From My Kitchen Window

Every morning when I look out my kitchen window, I am so thankful for the view!

This particular view was not here a year ago.   It is our new auditorium, and our new auditorium has a STEEPLE!  The old auditorium did not have a steeple.

It blesses my heart so much to see.  How much does it bless me?  Glad you asked!  So much that my mind has changed about wanting to sell and relocate out in the country!   Because,  even though I know there would be beautiful views in the country,  I know there wouod not be one that would bless and inspire me like this one does!

To me, the steeple is such a beautiful symbol of what our church stands for and what it's purpose is.   That is to direct and show the souls of men the WAY to heaven;  to point heavenward!   To show that there is HOPE and a much better place than this sinful world.  Heaven is a wonderful,  glorious, beautiful,  perfect and ETERNAL place that awaits those who put their trust in the WAY, the  TRUTH, and the LIFE,  Jesus Christ the Son of God.  I'm so personally thankful that I'm going there someday!

On this first day of November,  I am thankful for my view and for what it reminds me of! 

More Free Fall for Ya'll

Today turned out to be a most beautiful fall day.   We probably won't have many more of those in our neck of the woods.   The sunshine was gorgeous!   That's what gave me the idea to snap a few more pictures of my fall decorations. 

I don't go overboard in decorating for fall, but I do like for the house to be warm, cozy and inviting in the fall.

As you can see in the pictures below,  I like to use natural things and things that I dont have to store away come the last of November and the first of December.  It makes getting ready for Christmas so much easier.   Most of all I like to decorate with free stuff;  things I already have or, like I said, natural elements from the yard.

Anyway, here's a few fall vignettes I hope you enjoy.

These green things grow in abundance on some trees that line our church driveway.  I ddon't know what they're called.  I think I heard someone actually call them some kind of an orange???  I don't know?   

My husband is not too fond of them because of the mess they make when 

cars drive over them and smash them.  I only like them because they're cool to decorate with and, you got it, they're free!

 

This wowonderful plaid tote was given to me for speaking at a ladies retreat last

weekend.  What a nice gift!  I love it!  I just tied a animal print scarf around the handle.  I read of ths trend (plaid and animal print together) for fashion, so I thought it would work in decorating as well!

 

A plaque given to me by my daughter A few years ago that I like to use in the

fall and some gourds.  This is in the hutch.

Faves From Instagram

Sometimes I do ok at taking pics and posting on Instagram, and sometimes, well,  I'm just not in the mood!  

This week was a good week!   I think I put up 4 pics.  I only have three here, because I couldn't find the last one I took.   Oh well,  guess three's  better than none!

   I really can't believe that I'm actually doing a blog post!  

Who knows,  maybe I'll start doing more of those too!

Some special sweets arrived in the mail from sweet friends in PA

It's Fall ya'll!/

My morning visitor

30th Anniversary and Homecoming Choir

What a blessing this choir was this morning!

Lonnie, Sarah, Tim and I singing an old favorite, "God Saves Old Sinners".

A Day in June

Well, since this is nearly the last day in June, I'm gonna do this post!   

I have been wanting to show June's chalkboard and vignette all  the month of June and just haven't gotten around to it.   I'm sure you know how that is.

Anyway, here it is:

"A DAY IN JUNE"

So many special days are in June.   Three out of our four daughters got married in June.   The one who didn't get married in June has a birthday in June.  June, as we know is the most common month
for weddings.

 I got the idea for this phrase or title or whatever it is...."A Day in June" from a post
card that I found. It had a picture of a couple (appeared to be courting or husband and wife), in a row boat floating down a river on a beautiful day in June. I just loved it and have even displayed the post card in my decorating. "A Day in June".......is almost over. I've enjoyed it! Now on to patriotism!

Zig - Zag or Rick Rack

Ever heard if these?  Well maybe you would know it better as Chevron!  Up until recently I thought that was a gas station!

It's far from a gas station though.  It is a design element that is popping up (and down and up again) everywhere!

Yes, it is a trend, I read, but it also is a pattern that has actually been around for a long time, I guess.  So even though it's popularity my wane, it will still be around.

I don't know about you, but I really love it.   I have a skirt that I LOVE.

 But even before I got the skirt, it was showing up in my house.

This is a throw that my mom made several decades ago..... Back when harvest gold was "in",  that's a hint for how many decades ago!

A few months ago I decided to try to update the curtains in our family room.  They are just plain linen.  I love linen!  Everyone may not though.  My little granddaughter called them "sheets"!  Maybe that's what caused me to think they needed a little update.

  I didn't want to spend a lot of money on new curtains, but I was drawn to some of the patterns. I was seeing in curtain fabrics such as stripes, ikat, and other  patterns.   

