::oh boy::

To start off this post, I must say that Christmas was wonderful.  It was very low-key but it was good.  To start on Christmas Eve, we went downtown for dinner.  Then Christmas morning, I sleeeeeeeeept iiiiiiiiiiiiiin.  We are not an "early bird" family but we also don't sleep in much.  I was pleasantly surprised that no one had woke me up by 9:45am.  So I was the last one up.  We had devotions together, ate breakfast, opened our gifts, and got ready to go see my little Granny.  By this time, it was after 1pm.  We spent time there, had dinner at 4:30 and then just chilled.  It was great.

Yesterday, was my first day off in I-can't-remember-when.  If I'm not cleaning in the morning, I still have my nanny job. Well, I didn't have to work at all yesterday.  So I decided to finish making a second pillow to match the one I already had.  Well, a very, very long story made so very, very short is that I got a new sewing machine yesterday.  I used my Christmas money and an early birthday present from my parents.  [Very early.....squeak....we're weird like that!]

I didn't know a sewing machine could be so a-mazing.  As I left the quaint, little shop, the proprietor said, "Happy Sewing!"  I didn't know that was possible!  So I am thanking the Lord for His direction yesterday and praying for new opportunities to open!

::the whole she-bang::

 ::buttons::

 ::more buttons::

Happy Tuesday!

::Merry Christmas::

endless gifts {401}

This week, I am thankful for people. I will not list them all by name because I know there are a lot of people who know me IRL [in real life] and go to my church at the same time. I don't want to embarrass anyone or offend anyone by leaving them out. But there are so many people that have made a difference in my life. They may not even know it. But they matter to me. God has used them to bless me, encourage me, and help me develop into a stronger Christian.

The Heavenly Father knows who they are because I thank Him for them.

So #401 in my endless gifts list is an all-encompassing one -- PEOPLE.

The greatest feats of love are performed by those who have had much practice in performing daily acts of kindness. -Anonymous-

endless gifts {396-400}

Here I am barely squeaking in my Multitude Monday post.

I am keeping it simple and sweet this week.

I am so thankful for all of the people the Lord has put in my path and allowed me the opportunity to work for these families.

396. the Cohen family [nanny to the children--love, love, love this family]
397. Rusty [cute, sweet, old lady with the most adorable teeny little house]
398. Dana [sweetness]
399. Judy [hilarious; owner of a floral shop in town]
400. Kathy [daughter to the above-mentioned lady; funny]

I am so very blessed.

endless gifts {386-395}

386. stellar parents
387. my grandma came through surgery successfully
388. my Mom's health [The older I get, the more I am thankful for my Mom's health. She is going in for a routine check up today. This December 7th will be 12 years since she was initially diagnosed with AML. She told me today that she never thought she would live this long. Wow. God is so good!]
389. forgiveness
390. encouragement from others
391. music that lifts my soul
392. Sunday school
393. the people I work with in my ministries
394. the Holy Spirit and His working in my life
395. the family I work for

Post-edit:

I must add...
396. Andrea
and
397. Sharon

A personal side-note. These two ladies are incredible. I grew up with them. I've had a few email exchanges or comment exchanges {blog to blog} with them recently. Their mother is someone who had a profound influence on my life. I was able to help out in her Sunday school class the year and a half before the Lord took her home. She also had it arranged my freshman year for "town girls" to come to nightly devotions at the college girls dorm while I was in college. I can still hear some of her "devos" and words of admonition and encouragement. I miss her so much. And the love of the Lord that shone through her life has been passed on to her daughters. They are a Biblical example of love and friendship!

::an amazing day::

Saturday was an amazing day. In this post, I mentioned that I found a store that offered sewing classes.

W-E-L-L.

I went to a class on Saturday.  Out of all my little ventures that I have made the past few years, my instructor on Saturday was the nicest and most helpful.  She started at the very beginning [here is the "on" switch for the sewing machine] but never made one feel silly for asking a question or not knowing how to do the simplest task on the sewing machine.  Awesome.

