Get Your Garden Growing!

Are you ready to learn how to get that garden of yours ready for summer's luscious pluckings? Let's begin....

1. First, find a spot of soil that gets at least 6 hours of wonderful sunshine. It can be a large plot of soil, or small spaces in between your shrubs. Clear all weeds and debris, then add some soil fertilizer. I use this Miracle-Gro product for veggies; it's not a miracle, but my plants do gro-w!

2. Pour the fertilizer over the soil. Take your shovel - the long skinny trenching shovel, if you have one (or reg one), and stick that shovel blade nine inches into the ground and upturn the soil. You'll be tempted to do this fast, but be smart and do tiny sections at a time. Like this...

Do you know why you want to do tiny sections? Because you don't wanna break off your shovel blade, for one, but for two, you want to get all that soil well-loosened - this is where your veggies roots will stretch and grow -- and they will need lots of soft soil to do that without hindrance. Ok, moving on....

3. Grab your metal rake, break up all the clods, and smooth the plot. It will be so pretty!!!!
4. Get your Dahhling to come out and help you! Bribe him, act dumb, whatever it takes. When Mike helps, I am assured that my projects will get done in 1/100th of the time it would take this dawdler to do it alone. In the pic below he was making a funny face because he knew I had my camera on him.

5. If you just copy what Mike is doing in the pictures (he did the work; I had the camera. See how smart I am?!!!!), then you will know what to do with all those potted veggies you bought at the nursery. :)


6. 7. 8. 9. 10. After all is said and done, sprinkle snail bait around your work. CAUTION: Kids and pets don't know it's for snails only!!! It is said that marigolds, those pretty, flourishing summer flowers, are natural snail repellents.

11. For your precious tomatoes, it's important to stake them up somehow. You can buy tomato cages, or like us (okay! Like Mike...), you can use poles.

12. Water them. Weed them. Watch them grow. Pluck them. Share them. Enjoy them with thanksgiving!

This is a bit of work, but remember what Proverbs 6:6-8 says, "Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her (of course it's a her) ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer, and gathers her provision in the harvest." Happy gathering!!

Oh, and lest you think me, the picture-taker, a sluggard with the gardening, I assure you it's a team effort. I dug up and raked half of our soil, purchased all the plants, water, weed, pick, and bake, steam, bbq the bounty. Oh... and help eat it, too!!! Such fun!

A Time to Plant

I'm ready! Ready for summer's bountiful produce popping up in my garden and in my mouth!!! All this green beauty was purchased at Lowe's and Walmart. Hurry, join me! Go pick out your favorite veggies, and this weekend I'll walk you through the planting process!!!! Ready? Get set - go get those pony packs!!!! See ya this weekend!

Just Beachy!!

Okay, I've put my sewing down so that I can play Show & Tell with all my beachy lessons.

Monday, Monday. We're on our way, with clear, sunny skies! Hopes are soaring for a vacation of full of fun!

The entire trip Mike was in meetings, from the wee hours of the morning to the late night hours. This left me alone with Jesus and my old journals... I had big plans to read through a whole stack of them. Little did I know that I would barely scale a few pages in only one! But God knew; and His plan was definitely different than my own!

Through those few pages the Lord revealed that deeeeeeep in my heart raged a blazing fury. Well, drats. I had poured cold water over it enough to keep it controlled, and I thought I was doing so good, but those journal pages were like a match being thrown on an overturned gasoline tanker - KABOOM! God cares about that deep-down stuff - AND HE WANTS IT UP AND OUT!

So, Wednesday evening I packed up me and my bad attitude and headed out to Morro Bay Beach. No cell phone. No friends. No computer. Just God's creation, me, and Jesus. Up and down that gorgeous trail of ocean I walked for hours; griping, venting, praising, praying, thanking, singing, sighing, reciting truth, taking pictures.
There comes a time when we have to meet our heart's wretchedness face-to-face. It's no easy aquaintance. In sunny times don't we like to think our faith will stand against life's dashing waves? And yet, when it's revealed to us that we are no stronger than a sandcastle built by the water's edge, well... it's discouraging. I imagine this is what Peter felt after hearing the distant rooster calling his bluff. Of course I confessed to the Lord this utter weakness of mine, this wanting to "fly away" as King David sighed, but guess what? It was no surprise to Him. To the One who sees every secret of the heart, He knew. It made me tear up when the Lord's response to my confession was a whispered "I love you." It was a shocker. And then, I had to laugh with joy, because "while I was yet a sinner, Jesus died for me." I really wasn't any worse that day on the beach then that day sitting in Calvary Chapel, Bakerfield, when I raised my hand during an altar call. It's so easy to let grace's wonders get sidetracked with worksy attitudes. Anyhoo, I had read that morning in Proverbs 24:10 that "If you faint in adversity, your strength is small." LOL - Yes! it is! But, Luke 22:32 says, "...but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail." Yay!

If you think that God is not real and paying attention with lots of loving thoughts, then let me show you some pictures. I snapped these photos without touching anything on the sand. I felt God was reminding me on my treks up and down that cold beach that He loved me...
This is a long blog, isn't it? There's just so much to tell!!! I'm beginning to understand what John meant when he said, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written." I'm barely telling anything about my trip and lessons, and look... lo-oong!

Anyhoo, when I left that beach I had thought of Joseph's life. So much happened that was not in his boyhood dreams. Yet he trusted, and ended up saving a nation. Jesus trusted when He walked on earth, and ended up saving souls. About some of the things in my life that were not in my girlhood dreams, I wrote in my journal that night, "Lord, why is this best for me? Maybe, duh, it's not about me. All of Joseph's whole life was so that God could have HIS WAY and save His people." Maybe somwhere down the end of my life's road my experiences will also save someone from something. I thought of 2 Corinthians 4:12. "So death works in us, but life in you." Like sand crabs. There are tons of their lifeless white carcasses all over the beach. Why? Their deaths provide food for the birds. And I caught this happening in a photo (though it's hard to see it).
I remembered that many have gone before me in this life. We are not alone! And Jesus walks with us!
Elisabeth Elliot says, "In acceptance lies peace." Always, I viewed that with accepting my lot in life. But on the beach I thought of it as in accepting the truths of God. In acceptance that there will be trials and tribulations, that ours is a God who is near and not far off, that sometimes we have to wait, that He sends rain on the good and evil, that changes take time, that in all things God's will is that we give thanks...."Yield now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you. Please receive instruction from His mouth, and establish His words in your heart" (Job 22:21-22). It always comes back to surrender and trust and obedience, doesn't it? Oh, and God's grace, and help, and strength, and love and mercy... :)

So, you think I should be finished yakking, and maybe I should be, but I'm not. Oh, no! "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). Oh, yeah, babay! After the day-long struggle on Wednesday, joy came and stayed! Thursday was our last day, and I had 12 whole hours left to celebrate at the beach...

