It Doesn't Take Much to Make Me Happy



I'm all about simple things.  It is often the simple things in life that make us most happy.  Take a few minutes today to think about all the little things that truly make you happy...not the things you think you need to be happy.  Here's some things I thought of.

Cold sheets

The smell of wood smoke in crisp Autumn air

A cozy blanket

The crackle of wood in a fire

The sound of walking in crisp Autumn leaves

Holding my hubbies hand

A hot cup of coffee on a cool morning

A good book

The whistle of wind

Reading my Bible in the morning

Seeing my hubby pull into the driveway after being gone all day

Flannel pajamas

My daughters curls

My son on a tractor

The sound of sleighbells in winter

A sweet, crunchy apple

Making a home cooked meal for my family

Warm hats and mittens

A cup of cocoa

Christmas Music

The flicker of a candle

I could go on and on...What simple things are you thankful for?

First Day of School

Much as I hate to admit it...there is a certain degree of "fun-ness" (is that a word?) to  the first day of school.  I love the smell of new books and the feel of pages that have never been opened.  I can't say for sure but I'm not totally convinced that my children share these same sentiments.  I'm guessing that when I asked my son if he was ready to start school and he went..."aww..."followed by a contorted face that he wasn't reveling in the whole new book thing like myself.  But school must go on!

I'm so thankful that I get to homeschool.  Sometimes it's hard..I won't lie...but when I think of the alternatives...I realize that is is worth any sort of inconvenience.  When I woke up this morning I prayed that God would help me to be loving, patient and to speak kind words to my children as I teach them.  The "teaching" part is easy.  I was always a nerd in school...I loved school.  But the part that doesn't always come as easy is the patience, love, kindness, long-suffering, understanding.  I dare say that those are the most important.  I'm praying for a great year filled with fun, learning and growing together.  It is such a blessing to be able to have my kids home with me where I can direct their hearts and where they can truly "be themselves" without any sort of peer pressure to be something they're not.  To all of you who are beginning school...have a great year.  Wherever your kids attend school...bathe the school year in prayer, prayer and more prayer.  I don't want my kids to see my flesh as I teach them...I want them to see the fruits of the spirit being exercised in my life. 

My Cozy Kitchen

Today I was busy canning tomatoes and baking some zucchini bread with veggies from our Garden.  As the tomatoes were boiling in the canning pot, two loaves of whole wheat zucchini bread were cooling on the baking rack and simmering on the stove was a lovely pot of macaroni soup. For those of you who read my previous post about my love of macaroni soup... I just couldn't wait...I opened up one of my jars of tomatoes and threw a pot together.  My taste buds appreciated it.  And the thing that makes me most happy is that my kids loved the macaroni soup just like I did when I was little!  I don't think there are many things more cozy to me then the smells of the kitchen and the sounds of my children playing around the house.  All these things are what make a plain ole' house a HOME.  It is what my kids will remember when they are older and what makes me most happy in the here and now.  I am so thankful for the bounty of food the Lord has given us.  He daily loadeth us with benefits!

For the recipe I use for the zucchini bread...click HERE.

And here it is....the love of my life (well besides my hubs).

Have a simply great day everyone.  Remember to stop and be thankful for the little things.

Contentment!

As I sat outside this morning drinking my coffee...I realized how content I felt.  As I sat on my porch and felt the warmth of the coffee cup in my hand and the cool breeze brushing against my skin I had such a feeling of contentment.  I really, truly love the simple life.  I like quiet moments and small blessings.  I was thinking to my self how richly I have been blessed and how wonderful God is.  I was thinking about all the wonderful things the Lord has provided for my family and I.  Just last night I was silently thinking (maybe not even praying necessarily) that I wanted to find some new curtains for my bedroom (the ones I bought not long ago were too dark so I used them somwhere else) but right now it's not in the budget...especiall since I have expensive taste sometimes.  We were at a thrift shop and lo and behold I found the most perfect curtains.  They were like new and exactly what I was looking for.  It reminded me once again...that God cares about even the little things and that He hears requests sometimes left unspoken.  Things here have been a little tighter than normal...but that's life.  The thought struck me that I really need not worry about money or the false sense of security it brings...my Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  Blessings

Countdown to Fall!



To say that I am excited about the arrival of Fall would be the understatement of the century!  I wait all Summer for Fall to burst on the scene in all of its wondrous glory.  Thought I would give some reasons why I love fall so much!

1)  I love the colors...they are so warm and inviting.  It's no coincidence that my whole house is pretty much Fall colors.

2)  I love the Cinnamon Butter that Country Crock comes out with in the Fall/Winter Season.  Have you tried it?  You need to!

3)  I Love the aroma of flavored coffees brewing in my coffee pot...hazelnut, pumpkin spice, Golden French Toast...O Baby...Be still my heart.

4)  I love the smell of homemade baked goods filling my house...especially anything with pumpkin.

5)  I love my Northface Fleece...we hardly ever are away from eachother.

6)  I love scarves

7)  Honey Crisp Apples...Need I say more?

8)  Saturdays spent at Fall festivals with the hubs and kids.

9) Pumpkins, Gourds and haybales...O my!

10)  Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte...it's a beautiful thing.

Changes


 
Today was kind of a bittersweet day...we found out a good friend is expecting a new life, our Grandpa is at the end of his life (only a very short time left) and some dear friends who have been at our church for over four months are moving on to someplace else (her husband's work takes them to many different places).  Days like this always cause me to be still and ponder.  One thing is for sure in life and that is....that life always changes.  Everyday life begins and ends, people come and go and life just keeps changing.  In the case of our Grandpa...he and Grandma have been married for over 59 years.  I wonder what it must be like to one day wake up and the person you have had by your side for almost all your life is no longer there.  No more hand to hold, no more smile to look at, no more gentle laugh or sweet voice to listen to (by the way they had a fantastic marriage...one of love and sacrifice).  Sometimes when death is near it makes us think about the things that are most important...the things that really matter.
 
