Shut-eye

Last night, my mom and I had a wonderful conversation. We were remembering some old songs we used to sing together at home. My favorite was and continues to be I'd Rather Have Jesus.

Christ gripped my thoughts again.

I began reflecting on my life. What is important to me? What drives me?

The truth is...I cannot live without Christ. Not only would my body reap horrible consequences of a life without him, but...who I am...the strengths and weakness that make up my way of living...would not be. I am driven to find him. I chase him until I feel him close.

A few nights ago at bedtime, Evan, my 4-year-old, said "Mommy, Jesus is invisible, but if you close your eyes you can see him." Soon after, Gideon, my 3-year-old , shut his eyes tight and said, " I am trying Mommy...I am trying so hard." I know Gideon will find Jesus. He will keep looking until he does.

Today, I close my eyes tight and look for Jesus. He is my sustanance. He offers me everything. With my eyes on what surrounds me I see anxiety...hopelessness...exhaustion...striving. With my eyes on my Creator, I see peace...hope...joy...contentment.

I'd rather have Jesus than anything...this world affords today.

Christmas in May!

This was really supposed to be a birthday present for Mom last December (her birthday is the 28th), but I didn't get it finished in time. So, since I have PLENTY of time to "sit" right now, I decided to finish it while she is here. It was kind of strange making Christmas trees in May, but I like the finished product. Here are some pics:




Mom likes it too! That's what really counts. She will enjoy snuggling up with it while she watches "It's A Wonderful Life!"


I hopped outside to try to get some better pics. Evan and Gideon wanted to cover up. :)



There's the latest from where I sit. Hmmm...what should I work on next?

View from my seat

This is it! This is the view from where I sit. I fell down the stairs last week, and this is the result. I am now waiting to have an MRI, and we'll see what happens after that. For now, I am not allowed to put any weight on my knee, and am hobbling around on crutches. Good news, though...my mom came to the rescue!


This is a really bad picture, but my mom is saving my life right now. :) She is playing with the boys, washing clothes and dishes, and making my favorite cake (fresh apple). Yummy! At least something good has come of all of this. It had been over 6 months since I had been with my mom...years since I have been with her at Mother's Day.

I'll let you know what happens. It looks like I am at the beginning of quite a journey. I am hoping to learn what God has to teach me. :)

Backyard Veggies!

I have decided to try my hand at a little backyard gardening. My friend, Jen inspired me to grow enough vegetables to can and freeze so that I would not have to buy them through the winter. Well...we'll see. I would love to get enough but, since this is my first attempt...I will be happy with enough to make one great supper. :)

It all started with a few seeds:

These are the tomato plants I just started. I need to plant about 4 more. There's nothing better than homemade tomato sauce from homegrown tomatoes. I also LOVE tomato sandwiches in the summer time. A little mayo...a little black pepper...I am in heaven.


I planted some bell peppers in one of my raised gardens (I must pause here to give my husband much credit for building the beds.) I love bell peppers on the grill. Yummy!


And finally...what I hope will soon be brimming with green bean bushes and a couple squash vines. I have a couple more beds, but you get the idea. How much fun is it to look at a box full of dirt, really? I will keep you updated.

You know, there is something very wonderful and fulfilling about digging in the earth to cultivate something that will eventually bare fruit for my family. If you haven't tried it before, you should give it a shot this summer. Who knows what we could grow! :)


I think I need to go make something to eat...all this veggie talk is giving me an appetite. Bye for now!

Birthdays and Godiva chocolate

Happy Birthday to me! That's right...today is my 10,220th day on the earth (you do the math). This weekend I was able to enjoy a lunch out with some of my favorite ladies. Here are just a few of them:


They are so funny. When I arrived there was a pink and purple feather boa and matching light-up "birthday princess" tiara for me to wear. This picture is a little fuzzy, but you get the idea. :)


Best of all I got to eat my FAVORITE indulgence...Godiva chocolate cheesecake. YUMMY!! They even made it all cute, and sang as the lights on my head danced around. (Do you like the Splenda beside the sugar-ridden slice of "next size up" on a plate??)


Thanks, girls, for making my day out so special! I loved every minute of it.

"Here Mommy!"

Before I had children, I had always dreamed of a little boy picking flowers in the yard, and bringing them to me, lovingly saying, "Here, Mommy! I picked these just for you." Last week my dream finally came true. Well, it wasn't exactly the picture-perfect garden I had envisioned nor the beautiful flowers that were in my dreams. Rather, it was dandelion weeds straight from my crabgrass-ridden lawn. Nonetheless, it was a "perfect moment."


Evan and Gideon found something that was beautiful to them, and their first thoughts were to share it with me. Priceless!


How wonderful to look around and realize God has done exactly the same. His thoughts toward me are so gracious that he has shared his most precious creations with me. My boys continually express the graciousness of God to me! I pray I can be this same expression to others.

My Un-Shopping List

I am really working hard to be more frugal. I was reading one of my favorite blogs, "The Pleasures of Homemaking," where I learned about the un-shopping lists of the depression. Apparently, women used to make lists of things they were making from scratch and did not have to buy.

It really does something great to my brain when I look at a list of things I do not have to worry about buying at the store. You should try it!

I am looking for things to add to my list. If you have any ideas of things that I could make from scratch, I would be HAPPY to hear about them. :)

Happy Un-Shopping!

1. Bread
2. Tortillas
3. Soft Scrub
4. Windex
5. Tide
6. Downey

Homemade Laundry Soap

A lot of people have asked me for the recipe for the laundry soap I have been using. It is great, and has saved me so much money. Yes, it cleans our clothes just like the detergent I was buying at the store. I used a bar of Ivory soap for mine. I can't find Fels-Naptha in the Seattle area. Also, I found the "washing soda" in the pool supply aisle at Wal-Mart. Look for "sodium carbonate."

I have also been using 1/2 cup of white vinegar for fabric softener. I love it!

I actually saw this on an episode of "17 Kids and Counting," and got the recipe off the Duggar family website. Here it is, directly from their site:

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

ENJOY!! Let me know how yours turns out. :)

Oxygen

What sustains life for you? I need answers...

Faith Like a Child

These are my boys! Their smiles light up my day every time. I find the way they see the world fascinating. Today, Evan (the one on the left) was looking out our window at Mt. Rainier, and said, "Mommy, you said God tells us we can move mountains." After severe concentration, he spoke again. "Well, I guess I will just have to tell him that that mountain is broken."

Never once did Evan doubt God's promise to him. He didn't analyze himself to find out why his faith wasn't strong enough, or why God wasn't responding immediately. He simply took what was happening as evidence that sometimes things are broken, and it is out of his control to fix them. Evan's total reliance was on the God that created the mountain to "fix" it so he could accomplish what his faith was intended to do.

Oh, to have the faith of a child.

New Blog

Ok, here's my first shot at entering the blog world. Get ready for Rhonda's musings about a world made right because of the "here and now" of the Kingdom. Ready or not, here I come! :)