Meadow~My Pioneer Girl

Here is a picture I took of Meadow today wearing the new outfits I had a lady make her. The top picture is the raw photo. The picture under it in black and white is edited with Picasa. What do you think? Which one is your favorite?

Blogging With A Purpose!

My sweet cyberspace friend Karen over at Surviving Motherhood has once again gifted me with an award. Karen spends her life honoring the Lord and allowing Him to teach her and she shares that wisdom with us! There have been many times that I have simply felt like throwing in the towel and I'd pop over to Karen's to find she was experiencing similar struggles. She shares her experiences...the good, the bad, the ugly....she doesn't sugar coat life. I love this about her...that she isn't afraid of what anyone might think, she isn't afraid of the flaws. She looks to the Father in all things and then she shares those VICTORIES with us giving us hope and encouragement all while glorifying the Lord. That's purpose!

For Karen to pass this award along to me.....well.....it just touches my soul. It is my hearts desire to glorify my Lord, my King Jesus in all that I say and all that I do and in doing so I too want to help edify-lift up- encourage others. I want to be a light in the darkness, truth for those blinded by the lie, hope for those in despair and even a laugh for the saddened here and there. All while showing my Abba Daddy is my strength, He is my hope, He is the truth and the only way to real life-eternal life. I want people to see Christ in me.

I fall, I fail, I struggle, I'm up, I'm down, I'm many things but Jesus..He is my steady, He is my calm, He is my peace. And all of this is why this award means so much to me. Thank-you Karen!

The rules for this award are as follows:
1. Awarded parties must nominate five people who have not received the award.
2. The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.
3. In their post about the award they need to link back to this entry.
4. Awarded parties must post the award banner on their site. The banner must remain linked to the above site.

I am very excited to pass this award along to other sister bloggers who also share in this purpose. They are.......

1. Iris at Sting My Heart

2. Sheri at Purely His

3. Bobbi at Great Adventures

4. Leigh Ann at Living to learn & Learning to Live

&

5. Mum2Brady at Brady's Bunch

Thanks to each of you who happen by my blog. Whether you lurk or comment I pray that I bless you in some small way!

A Clinique Day

I felt better today than I have in a very long time. I felt good! Praise the Lord I felt GOOD! I'm so glad. I can't believe how incredibly great it feels to feel good! I had to take Sky to the orthodontist today and after that visit we headed to the mall. I was needing cleanser and make-up so I went in and had a facial and purchased some goodies for me. The last time I done this was two years ago! My consultant Lois was still there and still had my file. I have to say I was impressed. I spent a bundle but hey I'm worth it! Right?! Tee hee That is was my hubby keeps telling me anyway!

Do the rest of you moms struggle as hard as I did spending money on yourselves and not the kiddos? Man I can't believe how hard that is! Sky even told me..she said, "Mom it makes us so happy to see you get something for yourself because you are always buying for us." Awww......how sweet she is.

So here is a picture of my goodies.

Last night was youth night at our church and my girls are in drama. I have some great pictures coming up with more details later this week. God Bless you all!

My Father's World 1st (Update 2)

These are the next three illustrations in Meadow's My Father's World Notebook. Hee hee look at those big eyes. She was being silly.

This picture is titled "The Story of Noah"

We studied the colors of the rainbow and the promise of God to never flood the world again. We researched the measurements of the ark and determined it was huge! :) Meadow made a boat out of aluminum foil and dropped pennies in it until it sank. So much fun!

This one is titled "Tower of Babel" We discussed different nationalities, languages and how to communicate. We looked into how God created us all different and how we are each very unique.
Meadow memorized Psalms 30:5 Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

And this one is titled "A Son for Abraham" We discussed faith and patience. How God's timing is perfect and we must seek His will and not our own. We learned that we are not to doubt God but are to stand firm on His word.

Meadow memorized Psalms 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. What a delightful word from the Lord!

Here Meadow is doing some seat work in the kitchen for her daddy. I love the way she concentrates so hard on writing neatly.
This day was a great home school day. Just look at this smile!

