Country Girl at Home

Faithful Friday - "Leiney Grace is Coming Home!!!"

2012-01-27T12:28:00.000-08:00

I’m sure you remember the Auction for Adoption here on my blog for Leiney Grace? Well, she’s coming home! Today, as you read this post, Jan and her aunt are on their way to China! They are supposed to meet Leiney Grace on Monday (China time).

I just wanted to ask my praying friends to lift up Jan and her aunt in prayer for safe travel and a safe journey in China. Please pray that the Lord prepares 9 year old Leiney Grace’s heart for her family. I know it has to be a scary thing for an older child to leave all that is familiar and embrace her new life. Please pray for a smooth adjustment for everyone involved, as well as a smooth paperwork process. And remember Jan’s husband and seven kids back at home. A couple of the kids were not feeling well.

And thank you to all who prayed before when they were mentioned here during the Auction for Adoption. And to those who participated in the auction, a very special thank you. Know that you are a very special part of helping to bring Leiney Grace to her forever home!

You can follow their journey in China to Leiney Grace here.

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We'd love for you to join us for Faithful Fridays. If you have something to share from your Christian walk, please join us and let us know you participated by grabbing the button above and letting Joy know in a comment here on her blog that you are participating.

God bless you all! Have a great weekend!

What's in a Name?

2012-01-26T06:29:00.000-08:00

Almost four years ago now, after enjoying many of your blogs, I knew starting my own blog was something I really wanted to do.

Being the think-it-out (probably way too much) kind of person I am, I began thinking about what I would call my blog. To me, it had to be something that represented me, not only today, but a name that would still be a good fit for me ten years from today. In other words, things may change, but would the title of my blog still make me just as happy many years from now? Because I hoped this blogging thing would be long term.

So as I always do, I probably also bugged my family. Well okay, I know I bugged my family way too much with names to consider. I remember narrowing it down to just three or four. The one thing they all had in common was the word “country” because that’s me. It fit me like a glove. From the time I was a little girl, I’ve loved any and everything country, from the books I read, to the things I pretended as a little girl, loving my grandparents’ home on the lake, walking down the dirt roads and playing in the fields, country based TV shows, and just loving farmhouses and log cabins. And I’ve always liked things old that tell a story.

In the end, Country Girl at Home was the one that made me the happiest. I knew years from now, even if my decorating style wasn’t exactly the same, it would still have a country flare. It would still be some variation of country style. I know that because I go in other homes that I think are beautiful and I really do enjoy looking at the different types of décor, but when I come home, I love what welcomes me. I love being enveloped by my country home and country things. It just makes me happy. So I knew that years down the road, I would still be a country girl at heart, no matter what.

I also knew that home is the place that makes me happiest. It’s the place I love to be the most. I wanted to open my home to blog land and share a little bit of what goes on in this country girl’s home and family and hopefully be an encouragement to others along the way.

Thus, Country Girl at Home was born. For my very first post, you can click here.

Early on during that first year of blogging, Mandie of Life in the Craft Lane, out of a random act of kindness, and as a complete surprise to me, created the banner graphic (that you see at the top of my blog) using a photo of our country home. I love it then and I love it now. :)

She also created an avatar for me as well.

Mandie is also the sweet lady that made the button for Joy’s Faithful Fridays.

As I was visiting blogs the other day, I was especially taking note of blog titles. I’ve often wondered this, so I decided I was just going to ask! Many times as I visit a blog, it is obvious to me why the blogger chose that name. I can see it fits. Others I know must have a story or special meaning behind it. Whatever the name, I know some thought has gone behind it. It says something about the blogger. And many times the name of the blog catches my eye and makes me want to visit!

So today, I’m asking all you bloggers out there, how did you choose the name for your blog? What made you pick the title that you decided on and how does it represent you? Please leave me a comment and share your blogging title history!

And as always, thank you for stopping by! Have a great day! :)

Chinese New Year

2012-01-24T19:26:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, Joy, Luke and I had lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant in town Monday. Luke wore one of his Chinese outfits. Good thing I bought it big…..it still fit him. Joy’s didn’t, however. Everyone that we came across while out and about just loved seeing him dressed up.

Joy made Chinese New Year cards (with a little bit of money inside) to give out to some of the employees at the restaurant, especially one particular sweet man that is dear to us there. He was in the back cooking and we had to send for him. He came out grinning from ear to ear as he always does and was surprised to see this American girl wishing him a Happy New Year complete with Chinese writing on the card. He motioned for us to wait a minute and he went in the back for awhile. He returned with a huge smile and a special dish he created just for us.

Then there was the new host/server. We instantly liked him. He reminded me of my Colt. Although he didn’t look it, he was 29. He was very interested in Luke and asked several questions about him. He told us about his time living here in the states (10 years now) and about his effort to make sure his two children learned Chinese as well as English. He gave us some tips and Joy tried out her Chinese on him from her Chinese class. This is her 2nd semester, so she has improved on her tones. He understood her. He was especially complimentary of her Chinese writing on the card that she gave him though. After a few minutes, he also returned with a red envelope for Joy and Luke. He said it was the first time he had ever been given a Chinese New Year card from a child. He had given them each $5! He even volunteered to be in China if we ever made it there so he could be our guide and help us out with the language.

Through all of this, Luke wasn’t that impressed. He seems to shy away from anything Chinese. He wasn’t even happy to really be wearing his Chinese outfit, but I promised him he could wear whatever he wanted when he came home. (He chose pajamas).

We then spent the next part of the afternoon visiting our friends at the nursing home. We just love our visits there. They especially loved seeing Luke in his outfit and they always love Joy. Luke gives “little hugs” and blows kisses. He’s come a long way with that. In the past, he chose to stay with grandmama while we went to the Nursing Home. There’s one Chinese resident there for whom Joy made a Chinese New Year card as well.

All in all it was a good day. We ended the day with Colt, Amber, and my mom and dad joining us for supper. I’d like to say it was a nice Chinese meal, but the truth is it was as American as ever – breakfast for supper.

Speaking of the Chinese New Year, did you know it’s the year of the dragon? Joy’s teacher says something BIG is supposed to happen in the year of the dragon. She is learning so much from her teacher who is very passionate about her teaching. Not only is she teaching them the language and how to write it, she also teaches about the culture and history of China. Joy is really enjoying it. We’re hoping to get Luke started in classes next fall.

Thank you for making my little corner of blogland part of your day! I appreciate you all!

Faithful Friday - "Fear or Faith?"

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

I’m not sure how Friday can possibly be here already. But it is, and you won’t hear me complaining.

