatoes (add 1/2 cup water)and 2 T. brown sugar.

Cover with aluminum foil tightly. Bake in 300 degree oven for 3 hours.

This is so yummy and veggies are fork tender~ Leftovers are even better.

(Recipe from Mary Pitroff many year ago~)

____________________________________________

~ Chicken Divan for 10~

3 10 oz. packages frozen broccoli or big bunch of fresh.

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup mayonnaise

5 cups cooked chicken, boned & sliced.

Bread crumbs

Steam broccoli 5 minutes or until barely done. (or do in microwave)

Combine soup, juice, and mayo. Layer broccoli, then chicken in 13X9 inch pan.

Pour soup mixture over chicken. Top with buttered crumbs.

Bake at 350* 20 minutes or til heated through. My family loves this with mashed potatoes and a green salad. This is a great company meal.

(Recipe from Mrs. Bob Ellis many years ago ~)

BTW ~ When I get a new recipe I usually put who it is from and the year I got it! I have a few dated 1970!

Tonight for dinner we had Chili on brown rice (topped with cheddar cheese), Biscuits and Cole Slaw (my own concoction). It was a perfect rainy night dinner too. (Chili came out of the freezer...smile)

That's it from the kitchen for today....

Taste and See that the LORD is good! Sherry

Tidy Mother

I will admit it...I am a Tidy Mother! Or at least I try to be, wanna be. I like things in their place, easier to find. My time is limited and I hate to waste time 'looking for things'. We live in a middle sized home with no basement. We also have an eat in kitchen (which I love) but little counter space and not many cabinets. Soooo not a lot of room. I have learned to use 'wall spaces' and 'vertical spaces up high'. Our ceilings are almost 10 feet.

Still ~ Tidy means more than just everything in it's place. Here are some tips:

Don’t let it sit for later (Clean ASAP) – a mess is much easier to clean up when it happens. Once food or dirt is allowed to dry or soak in, it’s going to take a lot more time and elbow grease to clean it later. I have learned this the hard way....clean it up when it happens...even dripped milk.

Don’t Put it off – this is probably my BIGGEST household tip! Clean as you go. You’ll be amazed that many things only take a few minutes to do if you clean as you go, rather than hours of cleaning if you put it all off to do at once. If you stay on top of these things daily your house will look nice and you will be more organized and relaxed. Some of the things I do daily are:

• make my bed
• wipe down the bathroom after I have gotten ready – I keep Clorox wipes and a cloth diaper under the bathroom sink – and I give the bathroom a quick wipe down daily.
• clear the dinner table AND do dishes as soon as we finish eating.
• load the dishwasher any time there’s a dirty dish – it really only take a few seconds, instead of having a sink or counter piled with dirty dishes.
• wipe off the counters and table. Get kids to help....this is key to large families...it becomes a habit to them too.
• sort mail, throw out junk.
• do at least one load of laundry a day if children are small. I do mine all on Monday.
• fold and put away laundry as it comes out of the dryer ~ you'll be sorry if you don't.
• We home school. When my children were younger we had 15 minutes after breakfast before school for 'chores'. Different things each day. Trash, clean sinks, put things away, collect laundry etc. It was just automatic once learned. At the end of the day, we did the same thing. 15 minutes of everyone doing 'something' to help keep things running smooth.

By doing these things daily you can reduce stress and have a visually cleaner home.

Set a Timer for Quick Clean Ups- Many days I will give myself 15 minutes and run thru a few rooms and just pick up stray times, fluff and straighten the room. You’ll be surprised how often this will motivate you to keep going. Get the kids to help – make it a game!

Dust While on the Phone – often if I’m on the phone with someone, instead of sitting on the couch, I will get up and dust a room while we chat! Multi tasking is my friend

Don’t walk to another room empty handed - there’s almost ALWAYS something in a room that belongs some where else – don’t pass it up, grab it on your way – even if you just open a door and toss it in!

Clean up as you cook - I have a small kitchen, so I really get stressed if I have no room to cook or bake. Like wise, if you’re waiting on dinner in the oven, clean up the mess while it cooks.

I LOVE to come home to a Clean House- I try and pad my “to go time” by 15-30 minutes and do a quick run thru before I leave, put dirty dishes in the dish washer, wipe off counters, pick up stray items, even vacuum if I have time. I especially do this before travels, that way I could walk in to a clean house and start dinner with out the stress of a messy house to pick up as well.