The last few weeks have been tough. It must be the confinement from the cold outside. There was a lot of bickering in the home but now we are on the other end and things are picking up again. We kept moving and I'm so glad we did. Some days can be so hard that I second guess myself. I ask the Lord, " Is this really what you want me doing?" Its after the storm that I can look back and see the progress and things learned from the trial. Home schooling for us is like a long race. If you stop in the middle you don't finish. Its not winning that is most important its finishing the race. That is when we will see the results of what the Lord has called us to do. I must be faithful, slow and steady. I must trust Him and be patient. And that smile keeps me going!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day at our house was super special this year. It was simple and yet so very meaningful. Meadow was so happy with her Frog Balloon. Look at her BIG smile!

And then there was Roxy. My hubby took us the Saturday before Valentine's and picked her out for us, name and all. Roxy fit her perfectly. Roxy is a Shih Tzu and she is a spoiled rotten mess!

Just look at the face? How could you NOT love her? Is that a perfect Valentine's Day present or what?!!

So needless to say I was not expecting anything on Valentine's Day. Besides Tony would be on the road on Thursday and I understood.....

Well Thursday morning came and Roxy woke me way too early. I stumbled through the house to get something to drink with all intentions of going back to bed when I seen this.....

At first I thought it was a neat card that the girls had made me until I read
YOU ARE HERE......
Huh?
Yep that arrow was pointing to my hometown and my hometown had a red heart on it.....

And then I began to read the words and as I did the tears started to flow...
I read....

They say home is where the heart is
And as you can clearly see
This map marks the spot
That is so dear to me.
The heart is an organ
That gives this body life,
And the heart that I'm so fond of
Is my heart, It is my wife.
This map if full of many roads
Which my works calls me to
BUT the road I want to travel most
Would bring me home to you.
You spend this day without me there
To hold the hand I love
The hand that was given to me
From our Father up above.
Happy Valentine's Day
I love you....

Tony always reaches so deep within to show his love for me. He never ceases to amaze me. As I stood there in the kitchen alone so early in the morning reading these words he'd carefully written and realizing how he had taken the time to plan so precisely so that I would wake up to his surprise I longed for him. I longed to have him home and to have his arms around me. It wasn't expensive or designer it was from his heart. The ache inside of me was enormous and yet at the same time I was so consumed with his love and this overwhelming joy filled me inside and out. I was not bitter that we couldn't be together....I was grateful that we had each other. While I desire to have him home with me very soon, I'm appreciative that our heavenly Father has given us the opportunity to miss one another, the opportunity to grow in new ways, the opportunity to love just a little bit deeper......

I pray that your Valentine's Day was just as special as ours!!!

Is there a Catfish in Your Tank?

Is There a Catfish in Your Tank?

"Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you." (1 John 3:13)
I heard a story about some fish suppliers who were having problems shipping codfish from the East Coast. By the time the fish reached the West coast, they were spoiled. They froze them, but by the time the fish arrived, they were mushy. They decided to send them alive. But the fish arrived dead so they tried sending the fish alive again, but with one difference. They included a catfish in each tank. You see, the catfish is the natural enemy of the codfish. By the time the codfish arrived, they were alive and well, because they had spent their trip fleeing the catfish.

This is my point. Maybe God has put a catfish in your tank to keep you alive and well spiritually. It's called persecution. Maybe there's a person at work who always has eight hard questions for you every Monday morning regarding spiritual things. Maybe it is that neighbor who is giving you a hard time for your faith in Jesus. Maybe it is a spouse or family member who doesn't believe. You are wondering why this is happening. It is like that catfish. That person is keeping you on your toes.

Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus told the disciples, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:19).

God will allow persecution in the life of the believer. If you're experiencing persecution, here are two things to remember:
Persecution confirms that you are a child of God.
Persecution causes you to cling closer to Jesus.

