Can you see me?

Sometimes we get so focused on ourselves that we don't really notice those around us. (I know I am guilty of this all too often.)

The following short little video is cute but has an awesome point to it:




Really makes you think doesn't it? Everyone is going through some sort of problem, crisis, or pain - whether a small thing or something greater. When I take my focus off of me and look around, I can see so much more clearly.  There is a world out there full of people with needs...

God wants us to:

be kind...

smile
ask how they are and mean it.

give...

not just money, but time. Real time.
Help someone,
show them a skill,
listen to their story.

share...

God's wonderful gospel! The hope, the life we have in Christ.

He is Tender

The latest "5 Minute Friday" writing exercise, done today which is Saturday, a day late. ~wink
From the website: "Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays.
We write because we want to, not because we have to. We write for fun, for joy, for discovery.
We just write without worrying if it’s just write or not....Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking."

These exercises cause me to really stretch my thoughts... today's word is: 

Tender

Touched by His tender hand

Under the shadow of His wings

Loved...

Sheltered...

Protected...

It is amazing how tender our Lord is. He calls with a still small voice—He doesn’t shout at us or hit us up beside the head…. He tenderly calls us… “Come unto Me.”

Gentle...

Caring...

Giving...

He is so tender with me when I fail Him. He reproves me with love. The correction may hurt but through it I know just how much I am loved.

Sharing...

Reaching...

Showing...

He wants me to show His tenderness to others. Share His great love with them….to REACH OUT with His tenderness.. 

Oh how wonderful it is to know His tenderness… to feel His tenderness… to have Him sharing that tenderness to others through me (I am such an unworthy vessel!).

He is indeed...

Tender.

(The "He" of course is Christ. ~smile)

Why I like Facebook

I like Facebook - yeah, I do. I really do. ~smile 

I don't spend hours on Facebook each day. I play none of the virtual reality games that so many love, I merely update my status, check others, and play a word game or two. There are days when I spend more time on there, I'm sure, but mostly I just spend about 15 minutes or so 3- 4 times a day if I'm at home. It's fun. It's positive (I do NOT read or participate in gossip, drama, or bashing of any kind.) I consider it a nice little addition to my life. Here is why:

The Top 8 Reasons Why I Like Facebook (I know you are all just dieing to know!)


1. I'm quiet person by nature and it gives me a "voice". I can share little tidbits of my life, what's on my mind, etc. and others HAVE to listen! No, not really - they can freely and easily ignore me, hide me, or even unfriend me if they like.... but all the same I enjoy sharing little tidbits, a sentence or 2 several times a day.

2. Lexulous - If you are not familiar with it, it is pretty much the same thing as Scrabble. I love it. I have 3 games going nearly all the time and usually get a chance to play a word about 3-5 times a day. I love words and I love that game.

3. Getting in touch with old friends and family members. It has been great to get in touch with some friends from school and once again have contact with some of my family I might not otherwise correspond with. I love to look at their family photos, hear how and what they are doing. And it gives me opportunities to remember to pray for them which I might not otherwise have.

4. Staying in close contact with good friends and close family members. This is quite possibly my favorite part. I am not one to spend time chatting on the phone - matter of fact I almost never call anyone other than my sons, unless it is for an appointment. I seldom even call my very closest friends (I know, bad me.) Facebook gives me daily contact with many of those I am close with. I feel I am able to be a closer part of their lives, whether they are right next door or far away.

5. I can share Christ. This is a biggie for me. I am sure there are a number of my friends on Facebook who just can't understand why I like to talk about Him so much... as well, I'm sure there are friends who wish I wouldn't talk about Him at all. The thing is a relationship with Christ is like a great love story. I am in awe of how loved I am by Him and I honestly feel if I am silent the rocks would cry out the story of His love! He is amazing, wonderful, precious, so very good-- how can I be silent?

6. Blog updates, newsletters, etc.  Like a Bubbling Brook ,Our Simple Country Life, and  Challies.com are just a few. So much good information! I have been so blessed, learned so much, and have been edified by so many.