Hope this gives you some ideas.....make it work! Doing a little now, pays big time later!

Thankful Heart Here, Sherry Lynette

1st Day of FALL 2010

Well, Summer is over....my favorite season! It was a tremendous, wonderful, exciting summer for our whole family! My girls were able to travel extensively. Mexico, California, North Carolina, New England and Pennsylvania. We all went on a Missions Trip to Mexico together....that was the highlight for me....I loved it, the kids, the people, the Gospel sharing!

Fall or Autumn (as some desire to call it ---same thing) is here to stay. Cool nights, warm days. the coolness has arrived here, although Bekah just told me it is supposed to be 91 degrees here on Friday. Flowers are fading, although my zinnias still look fresh and in the pink. Our mums from last year are budding though not in bloom yet. Our dogs, Emma and Taffy are running around with extra energy when they go out, due to the cooler temperatures. They enjoy the 'crisp air' too. I have NOT put my shorts, flip flops or capri's away yet though. I am hanging in there as long as I can......savoring the last vestiges of summer time on the East Coast. I grew up in California and we always had an Indian summer in October....temps as high as 100 degrees! November always brought the sweaters out back then. I'll be looking for mine next week~

So for the first full Fall day here, Hannah and I took down all the 'Beach' pics and flowers and put out our fall 'fake' flowers, pumpkins and hung our Fall wreaths up. I was a little sad, but not too much. My hubby's favorite color is ORANGE....so I was happy to put lots of orange things out today. Even the small clay pumpkin that says "Always Give Thanks, for Everything" ~ a good reminder to this 'ol summer time girl! Two pots of soup simmering all day on the stove, Tomato and also Turkey Noodle (my families favorite) --homemade of course! Smells like FALL!!

Yes!
Fall
Has
Arrived,
And
I
WILL
Give
THANKS
Always
For
Everything!
Thank YOU Lord for you are GOOD! That turkey soup will taste so good tonight!

With a grateful heart, Lynette

Marriage is good!

Random thoughts of marriage today; some food for thought ~

"Feminism is mixed up with a muddled idea that women are free when they serve their employers but slaves when they help their husbands." ". --G.K. Chesterton, The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton, vol. 4, p. 440

“Marriage is a vocation. It is a task to which you are called. If it is a task, it means you work at it. It is not something which happens. You hear the call, you answer, you accept the task, you enter into it willingly and eagerly, you commit yourself to its disciplines and responsibilities and limitations and privileges and joys. You concentrate on it, giving yourself to it day after day in a lifelong Yes.”Let Me Be a Woman, p. 102 --Elisabeth Elliot

"Sisters, if you repeatedly attempt to control the man in your life, and if you disrespect him and the decisions he makes, you will get nothing for it but neglect and emotional abandonment. It is another of those mysterious paradoxes. There are plenty of witnesses to this truth all around--women who dismiss the biblical admonition, 'let the wife see [to it] that she respects her husband' (Ephesians 5:33). Instead, they try to their ever-loving' frustration to get their man to do what they think he should do--about every matter under the sun. But here is the thing: men naturally chafe and eventually flee from direct instruction from their wives. They do not change when you tell them to. And they never, ever will. When you turn up the volume, you tune out the man.

Instead, try indirect instruction….This is the way of a woman with a man. She teaches him primarily by example. When needed, she may appeal to his thoughtfulness and ask for his consideration, but she will not go further. He will be far more apt to give consideration to her words when they are heard as an appeal or a suggestion rather than as a directive. Think of it as the difference between casting a flashlight down the path versus pointing it in his face. Direct light causes us to close our eyes. Indirect light, pointed away from our eyes, causes us to strain to see." --John Ensor, Doing Things Right in Matters of the Heart, p. 99

I highly recommend all these books~ I have read them all. Especially the last one is good for all young men and women!!!! Why learn things the hard way through making all the mistakes.....learn from godly men and women and thank the LORD for those who are in your life!!!!!

I'm off the pool today with the love of my life and a good book in tow! It is going to be 110 degrees here in our hopping town! Enjoy summer, I know I do!!!!