When you are suffering persecution for your faith, remember that this world is not your home. ~~~~~

This came in my e-mail the other day and it touched me so. I just love it when the Lord gives me revelation. He used this to speak so plainly to me. I just want to shine for my Jesus. I want to surrender all of me to Him. I want this flesh to cease so that I can reflect my Abba Daddy. I love you Jesus!!! I am so glad this world is not my home!! Halellujah!

Seven Good Reasons To Praise Jesus as Lord

"Seven Good Reasons to Praise Jesus as Lord"

1. Because of Jesus, I am forgiven.
" Whom God set forth as a propitation by His blood,
through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness,
because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins
that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the
present time His righteousness, that He might be just
and the just and the justifier of the one who has faith
in Jesus."~Romans 3:25-26~

2. Because of Jesus, I have peace with God.
" Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."~Romans 5:1~

3. Because of Jesus, I don't have to live with guilt or condemnation.
"There is therefore now no
condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who
do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."~Romans 8:1~

4. Because of Jesus, I have a great inheritance.
"If children, then heirs-heirs of God & joint heirs
with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we
may also be glorified together."~Romans 8:17~

5. Because of Jesus, I always have someone
interceding for me.
"Who is he who condemns?
It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also
makes intercession for us."~Romans 8:34~

6. Because of Jesus, I have eternal life with Him.
"If Christ is in you, the body is dead because
of sin, but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in
you, He who raised Christ from the
dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies through His Spirit who
dwells in you."~Romans 8:10-11~

7. Be cause of Jesus, I can have more life
in this life.
"The thief does not come except to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy. I have
come that they may have life,
and that they may have it more abundantly."
~John 10:10~

Jesus Through the Bible

In GENESIS, Jesus is the Ram at Abraham's altar

In EXODUS, He's the Passover Lamb

In LEVITICUS, He's the High Priest

In NUMBERS, He's the Cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night

In DEUTERONOMY, He's the City of our Refuge

In JOSHUA, He's the Scarlet Thread out by Rahab's window

In JUDGES, He is our King

In RUTH, He is our Kinsman Redeemer

In 1st and 2nd SAMUEL, He's our Trusted Prophet

In KINGS and CHRONICLES, He's our Reigning King

In EZRA, He is our Faithful Scribe

In NEHEMIAH, He's the Rebuilder of everything that is broken

In ESTHER, He is the Mordecai sitting faithful at the gate

In JOB, He's our Redeemer that ever liveth

In PSALMS, He is my Shepherd

In PROVERBS and ECCLESIASTES, He's our Wisdom

In the SONG OF SOLOMON, He's the Beautiful Bridegroom

In ISAIAH, He's the Suffering Servant

In JEREMIAH and LAMENTATIONS, it is Jesus that is the Weeping Prophet

In EZEKIEL, He's the Wonderful Four-Faced Man

In DANIEL, He is the Fourth Man in the midst of a fiery furnace

In HOSEA, He is my Love that is forever faithful

In JOEL, He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit

In AMOS, He's our Burden Bearer

In OBADIAH, He's our Savior

In JONAH, He is the Great Foreign Missionary

In MICAH, He is the Messenger with beautiful feet

In NAHUM, He is the Avenger

In HABAKKUK, He is the Watchman that is ever praying for revival

In ZEPHANIAH, He is the Lord mighty to save

In HAGGAI, He is the Restorer of our lost heritage

In ZECHARIAH, He is our Fountain

In MALACHI, He is the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings

In MATTHEW, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God

In MARK, He's the Miracle Worker

In LUKE, He's the Son of Man

In JOHN, He is the door by which everyone of us must enter

In ACTS, He is the Shining Light that appears to Saul on the Damascus road

In ROMANS, He is our Justifier

In 1st CORINTHIANS, He is our Resurrection

In 2nd CORINTHIANS, He is our Sin Bearer

In GALATIANS, He redeems us from the law

In EPHESIANS, He is our Unsearchable Riches

In PHILIPPIANS, He supplies our every need

In COLOSSIANS, He's the Fullness of the Godhead Bodily

In 1st and 2nd THESSALONIANS, He is our Soon Coming King

In 1st and 2nd TIMOTHY, He is the Mediator between God and man

In TITUS, He is our Blessed Hope

In PHILEMON, He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother

In HEBREWS, He's the Blood of the everlasting covenant

In JAMES, it is the Lord that heals the sick

In 1st and 2nd PETER, He is the Chief Shepherd

In 1st, 2nd, and 3rd JOHN, it is Jesus who has the tenderness of love

In JUDE, He is the Lord coming with 10,000 saints

And in REVELATION, He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

~If you knew that only a few would care that you came, Would you still come?

