Without a camera!

My handy, take with me everywhere, tiny digital camera gave out on me! It is stuck open and is going to cost more than a new one to fix, so I am saving for a new REALLY nice digital. This Spring I am taking a photography class at the local community college. I've always wanted to do that and hope that this will get me out of the house a bit.

As my life journey continues on I have learned:

* I love to be a housewife, but I need to do things that "fill" me too.

*Cleaning is important but not "all that". There are more things to life then a "routine" of daily cleaning, maintenance, and planning.

*When I focus on C or anyone else to much I lose myself. Currently I feel invisible so I am working to change that by doing things that make my heart sing: Photography class, drawing class and attending a Winter Weave basket weaving 3day workshop near Cleveland in February, volunteering at our church's thrift shop.

*Turning 40 in two weeks can bring two choices...1) Whoa! I am starting a new chapter in my life! with Oh my gosh! Where has the years gone...what am I going to do with the rest of my life? OR 2) Yikes I'm turning 40! How did THAT happen!

It is fitting that the Lord has brought me to this point in my life now. With the Incarnation of Christ and meditating on His coming, I have been standing back and looking at me, my life and where I am with Him in my journey.

My current meditations: Perfect Love casts out ALL fear. This leaves me to ask Him what is this Perfect Love? How can I get it to sink from the head to the heart? He is working on me, slowly, in a way only I will know. But for today, He asks me to be quite and come to spend time with Him so He can tell me how much He loves me. {smile}


I wish you a Merry Christmas and may God's peace be upon you~
Dee

It's about God

This morning as I entered into that joyouse quiet time with the Lord, this came to me. My husband asked me to post it, though I don't usually get involved in any politcs this is focused on the Lord.

~God's peace...

Obama won the presidency. Many people may think, "Oh great! This country is going to hell in a handbasket" or how "this person can devastate our country."
But wait! This is perfect grounds for the Lord to work miracles and we can praise & glorify Him.
We must draw near. We must pray, fast and give of ourselves. Sacrifice. For the Lord must know we belong to Him, not to a person. God made Barack Obama. God can do anything. I have hope and believe in God, as my guide, as my protector, as my creator.
I see this as a beautiful opportunity to give praise & glory to God for miracles He can do. For we will know they are from Him - all the more to praise Him.
We needed this! For our faith's sake.

Acts of kindness

Did you notice the little tail?

I love...

the soft spot in your heart. When in the early hours of the morning there is a chill in the house and Sasha is dancing by your feet, you carefully pick her up to hold her close so she can get warm. It moves me inside to see a man act so lovingly to one of God's little creatures.

I smile when...

you carefully hold our little 3 lb dog when she is having a seizure. With love and compassion for her you are right there..no matter what you are doing. :-)

It's official

Danielle enlisted in the Marine Corps on Thursday October 30! We are so proud of her! She hopes to do the 4 years and see where she is after that. Boot camp starts January 12th.


I have struggled with this in many ways, which I won't go into here. In prayer over and over the Lord has told me "let her go, this is what she needs right now. I know her, I know what she needs and I am watching over her." This has given me a peace inside that I can't explain. The same message was given to me for several days.


Of course, Chris is excited. He was in his prime at the MEP's station in Cleveland. Visiting with the other's who are active duty Marine's. While we were there I got to witness something amazing! The Lord taking this opportunity to work through my husband and minister to someone else that was active duty. They had a very deep, touching converstation about the Lord. Who knows why? Only God. But I do know it was an experience for both parties involved, and I was blessed to be able to watch it.



He is so awesome, He never ceases to work through us if we are willing.

God's peace to you,
Dee

Season's first snowfall

If you look really close, there's snowflakes justa' fallin'...

As I write this, the rain and drizzle this morning has turned into our first season's snowfall. Ah! Already! I'm excited, but surprised at the early arrival.



