The End of Another Month

 

Every year we have at least one pumpkin and one squirrel who is determined to get inside!  : )

Well, here we are!  The end of October - why does it seem like it took forever and flew by at the same time?

As much as last week was a week of "doing" this week was a week of getting business done so not much happened in the "doing" other than what really needed it.  But some weeks are like that, aren't they?  I feel like we are now embarking on the busy time of year - I also feel like we can't seem to go far in our plans for upcoming holidays because no one seems to know what that even will look like this year!  So there is a sense of being "on hold" - it feels like everything will be at the last minute this year and that doesn't set well with me (being a planner type person).  But it is what it is and we all just have to go with it.  

It won't keep me from keeping our home decorated and clean and cared for and it won't keep me from beginning to buy Christmas gifts, and it won't keep me from thinking about how we can give to others.  There are times, I have to admit, when I look at something that I'm doing and asking if it even really matters.  But it does.  Life still goes on and things still need to be done and there are people who need us to help.  So, with all the uncertainty, let's keep going.  As women, our families look to us for keeping things the same (whatever that means to your family).  So let's all take a deep breath and find our strength in the Lord, and carry on.  

This will be a short post since, like I just said, not a lot got done and no new recipes were tried (as a matter of fact, our oven just pooped out on us - so we're waiting for it to be repaired!).  But I DO have the November to-do's for you (a very short list):

*winterize your shrubs, cut down any perennials that can be cut, clean up the yard

*continue to clean out gutters from all the fallen leaves

*test and begin to hang holiday lights - let's be the bright spot of our neighborhoods!!!!!!!  No matter what, let our light shine in a dark world.

*winterize your car(s)

*begin to shop for Christmas - begin to think of things you can make (nothing says love like a homemade gift)

*begin some holiday baking - breads, cookies and cakes all freeze well.

*think about the important dates in November and what you can do - first Veteran's Day - is there some way that you can honor a veteran this month?  Express your thankfulness to them for the service to our country?  And then, of course, Thanksgiving - send cards to those you are thankful for?  Planning your holiday meal but then make sure that you contribute to the food shelf so that others can plan a meal too?

That's it for November!  If you are interested in taking a bit of a time out from everything, a tea party (whether it's via ZOOM with friends and family, or actually getting together with someone, or just by yourself) here is an idea for that:

*Bring out your best - the nice china teacups, lace tablecloth, flowers

*Serve lemon scones, a beautiful sponge cake, sugar cookies

*Play Liszt, Schubert, or Mendelssohn in the background

Make it special.  : )

I know that this weekend is close to the upcoming election on Tuesday and we ALL have that in our minds and it's very difficult to think about or even care about whether or not we care for our homes today and all the November to-do's or having a "tea party" or anything else that, at any other time, we might have cared about.   I understand that.  I truly do.  And coming from a worrier like me, I mean it when I say that we have to take care that we don't allow everything from keeping us from doing nothing!  It's not healthy.  

As Christian women, we need to be on our knees right now in prayer - there is much at stake.  And I won't go into what all that means because I think we all know.  But when we give it to God in our prayers, we have to let it go and let Him take care of it and we need to get on with the business of living and taking care of what He has entrusted to us.   Fear and worry comes from Satan - he is the confuser of our minds and he wants to keep us busy with nonsense stuff so that we don't have the time to pray and we don't have the time take care of what we have and take care of each other.  Don't give into that.

Also, go out and vote!!!  I just heard yesterday that 30% of Christians did not vote in the 2016 election.  I do not understand that.  It is a freedom that we have taken for granted.  We are in a spiritual battle right now.   We can either live under continued freedom or we can have all the freedoms taken away.  It's literally THAT important.  May the Lord have mercy upon us.

Celebrating A Good Week

 

Fall?  😕

We live close to the airport and they reported 7 inches of snow, so I suppose that's pretty much what we got.  It was the heavy, wet kind of snow so it kept packing down and didn't look like as much as they said.  It WAS very pretty, but it caught all of us with some of the outdoor work uncompleted.  There are still a lot of leaves left on the trees - do we go out and rake the snow?  Hmmm................

More pictures:

One thing that a first major snowfall does with me is that I feel the need to just sit with a project, open the curtains, and look at the snow coming down and that's exactly what happened on Tuesday afternoon!  I sat in my rocking chair, pulled out the knitting, put an audio book on (Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie) and just watched the snow.  😊  I already had a crockpot meal in so I knew that supper was pretty much done - it was a wonderful afternoon.