Friday is the day we’ve set aside to share Faithful Friday – something from our Christian walk. I knew after receiving this email from a homeschooling friend what I would share for today. And if you’d like to participate in Faithful Friday, just hop over to Joy’s blog here and leave her a comment letting her know so we can stop by for a visit!

Here’s the email I received:

Pam's Story

More than 24 years ago, Pam and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant. Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn't think of it as a life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue. While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we'll name him Timothy and we'll make him a preacher. Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987. Pam's youngest son is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father's ministry in the Philippines. He also plays football. Pam's son is Tim Tebow. The University of Florida's star quarterback became the first sophomore in history to win college football's highest award, the Heisman Trophy. His current role as quarterback of the Denver Broncos has provided an incredible platform for Christian witness. As a result, he is being called The Mile-High Messiah. Tim's notoriety and the family's inspiring story have given Pam numerous opportunities to speak on behalf of women's centers across the country. Pam Tebow believes that every little baby you save matters.

Did you guess it was going to be Tim Tebow? :)

Now I’d like to share a little snippet from my own life. If you’ve read my blog for very long, you probably remember what I’m about to tell you from a previous post, but I’m going to repeat it here today to bring out a point for today’s Faithful Friday post.

While expecting Joy, I turned 35, which meant taking a test (given to all expectant moms 35 and over). That test came back that our baby very likely could have Down’s Syndrome. The doctor strongly urged us to have an amniocentesis to know for sure, to which I strongly objected. Knowing the risk of causing a miscarriage through the amniocentesis, there was no way I was going to do that. Besides, if my baby was born with Down’s Syndrome, then that’s what God gave me. Period. An amniocentesis wouldn't solve anything. We were having the baby, Down's Syndrome or not Down's Syndrome. We prayed about it and after a couple of weeks from that point, I had peace about it. And honestly, I never even gave it much more thought. As a matter of fact when she was born, it never even occurred to me to even ask that question.

And so it was that our Joy was born. And as you can see, she does not have Down’s Syndrome, but even if she had, she would have been God’s perfect creation. And she would still be a blessing.

God doesn’t make mistakes. He can take even the most horrible situation or worst case scenario and make something beautiful of it. He can make something beautiful of that life. It saddens me to think about all the babies that never make it to this world because their mother aborted them, either because they listened to their own fears, to the advice of a doctor, a friend, a boyfriend, or sometimes even a parent.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.” Psalm 139:13 (NIV)

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

As you can see from today’s story about Tim Tebow, God does have a plan. He knows what He’s doing. I wonder why it’s so hard to just trust God instead of listening to man? I guess it’s just one of those times when fear and faith collide and we all have to decide which one wins – fear or faith.

By the way, I haven’t read Tim Tebow’s book yet, but it’s definitely on my list! I can’t wait to read it. He is such an inspiration and a wonderful Christian witness.

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great weekend!

Be Blessed,
~ Tammy ~

A Most Fashionable Dog

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

Koda might just be the best dressed puppy around, thanks to Amber’s touch. :)

A Royal Adventure

2012-01-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

A Royal Adventure

Princess Maddie ran from her room up in the highest towers of the castle, down through the winding stone staircase to the second floor. She laughed when her brother, Noah the Brave Knight, caught up to her. "I won the race!! Let's go see what Mama's doing." So, joined by their six-year-old sister, Princess Sophie, from her room, they ran to the sitting room where their mother, who was the Queen of St. Johnland, sat at the desk, writing letters and signing papers.

Noah the Brave Knight picked up a picture of a little girl with pigtails from the desk. "Mama, this is my friend from China. Why do you have her picture?"

Princess Maddie looked at the papers, then at her mother. "I know her too, Mama. This is Tian Qing."

Their mother, Queen Marjorie, smiled. "You're right. That's the little girl you two knew in China. And this," she said, pointing to the scattered papers, "is the file of Tian Qing, who lives in China, but she will soon come here to be Princess Josie! She's five years old."

Noah the Brave Knight, Princess Maddie, and Princess Sophie stared, wide eyed. "So, Tian Qing is coming here, to be with us?"

"Well--" Just then a courier came in with a sealed note from China! Queen Marjorie tore open the letter and smiled broadly. "It says that we are approved to adopt Josie!" "Yay!" Their mother smiled. "So, to answer your question, yes, Tian Qing--Josie--is coming here to be with us!"

They followed their mother up the stairs, through the long hallway to her and King James's big bedroom, where she put the future Princess Josie's picture in a frame, and placed it on the nightstand. Then, they all piled up onto their mother and father's bed. "Mama, tell us our story again," begged Princess Maddie.

"PUH-LEEEEEEZZZ," added Noah the Brave Knight.

Queen Marjorie laughed. "Alright, alright." She sat on the edge of the bed, held Princess Sophie, and scooted over as Matthew the Great Knight strode into the room.

"Oooh, Matthew! Come sit. Mama's telling us our story,” said Princess Maddie excitedly.

Matthew smiled and sat down. “Good.”

“Once upon a time,” said their mother, “there was a king, a queen, and their son, a knighted prince.”

Matthew smiled and lifted Princess Maddie onto his lap. "And I, that knighted prince-son, dreamed and prayed for a sibling. And believe me, God heard."

Mother nodded and smiled thoughtfully. "Princess Sophie came first. Your daddy and I chose to adopt from another kingdom. So, in the year of two thousand and six, we traveled to China and 2-year-old precious Le Ke became Princess Sophie Saint. Princess Sophie had autism. "

"But we weren't over," exclaimed Princess Maddie. "You still have to get me and Noah!"

"Yes," said Matthew the Great Knight. "A year later, we went back to get beautiful 2-year-old Jun Ping, who became Princess Maddie Saint. Princess Maddie had cleft lip and palate, and heart surgery."

"Oooooh," Princess Maddie interrupted. "This is where it gets good." She smiled. "I started learning sign language, and English, and I told you about my 'brother' in China waiting on us!"

Princess Sophie, who had wiggled out of the Queen's lap, was ripping some paper. She smiled and ran back over to the bed and into her mama's lap as the story continued.

"Duo, as he was called, came from China escorted by a noble. He had three surgeries. We were his host family, which meant that he stayed in our home while he had his surgeries and was recovering from them. We were also in the process of adopting him. He had special needs, too. They were nasofrontal encephalocele, cleft nose, partial cleft lip, and hypertelorism. All those looooong words were just fancy for 'needs extra love'. Then, Daddy and Matthew the Great Knight went back to China and finished the adoption process for Duo. Soon, Duo was dubbed Noah the Brave Knight.