7. It gives me an opportunity to share what I write on here - A World of Loveliness- with my friends.

8.  And lastly but certainly not least...I can share a joke or cute story and at least imagine that someone somewhere is laughing at it. ~smile

Well, that's it. My top 8 reasons why I like Facebook. Now, I'm off to update my status and share this post. ~wink

Joy... JOY!

Source: google.com via Amber on Pinterest

Joy is much like happiness but deeper.

Joy is a funny thing. If we try to find joy (or happiness), it may seem impossible to find. In the searching for it, we lose it. If our one goal is to find joy for ourselves (to be happy), it will allude us.


And yet...

when we...

use the little acrostic..

J - Jesus

O- others

Y- you

WOW. There it is...


JOY! 

Our lives... lived in the proper perspective... will yield joy.

True joy = living for Christ, serving others and focusing on my needs/wants/desires last.

Everything within our human souls cries out just the opposite-- "What about ME?"

Yet, when I am last, then... joy, there it is. What a blessed little revelation.

It is not easy and I certainly can't do this all on my own, when I try do it in my own strength (which is all too often), it slips away. Only with Him am I able..
..moment by moment seeking to rely on Him...

Source: etsy.com via Annie on Pinterest

 Linked up with:

Think, think, think

While out shopping with a friend just before Christmas, I came across the book The Liberty of Obedience by Elisabeth Elliot at a thrift store. I looked it over but decided not to buy it. Later in the day we went to another thrift shop and there it was again... I figured I should buy it - maybe God was trying to tell me something!

I am so glad I did purchase it. Elisabeth Elliot shares great wisdom in this little book and I read several passages over and over.  E. Elliot has a easy to read, conversational style of writing. Each time I read one of her books, I feel as though I have had a little visit with her. This book is written in just this way. I greatly enjoyed the time I spent learning from her.

In the LoO, Elisabeth shares how she thought she knew what worldliness was before she arrived to teach the Auca people.  She was shocked when she first got there because the people were so friendly to her. She expected them to be hostile because they lived in a Godless society. She went to the Word of God to learn how to relate to them and share His gospel with them.

I love her perspective. Many times we get all caught up in what we think is "the right way" to do something (something we already know is good), when God gives no specific guidelines in His Word -- rather He is looking at our heart- the WHY of what we are doing rather than the "how".

"It appears that God has deliberately left us in a quandary about many things. Why did He not summarize all the rules in one book, and all the basic doctrines in another? He could have eliminated the loopholes, prevented all the schisms over morality and false teaching that plagued His Church for two thousand years. Think of the squabbling and perplexity we would have been spared. And think of the crop of dwarfs He would have reared!

He did not spare us. He wants us to reach maturity. He has so arranged things that if we are to go on beyond the "milk diet" we shall be forced to think. We must train our faculties by practice to distinguish between good and evil..." p. 84

"We shall be forced to think." I love that phrase... God doesn't want mindless, unthinking, zombies.... he wants thinking, maturing followers... people who choose to live for Him!

In the words of Winnie the Pooh, "Think, think, think."

How could anything be better than this??

^{We are so blessed to have the Bible. It strikes me with awe that we can read the very Word of God and know Him through it.}

^{John 14:15-21}

"If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you,and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live,

ye shall live also.

At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and

I will love him,

and will manifest myself to him."

Isn't that amazing? When we know Him, He is in us, with us and loves us! How could anything be better that that??

What is a girl to do?

Many causes interest me, burden me, impassion me, I guess you could say. 

I had been involved a bit more years ago- and I wonder and pray on how should I be involved now... should I be doing more? People are out there protesting, should I get involved in this? Would the Lord be leading me in that direction?

As I sat praying about this the other day, a truth became clear to me. (I did not hear an audible voice or anything earth-shattering like that, but rather the Holy Spirit brought to mind what I had learned from the Word and from past Bible teaching and preaching I have heard.) 

As I sat there, what God wanted me to do became clear. 

The number one priority on my time, the first priority of service for me is my husband.

"The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed" Titus 2:3-5 

After that, I am to be actively involved in my local church, extended family members lives, and of course seek to be a help where ever needed in my sons and daughter-in law and future daughter-in-law's lives. Beyond that, He will show me in due time what He would have for me to do. 

