Quality Time

Sometimes my girls just amaze me. They can be so creative and innovative.

This past week has been spring break for us. A much needed break. We seem to be in the car a lot. The girls are craving outside time-fresh air, grass and trees.The last few days have been spent playing outside with the puppies, going on bike rides and cruising in the boat.

My Grace got very crafty and decided to make Emma a swing...and one for herself. She used some left over floor boards, rope from her daddy's shop and my trusty drill. I was so surprised that she not only 'built' these, but was also able to suspend them from the tree. She and Emma (especially) have spent hours in the swings-giggling, talking, enjoying being girls. I had to try them too. Then I put a chair nearby. I can be outside relaxing and enjoying my girls. I love a simple life.

Guess where we went???

Some people think we're crazy just for watching their show. They'll really think we've lost it now! LOL!! I'm not ashamed to say that '19 Kids and Counting" is our absolute favorite show. The girls and I make a point to watch the show each week and read any books the family publishes.

When we had the opportunity to visit their part of the world we were thrilled!
Some of you may wonder why? There are so many shows on TV, why watch them? In my opinion, this is a wholesome, Christian family who seeks to glorify the Lord in all they do. Their girls are such good role models for my girls. I would much rather my girls copy them than one of the latest teen idols. They're a wonderful family!
So...we visited Duggar-ville and we were thrilled. We can't wait to go back again. Until then, we'll keep up with them each week here in our home.

Liesl's Dancing Dress-my latest project

After many minutes with the seam ripper and a couple of trips to the fabric store....here it is! Grace asked for Liesl's Dancing Dress pattern from Vision Forum for Christmas this year. She then asked 'me' to make it for her. One problem...it has a zipper. I've only put in one zipper before. Maybe two problems...it also involves organza. I believe this fabric should come with a warning: Could Be Hazardous to Your Health! Anyway, I put it off and put it off until there was just a week before she needed. She wanted so badly to have to wear to the Father/Daughter Retreat. Now I had to rush. 4 days a week when we finish school, we have to get ready to leave for extra curricular activities. One of those days we're actually gone all day. Our little school moved to the sewing room! LOL!

I'd like to say things went smoothly, but that's not quite the case. I should have made a muslin of the bodice like the pattern said, but NO, I was in too big of a hurry. Instead I ended up having to go buy more fabric and make a second bodice because the first was too small. Always follow instructions! Then I didn't put the zipper in as smoothly as I'd like, so out it came.

The good thing is the dress got finished in time and fit perfectly. Grace was pleased with it and looks absolutely lovely in it! Thanks to her I pushed myself to try something new that I thought was beyond my capabilities. I still can't believe I made it!

The Folded Napkin

I received this in an email the other day. I just had to share it. I think it's so amazing how God thinks of every little detail.

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I
never noticed this....

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was
placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave
clothes.

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was
neatly folded, and was placed separate from the grave clothes.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came
to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the
entrance.

She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom
Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb,
and I don't know where they have put him!'

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.. The other
disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw
the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen
wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head
was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you
have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The
folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy
knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure
that it was exactly the way the master wanted it..

The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait,
just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant
would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table,
wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that
napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days,
the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and
laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table,
because..........

The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

He is Coming Back!

Peanut Butter Cookies-gluten free

I love peanut butter-especially in cookies. I lucked up the other day and found this yummy recipe for gluten free and sugar free cookies. I have to say they are absolutely delicious!

1/2 cup butter, room temp.
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup xylitol
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup peanut flour (I used almond flour)
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.
In a small bowl add coconut flour, peanut flour, baking soda and salt. In a mixer cream butter and peanut butter. Add xylitol and cream until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla. Slowly pour in flour mixture. Mix until just combined on low. Then on med/high until smooth.
*Optional-refrigerate to make firmer.
Line cookie sheet. Scoop 1 Tbsp of mix. Press with fork. Bake 7-9 min. Enjoy!

Introverts...in the church??

During my married life we've attended and been members of a few churches. It seems with all the good at each of these places I was always feeling the same old thing. Like I didn't fit in. I never sang in the choir, I didn't host ladies luncheons or teach Bible studies. I felt most comfortable sitting in the corner listening. I always felt like I wasn't doing my part like everyone else. I wasn't serving. I still feel that way. Until today. I found the following post on one of my favorite blogs. It really puts everything into perspective.