And now, Tian Qing, whom Princess Maddie and Noah the Brave Knight knew in China, will be coming home to stay with us as Princess Josie!"

Just then, someone walked in briskly. It was Sir Randolph, the kids' uncle, who was also King James's knight force captain. He had been appointed to lead all kinds of war with the king's troops of brave knights. "Hello, Queen Marjorie, your majesty. Hello, Matthew the Great Knight, Noah the Brave Knight, Princess Maddie, and Princess Sophie."

He bowed and continued. "There are urgent matters to be settled, and King James is out on a trip to visit a village in the kingdom and isn't due back until about a week."

Matthew the Great Knight stood presently and put his hand on his sword. "What's the matter?"

"Well," Sir Randolph explained, "In China, there is turmoil. Great, great turmoil. There is a little girl, a soon-to-be-princess, named Tian Qing, and--"

Princess Maddie sprang to her feet. "Josie! Oh Mama, it's Josie!"

Noah also jumped to his feet. "What is it? We can take it, can't we Matthew?" He pulled his wooden sword from its sheath, slicing the air. Maddie giggled.

Sir Randolph looked confused. "Josie? Who is Josie?"

Quickly, Queen Marjorie explained that they were in the process of adopting Princess Josie, formerly known as Tian Qing.

Sir Randolph's eyes widened to saucers as he explained. "Oh no, your majesty. Your daughter is in jeopardy of never meeting you! You see, she is actually a princess by birth. There was no royal place for her...she had too many siblings already! Oh, how they quarrelled about the throne, and who was the next heir, the one after that, the one after that, and so on. When little Tian Qing was born, her mother did not want her to be immersed into this constant arguement. So she......she hid the baby away in the countryside with a nice little family, called the Fosters. She grew up there, not knowing anything of her royal heritage. But she knew that the Fosters weren't her real family. She had two 'Foster brothers' and she loved them very much, but again, she knew they weren't her real brothers. She really wanted her real family. She had so many people in other countries hoping and praying that she would find her forever family, but, to no avail...until now."

When the Emperor and Empress (the Empress especially) recieved the notice of request for adoption, they quickly recognized this girl as their daughter that they had hidden away not so long ago. She has a special need; she's blind in her eyes--but oh, ma'am, she sees everything with her heart, just as little Sophie here, as well as all of us, can talk to God in her heart." At this, he patted Sophie's head. "So, it is believed that there will be a problem in adopting Tian Qing. The Emperor and Empress have decided that it is best if she goes to live with a permanent family, which will be her official family, not a temporary family like the Fosters. But, most members of the royal advisory tell them it is not best; that she might grow up to become Queen of St. Johnland and overpower China. The royal advisories of course, care nothing for the little child, just for their country." Sir Randolph sighed and shook his head, then looked at the Queen earnestly. "I want my little niece here with us. I can assist you in making secret contact with the Emperor and Empress, and you can work out the details."

"Details? What details?"

"Well, your Majesty, I suggest you and King James send my knights to China, to stop whom ever shall try to hinder you from getting your little Josie."

A week later, a message arrived in a red scroll case embellished with golden dragons and crosses, for the Emperor and Empress were Christians too, just like King James and Queen Marjorie.

"Mama, mama, it's a letter from Emperor Jiang and Empress Lin!" Princess Maddie ran through the grand ballroom and into the tea room where her mother sat with her father, King James of St. Johnland, who had just returned from his trip. She waved the scroll case in the air, then handed it to her father. He tore open the seal in a rush and pulled the rich parchment from the case. He unrolled the scroll quickly and read, letting out a relieved sigh. Then he read it out loud.

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Emperor Jiang and Empress Lin of the land of China write to their dearest friends King James and Queen Marjorie of St. Johnland...

Bring your troops to the cottage of Tian Qing tomorrow at noon. We have enclosed the address. The Foster boys will be hiding in the spare building behind their cottage, and Tian Qing will be waiting with the Foster parents just inside the cottage. There will be resistance, because last night we overheard that some of the advisors have found out about our plan and are secretly sending two golden dragons of the Imperial Army to defend Tian Qing. Be prepared for the fire-breathers.

天皇和皇后的中国

Emperor and Empress of China

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Maddie was in awe. "Mama? Daddy? Are we really gonna fight dragons?"

King James looked at Queen Marjorie. She nodded. "Yes, sweetie, your brothers and I and your uncle, Sir Randolph," said King James.

Two and a half hours later, Matthew the Great, Noah the Brave, Princess Maddie, Princess Sophie along with their parents, loaded bundles of clothes and food onto a wooden wagon that was hitched to two pack horses. Sir Randolph, two knights, and two ladies-in-waiting were accompanying them. Straight sleek swords hung at their sides. The procession led through the country lanes, through the valleys, over the hills, and through the sunny woods. Princess Maddie and Princess Sophie played with their dolls, while Matthew the Great and Noah the Brave practiced their sword fighting with their father and Sir Randolph while journeying.

They were now walking through a forest valley where the tall oaks stood taller and happier, the Chinese cherry blossoms blooming brighter and more cheerfully, and the birches more beautiful than ever. And they found themselves suddenly emerged upon a hill that looked down on a small clearing; a valley clearing that held one little cottage with upturned roof corners, the ancient style architecture of China. Behind it, a beautiful little garden complete with bonsai trees in decorative red pots, baby cherry blossom trees, and each and every kind of flower: There were chrysanthemums, camellias, and peonies; bamboo grew in the left hand corner, and behind it farther back was a collection of birch trees. A small pond with water lilies and lotus flowers in it took the bottom right hand corner, with oaks behind it; and in the top right hand corner of the garden was a cross surrounded with beautiful camellias, because the Fosters were Christians too. Farther behind the cross, there were beautiful full-bloomed, full grown cherry blossom trees. There was also a little garden shed out behind the beautiful landscape, toward the east side. Queen Marjorie, Princess Maddie, and Princess Sophie's eyes widened at the beautiful sight.

"Mama, mama..." Princess Maddie whispered, "Oh, mama, can we go pick the flowers?"

"Not yet, dear. We have to fight the...."

"Dragons?"

Queen Marjorie sighed. "Yes...dragons." She shook her head. "Goodness. You have your slingshot and bow?"

"Yes ma'am. I love my bow, the wood is so smooth and pretty."

Queen Marjorie nodded. "You have your pouch of stones?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And it's open and ready?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Your bowstring is pulled tight?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Alright then, help me get Sophie into the wagon, she's a little too young to fight."

"Aww, mama, why can't she?"