Anyway I started looking for something.........., I really didn't know what.........but I knew that I would know it when I saw it........something that I could attach.......possibly sew to the edge of my linen curtains to revive them a little.

Well I was at Hobby Lobby and was actually looking at fabric.  I saw several things that I thought would work, but not really anything that "jumped out" at me.   You all know what I mean, I'm sure!  All the time I'm dreading having to actually get out the sewing machine too!



Sooooooo, I just kept browsing.   I could browse in that store all day, couldn't you?  Then......I saw it:

BURLAP WITH CHEVRON PATTERN

Yay!!!!   Two of my favorites!

Perfect for my curtain up......just the right width.......the taupe/gray/cream color combination.....and the price!   I told you I would know it when I saw it!

So I bought two ( a total of $18.00 - not 50 percent off today ).  I really just guessed at how many it would take.

But, look at the way it worked out!  I had just the exact amount.  The curtains are 9 feet, so I guess there are 18 feet in one roll.  I have four curtains, and used two.

I simply cut the roll in half and it was the perfect size for the curtain

Anyway, here they are on the windows. I really like how they turned out..

Brilliance

Everybody wants to shine today.

 Are we going about it all wrong?

We all have an agenda.  We push it.  Is it worth anything?

I know that most of the things that consume my mind on a daily basis are so trivial and unimportant ant in the light of eternity.  .

It's so easy to get caught up in everyday life........ News..... Social Media,  Sports,  Eating, Clothes, Vacations......   The list goes on and on.

None of this will matter 10 years from now.  Souls are the only thing that will last.

It is the responsibility of we who are  saved souls to tell unsaved souls how they can be saved and live eternally!

My own daughters encourage me to do more.  Nothing blesses my heart more   I want to do my part, don't you?!

Proverbs 11:30
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."


Daniel 12:3
3 "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

Are you sure that you are going to live in Heaven for eternity?  You can know 100 percent.  You can find out here or click on "How to know 100 percent you're going to Heaven" in the sidebar.

Every light makes a brighter world!  Let your  light shine!

Paeonies - Love theName - Love the Smell!

Hello friends, I hope up you all are having a wonderful Spring!

I'm here to talk about favorite things.........

If only I knew what to call them!

Growing up in Eastern  Kentucky gave me, among other things, a wider vocabulary!

I mean you probably grew up hearing these called "Paeonies"!

  

Or you may have called them "Peonies".



I think I remember my grandmother call them "Pineys"!

Whatever they're called, they could be my favorite flower.

The wonderful fragrance evokes childhood memories of ........

summertime.......

no cares..........

barefoot.......

creeks..........

front porches.......

family

simple.......country life!   

What do you call these flowers?

A Little Fishy

 Our grandson, Jackob, is such a sweet boy.  We got to be with him this past week on his spring break.

On Instagram for the month of April, I'm following and participating in #apixelchallenge.  For the fifth day the topic was "feathered or fishy".  While trying to find a picture of a fish or a bird, I came across these pictures.  I didn't know I had sooooo many pictures of Jackob fishing.

His parents have seen to it that he has been able to participate in a lot of different activities and interests.    The one thing about him though, is that he is just, what I call a fun loving, country boy!

One of his favorite things is fishing.   As you can tell, from the collage, he's good at it!  As a matter of fact, he caught the fish in the middle picture just this past week.  Others had said there was not any fish in the pond to catch.  Guess he proved them wrong.  I taught him everything, he knows about fishing, if course!  Ha ha!  You who know me well know that's not so!

Someone has taught him, though.  I'm sure his dad as taught him a lot and you can see from the pictures that his Pappaw has spent some precious moments with him in this hobby.

What a sweetie!  I love this boy!  I'm glad I found all these pictures of him.  Thanks to a challenge a day on Instagram!

Kitchen Reno Update

She's improving!!  Cabinet doors have been painted.  They were like this for weeks!

Two cabinets beside the stove were raised and my talented husband put crown molding around them. 

Well, he actually had some help!  Thank The Lord  for good strong friends!

Already looking better!

Frames of cabinets painted and doors put on!!!  Yay!

Now we wait for the countertop and the tile backsplash.  

Moore Family Ordinary Moment

On Instagram in the month of March, some of us have been sharing a pic a day of various, random, everyday pictures.  Today (March 25,) is supposed to b a picture of an ordinary moment.

My picture was actually taken from a video (link posted at the end of this post)

Now, the reason I call it an ordinary moment is because it is nothing out of the ordinary for this to happen when our girls are together.  They just, out of the blue, spontaneously break out into song!!   In fact, to be honest, we would think something was wrong if this didn't happen!

