A Little Catching Up

 Happy Tuesday everyone!

Well, as you all have shared on your own blogs...spring has sprung! The azaleas are blooming all around our area and they are beautiful. Likewise...everything is covered in yellow pollen! 🤧 It's the price we pay for seeing green again, and saying goodbye to winter. 

Speaking of green...I had a note written on my calendar to "wear green" yesterday and totally forgot to look at my calendar before heading to work. 💚 Thankfully nobody pinched me!

I've been working since last Thursday, with the exception of Sunday. David and I went to church, then grabbed a deli sandwich and sat by the river, watching some boats go by. It was a nice, relaxing day. 

I still have today and tomorrow to work and then I will start my week "off."  I'm looking forward to catching up on some office-type tasks and maybe some housework. I will definitely be seeing my babies (big and little) at some point. Working has made me miss them even more than usual. Even though it's only been a week since they were here. 😅 I can't help it! I'm in love with all of them!

I've been reading some good books lately, so I thought I would share, for those of you always looking for recommendations.

I read this book when I saw that it was a true story from a town not too far from me. It's a story about three children adopted by a family that is abusive, and their constant attempt to get free. The author is the lady who tried to help them for years and she tells an unbelievable story about all the dead ends she faced, from authorities who kept sending these kids back to their abusers. This story will frustrate you, but it's a story that's definitely worth reading. You can find it on Amazon (who wouldn't let me copy the link today).

I'm just about finished with this one and I think it will stay on my shelf for years, as one of my favorites. It's literally about the author's history of all the houses she has lived in, throughout her life. Each house holds a story and though the stories are quite ordinary, they are stories that I can relate to, having lived in several houses myself.  You can also find this on Amazon.

As you can imagine, working at the library has greatly increased my list of books that I want to read. Every day I see a book that I add to my ever-growing list. It will keep me busy for years to come!

Besides reading, David and I are really enjoying Traitors (UK version) this season. We are also watching Matlock, Tracker, American Idol, Georgie and Mandy and of course, The Bachelor (well, I watch and David makes comments 😅). I'm also looking forward to Farmer Wants a Wife! So many fun shows!

Well, I need to get off this computer and get ready for the day. I hope this week has started off great for you! 

Take care everyone!

Until Next Time...

Blessings!

Creative Rest

Happy Sunday everyone!

It's been a busy few days here.  I've been loving being at home and not working the past few days (even though I love my job). I think the days off seem much sweeter now.   

We spent my first day off by eating lunch in town, getting a drink from Starbucks and taking a little drive. We stopped off at a plant nursery, walked around a bit, but didn't buy anything. It was nice to get out and just have the freedom of time.

On Friday we took donuts to our kids, Collin and Morgan, to celebrate Collin's 26th birthday. I can't believe my "baby" is 26! We got lots of playtime with Asa and cuddles with baby Sunday. That made our day. 

Saturday our oldest son Ted came over with all my sweet girls, to work on his car with David. While the men were working in the garage, I fixed lunch and a batch of cookies to feed everyone. Afterwards, the girls and I played games. Emmy wanted to work on a latch hook rug I started, while Addie and Ella watched a movie and had snacks on the couch. It was a slow-paced day and so enjoyable to have them all here. 

Speaking of slow-paced days...

I haven't talked about this in a while, but creative rest is a real thing and I wanted to mention it for you, and  as a reminder to myself. 

So many times we think of rest as plopping down in front of the tv and just zoning out. Or maybe it's sitting in a chair with a good book, for some. 

But creative rest is different. 

It's doing something that feeds your soul. It's feeding that creative part of you that is designed after our Heavenly Father, the ultimate creator. 

For me, creative rest is working with paper - whether creating a journal with scrapbook paper and stickers, combined with words that touch the heart, or cutting things out of magazines and writing stories to go along with the picture. 

This week I opened one of my Daphne's Diary magazines and started working on an Easter craft tucked inside the Easter edition. 

I made myself some hot tea in my cute cottage tea cup. I turned some soft music on, gathered my supplies at the table and just sat for an hour, cutting out Easter bunnies, reading stories and doing some of the activities in the magazine. 

There's something about being creative that nurtures the inside of us, in ways that nothing else can. And the beauty of creativity is that it's different for everyone. 

Some feed their souls by baking and being creative in the kitchen. Some knit, crochet, paint, draw, do puzzles, crafts, organize, design, and on and on it goes. There are so many ways to feed that creative nature within us and it's important to do so.