That may not sound like much and it certainly does not sound especially thrilling. However, it does make my life very FULL - when I am doing what I should be.

A friend of mine shared recently how she knew God wanted her to get up in the morning, make her husband's lunch and send him off to work happy. (She does an excellent job and is a great example.) I have endeavored to do that for nearly 23 years now (our 23rd anniversary is in June '12), but when was the last time I included a little note in his lunch- I can't remember the last time. It is these "little things" that are to be my focus, along with the larger.

So...what should I DO?

"And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." Luke 10:27

If that is my focus, all the rest will fall in line... 

 

Domestically Divine Tuesday

 

I may have been too shy to tell you...

I have mentioned before that I love people. Although at times I can be horribly, painfully shy, I enjoy meeting new people and listening as others tell me about their lives.

Sadly, when chatting with others my pride often gets in the way. Many, many, MANY times, indeed MOST of the time, I remain silent on the single most important topic for any conversation.

I chat about the weather or a book I've read, when I could (and should) be telling them that Someone loved them so much that He willingly died for them. 

We

no longer need to live in nagging guilt about past wrongs,


no longer need to feel as though no one loves us and we are alone,


no longer need to live in the worthlessness of ourselves, the emptiness of this life.


We can call on the One, Jehovah, Who died for our sins and loves us so...

I am born again by Christ's sacrifice on the cross. 
(For me! -- the thought!! I am not deserving...)

He is the One deserving of all praise. 

My sins are forgiven and washed away ... 
 by His blood that was shed.... (!!!!) 

John 3: 

¹⁴And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
 ¹⁵That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
 ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
 ¹⁸He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

No condemnation in Christ! Freedom!!
What awesome LOVE - sending his only Son to die for us!

It is almost too much to comprehend isn't it?

What an awesome God!

Won't you cry out to Him today?

Apple Cinnamon Ornaments

Apple Cinnamon Ornaments

2 C cinnamon

1 ½ C applesauce

1. Mix cinnamon and 1 C applesauce, keep adding applesauce until it becomes like a dough.

**Keep unused dough in a sealed plastic bag to stay moist. **

2. Put dough on wax paper.

3. Roll ¼ inch thick.

4. Cut out desired shape (cookie cutters work great)

5 Poke small hole in top to put thread or hanger thru.

6. Using a spatula set shape on a rack away from heat to dry. Turn with spatula several times a day. It takes approximately 5 days to dry.


They are really fun to make in the shape of hearts and give as Valentines. 

 

And to use as decoration around the home. 

Here is one above my fridge:

Here are a few star shaped ones in a bowl with some of the soap I have made:

And another heart in my dining room paired with a stick my son carved for me when he was young:

 

On my kitchen counter I have an old canning jar that I have placed some of these in along with a set of white lights. After the lights have warmed up (in about 15 minutes) my kitchen smells like an apple pie is baking- I made these over a year ago and they still smell wonderful!

I linked up with:

Every Creative Endeavor

and 

Saturday is Crafty Day
 
check out the links for more great ideas!

The Little things... :-)

Having my say....

I have written and rewritten this post several times now...tossed it around in my head for years, looking for the right words... I like to keep my blog as an uplifting little spot on the web whenever possible, hence the name, however I feel it is time for me to post about the horrific tragedy that is happening in our country.

Many times when I have posted about this subject on Facebook, I have been the recipient of some very real anger - name calling, insinuations of a lack of intelligence, etc. The thing that strikes me about most of those who are so angry is that they are unwilling to do any research on the subject and see what is really happening. That really scares me - they are giving their full support to something so incredibly heinous that they themselves are afraid to research the subject or to view videos of it.

The following link contains one such video. This video is very graphic. It contains pictures of babies who have been aborted.... I know we don't like to think about this. It is horrible, sad, gruesome. However, wouldn't you agree that is time for us to stop turning our heads away and face up to what is going on?? Innocent blood is being shed-- who will speak for them? I myself have become complacent. I've gotten busy with life and honestly just didn't want to think of this going on. Years ago I was more involved, now I can't even find the little pin with the tiny feet on it that I wore for years... it was so easy to fall into complacency ....

