In the moment

Have you ever gone through the whole day only to find yourself looking back and wondering where it went? I do. The Lord is showing me a lot about staying in the moment and reminding me of who's in control. NOT ME that's for sure. My moments turn into hours and turn into days, all with thinking ahead or thinking of what needs to be done later...or sadly, what I want in a situation or event.

The more I am practicing the art of staying in the moment, and I do believe it is an art, the more I am seeing how much of my thoughts are "future" based. And how humbled I am that I know nothing, can do nothing, and do not know what's best for anyone or anything. That is God's area of expertise :-)

I pray for the grace to be more aware of my own motives and thinking that I may rest in His peace and freedom that I know is promised. I just have to let go.

Peace,

Dee

Tasha Tudor Day!

While I have always held a place in my heart for the Victorian type home, my true desires lay in the simple life. Sometime back I ran across a woman by the name of Tasha Tudor. Her being is what I so enjoy. Simple, creative, not consumed by the world...yet feminine. NOT FRILLY. I am not a frilly person.

Anyways, I understand this would have been her birthday and people around the globe are acknowleging her birthday. I too wanted to join in, for she stands for so much I desire but don't know how to get there. Living out of the norm and loving it.

Peace,

Dee

Coming back home

(Me with my friend Stacy)

For the past 3 months I have been blessed with the opportunity to work at the University my husband is attending. I worked full time. After 5 yrs of being a homemaker, this was a challenge. But not one to give up on. The Lord stretched me in ways I didn't know was in me, or I forgot. My job was temporary and I am now returning home. Home, where I feel the Lord has clearly defined....that is my place as a wife.

I won't get to much into it today, but I will be posting some quotes and thoughts on this soon. Yes sooner than the last post, no laughing! I have come to believe, firmly, that women are the heart of the home. If we are out trying to earn money and climb the corporate ladder, who is raising our kids, who is creating a loving warm environment for our husbands and friends, who is cooking nutritous meals and holding on to that dearly beloved money that God gives us to survive...rather then fast food chains so they can survive while our health plummits.

Think about this. As women we have the opportunity to live our vocation, accept the duties God has given us, and take care of people the best way we see fit all while living in His will for us. What a better job can you get than that!

Growing up, I didn't have this mindset. I still struggle periodically with the "have to support myself" syndrome. I don't believe this is healthy for kids, husbands or us as women. We are, by biologic nature, more feeling oriented, more caring, and more nuturining (sorry guys but true). What happens to our psycological being when we can't be home when our kids come home in tears from a horrible day. What happens when our husbands need their wife for support and companion to listen to them or provide a warm homecooked meal for them....and we are at work. Or at too many obligations we have set up for our selves.

I don't usually get opinionated, but I have been reading A LOT on marriage and the roles of men and women. The way God designed them, not the way society tells us we must live. If we remove the words of others, the looks, the "way" everyone else says we should live and look at the Truth, we will see. God has a plan, and it doesn't involve what Susy Q the neighbor says about it!


Peace,
Dee

Happy 4th of July Ya'll !

We had an eventful day. After putting back together a Woosier cabinet we bought and I painted last night, we went to a BBQ at a friends. WOW the food! He cooked up all kinds of meat and there was homemade potato salad, pizza dip, chips, watermelon (it's not 4th of July w/o watermelon), then topped off with a water balloon fight that even the "Big" boys got involved in.

Had a great time. God has blessed us with fantastic friends and good food today.

Every day I try to write one thing in my journal that I am grateful to God for. Today, it was that we have friends with LOTS of kids. It made for a fun time (and lots of memories when Kim and Danielle were little). Hmm, miss them. They grow so fast, but I'm grateful for "borrowing" the neighbor kids. It seems to always bring the kid out in us.

Peace,
Dee

Yard Sale Woman!!!

Ok, imagine a woman dressed in jeans, sneakers and a watchful eye. She's carrying a simple pack to hold her money, dollars and change of course, and hot tea (coffee for some) in one hand a map in the other. What is she looking for? YARD SALES!! All she needs is her bargain cape and she becomes... dunt da da da....Yard sale Woman!!!

Are you a yard salen' person? If so you will want to check this out http://www.127sale.com/ and http://www.127saleohio.com/ is the Ohio portion.
It's a yard sale that streches through 5 states. Yep you read right...5 states all along highway 127.