It is so beautiful, it makes the cold a bit more tolerable. Maybe that's part of God's plan, :-)

Announcement....

We have an annoucement to make. Guess who is joing the Marine Corps?......

Our sweet loving little one...Danielle.

When she came home to share with us her decision we were a little surprised. Not totally shocked though.

Danielle has talked about this several years ago, when we moved back from Okinawa and she was going into high school. Now, after 3 semesters here at the private collage she (and her Dad) have been attending she is certain she is not ready for college and not college "material" if you will.

Her desire is to learn more about her self, push herself and develop self- discipline. Pretty smart for a 19yo (almost 20) who isn't sure what she wants to do with her life yet.

My hope and dream for her is to be successful at what ever she does. I love her and I will miss her terribly (empty nest thing is hitting hard right about now!), but I know the Lord loves her and will take care of her. More than I could ever try to.

I love when: I try to take her picture and she is so silly making faces. When she leaves, I get a big hug and a sigh. I hope she knows I love her too!!

Please pray for her. She signs the papers and the swearing in on Thursday Oct. 30th.

God's peace,

Dee

PS I just love eBlogger!! Argh. I don't know how the underline above keeps showing up and I have put spaces in several times and they just keep dissappearing when it posts. Sorry for the "one big"paragraph.

A trip to the Zoo!

Last Sunday was a free day at the Pittsburgh zoo for something called RADICAL DAYS! It's an annual event that several museums and the zoo take part in and one day is free. I like free, do you?

So Chris and I packed some water bottles and a snack and headed to the zoo Sunday. How fun! Oh, how many people! I do believe all of PA and the eastern side of Ohio was there all on the same day. Did enjoy it though. It was a great outing, a good break for Chris from all his homework and work work. I like to treat ourselves to an outing to spend time away from all the home projects and homework. Especially if it's free!!

Here are a few pictures:

How magnificent are God's creatures. Something had their interest over there.
The zoo's new largest baby! Isn't she cute, and a personality that is very playful.
Tickle tickle!
One...
Two..
Three!!!

Have a great day!

May the peace of Christ be with you,

Dee

Being grateful

Painting by Minerva Teichert

This evening I had the chance to entertain some friends that drove up from GA. As I was cooking in the kitchen I saw my husband and the couple on our back porch and found myself jealous. I thought "I want to be out there lounging too. I want to listen. I want to enjoy their company. But instead I'm stuck in here preparing dinner that I SHOULD have prepared most of it earlier." yatta yatta yatta! Complaining.

Then I got a question posed to me by the Lord. "Are you Martha or Mary right now?" Yeowch! I hung my head in shame.

I could see the whole story from the Bible in an instant. How Martha felt bitter towards Mary (not that I was bitter to my friend), how she grew impatient and angry because she wasn't getting the help she wanted. Maybe even some frustration because she was trying to have everything put together for a nice meal, and was doing it alone.

Once I recalled this and the part where the Lord says "Mary has choosen the better part," I realized my husband and family were enjoying the better part. Talking about the Lord in their life while I was inside preparing the food.

My heart instantly changed. How selfish I was. The Lord melted my heart and I got to change my perception to "I am so glad they are out there enjoying each other's company, and that I have the ability to prepare a healthy meal while they talk about the Lord." WOW!

That, ya'll, was only the Lord. My heart calmed down. The frustration and jealousy immediatly left. I was grateful. Grateful to serve.

Thank you Lord for teaching me. I am grateful to serve.

God's peace be with you,

Mrs. Peterson

Annual Family Pumpkin Patch visit

We have had a standing tradition since the girls were little. Each fall we would go to a local pumpkin patch and gift shop. They would bounce in hay or take a maze. In Georgia we got to go on a haunted hay ride, what a hoot that was!

Here we are for this fall. We were blessed to have Danielle with us. Nothing makes a mom's (or stepmom in my case) heart sore like your daughter holding your hand in public. Even at 19. Yep that was a keeper moment.

