Quiet

“Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

                     (Psalm 46:10 ESV)

FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

QUIET

My heart is quiet

My life is quiet

I only speak when spoken to these days

I wait for speech to come, but it doesn't and I go on

Two souls in time that no long hear each other

I am alone

I am so thankful that I am not truly alone

My master is with me where ever I go

He walks with me and talks to me through his Word

For this I am eternally grateful

Though the time has past for talk, I know I am with Him

My heart no long cries

My eyes may weep, but life goes on

New beginnings, new times of laughter and singing will come

For now, I am quiet.

STOP

DAY 9  ~ 3 Gifts of Harvest

 1) Walnuts

 2)  Potatoes

 3) The gift that the local "legal pot" will be harvested soon and we don't have to smell it anymore (ICK!)

DAY 10 ~ 3 Gifts of  Scripture

 1)  I will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:5)

 2)  God sent His Son not to condemn, but to save (John 3:17)

 3)  He has gone to prepare a place for me (John 14:3)

DAY 11 ~ 3 Gifts of Remembrance

  1)  The smell of rain

  2)  The taste of  fresh homemade bread

  3)  Holding a freshly washed child in a freshly washed sleeper

Welcome to my weekend. 

I don't blog on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday I clean our church and Sunday I rest (well as much as any mom on a Sunday)

This Sunday is our churches annual Thanksgiving Dinner.

It is Thanksgiving with all the trimmings.

I will be manning (or Womanning) the cranberry scoop

The Holiday rush has begun, but with the advise of my Proverbs 31 Ladies I will be trying not to become

Unglued, Stressed or Tangled.

Shalom.

 GISεїз

    ♫

Something Salty, Sweet and Sipped in One

Starbucks,  Salted Caramel Mocha

I have looked forward to this day since I got the calendar on the 2nd to start my 3 Gifts for the month of November.
The Salted Caramel Mocha is one of my new best friends.
I have only had one and a few samples, but it is something that is topping my love for peppermint mocha right now. I feel like such a fluff head to say that, but when I can rest for 1/2 an hour in Starbucks with a real cup in my hand with all that whip cream and caramel and salt on top...I will be having a very happy moment.




Enough said about my coffee habit.

We are having a thunder storm today, with occasional cloud bursts.

Our little (35 pounds) Welsh Corgi, Junior, is setting behind the chair with his ears cocked and his body shivering.

Photo compliments of Abbie's Facebook, By Johanna

I gave JR a bath on Tuesday and blow dried him for the first time. He hadn't had that treatment before in his 5 years of life and I don't think he was too thrilled. But he smells better and got de-flea oiled too.

Lynn Cowell's Blog has a YouTube of a song that I wish I did not have in my head.

Point being....this song has gone through me head since 1980 telling me I should do it all. I have done it all,

BUT that is not right.

I want to be the woman that God designed me to be and not the woman I was brought up to be by the feminist movement and popular T.V. 

I turned off the T.V. about 10 years ago in our house. I put it in the closet 7 years ago and that song still haunts me. 

I found a new blog for encouragement in the journey.

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)


Thank you Jesus.

3 Gifts Out My Window

          We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.(2 Corinthians 10:4 NLT)

The World of Black and White

This picture showed up a few weeks ago. It is me in about 1965 on a neighbors horse. I don't remember the neighbor, but I remember the horse's name was Danny.

This is a truck I found in Cottonwood that was  a twin of the one in the B &W

I remember my Dad's truck and I remember my light blue coat I was sitting on. I always had everything pink and I loved that something I owned was blue.

The photos of the 1960's are Black and White, but the memories I have are in vivid color.

The bright red and green of the strawberry patch that our dog, Vicki, had puppies in. 

The white wash on Grandma Orr fence that I painted one summer.

The room I painted myself, blue in 1973.

I had wanted to paint the room black and mom was happy to except blue. (Black lights and pictures were the fad.)

My room was decorated around a poster I had picked up at a "head shop". I didn't know what they did, I just knew they had this cool poster in the window, and I bought it for $5.

Happy faces, peace signs and flowers.

Bright, Vivid, Exciting color.

Now in my adult years, I am afraid to say I have lost some of the color.

As I look out the window and see the brittle leaves falling from the tree in the parking lot, I see that I have 

taken on the color of fall.