Being creative and doing it in a non-hurried way, makes us slow down and focus on the task at hand, which takes our minds off the work that waits for us around every corner. Which by the way, will still be there when you get done. But it gives us a break mentally and feeds us in a different way.

The times in life (or different seasons) when I've neglected creative rest, I can feel myself being tense and always in work mode. Sometimes I recognize (and other times I don't), that I haven't allowed myself to just sit and create something, just for fun. 

It seems like we always have something that needs doing, right? Whether it's kids, the housework, outside jobs or other responsibilities. The work never ends. Which is exactly why we need to add in time to feed our souls. Even if you only have 30 minutes to yourself, to create something, that will add up over the days and you will begin to feel the stress dissipate with each session. 

I want to add here that creative rest is different than "self-care." Honestly, I have lots of opinions about self care, but I won't get into that here. But, as I already mentioned, being creative feeds us in a different way. 

We are created in the image of our Creator, who was and still is, the most gifted creator that's ever existed. If that is so, then wouldn't it make sense that being creative is vital to our well-being? 

I hope you try some creative rest this week. Make a note about how you feel on the days that you take time to create and use that part of you that connects to our Creator. I hope you feel rested in ways that truly feed your soul.

I'm reminding myself of this, as well.

Have a great week everyone!

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Happy Birthday Dad!

 

Today, March 7th, would have been my dad's 84th birthday,

but he's been gone for 13 years now.

I still have his phone number in my phone

and I imagine it will be there forever. 

Some years, on this day, I say something on FB,

and some years I don't.

But today I thought I'd share some

memories of my dad

and honor him here on the blog.

My dad grew up in a little town

in south Texas.

He had 6 brothers and 2 sisters.

I have to be honest and add that he and his brothers

were kind of the outlaws of the town.

But, besides all of that...

he was my hero.

I loved my dad and to me, as a little girl,

my dad was the best man in the world, 

as it should be.

Some of my earliest memories are of me,

standing at the door,

crying when he left.

I wanted to go wherever he would go.

He would buy me a new purse or a new doll

 at the "dime store," every other weekend.

That's when I got to see him.

My parents were divorced when I was very young.

My dad would drive 2 1/2 hours to pick my brother and I up

for the weekend,

and then drive us home again.

Needless to say, I would cry every time

he left again.

As the years went by,

and I turned into a teen,

I would not see my dad as often

and I know that had to hurt him.

Those are regrets I would change,

if only I could.

Eventually I got married

and my dad put a tuxedo on with his

cowboy boots and stood at the back of the

church, ready to walk me down the aisle.

"I am so nervous!" I said, and he looked

at me and said,

"Let's do this!"

and was ready to get going,

down the aisle.

From that day on,

he would tell me that he knew he didn't

have to worry about me,

because he knew David would take good

care of me.

But, just in case,

he would slip me a $50 bill and

say..."Don't tell Ruby!"...which was

my step mom.

I would say, "Dad, I'm married now.

You don't have to give us money."

And he would just push it into my 

hand and say "Keep it. You might

need some gas."

I love those memories.

If I could,

I'd take that money right now and

tell him how much we really appreciate him

and how his money blessed us for years to come.

                       

This is one of my favorite pictures of my dad

because it portrays him perfectly.

This was his spot at the table,

whether for a meal

or reading the morning paper.

He's surrounded by tinfoil from

bbq, no doubt.

My dad was a great cook and made the best bbq.

But it wasn't the food that made the memories...

it was the stories that came with the times at the table.

He could tell the stories!

And they were hilarious and to this day

I still laugh as I recall some of the details

of his tales,

but mostly because he told them so well.

Tales of he and his brothers

and all the things they did.

Oh, we could listen to those stories all day.

Or the times he had a family of skunks living under his house

and he spent months trying to shoot them,

got sprayed,

had to dive into a ditch,

etc., etc.

I guess you had to be there as he was telling the story.

When my dad passed away in 2012,

as David and Ted sang

The Old Rugged Cross

at the FBC of Sinton, Texas,

I looked around at a standing-room-only

crowd that was wall to wall people.

One by one, friends of his would 

stand and tell a story about Jimmy Hesseltine

and the room would nod their heads

and giggle or agree.

There were stories of how Jimmy helped someone in need.

Stories of what a great man he was 

and how he would be greatly missed.