Chris waiting for us and watching little one's play in the hay.

Danielle and me, a treasured time.

Isn't she silly.

Chris' pick for our family pumpkin.

We have had white pumpkins, green pumpkins (when we were stationed in Okinawa), little pumpkins and bumpy pumpkins...but never a tall one. We shall see what he creates this year.

God's peace be with you...and Happy Fall!

Dee

Family Reunion

After 22 years, the kids of the Love family got together. And what a time we had! We all flew in and spent several days together in So. FL. My half-brother had a time share. How exciting!

I wasn't raised with the 4 of them (one is missing) but the 3 that made it shared memories and I got to share my life too. Very awkward for a bit but things settled right in.

When it was time to go, I actually had forgotten about the "saying goodbye" part. And I started crying. After my half-brother dropped my husband and I off at the airport, I just broke down in tears. He has cancer and was in the midst of finding a new drug that would work. Praise God, he is in remission now.

My family (p.s. We are the last of the Love family as far as we know.):

The first moments after we all flew in.

Remembering.

My neice Lauren and I. We are the only 2 in all my Dad's kids and their kids that look alike. Wild huh?! She has a twin sister that looks like the Love family, I take more of the Gasaway family (yep we have deep roots in Iowa ya'll).

God's peace,

Dee

Blessing...

So, am I blessing me or my family?

Some people say taking a break to have a cup of tea or read for a short spell is selfish. "There is much to do", or you may hear "how do you have the time".

Each afternoon about 4:00 pm I take a break. The corner of my couch becomes my get-a-way. With a warm cup of my favorite tea, a small snack and an interesting book gives me a 30 minute get-a-way from my day.

I have often thought of this as self-ish, or there is one more thing I must do before I start dinner. How many times does that happen and we never take a break? Days...weeks...months..

As I sat down to snuggle in, I looked at the scene and thought "Am I blessing myself or my family by making myself take this time?" Both.

Sitting down for a bit, I am blessing myself since I get to refresh my body and mind. Taking tea, that part renew's my spirit. This is a great way to take care of my health or just to enjoy a sipping kind of tea. Reading a lovely book that interests me is a way to get my mind off the journey of the day. When my 30 minutes is up, I get up with a relaxed mind, body and spirit.

This is the part that blesses my family. Walking into the kitchen to make dinner with a calm mind and spirit creates the atmosphere of easing into the evening for my family. I am better prepared to go into the evening hours with the mindset that the day is winding down and I need to get my home and myself ready for tomorrow. My husband may come in and still be in the harried mode of "oh my gosh there is so much to do", but with my relaxed mindset, we are able to come together and enjoy a peaceful evening. Sometimes with a few giggles inbetween because we are in different modes.

I'm off. It's tea time!

God's peace,

Dee

A humble scene

Welcome! It has been quite some time since I have posted. I am still feeling the call to develop my writing skills and to share in my experience as a wife and homemaker. It fasinates me that so many women I meet feel the same way I do, "I just don't understand what it is to be a 'Christian wife', and "the job of homekeeping is so overwhelming I never know whre to start so I don't." I too feel this way, often, and am here to share with you a warm hug. I believe that together we can support and encourage each other.

I had this opportunity last night. During a wind storm last night we had winds here that were about 70mph. The power went out about 5:30 ish, and didn't come back on until this morning at 10:30. While Chris was finishing his homework I noticed our fence had come apart from the wind, and was being pulled farther apart. We went out so Chris could repair the fence, THANK YOU Chris!!, and heard a huge snap. A tree down the street fell on our neighbors home.

Chris went down to see if he could help, and came back with one of the tenants who is a friend, and the 2 little dogs that lived in the home. She was in shock. Deanna had been in her bedroom upstairs when the tree went through the roof.

This was an opportunity the Lord gave us to serve, so we took the dogs for her while she contacted the owners and other friends to stay with them. I made some tea and Chris went down to ensure no one was still around or in the home. It was very humbling.