"Over the holidays I saw an old college friend at a party.

We were at one of those co-ed baby showers that have come into vogue, and that men are eagerly awaiting for people to get over.

This friend and I had ample time to catch up while others were rubbing the mom-to-be’s belly and taking baby quizzes and putting chocolate pudding in diapers.

In some ways he and I have a lot in common. We attended the same college, are both pastors in southern California, both care deeply about the mission of the Church.

But our personalities are polar opposite. He is incredibly extroverted and charismatic and magnetic; he is one of those people that changes the energy of a room when he walks into it. People are immediately drawn to him and he can turn a stranger into a friend faster than I can drive away from a co-ed baby shower. He can have a conversation about anything with anyone. He is the guy who knows ALL his neighbors, to the point that one passerby once speculated that he was a mafia kingpin.

I, on the other hand, am the classic introvert, the one who starts out quiet in new settings and gets quieter. I like people, but conversation, it can wear me out. I have several close friends but I am not terribly motivated to make conversation with people I don’t know well. I have a good sense of humor, but mostly because I sit around by myself a lot thinking of funny things to say. I will often choose reading a book over a group activity.

I have mostly come to terms with my personality, and I have even written a whole book to help introverts navigate the life of the church. But that encounter with my old friend resurfaced some of the feelings I had in my younger days: wondering whether something was wrong with me or whether introverts are spiritually inadequate?

Is God not as pleased with me when I choose solitude over conversation? Am I a bad witness to the gospel?

That last question has been particularly painful for me in the past, when nonbelievers would praise my extrovert-dynamo friend as “someone who really lives out what he believes,” by which they often meant that he was friendly and warm and outgoing.

It’s hard not to hear a subtle jab thrown my way in those conversations, with the subtext “You’re quiet and guarded and you are not a good example of your faith.”

I was left to wonder, in the privacy of my room on those nights, if my introversion contradicted the welcome that God extends to all people.

It’s hard enough when people in the church criticize introverts as unfaithful or closed, but it is extra painful when nonbelievers consider believing introverts to be bad models of faith, even to be turned off to the gospel because of our temperaments.

In the days following my reunion with my friend, I again agonized over these questions.

But my wife’s fruit of the Spirit song spoke truth. It played through my head one afternoon, perhaps was put in my head, and I remembered that “extrovertedness” is not a fruit of the Spirit.

Paul doesn’t say that the internal work of God will produce love, joy, peace, patience, andgregariousness.

People are born with different temperaments, which is all part of God’s rich and beautiful design for His body, but kindness is what we’re all called to.

Kindness is what God is working in us through the implanted seed of the gospel.

Of course, extroversion is a wonderful quality, but some people have it and some people don’t. No matter what our temperaments, however, kindness is to be our stance before people.

The apostle Paul uses the word kindness a few times to describe God’s action in sending a Savior and showing mercy to humankind.

To be kind then, is to show people mercy. Kindness will extend itself beyond our tribes to help and support and listen to people in need.

And for introverts, this will happen one person at a time, one step at a time, one small risk at a time.

Paul also says that God’s kindness is what leads people to repentance.

Being outgoing, in some cases, may get people to the door — but kindness is what draws people in to eat with the Savior.

To gather round a table and eat with the Body, stay up late, singing songs and laughing, those fruits of the Spirit hanging low and close…."

The perfect school day

Spring is arriving here in the deep south. The weather is mild, the flowers are blooming and we're spending much more time outside. That's what I love about home schooling.

A Colonial Dress-my WIP

I've been away from my blog for a bit...actually longer than I thought. Never fear, I wasn't sitting here twiddling my thumbs. We've been busy with school and our usual activities. Mary got her driving permit; Grace got braces; the puppies are now a month old.

In the midst of all this, Emma has been begging me to make a dress for her. She picked out this pattern at a sale a while back. She really wanted me to make this dress for the Father/Daughter Retreat this month. I found enough (well almost enough-I rigged it a little) fabric in my stash. Only one thing (besides time) was holding me back...the zipper. Yes, I'm a grown woman who's sewn for many years, yet I'm afraid of installing zippers. That is until I found this tutorial. She made installing an invisible zipper actually easy.

The dress is almost complete now. I just have to sew in the eye and hook and clip all the loose threads. I even made a little hoop skirt to go underneath to make it a bit fuller. Hopefully I will be able to post a pick of the completed project soon.