Stories that made me so proud to be his daughter.

The best story of all was the one about 

him being baptized when he was

56 years old. 

I was there to witness that.

And because of his faith in our savior,

I know that I will eventually see

my hero again.

Except he won't have a worn out body

or feel sick any more.

He will be whole and healthy and no doubt,

still wearing his cowboy boots and hat,

and I expect to hear...

"Hey darlin', it's your dad."

Just like the old days.

Happy Birthday Dad!

I know you're having the time of your life.

💙

Scenes from the Weekend

The number of blankets it takes to have a sleepover with my girls 😂

Well, it's Wednesday and I'm just now getting around to posting about the weekend 😅 

Saturday we had family dinner, so the day was spent getting food ready and cleaning the house for all the kids to come over. We had pizza, salad, chips and dips and some fresh veggies and dip. It wasn't the healthiest menu, but no one complained. The ice cream dessert didn't hurt 😀

The girls had been asking for a sleepover, so I thought this would be the perfect night for their parents to just leave them after dinner, since they were already here. 

The night was pretty easy, once everyone got their jammies on and were snuggled under blankets. We watched some tv and then we all had a good night's sleep, for the most part. They certainly have gotten easier, as they've grown. As long as they each have their own space and no one is touching anyone else, they are good.  

Sunday was a beautiful day and the girls spent a few hours swinging and riding their bikes. David rode with them, which they loved, and he even took them down the street - up and back - and they had fun. Little Addie was only good for one way and her little legs were barely making it back to the house. I had to walk with her to keep her going, but she finally made it.

Much of the day was spent making journals at the table. They always want to know what spare journals I have in my office and then they want all the craft supplies, stickers and stamps out, so they can create little works of art. I love hearing the stories they make up and seeing them still get excited over creating things. I know one day this will all be boring for them, so I'm soaking it up while I can. 

We watched a lot of Gilligan's Island, played with playdoh and ate leftover pizza. I took them home around 4:00 and as I was leaving they were telling their mom about the stories they wrote in their journals.  

I think the sleepover was a success 💛

 "Rory" thought so too 😉

Monday I spent the day at home cleaning, doing laundry and cooking some things for the next few days. 

Tuesday I started my new shift at the library, which is 9:30-6:00, several days a week. It was a long day and a crazy, busy day, due to the library being closed on Monday for a holiday. 

Right off the bat, we checked in over 100 books that were dropped off over the weekend! To check in a book, there are several steps from start to finish...scan the book, remove the due-date sticker, place the book in the sanitizer, remove book from machine, place on cart, then file back on the shelf. That was our morning for the first hour or so. 

The rest of the day was spent handling all the random things, such as people needing a notary, printing things, using the computers, asking for forms and checking out books and dvd's. I think I sat down once or twice, but was on my feet the rest of the day, with the exception of my lunch break. 

Regardless of the wild weather yesterday and the fact that my feet hurt, I'm looking forward to going back today 😀

Thankfully, I will start my "off week" on Thursday and will be able to get better organized with meals for the next 40 hour shift. I'm learning as I go. 

Well, that's my update from the weekend and the beginning of this week. I will have more time to write over the next few days. I hope you all are having a wonderful week and aren't caught up in the crazy weather we had yesterday. 

Stay cozy and I will see you soon!

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

God Will Walk You Through It, Instead of Removing It

 

Have you ever walked through a trial in life and wondered why God didn't just change the circumstance and get you to the other side, unscathed? I know I have. 

We all know the power of our God and we know that he can move mountains if he so chooses. But so many times in our lives, it seems that he chooses not to and it's tough to understand why sometimes. 

But, as David and I have been walking through the past few months of illness and joblessness, we've been reminded in so many little ways, that God may not be removing the hard things, but he is walking through them with us and teaching us along the way. 

Just as God didn't take the Israelites straight from Egypt to the Promised Land, he's not taking us straight into the next season of our life. 

God parted the Red Sea and led his people through, so they could experience his glory and power. He also fed and clothed them in the wilderness and taught them what a provider he was. 

Even Jesus got in the boat with his disciples, as the storm was raging, and increased their faith by calming the storm.

Our human nature hates to be scared or worried or uncomfortable, so we pray for God to remove anything that is scary or hard and yet, those are the times when God wants to show up and increase our faith in him.

Those are the times we need to quieten our souls and really listen for his voice. 

