But One

I’d like to awaken my blog a bit and found this draft all written and ready.  Back from 2014.  I don’t remember the conference but thought I’d share.  

Make sure you read what my friend had posted…. before we had lived through these last 13 months.  Years before.  In the olden days when life seemed hard but oh… what we didn’t know.  So let us for a moment, walk in someone else’s shoes, take up someone’s cross and carry it for them awhile.  

I heard some ladies speaking at a conference…..

~ one came from a life of prostitution to a relationship with Christ and it took years for her to overcome her fear of walking into a church because of being judged by the people inside because of her former life.  Everyone felt bad for her.

~ and another born to a mom that didn’t want to care for her or name her and ended up being abused in the home she was taken into.  But she’s come so far and now her salary comes from sharing about her struggles and how she helps others that are struggling as she did in the past.  Dyed hair.  Fancy clothes.  Nice jewelry.  Accepts donations.

~ and that same one, who tells her story over and over for year after year, said, “And your girlfriend that keeps talking about the same problem over and over again…. Don’t you just want to tell her to shut-up and get over it?  Or make up a new problem for this year?”  And the whole room erupted into riotous laughter.  But one.

Born this way.  Diseases that will follow her to the grave.  Chronic.  Daily changes and differences in how she must live vs the norm of society.

My friend, Angi, said it well the other day,

Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us put away referee calls and thrown flags as we see it from the sidelines of someone else’s game. Let us instead be willing to, for a moment however brief, take up the others’ cross, and carry it for them awhile. Walk a mile in another’s shoes, or be willing to remain humble, lest for the grace of God, one of us should stumble on the same rock.

Lest for the grace of God, one of us should stumble on the same rock…..

A fun link I want to save

Currently, I have 18 tabs open on my browser. I have to get some of this cleaned up!!

So here is a link I want to save. It is cute and amazing what this man builds in miniature.

LINK

Have fun and hopefully, I’ll get back to posting.  

Alabama Trip – Part 2

One day we started out early to go hiking.  Still came back dripping wet from the rain forest feel in the air but it was so pretty and so much fun.  I like hiking that is hiking, not following a wide smoothed out and paved trail!!  This was a 2-footed path.  And their foothills are bigger than our big hills!  LOL!

Just starting out the path is wide and you can see down to the Three Caves.  JP knew the story behind them for us.  I didn’t expect less!

The red soil.  Gets me.

Clearly a man-made bridge but nicely done!

Then the 2 men wanted to go to the top of this rock.  We are on a path alongside it now.  We went back down a bit and then they took a rarely used path/made their own to the top!  Party at the top!!

My favorite photo from our visit!

At the bottom, the Three Caves are blocked off but this is the view from the gate and fencing.

Top of the hike, hot & drippy! But the 3 of us together!

I love that smile.
I miss that smile.

Hog Camp?

The farmer was asked if he could bring 2 hogs to a nearby Christian Camp for their “campfire” time.  Wednesday night was on the parable of the prodigal son.  I said to the farmer to take a sample of what we really feed them lest the kids believe what is on the internet that we feed them crap.  He didn’t.  They are fed fresh ground corn, soybean meal (turned to meal so they can digest it), and a packet of vitamins and minerals.  Nothing that we couldn’t go eat ourselves… if dry grits made our palates happy!  (not mine!)

We left at 8 p.m.   I followed in the Honda with my flashers on.  It wasn’t dark yet, but I always wonder if the 1st vehicle behind a tractor is WITH them as I do that often, so I put on my flashers so anyone would know they’d have to pass 2 at a time.

{{ Honestly, we didn’t have anyone behind us until coming home (in the dark) between the corner and our lane!  The first (stupid) passed in front of a hill where he couldn’t see what was coming, when we had left turn signals on!!   I made the 2nd stay behind but hogging the center line and tapping my brakes as he kept climbing up my back end.  #facepalm  }}

The sunset as I was ready to pull out of the lane at 8 p.m. was stunning!!

Even the sky to the EAST was lovely!!

The path to the campfire area was scenic but not trimmed for a tractor!  He had to wiggle to avoid breaking off his outer mirror and then once in that process hit a tree stump with a tire and about hurled the pigs back into my lap!  (exaggeration inserted!)