I'm hoping to get to hit a few, but we'll see. Traveling in all five states is a bit much, but 2 or so would be cool. I'm in, God willing, I'm in. If nothing else, just the weekend portion. Gott'a hit the sales!!! Dunt da da da...Yard Sale woman!!!

Yep, had fun writing this silly post.

Peace,
Dee

Bloomin' garden!

It's amazing what a little rain water will do. We catch rain water in barrels next to the house and use that to water the garden. WARNING!!! Your plants will double in size overnight. They really like this stuff.

The broccoli is twice as big now (4 days later).

Mmm, strawberries, Romaine lettuce, ooh and onions and cabbage.

My gardening buddies! Molly likes to come in and sniff and watch while I water. Koda wants to eat what ever is hanging over...hence the new rule - No Koda in the garden!

Peace,

Dee

Botany Day at Racoon Creek

I've always been interested in nature so when I found out the Racoon Creek Park in PA (only 20 min away) was holding Botany Day, and it was $5 per person I was in. Chris was interested too, and Danielle was home on leave so she joined us. It was a nice relaxing day...as you can tell with Danielle and I napping in the warm sun.


On the trail as we hiked with our guide.

Mmm, a sweet sunny break! Thank you Lord for the blanket in the truck and a picnic lunch.

My happy family on a picnic. It's been a long time since we have had a picinic together. We should do this more often.

"Huh?" Inspecting flowering plants, and learning how to distinguish between them.

Danielle with the book to look up the types of plants. The ladies next to her and considered Master gardeners, but came along for the joy of it. Neat!

Next, Eatible plants. We will be learning how to identify and actually cook some up to eat! That one is a two day workshop in August.

Peace,

Dee

And the garden is finished!

Wa-La! We have a garden!

After 2 months of working on and off due to weather, we have a completed garden. The two "Square Foot" beds are 4 x 8, and there's a 3 ft walk all the way around. Chris and I decided to put 2 ft chicken wire on the floor next to the fence. That's to keep out George! Yes, we named that fat woodchuck that keeps coming in my yard. Now I need a name for the possum I saw last week!

I also built a compost bin - of which I'm still learning how to do that. A friend says I'm making it more difficult than it is, but I don't know. We are offically watering the garden with rain water. Two 55 gallon rain barrels are capturing so much of that awesome rain that God sends down, just so I can water my garden. It must be really good water, my plants are growing straight and strong! I will post a current picture of what's growing later on. For now...here's the process and finished garden. Welcome to my garden:

Here, we layed weed cloth down and got the frames with chicken wire in place.

My strong husband is inserting the posts for the inside of the frames, they are 12" deep when done.

Post hole digging. Let me tell you, as a woman...there are limits I respect. And I am Oh so grateful God made man!

My gate. This gate was built in Georgia when we lived there. C built it for me and I loved it so much we hauled it with us. Yes, he rolled his eyes, still does. But that's ok. I like my gate. :-)

I started with 1 4 x 4 garden last year. This year it has grown. I hope to Keep It Simple, yet have an abundance of food to freeze and can. If you are interested in Square Foot Gardening, check out his website or better yet, buy the book. It is fantastic!

Peace,

Dee

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is the day we pause to remember and thank our mother. For giving us life, for putting up with us, for teaching us (good or bad). We must also give thanks and remembrance to one very special Mother. For without her "fiat" or yes, our Savior would not have come when He did. Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. We look to her as a shining example of what it is to be a daughter of God, woman, wife, and mother.

As a daughter of God, her faith was important to her, important enough that she studied and knew her "Bible", the old testament, so very well. She had confidence and faith in God. Her obedience to Him is so natural, and her faith so strong that when the angel Gabriel came, she didn't doubt, she was confused as to how it could happen. The Yes that Mary said, the "be it done to me according to His will", could only come from a surety of faith in God. Putting herself in His hands.

As a wife, her obedience to Joseph. HELLO! If your husband woke you in the middle of the night and said we are leaving now...and you were 8 mths pregnant, would you not look at him like he lost his mind! She was quiet, always keeping things in her heart. Meditating on the things that people spoke of. She didn't run to Sally her neighbor and "dump" if you will, all that has been happening, or all that Joseph is asking her to do. She pondered them, quietly in her heart. Should we not give our husbands the same respect, and come closer to achieving that Proverbs 31 woman of being a asset to our husbands?

