Wednesday, September 25, 2013

A Little Fall Party... Sweetest Memories Ever!

*Revised in parts* Every year since our daughters were old enough to appreciate the seasons we have had a little fall party.  Would you like to come too?  Come on in...Sit a spell!
 
One of my favorite sights in the whole world...our daughters flurrying around in the kitchen preparing, creating - creating that atmosphere in a home.  Life.  Lea, Michelle, Marianna and Rebecca our four daughters. Gifts! 


Michelle getting shots of her fall table.  She had made a trip with Jem to the 99cent store and picked up some decoration goodies!  Jem and our daughters love going to the 99 cent store and picking up fresh produce, boxed organic vegetable broth etc.   Great place to pick things up. 

 

Aren't these cute finds from the 99cent store?


 Look at these tiny beaded pumpkins, are they not adorable? They came together in one package. More 99 cent store finds, as well as the sparkly leaf sprinkles and table cloth.



This was so delicious, this is a pumpkin dip Rebecca made, it has white beans in it instead of dairy.  She comes up with some of the most creative recipes ever!  The girls made a beautiful butternut squash soup, rosemary potatoes and pumpkin rolls and I made a nice pot of collards. Mm-mm...so good and so colorful!






We enjoy the above background music for fall, it is such a sweet instrumental cd. Very fall-ish...Parts sound like little autumn leaves sprinkling down.  Very wholesome, cheerful, relaxing music.

Out front our chicks were having their own party! I just love seeing our chickens free-ranging on the property.  We have chickens for their eggs, so wonderful.  Remember "little" Sweetie?  That's he on the left, the darker rooster next to the white one. He's a robust little Banty rooster! That little guy is a miracle chick!  God answers prayers!  The white rooster's name is "Elvis".  So we have a "Sweetie" and an "Elvis". : )


The Harvest Moon last week through the rain speckled window...

The same moon shines over me and you! : )

Praying for our country.  True healthcare takes care of the defenseless and our unborn.

Pray for Marianna, she most likely will be standing up for Sen. Ted Cruz today in one of her classes.  She's already taken a a wee little hit for Sen. Cruz a couple of weeks ago.  This particular prof. in her class is a love of sorts, a sweet man but surrounded by the wrong people.  He respects Marianna because he sees her sincere love for the Lord, Life, he sees we love animals too, why can't we?  As Christians we should.  Don't let factions make you think you must pick one side and leave the other.  Of course our first and foremost care is for the unborn.  

Edit: 4pm Marianna called on the way home and today was a sweet, uneventful day.  Praise the Lord for uneventful - sweet days!  Pray for that professor too, I'm thinking the Lord has some things cooking as the professor watches Mar in class and sees her testimony for the Lord through compassion and hardwork.  It's so wonderful to have bridges to cross to others whether it's a common love for animals or whatever God has!

We teach our daughters to speak out when necessary, with discretion and thoughtful wisdom covered with prayers, saturated with love, but by all means speak up when possible.

To sit and not say anything is just an awful thing.  Just an awful thing.  I see it with so many factions, homeschool moms, churches etc.  Speak up in a nice way of course.  Wouldn't you want someone to speak for you?

As my old pastor said...If you dont' say anything?  You might as well be on the other side.

  We recently attended a prolife banquet and we were so grieved to hear the ghost-speechwriter once again making jokes about animals losing their lives for dinners and door prizes. My heart sank... When people say these things they lose so much of my respect and it hurts my heart.  What is worse is the men having to say these things wouldn't normally say these things at all...it's written for them.  We are horrified to hear many times...pro-death people's lack of discretion but it is "okay" for pro-life to make fun of suffering animals?  There is no godly logic in that at all not to mention being unmerciful, tactless and exhibiting bad taste.  What the heart must look like to intentionally, verbally make fun of suffering animals! Those kinds of  tactless and cold remarks have always, always disturbed me greatly. What a shame for people to politicize convictions.  I do think most people respect a good healthy conviction from the Lord though so thank the Lord for that. It's nice to be nice and it's kind to be kind, it's merciful to be merciful, it's courageous to be courageous.  

I was happy to receive my vegan plate at this elegant banquet as I'm sure more then several others were too.  It said multitudes!  As we meandered out after the banquet ended, I saw a young Franciscan monk also in attendance and I whispered to my husband... I'm with him!  *smile*  I have a personal conviction from the Lord to go back to Gensis 1:29, I so enjoy eating with a clean conscious.  I do enjoy a nice healthy egg from our free roaming happy chickens along with my delicious seeds, nuts, fruits and veggies.  And...That's the way I roll.  : )  Praise the Lord!  Let's think and use our hearts and noggins.  Right is right and wrong is wrong.  Please check into institutionalized factory farming. I don't think Christ would approve.