I checked us out of the hotel and drove to sunny Avila Beach (did you notice that both beaches' weather matched my attitudes? Coincidence? lololol).
First thing I did was swing in the sunshine. I love to swing! Did you know that? Then, having a front row ocean view, I sat in my car and did hours of hand-stitching and journal reading.
This is me very content. The windows were down, allowing the warm whisp-of-a-breeze to blow through.... yum! (I took this pic of myself and forgot to smile, as I was concentrating on not dropping the camera.)
After this, I went to Avila's Red Barn for some fresh produce. I ended up buying jacks, too. Remember those???
This guy was in their petting zoo. While all other goats were busy about, he was content in the sunshine. Me, too!
All in all, the trip was fantastic. On Wednesday I had the chance to go to Disneyland with my sis' fam. They were taking five-year-old Brandon, whom I love, for the first time. Since he's my only 'grandson' they wanted me to be there. Disneyland is my fav place. I felt like the Lord wanted me to stay where He put me. He said to me, "There will be blessings if you stay." Now, keep in mind that WEDNESDAY was my bad attitude day full of lessons. I told the Lord, "I exchanged Disneyland for this???" However, like I said, He had a plan. The blessing was in revealing what was in my heart so that He could deliver me and set me free. Also, that I could have a fresh breath of His love in a personal way, despite all my failures. Oh, and just so much more. Sometimes blessings come in strange packaging....and sometimes we have to wait to see them. But they are all worth it! Being with Jesus is the happiest place on earth.
And then I picked up Mike and we sailed off into the sunset (Bakersfield). THE END!

SPRING - Inside Out!

Tomorrow I will tell you about my fantastic beach trip, including all the photos and lessons. But today, I want to just take a moment and relish springtime's invigorating ways!

So, this is springtime inside... camelias and lemon blossoms from my yard.
This is springtime, out... in part of my little, neglected side yard.
If you haven't done so yet, sloooooooow downnnnnnnnn... Stop. Close your eyes. Inhale deeply. Smell the blossoms? Listen. Hear the lawnmowers, the twitter of birds? Feel the breeze upon your face? Stand in the sunshine for just a minute and let it melt away the last of winter's chill. Perk up - like SPRING!

LeT aLL WhO hAVe BrEaTH prAise THE LorD!

Happy First Day of Spring!

The grass is green, the toes are pink, the flip-flops are click-clacking on my feet - it is SPRING!

Even without all the above, and despite that it could have been a dreary cloudy day, or even if the grass still hadn't shrugged off its winter's brown coat, my calendar says that today is the first day of Spring - and that makes it so!

This is why Christians can be "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (2 Corinthians 6:10) - because despite how dreary things might look, or how pink toes get all chipped and ugly-looking, or how the grass looks greener on the other side, it changes not God's sure Word! The Most High is still on His throne, He still cares, His voice is still booming enough to cause a dear to give birth (oh, yeah, I said it... see Psalm 29:9), He rejoices over you with singing, and even when it seems like He has utterly deserted you, He is still near, never leaving you or forsaking you.

God said so in my Bible - and that makes it so!

So, everyday can be like spring in our hearts! God is ours and we are His and fa la la la laaaaaaa!

It's Alive!!

Really, you should say the title of this entry - It's Alive!! - as Mel Brookes said it in the corny and great movie Frankenstein, when the monster came alive. It's not that I'm talking about monsters, but the very Word of God that is able to take our monstrous sins and failings and weaknesses and needs, and turn them into steps of hope, change, help, and visions of who our God is.

So, first things first - go get your favorite cuppa. At this moment, mine is this -----

One of my outta-town girlfriends sent this to me in the most dahlingest ever Valentine's package. Hearts and pink were everywhere - cuz, duh, love was being sent! Anyhoo, I had never heard of this herbal, caffeine free treat, but it is yum, and needs no sweetening up! Try it!

The reason I tell you to grab your hot beverage first (oh, don't argue; it can be a cold one, too) is because my BFF of almost 28 years taught me to have my quiet times with the Lord in her spacious living room, and we ALWAYS had our coffee!!! For me, having my cuppa with Jesus is like having sunscreen by the pool - a must!

Now, we all know that life is busy. Crazy. Frantic. Overwhelming. What are we to do when this happens? God's Word tells us (Ps. 61:2) that "when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." So, to the Rock!!! (Of course, I say this, but yesterday, when I wanted to cry at being so unable to accomplish all the day's demands, I complained to a friend... who thankfully led me to the Rock! Yay! All is well with my soul....ahhh!)

But, really, all is not well with my soul. Nope. Because I am distracted easily, I often neglect sitting with the Lord. Gone are the days when I wake up, get my coffee, and crawl right back into my bed for hours (yep, I said 'hours') with the Lord.





How did this happen? Well, my to-do & want-to-do list grows like a mustard seed plant! I try to cease striving and be still, but it is almost impossible. Even my magazines are still sitting upright in my overflowing racks, waiting to be read. I can't sit still for them, either.

What is to be done? It's time to tell myself "NO!" Jesus told Martha MARTHA that the good part that Mary had chosen would not be taken away from her. Mary refused to get up and help Martha, longing to just sit with her Lord. No distraction was going to rob that yearning one of her heart's delight. It's time to say "NO!" to stuff and "YES!" to Jesus.