And finally, but not least, as a Mother. I don't need to go on about her Son, Jesus. I want to write about her role as a Mother. Her angst and panic when Jesus was lost for 3 days. Then her total relief when she and Joseph found him. Her teaching Jesus, knowing...pondering in her heart all the things people had said through the years (at His birth, at the temple..both times), her teaching this little boy. Giving all she had- a mother's love, teaching when He was very little, and ultimately, giving her heart. Her Son had to do something for me and you. He HAD to. For all generations past, present, and future (that would be us back then!). Mary didn't jump in and say - No, Jesus, not now, don't do this now! No, she remained quiet. Maintaining the quiet, humble spirit that God had seen in her to choose her as the Mother of His Son. For even to the point of being on the Cross. She cried, she hurt - for all the things happening she still had human feelings, feelings of a Mother. Her Son was being beaten and NAILED to a wooden cross. As He hung there, the soldiers and people had enough respect for her that they didn't push her away. She was there at the foot of that Cross, the cross for you and me. With blood running down her Son, and His flesh torn. She was there. Supporting Him, Loving Him, and caring from a distance because all that pondering through the years had lead her to understand what had to be done. She accepted God's will for herself early on, and she was accepting God's will for us at the foot of the Cross.

Please pause just for a moment to thank her. She is so deserving of just a moment of your time.

God's peace,
Dee

Ruthless Spring cleaning

Call it Spring fever, call it "tired of my home in dis-array" or call it what you will, but I had had it. I took a week and a half of (yes I DO work, I am a full time housewife!). I went to my husband and told him my plan: No walking, no daily mass, no anything until I got the chaos and clutter under control in our home. About this time he raised his eyebrow, and I responded "Ok I'll make sure we have food and there MAY be clean clothes in the basement, but not ironed :-)

He agreed. So off I went, full speed for days. From 8am to 5pm - the Mount Vernon method. I started on the right from my front door and went through EVERY space, drawer, cupboard and cabinet until it was emptied out, cleaned out and only a select few made it back in. Ah! the serenity of order and peace. Now I KNOW what is in each drawer and cabinet, I don't have to go on a wild goose chase with my husband to find something.

Well, 5 days into it I couldn't keep my eyes open past 8pm, so hubby and I agreed it's time to back down. I am glad. Most of it is done. I'm working upstairs and would like to finish that with the same vigor, but the Lord gave me this message: all good things are done in time. Not with rushing. So, I will do what I can in the frame of my normal daily routine.

Now the exciting part. In this decluttering mode, after a year of praying, we decided to sell our large side by side frig and get a smaller one. Mainly because our home, built in 1929, doesn't have the frig "space" for a larger, 2000, version. The day I went to go shopping and start price checking, I was talking to a friend who I buy eggs from. Fresh, farm raised eggs. Oooh, with bright orange yolks. Okay, enough drooling. Anyways, Roxanne and I were talking about my latest adventure about a frig and we came up with the idea to trade! She could use a bigger one, especially freezer space and I needed smaller and already have a deep freezer in the basement. Hence...I got a new frig, and so did she. :-)

Out with the old...

In with the new..

So, this week I am concentrating on finalizing clutter in the office and linen shelves while getting back to the joys of routines. Tomorrow, Laundry and House blessing day along with shred the mile high mountain of papers.

Decluttering and paring down your home always brings about peace. If you can't do like I've done, and I realize the Lord has blessed me with the time and ablity to do that, you CAN take it one day at a time. Start with a list of all the things bothering you. Break it down by room, then break it down to the top thing to accomplish that day, then the next. Don't get to far ahead, remember...If you ever want to see God laugh, make plans. When I am addressing my list in each room, I tend to mark A B C for Monday, then when Monday is done, A B C for Tuesday. That way if things come up, like Molly has an eye infection so off to the vet we go, it won't mess up a whole week's worth of plans.

My home is coming together, finally. After almost 2 years I am able to settle in. I think we are staying for a bit, at least until the Lord says otherwise.

May God's peace be upon you,
Dee

Graduation Day!!

We made it to Family Day on Thursday and Graduation on Friday. Kim (Danielle's older sister) flew in late Thursday night. It was great to have both the girls together. Here are some pics, I took to many to post so I will post a few to share. Danielle and Kim drove back with us to Ohio and Kim flew out on Easter. We've had a busy week and as I write Danielle is packing to fly out tomorrow. Next destination: more training in N.C. for the next 3 mths.

I am so grateful a good friend of mine is picking her up at the airport and helping her get all her seabags, etc to the base. Thank you Kim!!

