Follow Me Friday

  Finding  the Inspiring....
is asking us to share  inspirational blogs  today... in the effort of finding  like-minded  blog friends and sharing  in blogland...

Today  if you havent already, Id love to introduce you to   Marie at A Year from Oak Cottage....  what  a  wonderful delight it is to visit her blog....her  deep insights into living, faith, and   loving   is hugely inspiring.. her  site is  sumptuously  beautiful and delicious, too, as she  also  shares the most amazing  home cooked  food  one can imagine with just about every post!  Not only  a  divine chef in her own right, she is also an artist of the most  lovely,  encouraging prints  for sale in her  etsy shop...   so much to see,  experience, and  find deep  spiritual  soul food as well!

Skywatch Friday

Out my  January window
Check out Skyley for more wonderful photos!

Thankful Thursday

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name”

~ Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

SO much to be thankful for, indeed,  yes!  And so easy to  falter and  live life  like we dont really  mean it or understand  the meaning of  the word thankful....
 One poster    on this  theme  today  said  she was thankful for His word....   and my goodness,  without His word, the Bible,  how would we ever  begin to  know Him  and  His  purposes... so  yes, the scriptures  are  the most precious  things we have....  and we   meditate on them,  we  sing them,  we  memorize them and we  think we  know them... but until they become  a  true part of our heart  we  do  not  fully apply them and live them  as we  should...   I believe the longest distance in the world is the distance from the brain to the heart.  This week I am meditating on Romans 12:12... a simple  scripture

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  

Short, direct,  to the  point  of  what  to do   as a child of God....  easy to memorize,   words full of promise and seemingly easy enough to live by....

  a perfect life verse....

  Yet  when I  really contemplate   the import of each phase   and  judge my life on  its meaning  I  come up short... 

  If I lived these 3 simple  phases,   would I  feel  sometimes defeated, discouraged,   fearful....I  understand  them in my mind... but in my heart Im not so sure....  

  I am so thankful for God's word  that    demonstrates  the Truth and the Way..  and I  am also thankful for the Holy Spirit  who  comforts and  shines His light into our lives to  demonstrate  the areas where our mind and heart arent quite   equally yolked on  scriptures and  where  a yielding of our heart places  must  occur  that we might fully apply  the Truths of scripture and live in peace,  and joy,  freedom from fear,  patiently waiting on God's  promises and His  restorations and healing.   To  the place where  the subtle voice of the enemy  will not  have the power to undo us in times of  struggle and trial and  we will  listen instead to the steadfast true voice of  the Holy Spirit  directing us in  the Way of the Lord....  Yes,  there are mighty things of God  for which to be thankful...  and  for those I fall on my knees!

There are days

when I feel

The best of me

is ready to begin (the end)

Then there's (the) days

when I feel

I'm letting go

and soaring on the wind

'Cause I've learned in laughter or in pain

How to survive!

I get on my knees! (x2)

There I am before the Love

That changes me

See I don't know how

But there's power

When I'm on my knees

I can be

in a crowd

Or by myself

and almost anywhere

When I feel

there's a need

To talk with God

He is Emmanuel

When I close my eyes, 

no darkness there

There's only light!

I get on my knees (x2)

There I am before the Love that changes me

See I don't know how, but there's power

In the blue skies, in the midnight

When I'm on my knees 

I get on my knees (x2)

There I am before the Love

That changes me

See I don't know how, but there's power

When I'm on my, oh, when I'm on my

When I'm on my knees
 Jaci Velasquez

Today visit Women Taking A Stand for more TT!

A Little Bling for Me

Blog hopping is so delightful!  And when I found Katherine's Corner it was especially fun!

This  blog hop meme   gives us the chance to  share things we love...  I was just checking my email  and I had a reminder  from one of my favorite shops.....

Brighton!
I am a relative new comer   to this  wondrous   shop...  I actually  first heard of it  as I was blog hopping  a couple of years ago... not having a distributor  in my area I  had no opportunity to know  of it....    but  once the doors of opportunity opened to me I  became hooked....   From then on  everytime we traveled my  favorite  souvenir  was a piece of  bling from Brighton!
Just to share a few pieces with you
.
..I love to collect the  wrappings... whether  these darling cloth bags

 or the  adorable  tins...

Brighton is definitely a favorite  for this  older lady!!
Perfect for me...perfect for my pocketbook!

To follow this theme  visit Katherine's Corner!