If you knew that those you loved would laugh in your face, Would you still care?

If you knew that the tongues you made would mock you,

The mouths you made would spit at you,

The hands you made would crucify you,

Would you still make them?~

~Christ did~

Blah! Blah! Blah!

That is exactly how I feel. Tony had the flu this past weekend and couldn't leave for work on Sunday as scheduled. I did enjoy taking care of him but felt sooo bad for him. He was miserable.

I have been searching relentlessly to find My Father's World Exploration-1850 used. This is what I plan to use to school Sky and Meadow next year and I wanted to find it used so I could afford to buy some extras. Usually its not this hard. I came so close to finding one yesterday but I didn't get online until later in the afternoon and someone beat me to it. UGH! Its frustrating to say the least. Blah! Blah! Blah!

One of my best friends that took me to weight watchers, well she is actually my cousin by marriage, found out that her husband is being deployed on Saturday. Needless to say we dropped out of WW for now. I haven't been in the mood to count points anyway. Is it the winter? Blah! Blah! Blah! I love winter. Maybe its Tony not being here much and he just left I don't know but I don't want to leave the house. I like being here, its warm inside...cozy with a fire going and we are getting lots of school done.

Tony wants Meadow and I to take a road trip with him next week. Sigh...a whole week! On the Road? I plan to take Meadow's school with us and read lots of books! The other two girls are going to stay on the Mountain with their meemaw and help her get some house cleaning and chores done. It really isn't that I don't want to go with Tony, I do, it'll be great having time with him but I'm not fond of riding in one of those big ole trucks!

I need to get my camera out and take some pictures. I confess, I haven't used it since I lost all of my Christmas pics except for posting Meadow's art. I called today to see if I could return it but I only had 10 days and I thought I had 30. I suppose eventually I'll be glad I kept it. Blah! Blah! Blah!

I'm thinking about taking the girls skating tomorrow. Maybe that will help to pull me out of this ole slump. Oh and I'm looking into having my blog redesigned too, I have tried to contact Susie at Bluebirds but can't get her to reply. So I'm hunting down someone else, I have searched and found a few I really like. Is there anyone you could recommend?

Sorry for the Blahs! I hope all of you are in a better mood than I! :)

My Father's World 1st (first update)

We are moving right along in the My Father's World Unit Study. Although somehow not as far along as I wished we were. We finally got to the point of illustrating Meadow's Bible Journal. So I wanted to share her first three entries. Meadow is memorizing many great scriptures too. I'm so proud of her. In addition to her memory verses she has memorized the first 15 books of the old testament.
Meadow continues to read well although she forgets the spelling rules sometimes. She is learning lots about the earth, crust, core and mantle and about our solar system. She excels in math although she doesn't like having to do many problems at a time! LOL! She has moved up to two digit addition and subtraction. We will be finished with 1st grade math in just a few more months. I will probably let her move on into second grade math continuing to school at least two days a week through the summer. Moving right along! I find this helps me because we usually have LIFE unexpectedly happen during the year whether it be doctors appointments or sickness and I have to work REALLY hard to school daily. :)

God Created the World. This is Meadow's first picture. We studied the seven days of creation and added to this page daily as we learned what God created on each day.

The Garden of Eden and The First Sin. This is Meadow's second drawing after learning about Adam and Eve. Our scripture focus is Proverbs 13:13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects command is rewarded. We are having great discussions about controlling our tempers and the consequences of our actions! This one isn't turned right and its harder to see but I couldn't get Picasa to coorporate. I'm just praying these stay up!