I bought some cheap-ish fabric hurriedly Friday night at Wal-Mart.  While I was waiting for the class to start, I ended up buying new material for my project.  [I'm so glad I did.]

I'm serious, in my opinion, fabric choice is at least 50% of the success of a project.  This material is incredible.

Okay.  So here's my pillow.  I am not patting myself on the back [yet] because a)_I did this project with a helpful instructor close at hand and b)_the material is fabulous.

After class, I marched right back upstairs and purchased another 1/2 yard of the same fabric which forces me to make another one [and soon]. 

::the bigger picture::

::the zipper--not bad for a beginner::

::an up-close and personal view of the brown bird::

::the perky little corner::

I have never been so excited about sewing in my life.  So we need to get our sewing machine fixed pronto so that I can whip up another pillow before I forget what I learned.  And I plan to take another class there.  Whoop!

endless gifts {376-385}

376. new mercies every morning [if you stop to think about that....Wow!]
377. forgiveness
378. long-suffering
379. godly people in my church
380. failure [if everything goes right in my life, will I ever improve? no...]
381. busyness
382. bus riders that are faithful to church
383. new Christians added to our church
384. friends who spur me on to strengthen my Christian walk
385. provision every week, every need



PS...Another giveaway is happening for a set of cards from my Etsy shop. Please go check it out! I would love if one of ya'll won!!  Contest closes this Friday, November 5th.

::and it's another giveaway::

Another blog is hosting a giveaway for some loot from my Etsy shop.

The giveaway is tomorrow and since I will be busy with church tomorrow [and you probably will be, too], I thought I'd let you know a day early.

The winner will receive one set of cards and a free stand [of course].

Here's the great thing:  the giveaway will go until next Friday.  So even if you can't get on the computer tomorrow, you have until next Friday to enter.

Please enter!  I would love for one of ya'll to win.

The hilarious thing about Laura is that she won a giveaway from my shop that was hosted on another blog.  I had just agreed to participate in her giveaway week then Boom! she won the giveaway for my shop.  How neat is that?

Don't forget to enter next week and I will remind you, too!

Do you think I should host a giveaway on my blog, too.  Maybe someday...

endless gifts {366-375}

366. my family {amazing}
367. hazelnut coffee from DD {good morning, Monday}
368. going to church on Sunday {I love church.}
369. an outing with friends
370. beautiful music
371. early detection
372. good doctors
373. small cancer
374. a goodly heritage
375. His Word {my Guide Book}

Happy Monday, folks!

endless gifts {356-365}

356. the people I work for
357. increased traffic to my shop
358. new ideas
359. new opportunities
360. encouragement from others
361. Jesus -- I Am the Door {John 10:9}
362. Saturday afternoon -- listening to old Southern Gospel music with my Granny
363. sunshine
364. potted mums
365. beautiful trees {I love the fall}

::oh-oh-oh::

Another giveaway is happening.

It's over at Yellow Songbird.

You have to be a follower of her blog to participate.

But, peoples, this weekend, it's two sets of cards and a stand.

And I would love, love, love to give them to someone I know IRL {in real life} or someone that I have met through my blog.  That means you!

::love::

It is no secret that I love yellow.

Last fall, I was enamored with the colour grey.

Together they are beautiful.

I found this in this month's edition of Real Simple.

{click to enlarge}

::OH MY::

Check out Traci's blog today.

She is holding a giveaway of my Scripture memory cards and she did the sweetest post for me.  {Not to mention that she has been a fabulous person to work with.}

Please, go enter!  Right now!!

AND...make sure to go vote for her patio makeover here.  She is currently winning, but that would be great to put her over the edge and make sure that she wins!

::75 and sunny::

It is absolutely gorgeous here today.  I was able to roll out 3 new sets of cards, one of which is a brand-new topic.  {So excited about that!}  {Check 'em out here--set one--set two--set three.}

I took advantage of the gorgeous weather and went to my little photo shoot place.

Here's the big picture:

The lovely small thorny bush that put thorns into...

 ...MY SKIRT!