After a bit, she and the owners went to a friends to stay the night. I was ever so thankful for our home, for God's mercy and protection, and for a husband who cares. I was grateful for the security of our home during the wind storm though my fears and anxieties rose each time I heard trees cracking.

My loving husband came to the rescue. He got our hurricane lamp from the back porch and we got snacks and a warm blanket to sit on the front porch. It was such a comfort to be together and to pray together for our blessings.

My heart goes out to that family, but their pain and disaster has been a very humbling experience for both of us.

Never forget what you have and always be grateful, for the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.

God's peace,
Mrs. Dee

Being a pilgrim

I read in the Bible recently how we are all pilgrims on earth. Making our way back to heaven to spend eternity in the promise made by God, through Jesus.

It has changed the way I look at my life and I see my self on a day to day journey, foot path if you will, of events that I have a choice in. Each choice will present the opportunity to allow God to speak to me about His will or I can hurry and do my will.

The Lord is not in the chaos!

As I go through the day and invite Him into each decision or event, I am making the choice to stay on that path, to be the pilgrim I am, and walk through my life with His guidance so I can come home some day.

You are a pilgrim too! God is calling you, can you hear Him? Remember, the Lord is not in the chaos!

God's peace,
Dee

Time off

Some friends and blogging friends have asked what happened? Well, I'll tell you.

I found myself daily "lost" in the world of blogging. Reading others, posting, changing mine because I like what someone else did (which took a lot of time as I have no clue about changing things.) then as I connected my shoulder and back muscle cramps to being on the computer I started to reasses why?

Why DO I blog? Well, I'm in a program that promotes honesty, so, Pride. I wanted to have a blog that was as nice as so and so, or up date daily like so and so, or have a purpose like her.

Then it dawned on me. I am not doing anything in my free time, what little there is, besides sitting here in front of a computer. Joy!

So, I stopped. I went through withdrawls almost. "oh, I wonder what she has posted today about?" "Ooo, I bet she has some inspirational insights about the Simple Life today, she is such a wise woman." The temptations lasted about a week or two. Then I got lost in gardening. I LOVE GARDENING much more then sitting in front of a computer.

I also love reading books that bring me closer to God. I love watching Chrisian based movies. And more recently, I am realizing the importance of actually studying the Steps of Al-Anon, rather then just reading about them. (My Dad is my qualifier ya'll!)

I get sucked into everyone else's life...except mine. Don't get me wrong, I found great consolation in other's writings. And miss them very much. I got my home in shape with pretty things, I have looked at the world I live in with a different perception..all because of friends in the blogging world.

So, why post now? I miss writing for a purpose. And am thinking about posting again. I always get sidetracked though. I'm a sinner, like us all, and I tend to listen to the lies of the devil and think Oh..I can just read this ONE today. Ha, 30 minutes later.

I'm contemplating just writing on my blog those things that are important to me and my family and emailing those who choose to communicate that way. Not getting into everyone else's blogs. That is tough.

We are pilgrims on a journey. A journey back to Our Father. Chunks of time on the computer will not get me closer to my Father. So I'm still contemplating.

God's peace be with you~
Dee

Road trip

Last Wednesday we took a road trip to see a doctor for me. It was a fruitful trip. God is good and provided an answer to a plea of prayer for continued healing for my health. I have had no symptoms of Fibro for a couple years, but the digestion problems just wouldn't let go. This doctor has made a remarkable change in my body by using Applied Kinesology. I have studied herbs and nutrition, but this takes the cake. All I can say is God is good.

While we were up there we drove on into Cleveland to a Dillard's outlet store (to much chaos for me though) and we saw the Great Lake FROZEN! So I grabbed my faithful camera and snapped a few shots to share.

This last one was the skyline into Cleveland. Neat to visit but sure glad I don't live here!