"Sophie is six, she is not old enough to handle any weapon."

After lifting Princess Sophie into the wagon and handing her a few dolls to play with along with some stones to build a castle for them, Queen Marjorie walked over to King James, Sir Randolph, Matthew the Great, Noah the Brave, and Princess Maddie on the other side of the rather long and wide hill. King James and Sir Randolph were practicing their sword fighting intently with each other, quietly as they could of course; Matthew the Great and Noah the Brave were doing the same, and Princess Maddie was flinging rocks from her slingshot at an oak tree quite far away into the valley. Queen Marjorie picked up a bow and arrow and a short sword, put them in place in a weapon belt, and put it on. Then she prepared to begin practicing on another nearby tree with her bow by tightening her string and pulling an arrow.

"Marjorie, we need to hurry and practice. There's no sense in waiting around on the dragons if we can rescue Tian Qing before they get here, though I know that practicing is mandatory in case we do meet the them."

No sooner had Queen Marjorie begun practicing, than they heard great hissing noises, crackling, and men shouting. Everyone stopped what they were doing and listened, looking in surprised fright at each other. The sound of shouting men soon fainted away, but the hissing and crackling grew closer and along with it came a steady thump, thump, thump, thump......then, suddenly, it rushed its steady pace and came thundering nearer. THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP!!!

On the west side of the cottage and garden, in the woods encircling it, golden scales were exposed between the branches of the trees in the distance, coming closer and closer with terrible speed. Then, making giant oak, hickory, pine, and birch trees fall onto the soft forest grass, the two giant dragons burst onto the peaceful scene. Princes Maddie stared, mouth open.

"Princess Maddie! Princess Maddie! Hurry, collect your stones from around the tree and get ready," cried Queen Marjorie. "Matthew the Great Knight, check on Princess Sophie then prepare to battle!"

And so, with Princess Maddie scrambling to pick up the small smooth stones that were around her target tree, and Matthew the Great running to the wagon, and everyone else readying their weapons, the battle began.

The group split in half instinctively, for they had rehearsed this several times for other battles. One half to bombard one dragon; the second for the other. One group consisted of Queen Marjorie, King James, Princess Maddie, Lady Camryn, and Lady Hannah; the other group consisted of Sir Randolph, Matthew the Great (who had run back after seeing that Princess Sophie was alright), Noah the Brave, Knight Levi, and Knight Casey.

Princess Maddie began pelting the dragon nearest her--who had red decorations painted on his glistening gold skin--with stones and yelling at it (she seemed to be enjoying herself) things like, "YOU'LL NEVER OVERTAKE US," and "GET READY TO BE DEFEATED," and "FOR JESUS AND FOR JOSIE!"

Queen Marjorie lifted her bow and began showering the dragon with arrows. It began to strike back and started moving closer. King James and Lady Camryn had been edging their way down the hill and to the right, trying to get behind the dragon. Lady Camryn had been going to the left. This sudden move of anger from the dragon that brought him closer gave both King James and Lady Camryn the perfect opportunity to make their way around the dragon, and so they did. At a nod of their heads to each other, they raised their swords to stab the dragon, but it instantly turned around, hearing a twig snap under King James's heavy boot. King James and Lady Camryn ran back to their group on the hill, and so the battle continued.

Meanwhile, Sir Randolph had jumped down from his side of the hill instantly, along with Matthew the Great and Noah the Brave, and had started slashing at the dragon's back and sides while the other two knights threw spears. The dragon was an expert; he dodged every spear and blow of the sword, and managed to knock over Sir Randolph with his left foot and Matthew the Great with his right.

Princess Maddie, in the other half of this brave collection of heroes, had managed to make her way toward the dragon's belly because of her mom and dad's brave fighting, and she was now only about six paces away! She reached behind her and grabbed her bow that was strapped on her back, along with an arrow from the case beside her bow, and aimed carefully and swiftly; then, FWOOP! The arrow wizzed through the air and straight into the golden scales of the dragon's stomach. Princess Maddie was an expert! She quickly, half ran-half leaped, her way back to the hill where her parents were cheering and fighting at the same time, with the dragon throwing fireballs at her heels.

"That's my girl, Maddie," said her parents at the same time.

Noah the Brave, in his group, was now right behind the dragon. He raised his sword, and down it came on the dragon's tail.

Matthew the Great, from his spot beside Sir Randolph, Knight Levi, and Knight Casey, widened his eyes. "Woah! Ouch."

The dragon turned, snarling, and swiped at Noah the Brave Knight, missed, and turned back around after being hit by a spear in his back. He fell, finally defeated, to the ground.

"Well," Noah the Brave Knight panted (he was quite tired by now), "That was...easy."

Matthew the Great laughed. "Yeah!" He looked over toward his parents, sister, and the ladies-in-waiting. "But the battle's not over yet."

They all ran down the hill, then around it, and then came up the back side of the hill again, falling in right behind the King, Queen, Princess, and the two ladies-in-waiting. All, that is, except for Matthew the Great, who had offered to check on Princess Sophie. He found her playing happily, honestly unaware of the whole situation. He smiled and kissed her head. "You just wait here, alright? Be very quiet." Princess Sophie smiled at him, seeming to understand.

Matthew the Great Knight ran down the hill and back up to the rest of his family. Everyone was throwing rocks, spears, arrows, and even swords at the big dragon. He was dodging every single one.

"Noah!" Look out," cried Princess Maddie. Noah the Brave Knight had been picking rocks up from the hill they were on, and now looked up just in time to dodge a flying ball of fire which singed his hair a little bit.

"WOAH! That was clo--"

Everyone yelled in warning as the dragon threw not one, not two, not even three, but four balls of fire--two from each hand. Suddenly, a different, sharp yell of...was that glee? It came from the middle of the hill, and could it be? Yes, it was Princess Sophie! Those stones she was given to play with had come in very handy, because she had hurled one at the dragon! They could hardly believe it, but there she was, clapping her hands, smiling, laughing, and singing. As everyone turned to watch the angry reaction of the dragon, there was none, for Princess Sophie had hit him square between his eyes and now he lay on the ground, still and eyes closed.

First there was silence, then a big burst of laughter, more gleeful yelling, and shouts of "Hurray for Princess Sophie and thank You, Jesus!" Princess Sophie was lifted out of the wagon and hoisted onto the shoulders of King James, Sir Randolph, Matthew the Great, and Noah the Brave. The knights and ladies-in-waiting smiled and cheered everyone on.

"Praise the Lord," cried Queen Marjorie.