The title of my post may seem a bit strange to some who feel like "celebrating" is for something special like a holiday but when I have a good week it really does feel like something to celebrate because as I get older it's beginning to take on a whole new meaning.  When I say that I had a "good week" it means that physically I felt good - all my normal aches and pains were gone.  It means that I was able to keep up with my homemaking - this was Week 3 of the month which meant I got into each bedroom and deep-cleaned.  All the surfaces - walls, shelves, ledges, floors, mirrors, pictures, furniture, ceiling fans.......were dusted and washed.  Closets were cleaned and organized and a few things tossed or put in the "to give" pile.  And now I can go to Week 4 next week (Basement) knowing that I can just concentrate on that instead of feeling like I left some things upstairs undone.

Celebrating a good week to me also means that I was in contact with a couple of friends via phone and enjoyed a nice, long conversation with them to get caught up.  Celebrating a good week meant that I was able to finish up my Veteran's Day cards for the Senior center and hoping that it will bring a little sunshine to them.  It meant that I was able to work on a quilting project.

All of these things may seem common to most, but for me each one of them meant something wonderful.  The ability to feel good, to work, to have contact with friends, to do for others, and to satisfy the need to be creative is worthy of celebrating in my book!!!!! 😊

There was a point, however, in my deep cleaning where I felt like it was taking a long time to complete and I was getting a little impatient about it - I had to stop and remind myself that before complaining about a certain chore that needs to be done I need to ALWAYS remember how blessed I am for even having a home in which to work in!   We had our son and his wife over last Sunday for a meal and talk of this subject came up.  I was talking about some of the podcasts I watch and how it seems like some women seem to have it all and do it all and do it all perfectly and there was a comment on one of these podcasts saying how lovely and wonderful everything is but it can also lead to feelings of discontent.  I happened to agree with that.  It happens also when I look through certain magazines - it makes me begin to look at what others have and then I look at my home and see how tiny it is and how old everything is beginning to get and discontentment creeps in.  So.........I have to make an effort to remember how much I have instead of what I don't have!  We all agreed to that.  There will always be someone who has "more" - but that shouldn't make us feel like we have nothing.   

Just being able to get up this morning and turn the furnace up to warm the house, just to pour a cup of hot coffee, just to be able to dive into the Bible and the ability to read it, just looking forward to a hot shower and clean clothes to put on and three square meals today and a roof over our heads and a bed to crawl into tonight.............we ARE taken care of and we are blessed.  So, a reminder to self - don't complain about the chores and put everything I watch and read in perspective and continue to always be thankful and grateful.  😊

The other thing I was thinking about (I do a LOT of thinking while working - LOL) was for all of us to keep being diligent in keeping traditions alive in this crazy world.  Don't give them up just because everything else seems to be falling apart around us.  This is especially important if you have children or grandchildren.  They need stability and they need to know that some things don't change especially with the holidays coming up.  I think this year has worn us out - we are weary and we don't feel motivated and there is a lot of anxiety but thinking about what we can do to bring some joy and comfort and fun into our lives and the lives of others is so very important!  What are some games you can bring out?  What meals can you prepare?  What baking do you enjoy?  What are some family traditions that you can begin again?  How are you going to do the holidays this year?  I would encourage you to sit down today and write things down - it doesn't matter if you get to all of them, but something is better than nothing!!!!!  Even if you don't feel like doing it, just do it!!!!  It IS important.

I don't know what it is about this time of year that brings the "notebooking" out in me.  I love making notebooks and jotting things down.  It's fun to look at from year to year and it helps in the above idea I just mentioned about keeping the traditions alive and it helps in making new traditions as well.  Some ideas are:

*A notebook for Autumn - recipes (old and new), special outings, special get-togethers, photos, cut pictures out of magazines, memories..........

*A notebook for Thanksgiving - again, holidays may look a little different this year, but do what you can - favorite recipes, theme studies on the 1st Thanksgiving, study lives of Native Americans and Pilgrims, write down Bible verses that talk about giving thanks (there are a LOT!), your favorite Thanksgiving foods, past memories.........

*A notebook about Christmas - recipes (old and new), special memories, old traditions, gift lists, decorating ideas, card lists........

