We've Been Under Construction

We've been up to our elbows over the past 3 weeks

in demolishing and remodeling.  We had a plumbing leak in our kitchen that

we did not know about until it ended up in a closet in the bedroom

 on the other side of the wall.  

 Thankfully, we had good homeowner's insurance and then

we also decided this was the time to do a few extras.  

(A sneak peek and will show you more when it is finished)

 Here is Byron, our cabinet maker doing his great detail work.

Right now, while I post this,

 I am squeezed between

 our new dishwasher, yet to be installed into the kitchen,

 and the computer desk,

 along with boxes full of kitchen items,

 just so I can type up this post.

A couple of days ago, the oven range 

was sitting in our family room along with the refrigerator, 

while flooring was being laid

 both in the kitchen and in our bedroom. 

 So now you know why

 I haven't taken the time to post for so long.

I just couldn't get my brain out of chaos gear and into posting mode.

I hope you haven't had anything keeping you from
being all ready for Christmas.
So glad that even in the midst of unexpected chaos, that 
I can center on baby Jesus, laying in that lowly manger inside
of an animal stable.  It kind of puts everything in perspective!
So thankful that HE is my KING.

Now I need to go sweep up some sawdust!

♥

Paddling Up Stream, But I'm Still Alive!

 Thought I should check in 

so you all would know I am still alive!

I've just been so busy creating some art orders

for others before Christmas. 

I'm really tired but it's a good kind of  tired.

  I know things will slow down soon.

Then I will be back to see you all  and 

get some new posts back up on this blog.

I've been in to personalizing 

many art pendants for others lately.

At first, I was a bit afraid

 to say I would put names on them,

but I'm so glad I took the plunge and did it.

They are really quite fun to create.

There is just something about putting a name 

with what you are creating. 

Somehow when I'm painting the picture,

 I look at the name and think about

 how special this piece will be 

because I'm making it for

 that someone special.

These were made to give to four sisters.

 Their grandma ordered them for Christmas presents.

So as I prop my eyes open,

( that is why they look scary big here)

 I tell you this, I promise I have not deserted

you, my special blogging friends!  

I'll be back soon!

I'll be leaving the day after

 Thanksgiving to spend a few days with 

my Pennsylvania family- daughter, son-in-law

 and the oh so special grandchildren of ours!

 (hubby has to work! I sure wish he could go too!)

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving

 with all of the trimmings,

but especially, may you be blessed

with friends and family all around Y♥U.

Love from me,

140.  God blessing me with art orders

141.  His provision and how he makes a way when there seems to be no way

142.  our insurance covering a water leak and the wonderful and kind contractor who is 

        remodeling for us.

143.  an early Christmas present when the hospital called and thanked us for making our 

        payments regularly and  they wanted to write the remaining 2 months off as a gift. 

        Wow!  Bless that hospital God! Who does that nowadays?

144.  my hubby transitioning well to a new 3rd shift position at work

145.  the wonderful ANTICIPATION brought on while planning a trip to see our daughter and 

        grandchildren

Happiness Is A By-product of Helping Someone Else

It made my day when my sister called me 

and said that her granddaughter,

( my great niece-8 years old )

wanted to know if I would come 

along with them on a Girls Day Away

and help her paint some pottery

for a Christmas present she wanted

to make for her mommy.

With my granddaughter and grandson

living 9 hours away,

I feel sad that we don't get to do these

spur of the moment grandparent

fun things like this together as often as I wish,

but I try and make up for it

when we are together ♥.

 

I  loved

  spending this time with my niece

and my sister.

It warmed my heart up so much when I was

asked to come along and to help. 

But I can't tell you what she made because it's a surprise

and her mommy might be peeking in on this post.

My sister Melanie with her granddaughter Shay,  (my great-niece)

I decided to whip up a quick little pendant

to surprise my niece with.