Back in the day when I was a Bible study leader and was able and desiring to sit still with God's Word for all those morning hours, I would tell the gals in my group (who were as I am now - wiggly in life), "Ask God to give you a love for His Word. He will!" I still believe it to be true! I think that up till today, my flesh was not willing to ask that because I wanted to do what I wanted to do -- sew, play, write, clean, etc. (And this is more public confession than I like to make before 11am!)

Anyhoo, one thing is needful - that we sit at His feet and pour out our love. And in return, we will be filled. Overflowing. Joyous. Happy. Hopeful. Strengthened. Revived! In love with Jesus!

People will see the new vibrant you and exclaim, "It's alive!!" (Meaning: you and God's Word which changed you!)

He's Waiting!

God's Mercy via a Frog!

Once upon a time, when I was the Queen Supreme of Nag-land, there lived with me a Frog. Warts covered his green, slimy body from head to webbed toe. He croak out his crummy words a whole lot, and Queeny did what she did best - nag the idiot (ok, that was very nice) Frog to quit croaking and start crooning (as in, say lots of really loving & adorable things to Queen Nag).

Well, this kept up for eons, centuries, years, days. One day, the King of kings announced to Queen Nag (QL - Queen Liz, from here on out) that He would be most pleased if she would cease that endless dripping (see Proverbs 27:15) and begin to see Frog as a prince that He loved.

What???? You love that uncrooning Frog?! Darn that! (Okay, and yay for that.)

Thus, QL dashed right out and bought a new charm for her charm bracelet. The picture is fuzzy, so I will tell you that it is a silver frog, sitting all smug with a crown on his head (I added the smug part; it could be that he is just HAPPY that God loves him!!!).

Anyhoo, I tell you all this to tell you the real purpose in this blog (oh, besides that we all should quit nagging and start bragging on our Frog Princes) - GOD'S MERCY ENDURES FOREVER! And that mercy involves another Frog.... this one....
Back in 2001 I had to have a complete, unwanted, cried-over, hysterectomy. Words cannot describe the turmoil within me of NOT WANTING THIS THING THAT WAS SOOOOO OUT OF MY CONTROL!

I prayed, begged, pleaded with God for mercy. I told Jesus, "I don't know nothing 'bout having no hysterectomy" (best said with Prissy's accent from Gone with the Wind), so, please, Jesus, hold my hand the whole time." These two things, amongst a myriad of other requests, were my main focus and plea.

Well, it ended up that while I was in surgery, Mike and my sister Karen were roaming the gift shop for a sorry-this-is-it-for-you gift. Mike, knowing I loved writing letters, was reaching for stationary. Karen said, "No, she needs something she can hold onto." She did not know about my prayer for Jesus to hold my hand. That's what makes this so neat!

Anyhoo, the above stuffed, green, cute frog-guy was my gift. When Mike gave it to me, I held on for dear life.

One of the nurses told me, "Liz (she didn't know me as QL), the strangest thing about that frog is that even in your sleep, that frog has never fallen out of your hand." Now... I was in the hospital for four nights!!!! God's mercy had Jesus holding my hand in a way that wouldn't freak everyone out! :) Isn't He good? And very real? Oh, and, oh, so, caring?!!!

That was just one of the many ways that God showed me (and now you) that His mercy endures forever! Amen & yahoo & yay & thank You, Lord!!!! xo

Hard or Soft Hearted?

Ok, here's how it went down. Already once today I blogged about making homemade liquid detergent (see below). It took me forever, since I am just beginning to learn how to do the text with pictures. I thought one blog per day was PLENTY. However, lessons must be taught and pictures must be appreciated - by you, my reader. So.....

While deciding what to fix for dinner tonight, I had a thought: Mike works so very, very hard, why don't I surprise him with his favorite potato salad? I thought it was such a grand idea-of-love that I went to the pantry, reached down and lugged up that 10-pound bag of taters, and got busy.




The peeled potatoes were all chopped to the perfect size for a fork-sized bite, and I was just carefully adding the eggs, when I began to wonder if I should blog about the lesson I once got on boiling potatoes and eggs. Hmmmm..... should I? shouldn't I? While I was contemplating, the phone's brrrriinnnnnnngggggg snatched me from my mini dilema.



It was my friend that I just love, Lish (don't worry, I love you, too!). When I told her what I was doing - placing the eggs in with the potatoes - she said, "Really? I've never heard of that."
See, in my deliberating, I had wondered if everyone knew about mating that couple in the pot, or not. That settled it - right then and there I knew there was a cooking trick & a neat lesson to be learned!



The trick is so simple it is a treat-of-a-time-saver! All you do it boil the potatoes and eggs together! Only one pot to clean, not two! Yay!!! (Hey, don't roll your eyes! It saves time!)


(I was so busy typing this blog that I forgot them and almost let them boil to a mush!!!! But, thankfully, they were rescued just in time. See all the lovely steam? They had a hot time in that pot!)



And now, the lesson.

What happens in that pot is very strange. The eggs harden; the potatoes soften. When you are in a hot, fiery trial, and your patience is in a rolling boil, does your heart become hardened or softened? We know that everything that comes into our life has first passed through the loving hands of God. If it's in our life, He has already nodded approval, for whatever reason. Job passed the test, Abraham passed the test, Jesus passed the test (think of the Garden of Gethsemane and sweating blood), and you will pass the test - if you let the hot-pots of trials soften your heart to the things of God. Some people harden themselves against God and His sure word when the heat of a trial lasts too long. They get all steamed up at God, and many walk away in rebellion, before He can ever produce a delish potato salad out of that boiling trauma.

So, the question is: In your current boiling circumstance, will you be an egg or a potato?

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Pete 5:10-11.

Love That Laundry Soap!!!

Have you ever heard of Ed Begley, Jr? He is a movie star gone green. And when I say green, I mean that He has a TV show called Living With Ed, that teaches all us un-greens how to live environmentally correct. His wife costars and they are quite a normal and funny couple, with some things that are really helpful. I'm thinking of sending them this blog!

Anyhoo, I found a recipe for homemade liquid laundry soap on a darling blog called Little Birdie Secrets, and knew I had to try it - and record it as I was doing so with my Christmas-present camera!

So, here we go! I condensed all the pictures and directions onto one cute page (right) for you guys, in case you wanted to copy and paste and print it up for easy use in your kitchen. For the longer and more fun version, keep reading!