The video is at this link: Here's the Blood 
I would caution children against viewing it. 14 years+ would seem a bit more appropriate. I honestly believe every adult should view this (yes, you can handle it- unless you have some underlying emotional medical problem.) It will shock you, and it will sadden you. It will cause you to weep and it will cause you to cherish your own children and grandchildren all the more. After viewing this video, there will be no doubt in your mind that these are babies (not just pieces of tissue) being aborted.

This website also contains information on how we can become involved in changing things around-- making the life of an unborn child valuable once again in America.

All Natural, Inexpensive, All-Purpose Cleaner Recipe

This is the all-purpose cleaner I use.  It is great for cleaning greasy stove-tops, counters, bathroom sinks and toilets. It cost only pennies to make, is healthy to breath in (no harmful chemicals) and it smells and works great!  

I found this recipe originally at The Family Homestead, and have been using it for several years now. I have modified it a little for my needs...

All-Purpose Cleaner 

• 3T white vinegar
• 2 t Borax
• Hot water
• a few drops of a mild dish detergent
• 6-10 drops of essential oil - I prefer peppermint essential oil. It's smell is fresh and invigorating and it has the added benefit of being a disinfectant.

In a  spray bottle (you can thoroughly rinse out your old store-bought cleaner bottle and use that) put vinegar, borax and hot water.  Swish around until borax has dissolved.  Add the drops of dish detergent and fill the rest of the bottle with water.  Add the essential oil. 

Shake gently before each use.

Note: This is not a window cleaner. It can leave smudges. I'll post a recipe for a cleaner I use for windows in the near future. 

Happy, healthy, and frugal cleaning!!

Goals for 2012

I love a new year... 

a fresh new start,

isn't that an awesome feeling? 

A new year.. exciting new opportunities... new plans... new goals... I prefer to set goals for a new year rather than make resolutions. Resolutions (for me) tend to fall by the wayside, whereas goals are something I can continue to peck at bit by bit.

Last year I chose a word for the year as well.

2011's word was 

JOY. 

2012's word is still undecided. 

I am stuck between 

PRAY 

and 

OBEY.  

My word for the year is merely an overarching goal for the year... a focus area beyond all my other goals. My word is one I pray about and has spiritual significance for me, however, many people choose a word for the year that has no real spiritual meaning- rather just one of discipline. It is a fun little idea. For a little more info on what I'm talking about, check out this link:

2012 - One Word

For 2012, I have set many goals. Here is a sampling:

Goals to.... READ

January

Liberty of Obedience by Elisabeth Elliot
Prayer by E M Bounds -a large volume containing several of his writings. (begin)

February

Prayer by E M Bounds (finish)
A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent

March

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

Goals to... Create

January

Marbleized clay heart pendants (I completed this little project last Saturday- I love the result.)

February

Tote bags with vintage fabrics

March

Hand crafted paper

Goals to... Get Active

• Snowshoe, X country ski or walk for at least 1/2 an hour every day during the cold months.
• Use my kayak at least once a week during the warm months (this certainly will not be hardship to implement as I love it so, but it is hard to find the place, people to go with, etc.)
• Walk, Hike, etc. for at least 1/2 an hour every day during warm months.

Goals to... Do

• Post at least 4 items a month in my etsy shop.
• Memorize scripture.
• Share Christ boldly in love and with joy!

These are just a few of the goals I have for 2012.  Will I accomplish them all? I hope so. However, I know that if I don't reach a goal on a time table I have set, I can set a new goal and peck away at it until it is done.

Here are some resources I have found helpful in planning for this year:

• Productive Flourishing -- Charlie Gilkey has created and gives away freely some very helpful charts. I especially like his "Monthly Action Planner" "Annual Strategic Planner" and "The Blog Post Planner"
• Money Saving Mom has a Books I Plan to Read list that is exactly what I was looking for in planning for this year. I find her weekly "10 Goals for This Week" posts to be motivational. Here is an example: 10 Goals for This Week There are a LOT of resources on her blog, be sure to take some time and look around.

I would love to hear from others on what your goals are for 2012, how you decide on those goals and what you use for resources in planning them...

Happy 2012!!

I've linked up with


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