The sky is the limit!!!!  If you haven't done this in the past, let this year be the year.  Have your children and/or grandchildren help.  They would love to write in these, they would love to study up on certain things (when you make it fun), they would love to help in the kitchen - SO wonderful for all of you who are homeschooling this year!!!!!! 😁

All the 2021 calendars are out now and I found mine!

my dream is to have an old red truck - I know I won't get one but I will be able to look at them all year!

Last week I gave a list of blogs that I like and I wanted to add to that:

*sallieborrink - if you homeschool, this is who you need!

*oldpathshomemaker

*blessed homemaking

I'll keep giving you more as I think of them.  

I tried a couple of new recipes this week (a pumpkin one - Yea!!!! and a bread machine bread) and wanted to share them with you because they were very good.

NO-CHURN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin (not pie filling)

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 pt. heavy whipping cream

8 oz. package softened cream cheese

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp vanilla 

Whisk the heavy whipping cream in bowl of standing mixer until thickened and set aside.  In another bowl add condensed milk, 1 Tbsp. vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg - mix until well combined and smooth.  In yet another bowl, beat the cream cheese with 1 tsp. vanilla and whip that until smooth.  Add the pumpkin mixture to the cream cheese mixture and combine well.  Lastly, fold in the whipped cream.  Add to a freezer container, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

This really is tasty!  We enjoyed it with a drizzle of caramel sauce on top.  Yep.  😋

BREAD MACHINE CHEDDAR BREAD - (I'm just going to give you the way I prepared this because I use my bread machine on the "dough" cycle which is about 1 1/2 hours and then take it out, knead it for a minute and put it into the bread pan to rise for another hour and bake - I don't bake the bread in the machine):

In bread machine pan, add 1 cup warm water, 1/4 cup buttermilk blend powder, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, 4 1/2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, 3 cups bread flour, and 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast.  Select the "dough" cycle and after the time is up, just knead lightly and put it into a greased loaf pan.  Cover and let it rise for about an hour and bake at 375 for about 35-40 minutes - checking regularly depending on your oven.   SO GOOD!!!!!!

I had Split Pea soup in the crockpot and then with this baking......oh, my.  Isn't it amazing that a meal of a simple soup and hot bread is about the best?  I cut up some apples for a side.  LOVE meals like this!!  I hope you can give it a try.  I've had this recipe for a long time so I thought it was time to try it - I believe it came from a "Taste of Home" magazine.  

In my opinion, homemade bread tastes best the day of, but we found that this bread made some really good toast and it made even better croutons for our salad!  For the croutons, just cut them up into chunks, put on a baking pan, toss with some olive oil and garlic salt (or any other seasoning you'd like), bake in the oven (350 degrees) for a few minutes (be sure to check them often as they can get too dark if left in too long).  So, so good.  We have some left so I'm thinking they will be great on top of our tomato soup today.  😋  Hope you can try this one too!!!!!

Lastly, I'm finished with my Nehemiah book and wanted to share the last of what quotes I underlined:

*"My dear fellow Christians, if you mean business for God in these desperate days, I suggest to you we need an examination of every part of our lives..........."

*"To be quick in understanding the fear of God and the will of God is always to be merciless to everything that is contrary to the will of God, no matter how much it hurts."

*"To serve Him here for a reward is not our motive, but it is a tremendous strength in the battle to know that one day there will be a 'Well done' awaiting us if we have been faithful to Him."

*"We are all engaged in an intense spiritual warfare in which there will be no armistice until we reach heaven.  Satan hurls all his fiery darts at the child of God who is abandoned to the will of God, and at the church which is concerned to have a soul-winning ministry."

*"What a day it will be when the Lord welcomes us home!  Indeed, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus."

*"Circumstances which we have resented, situations which we have found desperately difficult, have all been the means in the hands of God of driving the nails into the self-life which so easily complains."

SO good, isn't it?  Again, the name of this book is "Victorious Christian Service" by Alan Redpath if you'd like to order your own copy.  This book is staying on my shelf and I will read it again.  Also, I would suggest that you go to your Bible and read for yourself the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.  It's one of my favorite books in that Nehemiah was obedient and he withstood all the evil forces against his obedience.  Charles Stanley always says - "Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him" - Nehemiah did just that.

Well it is time, once again, to end this post and begin our day.  Thank you SO much for taking a few moments out of your day to visit.  I appreciate you.  😊  I truly hope you can enjoy your home and give thanks for it and be motivated to do something.  It's important work.  God bless!