Tablescape Thursday...a Bit of Romance

My  sunroom  has been so  cold  during  this whole month  because of the dark dreary days... we just  never ventured in there..thus never  had the heat turned on....   then yesterday  dawned cheerful and bright, and thoughts of  emerging days of  new life and    renewed  love  burst around me and I    was flooded with  the thoughts of romance and springtime....

and I naturally think roses and candlelight!



I love the shabby  antique roses  of the linen  cloth daintily trimmed with antique laces  as  the foundation of  the scene.. 

The  centerpiece  was inspired   to reflect the  cabbage roses of the cloth in more diminutive roses in the vase!  The vase I absolutely love...  an antique  vase  found in a consignment shop,   made in an English pottery of  exquisite detail and  fine quality...


Speaking of   English pottery  this china  I picked up  at Marshall's for a song....
 Royal Stafford  at   the potteries of Burslem...try as I might  the  manufacturer is listed on each piece  but not the pattern  name....I bought 6 plates and 6 bowls....   alas, that was all they had!

The flatwear is International silver, Joan of Arc, and the napkin, pure Irish linen!
  Everything is sensually sumptuous!  And  as the evening   grew, the  candlelight performed it's magic!

For more TT be sure to stop in at Between Naps on the Porch! You'll be glad you did!!!

Word Filled Wednesday

Click the above photo to return to Cafe Devotions!

God's promises are sure and  we can  trust Him  to bring us through   when we submit to  Christ and   live for Him... after all, He died for us!

A Scottish Tea

Bernideen's Tea Time is a lovely site for  getting your  inspiration for  all things tea!  Today she is hosting    Friends with Tea a  delightful  theme    that just set me into action to have a spot of tea this afternoon.....  today's mail   brought me  the Winter edition of  Scotland  magazine which  always   intrigues me with  new destinations  for my dream itinerary to  the Highlands  someday!

  So as I  was researching  a bit   of  my favorite place on earth,, I decided to enjoy an bit of  Celtic  tea!

Years ago  we were very much involved with the Celtic society here in our area...  and we attended highland games  in Grandfather Mountain... there we  found this  gorgeous pottery from Buchan....  depicting the  beautiful national  flower of Scotland... the thistle..
 
 A simple repast of  apples  and cheese    was just the  bit of  goodness to enjoy with my  Lady Earl Grey....  and    here is  the  exquisite  site I was  researching... Taymouth Castle...situated on Loch Tay at the gateway of the Scottish Highlands...   now this  has been a lovely    afternoon escape!

Table Top Tuesday

Click the photo  above to visit  our host  and  enjoy more  vignettes!


Being so enamored of my  family genealogy and heritage  with my huge interest in the Olde World I  love to incorporate  that flavor into my decor....

I find it helps to define me...

My dad's family hailed from the Duchy of Braunschweig, Germany,  (Brunswick)  the area of Lower Saxony...

 
I have just very  recently discovered  that  I had been in error  regarding  this earliest known   ancestor's  birthplace.... so I am  happy to  make  correction....  I  will always  think of my German  lineage  whilst    enjoying this  lovely figurine!

Mosaic Monday

This winter  has  been  quite  a bit  different from winters past....only  the barest skiff of snow one morning  that  was  so quickly gone  I barely caught it on film.....    but  icy wind shields have been the order of the day.....    and I am so thankful for  my dear husband's trusty scraper and  hefty arm!!!!  And that I  dont have to do  that  much anymore!!!!   Cold and drear,  foggy, and stark...  that has  defined this winter...   with a few  mild days thrown in for good measure, but they just seem to make the  really frigid  days  seem that much harder to endure!

Visit Mary at the Little Red House for more Mosaic Monday!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY January 23, 2012

Outside my window...dreary,  bitterly dreary!

I am thinking...not too long now til  Groundhog Day and I hope  he will not see his shadow!  Not that  believe that    but  it does tickle my fancy to contemplate  springtime!

I am thankful..the small blessings  that each day brings  that  help   us find contentment  in just being, and being where we  are!

In the kitchen...Lynn is actually  simmering a  lovely  pot of homemade vegetable soup!

I am wearing...sweats and a turtle neck....   I  cant seem to  feel  quite warm enough today!

I am creating...a mood for change in many areas of  my life....  all change for good and    a step toward more  of God in  everyday!

I am going...to be challenging myself to  do the next right thing  towards better  health and strength!