First, three simple & inexpensive ingredients are needed; four, if you count plain ol' tap water. You can see them in the picture to your left. Don't confuse the washing soda for baking soda. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME, AND CANNOT BE EXCHANGED FOR ONE ANOTHER!

* 1/2 cup borax
* 1/2 cup washing soda
* 1/2 bar Fels-naptha soap (This soap has been around since 1893. That's a long time to prove your worth! It is a lovely, soft orange; it makes me happy. The texture reminds me of a crayon - dandelion.)

All three of these products were available & cheap at Winco. Von's only carried one of them, and it was $1.50 more. ( Sorry, Von's... lower your prices & stock your shelves!)

Oh, you also will need a large bucket & empty & clean containers. I used cola bottles, Mona-Vie bottles, Gatorade bottles, Clorox bottles, and my favorite glass one - an old Tequilla bottle.

(These are filled with the fruit of my detergent-making labor!)



What you do now is grate the half bar of soap into a big pot with 3 cups water. Heat until the soap is melted; it doesn't take long. (In fact, start-to-finish, this whole endeavor takes @ 30 min, and that includes clean up.) Now, add your measured Borax and Soda (no! not baking soda. lol). Ta-Da!!!

Pour 8 cups water into a large bucket or pot.( I used a rinsed-out 5-gallon bucket that our pool's chlorine tabs came in.) To this, add the liquid detergent. STIR like crazy. Pour in an additional 28 cups water. Stir. It's ready!




Now all you do it grab your funnel and pour this beautiful lemony-colored liquid into your containers. It does get foamy as you pour, so you might set aside some as you pour into others, and let that foam settle down a bit, then fill it full. Let this set for a day, to get thick. When ready to use, shake really well, and pour 1/2 cup into your regular-sized load.

This batch should make 2.5 gallons of liquid laundry detergent, which equals out to @16o loads of laundry! All that for the cost of about $2! Can't beat that!

Oh, and what great gifts this would make for

...new brides...
...your kid's first apartment...
...a friend in need... HAVE FUN!

Economical Fun!

When times are tough, the tough get smarter!

One of our local Von's grocery stores was having a re-opening (I didn't even know they were closed!). So, my mailbox was flooded with coupons, ads, and a 10% off Von's card.

My BFF, Susan, and I armed ourselves with our lists, circled items from ads, and coupons aplenty. Oh, and, of course, our lattes!

In we marched, women on a mission to save, save, SAVE! And we did.

She saved $109 and I saved $68! Believe me, that was the best stimulus plan ever!!! We are going back this afternoon!

The top right picture displays the wonders of what $24 dollars got me. Yep, all that for only two tens,a few ones, and a little planning and coupon clipping. Hoooray!!! Obama should learn from us!

That Was A Clothes Call!

These neat stacks of fluffy towels are special. It took me six whole days to make them such...

Would you like to know the secret to making your towels stand apart from the rest of the absorbent crowd that gets folded atop kitchen counters everywhere?

OK, come in close and be prepared to be shocked and amazed (literally) - This set of towels got washed six times in a row. Oh, what? That's not shocking enough? Well, don't you wanna know why they got washed that many times, hmmm?

The story began on Monday. Being the gung-ho little (fine! not so little) housewife, one of the first things I did was gather in my arms all towels scattered about the house. It was a smallish pile, so I tossed them in wash. Well, as it so happens, lots happened to distract me that day and I never returned to the freshly washed terry.

Tuesday: Realizing Monday's neglected towels needed today's attention, I gathered the array of soiled kitchen towels, added them to the wash, and let 'em go for another ride.

Wednesday: What again? Rats! Gathered previous day's hand towels, added them in, and figured third time would be a charm.

Thursday: Third time was not anymore charming than the first or second washes, so I knew, just knew!, that the fourth time would finally do the trick. I mean, how many distractions can there be??!

Friday: Thank God it's Friday! Bible study, long lunch with the girls, and no chores; yay, it's the weekend!

Saturday: Shoot! These towels stink! I better wash them!!! Once again, I collected all the kitchen and bathroom towels (oh, I guess they would be from those two rooms, wouldn't they? I never have heard of living room or bedroom towels. lol) and headed to the laundry room. I raised the lid of the washer, and when the soaked and stinkin' towels saw yet more buddies were gonna be shoved in there, they were none too happy. Quickly, I pushed them in and slammed the hood.

What you see on my kitchen counter are the cleanest towels in the whole, wide world! Isn't that special?

As you know, Mike rides his bike all week, and by Sunday those smelly jersies need a good, hot bath! So, that was a clothes call that I got that one load of towels done before then; he just wouldn't understand about distractions! :)

P.S. This was my record. I'm thinking about talking to Guiness about this; possibly there's some recognition in this for me!

Messy Room, Messy Mind

This is my room. Mine all mine, and I love it! Mike has his own room, which originally was going to be another "Mine all mine" room. The moment Noah moved out, I cleaned, painted, made a darling ruffly valance for the big windows, and then got to enjoy that room for, oh, about a minute.

Then, as I was sitting admiring it, thinking of alllll the sewing projects I would accomplish in it, the Lord spoke (no, not audibly), "Make this room a surprise for Mike."

What?!!!!!! Did I just do all that work for him? I don't think so. Or....I hadn't thought so, but you know how the Lord's thoughts are not ours. The Lord was thinking that Mike would be blessed with his own room. So, I yanked off the girly valance and made a plaid, manly valance. I put up pictures of fishing boats and stashed all the pink stuff.

After I obeyed God and put all my stuff away, I saw the pure selfishness of my heart. What a messy mind that was only thinking of me, moi, I! Did'nt Mike deserve part of this house? LOL. After all, for all our married lives he has diligently worked to provide us hearth and home. I guess I can share it with him.... :) I'm glad the Lord swept in and cleaned me up!

So, his recliner, and old toss-off from my BFF (cozy darn thing, too), sits in the corner of his room that is catty-corner from where I sit at the computer in my room. It's cute to see him sitting there reading the paper, real homey-like. I'll look over at him and it is one of those "ahhh" moments of contentment. I'll bet ya that God knew this would happen and that my heart would be blessed. God knows everything!!!