Pretty, Changes, and Information

 

The sky darkened yesterday morning and this is what happened!  Unexpected, but it was pretty - those big, fat, fluffy flakes.  It all left as fast as it came though.  : )

Speaking of pretty (and not one picture to show!) - it was last Saturday.  If there was a perfect Autumn day I think that might have been it.  We woke up knowing that we were going to take a day trip out in the country to see the color and enjoy the weather but we didn't know really what we were in for. 

Of course, getting OUT of this area takes a while and the traffic on Saturdays is crazy, but once we got out into the countryside some of the stress goes and we could enjoy just looking at farms, cornfields, small towns, beautiful trees.........

First, we stopped at a small town that had antique stores and we just HAD to browse.  : )  I could have picked up a couple of things but I didn't - not so with my husband - he has this thing for antique tools and found a couple.  So that was his splurge.  It was getting towards lunchtime and we had packed a picnic so we drove to a bigger town that had a park that we knew of.  The road we took had the most beautiful trees and vegetation so there were many "oh's" and "ah's" but unfortunately no place to pull over and take pictures.  Well, we got to the park, selected our table and began to eat - just looking and watching.  We both were thinking it and actually said it........it felt like we were in Norman Rockwell scene.  Young mothers with baby carriages.  Children playing on the old play equipment.  Elderly people sitting and talking, and even a beautiful outdoor wedding.  And we were a part of it.  : )  We felt like there were still areas in this world that actually has a slower pace and an old-fashioned feel to it.  It really was wonderful.

And, then, of course Mondays come and it's time to get back to work (which, honestly, I don't mind).  And last Monday I woke up knowing that I was going to switch two rooms around and I knew it was going to be quite the project so, after breakfast, I dug in and got it done.  : )  The project was to make a sewing/craft room in a bigger room that has two windows so it would be brighter to work in.  The room that I had was SO tiny and SO dark that usually I would have to wait until late afternoon in order to get in to work on anything because the sun would be around to that side of the house by then.   So this new space is larger and brighter and I'm loving it!  It makes me much more motivated to just go in there and work on projects.  Here are a few photos of the finished project - I know I don't have any "before" pictures in which to compare the old space with the new but............

this is from the door looking in - the first window looks out at the backyard and I've always wanted to sit and sew in a space that looks outside.  A lot of people keep telling me to take the bed out of the room  so that I would have even more space, but I've always wanted to be able to offer a bed for anyone who might need a place to stay so the bed stays too!  : )

one thing that I love to work on is cards and other paper projects so this space holds everything I need for those.  : )

and this space has a cutting mat so that I can cut out quilting projects - it also has painting supplies (even though I'm not a painter - but, who knows?).  : )

and, again, the sewing area - I'm determined to be a sewer again!!!!  : )

I know that, compared to some women's craft/sewing space, this is still pretty small and not much to look at but it's mine and it works and I guess that's what matters.  : )  The creativity part of me is a part of me that I don't want to lose.  I'm so grateful that the Lord has put this desire in me and I'm looking forward to making some meaningful things.  : )

A couple of posts ago, I listed a few podcasts that I enjoy watching while working or in the kitchen, so today I wanted to list a few blogs that I enjoy reading.  It's funny that, even though I'm a blogger, I don't read a lot of blogs myself!  But here a few that I do enjoy and hope you can check them out!

*Thrive on One Income

*Mrs. Smith's Home

*Calico and Twine

*Coffee, Tea, Books and Me

*Home Living

And, you all know, that most blogs have a sidebar with links to THEIR favorite blogs so, of course, I look at a few from those as well.  With me being so technically challenged, I STILL haven't figured out how to set up that sidebar!!!!!  That's why I thought I'd just tell you instead.  LOL  : )

When I had mentioned ALL those wonderful pumpkin recipes a few posts ago, can you believe that I still haven't gotten around to making anything yet?  I still have them on a clipboard just waiting around so today I HAVE to do something about that!!!!  I want to at least make the Pumpkin no-churn ice cream, but then I want to have something that goes into the oven too.  So.......we'll see!!!!!  : )

I did, however, make a new recipe for lunch that I wanted to share.  I like lunches to be quick and this one was.  Like I said before - you either love Spam or hate it - but this was a pantry meal (and we always have Spam on the shelf) so I used it in this recipe.  Here it is (again, I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of it!):

SWEET AND SOUR SPAM

In a skillet on top of the stove, heat a bit of oil to soften 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped red bell pepper.  Add Spam that has been cut up into chunks and cook till the Spam is browned a bit.  Add a can of pineapple chunks or tidbits WITH the juice and stir.  Add some of your favorite BBQ sauce (to taste) and bring to a boil.   Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid become thicker.  Add a bit of fresh pepper and a bit of salt (but be careful, Spam is salty).

