Mom's Confidence Today

 

My kids hear this comment from me more than anything else, "life happens."  It is true, but no need to worry, no need to get anxious, no need because the Lord is in control.  

Just sat down after seeing Anthony off to surgery and when I opened my computer I came to this verse:

The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, 

"Surely , just as I have intended so it has happened, 

and just as I have planned so it will stand"

Isiah 14:24

I love the fact that God knows exactly what is happening and nothing surprises Him.  Our lives have been mapped out perfectly before time began. This fact gives this mom great confidence.

The picture above is Anthony watching dad's Ipad after we are told the surgeon will be 40 minutes late.  Dad to the rescue - always there for us.  

Just ready to push the publish button and the surgeon came out to say all is well and Anthony is in recovery.  Thank you Jesus.

So Easy - So Good

On the way out the door but want to get my Family Favorite Recipe out to you today.  What could be easier for quick hospitality than a fruit cobbler and it is delish - to be sure.  Top with some vanilla ice-cream and you have an instant winner.

Fruit Cobbler

1 stick of butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

can of cherry pie filling (or 3-4 cups fresh, frozen or canned peaches is good)

Melt butter in 8x8 glass pan. Mix sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and milk together and pour over melted butter. Don't mix. Top with fruit and again don't mix. Bake at 375* for 30 minutes or till golden brown.

As always on Tuesday go see Lisa for more great ideas.

Remembering What Mary Chose

This morning my mind is a whirl as I contemplate a full week and many things in our family that would in the natural cause me to worry.  With 5 children there is always something for sure BUT then I come back to what I know: God is more than sufficient for all my needs and more than capable to take care of all my situations.  

Martha was busy with her to-do list.  Oh how I love Martha!  I can so relate.  I cope best with my to-do list.  I like my ducks in order and I don't like surprises.  But Mary!  She chose the best and I am heading the Lord's advice this morning and letting Mary be my role model for the day.

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. 10:40 But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” 10:41 But the Lord  answered her,   “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things,  but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.”

Bountiful Springtime Beauty

I am so blessed to have a beautiful yard with lots of flowers.  Such an enjoyment to go out first thing in the morning and cut fresh roses for the table and my window sill over the kitchen sink.

TLC#3 and Tea

TLC#3 came home with us yesterday.  Today was girl's day all the way.  

We started the day with our aprons on for breakfast.  

We gathered our purses, hankies, added some jewelry and it was off to Walmart to shop for pink nail polish.  Unfortunately the little town of Maricopa doesn't have an antique store so we were limited to Walmart.

Home from Walnut it was grilled cheese sandwiches and fresh vegges followed by a nice nap.  Amazing what the promise of fun to come will do to promote quick napping.

Peach tea served while watching Peter Rabbit movies.  These water colored delights just make my day but usually I am the one more intrigued than the child I am with.  So it was today, oh well.

Pink nail polish always makes little girls smile.

All in all we had a delightful day.  

Old Standby Revisited

Tomorrow is my day to go over to my daughter's home and hang out with the 4 TLC's but we are changing things up a bit this time.  Precious Husband is going with me so he can spend time with the kids and allow Danielle and I time to do a mega shopping and cooking day in the kitchen.  Looking forward to getting lots of good things stocked in the freezer.

In preparation for the day I automatically think about two very favorite cookbooks, Make a Mix and More Make a Mix by Karine Eliason.  These are cookbooks I have had for years and their pages show the signs of ingredients that got to close to their pages.  Hey, these are memory making stains right?

With the economy as it is making the price of groceries skyrocket cookbooks like this are so much more important.  Cooking from scratch and buying the ingredients in bulk if possible makes so much sense.

So tonight I will get my cookbooks out and get a list of ingredients going on paper and look forward to a big day tomorrow.

Garden Lessons

This morning having breakfast by the pond with Precious Husband I couldn't help but notice the asparagus ferns that hug both sides of the waterfall.  Green, soft, supple, eye catching, healthy.  Not so a few weeks ago.  A few weeks ago they were yellow, dry, over-grown, brittle with lots of dead prickly hurtful branches jetting out everywhere.

What made the difference?  The gardener got very busy with his pruners.  Yes, Precious Husband really cut them back to the bare minimum and they were definitely not pretty to look at after this severe pruning but so worth it now to see the results.

Viewing my asparagus fern I find myself praying, "Lord, prune me.  Clip me back to the roots if You need to because I know I need it and I will flourish as a result."

The Vine and the Branches

John 15

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

Love of Butterflies

Walking through our home you will see lots of pretty butterflies perched here and there or adorning some object of my affection.

My collection started because butterflies remind me so much of 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

If you follow my blog at all you have read about Aunt Jo and she loved butterflies too and for the same reason.  I have many of her butterflies in the form of jewelry and when I wear a piece my thoughts turn towards her often and the great influence she had on me.  She truly was a godly mentor for my life and encouraged me in so many areas.  When she died she was a week short of being 98 years old and she had lived for the Lord since the age of 10.  Such an amazing blessing for the Lord to give her to me and allow me the honor of gleaning her wisdom as a godly woman.

Recently the Lord has brought a young woman into my life 30 years my junior and God is using her to share more wisdom with me concerning being a godly woman.  I guess this is not quite a Titus 2 relationship as far as age is concerned but truly wisdom has no age requirement and my precious little Alicia proves that to me more and more as I get to know her heart.  Alicia has blessed me with butterflies recently and she touches my heart as did Aunt Jo.  

God is good to supply what and WHO we need in our lives.

 

Paul bought me this teapot in San Francisco several years ago.

This little lamp I purchased on a visit to my dearest friend Dolores who I lost a year ago and miss so much.  Some friends can never be replaced.

I got this cup for Aunt Jo when she was living with us under the care of Hospice.

A scarf of Aunt Jo's

This picture is from our guest room still referred to as "Aunt Jo's room".

Butterfly jewelry that belonged to Aunt Jo and worn with love now by me.

This butterfly came from Alicia and perches itself in my sanctuary (office).

These all came from Alicia just last week.

Wind chimes with butterfly for my garden from Alicia.

And finally this picture to share with you.  When I adopted Anthony I wanted to give him a special gift and found this painting by Joni Erickson Tada the woman that is a quadriplegic and paints with her mouth.  The painting reminds me again of 2 Corinthians 5:17 but I purchased it for Anthony to encourage him that God would use him in spite of any physical limitations he may have been born with. 

This hangs on the door of the "butterfly room" where my precious Aunt Jo spent the last 9 months of her life.  She taught me well that because of Jesus we are now new creations just like the butterfly.

Fruitful Pruning

Just had to take some pictures of my roses and share with you.  It is beautiful in Arizona right now.  Getting a little warm too fast for me but still beautiful.  Our roses and our other plants have come out of their long winter sleep and after a hearty pruning they are just gorgeous.  So please let me share the beauty here with you today.

My Chinese Elm (I think this is what it is) just pops at the entrance of spring and it is growing so well and so green and healthy.  Under it I have peppermint planted ready for a wonderful cup of tea.

Yes, it is nice to have cut flowers again from our own garden.  What a wonderful reminder of the Master Gardener at work in our lives pruning and weeding and improving as only He can.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.                        John 15:1-2