Edit.Sunday.9.29  Following quote from an article from the Christian Vegetarian Society:

"Only depraved people deliberately harm animals, and don’t want to know the truth about what is happening to them on factory farms, in slaughterhouses, and in laboratories."
That may sound harsh but do you know I've encountered people, one who literally put her hands over her ears?   This could also go for the same asinine attitudes some may have towards our most precious unborn babies too.  The Christian Vegetarian Society is also Prolife.  


  On another bunny trail...

So many times, women especially, remind me of a bunch of chickens in their flocks, pecking, picking, ignoring.  Do you ever wonder if these women ever grew up into adults?  Perhaps we can call them kidults?  Unfortunately our family have seen some wee little factions here and there and are so disappointed at the insecurities so many women seem to have for some reason.  My husband shakes his head...He tells me..."It's a shame the way they behave."

Thank you so much to those sweet sisters who left comments on my last post.  You are a blessing to me and your comments make me smile, warm my heart....they many times will make my day!  Big huggeroos coming your way!

"There are worse things in this life then harsh words being tossed your way..."   ~Senator Ted Cruz

Thank you Senator Cruz for speaking out. My Italian grandparents would be proud of your testimony. Our family is proud.  Thank you for standing up for what is right.


As my old pastor said...If you dont' say anything?  You might as well be on the other side.


Y'all take care now,    ~Amelia 
Michelle took this of me this past weekend, we finally went to go visit my Dad.  A tiring trip but I'm glad we were able to go.  Such a blessing to go and such a blessing to get home safe and sound. : )  God is good.  Many concerns but I just talk to the good Lord about them.

"Sit down, Jesus, and have a cup of coffee with us.  I can see you right here in my kitchen.  The eye of faith sees better than the natural eye."  ~Lena     From the book, Lena by Margaret Jensen


Friday, September 6, 2013

The Precious Holy Part of a Pattern

"Whether we are poets or parents or teachers or artists or gardeners, we must start where we are and use what we have.  In the process of creation and relationship, what seems mundane and trivial may show itself to be holy, precious, part of a pattern."   ~Luci Shaw


Oh wow...a great stormy day out today.  Grace and I took off for the road to Smalltown, gloryland.
We had a great conversation in the car....Grace tells me she asks a friend, a friend who has dissed her a bit because of a busy schedule...

Can I pray for you about anything? 
...Grace proceeds to tell me "I just wanted to do the right thing."   I smile hugely in my mother's heart to the Lord as I count these moments as Gifts.

"Love is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life.  To each and every one of us, it gives the power of working miracles if we will."    ~Lydia Marie Child

Oh yes....Oh YES oh yes!   This is going to be so fun in the little store today...and it was.  It reminded me of Christmas time at the store...dark skies....even some loud and low rumblings of thunder for that drama I so love.... Yes.  A Gift.  Memories for my Joy account.  Praise the Lord Jesus.

I was telling Jem on datenight...  

When I go to the store it's kind of like an easter egg hunt of sorts...I look for people I can smile at, talk a minute to...make their day...be a Gift.

Grace and I listened to this song on the way to the store:

What a rush!   Steven Curtis Chapman.  If this song doesn't touch one's heart, not quite sure what will.

I thought I would start my close here with a tshirt Janie was recently wearing... A  Gift.

So many Gifts to be thankful for!

  I gave-away a bag of clothing today, every time I go into smalltown I try to carry a give away bag of nice clothes and books, patterns etc.  Today's bag included two blouses that I yanked out of my closet Sunday morning.  Two black and white blouses.  One is too big, even belted.  One has black lace trim, just not me.  Bye pretty blouses, I release you to bless some one else now. : )  A sewing pattern went off too as I tried a run on it and the fabric ended up in the garbage.  That is so not like me to throw away a work in progress but it was just that bad. 

  Praying for the Church in America.  Lately?  I'm noticing some factions coming out even stronger in what has been clearly arrogance and a hate for what should be fellow Christian denominations, Jem says they seem to think they have the whole package themselves exclusively.  My daughter was at a function where one of the main speakers was sitting at a table with many.  This man who should know better and you may know who he is in the homeschool world was warning other young people to stay away from another function because the people putting it on were heretics!  We know people behind that event and they are NOT heretics!  This really needs to stop and to say we are disappointed in this speaker is an understatement.  Are we following pet doctrine and theology of fallable man or the Lord Jesus?  My husband asks if it is motivated by love?   Are man's opinions and books more important than God's precious Word?

I hope you-all have had a week of Gifts from the Lord!

"Does your soul need to be rejuvenated?  The greatest source for this comes from reaching out  to meet others' needs.  Show someone how much you really care by going for a walk together, talking, listening, or just holding their hand."

People are all around.  Just all around.  I want to be intentional to see, really see and notice the faces and what they are telling me... Let's lead them out of the ashes.  Let's tell them about our ashes too.  In doing so let's...

 Add to the Beauty....I want to add to the Beauty... I want to shine with the Light that's burning up inside.  Redemption comes in strange places.

Love,  Amelia the Smalltown Waterfront Girl and now the Last Child in the Woods