While simmering, prepare some Minute Rice and serve the above mixture over it along with garnishing with sliced green onions.  

This really was very tasty and very quick and it makes a lot for leftovers!  Hope you can give it a try.  : )

Today is supposed to be a bit warmer (in the 50's instead of the 30's) so I have to get out this afternoon at some point and plant some Iris bulbs that our neighbor across the street was so nice to share!  It feels like it's now or never and I really do want to see some Iris' bloom in our front yard next Spring.  : )

Other than that there is nothing planned for this day so I'm hoping to get into that "new" craft room and get into the kitchen to make the house smell good.

Supper tonight is simple:

*Pancakes

*Bacon

*Fresh fruit

So there isn't anything difficult with that.  Tomorrow's brunch after church is:

*Crockpot ham

*Frittata

*Cinnamon rolls

*Fresh fruit

The ham will cook while at church, the Frittata only takes minutes to prepare, the cinnamon rolls will have been made, and cutting up fruit is easy.  I love meals like this.

What are YOU cooking this weekend?

Before I go, I have a bit more from my Nehemiah book (almost done!):

*"........much unhappiness in Christian work is that many Christians spend much of their time envying the gifts of other people and the sphere of service allotted to them instead of happily serving the Lord in the task to which they themselves are called."

*".....occupation in the sphere to which God has called you, happily serving Him in His will, is a great secret of contentment in Christian work......."

*"......in the will of God, Christian service is changed from drudgery to luxury by the experience of drawing upon His all-sufficient grace."

*"Let the principle be recognized that the most obscure task in the service of the King of kings is as important as the most public one when it is done in the will of God."

There.  Really important things to remind ourselves!

Well, the day is beginning so I had better begin too.  : )  I hope you can enjoy this day the Lord has given you.  I hope you love your home and family and friends well.  I hope you serve the Lord with gladness.  Again, doing something is better than doing nothing!!!  : )

Thank you for dropping by and I appreciate you taking the time to read what little I have to offer.  : )

God bless.

A Beautiful Saturday Morning

 

From a walk we took on Thursday afternoon.

Again, my window is slightly open looking out into the darkness with just a hint of a sunrise.  This past week's weather has been amazingly beautiful but it is SO very dry and with that comes a lot of pollen and allergies.  I have had a dull headache all week which affects my eyes so doing any reading or craft work is especially challenging!

I had days of energy and motivation where I felt good about getting things done, and then I had days of being tired and less energetic so I didn't get much done at all!  Some weeks are like that, aren't they?

I don't have a lot once again today, but here are the topics I want to cover:

*homemaking rituals

*using your homemaking time wisely

*pastor appreciation

*photos from the past week

*Saturday plans

*more quotes from my Nehemiah book

HOMEMAKING RITUALS:  did you ever notice your rituals around the house?  Those things that you just naturally do because they make you feel good and they bring a sense of what your home is?  With the coming of Autumn, I was reminded of this this past week.  Because the sun is lower and has changed and goes down earlier, I found myself doing a routine that I've done for years and just don't even think about it because it comes naturally as a leaving of one season and the beginning of another.  

Around 4:00 p.m., I find myself going around the house and getting each room ready for the coming evening.  I close the blinds a bit more - still letting in some light before the darkness of the evening comes.  I, then, begin to turn on a few accent lights here and there - not major light yet, just soft light.  Then comes the lighting of candles - I have both - the flameless and the real (I happen to like the real best).  : )

With this comes the feeling of slowing down from the day's work.  It helps me to know that I can say "enough" with the housework and to now think about the evening meal.  I've never enjoyed working right up to supper time and hurrying to get food on the table.  This ritual helps me to slow down and then get into the kitchen and actually enjoy the process of cooking no matter how complicated or simple the meal might be.

Do you have a homemaking ritual?