I'm happy Mike has his own room. Can you imagine if that room was still mine? You can see in the picture what my room looks like right now...imagine if I had two rooms to do this in?! Ach!

The Heavens Declare His Handiwork!

I took this picture while standing in my living room, looking through my dirty window. I really gotta get in there and wash them!!! But not right now, because I gotta write! :)

Do you see the brilliant reddish-orange tree? I can't think of what kind it is but it is one of my favorite trees, and you are looking at the reason why. I told my husband, "They are so gorgeous in the fall, you simply must plant one for me!" And he did, though it's not always that simple to get him to do things for me...

So, I took this picture for you! I wanted you to share in the beauty that I get to gaze upon every single day, that is, till winter comes along and leaves this poor tree naked as a jaybird (are jaybirds really naked????).

When walking last Sunday with my friend and her beautiful, young daughter, we passed by many trees with leaves that were showing off God's handiwork. Lyn said, "Did you know that science can't prove why leaves don't immediately drop after the sap leaves the tree for the winter?" (That might not have been her exact question, but it was something like that.) She said, "I believe that it is because God just wanted to give us a treat, and show off how artistic He is." :) I liked that 'beleaf' of hers!!! Don't you?

Everyday God is out back showing off for my enjoyment, and I love it! His handiwork is perfect!

I love Fall!

Here is my verse at this noon hour, something for us all to feast on, marinate ourselves in, digest & get nourished from, and actually make use of in our tiny little craniums ~ "My meditation of Him shall be sweet" Psalm 104:34.

This morning my meditations were not of anything sweet, but things quite sour. That does not a happy camper make!!! So, after seeking the Lord about that, this verse came to mind, though I had to Google it to find the address.

Sweet meditations about Jesus are abundant, if we will choose to open our Word and take a peek. Like, "You are very great; You are clothed with honor and majesty" and "He causes grass to grow for the cattle". I mean, if He provides for cattle, then we know He'll provide for us! "He appointed the moon for seasons." He appointed! Cuz He is God and big and powerful and in authority and control! Of the moon, and of you and me and all our stuff. (Not stuff as in stuff, but stuff as in circumstances. Thought I better clarify...) :)

Anyhoo, it's a strong temptation for me to dwell on the sour stuff of life, but don't ask me why cuz it sours my whole outlook, which sours my mood, which sours my day. Dang, how much smarter to think of the sweetness of our Savior! It just brightens the heart!

So many wonderful sites.

The internet certainly has its share of trash. Like a huge dumpster sitting idle in some dark alley, waiting for a beggar's hand to reach in and relieve it of some of its load, so does the internet offer a lot of trash to those begging for trouble. But, there are a lot of wonderful things to behold and learn from on the net, too.

Right now I am reading a cute blog from Suzanne, the owner of my favorite Bakersfield Quilt Shop. Strawberry Patches is darling-er than darling, and lots of my dollar bills are helping to piece together a blanket of comfort for her nest egg. I just can't say "NO!" to myself when I'm in there; everything is too cute and inspiring! Yesterday I spent waaaaaaay too much. But when the gray clouds became a bed for the blue sky, and the breeze picked up like a ceiling fan, well, I chimed in and reveled in all the fall fun by encircling myself with the quilting magazines and books I bought. Such fun ideas.

Yep! And now it's time to get in there and create some of them! Happy Fall - Liz

Spaced Out, Oh MY!!

It was crazy! Upon my return from Disneyland, there were three e-mail request: So and So wants to be added as a friend to your myspace. What? Myspace? Do I have a myspace?

And why were they all of a sudden, out of the clear-blue sky, asking at the same time? It was crazy!

So now, thanks to those two friends and one niece, I resurrected my space on MySpace and am now a crazy space-cadet, if you know what I mean. Even my youngest son got pulled into the space fray when he came over yesterday with his girlfriend. He thought he'd dash in, pick up the sought-after goods, then be back on the merry path to his own life. Wrong.

He knows oh so much, and well, I didn't even remember having a myspace, so you know what I know about it.... Anyhoo, he actually let those fingers of his fly across the keyboard and turn myspace into something fun. I like it. I'm addicted. I'm spacing out, wasting time, having a blast. Oh my!

Since breathing life back into that old space, I've had more friend requests (sorry, Hunkman with Hatchet....I don't know you....delete), and am almost up to ten!

This blogging, spacing (I'm sure there's some hip, cool, rad, ????, name for it, I just haven't learned it yet) is fun! So, what do you think about all this???? Am I too old for such things? Do you have an tips for me? How did you learn it all?

More of Jesus

You never know what you'll find when you step into the musty realm of a Goodwill store. Sometimes treasures are sitting on that shelf, hoping your keen eye will see them for the gems that they once were (before becoming someone else's trash). Yesterday, I happened to find one - a book by Anne Graham Lotz that I had never even heard of called I Saw the Lord. Have you ever heard of this one? Have you read it? Did I buy your copy from Goodwill??! :)

Anyhoo, the purpose of her book is to wake up the hearts of God's people, the hearts and mind in our once great nation, and to revive our hearts with their long-lost fervor for Jesus.

In one paragraph she is talking about how she slept through opportunities to be with Jesus, and said, "That's when I most need a wake-up call - a jolt that pushes me to seek out revival of the passion that began as a blazing, empowering fire but somehow tends to die down to a comfortable but weak, ineffective glow." Hmmmm....

I think revival comes when we are wanting more of Jesus than comfort, money, fun, pleasure... What do you think? Share your thoughts with me on revival. Or, do you need to be revived? Is your heart barely beating for the things of God?

I, for one, need more of Jesus in my life and less of Liz. Yep, I must decrease and He must increase. Less of me, more of Jesus. I do want my passions blazing again with an empowering fire stoked by the Holy Spirit of God.