We've had many of those moments with the Lord over the past few months. And just yesterday, as we were praying over a decision, the Lord intervened and highlighted some circumstances that gave us the answer we needed. 

Day by day he is increasing our faith and day by day we have seen him show up and lead us through the wilderness. 

It's not fun, I'm not going to lie. But it has been a period of growth, maturity in the Lord and a humbling reminder that God is the source of anything we have. No job, company, paycheck or any other source of income or provision, can match the unlimited resource we have in Jesus. 

So today, if anyone (besides us) is walking in the proverbial wilderness, look for the presence of God. Look for the lessons, the moments of increasing faith, the little ways in which God is preparing you for the next season of your life. We don't want to miss anything he's trying to teach us or show us and especially not because we are too busy complaining about what we don't have or can't do. 

As our son reminded us yesterday, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God is our strength and when we think we can't do something or make it through something, that's the time to rely all the more on God's grace and power. 

I hope this encourages you today. 

May the Lord be your strength today and walk with you through the wilderness. 

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

A Kitchen Makeover

Hello my friends!

I hope your week is off to a great start 😀 It's only Tuesday, but feels like it should be Thursday already. Not sure why. 

Anyway, we had a great weekend. I had to work half a day on Saturday, as the library is open from 10am-1pm on Saturdays. When I got home David surprised me with the start to a project I had mentioned to him last week. 

In several of our past homes, I've taken the cabinet doors off and had open shelving. I mentioned that I wanted to do that in this house, not expecting that I would get home from work and the doors would be gone, but that's what happened and I was not upset at all!

With all of my Pioneer Woman dishes, which bring all the color, it's a shame to hide them behind cabinet doors. So after lunch on Saturday I papered the shelves and put everything back, moved things around and brought out my tins and lunchboxes that were hidden away and now all my favorite things are out front and giving me so much joy when I walk into the kitchen. 

On the top shelf are the two I Love Lucy lunchboxes that my DIL Alex gave me. I love them (and Lucy)! The cracker tin reminds me of my childhood. We always had these crackers and they came in a metal box! The rusty old lunchbox actually belonged to a great uncle of mine. One day David and I stopped by the piece of property where my uncle used to live. David walked around the garage that was still standing and found this lunch box. It's very fragile, but so cool to have a memento from my dad's family. And speaking of my dad...the "Jim's BBQ" tin is in remembrance of my dad, whose name was Jim and was known for his BBQ. He would cook every Sunday - bbq, a big pot of beans, mac&cheese - and he was a great cook. 

On the bottom shelf, the Hints from Heloise books (there are 3 of them), are from a time long ago when women would turn to Heloise for household wisdom. They are still full of pages of great advice. There's also the Junior Bettye Crocker cookbook that my aunt gave me, plus various cookbooks that I turn to now and then. 

The yellow bread box and cookie tin (on the right side) say Collin's bakery on them. We bought those on one of our many trips to Dallas, when David used to run some offices there. Collin would travel with us, of course, and there was a bakery with his name on it, so of course we stopped and had to buy some things. The hand towel draped over the toaster was a gift from Morgan. So many little things, but they all have meaning. The only thing I'm missing is something that says "Ted" for my older son. I often look at antique stores, but so far, haven't found anything. 

The open shelves have added so much more personality to the kitchen. And it's always a good incentive to keep everything nice and neat. 

Saturday night I cooked a big pot of Santa Fe Soup, which is so easy and so delicious. It's basically Taco Soup by a different name, but it's one of my favorites. You brown the ground beef, add cans of beans (any kind you like. I use Ranch Style with jalapeños and black beans), corn, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning and some water and let it simmer for about an hour. That's it. I eat mine with tostada chips, but you could add sour cream on top and cheese if you wanted. We had enough for Sunday lunch and two bowls for the freezer. 

Sunday we watched church online. With working every single day, Sunday is my only day to be at home without having an obligation, so until that schedule changes, we might be at home for church. As it turned out, Morgan wasn't feeling well, so I made a quick trip to the store for some Vitamin C and other things she might need and dropped it off to her, got my hugs from Asa and then it was back home to spend the day working around the house. 

My work schedule will be changing soon and I'll be working longer days, but with a few days off each week. I'm looking forward to that. I'm really enjoying my job at the library. I'm learning so much and have discovered that the library is really a great resource for the community, for various needs. Who knew?!