"Thank you, Jesus," yelled Princess Maddie.

"HALLELUJAH!" All the voices in the brave troop yelled this word of praise; the brave knights, the dainty ladies-in-waiting, the beautiful princesses, the gallant prince-knights, and the happy king and queen. Everyone suddenly smiled at each other nervously, and Princess Sophie was let down off the shoulders of the cheering people and into her mama's arms. A silence fell. It was that silence as if you were waiting to perform in front of a group of people, and you had gotten caught up in a fun game, then suddenly remembered what you were about to do. It was a silence of nervousness, excitement, and anticipation. The knights and ladies-in-waiting smiled broader and stayed back, knowing that this was a special moment for the royal family. Sir Randolph also stayed back a little bit, but watched happily as the they walked on.

As the Saint family walked forward, down the hill, and across the short patch of grass and wildflowers to the little path that led up to the door of the Chinese cottage, they prayed silently.

King James, holding Noah the Brave Knight who had suddenly become very shy, smiled at his family reassuringly. Dear God, I thank you for your many blessings. I thank you for leading us and keeping us safe in the battle. And I thank you for my sweet family. Please let Princess Josie accept us very well, make an easy transition, and come to know You very early in her life and be close to You all during her life. Please also help me to be a really great dad to all of my children. Amen.

Queen Marjorie patted the little hand of Princess Sophie, who she was holding. Sophie was quiet, too. Jesus, I thank you for protecting us and guiding us in the battle and for helping us to get our Josie! Please help Josie to understand that we love her and want to be her Forever Family. Please let her ask You to come into her heart as her God and Savior very, very early in her life. Please let her make an easy transition and be very close to us, and, more importantly, to You. Please help her to be a Godly, pure, loving, kind, and generous girl with a sweet disposition. Please help me to be a good mother to her. Amen.

Matthew the Great Knight smiled at his parents and siblings. He nodded reassuringly as he began to pray. Jesus, thank you for giving us Sophie to protect us. He smiled. Thank you for providing for us. Thank you for the brother and sisters you've blessed me with. Please help Josie to adjust to us and love us from the beginning, and help me to be a good son and big brother. Amen.

Noah the Brave Knight looked at his daddy and wondered how in the world he could be so calm. Dear God, thank you for helping us win. Please help me to be a good person. Please help me to be a good brother. Please help Princess Josie to be happy with us. Amen.

Princess Maddie, who was walking between her parents, holding their hands, and looking up at them and her brothers and sister, also prayed. Dear Jesus, thank you for protecting us! Thank you for helping us to defeat the dragons so we could get Princess Josie. Thank you for everything! Please let Princess Josie be really happy with us and know that we are her family. Please help her to be very, very, very, VERY close to You. Please help me to be a good sister and daughter. Amen.

And though Princess Sophie wasn't seeming to be, Queen Marjorie believed she was talking to God in her heart, in her own way.

As they knocked on the door, anticipating, hoping, smiling, and praying, a little girl opened it, her pigtails bobbing, and she let out a little shout of pure happiness and ran into the arms of her new family. She saw them not with her eyes, but with the light of her heart she knew them instantly.

And so it came to be that the Saint family had many, many more adventures together...

And they all lived blessedly ever after!

The End.

Written by Joy S*********
12 years old

*********************************************************************************

Joy has loved to write since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She was so excited when she was old enough to know how to read and spell a few words. As a matter of fact, not too long ago I came across a “story” that her 4 year old self created in her handwriting. It read: “The fat cat sat on the rat at 3 p.m”. :) She took a note book and pen everywhere with her (and usually a book to read also). We never left the house without those two things in the car.

She’s come a little way since then. :) She still loves to write – notes, stories, blog posts, letters, just about anything. She’s often seen typing on her laptop or a pen in hand writing.

For Christmas 2010, Joy’s gift to her daddy and Colt was a sentimental story that she wrote for each of them. In her daddy’s story, he was a dragon slayer. In Colt’s, he was a ninja. She has fun weaving a few facts into fantasy or adventure. Her stories made a great sentimental gift and will be treasured. You can’t put a price on a gift like that.

She has also been trying to raise money toward a family mission trip for some time now. She’s hoping for China. Well, Colt gave her a great fundraising idea and encouraged her to write stories for other folks similar to what she wrote for him and her daddy. She announced it on an adoption forum last spring and got her first “writing job”.

Ms. Marjorie asked her to write a story for her five children (one of whom was still waiting in China). She told Joy that the kids would love an adventure involving castles and dragons. So Joy gathered information about the children (personalities – likes – dislikes – age) and read about their family (that they were a Christian family - gathered names of extended close family and friends to be used in the story, etc.) on Ms. Marjorie’s blog. Then she had fun creating their special personal adventure. Ms. Marjorie gave her permission for us to post the story here on my blog. She also told Joy that she’s going to have the story bound into a hardback book and is hiring an illustrator. Needless to say, Joy was thrilled!

So the story you read above was written by Joy and shared here today by Ms. Marjorie’s permission (and Joy’s). She took a few weeks to complete it last spring. She had just turned 12.

If you would like a sentimental story for your children or grandchildren, niece, nephew, etc., Joy would love to create one for you. If you are interested or would like more info, you can email me at the email address on my sidebar and I’ll pass it on to Joy. She would love to create a special sentimental story for the special child(ren) in your life, and it would also thrill her to watch her China fund grow. :)

Joy’s writing may have started with “The fat cat sat on the rat at 3 p.m.”, but she’s hoping that she might see her name in print one day. :) And as we know, with God all things are possible.

Goodies for The Cedar Loft

2012-01-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

I always have mixed feelings when all the Christmas decorations come down. It’s sad to see it all go because I just love everything Christmas and the cozy feeling that it brings to our home. But then on the other hand, it’s always nice to get that open clean slate back again.

So, it was especially exciting to me when a package arrived last week from Fed-Ex. I knew it was coming but I just can’t help it. I still get so excited when it has my name on the package. Our friends, Kim and Chuck, who were with us in China getting their daughter, Shiloh, at the same time we were getting Luke (and who we spent a lot of time with) sent it. Actually, Chuck is the one into antiques and “junk” (as Kim calls it). :) And since they were our first guests in The Cedar Loft, he thought of us when he came across these. And I’m so glad he did. Look what I got!

The salt and pepper shakers will be perfect for the little kitchen. And I love this hanging matchbox holder. I remember my grandmother had one similar to this. Chuck was a little concerned because it had a dent in it. But that just gives it more character! I love it. Thanks so much Chuck (and Kim for being a good sport with the “junk”). :) I love everything! And we look forward to seeing you guys this spring!