God's peace be with you~
Dee

Kitchen Blessings

I have always been the kind of cook that can have 1 or 2 things going at the same time, but not 3. And that is within the same meal, like making dinner. Something gets put in the oven or covered to keep warm while I tend to the rest. I have learned and respect my limits.

I was in the midst of several baking projects and stood back in awe as I watched how the Lord was blessing me in my efforts. I had already made my Coconut macaroons, which were baking, and had homemade whole wheat bread rising for the second half, and was making dinner when I realized what was happening. Words can't even begin to discribe the feelings I had. It just confirmed for me that all things are possible with God, and that were there is true effort the Lord blesses. I am so grateful for His help.

If you look closely, the bread is rising under the green towel on the stove, the cookies are in the oven and I'm cutting the sweet potato for dinner. In front of me is my trusty homemade cookbook of all my favorite or collected recipes...held together with blue duct tape! No graceful way to hide that!

The first completed baked good: (No sugar) Coconut Macaroons! Made with a touch of honey, sliced almonds and lots of unsweetened coconut.

Homemade bread from scratch for C! He loves bread. This one was new for me. I used a recipe from the back of the King Arthur flour bag and it called for honey or molasses and powdered milk. C says it's very moist and tastey!
This was our supper. Seasoned roasted chicken breasts with cubed sweet potato's, steamed green beans with slivered almonds. Very tastey! I make all my seasonings, this one has cayanne, curry, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

All praise to Him, for all the food provided and the creation put it all together.

God's peace,

Dee

Sunday Brunch

We had a wonderful couple over for breakfast. Mark & Krista w/ baby Kate. Chris enjoys making pancakes on Sunday's (or waffles) and makes all the fixin's to go with it. I was so excited to have them over to catch up and fill our tummies with warm homemade pancakes. We enjoyed a wonderful "catch up" chat time with them before off to church!

God's peace~

Dee

Home cooked Breakfast

Many friends always gasp when they hear I don't eat dairy, wheat (flour) or sugar. The first question is always "what do you eat"? I have posted some other meal ideas, but here's another:

Breakfast this morning:

Scrambled eggs

Steamed Kale w/ olive oil and a sprinkle of salt (kale is good for calcium)

Hot butternut squash cereal w/ almond milk and toasted walnuts (very yummy!)

Bon Appetite!

Part of being a homemaker is studying nutrition for your family. Since my dietary needs are also part of my studying I have learned how to "Eat to Live" rather than "Live to Eat".

God's Peace be with you~

Dee

My Valentine

He is my protector. He is my best friend. He holds me when I want to world to disappear. He loves me with all my developing wrinkles. He loves me inspite of my past. He is my love.

I baked him a homemade batch of chocolate chip cookies this morning (his favorite) and took some to his class at the college. (We are taking 1 class together so I see him.). You should have seen the look on his face. My husband was so moved by my loving gester. It was worth all the time I took to do it. That warm feeling I get in my tummy that says "I did it" I gave him something to show him how much I love him. In return while I was out grocery shopping My Valentine left me love notes all over the house:

C took an erasable marker and wrote on the glass and mirrors all around the house. To bad you can't see what this one says! {wink}


My Love note on my kitchen window.
Isn't he sweet!

And the best part was outside. He shuffled his feet around to make them. How cute!! I'm so in love.

Thank you Lord for my husband.

Happy Valentine's Day to you and God's peace.

Mrs. Dee Peterson

Snow Day

It snowed all day yesterday and the college closed for the afternoon due to the of snow and ice. That meant I got a little snuggle time with C. :-) He has such a big heart. The back steps get slick and the dogs have a hard time, so after it snowed he was out sweeping off the snow to keep it from icing for the dogs. Isn't he sweet.

You can see our littlest dog was trying to attack a snow covered ball. It was funny to watch her growl and jump at it, then spit it out and stick out her tongue due to the ice on it.

She's the little princess here.