A Blog Gift To Wish All A Happy Season Of Celebrating Our King

                                                      Recipe for Christmas All Year Long


                                                        Take a heap of child-like wonder

                                                               That opens up our eyes

                                                        To the unexpected gifts in life—

                                                             Each day a sweet surprise.





                                                              Mix in fond appreciation

                                                         For the people whom we know;

                                                           Like festive Christmas candles,

                                                            Each one has a special glow.





                                                        Add some giggles and some laughter,

                                                              A dash of Christmas food,

                                                             (Amazing how a piece of pie

                                                                      Improves our attitude!)





                                                              Stir it all with human kindness;

                                                               Wrap it up in love and peace,

                                                                Decorate with optimism, and

                                                                   Our joy will never cease.





                                                                  If we use this healthy recipe,

                                                                  We know we will remember

                                                                   To be in the Christmas spirit,

                                                                   Even when it's not December.


                                                                                                                By Joanna Fuchs

Yes, I know it's off center. I believe I am having an off center start to festivities. I pray all of you have a beautiful season of baking, decorating, spending time with loved ones near and far.

As I embark on untangling our Christmas Lights, trying to find extra mini lights galore to replace the aged strands of lights, listening to the music of the season , and planning a joyous season, Let us all take time to remember Christ in all we venture in to.

May the Spirit Of God fill your homes with His Unfailing Love & Wisdom this Christmas Season.

In Christ's Love, FaithAlways

Count Your Blessings

It is as simple as that. Count your blessings and give thanks to Our Lord and Saviour!

Remember those we have lost, our loved ones, those in need who are hurting, ill, or suffering through hard times, and ask God's will in their circumstances. Never forgetful that if there is anything we can do to lighten their load, that we rise to our calling and duty in Christ to help in any way we are able to. This could mean anything from a hug to a home cooked meal served with love.

I have had so many blessings this year to be grateful for. With that being said, some close to me, along with myself, have suffered greatly, and have been rescued by our Loving Father, who never forgot us.

So please as you embark on twinkling lights and the amazement in children's eyes at this year's Christmas season. STOP, and celebrate the warmth of Thanksgiving, giving God all the glory for gifts small or large, happiness, and His forgiveness.

My hope and prayer for all, is that we draw nearer to God as we wake and go through each day. That we discern His will and walk after Him, not rushing before, nor lingering behind. For your health, safety, life to be touched by Him in amazing ways.

God bless each and every one of you!

Summer Simplicity

Don't you just enjoy tender loving art from our Creator? Especially in the form of wildflower surprises? His beauty is everywhere if one takes the time to slow down and appreciate His gifts He brings to everyone. Small and grand are these simple gifts, from mountains to swamps, there are surprises even in the least of places people prefer to be.

Every summer there are a thick patch of phlox that spring up near our home. A wonderful wild garden that seems unaffected by ice, snow, sleet, rain, wind, cold, severe heat, and hail. They spring up and seem to say "We'll shine His beauty despite the circumstances the years or seasons bring." Always is a reminder to me that we should be the same in our daily walk with our Lord and towards all we meet from ant to person, hornet to animal, all are needed and should be respected for their unique role they play in this world.

My son walked down to take these pictures knowing he might be rained on if he dawdled too long. His way of giving me a bouquet that wouldn't go dormant or die, after season ends for their beauty. That's not all. He found a surprise himself as he was bringing me his gifts from afar. He found a different, wild lilly, growing in the midst of our usual wild garden.

Isn't she lovely? We thought so. He is my budding photographer, literally. Right before the wildflowers steal our breath away, a garden of raspberries and gooseberries are ripe and ready for the feeding & nourishment of our physical needs. God is faithful.

Nobody really is certain of the thoughts of their closest family or friends and would not know how briefly these joys are viewed and yet how long the joy of these simple gifts & reminders thrive within one's deepest core. They can brighten a moment or a week, much longer when all else, around a person is a trial, burden, or sorrowful time. I do see the beauty. I do absorb it. I also know where these little things originate from, not only scientifically speaking but from our loving God. I hope you see it too. It may not change the circumstances if one is in the midst of trying times but certainly can lift the spirit if one takes the time to think upon His tokens of genuine love.

Shining our love should be of our utmost concern, but how many times do we forget? I certainly do. Maybe it's not so much forgetting as in not taking the time to remember as we rise to meet each day. Maybe it's allowing or having been around wrong character that can corrupt our ways, and will if not shunned. No matter the reason, God is there to nudge us back if we take the time to hear Him, to see His love & feel it within, enough so that we can shine again.

Christ's love to all of you.

Highest Mountain

In Life's Journey, there are green trees, flowers of the field and mountain's view over the valleys. There is a river that flows through the valleys and the fish that swim in the river.

Some go with the flow, others against the current. Still others are caught in a whirlpool. Ever searching and trying another way to get free or where they want to go.

I guess what is relevant is that they still try and some succeed, some get stuck, and others get out,  but they never give up till the end comes. So try and ask, seek help for if God's creatures don't give up then the valleys will get easier and the mountain view will be beautiful.

When we climb the Highest Mountain, the valley won't look so big.

written by A Kindred Soul , My Closest Family Of Birth

A Heartfelt Thank You To All My Followers

                  A Heartfelt Thank You to All Of You! It's great to be surrounded by women of faith. Your stories inspire me. I know the time you all put in to your blogs & I want you to know how appreciated they are by me. God's blessing to all of you!