I think she really liked it.  She wore it the rest of the day.

she held it up so we could take a photo.

  there are shadows from the light that aren't really on the pendant

Shay is such a beautiful little girl on the inside and the outside!

...and she has Shirley Temple curls!!

Sometimes it's just what we need in life,

for someone to ask us 

to come along for some FUN while helping them. 

Many times I have thought about

asking my girlfriends (includes sisters) over for some

FUN 

 while they helped me

finish painting some of the rooms in my house,

that I've  put off getting started on. he he

Who knows, we might 

come up with some

really awesome ideas together

 to make those rooms awesome or

at least some crazy fun memories made in the process.

"I wonder what Piglet is doing," thought Pooh.

"I wish I were there to be doing it, too." - Winnie the Pooh

So in case one of them are reading this,

know you can ask me first

to come over to your house and

I will gladly have FUN helping you do whatever you

need help with.  I promise! 

I am honored that my sister and niece

asked me to join in and have fun 

with them.

(oh and Olive Garden Food too! Yummy)

Thank Y♥U

Melanie and Shay!

I love you both! 

"Happiness is a by-product of an effort to make

someone else happy."

Gretta Brooker Palmer

So.... have Y♥U ever 

asked someone to help you

and then found a fun way of doing it?

I would love to hear about it.

♥

105.  a cup of Blackberry tea and my journal

106.  knowing there is a  purpose in trials because God tells me so in his word

107.  painting pottery with my sister and niece

108.  seeing my daughter love on her Hospice patients

109.  a beautiful sunshiny weekend

110.  the memories that finding old photos bring

111.  date night and a movie with my hubby

112.  good food eating out together for under $10.00!!!!

113. home owners insurance that takes care of repairing damages from a water leak

114.  creative new ideas and planning for a room in our house

115.  the happiness that children bring to us

When Your Planning Fails

Another pen and ink I've been creating this week.

To be safe, until I know for sure what quote I want to permanently

add, I have puzzled in another piece into the middle of my
\pen and ink doodle frame. 

I want to one day take Martha Lever's Calligra-Fun class

so I can have more confidence in my painted lettering.

Having one of those weeks where I am needing to

change up the pieces in my life puzzle. 

I had to refer back

(click here) to this earlier post 

 that I wrote

as my reminder that it is a part of life 

and the blessings in disguise will be

revealed in God's timing.

Aren't you thankful that we don't have to trust

in our own understanding?

We can rest in the peace that God

is working and already

sees the entire finished puzzle 

of our lives in it's 

finished masterpiece form, that He has designed?

I could never create that on my own.

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
   don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do,
everywhere you go;
   he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

What do you do to get yourself

going again when your plans get changed?

I hope your pieces
are falling right in place

for you this week, but if not, 

get out the card table and some tea

 and  invite me over. 

We could sure have some fun together

figuring out where some of those pieces go!!

♥

87.  friends and family that pray for us

88.  answered prayer even when it's not what you expected

89.  a promotion for my hubby at work

90.  our granddaughter's beautiful tears during our video chat when 

        telling us  she really missed us!  

91.  encouragement that comes just when you need it

92.  finding a fall leaf in my path that looked like a heart put there just for me

93.  the gift of creating that brings me so much pleasure and peace

94.  finding creative new ways to rearrange the pieces in life  

  

Abundance and the Miracle

As you can see,
I've been doodling for a few weeks 
on this creation which

  started out as pure therapy, since that is

what pen and ink so often provide for me.

(started it when I hurt my back and was laying on the couch)

(and please forgive my photography- since the photo came out crooked) 

I had no idea that it was going to turn into a frame for 

a new quote that spoke to me recently.  

Since starting my 1000 Gifts List,

I am finding it so true that 
thanksgiving

really does create abundance!

It is changing me into being less

of a worrier and more into

a person who

cannot wait to see what blessings are

there waiting for her when she gets up in the morning!

Anticipation is an awesome thing!

 I'll be honest here. 

