30 days of lists: day 14 & 15

day 14 - (fill in the blank) Things I love about ______________

God...

• that He forgives beyond my human understanding
• that He can make all things new
• that He redeems
• that He can bring reconciliation
• that He can heal
• that He loves me
• that He accepts me
• that He can make good out of chaos
• that no matter how far I go, I can't get away from Him

day 15 - On my shopping list[s]

Grocery:
*ingredients needed for raspberry-almond tea cakes

Other: (not sure if some of this would be considered wish list rather than shopping list, but oh, well)

*some specific tupperware containers i want for the kitchen

*a tea cozy or two (different sizes)

*stainless steel/glass spice jar set

*dresser for the bedroom closet

*lily bulbs & others (this was from last year and didn't get done, but is still on an old list)

*various books i want to get (it would be a long list to try to put here)

*various songs to add to my iTunes library (also, quite a list, though not as many as the books)

*more anamalz (wooden toys) to complete my collection, also the bags for them

*miniature butter dish

*wrapping paper holder

*curtains for the bathroom

30 days of lists: day 13 - DIY i want to try

thinking, thinking, thinking...

*i've been wanting to make a quilt. i have a general idea, but... I bought some fabric squares in Bozeman, MT when we went to Yellowstone National Park in 2009 that i really liked and want something made from them.

*want to get caught up and back into a regular habit of scrapbooking. i'm years behind.

*bought some old windows and want to mount photos or paint on each of the glass sections.

*i've made a few jewelry pieces and would like to do more

*writing more: journaling, poems, etc

*complete an old sewing project from decades ago

30 days of lists: day 12 - weekly rituals

ok, i have some weekly "habits" per se

*television shows: NCIS, NCIS LA, White Collar, The Mentalist are pretty much set. Blue Bloods & Fairly Legal are also creeping in there.

*wednesday's i meet with a couple other women and share prayer requests, have fellowship and we're reading through and discussing the book, "Lioness Arising" by Lisa Bevere

*1st and 3rd thursdays (through the school year) i'm dong volunteer reading for students in kindergarten

*every 4 weeks i have some medical stuff that goes on

*pretty much read every night of every week

30 days of lists: day 11 - date night ideas

wow...what do i want to do?

me and my husband:

*take a road trip to a touristy kind of place like when we went to fells pt, md or charleston, sc

*scenic drives and stopping to take pics during it (the blue ridge parkway is great, but a distance away, so that part one would have to be a weekend kinda thing)

*attend another josh turner concert!! (we went in october and it was great!)

*drive around and find a place to do some "picking" like on the tv show "american pickers" -- looking for cool, old stuff that doesn't cost too much

*going to a decent movie and enjoying it with popcorn, a drink, and some milkduds

*dinner out at a nice restaurant and having flowers delivered to the table from him as a surprise

*a picnic lunch at a local park/lake (did this once and we took grilled hotdogs, chips, and rootbeer)

*go in a store that sells greeting cards and pick one out for each other and show it to the other (the thought really does count for something :)


dates with girlfriends/others

*lunch at a true tearoom (the kind with scones, finger sandwiches, etc. the one near me closed up :-(

*bookstore shopping spree

*starbucks and just hanging out talking

*get together for movies/dvds etc and laugh a lot

*scrapbook/card making night

*take a class on learning/doing quilting together


dates with my kids and/or their spouses (they're all adults)

*christmas/bday shopping trips

*time together looking through old photos, memorabilia

*movies

*shopping for clothes with my daughter (she can help me put things together - i don't usually like to shop for clothes)

*going out to eat together


looking forward to this one day...grandchild/grandchildren

*shopping--(toys, toys, toys and books, books, books, and clothes, clothes, clothes or whatever :-) just having fun letting him/her shop)

*ice cream night

*playing games

*hanging out, watching movies, etc

*craft projects


for "me alone" time

*perhaps an art class of some kind

*thrift shopping

30 days of lists: day 10

i'm coming in on this late, but jumping in now to participate in 30 days of lists: no fancy pics or anything yet, mainly cuz i don't readily know how to do all that.

*shelf/cab for our kitchen for near the back door (for appliances, etc)

*a tv stand that will hold the vcr as well as my cm photo albums

*a dresser for our bedroom closet

*a frame for my water+trees print

*chair cushions for kitchen chairs

*different kitchen table and chairs

*?open bookshelf or counter, etc for studio

*repairs/upgrades in our home (or a new home?)

success and faithfulness

i read a quote recently during my devotional that was attributed to Mother Teresa. "I do not pray for success. I pray for faithfulness."

this strikes me as a worthy goal as a christian. i believe that the devotional i was reading at the time was relating to financial success. i believe it goes further than that and can be applied in other ways.

i find myself wishing to be successful in my relationships, eating, exercise, self discipline, financial goals, housing, employment and on and on. there are so many challenges that call to me, whether self imposed or through the endless litany of media outlets and others (even friends at times) that promote "good looks", "nice" cars or homes, the "perfect" job, having the "right" amount in our bank accounts, and on and on it goes. now the thought occurs that regardless of what i'm facing, if i am faithful to God i am a success. wierd how that works. striving for one (faithfulness) and attaining them both.

however, some would consider a particular goal a "success" regardless of if God is in it. (i.e. if i have $$$ saved for retirement, then i've been successful, if i get this degree in college, then i'm successful, if i get married and have x number of children, i'm successful.) how about we turn that around to, "if i do as God directs then [fill in blank] will be as God has deemed and that is success for he alone knows what is coming."

i find i cannot have true success without faithfulness for that in itself is success.

now...may i remain faithful, realizing it is only through Him that i can,

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" Jude 1:24

"...and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

a plants' life and more

I have a Christmas cactus that had sat in the addition of our home for roughly two years; most of that time it seems it was neglected. I seldom watered it, and though I don't know a lot about plants, this one seldom had sunlight, and I'm certain it needed some. It was droopy :-(

A few months or so back, I moved the plant to our bathroom. I try to open the blinds daily to allow sunlight for it and have watered it on a fairly consistent basis.

Today I noticed new sprouts or buds on the plant! Now some of you may think, "Well, of course, that's what a tended plant will do." or something to that effect; and, you're right. But thoughts that came just a tad later seemed to speak even louder.

Our lives can be looked at like that plant. If our spiritual needs are neglected we will wither. We will be droopy. However, if we gain regular nutrition, son light, watering, etc. we will sprout, grow, blossom, and flourish. (nutrition can be obtained through His word, the Holy Spirit, & other believers)

Many years ago, it seemed the LORD spoke directly to me as I questioned him. I've struggled with depression a lot of my adult life, and looking back probably dealt with it as a child and teen but didn't realize it. His answer seemed to be the following. I pray it blesses you. It's a reminder to me that He is at work, that He has a plan for me, though often I've questioned. I don't currently have a title for it, but please, if you post or copy it, etc, please do so For His Glory (1 Cor 10:31)

"I'LL SPRINKLE you like the dew--
refresh you, cool you, and yes prune you.

You will blossom to a fruitful bush and
many will eat of you.

You will be a blessing to others and will
feed and nurture them.

Only prepare yourself a good soil, that your
roots may be strong.

Be patient, a strong tree takes time,
but persist to be nurtured,

Endure the pruning for soon comes
forth the fruit.

BE STILL and KNOW that I am GOD"

FHG/bkm c1996-1997

I hope the Christmas cactus eventually has some beautiful flowers; but for now at least it appears to be recuperating a bit. How much more so do you think God delights when we sprout? :-)