Well, this was supposed to be an ordinary moment, and it is when they're all together.  However, since they can't be together very much now days, (Leah couldn't even be here for this special time) a moment like this could also be labeled an "extra" ordinary moment!  To this mother heart it was a "precious, so glad I got it on video (only wish Leah coulda' been here)," kinda moment!

Hope you enjoy, and please excuse the missing cabinet doors.  They're being updated!  : )

Click the link below to watch:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy98emui7ZM

Someone Slipped And Fell

Someone slipped and fell.  Was that someone you?… Well, yes, it was!

Last Saturday I wanted to answer the phone so much that when it rang I took off running through the house on hard wood floors and just as I turned into the bed room, my feet slipped out from under me, and I landed with all my weight ( we won't say how much,) on to my side.

Needless to say I was a little shook up. More serious then shook up though, was the fact that I couldn't move without stabbing breathtaking pain. All across my Lower back I had pain. I am so thankful our daughter Sarah was here. She came running to my rescue. She called her dad who got here as quickly as he could. After realizing that he, Sarah and a friend of ours could not pick me up without horrible pain going through my body, we decided to call the ambulance.

Yep!  that's me.  WEIRD FEELING!  See my sweet husband in the background?  He was so concerned about me, and has treated me like a baby through his whole process!  He beat me to the hospital.  When I got there, and they unloaded me, I felt a hand gently brush against my face.... It was his. So sweet!  The EMT standing there trying to get his nerve up to pick me up (lol), became my friend on the way to he hospital!  I didn't get his name, though!  Sorry, sir, but thank you!

So, for the second time in my life I got to ride in an ambulance. Oh what fun! The first time was when I broke my knee.  Yes, I know I must have brittle bones.  I'm gonna start working on that though.

Have you ever had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance?  I hope not.  I also hope that was my last time!

After an x-ray and CT scan, it was determined that I had a compression fracture in the L1 vertebrae.
I had to see a surgeon on Monday, and praise The Lord, I didn't need surgery.  It is a modest or minimal fracture and should heal in a few weeks.  I've had a rough week, but it's getting better each day.  I have really been moving like a grandma!  I am a Granna, but I've been like a really old one!

The Lord has been so good to me, though, ad I can feel His  healing hand.  There s nothing like knowing the Great Physician and having Him as a personal Friend!  Thank you, Lord, for lifting me back up onto my feet!  Even though I may have tried to fly physically, but fell instead,  I can claim Isaiah 40:31
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint."

You can claim it too if you have fallen, physically or spiritually.  He will pick you up and if you've broken something, He'll even mend it for you!  He's a wonderful Savior, and It is no secret what He can do!
 
Below a a link to a video of Rebecca and Anna singing "It Is Mo Secret"!  I love i!  It makes my day!
I hope you do too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU-Uq8dVVZE&sns=em

Don't Put It Off 'til Tomorrow

Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?  Do you "put off tomorrow what you could do today"?

I think most of us have to admit we've been guilty a few times in our life.

A few years ago, (actually it has been several years ago now), I was introduced to "Anti-Procrastination Day" by non other than Fly Lady.

It is always a help to me.  That is unless I "put off" doing it!

The idea is to have one day a week (her day and mine as well is Wednesday) where you make a point to accomplish as many tasks as you can, tasks that you have been putting off, ignoring, hiding, putting  out of sight and mind, you know the ones I'm talking about!

I gotten several things done today that I've been putting off!  Here's one!

Procrastination Basket

I don't know if you can see this or not, but there are Christmas cards in there!   Yeah , it's Feb. 27!
No, I'm not a procrastinator!

Anti-Procrastination Basket

Awwww!  Better!  

 One of the things that I like to do on Anti-Procrastination Day is go into every room of the house and look for the main thing in that room that I have been putting off doing, and just do it! That's the best way, just hop to it and "get 'er done"!! Does anyone else have an Anti-procrastination Day?

The Kitchen Reno

• Today I am inviting you to go in a journey with me!  The journey called, "The Kitchen Renno"!    In all reality, though, if you're just staring today, you're gonna have some catching up to do.  this journey started a year or so ago.  
  

  
  I guess you could say this "reno"  is in different stages.

  
  

  Replacing the appliances, and island makeover,  I'm calling stage one.  You can also read more about this here.
  