Cain and Abel. Our scripture focus is the same and this examples goes right along with Adam and Eve. I am helping her with these a littlew with these drawings. She doesn't like drawing or coloring very well. She would rather finger paint designs or use chalk. I'm hoping that by sharing these online her little heart will desire to try harder. :) I think she has done a great job!

What do you think?
(I suppose I was having troubles with Picasa so I tried again. If pictures still aren't coming through let me know, although I have no idea what I'll do!)

My 100th Blog

Its not going to be a list about me. I'll do one later. I've tried twice to compile one and the first one was soooo sad about my childhood, I didn't know if I was sharing too many details and I didn't want to depress anyone and the second one I just couldn't list 100 things. I'm sorry. Maybe later.

I joined Weight Watchers on Monday night. I didn't want to. I have a good friend who needed me, and I needed to join but the desire wasn't there. I complained the entire time. I'm use to eating low carb but that obviously hasn't worked for me. I'm not obsessed over my weight. Actually I'm quite fine with my size. I do have a nice wardrobe after all these years! I know I would feel better and I also know I have not always been my size. I'm concerned with my health some...more for Tony's honestly and I'm hoping if I can put forth effort it may inspire him.

Well tonight I watched Biggest Loser at my mom's house. (Since we do not have television) Man I got excited! It was so encouraging! Seeing how hard they all were trying to lose and all of the exercise they were doing. It really really touched me. The realization of how unhealthy my eating habits are and what I'm teaching my children that its ok to eat. I'm ready now. I just hope and pray that I have endurance and self control.

I made it today and actually so did my middle daughter Sky. She is doing a modified version with me and I am very proud of her. She isn't doing this so much for diet but to learn about fat, carbs, calories, fiber and portions. This week our goal is not going over our points. Next week I'd like to add some exercise. We are drinking our water too. I plan to do some before and after pictures soon.

The Crud!

Yuck! I have had a horrid cough, chest cold, body achy mess since last week. I'm beginning to feel some better but still a lot of congestion in my chest. I passed it on to Tony and he's in the bed trying to rest before he has to head out on the road. I don't know how in the world he plans to drive as sick as he is. I was immobile for days.

I did manage to fix a wonderful Pot Roast today. I used Ree's recipe as my base and I added a lot of goodies and a homemade gravy sauce that turned out just scrumptious. I believe that searing those veggies before boiling makes a huge difference in the flavor. I served it in a nice lasagna dish that my dear mother in law gave me for Christmas and it looked like something served in a fancy restaurant and tasted better (honestly) than any other I've ever put in my mouth. If I can duplicate this recipe I've got a winner.

Next time I'm going to try to take pictures of each step and post them. This time I was just too tired and I didn't know if it was going to be worth showing. Now I know!

I hope you all are healthy and crud free....we appreciate your prayers!

Praising God for the Many Blessings

I was planning to do school with Meadow today. She had a friend spend the night last night, a little girl who lives across the street. Her father does not believe in God. We have worked on him and prayed A LOT and finally he has agreed to allow her to come to church some. She did get to be in the Christmas play. ;) Her mom came to see her alone.

For Christmas we gave her a few toys and a children's bible that came with a dvd that reads the stories to her. When she finally got to come back over yesterday I asked her if she had been able to listen to the bible and dvd and she said, "Yes, but only once cuz my daddy just don't like it too much!"

Well this morning these two littles are in Meadow's room with the Karaoke machine that has two mikes and they are praying, preaching, reading from Meadow's children's bible....coming to ask me words they don't know, and just now I heard one of them say,"And the Lord says....." so now they are prophesying too! I'm simply amazed at the truth coming from their lips!

Nope, no school today....at least not until church is over!

Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Happy New Years Everyone!!!

Happy New Years! 

Praising God for the Thorns

This Christmas has not been what we had anticipated. My sister is battling a mental disease. I spent days trying to help her. I was wore down physically and mentally. My children witnessed too many horrid things, we simply couldn't get them out in time. Please pray for her as her very life is at stake.