USING YOUR HOMEMAKING TIME WISELY:  when I was younger and reading every homemaking book I could get my hands on, one thing that has stood out all these years was using my time wisely and remembering how much we can get done even if we have 10 minutes, 15 minutes, half an hour, or hour.  One of the books suggested that we write down all the jobs/chores we do on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.  Then - do the job/chore while timing yourself.  Literally......time yourself.  Write it down behind each job/chore that you do.  How long did it actually take?

The reason this is important is that we often think we don't have time to do anything when, in fact, we actually do!!!  We procrastinate so we wait until we have this huge block of time which might never come.  It's so much better to break things down into small jobs.  I have a friend who took a notebook and went throughout the whole house and wrote everything down that needed to be done.  Everything.  Then when she knew that she had a bit of time she would look at her notebook and chose something from her list.  When done it was crossed off the list.

I would encourage all of you in this.  Get a notebook.  Write things down - you can begin with today - is it dusting your living room?  Is it cleaning out a couple of drawers in your bedroom?  Is it cleaning out the bathroom cabinet?  Do you need to mop the kitchen floor?  Remember to look at the clock when you begin, look at it again when you finish.  Write it down.  You will be so amazed.  All these little things that sound like they will take too much time out of our day, actually will not.  

Since the weather was so nice, I went out to clean up the yard on a couple of days and I was out for what I thought was a long time, and I got so much done.  When I went into the house for a drink of water, I was really surprised that I was out for only an hour!  It seemed like longer and that's how I got the idea of this certain topic to blog about.   I hope you can try this!

What ways do YOU have in using your time wisely?

PASTOR APPRECIATION:  I would encourage you, since tomorrow is Pastor Appreciation Day, to show your pastor(s) a little love.  This year, especially, has been very challenging for churches in learning how to navigate through covid.  And pastors have a huge responsibility to the congregations - they teach us God's word, they shepherd us, they encourage us, they are on-call 24/7.......so, if you are able, send them a card of thanks, or an e-mail, or a text.  Just a little something from you will be an encouragement to them.  And don't we all need a little encouragement now and then?

What can you do to thank your pastor today or tomorrow?

PHOTOS FROM THE PAST WEEK:  because the week has been so nice, after a Dr. appointment on Thursday, we decided to go for two walks - one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Here are some of the photos that I took while on these walks:

This is another thing that I would encourage you to do especially if you have children or grandchildren, but do it for yourself too!!!!  We NEED to get out and we NEED to see all there is that God has given us to enjoy.  For those of us in the northland, all of this will be under the snow soon, so we have to take the opportunity now.  : )

If you homeschool, use this as an opportunity for your children to learn - just with the photos above you can learn why leaves change color, you can learn about the trees that these leaves are from, you can bring sketch books and sit and draw, you can learn about pond life, you can learn about water fowl.  The list is endless.  Make it fun (because learning is).  Take lots of pictures and actually get them developed so that you can begin a scrapbook of your outings.  Have them write a paper on what they saw and what they learned.  Enjoy this time you have!!!!  : )

What do YOU do to enjoy the beauty of this season?

SATURDAY PLANS:   I'm very much a home-body - I don't mind being at home at all.  But.....my husband is going a little stir-crazy.  So, our plans for today is to have our usual late-morning Saturday breakfast, but then I want to pack a picnic lunch and take off for a drive in the country to look at the Autumn colors.  It will be a bit cooler today and a bit breezy, but again we need to take advantage of this time before the cold weather sets in.  Saturday evenings are usually a movie night for the two of us, so after our drive we'll just come home, have supper, and settle in for a movie.  That's it for us!  : )

What Saturday plans do YOU have?

MORE QUOTES FROM MY NEHEMIAH BOOK:  still loving this book!  Here are a few more quotes:

*"Confession of sin and repentance are not things to be left in the background of Christian life, things that were only connected with the early days of Christian experience - far from it.  It is the humble and contrite heart which God does not despise.  It is the proud whom He knoweth afar off.  If you avoid in your present Christian life a daily humiliation before God, you will soon become hardhearted, cold and indifferent to the things of God.

*"Days of great joy in the Lord are always accompanied by days of great humiliation in ourselves."

*"Do you ever take time for a reflection upon God's goodness?"