So now with these new goodies, I have something to jump start decorating my clean slate in The Cedar Loft. Now, let the hunt for bargains begin.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day! :)

Faithful Friday - "My Ministry"

2012-01-13T09:36:00.000-08:00

I love (and actually crave) books, articles, stories, and accounts of missionaries to foreign countries. Even now, Joy and I are thoroughly engrossed in Kisses from Katie (more on that on another post when we finish it). And sometimes I even dream of doing great things for the Lord in a foreign land.

But as great, exciting, and adventurous as the thought of sharing Jesus in a foreign land is to me, I know God has me right where He wants me. Sometimes we don’t have to go far to find God’s calling for our life. We don’t have to travel across the ocean. It can be in our own country. In another state. In another city. It can be in our own town, as close as our local nursing home or homeless shelter, or even at church. And sometimes we never even have to leave our own home.

God has gently reminded me that I’m where He planted me. My ministry is my family. Loving my husband and children and providing them with the love and security of home, and teaching them to love, honor and serve the Lord is just as important as being a foreign missionary to another land.

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:7 (NIV)

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

Proverbs 31:10-31

Does God use me outside our home? Of course. My ministry does extend to children and elderly people. I believe God gave me a love, passion, and ability to relate to these people. This passion came to me even as a child and through my teenage years.

But, God has shown me my ministry right now is my family. Maybe that sounds unfulfilling or even boring by our society’s standards where life is about “having it all” including a successful career. And please know that I’m not putting down or judging anyone who does….I’m just speaking about my life….my calling. I know that even at an early age God gave me the desire and the insight to know that His plan for me included marriage and a family. And that He wanted me home with my family. So I prayed for a Christian husband (no need to date around…I was looking for that one God was going to give me and that God would send him my way and I would be wise enough to recognize him). And then to wait and pray for the children I knew He would give me. And a journey of faith it was. But bless He did with our three children each becoming part of our family in a different way. And it most definitely was not in my timing (I wanted it all right then, right away), but in His timing. God’s way is always better because He knows.

I’ve always known I’ve been blessed. But it’s even more than that. This life. My family. It’s my ministry. My calling. And although I may never know what it’s like to serve my God on foreign soil (though I would if He called my family there), this calling of mine is huge and just as important as that foreign missionary.

Who knows what God has in store for my children? I know He has plans for each of them. And who knows, God just might call one of them to a foreign land or to just do great things for the Lord here or within their own family one day. But then again, my children may be the ones to reach millions for Christ. Still I’m playing my part of God’s Big Picture.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

So I’ll play the part I’m meant to play in God’s Big Picture, and that is right here at home, raising my family to His glory. That’s my ministry. And for that I’m grateful.

******************************************************************************************

If you would like to participate in Faithful Friday, which is a day set aside to share a snippet of our Christian walk, please leave Joy a comment here letting her know you are participating, so we can visit. And speaking of Joy, she has a wonderful post on today for Faithful Friday regarding wholesome movies for the family! It's a post I've been wanting to get around to doing myself. Check out just a few of the movies our family has enjoyed! And have a wonderful weekend!

My Boys - Superheroes?

2012-01-11T17:39:00.000-08:00

Give these guys a pair of 3D glasses and they become superheroes.

And Luke?

Evidently, adding a pair of mom’s old swimsuit bottoms completed his superhero ensemble.

Moral: Colt + Luke = Mischief.

Additional Information on Movie Review "To Save a Life"

2012-01-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Since I received an anonymous comment concerning the movie that I mentioned in yesterday’s Faithful Friday post, To Save a Life, I wanted to share some additional information.

I did a little more research, on the internet, as well as reading through the leaflet in our DVD case. We do NOT have the church version. The DVD that we watched is the theatrical version, rated PG-13. The church version has been rated PG.

Since the comment left anonymously expressed concern about not showing a movie in the Lord’s House that had bad language, I wanted to clarify.

A PG-13 rating can mean many things. It can mean thematic elements, violence, and it can mean bad language. For instance, Courageous is rated PG-13 and my goodness, it was wonderful! I highly recommend it! Also The Passion of Christ was rated PG-13 (for obvious reasons of violence and intensity).

Here’s how I know we have the theatrical version. Church versions can only be purchased as a kit and require a license to show in a church setting. It states that, in the church version, only a little bit of bad language was left and other scenes shortened bringing it down to a PG rating. In my opinion, I believe there will still be what I consider a curse word used in one scene where a troubled teenager stands up at a youth group meeting at church and calls down (or speaks out) against the hypocrites in the youth group. Since this scene is an integral part of the story line concerning the youth group leader, I suspect that’s the bad language that is left. I can’t see why the other language wouldn’t be removed, especially for showing in a church setting. And as stated, they shortened the bedroom scene and the cutting scene. However, those were already fairly short, in my opinion, on the version we watched. Considering what is shown on regular TV these days, this is very mild, believe me.

So, what am I saying? Anonymous, I really do agree with you. I don’t like bad language in any movie and I wish they wouldn’t put it anywhere! I also think the best setting to watch this movie is with parent/teenager at home. However, knowing that not all teenagers have parents that would do this, I also realize that they may never see this movie if it isn’t shown to them in church. However, if I had to choose whether I would recommend teenagers see it or not see it (especially those not being brought up in Christian homes with Christian parents guiding them), I would have to say I think they should see it.

And it’s okay. I’m used to being in the minority too. I respect your opinion. I do agree with you about the bad language. And I would have personally been offended to hear this language in the Lord’s house too. I don’t like it at home either. Hollywood seems to include most language for the filth and tearing down of morals. However, I don’t think that was the intent in this movie. I think the church version probably strips it down to the cleanest level and still maintain the severity of issues that a lot of teens face.

There were a couple of movies mentioned through comments that sound wonderful: Seven Days in Utopia and The Way Home. I had heard of them both, but we haven’t seen them yet. We will make a point of seeing these! Thanks for those suggestions! If you know of anymore, we would love to hear them! Since we don’t have cable or regular TV and only use Netflix or DVDs, we are always seeking out wholesome movies for our family.

And to Anonymous, I also appreciate your comment that you enjoy my blog! Thank you for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

Faithful Friday - "To Save a Life"

2012-01-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks for stopping by for Faithful Friday! It’s a day set aside to share our faith – something from our Christian walk, whether that be a thought, devotion, experience, prayer request or a praise report. Although everyday is a day for sharing our faith in Christ, this is just one day set aside for this purpose. We would love to see this grow. Until we get our linky up and going, please just leave Joy a comment on her blog (Doodlebug), letting her know you’re participating, so we can stop by and visit!