Grateful for Jesus today! Sherry

Saturday pretties~

Our pretty pink flowers by our front door entrance! They say WELCOME!

Mississippi lilies from Dave's aunt's in Mississippi ~ gorgeous!

My lovely tea roses in my favorite color....coral~

Mr. Gus DeVos gave us this pretty red rose plant years ago to demonstrate roses are easy to grow ~ thanks Gus!!!!

My pretty petunia basket for Secretaries Day at Open Bible ~ thank you all!

Hanging on our Dogwood tree in our front yard !

Strawberries and Cream given to me as a gift....they are---just gorgeous!

One variety of Iris among many we grow!

I just love working in the garden and watching things bloom. I picked a large bouquet of Iris for our kitchen table today.....so pretty but no smell! I do pick my own flowers but not every week, I hate to see them die in the house!!!! I am grateful, so grateful for God's creation!

Happy gardening....start small and keep at it ~ my first garden was all marigolds!!!!

Delighting in Jesus today, hugs, Lynette

Little Things

Some days I feel so little. The mundane things I do, seem so small. I repeat, repeat the same tasks over and over, seemingly noticed by none but me. The little things mount up and fill my days it seems.

I have an assortment of devotional books I have been given as gifts or purchased myself. One of my favorites is "Streams in the Desert" by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman (volume two) My thoughtful hubby gave it to me years ago. So on my 'dry' days I can turn to this little volume , after reading my Bible. I was amazed recently to read these words:

She hath done what she could. Mark 14:8

Lord, let me do the little things
Which may fall to my lot;
Those little inconspicuous ones
By other oft forgot.

If, like the Master, I can give
Myself for those I love,
Rich joy and peace shall come to me,
Sweet rest in heaven above.

I know not when the day shall close;
But when life's curfew rings,
I want my Lord to find me then
Still doing little things. ~ Unknown.

I am sure that those persons who are faithful in that which is least must wear very radiant crowns. They are the ones who tower above as when they are called upon to do the little tasks ~ never murmuring. They are the ones who win victories amid trivial irritations. Great are they who are faithful in little things.

Isn't that just like the Lord to give me the words for just where I am!! Thank you Lord for the little things. Make me faithful today in all I do. Even the little things.

Delighting in Jesus, hugs, Lynette

Sounds of Saturdays ~

Today is Saturday!

I heard the birds chirping loudly this morning. Then I heard the coffee pot chirping along. The vacuum cleaner humming a bit later. The lawn mowers on our street singing busily. Dave was weed wacking diligently. The breeze was ruffling the new tree leaves of spring. Our girls coming home laughing and excited because they were on the radio (WLIF 101.9) and won the last season CDs of J.A.G. for talking for 10 seconds without saying 'um' or a pause, or ' and'.

Proverbs 31 talks about all the 'slaves' of a household. Well, I like my maids and slaves a lot. I have music to hear as I work. I have a washer/drier that works tirelessly. The dishwasher is so efficient and never complains. Our servants that mow the grass and easily cut the trim are kind and work very hard. Our horse and cart get us where we need to go quickly! We are blessed! How I take my servants for granted!

Thank you Lord for all the 'helpers' you have given me! I am grateful, so grateful and yes ~ they make it easier for me in so many ways~

With a grateful heart, hugs, Lynette

Meditating during the day---

Someone asked me 'how' I meditate.

There are many different styles. I have two. I will share one today and the other another day!

Well, it is rather easy. We all think about stuff. We let our minds wander the halls of our thoughts. As I put the dishes away, as I load the washer and drier, as I water my plants, as I go up the steps to put away 'stuff' for the hundredth time today, as I dress, wash my face, as I undress and put my PJs on; my mind is thinking! I might be thinking about the kids, I might be thinking what to make for dinner. I may be thinking about my hubby or my college kids, or my Grandkids. Any number of things could fill my mind.

So I 'choose' in those moments to think 'scripture'. I have a little spiral tablet that is full of memory verses that I personally need to remember. We all have them. 1Peter 5:7 ~ "Casting all your cares on Jesus, for He cares for you!" (One of the very first I had my kids memorize years ago) Psalm 42:5 when I'm 'blue'. My girls and I have memorized Psalm 131, Psalm 100 etc. together.