I had to lean way over that rock so steady my elbows.  :)

How's the weather in your area today?  I hope it's as lovely as mine!

endless gifts {346-355}

I start this Monday tired.  But it's already promising to be a wonderful day.  The sunshine is streaming in through the window onto my hands as I type.  Heart.

My weekend was overwhelmingly wonderful.  Our church celebrated its 40th anniversary with the same pastor all 40 years.  Incredible.  That seems rarer and rarer {excuse the grammar} to come by.  One of the bummer things about being a helper in a Junior Church class is that I miss out on the morning services during our special fall Sundays.  I miss feeling the presence of God so real in that auditorium.  So much prayer goes into each week and God's presence is clearly evident.  I miss peeking during the invitation to see sinners walk the aisle.  I miss hearing our pastor say, "We need more counselors on my left.  We need more lady counselors on my right."  It's easy to want to be where all the "fun" is but I reminded myself as I stood in front of my darling little Preschoolers that my job is important, too.  Even tucked away upstairs in a little classroom that was freezing cold {thank you for air conditioning}.  None of the children in my class will accept Christ as their personal Saviour while in Preschool but we try oh-so-hard to lay a foundation for the future.

So with a brimming heart, I will give thanks today.




346. cottage prayer meetings
347. improved behavior in some of my little Preschoolers
348. impish smiles
349. answers to the questions are Jesus! {And He's just the same, as His lovely name...}
350. a calm class despite our teacher being pulled away {the presence of God is evidenced even in our Preschool class}
351. How Great Thou Art -- the congregation was able to sing along with the choir & band on the last verse -- amazing!
352. 40 years of our church's history
353. being here for 27 of those years
354. our pastor and his wife
355. souls saved and following the Lord in believer's baptism that same day

How was your weekend?

::something new::

I'm working on jazzing up some of the designs of my cards.  

I love rectangles...but you know....only so much.  

Here is the first, new set.  

I love it!

Check 'em out here in my shop!

Way back when....I was on vacation and just-so-happened to check my email and BOOM! found out that I had won a giveaway! Yay!!

It was to Birdy Blue Design. {Go check out her cute etsy shop...and if you're on etsy, take the time to HEART her.}

It came very cutely packaged and I am so very appreciative.

 I can't wait to use my adorable little lettered notecards!

endless gifts {336-345}

I must count or I will wilt tonight...

336. sleep
337. a day off
338. dead-headed flowers
339. watering cans
340. my church
341. after church pizza and fellowship
342. summer nights
343. crickets
344. old friends
345. sleep

Giving thanks before I go sleep...


ps--get my point?! :)

endless gifts {322-335}

322. seeing the dirt {spiritually}
323. seeing the dirt {physically....hello, don't we all want clean houses?!}
324. really, truly funny stories
325. hot weather
326. music, music, music
327. saying YES to nannying and NO to cleaning {a first!!}
328. waking up smiling
329. hymns that run through my head at the most opportune time
330. spending all day with my brother
331. sweet Aunt Sue
332. wonderful cousins
333. incredible grandparents
334. another birthday for my Mom
335. this thought from the sermon last night: Jesus called Judas "friend." Judas. The one who betrayed him. Judas. Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners.......... I really needed that last night even though that was just a bypoint and not even what the sermon was about.

Giving thanks...

endless gifts {310-321}

310. a reminder of Heaven and all of the loved ones we will see again
311. music
312. "old" friends
313. Sunday morning
314. funny Jade and an empty pack of Mentos
315. TEACHING by the Holy Spirit {have you ever thought how often the Holy Spirit teaches us through His Word...how much more patient I need to be when teaching children}
316. laughter
317. hot, hot, hot weather
318. watering and pruning flowers and seeing a correlation between the physical world and my spiritual life
319. a fantastic sermon in the evening church service
320. singing
321. down-pouring sheets of summer rain


Thanks for reading...

favorites: the buildings!

My view of these normally dreary, dim places is bright and sunny because it was unusually warm there. So all of the cute jackets and sweaters that I had bought and brought were basically of no use! However, I'll take bright and sunny over dim and dreary any day, even with the cutest sweaters and jackets!