To Save a Life. I wasn’t sure I really wanted to use that in my title, but after a little more thought, I decided to go ahead with it. It’s a strong phrase. It’s the name of a movie. Have you seen it? We first saw the preview for it on another inspirational DVD and decided we wanted to try to find it and watch it. It is a thought provoking movie. It is most appropriate for teenagers and adults, although at the rate kids are faced with certain issues today, I would also suggest it for some tweens, depending on that tween, and certainly with parental discretion. I would watch it with your child and most definitely follow it with discussion with your tween or teenager.

Here’s a little more information taken from the website:

Addressing the real-life challenges of teens and choices they face, To Save a Life dares to ask, “What’s your life going to be about?” Its powerful message speaks to those who desire to develop a life lived deliberately for Christ.

To Save a Life has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America "due to mature thematic elements involving teen suicide, teen drinking, some drug content, disturbing images, and sexuality." Unfortunately, teens today are hurting and facing challenges like never before—we see it in our own youth groups and local schools. (So does the film's writer, Jim Britts, who is an experienced youth worker.) Because of that, To Save a Life doesn't shy away from tough topics. It deals with social divisions, school violence, cutting, suicide, teen pregnancy and divorce–not in a graphic way, but in a way authentic to too many teens' real lives. And it points to a way out of these problems through following God's path and reaching out to others. Ultimately, it asks the question "What's my life going to be about?" and dares teens to answer with boldness, honesty, and open-handedness.

To Save a Life is teens' story, told in their voice with their music. Unfortunately, teens today are hurting and facing challenges like never before. This movie takes a realistic view of teen life and addresses themes of acceptance, choices, consequences, hurt, and love. It also deals with critical issues such as social divisions, school violence, cutting, suicide, underage drinking, teen pregnancy and divorce. The movie shows in practical, authentic ways how every action has ripple-effect on others. That's why we're working to make To Save a Life more than just a movie. The movie demonstrates the power of reaching out to students who are hurting. We want to see every teen have the opportunity to address these issues in a safe environment like a group study and recognize that his or her choices and actions can bring hope and love into a world of pain.

From my understanding, there are two versions, the “theatrical” and the “church”. Here’s what it has to say about that:

A few pastors felt that some families may be concerned with seeing certain content in To Save a Life at a church. With a desire to keep the reality of the film without sacrificing the story, we've developed a version of the movie with a decreased amount of bad language, a shortened bedroom scene and removal of more than half of the cutting scene.

The party scenes have been left as is and some bad language remains, but only where it was absolutely necessary for the story line or where editing it out would have created a noticeable gap in the flow of the movie.

Synopsis: When his childhood friend’s life ends in tragedy, Jake Taylor decides to use his influence as big man on the campus to make sure that it never happens again. Crossing social barriers, he befriends a loner, Johnny Garcia. When Johnny’s life quickly spirals out of control, will Jake have what it takes to stop him from the same tragic fate?

I’m not really sure which version we had because I can’t find it anywhere on the DVD. Ours was purchased at Barnes & Noble, although it is for sale at the Christian book stores. (I had a Barnes & Noble gift card). It is shown on the Family Christian website, as Dove approved and for ages 12 and up. I will tell you that I remember four curse words and they weren’t severe and those that are there unfortunately serve the purpose for the “teenage scene" because that's reality in most high schools. But I did want to warn you. The “bedroom” scene doesn’t reveal much except for what is about to take place. It does briefly show “the cutting scene”. It makes me wonder if we have the edited church version, because of how little was shown, but I’m not sure.

This may all sound like “too much” or “heavy”, but it really does a great job of impressing the difference one person makes in the lives of others and how it won’t be the popular thing to do, but it’s the right thing to do. It also shows the flip side of those pretending to be one thing (in the church) and living another. That is (unfortunately) true too. There were two parts that especially brought tears to my eyes because I could just feel the hurt! That’s what this does. It makes you feel things and think. And hopefully dare to be different, kind, and compassionate, and to think for yourself, and live the Christian life out-loud.

This also brings to mind another movie – It’s a Wonderful Life, which by now, you all know that I love. Besides it being “Christmasy”, I like it because George, thinking of taking his own life, receives a gift. He gets the chance to see just how many people his life has touched and the difference he made by the part he played in their life. Now I know that doesn’t necessarily pertain to the Christian walk, but in a way it does. I wonder what imprint we leave on each person whose path we cross?

And that brings me to a real life story from my own teenage years that I’d like to share with you. As I shared before in my testimony, I asked Jesus in my heart at the age of 10, so I entered my teenage years as a Christian. Now I never wanted to not-be-nice to anyone, but there was this one particular boy that lived near me named “James”. I think I was maybe in 10th grade. He liked coming to our house. I suspect he found it different from his home life. He liked visiting us. He liked my parents, and I suppose me a little. He wasn’t exactly quiet or neat in appearance. I’m ashamed to say that although I never said anything ugly to him, I didn’t want him around and I avoided him….alot. When he would knock on our door and I knew it was him, I would run to the bathroom and hide out there unti he was gone and it was safe to come out. He would visit with mama and daddy and he’d ask about me and they would tell him I went to the bathroom. I guess he thought I spent a lot of time in the bathroom. :) But when he would see me at school the next day, he would say, “Hey Tammy, when I was at your house last night……” And he would go on, but he always made a point about mentioning he was at my house. It sounded somewhat more intimate than I wanted. After all, I didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. And although I spoke to him at school, it was as little as I could get by with, and I hurried past (and cringed) because he had just announced (very loudly) that he had been at my house. And that was pretty much the regular routine. Every once in awhile, I’d stay out of the bathroom, just so as not to be “so rude” and make him suspicious. One particular weekend, I think it was the summer between 10th and 11th grade, my mom and dad went on a little weekend trip with our pastor and his wife. My best friend, Melissa, came to stay with me. We were pretty proud to be staying there by ourselves. Well, James came knocking at my front door. Melissa and I avoided him at all costs, even hiding inside, so he couldn’t see us and I know he knew we were there because he had seen us out earlier. I didn’t feel very good about myself.