A few men had come earlier in the week to get gates and had set up a pen under a tent and loading shoot so he was able to back up there and unload.  The hogs were delighted with the cool damp grass that soon gave way to DIRT!!  🙂  Mud is cooling to their skin.

I brought him home and we left the tractor and trailer there.   We rested and then returned at 10 p.m.   Getting there about 10:15, the campers were walking back to cabins on this path so the farmer thought it best for us to park the car and walk back there!  Only 1/4 mile so it was doable and I had on lots of bug spray and pants by this time.

The hogs walked back on the trailer as if we did this every day!  Wonderful when it is past our bedtime but crazy rare in real life!!

The sky at camp about 8:30 after we had unloaded them.
A clear dark night when we came home.  We took a good 2 miles of gravel back road to stay off the highway as much as possible and he turned on the LED lights on the back then.  Between that  and the blaring flashing yellow lights he has… I was about dizzy/bug-eyed once we got home at 10:45!

Finally into bed at 11:15… exhausted.

Things I Learned This Winter

It is March 1st but the National Weather Service has said our winter will continue through March.  Just as I expect every year!  After this HUGE amount of “winter” we’ve had this year, I was pretty sure that turning a page today wouldn’t matter in the weather department.

1. I need a new cover on the small ironing board next to my sewing machine where I do pressing when I do paper-piecing.  I thought it was the iron but cleaned that.  I cleaned the regular iron that I keep there as well.  No, it must be coming from the cover.

2.  I like relaxing in the evening with stories on Instagram.   I’ve learned I can only make videos with my tablet to post!   @julesquilts  (It is farming, my flowers, the dog, and some quilting!)

3.  Even tho the fall onto the ice doesn’t hurt much then….  the next few days add very random hurting places!  Yikes!!
Yes, we went 2 for 2 at our house for how many went down on the ice.  The dog…. was really sick of slipping!!

4.  Everyone needs someone to hold their hand and pray for them when in the hospital.  I learned slowly but did what I could.  ♥  (I learned long ago that I need that!  Now I know I’m not the only one!) PLEASE offer that to one who is there.  Nothing fancy.  Just touch and ask if you can pray for them.  A hospital patient needs touched!  Sit near.  Ask to hold their hand.  Offer hand cream.

5.  Aldi plants and flowers in the winter are a wonderful prize for buying the groceries for the week!   I plant the bulbs outside when the weather is tolerable and enjoy my growing collection that returns the next spring!  The little jars they come in are great for rooting little new houseplants!

6.  It is hard to make my mind stop and read a book.
I’ve read: Sacred Holidays by Becky Kiser and Placemaker by Christie Purifoy.  Highly recommend them both!

7.  Subscriptionboxescanbeanadditiction!
#1 – Broglie Box (brand-new!!) I got one box, their first one!, and then subscribed for the annual and look forward to this box the most!  (no affiliate connection!!)

I liked the 1 box I got from FabFitFun and might do an annual of that one next year.  I was able to get less skin care products as I can’t use most of the ones offered.
I have an annual subscription to Causebox and will drop that when the year runs out.  (I’ve gotten Winter 2018 (& now) Spring 2019.)  I like about 1/2 the box that I get.  I need to sell some of the extra things.  This was my first one I found and my gift to myself… that comes every quarter!  Then I had to quit following the subscription box addiction site as it was all too tempting!

Do you get any subscription boxes?
What did you learn this winter?

 

Christmas Days of 2018

We were so thankful in a change with some family jobs this past year so that we could have several days with both kids home.  Mostly it was God’s placements in giving us more family time and to Him we are thankful!!

JP arrived about 2 on Saturday after leaving his apt at 4:30 a.m.   K arrived about 6, being able to get home a bit earlier with a boss that values family time.  (so thankful!)

We had Sunday church together and then Christmas Eve service together.   Can’t say I didn’t shed a tear (or 2…) to have them both with us.

Sunday afternoon we had a few hours with the in-laws as that was Gpa’s 87th birthday.