Then when I am going about my work, I think, I turn over in my thoughts those verses. When I first was learning to do this, I taped up the verses over my kitchen sink to memorize them, to help me. I carried verses in my pockets. Over time I have gotten a bit better at memorization, yet I still at times revert back to this method (taped over the kitchen sink) to really nail down the verses I am learning or reviewing.

I can give a very recent example. Mark 9:23-24 "And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" ESV

So for the day I mulled these two verses over and over and over.
Do I believe?
What is "crying out" about?
What pockets of unbelief do I have?
Do I know what they are?
Does Jesus hear me?
Help! I need help!
What was Jesus thinking?
All?
possible?
What does that mean?
How desperate was the father?
and on and on and on........
How does this apply to me Lord?

All day long, thinking about this father and his encounter with Jesus. Asking the Lord,
talking to the Lord.
Talking to myself.
Looking, really looking at each word and what it means to my life.

In the beginning as I was learning to meditate it took effort. Now it just comes. I wish I had written all the verses down that I had done this with but alas, I did not. I have enjoyed my hours with the Lord doing this. I especially enjoy doing this as I work outside in the open air. I even can then talk out loud.

At home around others, in my free minutes I do it silently. It is not a "leave me alone, I meditating" kind of thing. It is more a back and forth, back and forth. Minutes at a time. After telling Hannah to move onto the next subject, or in between tests, I am meditating. Others may not even know I am doing this! My children are growing up, so my minutes to meditate during the day and at night when I can't sleep or wake up at night are more plentiful. When they were little it was more challenging.

Just do it! Driving, walking, standing, alone, with others, even in crowds. Don't just wander all over with your thoughts, have a verse to meditate on. If you can't remember, stick a verse in your purse to look at while waiting in line at the grocery store. Pull it out! Bring every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ.

I can not tell you the delight of it all. It really isn't all that complicated, just pick one verse, memorize it and then go to town. Pick another one if you want. I sometimes jump from one and then it leads to another and I am having a blast!

Then stop and listen to what the Lord tells you. HE wants you to do this and HE will give you answers to your questions or discussion with HIM!

I am HIS sheep and I hear HIS voice. I know the Shepherd's voice. I hear HIM call me. I hear HIM speak. You can too.

Happy Meditating ~ delighting in Jesus today, hugs, Lynette

PS. If you try this method, let me know how it went ~ share the blessing! Keep at it ~ you too will find delight!

Lilacs in the Bedroom~

Lilac's in our Bedroom ~ looks so pretty and smells so divine!

Lilac's on our kitchen table ~ one of the luxuries of having flower gardens! Fresh flowers in the house!
This is just two reasons I love to dig in the dirt! Pretty and makes the house smell wonderful!

Marriage Monday~

I have been thinking and pondering a great deal lately about marriage. All sorts of aspects of marriage have been moving through my brain like waves on the ocean. Affections, responsibilities, companionship, sex, joys, irritations, helps, " honey do" lists for me and he, loves, dislikes, thoughts, cares and hopes. Like great heaving waves ~ flowing in and out like the tides of blue ocean waters.

How I love being married. I too like to read, caught that habit from my hubby. He got me started in loving to read good books about marriage, godly books, when we were in our early years. How many many books down through the years I have read. Some he read to me, after a long day with our littles. Many we have read to each other or together separately. Dave has always said one of the reasons we have such a close, deep relationship is because we 'work' at it~He has always had a 'marriage book' on his night table, either starting it, in the middle of it or just finished reading it. Some were fun ones, talking about sex. Some were deep theological ones.

I know we are blessed by God's grace in our relationship. It isn't us ~ it really really is the Lord. I am not just saying this, it is true. We often at night 'say it' to each other. I am a real sinner. He is a real sinner. We manufacture 'idols' so easily. So constantly. So without thought, we sin. But for the grace of God we each could be sour, bitter, angry, and hateful partners. Yet, because HE died for me and my honey, we have a sweet, yielding, deep, abiding, loving and forgiving relationship. One the Lord smiles on. It is amazing to consider, HE gives us the the GRACE and then HE blesses us for having it!