Across the parking lot the Fire Men are putting up the Christmas Tree that will be lite in less than 3 weeks.

As I travel on my search for the colors to make my dream come true, I will visit the colors of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Resurrection Sunday. Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer.

I want to take some color from each season as I travel through, and put them in my paintbox and brighten my heart for the voyage to come.

"Well everybody's got a story to tell 

And everybody's got a wound to be healed 

I want to believe there's beauty here 

So, I guess you're tired of holding on 

I can't let go, I can't move on 

I want to believe there's meaning here"

"Standing on a road I didn't plan 
Wondering how I got to where I am 
I'm trying to hear that still small voice 
I'm trying to hear above the noise"

"God,I need you now - I need YOU know"

Gratitude for November ~ Day 7 - 3 Gifts out my window

  1) The Christmas Tree
  2) The falling leaves to tell of the changing season
  3) The man who stopped to talk as I was taking pictures for my blog

Update on November Gift list

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:28-29 ESV)


Day 3 ~ 3 Gifts that start with "N"
 1) Nice Weather
 2) Nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds)
 3) Nut crackers

Day 4 ~ A Gift Gathered, Given and one Good
  1) Walnuts on the road
  2)  Back and Neck Rubs
  3)  God's creation..."and HE said, 'It is good'. "


Day 5 ~ 3 Gifts Acorn-small
   1) clay buttons
   2) erasers
   3) pomegranate seeds


Day 6 ~ 3 Gifts Government
  1) Freedom of Religion
  2) Freedom of Speech
  3) Freedom to vote

Dare to Dream

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."(Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)



Today I am starting a new adventure.

A new book

The 1st Chapter

I label it Dream

It will take 38 weeks to write

I like that time period having given birth to 5 children that is a time frame that God and I are comfortable with

I know that some people think that I am too old to dream, but I am just beginning

Today I read a great blog on dreaming: http://www.incourage.me/2012/11/a-dare-for-you-to-keep-dreaming.html#comment-158386 (here is the written content)

Hey, You…

The one wondering if it’s safe to dream anymore.

The one who has to swat discouragement away like a pesky fly.

I know those feelings too.

Can I lean in and whisper this hard truth?

The riskiest thing is not to dream.

The only way to avoiding making mistakes is not to do anything–

and that’s the biggest mistake of all.

The only way to avoid being hurt is to never love–

and being alone in that way is the deepest wound a heart can have.

The things that help us feel safe are the same ones that can put us at greatest risk.

You are braver, stronger, more capable than you know.

And the God you serve is bigger than you’ve yet experienced.

Dream, girl.

Dream today. Dream tomorrow.

Dream until the day you die.

And then discover that you’ve done what mattered most–you’ve really lived.

–Holley Gerth, (in)courage cofounder and best-selling author of You’re Already Amazing

This is a song that helped me to start over a couple of years ago...it helped me to know I can dream.

November 2nd ~ Give Thanks

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Ann at a Holy Experience has released the printable for Thanksgiving/November. She is Canadian, but she is accommodating those of us that celebrate Thanksgiving south of the boarder. Actually, Ann celebrates Thankfulness all year around and has a new journal coming out.

Today's Gifts are 3 things worn:

1) My youngest daughter has a pair of Toms. When she purchased the shoes an second pair was given to a child in need. Now her Toms have a new look as she give these shoes that she say, "Are like a hug for your feet", a new look. 

Well worn Friends

My Second gift is my Shasta College Sweat Shirt. I had a green one that go stolen and when I went to get a new one it had not been priced and they gave me the shirt for $1.50 plus tax. The bookstore policy is that if it has not price it goes for one-fifty. I wear it almost everyday.

My 3rd gift warn is a pretty pair of earrings my friend Deanna made me. I will need to take a picture and slip it in later.

Have a wonderful week-end.

To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

(I Peter 5:11 NIV)

Happy All Saints Day

This is a collection of the art my son has on his school walls.

Lemur with wings

Fall Table 

"Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.' (1 Timothy 6:12 NLT) Air 1 Verse of the Day


"If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him—then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you." (Deuteronomy 11:22-23 NIV) Proverbs 31


 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10 NIV) Proverbs 31 Power Verse

 Here are 7 strategies to keep in mind to avoid letting holiday stress steal your joy, squelch your Christmas spirit, and damage your health. by Tracie Miles

1.       Plan for your stress.

You are probably well aware of the holiday stressors that push you to the limit, so why wait until the holidays come around again to face them?

