Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Beginning Together

TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD) offically begins next week.



Now, I have figured out how to get Mister Linky working on my blog (YEA!)



So, here is what I want you to do... Please post a blog about beginning our reading together. Leave a comment. Link back to this blog from your blog. Sign up on Mister Linky.



Our reading starts on Jan 1. See the side bar for the reading list. Even if you do not get a blog posted this week - you can let us know that you are with us by leaving a comment.



I am still learning so much about blogging.

I certainly am still learning so much about the WORD.

I am excited about this journey this year with you.




Monday, December 29, 2008

TUESDAYS TOGETHER (in the WORD)

Beginning January 1, 2009 we will follow the reading plan from HeartLight Internet Magazine. This year we will be using the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs plan. You can find it here.
I will add this link to my side-bar also, so that you will be able to access it during the year if so needed. Or if you have pick another plan for reading - that is fine too. The goal/purpose is that we are all reading God's Word and we are sharing with each other a "nugget" of what we are learning. Tuesdays we are together in the Word!

Each week come and sign up on Mister Linky if you have a blog that you would like to post about your reading from the week. You can share a particular verse that spoke to you or encouraged you in your walk with the Lord, or maybe a post about something new you learned, or just what God is teaching you through this week's reading. You get the idea. Let's share with each other where we are and what God is teaching us. Let's share our victories and even our struggles. Let's pray for each other. Remember to leave a comment after you sign up on Mr. Linky.

If you are not a blogger, you can join in also by adding your comments. Visit the other blogs also that are listed for that week. We want to hear from you too.

***After several email comments... I want to clarify – this is not to be a burden on anyone. It is designed to encourage us to (1) be reading in the Word this year, (2) to share with each other something we learned or were inspired by during that reading. If one week, you cannot participate – that is certainly fine – you might decide on that day to just come and read our blogs and then maybe just add comments. If you are not a blogger – then certainly, read along with us and then come and share with us on our blogs. We LOVE comments. We want to all share together on this journey!***

I have a button on the side bar if you would like to copy the code and add the button to your sidebar - and/or add to your post.

The Year of our Lord, 2009 - I really do want to go deeper. I hope you will join me...

Psalms 90:12 says,
"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."


Sunday, December 28, 2008

Together in the Word

I have been thinking about what we all could do together this year... and praying about it.

The message this morning was a challenge for us to "Go Deeper" in our relationship with the Lord, in our knowledge of the Word, in our reading.

Then today, Kelly at Where's the Beef suggested to me that maybe we could read our Daily Bible Reading together.

So here are the thoughts for now....

Would any of you be interested in having the same reading plan... and then having some discussion together one day during the week? I plan to have a Mister Linky... for you to sign up on each week - and link to your post on your blog. (Or if you are not a blogger - you could just comment/discuss with us.) Not only would it be fun - but we could actually hold each other accountable.

So, leave a comment and let me know if you are interested. Not a commitment- just interest.

Also, I am going to see if I can get a button for us all to add to our side bar soon. I am thinking that I will call it WEDNESDAYS in the WORD. *** This has been changed to TUESDAYS TOGETHER in the WORD. *** I know that many of you participate in the Word-filled Wednesdays - and I am not trying to compete... You could actually do both.

Let me know what you think...

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

A Labor of Love

Merry Christmas

Remember the reason for the season... and Worship our King!




Monday, December 15, 2008

2008 Christmas Tour of Homes

I am so behind on all of my decorating and preparations this year.... but was determined to join in on this fun. It is now 10:40 p.m. on the 15th... and I am just posting. It is amazing how much of the clutter/mess you can NOT SHOW in these pictures... I'm just saying.

So here we go.

First the front door...




Please do come in..





I have this table in the foyer with a small tree that I just added this year. It is my "Nativity Tree." I have only put angels, crosses, and Nativity ornaments. (and silver/white/gold misc. decorations)

The Nativity on this table is the one that I have told the precious grandbaby and her friends that come over here... "this one we do not touch." Hal brought this one home to me when he was preaching a revival in North Georgia many years ago. It is one of my favorites and it is breakable. They have been so precious in "not touching". But you will see why in just a few minutes, as I show you the ones that they can touch and play with.




For years I collected nativity scenes. Until I gathered so many that I really do not have enough room to get them all out.



Look at this picture that my Mom gave me. If you can look close enough - you will see that it is the passage from Luke chapter two. Amazing, huh? It hangs on the wall over this table. I plan to get a new frame for it... mayby by next year.







Here are the stairs...And next we come to the dining room. I do not have the table all decorated as it will be for Christmas morning... but wanted you to see what I have. I decided to go with silver and gold in here this year.

This was my grandmother's dining room suite... I have a lot of wonderful memories around this table.

This candle is on the piano... and I have displayed a small Nativity in the globe. This one came from Rome. Precious friends brought it back to me. I actually leave this up all year. I love it displayed this way.

Now we move to the kitchen table. This is where we eat all the time. I love these dishes...





Now, as you come into the family room, I have a little wagon - and this Nativity is from Guatemala. You can see the Indian culture in the long design of the faces. It is carved from wood. The little ones can and do play with it.