My first tendency has often been

to worry

What if, .... 
what now, ....
what will happen next, ....
what am I going to do, etc...

that is until 

I stop and  listen to God asking me to

cast all my cares upon him instead.

"Throw the whole of your anxiety upon Him,

because He Himself cares for you."

1Peter 5:7

But you know what? 
This being intentional about
writing down what I am thankful for everyday,
has made the tendency
to begin worrying, so much less.
For that I am sooooo thankful. 

I came across this 4 faced doll the other day that

my grandma made for our daughters

when they were young.

This dolly reminds me of the many different emotions

we may go through on any given day.

(so of course I had to play along and show you) 

(hope you enjoy my craziness! )

I couldn't help but notice after posing with

little dolly here, how peaceful we both

look when we are  

praying together.

Isn't that the way it really is? We find peace when we

give our worries and cares over

to our Heavenly Father...

who cares for us and handles things for us in his own

way and in his own timing. 

And of course He gives us special friends

to help us through, along the way also.

I am so thankful he understands me and YOU

and every emotion we go through

because he created us.

Hoping your miracles multiply this week, 

along with mine, as we give thanks!

oh and....thanks for being my friend,

41. warm comfy couch and a good movie

42. good friends who understand and care

43. getting love text messages from my hubby

44. the privilege of getting to be an encouragement to someone else

45. MUSIC- all kinds

46. talking to my grandchildren over the telephone

47. hearing my granddaughter, over the phone, so excited about loosing her tooth

48. wonderful sisters to go to lunch with

49. Autumn smelling candles burning in the house

50. emotions that God created inside of me so life wouldn't be dull

Living Fully Right Where You Are Now

It really has been a long time since my last post.  

A few weeks ago, I injured my back

and didn't realize it until after

sitting at the computer, and

upon trying to stand, I could not get up.

My back

stubbornly said

"No, you must crawl to the next room."  

 Photo courtesy of Country Living

 

After some pampering, ice packs

and resting, my back is better and

I'm even back to my routine exercise walking again.

 But that is why, my friends

that I just haven't sat long at the computer 

to visit

with you lately. 

I've missed Y♥U.

I want to share with you

about an awesome book I am reading.

ONE Thousand Gifts

 

It's all about "eucharisteo" 

(the Greek word for giving thanks)

Through tragedy and loss in the author Ann's life as 

a child, and the pain and disappointment she

carried,  followed her into

  her adult years. This brought her to the place 

of searching for true JOY and how to

live the fullest life that God wants to give us.

"Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance of whatever He gives.  Thanksgiving is the manifestation of our YES! to His grace.”

                                                                  Ann Voskamp 

She found the secret,

to understanding how to have this real JOY

and it was in learning

how to be thankful whether empty or full...

(each day)  and that ......

"eucharisteo (giving thanks) always precedes the miracle."

                                                     Ann VosKamp

I've been on the sad side of things lately.  It's not any one thing.

I think I'm already panicking about the sun shining

less as fall approaches and then winter.

  And I've been in a creative lull...and...and..and..

on and on.

  I need to change things up a bit.

So I decided to start my own 1000 gifts list.

I started it today and will be sharing some of

the things I love that are right in front of me.

 Things that I'm thankful for. 

I am going to follow my friend Becky's lead

and add them at the bottom of my blog posts until

I hit 1000. 

You can join me anytime if you want.

  I would love to hear 

what things you love and are thankful for 

that are right in front of you.

So always feel free to share if you'd like.

And know that YOU are on my thankful list.

Have a wonderful week my friends!

♥

1.  Ann VosKamp and her book- One Thousand Gifts

2.  the beautiful day God provided outside

3.  a phone call from my daughter

4.  the smell of pine from the pine tree

5.  a good night's rest

6.  morning sunshine casting happy shadows through the house

7.  my uni-ball waterproof ink pen

8.  my journal and a new page to write in

9.  my hubby who works so hard to provide for us
10. my blogging friends