That's all for now. Oh, Sand Flies! in SC at Parris Island. If you ever want to know about them ...don't ask! and be grateful!!! These little buggers actually made it into the museum (as a cartoon) on base. The cartoon depicts them with "iron" teeth. I will just leave it at that!

Hope you enjoy the picture's of Pvt. B. Danielle Peterson:

This was the M.O.T. run (motivational run) at 7 am Thursday morning. Check out the grin!

Danielle's platoon and senior drill instructor, yikes!!

Pvt. B. Danielle Peterson

Her platoon got the trophy for Final PFT, Final Drill...big accomplishment. You go girl! (or should I say girls!)

So, this door has a rich tradition in the Corps. Only recruits can go in it. No one else, for any reason. There are doors on the side for everyone else. Danielle has graduated now and can't enter them. Here you have one retired Marine, after 20 yrs, and one brand spankin' new one..Love ya both!

Danielle's platoon doing a "Pass by" on the parade deck.

Sisters, a bond that can never be broken.

"The" handshake of congrats.

Once off base she wanted to stop at the first place we could so she could change. Hence the Burger King bag. NOT my choice! She got to make her first call and first french fries in 13 weeks. Keep in mind, no phone, no computer, no male contact, no stores, no off base for 13 weeks. Marine training...only the best for our country! (So I'm partial, give me a break!)

God's peace,

Dee

3 days until Danielle's Boot Camp Graduation

I can hardly believe it. 3 days until Danielle's graduation from boot camp.

We will get to see her Thursday for family day, that will be the first time since January 12 when she left. She called last Sunday for the first time, and we were gone. (insert really sad face here). That's ok, the Lord allowed Chris to hear her voice and he said she seemed excited to see us on Thursday...so she made it through the Crucible!

We leave this afternoon, driving for 3 hrs then will finish the drive (9hrs) tomorrow. Our hope is we will be back in time for Easter service Saturday night. God willing we should be.

Please keep her in your prayers, and us as we travel.

God's peace,

Dee

Quote about Proverbs

So a friend in Georgia years ago introduced me to reading a Proverbs a day, I still do this though not as regular as I used to. I have gotten back into it recently and this is a quote that came to mind:

"Proverbs is like a multi-vitamin, take one daily."
by me!

Cute huh?! Though I can't take the credit for it, the Lord gets the glory.

God's peace,
Dee

Basket Weaving Weekend

It was fantastic! The Lord gave me the opportunity to go away for a couple days to a weekend for basket weavers. It was held in Mentor OH, right on the Lake up north. You can see more about it here. The newspaper came and did an article on us and a short video which is also available on the site.

Besides an amazing weekend that sparked the fire of weaving inside me that had died from the years of not being able to, the Lord blessed me in many ways.

Saturday's basket, the handle is the fun part!

Friday's basket, Cherokee on Cedar or as I called it "the little bugger." 120 spokes 16 hours to weave!

The class I took on Friday, weaving what I affectionately call now, the "little bugger". Or Cherokee in Cedar.

The room the hotel let's us use to finish our projects from the day. We were there until 11pm weaving.

*I learned more about my weaving and corrections to make so my baskets form better.

*I met women (and men) from all over the U.S., one as far away as Alaska.

*A gift from the Lord: On Saturday there was a raffle of several items. I purchased 12 tickets, hoping to win SOMETHING. There was 3 "piles" if you will, of pattern books,weaving supplies, handles, basket decorations (add-on's), etc. One was a lime green tote bag to carry all your supplies in. I really wanted the tote bag because I saw most of the long time weavers had a similar bag to carry their tools. I ended up putting 11 of my tickets between the 2 piles of supplies and books and the last ticket in the bowl for the tote. The hope of winning the tote filled me with excitement.

I left to go to another room that had a vendor, Royalwood, to make some purchases of long needed tools. My name was called so I went in to see what they needed. I won one of the stacks of supplies. Yeah!! I was so excited because I usually don't win raffles. As I walked back in to finish my purchase, I heard my name called again. My first thought was "oh no I grabbed the wrong stack", so I hurried back in only to have them tell me I won again!! I was SO excited. Now I had 2 piles of books, handles, and supplies. As I grabbed my second winnnings and turned to walk away, my heart was filled with so much excitement when I heard my name called again, for the third time!! I won the lime green tote to carry all my loot in. How cool is that!?

As one friend said, not only did the Lord bless me with the spark inside being ingnited, but also gave me some books and supplies as if to say "yes, this is what I want you to do, oh and here is a bag to carry it all in." I could never have afforded all this without saving for a time for it all.