I don't have much on the agenda for this week. Just the usual - cooking, paying bills, laundry and then family dinner on Saturday. I have been reading a lot and every time I straighten the books at the library, I see so many more books that I want to read! This will take a lifetime 😅 but it will be fun!

Well, that's all for today my friends. I pray you each have a wonderful week ahead and that the Lord is speaking in ways you can understand. Listen for his still, small voice. If he's whispering, it's because he wants you to lean in real close and hear him. 💚

Until Next Time...

Blessings!

 

To My Kids, With Love

 

Do you ever sit back and think about how much you love your kids? I have to hear my kid's voices (in real life) at least once a week. I need to hear their "hi mom" to know they're ok and to satisfy that thing inside of me that can't imagine my life without my boys. 

Thankfully there are other places I can tune in to hear their voices, if that's all I'm looking for. They both have plenty of videos, worship services and even  podcasts that I can turn on, if I just need to hear them sing or speak.

But nothing takes the place of hearing their voice in person or over the phone, as they tell me about their week, their business, their kids and their dreams. 

I heard a new mom talk about the reaction she has when her newborn starts to cry. She explained it so well, as the only one that knew what her baby needed. It reminded me of the bond between a mom and her child. 

I no longer have to run to meet the needs of my boys. Thank God they have beautiful, capable wives for all that they need. They also have a savior that is beyond capable and available.

No...all I'm for these days is to remind them of how loved they are and offer any wisdom they might need, now and then. I'm here to pray and support their dreams and cook them a meal now and then. I'm here to offer a safe place for their kids to go, a loving home and lots of memories and hugs. I'm here to remind them of funny things they did or said, as they were growing up.

And in turn...they offer me such love and respect and support when I need it. They offer me joy when I see them reaching their potential and they offer me such happiness when I watch them care for their wives and children. And sometimes they offer me grace when I mess up. 

My children are truly the greatest blessings of my life and the extension of that are my two daughters-in-love and my precious grandchildren - all 7 of them!

Children really are a blessing. I can't imagine life without them. 

So, to Ted, Collin, Alex, Morgan, Emmy, Ella, Addie, Asa, Calem, Eden and Sunday...I hope you know how deep and wide my love for you runs. 

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

A Busy Three-Day-Weekend

 Good Tuesday morning, my friends!

It's been a busy few days! I was actually off work this weekend, due to President's Day, so it was the perfect time to have family dinner, watch my husband get baptized, and have a dentist appointment, all within the span of a few days. Whew! That went by fast 😅

Saturday we finally had family dinner, which is normally every week, but we've had sick people and a new job and snow and other things that have prevented us from getting together. We celebrated our granddaughter Addie's 6th birthday with Bbq sandwiches, potato salad, chips, cookies, cake and lots of grandkids now! 

On Sunday I did the weekly grocery shopping, since Monday I had a dentist appointment and I wasn't sure how I would feel afterwards (more on that in a minute). 

Sunday evening we went to church and had a very special time watching David get baptized. He was saved as a 7 year old and baptized, but recently he wanted to rededicate his life to the Lord and be baptized as an adult. All of our kids and grandkids were there, which was so special for us and especially for David. 

On Monday I had a dental appointment, because on Friday morning (while the dentist was gone for the weekend), I had a crown fall off as I was eating breakfast. I had no idea it was a crown and was scared to death that my tooth had fallen out! I had to send pictures to the receptionist, so she could contact the dentist and tell me what to do. Turns out, it was just a crown and I would live 😅 I went through the weekend being very careful about eating and finally had the appointment on Monday. Turned out that my tooth was still intact and I didn't need to do anything right away. What a blessing! I was sure I would walk out of there $500 poorer, but she didn't even charge me. I will have to eventually go back and get the crown put back on, but that will be a few weeks from now. 

Also, while David and I were sitting in the waiting room, he got a call about a job interview and they wanted him to come to an executive meeting that night! He was able to make the meeting and had a great interview, so please pray with us for God's will and hopefully a job! 

While David was gone, I made a cup of coffee and sat down with a new book. I've been reading a lot lately, which is great. I folded some clothes, got on the exercise bike and watched a little tv until David came home from the meeting. 

Today I will head back to work. I'm looking forward to being there, which feels great. I will probably spend the day cooking and making sure we have a good meal plan for the week, before heading down the road to the library. 

We're supposed to have some freezing weather this week (come on Texas! Get your act together!), so we might be stuck indoors for a few days. 

