Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Plans...



Within my House
by Fay Inchfawn

First, there's the entrance, narrow,
and so small,
The hat-stand seems to fill the tiny hall;
That staircase, too, has such an awkward
bend,
The carpet rucks, and rises up on end!
Then, all the rooms are cramped and close
together;
And there's a musty smell in rainy weather.

Yes, and it makes the daily work go hard
To have the only tap across a yard.
These creaking doors, these draughts, this
battered paint,
Would try, I think, the temper of a saint,

How often had I railed against these
things,
With envies, and with bitter murmurings
For spacious rooms, and sunny garden
plots!
Until one day,
Washing the breakfast dishes, so I think,
I paused a moment in my work to pray;
And then and there
All life seemed suddenly made new and
fair;
For, like the Psalmist's dove among the
pots
(Those endless pots, that filled the tiny
sink!),
My spirit found her wings.

"Lord" (thus I prayed), "it matters not
at all
That my poor home is ill-arranged and
small:
I, not the house, am straitened; Lord,
'tis I!
Enlarge my foolish heart, that by-and-by
I may look up with such a radiant face
Thou shalt have glory even in this place.
And when I trip, or stumble unawares
In carrying water up these awkward stairs,
Then keep me sweet, and teach me day
by day
To tread with patience Thy appointed
way.
As for the house . . . . Lord, let it be
my part
To walk within it with a perfect heart."






The sun shone today and that just makes all the difference-doesn't it? I need the sun's rays as often as possible to make it through the long winter. The gray really gets to me after awhile. It is such a blessing to have the warmth and light streaming through the windows and brightening up the dark rooms. It gives me energy and zest!

I have decided to paint my dining room and kitchen a pale gray. The current color has served its purpose and now I need something a bit calmer. The light plays with this new color and looks gray at times and also a very nice light blue. I will still be accessorizing with the other colors I love: turquoise, red, bright pink, apple green and white (and really any other color that fits). I got the paint chip from a trip to Wal-mart-KILZ Casual Colors-called "City Gray". I took it the next day to Home Depot and had it matched and brought home a quart to try it out on the wall and to see if I liked it. Lydia picked it out of all the samples I brought home and I must say she picked a good one. I really like it. So, this weekend I will be painting my dining room. I know it's not the best color for an eating area...but it's the one we like. I'll share photos later.

I always intended to make a booklet up from a blank sketch pad with the paint and cloth samples for my different rooms so when I went to a store I'd have something with me to match colors and cloth and wouldn't have to guess if the item will match. I have decided to purchase the blank book and get that going this weekend too. I don't have a lot to put in it right now, but there are a few things to start with. When I'm done with the dining room, I need to paint my hallway and then all the white woodwork in the house needs to be freshened up . This will take a bit of time, but I will try to get it done before things are ready for the freezer this spring. I want to make one for my garden this year too so I can better plan ahead for the next year's-it's getting too big to remember everything now. We shall see...we make plans but things happen!



I thought I'd share my cabinet full of glassy memorabilia and thrifty finds today. I got the cabinet from an old house I cleaned out for a real estate client. The items in it are from thrifting and living family member's hand-me-downs or family members who have passed away. Every time I look at the cabinet I think of different people whom I love and those I miss. Oh yes, there's Helena's happy, little snowman standing guard over it all! If you click on the photo it should enlarge and give you a better view.

I didn't forget about my apron give away, it's just-obviously postponed. Perhaps I'll get to work on it after I get finished painting. I am also working on an old novel to put into a PDF file for your reading enjoyment. Not an original work, just something I read once that I enjoyed. I passed the book along to a couple of friends and they enjoyed it and so I'm typing it into a PDF file to share. It will take a bit longer and I'll get a link on here (I have to figure it out of course). It is an old story written in the 1800's. It is a novel and it's just a sweet story. But I don't want to "spill the beans" yet. I am also coming along with my images for my sewing book for Moms and their daughters. Actually, I'm working on a few things and I need to finish the ones I've started so I can get them out here to you. The sewing book would also help someone trying to learn how to sew and stitch. You will see. It's a very old book that I'm revamping.

I'd like to post some things I am thankful for now-it's been awhile since I've updated my One Thousand Gifts list:

#16: the ability to work
#17: streams of sunshine to bask in
#18: friends found on blogs
#19: the privilege of learning about You, Lord through life's lessons
#20: artistic talents
#21: my own washing machine in which to do my laundry
#22: flylady.org
#23: spending time with Lydia
#24: beautiful music
#25: the joy of simplifying life-one decluttering spree at a time
#26: the peace of a balanced checkbook
#27: the days free of pain
#28: lunar eclipses to share with my children
#29: plans brought to fulfillment
#30: homeschool




May the Lord bless you as you tend to the daily tasks and as you tend to the inner house-the inner man. May He fill your inner spirit with the fruit of His Holy Spirit, that your inner man may be straightened-not straitened. Oh yes Lord, let us not be so narrow-minded that we focus on the external only-but that we are fixed on things above-on You, O Lord, on You. Amen

Oh Friends, there is no blessing like the blessings of Home-Sweet Things.
xoxo

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

An Afternoon of Yumminess



This weekend I spent some time in the kitchen making Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins. They are so tasty that I made 3 dozen and by Monday evening they were gone! Between family and friends they didn't last long. They are the current faves around here! They are so moist and yummy I'll share the recipe here for you to try it.