5 years into marriage I realized it was me, the one who the Lord was interested in changing. I was selfish and self centered. The LORD woke me up! It isn't about what I want, need, hope for or even see. It is about being what the Lord wants me to be. I am so thankful HE did wake me up! Marriage brings out the good and the bad in all of us. It is a sanctifying tool the Lord uses to show us our own black hearts. I cringe when I hear someone 'complaining' about their husband. When I dare think to complain the LORD says "Sherry, it is you". Take that huge log out of your own eye and then you can see the splinter in your honeys eye~ it is all perspective!

I guess the reason I am thinking so much about marriage is, our 40th is next month. If I could do it all over again ~ a thousand times ~ YES....I would marry the love of my life. Hard at times, but fruit gained through it all.

But oh the JOY!
~ through the years,
~ in love,
~ in struggles,
~ in funny moments,
~through the losses,
~ in cares,
~ in sorrows,
~ in victories,
~ through separations,
~ always together in hearts,
~through the hard times
~ in our gains,
~ in our tears,
~ in our delights

God has made us knit together like a beautiful tapestry. How we thank HIM ~ How we praise HIM ~ How GREAT the Fathers Love!

If you are married ~ stop today ~ and tell the one God has given you ~ how grateful, how thankful, how delighted you are that GOD has given this one to you. Remember you are a sinner and so is he. God has made a way! Do as we do ~ let your sweet voices ring together thanking our Father for HIS GREAT love to YOU as husband and wife! Make that be the last words you say ~ as you go to sleep at night ~ we do!

Delighting in Jesus today, hugs, Lynette

Random Thought Friday ~

~ Blue skies are so pretty! How good God is to delight our sight with HIS creation!

~ Great fun having Matthew Scott, Natascha and Joschua here for two nights! Hate to see them go home ~ but that is life! They took our sweet Hannah with them for the week!

~ I am so glad I was able to get the OFFICE cleaned this week. I scrubbed the office bathroom floor with a scrub brush on my knees....came pretty clean. Washed the walls in there too. Defrosted the office frig, cleaned the microwave inside and out. Dusted and dusted and dusted more. Washed all the windows inside and out and scrapped lots of tape off too. Washed the base boards and wiped all the chairs down, plus cleaned the cart and the tables. Looks good and Heather said "it smells so good in here!" Thanks Heather!

~ Spring has truly sprung in our yards. Daffodils are blooming everywhere. Hyacinths too. Our bleeding heart plants are up and forming. Grecian wild flowers are bright purple. Unfortunately the rabbits ate all our tender crocus. I planted our front white stone pot with pansies. All the mums are looking green and plentiful. I even found a small garden flag that says "Bee Happy" to hang in the garden.

~ Our grill is good to go. Dave exchanged the gas tank and hooked it up! We will be grilling lots and lots this spring and summer.

~ Turns out our favorite big umbrella is broken, only four years old too. We will be heading to Lowes to get another one according to my favorite guy.

~ I finished Francine River's book 3 days ago. I am reading a new Novel about an Israeli undercover agent....it is a page turner and filled with spy action, which is intriguing. Of course I am still reading my other books too....smile!

~ I have been thinking a lot about things lately. My life is quickly changing as our arrows are flying from the nest. I have no littles around any more! I miss that. Yet, I realized this time would come...smile! I have more time for things I always wanted to have time for. Like long quiet times, time to pray specific prayers for the unconverted. To sit and 'think' or read for more than 10 minute intervals. To learn new things. To do spontaneous things, like kidnap my hubby or run to the library just because I can. This is my new normal. I will thank my God and praise HIM for HE is my HOPE. He is with me and YES, HE has plans for me!

~ I could of never written a BLOG when my six littles were running around...unless I did it late at night...hahaha I would of been to tired to 'think'!

~ I watched a movie this week I should of never watched. I kinda knew it at the beginning, when she said. she was engineered from her dad's sperm and an egg from her mother, for spare parts for her sister. Hint, Hint! It was the saddest movie I had ever seen. In so many ways. All I kept thinking and saying out loud was "someone share the gospel with these people!" No hope. Especially the Mom and Dad had NO hope. They all had No hope. I wish I had not seen it. Next time I will take the hint.

~ I just read chapter one in "The Bruised Reed" by Richard Sibbes ~ 1577-1635 ~ one of the most influential figures it the Puritan movement . Written in the foreward--- ' Of this blest man, let this just praise be given: heaven was in him, before he was in heaven.' I like that quote! Just a glimpse of the richness of this book : "After conversion we need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks." (Due to our pride.) I am gaining by reading this small book.