Meanwhile, my 81 year old mother is on a cruise in Tahiti! 🛳 Can you believe it?

Oh well, she will be retiring this April, just before turning 82, so I think she deserves to take a vacation.

Well, that's enough rambling for today. I hope you all have a great Tuesday and accomplish all you set out to do today. 

I will be back soon!

Until Next Time...

Blessings!

Looking For God

Happy Sunny Sunday my friends! 

We are finally having some sun on this crazy Texas day. We've had rain and hot humidity this week and now we're in the 40's today. You literally never know what each day will hold.

I took advantage of the sun today and had my afternoon coffee out on the back patio. I needed the sun and I needed the nature and it did not disappoint. 

We hung these bird feeders last week and have thoroughly enjoyed having birds and squirrels playing in the yard again. 

The squirrels love the barn because it's big enough for them to lay on the ledge. I don't mind. I want to feed them too.  They are playful with one another and it's entertaining to watch. 

As I was sitting outside, sipping my hot coffee, with the sun shining on my face, I spent some time in prayer, asking the Lord to show up. I don't need all the answers. I just need to know that he's nearby. 

I need to know if this house we just bought is worthy of our future dreams. I need to know direction on David's health issue. I need to know that my husband will find a job soon. So...I want all the answers, but I realize that I don't need them. I need Jesus. There's the difference.

I'm not good at waiting or guessing. I never have been. Being in the waiting period means turning over control and that's not really my thing. I like to know where I'm going and how I'm getting there, but this life with God is anything but predictable. 

Anyway, as I'm praying and thinking, a huge red bird landed on the tree in front of me. Like many of you, red birds have always signified God to me, especially if I'm in the middle of prayer. Thank you, Lord!

🌳

Later, David came out for a few minutes and asked if I had noticed the blooms on this tree that we thought was dead. 

I had not even noticed!

This tree is right by the back gate we come and go from and I've mentioned that we should get rid of it because it has looked dead since we bought the house. 

But as I looked at the pretty blooms popping out, even while the rest of the tree still looks dead, it reminded me that life is just like that. 

Even where there seems to be dead things looming, there is life. There are blooms. But are we noticing them? 

It's so easy to focus on the parts that seem to have lost their life, but when we focus on those parts, we are missing the pretty parts...the parts that are thriving. 

Just this morning I was finishing up a book and I copied this quote onto my phone, so that I would have a reminder that God is all around...I just need to look.

This quote fits perfectly with the blooms on this tree and the red bird that visited today.

Life is full of living, beautiful blessings and scary, hard seasons. They do coexist. 

It's up to us which one we focus on.

I hope you have a blessed Sunday 💚🌺

Until Next Time...

Blessings!
 

Lots of Good Food for the Weekend

 Happy Monday, my friends!

I hope you had a great weekend. Apparently I cooked a lot, hence the pictures of food in this post 😋

I had to make this Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake that Billie Jo shared HERE.  It just looked so good and I couldn't stop thinking about how yummy it would be with a hot cup of coffee.

I prepped all the dry ingredients the night before, so in the morning all I had to do was work on the wet ingredients and add the two together. 

I almost made the mistake of not putting the crumble on top, but thankfully I remembered at the last minute. It wouldn't have tasted the same without all of that extra butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on the top layer, would it?

If you like cake and butter and chocolate chips and brown sugar...this needs to be on your menu for the week! We had a piece for breakfast and just might have had an extra piece after dinner. 😉

And speaking of dinner...

A big pot of beef stew was on the menu this weekend. I made it as normal - ground beef, veggies, potatoes, beef stock. But I also added some juice left over from the last time I made a roast. I had saved a bowl of juice from the roast, put it in the freezer for this very dish that I knew was coming up and added it along with all the other ingredients as it was simmering. It added a rich, beefy flavor to the stew and made it even more delicious. 

A little tip I do during the month is keeping a baggie full of veggies in the freezer that I save for my next pot of stew. Every time we eat corn or green beans or carrots and have some leftover, I will add them to my "stew" bag and use them in the stew. So this time I had about a half a gallon bag of already cut up veggies, so all I had to do was add some diced potatoes and a bit more corn and it was ready to go. Oh, I did add some diced tomatoes too. 