My Budding Artists

Happy Mother's Day & it was. My oldest apologized for not taking the time he normally does on my card after all he was busy doing the cooking & tending of the home while I was away all day the Saturday before Mother's Day. What better Mother's Day gift could I receive but his attention to my home & family? I love my children so much. I have enjoyed them every day of my life. God gives them wisdom to share with me & I do stop to listen. Sadly they have missed me a lot the past few months & are trying to stay brave with the schedules I've had to follow. I believe the hardest part of being a Mom is the part that I wish I had more of me to wrap my arms around them any time they needed me there. Some things can't be helped & they are very understanding of this. I think they are wise beyond years oftentimes & see things clearer on some things than I do. I love the heart to heart relationship we have after schooling at home all these years. They are my first blessings of Motherhood & I value their integrity. They are my budding artists in all they say or do & I'm grateful for them.

(I'm trying out my new camera & this new blog site. I must say that the uploader put my pictures in the wrong order & it was very slow. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed them. My daughter drew the tree, my son drew the vine, my oldest drew the flowers on green quickly. I think my computer is slow today. It keeps freezing so I'm pretty poky.)

"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom."- Henry Ward Beecher

"But the mother's yearning, that completest type of the life in another life which is the essence of real human love, feels the presence of the cherished child even in the debased, degraded man." - George Eliot

Psalm 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Burdens

Have you ever been in stormy times & wondered when it will end? If you have then read please.

There have been many times in my life that I walk into something with a positive attitude & it doesn't end in a positive stance. With that being said, it doesn't mean that it was a worthless experience, void of new understanding or strengthening of our walk with our Lord & Savior. I believe half of my learning comes with the fear that when something goes completely wrong, it will never be right again or not as it once was. Fear of change whether it be in health, progress or relationships & the letting go of what I was comfortable with appears to hinder me sometimes from the looking forward to of future comfort, happiness, & change.

'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Isaiah 41;10-13



 I remember as a younger person, I looked forward to exciting changes, new things, new faces, especially meeting new relatives since  we moved to my family's home territory when I was young. All was new and exciting until the new became old. As a youth, we can always find new exciting things to replace the old with much zeal & anticipation. As we mature, the zeal oftentimes subsides. As a Christian Isaiah 41;10-13 should be written on our hearts, foreheads, on the tip of our tongue at a moment's thought of distress but sadly it has not always been in my private experience. I forget when I'm in the beginning stages, right before things grow to it's worst & I am encouraged to hide in the trenches with nothing but hope to bring me through. It's when I'm the trenches that I hope in faith & allow our Lord to do His work in those around me & in me. I stop resisting, usually with well deserved guilt for my actions in the beginning stages but not to live in self-condemnation. We are His children & He knows our hearts thoroughly. He is helping us in love through all stages of our walk, whether in doubt, fear, or grappling with truth in our inner self. He smiles when we finally get His message & He loves us through it all. His correction, instruction is because He loves His children & knew beforehand the struggles we'd endure.



To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Eph.1;1-6 (This whole chapter springs to mind on His love for us)


*NOTE : I usually do not use the common Bible scriptures most would use to emphasize a point. I use what my personal take away is of my experiences. If I quote a partial chapter, my intentions are for my readers to look the whole chapter up and read in it's entirety.

Whatever storm you are in be rest assured that God is there with you through it all.  My struggles are much like a person being thrown overboard into the tempestuous sea. I fight with all 'my' might until it overtakes me then I withdraw, calmly in Him until it has come to pass. It's the times I'm fighting without Him that bring me great sorrow. I walk without faith in these times and in my flesh, causing more agony, poor actions & the ugly of me to surface when it doesn't need to happen this way. I don't do this with all things. Our Lord has taught me through past experiences in some of these areas to remember He's there as I went through them & my family has went through them. It's truly a "One Day At A Time" lesson for me & I'm sure others too. The main thing is remembering the lessons, the beauty, the good things that are introduced through these tempestuous times & to pray so you won't let go of Him during those beginning stages because God doesn't let go of you when you are suffering. It is then that He is right by your side working his miracles.

When will it end? Remember, we live in a fallen world & there will always be new days to face, new struggles, new revelations, & we are called to be ready for them by staying in His care, reading His instruction & following Him. We aren't perfect but He has made a way for us through our Savior Jesus Christ who covers our sins in Him.

I am slightly better in this struggle this day. I've came a long ways in handing my burdens to God through the years. We come slowly sometimes, learning as each burden unfolds. My hope for all who are burdened is they rest it by placing their sorrows, pain, matters in God's care.

I hope this has blessed you in some way. God loves you & so do I. Don't forget to kneel in prayer, study His word, spend quiet time with Him. Vacation from the world. Love God by trusting Him fully & understand that when you are grappling with the burdens (no matter what they are), He loves you as you are and is molding you into a new person in His likeness. Praise God for His mercy in forgiveness with His perfect understanding.

( This may be a blogging day for me while I wait for an important call, I'd rather be in Him as I grapple with another burden set before me while resting in Him.  I will not forget His promises to guide me into His healing in my restoration of my heart.)

Happy Valentine's Day

Question Of The Day...

Question of the day is, "How come I feel like writing when I'm in a moment of peaceful teaching with my children, but when I have enough time to, I have writer's block?