I had over 550 new pictures from our Christmases taken on my new camera. I came here to blog some of the greatest ones, like the gingerbread house daddy decorated with them, I had days and weeks worth of stories to share with pictures and I was very excited. I pulled my chip from my camera and put it in my computer and alas, all was lost. I have no idea what happened to my chip but its empty. I cried and started to explode, then I remembered that the Lord has been dealing with me on my self-control and that my girls had witnessed enough turmoil so I bit my lip and decided to take down my Christmas Tree.

As we worked on that tree and put away all of our ornaments and decorations together, cleaning and getting our home back in order I thanked God for our Christmas and every blessing I could think of. I thanked Him for the thorns too, like my sister's sickness and my lost pictures because I remembered that God uses all things for His glory. As I did my heart felt lighter and my anger dissipated and I realized that I still had every loved one here with me that was in those pictures and that I could take more. When we moved our real yet very dead tree outside I realized something else....even though this tree was full of water it was very dry and brittle. My husband had been smelling a burnt smell the past few days and it was truly the hand of God that erased my pictures in order to guide me to take down that tree. Had I left it up until after the New Year which is our usual tradition I'm sure it would have caught fire. I cannot believe the tree was not drinking any water and the branches were so brittle they snapped off with the gentlelest touch.

I also baked a cheese cake after Christmas instead of for Christmas due to the emotions flowing through the holidays and I burnt the top of it. I could have screamed, maybe I did, I know I jumped up and down and finally accepted that all I could do is cut the top off. I did and it was delicious. You never knew the top was gone after I added the white chocolate ganache and poured on the homemade raspberry sauce. Yummy. I wanted to post pics but well...you already know where they went. I will however post the recipe and say that if I have any cheese cake loving viewers that this recipe is a must.

My husband was home praise God!! I could not have made it through this tough time without him. The day after Christmas I was so spent I prayed and asked God to please give me more time with my husband and God answered. My husband is still here and is leaving in the morning! Prayerfully he will be home tomorrow night and not have to leave until next Wednesday.

I have much to be thankful for. My sister is still alive, my pictures can be replaced, my home is safe from the dried out tree, my husband was home for the holidays, my cheesecake turned out delicious, I exercised my self-control through the grace of God, God is speaking to me and using me and guiding my husband and myself. God has reminded us through all of this that we honestly do not spend enough time on our knees. God is merciful and faithful and He is a mighty deliverer, and that when I pray I pray in faith knowing He is fully capable of answering my prayers because He is the Almighty!!

I pray that all of your Christmases were wonderful and blessed. I'm looking forward to the New Year. God Bless You all!!!

Grand Finale Cheesecake With White Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry Sauce

Crust
1-1/3 cup fine vanilla wafer crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp of cinnamin (if desired - I do not care for it)

Cheesecake
5pkgs of cream cheese softened
1-3/4 cups sugar
3Tbs Flour -plain
3/4 tsp grated lemon rind
3/4 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 vanilla
5 eggs at room temperature
2 eggs yolks
1/4 heavy cream

White Chocolate Ganache
8 oz white chocolate chips
3 tsp butter
1/4 cup heavy cream

Raspberry Sauce
1 bag of frozen berries
1/2 cup jelly (grape or currant)
1/2 to 1 cup of sugar (to your taste)

To prepare crust mix vanilla wafer crumbs, melted butter, sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Press into bottom of springform pan, 3" deep and chill.

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Combine next 6 ingredients and gradually add to cheese beating contantly. Add eggs and yould one at a time beating well after each. Gently stir in cream. Pour into prepared springform pan over crust and bake extremely hot oven 500 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn oven down to 200 and bake for 1 hour and a half. DO NOT OPEN DOOR ( Cheesecake will crack)

Turn off heat after an hour and a half never opening oven door leaving until completely cool. Once completely cool move to refrigerator while you prepare the ganache.

Melt butter, cream and white chocolate chips in sauce pan stirring with wisk and pour over top of cheese cake and return to fridge over night.