~ I will finish up "Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross" by Nancy Guthrie on Sunday. But I will not be finished. This little book is a keeper and I will again next year gain much by reading it once more.

~ My pantry looks so neat and orderly. Thanks Natascha for your help girl! No, I did not get to my windows or spring cleaning at home. Yet, I did get some done at Church. Thank you Lord for enabling me and helping me do it, it was my joy! My stuff will get done in your time.

~ I got a great surprise in the mail this week from Idaho. My Dad sent me a gigantic, huge, stainless steel pot. You laugh maybe. I was thrilled. When he was here last May, he commented that I needed a BIG pot....instead of two little big pots! So he sent me one! I am happy! How thoughtful! Bring on the soups, sauces, corn cooking and pasta boiling!

Delighting in Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Lynette

DayBook~

Random Photo of the Day!
Joschua (15 months old) praying before dinner last night ~ our Cutie pie!

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...it's raining and pouring and the grass is growing. Everything is soggy wet including Emma and Taffy as they come back in. Dreary outside, but sunshiny inside!

I am thinking...how much I have to be grateful for. My cup runneth over. Jesus is here, forgiving us, teaching us, and loving us!

I am thankful for...knowing the Gospel, being redeemed by the Gospel and realizing GOD is the Gospel!

From the learning rooms...no school this week! Hannah is on spring break and going to stay with her brother and family tomorrow as they travel back to PA.

From the kitchen...sticky buns fresh out of the oven! Spaghetti tonight for dinner--my favorite!

I am wearing...my new warm house shoes; I received as a gift from the kids at Christmas, black athletic pants, lime green shirt and black sweater and oh yes, a smile! Glasses instead of contacts and messy hair (becoming a Monday habit?)

I am creating...happy music as I sing and hum again (note to self: ask if my humming is irritating to those around me.)

I am going...to organize my pantry today with Natascha....she wants to help me---I love her! (she offered....she likes to organize...what a blessing she is to me!)

I am reading...not a lot today as we are having a fun family day or two!

I am hoping...my neighbors want to hear the Gospel again and again and again!

I am hearing...talking, talking, laughing and laughing and giggles from Joschua in the back ground!

Around the house...People.....Caleb even skipped classes to be here!

One of my favorite things...my kids visiting us often, the more the merrier!

Changes...No laundry day today, doing the pantry instead and I will do laundry tomorrow! Flexibility is a good thing, don't you agree?

A few plans for the rest of the week: ~Tues. I am going to work and hope to spring clean the office at Church. ~ Wed. I will go to work with my hubby and do Church work. ~The rest of the week is open for things the Lord has planned for me. If the sun comes out I hope to rake more and work in my gardens. Want to go look at paint colors and paint our master bathroom too soon!

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http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Saturday Labors~

Saturday Dave and I spent part of our afternoon working in our garden beds. What work, yet what fun and productivity~ Just a 'glimpse' of our work!

Random Thought Friday ~

~Random Thought Friday~

~ I came across a PBS series called "Little Dorrit" by Charles Dickens. It is full of characters and the heroine is just sweet as can be ~ very loyal to her father who is a 'lover of man's praise'. 4 DVD's with 4 episodes on each disc. It is on NetFlix. I have not finished watching it so I am not sure about the ending. Charles Dickens tends to be dark in theme.

~ Taffy and Emma are now pretty as can be with their short haircuts and purple bows on their ears. No more winter coats. I am not a dog 'lover' but Taffy and Emma has wiggled their way into my heart.

~ The Lady Bug invasion at our castle has not ended yet. We did some research (I must say Rebekah did some research!) and found out ant spray is the cure. With a hard winter comes lots of Lady Bugs. Both were true here this winter! I normally like them, for they eat aphids in the garden. But NOT thousands of them .....inside and out....especially in our garage!

~ We had our first bar-be-cue this Spring! What a riot! We did hamburgers on Dave's grill only to run out of gas for the grill 3 minutes into it. So he went to the shed and pulled out his spare, just knowing he had half a tank. NOPE! It too was empty! So he brought the burgers inside and plopped them on a frying pan and did them on the stove! They tasted just fine!