I am wondering...how to manage   the upcoming  influx of activities that spring will bring... demands on  my time,  and  challenges on my physical  being.....getting mom's house  ready to sell is going to be  quite  a challenge  for  Lynn and I!

I am reading...

Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts

Book of James


A study of Proverbs on Wisdom

I am hoping...to see progress in    the areas I have spoken of above...   in the  organization of  our home,  and in  how I am feeling about  everything!

I am looking forward to..brighter days.... these dreary, cloudy days  take my spirit and dashes it....

I am learning...to take  all my afflictions and count it all joy....  for  trials  come  of many kinds  to  teach us patience and perseverance....  it is how we manage  and overcome  that  truly matters...  and  God's Word tells us   if we stay on  the  right track with Him   there is light at the end of  each tunnel!.

Around the house...I am still trying to figure out how to meld  some of mother's  treasure in to my home....   Lynn tells me to  get rid of  one thing before adding  another...   that is the hard part......  why do I have to be so sentimental!


I am pondering... why do I automatically revert to old paths  when I know  that  having God  with me and His spirit in me  I am an overcomer  and  should cast the old  things away.....

A favorite quote for today...

Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it. A.W. Tozer
One of my favorite things...

blogging  bless me so much
A few plans for the rest of the week:
Monday:  Meet with the "Cracked Pots"  and  discuss lesson 5 in our  Study on  Finding  Joy in God
Visit mom and dad for a minute  and  meet with the therapists
Tuesday- laundry, laundry, laundry
Wednesday-  take mom to the doctor   dinner at church, Adult Bible Study
Thursday-  up for grabs....  but prob  work at the other house
Friday-allergy shot, loose ends day!

Saturday- Prayer team coffee and  plan
A peek into my day...

Keeping up with my calendar... I never in a million years would have  thought I could  have such a busy calendar as I do  in my retirement.... and    like last week,  I had to  move my allergy shot to a different day of the week, and   lo and behold I forgot to go... and had to reschedule for a different day again this week... I  just have to keep my calendar before me every day or I can not keep up with myself!

I
Visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook here for more offerings...

Sunday Favorites

"Sunday Favorites" is a Sunday meme designed to give bloggers a chance

to share a favorite post from the past!

For more information on how to republish a past post just click Happy to Design!

Today  I  want to share from last winter....

Carolyn , The Scrapping Servant, hosts this theme each week.  She reminds us that..

"As  iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.  Proverbs 27:17

My Walk Monday  every Monday is where we just share what is going on in our walk for the week or  just the day and link up here so we can run this race together!"

Because of this winter storm  we didnt have church yesterday and activities for today( our Bible study) were canceled..    Im not doing a Beth Moore this time around and I am finding that old patterns are trying to settle back in... it is so easy to become so distracted that one loses all sense of dedication to and perseverance to time in the Secret Place...   I love what Bob Sorge writes in his book about The Secret Place," Not only will this book help to defuse your personal struggles related  to the secret place, it will also inspire you to the thrilling  exhilaration of developing a personal connection with God. Your heart  will be ignited with passion for Jesus."

That is what I truly yearn for... passion for Jesus, the Lover of my soul.   Today I dwell on Psalm 42.... one of my very favorite passages...

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for  you, O God.

² My soul  thirsts for God, for the living God.

      When can I go and meet  with God?

³ My  tears have been my food

      day and night,

      while men  say to me all day long,

      "Where is your God?"

⁴ These things I remember

       as I pour out my soul:

      how I used to go with the multitude,

       leading the procession to the house of God,

      with shouts of  joy and thanksgiving

      among the festive throng.

⁵ Why are you downcast, O my  soul?

      Why so disturbed within me?

      Put your hope in  God,

      for I will yet praise him,

      my Savior and ⁶ my God.

      My ^c]">[c] soul is downcast within me;

       therefore I will remember you

      from the land of the Jordan,

       the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

⁷ Deep calls to deep

      in the roar of  your waterfalls;

      all your waves and breakers

      have  swept over me.

⁸  By day the LORD directs his love,

      at night his song is with  me—

      a prayer to the God of my life.

It is that very deep place  where my spirit longs to connect with the spirit of God... where words are unnecessary.. and flesh has no substance.. where I can soar with the eagles in perfect union with his spirit and be made whole in body mind and spirit..  Where love  is matchless and divine... where He is all the sustenance I can ever need!   I love you , Lord!!!!