And for some reason, when Aubrey is through playing... she lays them all down. Always. So, each night I set it up again for it to be ready for her to play with again the next day. And when she leaves to go home... they are once again laying down. I guess they are sleeping...



And here is the tree...



I am having trouble with my lights... the lower half is out. I just do not want to take the decorations off to fix them...


And now, here is the mantle. You might have seen some of this for my post when we had Christmas in May for our Jonathan who was home from war. I got some of it out then.





And here are my Carolers - that I painted - Yes in the 80's. But I still like them. So, they go on one of the end tables. They are just so cute ... don't you think so too?




Look at those faces... They are singing "JOY TO THE WORLD".



On the lowest shelf of the entertainment center is where you will find this Nativity. It is the one that my mother had when I was a little girl. Yes, I know... it is OLD. I love it. And it is unbreakable...so, it is another one that I told the little ones that they COULD TOUCH. Handle it, play with it. And they do.








And just like the one in the wagon...when Aubrey is through playing...she puts it away like this. She will tell me, "Let me put them back in the cage." LOL I call it a stable. She calls it a cage. And she always lays them in here like this. Precious. Precious. Precious. I love it.








And last, but certainly not least are our stockings. We have Christmas breakfast at our house. Everybody has a stocking. Makes me excited just thinking about it. We have a ball. This year, Jonathan is home from war and will be back with us. Julia and Ronnie will not be able to come until the day after Christmas. We will have another celebration on Saturday with them. Maybe next year we will ALL be able to be back together again.


Well, that is more than enough for this tour. I look forward to browsing through some of your homes. too.


You can see more at Boo Mama's Tour of Homes 2008.
And at We are That Family - It's Time to Share Your Tree


And at Hooked on Holiday House Tours

And at Kimba's Holiday Open House

And at Rhoda's Deck the Halls


This has been fun... but I am TIRED.


Merry Christmas to you all! and Blessings... Sweet Blessings...

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Pondering...

I got this video from the All Access blog (lifeway). Boo Mama posted it.

Just thought you might want to see it too.

Hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season.

Life is busy, and life can be hard, and times can be dark- but we have HOPE, and we have LIGHT.

Let's share it with our world....





Monday, December 1, 2008

Winners

The Winners of the Book give-a-way are
1.) Tricia at Its All About Him

2.) Laurie Ann at A Magnolia's Heart Beats

Congratulations girls.

I need you to send me your address so I can forward them on to Megan DiMaria - she is going to mail them to you :) (send it to my email address)

Thanks to all of you who entered this give-away.

I will have more coming.

I plan to blog some about about Thanksgiving - hopefully tomorrow.

Thank you sweet bloggers!
You bless me!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Last Day to Register

Last Day to register for my give-away. I will announce the winners tomorrow (probably in the evening).

See the details here.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

WFW # 12 Happy Thanksgiving



My whole family will be celebrating Thanksgiving together this year.
What a blessing!
Blessed beyond Measure!
Praying you have a Happy Thanksgiving too!
(for more WFW's visit with 160AcreWoods)

Saturday, November 22, 2008

My First "GIVE-AWAY!"

I am so excited to be able to host my FIRST GIVE-AWAY!

(*** note- I will announce the winners on Monday, Dec 1st***)

Megan DiMaria, author of these two books, has graciously supplied two books for me to give away!



I must confess that I am not normally a "fiction" reader. But I have already finished the first book and am well on my way into the second one. Once I started reading, I could not put it down...So, I want to recommend them to you.

So, for this Thanksgiving week, I will leave this post up, and here are the details of how to register:

* Leave a comment - One register
* Tell me where you are from - One register
* Add your name (and your sweet picture) to my list of followers - One register (if you are already there - tell me so)

Looking forward to hearing from you this week - make sure I have an email address so I can contact you!

This is SO exciting!
Thanks Megan!

Oh.... and Have a Happy Thanksgiving with your precious Family!
I will have lots to share next week!

(for a listing of other give-ways see Scribbit.)

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

WFW # 11 Coming Home

3) I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
4) always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
8) For God is my witness,
how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9) And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,
with knowledge and all discernment,
10) so that you may approve what is excellent,
and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
11) filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ,
to the glory and praise of God.
Julia and Ronnie are coming home....
It has been since the wedding in August since I have SEEN them.
That is entirely toooooooooooo long for this mom.
I can hardly wait!
The closer it gets, the more excited I get.
Cooking, Cleaning, and going to Edgars Bakery :)
All of my Chicks will be here in my nest for a little while.
Joy- pure Joy for this mom.
(for more WFW's visit with 160AcreWoods)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Busy... Busy... Busy




Wednesday, November 12, 2008

WFW # 10 Remembering Homecoming

There really are no words to describe how you feel when your VETERAN arrives back at home. But the scripture that we claimed for the entire deployment filled our minds and hearts. (As they ran out our eyes.) This week is a wonderful time to remember... to thank... to pray for those still serving (some in harm's way).


THANK YOU - JONATHAN

PRAISE YOU FATHER!

All of Psalms 91 - but for today - particularily these verses...

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
3 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

(for more WFW's visit with 160AcreWoods)

Wordless Wednesday # 17

MY VETERAN...

We are SO proud of you!