Gma had collected drawings and writings from Miss K over a large piece of her childhood and glued it into a spiral notebook. (Part of K’s birthday gift earlier in December.)  They had such fun looking at it!  The next day we scanned everything and Miss K is going to make it into a printed book that will last vs the glue stick and notebook paper.  It is precious!  Gma M is very good at these savings in her own unique way.

We had Christmas Day at home.  ♥ Throughout the weekend, K & I had started the sewing project and it was fun to do that together.  Everyone helped cook meals and with dishes.  We enjoyed movies and an online game JP has that we play on the TV but with each of our phones.  It is fun and hilarious.  I have no idea the name or link for that.  You’ll have to ask him.

 

Good food and fun new recipes!

Hot-Buttered Apples and we served them over ice cream!  Yum! (gluten-free!)  This was dessert for Christmas dinner at noon with the in-laws.   I took this photo which was my supper that evening while under my electric throw on the couch!

Also a great new recipe is Tex-Mex Queso!  We had this Christmas Eve after church!  We added a pound of browned ground pork/sausage to make it more of a meal.  Yummy and easy to get ready quickly.

 

 

Sunset on December 23.  Wonderful color!

I offered to make my farmer a gift wish list with email links in early November but he said, “I thought we don’t do gifts.”  Hmpf!  So I shopped for myself on Thanksgiving weekend with the great sales online and the kids had gone back to their own homes.

Then 2 weeks before Christmas he asked for ideas!!!  #smackmyforehead  I sent a link to The Featherweight Shop and I think I included a few suggestions but he chose other things as well to make it to $100 and get his free shipping!  🙂  This is what I got!!  He excitedly told me they had things on sale and he got free shipping!

The needle threader/inserter is great!  As well as the thread cutter that sticks to the face plate.  So tiny but works super and just like my Bernina that I’m used to using!  The earrings are darling and don’t bother my ears at all.  Socks are calf-length (just above ankle a few inches for me) and a medium weight. Great quality shirt!!  Usual sizing.

I got him a new wallet as his in in shreds… but as usual, he didn’t like it and I sent it back.  He isn’t into gifts so that is fine.  At some point, he’ll decide he NEEDS a wallet and will find something!  LOL!

We had a wonderful time all together!  Saying good-bye is hard….

December Waiting

This was my first Christmas to do a personal Advent study on the days leading up to Christmas.  I grew up in a church that followed that tradition but we don’t follow that now.  I thought I’d try it this year on my own.

I used the book: For All by Becky Kiser.  HERE is a link for it on Amazon if you are interested.  I’m not an affiliate so no connection if you use my link.  It is workbook format and the Sunday/candle days are optional or could be used alone if desired.  They are in the front of the book and not mixed in with the other days.

I even made a cluster of candles from things I already had on our coffee table in the living room.  I love candles and on the nights I was sitting in the living room, would light the appropriate number of candles for the week.  Yes, as we got closer to the celebration of the Light of the World, the room got brighter as well!

In the past, our church has set up a photo area for family Christmas photos.  I was counting on it this year but they didn’t do it.  So a tree with an outlet in the wall…. and us!  (One of us still needs to find a selfie stick that will hold my big camera and case!)

I

We agreed after last Christmas that we were ready for a smaller Christmas tree and I got one from Ambrose Christmas Tree Store the first week of November.  I was hoping to beat the rush (and they had trees at 30% off) but my order got lost and I waited until the week after Thanksgiving and called.  I was nearby the next day and they said they’d have it ready and they did!  I was so pleased I got it there.  Lifetime guarantee to fix and/or replace the lights or anything that goes wrong with it.  Yeah!   I had chosen the tree star from there and they had that in place as well.

Thankfully, Miss K loves to do the ornaments (I don’t!) and she finished the decorating when she got here.  ♥

And… if a day had sunshine, about 3:30 p.m. it would make the sparkles on the star reflect onto the ceiling.  Delightful!

Also for the first time EVER, I bought an Advent calendar of sorts.  A chocolate one!  At Aldi.  It must have been the 1st day they were out as I never saw them again.  Glad to have The Nutcracker vs only santa.  I put it away in a spare bedroom closet as I bought it before Thanksgiving!