If you feel like this, too, then go to Jesus and let Him strike the match! :)

Party On

You wouldn't believe how cute it was going to be! I was so excited!!! Pinks and whites, little bottles of lotion with sparkly crowns as the lids (I know! who but the Lord could have had me find those perfect party favors?), and dual-pink tins that said, "Princess Box" on the bottom, that were going to be used for Scripture cards I was wanting to make. So perfect for a party of Peeps, and you can imagine how I was clapping my hands when I spotted them. When my friend who was helping me decide about the brunch's details (such as, she talked me out of renting that huge round table and umbrella that our local place rents) saw them, it was cute how excited she was for me (and the gals). I prayed many times what to serve, what He would want me or anyone else to say (He did want me to ask a friend to share) and for the girls to feel welcome, blessed, encouraged, filled with joy, as I pray for all my brunches (not that I have many anymore). Don't you just wanna put on your shimmery-pink tu tu and crown and come on over?

Well, don't don that party outfit yet, because sometimes these things get taken out of our hands, and we can't do anything about it.... except decide how we will respond....

Pout? Check. Pray. Check. Bundle up the boxes and lotions, add some pink razors and darling little pink purse notepads, and call up Courtney, who is soon going to Swaziland, and hand them to her for some of the girls she will be ministering to? Check & Yay!

This morning's Bible reading had me in Ephesians. "But God, who is rich in mercy...." I love those "But God's" in the Bible. No matter what happens to us, those powerful two words remind us to consider who He is, what Jesus went through, and who He did it for - us! Dead in our trespasses and sins, indulging in the lusts of our flesh, walking in the course of this world.... that was us - Ellas in the cinders of life - until the fabulous riches of God's mercy came and crowned us with lovingkindness and swapped our rags for royal wear (so much better for twirling).

So, you know what? Keep your tu tu ready, because soon we will be going to a party in heaven! I don't know if there will be pink and white, but I do know that it will be shimmery (all those glistening gems, ya know)!!!

See you there!!!

Dang!

Yea, I said it! Dang! There are just too many things in life that make me say 'dang'!

When my girlfriend, Debbie, emailed that her doctors mentioned cancer, in association with masses on her lung, I said to the Lord, "Dang! We need her around. Who else will write your books and go around the world proclaiming the good news and your greatness?" (It ended up being calcification, which is totally non-cancerous...dang, that was a close one, and yay that God is not finished with her yet.)

And then today - sew day, with my best friend Susan - I told the Lord, "Dang!," when I listened to her singing operetta in my kitchen while fixing us Diet Pepsies, and, having mercy on her dear Casie, who misses all this fun, prayed that He would open the doors for her to move to Minnesota, where that beloved daughter of hers lives. It causes deep wells of tears to bust out when I think of that day coming. And then, to have to be unselfish enough to pray such a dreadful thing (for me), well, all I can say is "Dang!" That's a door I'd like to bar with steel upon steel. But that's pretty selfish of me, cuz she and her daughter are also best friends. Yay they are best friends and dang that i might soon lose mine!

Amy came over and fixed a problem with my computer today, and then she said, "I met a man." So far so good. "He lives in Canada." Dang! My mind took off on a zippity sprint into the unknown future, where I had her marrying the man and leaving me forever. Maybe it will happen and they will marry. But maybe she'll get married and he'll willingly move here....dang, I hadn't thought of that!!! (They haven't known each other very long, so you can see that this 'dang' might come to nothing.)

Anyhoo, you get the picture. There are so many things to say "Dang!" to. And then... God comes close and says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Dang, finally something secure!

(Lyn, if you're reading this, I often say "Dang!" to the Lord about a war that has your son on foreign soil. Thankfully, Jesus never leaves nor forsakes him, either." Yay and dang!)

Amazingly Thankful

It amazes me what can turn my idle thoughts into overflowing thanks.

All I was doing was slicing pickles. Old ones, at that. But those salty green burger enhancers made me realize that many people in the world don't have these 'extras,' let alone burgers to put them on.

That one thought, that tiptoed in while from slicing four little pickles, has me praising God that I am here in America, with pickles and garden tomatoes and onions to add zest to my burger (which I am also grateful for)!

Thank You, Lord, for reminding me about Your sweet provision!

YIPPPPPEEEEE!

Part of James 4:2 says, "You do not have because you do not ask."

So.... ask!

I did!

And take a loooky-looooooo...... www.reallifeblog.net !!! Yahoo!

Here's how it happened... My friend Emily, who has aspirations of writing (and will definitely reach that mountain peak!) showed me her submission to RealLifeblog.net. Her enthusiasm, excitement, and anticipation to have a chance to be a guest on this blog was darling. After reading what she wrote, I got up from my computer chair, and began painting the guest room a darling cottage blue, praying for Emily to be accepted, the whole time (ok, well, my mind did wander to other things quite a bit. I need a thought lasso, because my thoughts sure do like to wander off!!! Can you imagine? Cowgirl Liz??!!) . And she was!!! Thank YOU, Lord!

So, the next morning, I took a stroll through RealLifeBlog and loved it. It got my author juices flowing! Though the deadline was the night before, Friday, and this was very early on Saturday morning, I took a chance - I asked!

I asked, "Your deadline was last night.... But, God's word says "you have not because you ask not." So, could you use another submission? I have this one attached, just in case. It was fast, but if it's not too late, and you like my style of writing, I would love to try to get a guest spot."

And she wrote back, "Liz, I would like to use your post, thanks for contacting me. You're right about the asking!"

Which means that James was right about the asking. Which means God was right about the asking, because all Scripture is Spirit breathed and inspired by God. Which means it is right to always ask.

And then.... leave the answering - 'yes' ~ 'no' ~ 'maybe so' - to God! :)

Little Pleasures are Big Fun!

Most days, I hop on my bide (no, that's not a pic of me, silly! That's a boy! And wrong era. lol. I may be old, but not that old. I got this picture from a site that came up in Google, under vintage bikes. I've since gone back to find it, but can't. Cute, huh!), face it towards the street and maneuver it out of the garage, then I circle round the quiet cul-de-sac (quiet because it's early and the troop of young kids on the block are still in pj's watching cartoons), head down the street towards the beautiful green barley fields, take a sharp right onto the sidewalk, and in approximately 20 yards, I'm there - our mailbox!

If I have mail to ship out, then this little pleasure ride is done twice, in one day. That's double the pleasure.

No matter what kind of mood I'm in, how bad or good life is at the moment, once I hop onto the seat of my bike and get my legs twirling in a circular dance, everything's pure pleasure for those few carefree moments (or longer, if that's my exercise for the day). Fun!