For example, if you know the task of decorating your home makes you stressed, invite some friends or family members to help out. If you know that trying to bake goods for the PTA bake sale makes you feel burdened, give yourself permission to sit this year out. If a certain family function causes annual chaos, pray for God’s divine intervention in dealing with family conflict this year.  If searching for the hottest toys makes your head spin each year, set expectations with your children in advance.  If wrapping gifts that look like they belong under a Christmas tree at Belk’s makes you stressed, start a new tradition of having kids or grandkids wrap the presents, then treasure the experience, not the appearance, of the wrapping.

When we are proactive in making plans for how to deal with common holiday stressors, we are less likely to react in the same stressed-out way that we always have. Ponder the things you know make you stressed, and plan a better way to approach them this year, so the same holiday stress doesn’t repeat its annual cycle.

2.       Pursue a positive attitude.

Whether the holidays are our favorite time of year or not, we still need to pursue a loving, Godly attitude in the midst of the chaos. If we let crowds and traffic put us in a bad mood, we’ll take it out on our family later. If we allow obligations to stretch us thin, we’ll be too busy to enjoy the season. If we focus on all the negative aspects the holidays may bring, we will lose sight of the fact that we are really celebrating the birth of Jesus. 

Our attitudes and our thoughts will carry us to a destination of a joy, or a destination of bitterness and grumpiness.  If you struggle with a Grinch attitude every year, ask God to help you pursue a new attitude for this season, and find real joy in Christ.

3.       Purposely get enough sleep.

If you want to be able to stay in a good mood during the holidays, don’t forget to rest! Sleep deprivation has a serious negative impact on people’s moods and their ability to manage even small stressors. Commit to getting to bed at a decent hour and getting a good night’s rest as often as possible. 

4.       Party sensibly. 

Even though being at every holiday party we are invited to makes us feel and look like social butterflies, all that party-going may leave us bound up in a cocoon of stress.  Choose your social events selectively, and only attend those which are most important to you.  Stand in front of a mirror and rehearse a gentle and polite response to share when someone invites you to a function that you know will not fit into your schedule.

5.       Prepare a routine for the month of December.

Write down your typical holiday obligations, and set a daily schedule for each day in December for fulfilling them. This might sound compulsively organized or even impossible, but it will be time and effort well spent, because good planning sets the stage for peace. 

So, set aside an hour in November to map out your holiday month to-do’s. Think about all the things you usually do around the holidays, and jot them down on a list.  Write out your gift list, gift suggestions, budget, social outings, travel, packing, shopping, babysitting needs, special events that you cook for, grocery lists, etc.. Then write down a target deadline for getting those things done.

6.       Practice fun. The holidays are supposed to fun. Why do we let busyness and chaos steal that fun from our hearts?  Think about some ways you can have fun with your family or friends.

Sometimes the best entertainment is cost effective, no hassle and stress free! In my family, we love snuggling on the couch and watching every holiday movie ever made, while laughing at the same scenes over and over, year after year.  We enjoy watching the new Hallmark channel holiday movies, and a few of my old-time favorites are Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carey version), and Christmas With the Kranks.  We also love riding around at night looking at Christmas lights in surrounding neighborhoods, having friends over, and sipping hot chocolate while decorating our tree and listening to Christmas music.  

7.       Promote love.

Our inward thoughts will always drive our outward actions, so if we want to show love during the holidays to family, friends and total strangers, we first have to focus on feeling God’s love.

Although every person faces different adversities in life, we can all enjoy the Christmas season if we remember that Christmas is really about celebrating God’s love for us. If we bicker and complain our way through the season, our holiday spirit will exit quicker than Santa up the chimney. But if we focus on the fact that we are supposed to be celebrating peace, joy, and love, our Christmas spirit, our faith, and our love for others will soar. When our hearts are full of love, it’s hard to be a Grinch.

A little holiday stress preparation can be the determining factor in whether your holiday is joy-full, or stress-full  - and a stressed-less holiday will usually lead to a happy holiday!