  

  
  

  
  We are starting the second stage with replacing countertops!  YAY!  Can you hear the excitement in my voice? Squealing like a schoolgirl! Yes I am!  Also in this stage we will be painting the doors to our existing cabinets.   These cabinets were popular in the 90s when we in stalled them.  I doubt seriously that they are being made today.   If anyone is planning on installing these pressed wood cabinets with plastic wrapped  doors, please, please, please give it some more thought.  (I didn't  really think anyone was!) Trust me, you will wish you hadn't or you will end  doing what I did to the doors to our cabinets. 

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  At least it comes off in one sheet.  It's glued on, in case you're wondering.

  
  Back to the counter tops......The existing countertops have actually been very durable for nearly 19 years.  They are white laminate. Maybe because they are white  I haven't gotten tired of them.  They have been very easy to keep up, because I have always been able to bleach to remove stains.  

  
  However, recently that's not the case. There are stains that have that I cannot really remove.
  
  
  So it is time for them to go and be replaced with ......get ready for this....GRANITE.    I'm sure you heard the excitement then in my voice! I am so super super excited! I will say more about this as we go along in the renno.   Just let me tell you though, we are getting a terrific deal on this granite.  It's just one of the Lord's blessings.  I will share that source and info about it soon.

  
  

  As excited as I am, I also have to have patience and make myself wait.   This renno  is not going to happen over night.  That's  why I'm calling it a journey.  As a matter of fact, the granite can't be ordered until the middle of March.  That's 0K!  I'm more than willing to wait considering the deal we are getting.

  
  

  So, I hope you will enjoy taking this journey with us!  Please have patience as I may have lapses between posts. Ha ha!  hopefully not brain lapses but time lapses!  Remember, I have to have patience too!   I will post as often as I can.

  
  

No TIME to wait......TIME to Decorate!!!!!

Ever wonder how to decorate in January? I sure do! When all the Christmas decorations go, sometimes I'm at a loss as to what to put up now?????

I guess you can't go wrong with clocks for January

 So I dug out my old clock and, believe it or not, actually took the one hand that was left off since it didn't work anyway. While browsing at Goodwill store I came across the little clock and only payed one dollar for it . I found it just in time!

 Some might look at my little white trees and say it's time to paint them. Well you have to know my love for all things white to understand my reasoning, I

 guess. They are another thrift store find from several years ago and yes, they are ceramic and were intended to be painted, but I left them white, of course. I think it's time for some (whisper) snow!!!

The branches in the urns are from our yard and I spray painted them white. They were left over from a banquet we had at church I am so glad I found them.

The green bows are made from a roll of green

 burlap. I have always wanted to learn how to make the beautiful big bows. It's about time I learned How to make some things like this. There is no excuse nowadays when you want do something and you don't know how. There are so many good tutorials out there. That's how I learned to do this. The reason for using green, besides it being one of my favorite colors, is because green is the color for 2013. Did you know that??? Well, it's really emerald green, but I'll just stick with other shades to represent the green hue for this year. Then you certainly can't go wrong with snowmen and pine cones at this time of year. So there you have it. Decorating in January just takes a little looking around here and there for ideas, and a little......time! As the days of January 2013 are quickly slipping by, here's a little reminder as to what we should really do with our time: Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Bleak Mid-Winter

Happy middle of January!!!

Hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying winter.

I don't mind winter as long as I can stay inside on the bitter cold days.

Source

I heard a song title around Christmas time "In the Bleak Mid  Winter".  I don't really know this song, but from the title, it could describe where we are now!

I hope you're enjoying some  rays on this "bleak mid winter" day!

Yay for a ray!!

Source

"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

Revelation 21:23

Aren't you glad there's going to be a brighter day?

Oh there be brighter day just wait and see
When all God's  children will be free!

"....as a little child."

Our little grandson,  Eli, trusted Jesus as his Savior today!  I am so thankful and joyful about this!  It is an answer to prayer that our family has been praying for for sometime.  

 This is something that had bothered Eli for some time.   Even to the point of his coming to his mom and dad several times  nightly and asking them to pray that he would get saved.  

Tim and Sarah talked with him and prayed with him on different occasions about  this. However, they did not think that he fully understood.  They felt the wise thing to do would be to let him come to them and specifically tell them he was ready to be saved before they led him through the whole plan on salvation.

Last night after coming to their bedroom several times and asking them to pray that he would get saved,  he, finally, the last time he came back,  said, "Mama, I'm ready to be saved"!

Sure enough,  they realized he was definitely ready. They led him through the simple plan of salvation, which,  by the way,  is so simple that a child can understand! 

Mark 10:15

"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."    I'm so thankful for this!

This blessed my heart!   What an answer to prayer!

Eli called me a little while ago and said,  "Granna,  guess what happened today"?

"I got saved"!

Believe, you me, that was the best news I've heard today!

My heart is rejoicing!

3 John 1:4

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."