Again and again, I am learning that if I open my eyes and really look, in all of life's highs and lows, there are snippets of blessings waiting to be plucked and enjoyed. But we have to look for them.

Once upon a time, I did not look for them! Oh, no. Instead, if a day was bad, then, by golly, I just sat there and moped...sad. Really, if you've ever experienced that kind of living, then you know what a dreary existence it is.

So, now, I choose to find these little pleasures in my day, and turn them into big fun by enjoying them with thankfulness to God. It's like a B12 shot in the arm!

Open your eyes and see what little pleasures you can turn into big fun!

Hannah Bo Bannah

Since my Bible doesn't give Hannah's last name, I've dubbed her Hannah Bo Bannah, in keeping with my silly mood this morning (hey, it's better than being grumpy!).

This particular last-nameless gal is on my mind because last night I was reading the first two chapters of 1 Sam, where she had said of herself, "I am a woman of sorrowful spirit..."

Okay. So far, I think we have all been in her sandals. But...here's the part that got me - "I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have POURED OUT MY SOUL BEFORE THE LORD." (Caps added by moi.)

Mrs. Bo Bannah didn't try to dilute her sorrow. In complete helplessness, she dropped down before her God and told Him all about it. Good idea!

Do I do this? Well, yes... eventually. Most times, though, I confess that I'm guilty of complaining or running away to the movies or shopping, trying my best to avoid the pain. What about you?

After reading Hannah's biography, I see that avoiding the pain moves us from God, not towards Him. God is an ever present help in times of trouble, but I double it outta there when trouble comes, not sit at the feet of Jesus and see what He wants to teach me through the sorrow or find comfort in His care.

And besides all that, just think of what gets delivered to us out of our sorrows! For Hannah, it was Samuel, who was used greatly as God's prophet. Jack Hayford said, "Hannah could not know that her intense intercession for a child was moving in concert with God - bringing her a son, but also bringing forth the will and blessing of God for a whole nation. As she entrusts the longings of her heart to God (I like that!), He moves on her behalf, but also advances His larger plan through her at the same time."

To think, our sorrows give birth to God's ultimate plans, for our good and for those around us. So, in these sorrows, we really can "consider it all joy." And that's not silly at all!

Father's Day!

Just think of how much time and money we spend honoring our Dads! We load them up with lots of love and gifts and devote the whole day to them. Early this morning, I slowly rolled out of bed, groggy from not enough hours in Slumber Land, tried a half-hearted yoga stretch that Dr. Oz says is a must-do, then padded into the kitchen and got busy with the routine motions of making coffee for my husband, the dad of our three kids. The aroma alone was enough to perk us up (well, sorta)! And just now, the oven is beeping, calling me to come check on his favorite homemade apple pie. Tonight, it's more favorites of his - burgers and potato salad. With the kids out of the house, it's mostly up to me to do all of this honoring business, but I love it. He deserves honor.

Even though we've been through 27 of these Father's Days, today, while preparing the pie's crust, I was all of a sudden thinking of our Heavenly Father. What about Him? How much time do I spend honoring Him, the Almighty Sovereign God who sent His very own begotten and beloved Son Jesus, just so that through Him - His death on the cross and resurrection - we could believe in Him and find the way to call this One True God, Father. It's amazing! It's amazing grace!

Anyhoo, everyday is a day to honor our heavenly Father! :)

Procrastination

You've heard the question, Why put off till tomorrow what you can do today?

We all know the answer to it - because "today" we'd rather do something else...or perhaps, nothing at all. For me, Princess Procrastination (originally, I typed in 'Queen' instead of Princess, but it smacked of older than, and even though I am 'older than' I didn't like it), what I need to do today I will often put off till tomorrow because I simply do not FEEL like doing it today. Tomorrow sounds more hopeful, like, maybe, I will feel like it then. And sometimes I do.

Here's the drawback - all my tomorrows slam into one another in the most long and windy traffic jams. You know how irritating it is to be stuck in traffic, inching our way slowly forward, like a 99-year-old man pushing his walker one inch per second. All you want to do is MOVE! To be free and able to zoom ahead at will. Well, that's the drawback to procrastination. All of the things I put off are still facing me, waiting to be done, holding me back from zooming off into the day with fresh joy and vigor for that day's happenings and doings and enjoyments! Procrastination is a thief... and I invited him in!

And then, oh, then, I become stressed and overwhelmed, and maybe a little self-loathing, leaving me pining to be a more disciplined person than I am, and wishing I did not have this snake-like list wrapping around my life.

It all could've been avoided, too, if only I had answered the above question with the correct answer: Indeed. Why put it off, when I am capable of doing it today?

It's never too late to begin anew! The Bible says that the righteous fall seven times and get back up. Those 'seven times' cover each day of this past week, but guess what? I'm getting back up! My daily planner is splayed across my desk, and with my smooth-flowing favorite fountain pen, I am going to take this piled-up list of to-dos and assign them time spots on next week's calendar pages. This might sound like more procrastination, but actually it is realization - that all my loathing, pining, and wishing will accomplish nothing but discouragement. Planning will help and is positive, a step in the right direction.

I might have made bad choices last week but I'm not today! Ahhhh.... God's mercies are new every morning!

Just Like the Weather

Life can be just like the weather - with various seasons and day-to-day changing forecasts. Sometimes, like today, the sky is blue, the blossoms are boasting of their happy charm, and the birds are singing like they're auditioning for a role in Disney's Cinderella film. These are the days when we swing our arms, sing our songs, and make big plans.

Then, other days, the sky is overcast and gray. Dismal and not perky at all. These are the days of waiting and wailing. The moments in life when we want the trial over...quickly...and when, if it hangs around too long without any sunshine, we are tempted to just sit and be depressed. At times like these, all our big plans get a bit of a test, not to mention, our faith.

Still, then there are those tsunamis or earthquakes or tornadoes that catch you by surprise and upturn your whole life. Days like this shake our foundations. They let us see if we are standing on sifting sand or the sturdy Rock of Ages.