Not a lot in this chapter (I really could write out the whole book), but these are good points to remember and ask ourselves.  Again, I encourage you to put God first every day.  : )

Well, the sun is now up and I think that's about it for this day.  I hope you can think of your homemaking and how it is so important, I hope that you can get out and about a little today and enjoy the beauty, I hope you can remember others and their needs, and I hope you can redeem the time you've been given.  God bless your day and upcoming week!!!!  Thank you so much for stopping by for a little visit - I appreciate you.  : )

  

Simple Saturday

 

Looks like Anne of Green Gables.  : )  I want to be walking down that road about now.

Oh, it's just SO dark now.  I'm looking out my window as I type and I see our backyard neighbor's dog outside and walking around their yard.  His name is Allen.  He's so pretty -if a dog can be pretty.  : )  It's also a very chilly morning.  Once again, the furnace was turned on to get the chill out of the air.  And it's supposed to be a cloudy, drizzly day today - so indoors it is.  Maybe craft a bit?  Maybe bake something?  Maybe go through a box, a drawer, or cabinet and get rid of stuff?  Hmmmmm................

I honestly don't have very much today.  It was kind of a blah week other than getting what needed to be done and I'm sure that isn't much different than what you did this past week.

Because it's a new month, I wanted to be sure to work on my cards and letters for the care center.  They sent out a few "helps" for all of us in what the residents enjoy most and what they enjoy is reading stories and going down memory lane.  I find that a  LOT of memories are made in the Autumn of the year.  As a family, we tended to do more at this time of year than any other and I have all the photos to prove it!!!  So, with many of the cards I made, I attached to the front of them a photo of a past trip or gathering and therefore had a story to tell along with it.  It brought up such good memories - drives in the country, pumpkin patches, pumpkin carving parties (which we still do), trips up north, etc. - things that we did that I'm so thankful for.  Past memories of being a cheerleader in high school and the night it snowed during the game and how my brother started his car up to warm it up so that we could go in and sit during halftime.  The memory of growing up in a hunting family and being disgusted as a little girl that I had to sit in the back seat of our car with all the dead pheasants!  

The cards for this month are all done now and I'll drop them off on Monday.  SO glad to be doing this - it does a mean a lot for them right now as they are still somewhat isolated.

As I was walking down memory lane, I thought of a homeschooling project that we did and that you might want to do with your kids or grandkids.  I know it won't be a project that you will be surprised at because I think we all did this at one time or another, but just in case........take the kiddos out for a nature walk and pick up all those beautiful leaves.  Have them press them in books OR put them on a piece of cloth and cover them with another piece of cloth and run an iron over them.  Find a pretty piece of paper to make a design with them (be really creative with this) and glue them into place.  Purchase a frame and frame them as a wonderful work of art.  We did this for each set of grandparents and it was well received.  It really turned out nice.  Just an idea!  : )

I didn't get to much pumpkin cooking/baking as I thought I was going to but I DID make:

SLOW COOKER PUMPKIN BUTTER

Using a small slow cooker (2 qt.), add 1, 15 oz. can of pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, and 1/8 tsp. ground cloves and mix well.  Cover and cook on High for 3 hours (this is where you want to stay at home because you need to stir it occasionally to prevent it from scorching).  When finished, pour into a jar and refrigerate or freeze.  That's it!

This is so good - we had it for a morning bagel and it took me back home.  Tasted so much like Autumn.  It would be really good with English muffins - filling in all those little holes - yum.  : )

And that, my friends, is about it for today!!!!

Lastly, a bit more from Nehemiah:

*"What is the joy of the Lord?............Certainly it is not hilarity, not the hollow laughter of the world nor cheap emotion.  It is something infinitely deeper than that."

*".........it is joy based upon forgiveness.  We are not forgiven because we are sorry for sin: the only explanation for the forgiveness of God is found in the death of Christ.  No matter who or what we are, there is absolute acceptance before God by the death of His Son, and by no other way.  Forgiveness is not something that we earn; it is something we accept as His gift."

*"When God forgives, He forgets, casting all our sins into the depths of the sea, behind His back, as far as the east is from the west - what amazing expressions the Word of God uses to assure us on this point!  Therefore why should we allow Satan to drag up before our minds that which is put away forever out of the mind of God? This is one real secret of joy."

There.  Now I'm done.  I hope this day finds you enjoying your home and doing what you can to build it up, taking care of what the Lord has given you - being both thankful and joyful.  God bless!  : )