God knows what we need and if we are willing to step out in faith, He will be there to bless our efforts. Know Him. Trust Him. He will always be faithful to you.

God's peace,

Dee

Giving from your living

Good morning! My prayer time this morning was fruitful. A passage from Mark 12:44 caught my attention and the Spirit of God granted me some things to ponder about and I wanted to share them.

Mark 12:44

She not only gave of her want, she gave of her living.

I see the relation to this with the parable of the young man who cam to Jesus asking how he could have eternal life. Jesus told him to sell all he had and follow Him. Though in this parable - the young man was sad because he didn't know if he could do that.

The point of both is by giving from your living, you have faith and want not.

For others may not have anything, and giving of your living will help others while you have more then they probably do. Your faith in God providing will grow and you will walk in the way of Our Lord, never needing more than what God gives. If we share what He gives - we will be provided for and we are helping others be provided for.

Out of Love. It's a circle. We do this out of Love for our neighbor and ourself. One of the 2 greatest commandments. Ultimately doing this for our love and faith in God that He will take care of our needs (not our wants mind you).

So give of your living. Be inspired by a nameless woman in the Bible - that caught our Lord's attention - and be blessed by loving others as well as yourself. For God will be in your heart, mind and soul.

God's peace,

Dee

Houston, We have pictures!!!

I am so excited. Yeah, I know...it took long enough! So here is a trial run of downloading my first picture from my new camera. And of who else? My baby girl, Molly! She was caught and was too tuckered out to get up when I came down the stairs.

New Camera!!

This is my new Canon xs Rebel, I feel like a kid in a candy shop!

Yippee!! Yippee!!

I went to Circuit City's closeout sale and the camera I had my eye on a few weeks ago was on sale (praise God)...and it was the last one, the display model, so I got an extra savings. AND I AM LOVIN' IT!! God is so good.

Now if I could just figure out how to use the dern thing LOL. Oh the pictures it is producing. I can't even begin to describe.

As I get used to it I will be posting, just wait and see.

This camera means so much to me sometimes I just carry it with me, just because. The night I got it we went to dinner and it sat right in front of me...never with in reach of C (how do you make that little sound when you are being sneaky or ornry, well imagine that here.)

Now if I can just figure out a way to carry it with me all the time, and my purse, and my water, and whatever else needs to go with me for that moment. Because don't you know. The very moment I leave without my camera, there is something amazingly beautiful that I spot, and this beautiful fandangled gadit is at home!

Any suggestion from those who carry theirs?

Oh the place's I'll go, .

God's peace,
Dee

Ice Day!!

Our front yard. It's a bit blurry...new camera :-)

Today is an Ice day here, sort of like a snow day...only snow then ice. It is a mess. In all my life of living in the north-east (all of 1 1/2 yrs :-) I have never seen anything like it.

Yesterday it snowed 3-4 inches, then turned into rain. Only to wake up this morning to the 4 inches of snow completely ICED over. From the top it looks like a glaze on top, a shiney glaze. I will post a picture later.

So events of today:

-Chris' classes are all canceled.

-went to daily mass (at the college) thinking no one would show and it was packed full!

-Roads are closed except to emergency vehicles (or the random wife who feels it's a real emergency to drive to Kroger to get Cold-Eze b/c her hubby is trying to stay healthy and ward off anything that's developing. And she really wants to start her new job next week healthy too!!)

-Trees are snapping like crazy and everything outside is covered with a sheathing of ice.

-It has already rained all day, then turned to ice rain (again) and a big snow dumping ontop of the mess we had.

-So, Chris is napping, I'm doing laundry and our budget and getting ready to make some tea.

Anyone else for tea? Tea always calms the nerves and let me tell you, almost every hour I am praising the Lord for electricity and a heater.

God's peace,
Dee

First letter

We just got our first letter from Danielle today. It was short, but she says she is doing good. She has one D.I. who is "nice (ish) and one that is EVIL" according to her letter. Attention is already being drawn to her because she is trying to help the others in getting up and getting around. The first 36 hours they didn't sleep and she says she feels disoriented everytime she wakes up.

But all in all...she says "I'm doing what I can to become a Marine." She is doing good...Praise God!

Please keep her in your prayers.

God's peace,
Dee

Burrr

Ummm....HELLO!!!

It's MINUS 4 degrees outside this morning!!!!

(eyeballs are poppin' out here, and frozen while popped out!)

Nobody ever said anything about MINUS temp's when we moved here!!!