The pretty blue dish above is really a saucer-the muffin fit nicely on the teacup center. The retro glass is a find from some dishes I got in a house I cleaned out. Did I tell you I like junk and thrifting? Those of you who know me best know this about me! This is why I spend so much time decluttering.

Pumpkin-Apple Streusel Muffins

2 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
2 Cups sugar (I use 1 3/4 Cups
1 TB Pumpkin Pie Spice (I use pinches of cinnamon; ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Cup solid pack pumpkin
1/2 Cup vegetable oil

2 Cups apples, peeled and diced thin
(optional: 1 Cup walnuts, chopped small)

Streusel Topping:
Combine 2 TB all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Cut in 4 tsp butter, until crumbly

Wash, peel and dice apples. Set aside.

Prepare streusel topping. Set aside.


In large bowl combine first 5 ingredients. Set aside.


In medium bowl combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients.


Stir just until moistened.


Stir in apples (and nuts if adding) just until distributed evenly.

Spoon batter into greased muffin cups-filling 3/4 full.Sprinkle streusel topping over each cup of batter.Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes (mine were done at 30 mins.) or until toothpick comes out clean.
(You may substitute banana for pumpkin or in a pinch I've done 1/2 Cup pumpkin and 1/2 Cup banana.)



Enjoy!!!

Blessed are you when you prepare the Home-Sweet Things for your family!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Days Go By...

Hello My Friends!

I won't waste any time trying to excuse my absence...it's been too long since I last posted. I've thought about getting a post on here many times but got distracted and then it got late and then another day went by and another and...well-you get the picture.

We survived the start of another New Year and even Groundhog's Day! It will soon be Valentine's Day. Do you make Valentine's Day special? We don't do much of anything out of the norm here. I am a huge romantic at heart-I love Jane Austin novels and the Bronte Sisters and anyone else of old who wrote those heart-stirring novels. But as for real life...it's just not that romantic...at least for me.

And yet, I think of the Scriptures. The Song of Solomon-whose scripture is full of romance and wooing and love. This is the Lord's Word to us-His Bride. This is also The Bride's word to Him. I am examining my heart to make sure my words to Him reflect the scripture. The Bride adores her Groom-cannot live without Him. They say wonderful things to each other to confirm their love.

Here is one:

"Set me as a seal upon your heart,
As a seal upon your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealously as cruel as the grave;
Its flames are flames of fire,
A most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can the floods drown it.
If a man would give for love
All the wealth of his house,
It would be utterly despised."

Song of Solomon 8:6-7

And He so longs to hear Her voice:

"You who dwell in the gardens,
The companions listen for your voice-
Let me hear it!"

Song of Solomon 8:13

God the Father, through Jesus Christ, desires the most, the uttermost relationship with His people, His Bride. He wants the best for us-His best-and He desires to walk with us through this life-through it all. While we're walking and living this earth-life, He desires to envelop us in His presence, to cleanse us, to purify us, to keep us, to love us with an everlasting love. This love, this true love is for whosoever will. Yield to Him and let Him love you.

Here's one expression from Jars Of Clay's "Love Song for a Savior":

"Love Song For A Savior":

In open fields of wild flowers,she breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses in no simple language
Someday she'll understand the meaning of it all

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running and fall in His arms
and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

Sitting silent wearing Sunday best
The sermon echoes through the walls
A great salvation through it calls to the people who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
Someday we'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call us and we will come running and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

It seems too easy to call you "Savior",
Not close enough to call you "God"
So as I sit and think of words I can mention to show my devotion

"I want to fall in love with You"

my heart beats for You"


Here's the you tube link to watch them sing it live.

I've been working on some things in my absence. I'm putting together readable books in PDF format and want to offer anyone who reads my blog and whoever finds me out there in the internet world.

Some will be free and other things I will offer for sale. I am working on putting together a sewing kit/teaching/curriculum for homeschoolers or Moms who want to teach their children to sew. It's taking a bit to put it together because I have to research it all out and then make the things and take photos and yada yada...But I'll let you know for sure when it's all ready. I've got a couple of other things I'm working on too-some money saving books, thrifty things and old-fashioned recipe books for those of us who enjoy baking and playing in the kitchen and who just love good, old-fashioned comfort food. I'll probably link on the sidebar to my new site Home Sweet Things and you'll be able to see all the goodness and yumminess!


Remember to Fall in Love with Jesus...it's not so much that we know Him...but that He knows us! (Matthew 7:23-and no the two are not the same!) Lord, I pray we seek to know the difference. Amen

God Bless you as you enjoy blessing your family in the Home-Sweet Things! x0x0x0