Take the bag of frozen berries and thaw them, squeeze them through a seive and wisk juice, jelly and sugar to taste. This sauce is very thin. Refrigerate and serve drizzled over each individual slice. Delicious and beautiful.

Merry Christmas ~ 2007

Christmas Glitter Graphics

Fall Into Reading Wrap Up

How I did: Well I have to say I am quite proud of my reading this fall. Although here at the end I gobbled books up!! I read 10 books! Not including my bible studies so yippee!! Thanks so much Katrina at Callapidder Days for hosting this awesome reading event!

What I thought and what I learned:

Anne of Green Gables & Ann of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery ~ Here I learned that I should have read classics like these years ago. I cried, I loved and I lived through Anne. I can't wait to read these aloud to my girls. There were many great lessons of responsibility and yet a reminder to have fun. Perseverance too.

The Sons of Encouragement Series by Francine Rivers.

Aaron ~ The Priest

Caleb ~ The Warrior

Jonathan ~ The Prince

Amos ~ The Prophet

Silas ~ The Scribe

I have to say that I learned more about the Old testament than I have ever known. I remember so much and I am able to go back into God's word with a new undestanding and ease of comprehending what it going on. Francine has a wonderful way of opening your heart and allowing you to slip into the shoes of the one you are reading about so that you can feel their sorrow, their joy.

I learned much about our Lord and His ways. Things I had never even thought of. I learned more about having a reverent fear of our Father and how He desires our obedience even more than our sacrifice. I learned what a real Sheppard is and I learned a lot about sheep. I was amazed at the ways and characteristics of sheep and how much like them we are. I learned a lot about myself reading this series.

I am starting now on her other series: Lineage of Grace- Five women, whom God chose, destined to play a key role in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Francine Rivers tells these women’s stories in a way you’ve never heard before and lets them speak to us in new and life-changing ways. I can't wait! I already have the last book Unafraid about Mary ~ The woman of obedience.

Next are two books by a new author I discovered (new to me). His name is Chavda Mahesh, commonly refered to as Hesh.

The Hidden Power of Speaking in Tongues

The Hidden Power of Prayer and Fasting

These books were great reads, the Lord led me specifically at this time to read these. I was ready for the wealth of truth in them and I soaked it up like a dry sponge. I drew closer to the Lord and experienced things with Him that were a first for me. I have grown spiritually this fall and have become a better and more powerful prayer warrior. I overcame a stronghold of not being able to fast. I experienced a very successful fast. It was awesome!! I recommend these to anyone looking to grow closer to God and to experience His power. They dig into many scriptures ringing out truth that most do not want to know because of fear and tradition.

Lastly was

Alien Entities by Lester Sumrall. Let me add I am also in the middle of reading his Spirit, Soul and Body, and his The Life Story of Lester Sumrall~The Man~The Ministry~The Vision.

All I can say is, "Why on earth didn't someone teach me these things when I was younger?" I am sure it is because the Lord is truly pouring out His spirit in these last days. This man had faith, he walked it, he lived it, he believed it. I love how the Lord spoke to him and the revelation that Lester walked in. He truly was an anointed man of God. Did you know my pastor sat under Lester Sumrall during his training? Of course you didn't, heehee! But now you do, that is kewel isn't it? I thought so. :) I would have loved to have met Lester and I am thankful that he allowed God to use his life the way he did.

Well friends, that a wrap!! Hope you enjoyed reading about my adventure as I had taking it!

In Loving Memory

Mary Leggewie 10/20/57 - 12/20/07
If you have a memory to share please comment. If you have shared Mary on your blog then sign Mr. Linky.

Wordless Wednesday~Meadow

Meadow~schooling reluctantly

Meadow was unhappy doing her math but even pouting still beautiful.

Just Moments later she had forgotten what she was so upset over.
Tony bought me a new camera for Christmas. I am going to have to take some time to learn how to use it so it will not be a waste to own. Right now I'm just point and shooting but hopefully soon I'll be doing a lot more. I love it!

Meadow