Scenes from our morning walk!

Honey and I got out to enjoy the nice weather we have been having and took Miss Luna with us. She loves to walk and we are exercising! My goal is 30 lbs in 3 months.  I have been trying to incorporate extra movement where I can. Cookie Monster graduates in June and I want to look and feel good. We are also doing a memorial 5K for one of his classmates in June. She was killed in a terrible car accident last summer.

Anyway here are a few pictures of our walk thus morning! They are only from my phone so maybe not the best quality. I will have to try to remember my big camera next time! Enjoy the views of my home town!

Hope

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praise the Lord, today we had sunshine. I can’t explain the exquisite feeling of the warmth falling across my face as I raise my eyes to the Lord in thanks! It brings me hope that all will right itself in the world. What a small wondrous gift!

Things have been a bit off at our house for a while. I’m not sure if it is an attack of that age old serpent or if it is God trying to redirect me onto a different life path. In either case, my world seems to have turned upside down. Where things were once hopeful and possible, they are now full of fear, doubt and questions. I turn to God and ask, but am so unsure of His answer. I have been trying so hard to listen for His message, His calming embrace, His long ago promise. In the middle of the night, my heart pounding with fear, my veins pulsing strong, throbbing paralyzed, I hold my breath and listen

 

hard for His voice. Sometimes the whispers are just out of earshot, thrummed out by the whine of the ceiling fan or the rustle of linens as Honey turns over. Sometimes I am so afraid I won’t hear Him; that I will never find the path He so desperately wants me to follow. What if I have already missed it?

My life feels a mess, broken, dead. The strong beautiful relationship with Honey is being questioned. My children are forgetting lessons taught long ago. My finances are a mess when they weren’t just a few short months ago. The home that I love, my parent’s home, is in danger of being taken due to the ruins of my life. My weight grows along with my fear and anxiety. I want to sleep and do little else. But every day, I force myself from my warm cozy cocoon, place one foot in front of the other and face the day yet again! I go on because I must. I have babies who need me and some days that is all that pushes me forward.

I try to remember the gifts bestowed on me and the hope that comes with them. I count little things like sunshine, a hug from Princess Pea, a smile from Cookie Monster, squirrels chasing in the yard. I concentrate on them, writing each in my journal faithfully, holding them close like a lifeline, like they are all that tie me here on earth. If not for them, my throbbing fearful heart would fly me away to who knows where. I watch for the gifts, the small nudges that He is right there, waiting for me, watching me, holding me when I need it. It is all I can do!

And now spring has arrived, well technically at least, the date on the calendar showing it has, and a weak sunshine has been pouring through the window. And with this small gift of sunshine, the seed of hope that has been dormant for so long is starting to crack, just a bit. I feel the first unfurling of the vines, waiting to wrap around my heart and lift me up. I feel the warmth of the sunshine, even though the rest of the earth is yet cold. I feel it inside, the beginnings, but it is there. It grows with every step I take in my Christ Journey and with every word I read in His book

So I have made a determination for myself. I WILL keep moving forward, and I will do so, leaning on my Lord every step of the way. I will thank God for the gifts he continually sends my way. I will ask for His help to get my finances in order and pray that buying this house is in His plan for my life. Where ever I live, I WILL fill it with love, with laughter, with hope and mercy and grace.  I will lean on God all the while thanking Him for his gifts and goodness.

Dreaming

Hi there! So glad you could join me today! I'm just sitting here dreaming about want I our of life and am happy to have someone to talk about it with.

See I'm not even close to where I want to be in life.  I thought by now I would be well on my way to my 25th wedding anniversary, have my kids, be a stay at home mom, running and organizing the house and homeschooling the kids while my husband worked. Church on Sundays with dinner at grandmas after. I would have my garden, do the canning, laundry on the line. Have relative financial security.

Ha! Not even close. I wasn't even married for 10 years. I work full time and do whatever odd jobs I can bring in to make extra money.  As a single working mom, my kids attend public school. And while Honey is a stay at home, he doesn't get much done. He would rather just read. And my finances need serious attention. And it all weighs on my heart.

So anyway,  enough belly-achin, It's not gonna help me get where I want to be.  I work hard to keep the sad, overwhelming depression from getting to me and just work through it. God promises in the Gospel of John that he will take care if us, just as  he did for the disciples in the Sea of Gallilee. Jesus walked on water to get them and take care of them. So even if I don't know what my future holds or where I am going I know that Jesus,  my Savior, will be there to care for me.

So my dream you ask? Well other than what I listed above, I think I would like to open a Christian based Bed and Breakfast. A place that retreats can be held, families can vacation, and couples can reconnect.

Honey turned me onto the idea of spiritual gifts. I looked them up an mine seem to be hospitality and mercy and there were two more along the same lines. It seems that running a bed and breakfast would be right up my alley. Now to set goals and make priorities to start taking steps in the right direction!

First step, get finances back under control and stop procrastinating and counting on others for help.  Ugh...this one may hurt!

Well better get back to work. Until i can make my dream a reality, I need this job! Thanks for listening my dear friends! God bless each of you!

Weekend Activities

On the Road again!