~ Hannah is going to New York City on Monday with Matthew Scott, Natascha and Joshcua for the day and then spending the week in PA with them. She is thrilled!

~ I like 'spiced jelly beans' and my family cannot understand why! Fat Free too!

~ I like my new coral journal. I can't believe how quickly I am filling it up. I not only am keeping lists of Books Read, Prayer Lists, Choosing Gratitude and I Spies; also keeping all the Sermon Notes from Sundays ! My daily journaling also with verses noted from daily readings.

~ Spring Cleaning MUST begin this week. Windows especially! I will wait for the Lady Bug infestation to be over to take everything out of the garage, wash the floor (after vacuuming the dead ones the broom cannot reach) and re-paint the floor with garage floor paint. It took a beating with all the snow boots, sleds, and tracking ice in.

~ I am not happy to admit the pantry is not in order yet! Maybe I will enlist Rebekah to help with that this week...shhhhh.

~ I know the Blue Bells will be in full bloom here soon. We plan on going to the Gunpowder on Bel Air Road with our camera and a picnic on a sunny day soon. I highly recommend it for one and all and especially families with children. It is just gorgeous! I'll let you know when peak is!

~ I am half way through Francine River's new book and I just got it from the library on Wednesday! Woo Hoo! It is a page turner too! Her Mother's Hope is the title.

~The other three books beside my Bible I am reading are: Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross (during quiet time)by Nancy Guthrie, Prayers of an Excellent Wife by Andrew Case and Relationships-A-Mess-Worth-Making by Paul Trip/ Tim Lane

~Yesterday I put up some pictures on my blog of our flowers in our garden beds. Here is the answer to the question I asked!

Jonquil, daffodil, Narcissus

Jonquil

Whenever people ask about the difference between jonquils and other
daffodils, I point out that the difference has nothing whatsoever to do
with the flowers. The difference is in the foliage. Daffodils with
rush-like leaves are all properly called jonquils. No daffodil with flat
leaves is properly called a jonquil.
There you have it! Daffodils and Jonquils are of the same class ~ Narcissus
It is the 'foliage' that is different!

Spring is HERE!

These pictures are of our front garden bed. Our home faces South, so these are the first Spring flowers to stick their little heads up through the fertile soil. God is so faithful and creative! Thank you Lord for beautiful flowers!

Spring has Sprung

Spring is here in our neck of the woods. It smells so good!

Our daffodils are coming up. The grass is green and growing, which means we will soon be hearing the lawn mowers going full force. Dave took our deck chairs out of the shed. He put up our two umbrellas for the tables. We have grilled on our grill two times. The hose is hooked up to the outside spigot. We took out of our shed our 'weed buckets' (tall white buckets we have collected from different places) and used them once. Weed buckets are something I like, I use them to put weeds in as I work, using another one upside down to sit on as I weed. Saves the back and knees. All our hand tools have been rubbed with oil (keeps the rust down) and we have taken inventory of our many work gloves.

In another week or so we will get into our shed and 're-organize' for the months ahead. We like to keep our shed organized and stocked with stuff we need. Potting soil, fertilizer, peat moss, string, seeds, refill for our weed wacker etc.

Yesterday, I came home, put on old jeans and went out back and grabbed my rake and weed buckets and worked weeding in our front yard and raking for an hour. I have chats with the Lord as I work. It is amazing what fellowship takes place. Fun? You bet...I love it!

If you like to garden do you keep a 'Garden Journal'?? I do. I don't really journal, I just jot down notes. Things I want to plant. Things that returned and did not return. I tried doing a 'map' one year, but that didn't work too well. I pretty much remember what we have and what we don't. Lots of things have 'disappeared' over the years. Surprises abound when you garden. Things you just know will return, don't. Then the Lord gives super surprises and something you thought would not return is in full bloom in glorious beauty.

I am just a hobby type gardener. But I so enjoy it! I try to not get overly worked up when something gets trampled on or a dog (not ours) digs in my flower beds. Or a rabbit attacks my primroses and leaves just buds. It all belongs to HIM anyway!

Am I excited that Spring has sprung? Yes, I am. I look forward to the mulch truck pulling into our driveway in a few weeks. What fun! What work! And it is ALL worth it!

Bring it on! I am smiling all the way.......everyday!

Delighting in Jesus, hugs, Lynette