Catherine's palace

in Estonia

the Peterhof--summer palace of the czar's

my uber-favorite place--Stockholm!!

bliss in a package

So....one of the places we {my Mom and I} wanted to see in London was the Liberty of London store.  I had never heard of Liberty until I went into Target one fine day and saw the endcaps filled with beautiful, floral things.  From garden trowels to rain boots, notebooks to teapots, I was intrigued and smitten.  When I got home that day, I mentioned to Mom my new discovery.  The name rang a bell because the store was right around the corner from the hotel where they had just stayed at.  A-mazing!

Well, it just-so-happened that we stayed at the exact same hotel in June.  And...the Liberty store was right around the corner.  Monday night, we were so tired from flying through the night and jet lag but my parents and brother and I decided to do a little shopping/sight-seeing in the district where we were staying.

I am simply in love with the Liberty store.  I found the most amazing bright, floral dishes.  But I decided it was a little early in the trip to buy something that heavy.  [Post edit: I didn't mean I wanted to buy a whole set of dishes.  :/  NO.  I wanted to buy one bowl, that's it!!]  I settled on the most blissful smelling soap.

Do you want bliss in a package?

Try this soap.

{travel worn and weary}

{look at those flowers!!!}

endless gifts {296-309}

296. reminiscing
297. readily given forgiveness
298. a really great Italian beef sandwich when I'm really hungry {I mean really hungry}
299. once again, AWESOME, INCREDIBLE people that I work for--truly a BLESSING from the Lord
300. a new afternoon nanny job
301. people who believe in me enough to recommend me
302. straight rows of a newly planted garden
303. old friends
304. friends leaving for the mission field {they will be missed}
305. provision every.SINGLE.week--thank you, Lord!!
306. a really bad Sunday in Jr. Church--reminds me that it's not ME who needs to do the work but the Holy Spirit
307. {repeat...but....once again} incredibly convicting sermons in church
308. a put-together house {after months of remodeling, this is definitely a blessing}
309. five chapters a day

endless gifts {276-295}

276. awesome, awesome sermons in church
277. the ability to serve at our church through work party
278. generous, generous people that I work for {even though they're unsaved}
279. canvassing {giving out the Gospel} for our church
280. old friends
281. the encouragement of seeing sisters all serving the Lord in different places
282. yummy cake
283. laughs, food, and fellowship with the "singles"
284. knocking on the windows and screaming out the bus window in the morning, "Miss Becca!"
285. singing from the heart
286. chairs on the porch
287. a perfect, sunshining day
288. sweet tea, flavored with mint, cool with no ice
289. the living, breathing WORD of GOD
290. growing in grace {it takes time!}
291. "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts," Colossians 3:15
292. comradeship and understanding of my family
293. {a short, little} ROAD TRIP
294. the smell of rain
295. the conviction of the Holy Spirit {it's scary when there's no conviction}

I love flowers!

My new favorite magazine is Country Living.  Does anyone else read it? 

I love it!!  It is not patchwork-quilt-type country, at all.  It pretty much is the style that I love. 

Here are two of my favorite pictures from the April edition. 

Raise your hand if you've been to Target and seen the Liberty of London line. 

Oh.

my.

word.

LOVE!

Some of the items in the pictures above are from that line.

{Click on the pictures to enlarge.}

And the Liberty of London store is right around the corner from the hotel we're staying at this summer.

We'll only be there for one night but I smell a detour!

I had to get a post up but I have a more promising one for tomorrow.

Have a great night!

endless gifts {260-275}

260. Christ went all the way to the cross for me
261. conviction
262. hymns
263. an email from a friend
264. my single friends
265. provision every.single.week
266. white buds on trees
267. beautiful blue skies
268. spring
269. the story of Esther in the Bible and the reminder to have courage
270. a good, wholesome, clean movie {surely, hard to find these days}
271. anticipation of Preaching Conference next week
272. open roads and time alone on Sunday mornings while driving
273. freshly plowed fields
274. breaking of the fallow ground of my heart
275. helping others