Every other weekend I am supposed to take my kids to their dad's house. He lives 3 hours away so we meet half way. It doesn't always work out to be every other weekend.  Sometimes (OK a lot of times) during the school year the kids have activities going on the weekends. I have been very blessed that my ex-husband allows them to stay to participate.  Then the kids stay with him most of the summer.
Well this weekend is a weekend they go to their dad's which means we are travelling. Honey is driving and I am sitting in the back seat with Princess Pea and Luna. I decided to try to take a picture of me for posterity.

God Given Morning!

This morning on my way to work,  i couldn't help but think that I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth! And as I drove through the valleys, past the farms and fences,  looking at the beautiful hoar frost clinging to everything, I could only thank God for allowing me to live here.

I really wish I could have had the morning off so I could take my camera out to capture God's glory!  It took my breath away.

One Last Thing Tonight...

So I have been trying to learn to knit for quite some time. I really believe in the home  arts and want to learn them.  I can make plain knitted scarves but never really tried anything with a pattern.

Well earlier this winter I decided to push myself a bit. I asked for help on learning how to increase and decrease and bought a fabulous book from Barnes & Noble.  

After many trials and errors, stops and starts, and ripped out stitches,  I've done it! Tonight I finished my first "non-scarf" knitted item and it has a pattern!

It may only be a dish cloth but I am so very proud if it!

Scrapbooking!

 

 

I have been working on getting Cookie Monster's scrapbooks caught up. I think I left off when he was four and I want to get them done for his graduation (Like I don't have enough on my plate). So I spent tonight working on his scrapbooks with Princess Pea working on her own project right next to me. We had a great night! I feel like I am starting to get some of my creativity back!

 

 

 

I love looking at all the pictures. They bring back so many memories! It is wonderful to see faces from my past jump out at me!

 

 

 

Princess Pea was working on her own project tonight. She printed pictures from the internet that reminded her of her best friends and put them onto scrapbook paper. The she decorated the rest of the page with doodles, words, and funky designs. She is going to give them to her friends tomorrow.  

 

 

I have so many papers to choose from that sometimes it gets kind of confusing and over whelming trying to decide which ones to use. I try to match the colors of the paper to the colors in the pictures. 



 

 

Some of the pens we use in our paper projects. There are Sharpies, pens that right on dark paper a white pen for black paper, metallic pens, water color pencils, and brush pens. 

 

 

 Well, it's been a busy evening, but so relaxing! It's nice to just sit and spend time with my Princess Pea!

 

God's Blessings to you all my Dear Friends....

 

Love Sheila

Snow Day!!!

Hello Dear Friends!

I am so happy to be safe and warm here at home! The snow started in the night and has left a beautiful blanket of white across our valley that is between 10 and 12 inches deep. While it is gorgeous to look at, I did have to drive in it. This morning was pretty messy, but better than I thought it was going to be. I also was able to leave work at 1 and by then the roads had been cleared pretty good.

This afternoon I was able to sit down and work on my computer a bit, trying to get the rest of my documents, music and pictures off my external hard drive so it can be reformated. I am also scanning in pictures of Cookie Monster from when he was young. My ex husband kindly asked if I would make him copies because he has no pictures from when the kids were young. So as I am finding pictures to scrapbook, I just scan them in quick and will get them to him later.

Of course Luna and I had our daily game of frisbee. She loved the fresh snow and took many tumbles in it for good measure! I have so much fun with her and I just laugh and laugh. What joy it brings me to see her loving the snow with her whole heart!

Tonight I will be working on a bit of scrapbooking for Matt and possible picking up my knitting. Then I think an early bedtime with a book and warm blanket. I am rather sleepy tonight and keep thinking it is Friday. Boy will I be surprised in the morning when I still have to go to work. Tee Hee.

Love you all and God's Sweet Blessings on you....

Sheila

Luna Plowing through the snow

Luna with her favorite frisbee

Snow in the Birch Tree

 

Our Pileated Woodpecker

 

Icicles on the Birdfeeder

 

Windchimes silenced by snow

 

Flower Pot waiting for spring

One of my flower gardens in hibernation

Also waiting for flowers

Snow Laden Branches

 

Pillow cases

Just a quick note here this morning...found this picture of some cute pillow cases and I so want to make some!  They remind me of spring!

By the way, this picture was credited only to pinterest.

Dance Class

Hello Dear Friends...

Princess Pea has dance class tonight so I am writing to you from the waiting room.  She takes 6 classes and loves every minute! She is in Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary,  and Pointe Ballet.  The studio she attends is about a half hour from our home and because of the price of gas, I have been just sitting and waiting for her.  Her classes are from 5:30 to 9 on Monday nights. That is a long time to sit and wait. Most of the other families are local so usually it's just me.

So I pack a bag to take with. Usually holds my knitting and the latest book I am reading. Sometimes I throw i n my Bible and headphones to listen to downloaded messages or my drawing supplies.

Tonight it has my knitting including the new dish cloth I am making, my latest books and my drawing supplies. I was knitting for awhile until my fingers got cold then it was time to switch to my book and work on my note to you all!

I am hoping the winter storm that is coming holds off til I get home. Of course I have a meeting at work tomorrow that I am supposed to be at so I can't exactly call in. Ugh!  I have a strong fear of driving in bad weather and have been known to have full blown panic attacks when faced with driving on bad roads. I could use all the prayers you can share!

Well my phone is nearly dead and I want to make sure I have it for the drive home.  I wish you all a blessed and safe night!