Myself, I prefer the sunshiny, warm days. The days where you just want to put out your arms and twirl around in circles, like when you were a carefree little girl. On second thought, all those sunny days do tend to make me spiritually lazy. I can see why we need all the other seasons, too.
But for today, I am happy it's nice outside. Mika and I had a great walk! There is a season for everything!!

Merry Christmas Eve!

No matter what this time of year throws at you, or who you might be dreading to see at the family gatherings, we can still offer to God the sacrifice of joy. Like King David did in the tabernacle of the Lord (Psalm 27:? nkjv). We can sing instead of be sorry for ourselves. Imagine that! Merry AND JOYOUS Christmas wishes!

The First Christmas Carol

Last night at church our Pastor spoked on Luke 1:46-55. It was very inspiring! He made the comment that, really, Mary's song is like the first real Christmas carol. Kinda cute take on it, I thought. Anyhoo, the whole message was wonderful, but the reminder to magnify the Lord really challenged me...

Lately, I've allowed my problems to be magnified, which makes God seem really small. But, nay - He is Almighty. His power is tapped when we pray. And faith causes our mighty God to flex that power on behalf of men. Let that sink in!

Mary was expecting the Son of God to show up, in due time. Let's be expecting the same, in each minute of our lives! Take that trouble, all of the them, each one of them, and expect God to deliver, in due time!!

"My soul magnifies the Lord" (Luke 1:46). Psa 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, And let usexalt His name together.

Got Joy?

If not, get in the Lord's presence - there is fullness of joy there! "...in Your presence is fullness of joy..." Psalm 16:11. Oh, and to get in His presence, just show up. Open your Bible, feast on it, think about it, pray it....talk to Jesus. Ta da! :)

Watch Those CHOICES!

Fall's happy greetings to you! Can you believe I actually forgot that I had a blog?! Good thing Amy and Noah bought me Nintendo's DS lite for my birthday. Now I can wake up my brain with Brain Academy and Brain Age 2 (still need to buy Brain Age 1; anticipating Brain Age 3).

Anyhoo, this morning I was reading in Genesis 16. I've begun reading through the Bible, and today I came upon Sarai, running madly to Abram with her request for him to go visit Ms. Maid Hagar for a little hoop-la, in hope-la of getting a son. She could've patiently waited for the Lord's promised son to arrive, but nope.... waiting is too hard.

So, for whatever reason, Abraham agreed. Perhaps he was in the mood for some sexual variety, or maybe he was sick of waiting, too. And what the heck, why not get a little hooky-la in the meantime? Not too many men would or could bypass such an incredible offer!

We see that Sarai chose not to wait on the Lord. And likewise, Abram chose not to wait on the Lord (or take the leadership role and encourage/admonish his beautiful wife to hold on to her hat, cuz surely God's promise, though sloooooooooow in coming, would come, nonetheless). And those hasty choices brought on lasting trouble (the Arab nations, Ishmael's descendants, still war with Israel, today).

How often we get ensnared in the waiting room! It's hard to wait. Yet, the consequences of NOT waiting - and taking matters into our own hands - are sure to deliver trouble. For ourselves and others.

So, next time you are in God's waiting room - watch those choices! They'll place blessings or cursings into your arms. Psa 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Cluck, not suck.

I am in charge of coaching someone in the discipline of not laying around moping (though there's a valid reason to), but instead, of getting up and out to a productive life and day of work. To make it a bit more fun, I sent this devotional to her office. Though silly, it's helpful....

It’s true! All discipline seems to suck at the time we are called to suck it up and get with it. Dieting, exercising, quitting something unhealthy for us (mentally, spiritually, or physically), or beginning something we don’t want to face—all of it can seem quite sucky. Till… the afterwards.
Afterwards, when a diet loss has won us a healthy body, or exercise has stopped our arms from flapping after we’ve stopped waving, or we’ve quit our habit of moping and there’s a non-stop flow of joy, or we’ve faced the unface-able and have that priceless sense of accomplishment, then it’s so worth it. And that doesn’t suck at all!
So, one day, you will look back on all this discipline and cluck its praises—the training will have paid off!
Your day’s motto—cluck, not suck. (I know, I know, it’s very clever.)

Cluck—Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all my iniquities; who heals all my diseases; who redeems my life from the pit; who crowns me with lovingkindness and compassion; who satisfies my years with good things, so that my youth (yahoo) is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103:1-5.

Suck—Discipline, before the benefiting, joy-generating afterwards.

Rich in Jesus!

Do you ever have one nagging deficiency? Something that you wish was different in yourself? Or some thing you wish you had that you don't? I have plenty of them!

For instance, confidence. I desire to kick my insecurities out of my life forever, but each day, there they are. Could it be that God is letting it hang around for a reason? Perhaps to show me that He is my confidence, even when I haven't an ounce of that sparkling trait?

This particular lack shines its brightest when there's a social gathering. So, on the way to the party, I ask the Lord to get my focus off of me and onto others. I ask for the gift of gab. And guess what? He provides!

What I am learning is that my lack of confidence (or any other deficiency) is a handy tool for the Lord's skill to be displayed. It's amazing what He can do! So, let's let Him use our deficiencys to display His whole array of skill and splendor!

You can lead a horse to the water trough.....

.... but you just can't make him drink! You could be Mr. Atlas, with muscles bulging from every crevice, able to use your might to push the horse's head into the water, but you could not make that horse stick out his tongue and draw in long droughts, if he had a mind not to.

And neither can Christians force someone to believe the truth in God's word. We can lead them to the truth, show them how to drink it in and find refreshment, and teach them how the Living Water would cause them to thirst no more, but we can't make them slurp it up in belief.

That is the Holy Spirit's doing. We just lead them to the trough of truth (God's Word), and He hands them the cup, offering them a way to drink it, if they've a mind to.

It's their choice. And it's nice that God lets us choose... just hard when we see that someone chooses to walk away parched. But fear not, as I was reminded twice this week - God's word never goes void "without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).

It's all in God's hands!

Testing

This is only a test! This picture is in my backyard, and it's probably from our last Easter celebration. The picture is not the subject of this day, though. I am simply trying to learn how to put a picture into my blog. So many of my friends have them, and you know how it is.... we always want what others have. LOL. So, let's see if this works!