Something that would save even more time, would be to add ground beef, as you cook it for other meals, to the "stew" bag. By the time you've added the veggies and beef, you've basically got your stew ready for the stove or crockpot and will just need broth, tomatoes and seasoning (I use a stew packet from McCormicks). I think I'll try that next month!

When I wasn't cooking this weekend, I was at work for a few hours on Saturday morning. The library was busy with people wanting books, to use the computer, tax forms and making copies. I also learned how to issue new library cards to a few patrons. As I said before...it's so much to learn! 

After work, David and I picked up a sub sandwich from a place called Firehouse Subs. Apparently it was "D" day, which meant that if your name started with a "D", you got a free sandwich when you bought one. So we each got a meatball sandwich, which was very good and a nice treat. 

On Sunday we took some things to our kids, who are sick. Baby Eden and all the girls were coughing and Ted had a sore throat, so we stopped by Kroger and loaded them up with Vitamin C items. After that, David and I made a quick trip to Tractor Supply to find a bird feeder (or 2) for the back yard. That's something I've really been missing from our little cottage on the lake, is watching the squirrels and birds compete for all the bird seed. 

We filled the houses and hung them in a prime spot in the backyard and never saw one squirrel or bird for the rest of the day 😏 But I did look out the front door and see a squirrel drinking out of the bird bath, so that was fun 😂

Sunday afternoon we watched Hillbilly Elegy, the story of JD Vance. I'll be honest - I cried during the entire show! The show was so disturbing and to see this kid, who had everything against him, turn out to be the VP of the United States...touched my heart in so many ways. It doesn't matter what your politics are, any time someone can rise above the junk of their childhood, to succeed on their own merit, I applaud. 

David did watch the Super Bowl and I read a book in my chair and did other things around the house during that time. 

It was a good weekend with lots of needed down time. 

And here we are on Monday again!

I've already spent some time with the Lord this morning and am about to have another piece of coffee cake and start my day.

I hope your weekend was good and all that you wanted it to be.

Here's to a week full of blessings and God's presence in your life!

Until Next Time...

Blessings! 

Be Someone's Light Today

 Happy Friday my friends💗

This past week has been full of blessings and I'm so thankful for each one of them. I started my job, David sold his restoration project (a jeep), which has put more money in our bank, and we got to see our kids for a few minutes yesterday. We had a sweet gesture from an old friend that went above and beyond friendship and we had lunch with some old friends last Saturday. And all of those things have added up to us feeling loved and cared for, which has been nice.

Sometimes, when you're going through a tough season, you can start to feel a little isolated and wondering if anyone else is suffering the way you are. But over the years, I've come to realize that the enemy (Satan) wants us to feel isolated. It's part of his scheme.

If he can keep us focused on self and our own trouble, then he can keep our eyes off of Jesus (his enemy) and the victory that is available to us, through Christ. 

But, when we can gather with friends, family and even others who are going through hard times, we can feel like we're part of the bigger picture and not so alone. 

The past few months my eyes have been opened and I've noticed that just about everyone you meet is going through something. It might be small or it might be life changing, but to each person, it's enough. And if we can share our struggles with one another, we can minister to each other, just as the Bible says.

I believe this is what the verse means, that says:

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,

but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see

the day approaching."

(Hebrews 10:24-25)

I know some apply this verse to not missing church, but I don't believe that's what it's about. I believe it's about Believers gathering together, to love one another, carry one another's burdens, fellowship and spur one another on, so that we can all make it through this life with people by our side. 

I believe it's meeting over lunch, coffee, taking someone a meal, calling someone on the phone, and any other way you can meet up with someone and let them know they're not alone. Talk about trials and how God is working. Share fears and concerns and listen to one another, encourage one another and pray together. We are people who were meant for fellowship - with God and with one another.

So many people feel alone and that's heartbreaking. Even a 30 minute visit can boost someone's outlook on life. We just have to open our eyes to those around us and be willing to gather.

Life is so much about perspective. When we can see that others are going through trials too, we can see that we're not alone and though the world would classify that as "misery loves company," we can say, instead, that we can carry one another's burdens. 

Anyway, I hope these random thoughts speak to you on some level. 😊

Pray for God to open your eyes to someone who is feeling isolated. Go sit with them or call them on the phone. Let them know they are in your prayers and that they are not alone in their struggles. This small gesture goes a long way and it crushes the enemy's scheme to keep that person isolated. 

When we spread God's light, the darkness must flee. 

Be someone's light today. 🕯

Until Next Time...

Blessings!