And then forgot about it until the middle of December! So I decided to do it on the days of January to make that month a bit more tolerable!  I forgot and started on the 4th of January!  Ha!  Then had a family interruption that included an unplanned trip to Ohio on the 7th so got off track again.  I resumed maybe by the 17th or so.

I forgot some nights and finished on Feb 7.  Once I shared with my farmer.  He doesn’t savor chocolate…. so I didn’t want to waste it.  It was all good!!  ♥

I will watch Aldi next November for a new one!

Rainy Week

We’ve had plenty of rain all summer.  Not a week has gone by that the lawn hasn’t needed mowed and it never was brown.  Usually there isn’t much growing grass in July & August to mow.
From Tuesday night, 8/28, through Monday night, 9/3, I recorded 7.59″ of rain!  We don’t really have fields that flood or stay flooded but now even the ones north of the house have standing water.  The farmer was able to mow the lawn quickly last evening but drove through standing water in lower parts of the yard.

Sunday afternoon:

Clearly some water rushed through here to flatten the tall grasses!

The creek crossing that is usually dry by now.

Monday afternoon – 3 hours after it quit raining that day.  Neither the dog nor I wanted to go through this!

Today is more rain!  It was .6″ a bit ago.

The soybeans are looking nearly ready for harvest and at this point it will take a long time to dry out the fields for equipment.

…. on single people in your church

This article really spoke to me. Over the years, I’ve heard how hard it is to be a single person in the church. No one says anything. Everyone sits in groups; couples or families. Go in the door, sit alone at church, go out the door. Months and months go on and no one says anything.  On a holiday the family groups get bigger.  Still a single may be alone.  “Church hurts on holidays.”  How hard to have no place to go on Easter or July 4th but your own apartment.

ARTICLE

Thankfully in our family, one has the circumstances in place that when sick can call me and I am able to drop my job and go care for her.  I will drive a day and a half to find the other one if hospitalized or such.  Will anyone come when that one needs someone to speak up for them in an emergency?  Will you be the someone that can be on their call list?

But really, the church needs to find the single people.  NOT to play match-maker but to be a partner with them.  I like the idea from the article of 2 couples would connect with 1 single person.  If the single person needs a ride home from taking their car to the mechanic, they can text the group and see if anyone is able to pick them up.  Same with a couple, if the spouse can’t get off work or leave the children, maybe the single person could pick you up from the mechanic.   If the single person needs to have someone hold the ladder while they change the lightbulb on the 11′ ceiling, there is someone to ask when they could help.  The couple and single person could meet up for supper and the single wouldn’t have to sit in a restaurant alone like every other time.  The single person could be invited over to add another adult to your board game.  I know that a board game with 2 is only so-so.

I know I have a backup if my husband isn’t able to help in an emergency.  But what if there is no spouse?  No family near?

Will you be the person that a single person could call? 

Do you talk to a single person at your church?  Try it.  Talk this week and talk to them next week.  Sit with them.  Ask if you can trade phone numbers.  Offer that they can call you if they need a second hand or just to bounce an idea off someone.  Text them to make sure a hard task at work went OK.  Text them something funny.  Ask their advice on where to hang a collection at your home.  Ask for help on trimming a big branch.  Finish off with offering to go for a sandwich together.  Let them be a part of a family hike.

I know a couple that has a single every Monday night for supper.  Then the 2 women go to a ladies Bible Study together.  It is one of the few home cooked meals this single has ALL WEEK!  I think that is blessing someone so easily.  It is just Monday supper.  It isn’t a Christmas feast with china and silver place settings.  Just being around a table together.

Be the church.

4th of July 2018

A quiet day with just the 2 of us.  Mostly a regular work day here at home.

A favorite supper of his: sloppy joes and mac & cheese in the Instant Pot. Easy for me.

 

One of my double petunia plants.  Some blooms on the same plant are more white and some more purple.

Yearly photo of how tall the corn is on the 4th of July!

He is more than pleased that he had tassels on corn on June 30th!  The first he remembers seeing them appear in June!

 

Amazing clouds that evening!

Finally the clouds started to empty and we got a bit that day.