In the case of our Grandpa...he isn't really dying.  In fact, he is going to be really alive for the first time in his life.  No more pain or death for him.  It's all uphill from this point.  You see all of us are dying everyday.  Do you ever think about that?  All of our lives are winding down.  Sure we don't often think about it and perhaps we don't want to dwell on death all the time, but then again...maybe it would help us keep perspective.
 
This evening we had a going away party for our dear friends (who feel like family)...but perhaps in heaven they are preparing a "coming home" celebration for our Grandpa and all the other believers who will pass through Heaven's gate..."Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."
 
So with all these changes and the sometimes sad or happy feelings they bring, I am reminded once again...that this life is only a dream...Heaven is reality.  We are strangers and pilgrims passing through a foreign land on our way towards home.  If we are Christians we should never really feel "at home" in this world.  I think the loss we sometimes feel when change comes is really just the imprint on the heart of a Christian that this world is not our home.  We all are seeking that home which "God prepared for us before the world began..." 
 
So while the world keeps changing and rearranging...God is still the same... and Heaven is still Home for the believer.  The old saying "Home Sweet Home" will take on a whole new meaning in Heaven.  There will be no more sickness, no more death and no more good byes to friends we love so dear.  When we enter Heaven's gate we will breathe a sigh and our hearts will say "Now...you are finally home."

An Old Fasthioned Family!

Lately I've been thinking about this concept of an "old fashioned" family.  Does it mean that I'm walking around in dress and petty coat?  Does it mean I'm driving a car from the "fifties."  Rather It's a mindset.  Why is everyone so afraid of being labeled "old fashioned."  For some people its a dirty word.  Just because things are new and progressive doesn't automatically mean they are right.  That line of thinking is like a Pandora's box..Once you open it all kind of crazy things might come out.

For me the "Good ole' days" doesn't speak of a time when all was right in the world, but rather when things were more right with how people acted in society in general...I didn't say everyone.  A day when people still had morals, when things were clearly "right or wrong" not "morally acceptable."  So having said that...here's the reason why I consider my family to be...."an old fashioned" family.

~We  teach our children how to act in public and at home.  My kids don't rule the house and dictate where we go. They are taught to look adults in the eye and not to mumble when they talk.  They are given clearly understood directions as to what is acceptable and what is not.  My little boy is taught to care for his sister and love here and watch out for her.

~We teach our kids stewardship...giving to the Lord and proper care of things that we own.  That entails not ruining your toys by foolish or rough play, but also includes teaching them the value of a dollar and hard work.  If something gets broke there isn't always money to buy another one....it's a life lesson all kids need to learn.  Take care of things when you are young and you will do the same when you are older.  Many people in the world don't have the luxury of owning things much less ruining them.  Being a good steward and being frugal go hand in hand.

~We still put on our Sunday Best.  Honestly, most people look like they just rolled out of bed when they come to church.  People can get all dolled up for all kinds of things but for some reason when it comes to church it's just too much work.

~We teach our kids that life revolves around church and not vice-versa.  You don't schedule events on church days nor do you miss church for anything other than sickness or being away (which we always try to find a good church).

~Respect for God's house...we teach our children that though we as Christians are the church, the building is the Place we meet to Worship the Lord and it's not a jungle gym.  Yes our kids have acted crazy in church, but its always dealt with and the children are lovingly reminded how "we ought to obey ourselves in the house of God."  Money and time are invested in the church and children need to respect that. In line with that we teach and train our children about proper behaviour at stores, other people's houses etc...  In a nut shell....we teach our children self-control.  There are rules that govern everything we do, so it is only logical that there are rules for how to act in various places.

~Family Meals....we do them faithfully.  Its a standing appointment unless you're sick.  We still pray and read scripture and we teach our children proper manners like "please, thank you and may I be excused."  Because of this we have been able from a very young age to take our children to  fancy restaurants without worry of them misbehaving.  They are growing up enjoying things that many children never get to enjoy because we know they will behave...like theatre, musical concerts (good music) etc...

~We all fulfill our rolls...Dad leads, Mom supports and follows (no I'm not perfect, but I know what is required of me) and our children are obedient to their parents.  Things work smoothly and we are all happy fulfilling our God-designed rolls.

~We teach our girl to be a lady (she's still learning and I might add that this doesn't just come from wearing a dress) and we are training our boy to be a man so that he can lead a family someday.  They don't follow modern media and their roll models are not girls dressed like harlots or effeminate boys.

~We live simply...we aren't overcrowded with media, possessions, hobbies (we have them) but we make an effort to keep all things in their place so we can enjoy being a family and have quality time together.  We aren't running around all week taking one kid here, one kid there and Mom and Dad someplace else.  Sometimes people just need to stay still and be thankful for what they have and realize that all the things our society says we need to be successful are only a ploy from satan.  They distract us from the heart of the matter...and that is...dealing with the matter of the heart and it's sinful condition.  Sometimes all of us as people are to "earthly minded."  Maybe we should all start looking beyond this earth into eternity.  To what really matters....to what last forever....to what is incorruptible and doth not fade away.

So what gets me started on all this...for one is some news articles I've read.  Another is how many Christian families are falling apart and have no impact whatsoever on the world around them.  Maybe this is why God has called my husband and I to ministry....because we are so troubled by what we see around us.  Because we want to be different...because we have told the Lord that we want to be set apart from him.

I Love my husband, I love my kids and I'm so thankful for them.  Were it not for my wonderful husband I may not be where I am today.  He is a faithful, Godly man who works hard for his family and for the Lord.