Well I was discussing all of this, including all the times at school, with my mother some time later after her return. She asked me one question. “Do you think you acted like a Christian girl”? I knew the answer to that question. So, I went to James’ house the next afternoon and knocked on his door. He answered the door to my relief (I was so apprehensive that I might have backed out otherwise). I apologized to him. I told him I was a Christian girl and that I wasn’t behaving as a Christian should or treating him the way a Christian should. He said it was okay. It wasn’t okay, but at least I knew I had his forgiveness. Then I started worrying that he had taken my apology as “more than that”, but nevertheless, I felt better. :) And after that, I didn't avoid him, although I didn't go out of my way to find him either. He actually seem to take on a role of "protecting me". :)

I tell you this to make a point. It wasn’t about me doing something wonderful. I was just that I was convicted and listened to the Lord’s nudging as to do what He wanted of me. I can’t always say I did that. But that day, I did. I hope that made some kind of impression on James’ heart. I don’t know if I will ever know that in this lifetime because he moved away not long afterwards. This movie that I mentioned today brought this all back to me because James could have been that guy in the movie being excluded and bullied. I am so glad that I listened to the Lord at that time and chose to represent Him at that time. It was only by Him that I was able to do it though. I would have never done that of myself.

If we only could see how many lives we touch and leave an imprint. What kind of imprint are we leaving? It really does make a difference. It makes a difference for that one.

I’d love to hear your thoughts or similar experiences. Leave me a comment and share (please)! Oh and be sure to stop by Joy's blog even if you aren't participating--she has a great post on today!

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great weekend and be blessed!

~ Tammy ~

I'm Still Here! :)

2012-01-05T09:24:00.000-08:00

For those of you still stopping by here for a visit, thank you! I know I’ve neglected my blog. Since returning from our trip to Alabama right after Christmas, Jason, the kids, and I have been sick. Jason and I are still battling it. You know the crud that just drains you of all energy? It’s that crud. Reality is that all my Christmas décor is still up. We did resume school Tuesday but it was a tough day getting back in the routine, especially dragging like I am. My voice is practically gone so it was interesting doing read-alouds (which is a big portion of our schooling and my favorite part). Joy took over with the read-alouds when my voice could take no more. I totally missed my Faithful Friday post as well. This wasn’t exactly the way I planned to begin 2012….

But……..

In spite of it all, I have so much for which to be thankful and I am! And as always after Christmas, I have family photos to share!

There's a weird shadow between us but there were few pics of just the two of us so I included it here anyway.

Colt & Amber

And Christmas morning...

Oh, and Jason surprised Joy and me with an iPad (and cover) to share between us. :) Now my mom has always wrapped Jason's gifts to us, but since she was out of town when he came home with this, it was left up to him. We were teasing him about his wrapping skills. Well he had to go and show off.... :) And he did it all with tissue paper!

I’m not the type to make “resolutions” for the New Year. However, Joy and I were reflecting over this past year and there were several goals last year that came to pass and it’s always good to see that happen. For me, a few of those were:

Become more active in visiting our friends at the nursing home.
Make the trip to KY to visit the Creation Museum.
Complete the Cedar Loft (that was a biggie - and we did it in 4 months).
Reunite with our friends, Kim and Chuck, from China.
Blog more.

And as I think about 2012, there are a few things that come to mind that I’d like to accomplish this year:

Learn to knit. (I can crochet so I'm hoping it won't be that hard).
Learn to sew. (Joy is getting a sewing machine for her birthday....).
Save more money.
Build, exercise, and share my faith. Share Jesus.
Take a trip to New England. (I would be thrilled if this happens).
Be consistent in visitng our friends at the nursing home.
Perform more random acts of kindness.

On a friend’s blog, she challenged her readers to think of one word that we would like to take with us into 2012. The first word that came into my mind was compassion. However, as I read on, every word mentioned in comments was wonderful: self-control, surrender, peace, contentment, release......

So what about you? Did you accomplish something for which you’re really proud of last year? Do you have anything in particular that you hope to accomplish this year? Or do you have that one word you would like to take with you, as Tiffany suggested, into 2012?

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and made lots of wonderful memories with your family and I wish you all a Happy, Prosperous and Blessed New Year! Thanks for stopping by for a visit and for sticking with me during my absence from blogland. :)

Merry Christmas From Our Home To Yours!

2011-12-24T20:32:00.000-08:00

From our home to yours…………………

Merry CHRISTmas!

We Celebrate Your Birth

Dear Lord, as we celebrate Your birth,
let us remember that You are the true reason for Christmas.
Let every sparkling light remind us how You illuminate our lives,
a shining beacon to guide us in our thoughts and actions each day,
and how You light us from within
in the knowledge of Your love and truth.
Let the Christmas trees, standing straight, tall, unbowed,
remind us of Your uprightness, Your goodness, Your perfection,
and Your refusal to bow to worldly temptations,
no matter how great the challenge or trouble.
Lord, as we feast on Christmas treats,
let us remember that You are the sole provider
of everything worth having, that all good things come from You.
And as we enjoy our gifts, let us never forget
that You are the greatest gift of all--our wonderful Savior,
Counselor, Giver of an eternal life whose wonders we cannot imagine.
So as we delight in Christmas, the happiest and brightest of holidays,
let us remember there would be no Christmas without You, Lord,
and let us our hearts be filled with joy, and love
and thankfulness, this Christmas and all the ones to come.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Author: Joanna Fuchs
Source: www.poemsource.com

Christmas in The Cedar Loft

2011-12-21T10:59:00.000-08:00

Time slips by, doesn’t it? Well before Christmas arrived, I thought I’d share a few pictures of our very simply decorated Cedar Loft. Especially with it decorated for Christmas, I feel like I'm in Little House on the Prairie. It feels warm and cozy. :)

Still no curtains there above the bed, but hopefully that will come sometime after Christmas. It’s always a good thing to have something to which I can look forward.

Jason made the pegboards for me a few weeks ago, which made the perfect spot to hang some primitive stockings. I saw some of these stockings over on Tammy’s blog (A Primitive Place) and loved them and how economical they were too! The stockings are $1.00 Christmas sock/stockings from Dollar Tree which of course had to be tea stained to give them an instant primitive/old look.

We’ve used this Christmas tree a little bit of everywhere in our home, but mostly on the front porch with only twinkling lights. This year it was given a place of honor in the little alcove of the dormer window……a perfect spot for it.

We made everything on the tree except the cranberry beads and the star on top. I really wanted it to be an old-fashioned tree with everything handmade.

The candy canes began as the pack of 6 that you can purchase at Dollar Tree for a $1.00. They are wrapped in strips of tea stained muslin and homespun. Love those!

And oh how I love these little twig stars. I saw these on Pinterest (so many goodies on Pinterest), and knew I would love them on our tree in the loft especially. Well they turned out just as I envisioned them, but they were little boogers to make. Thank the Lord Jason jumped in and practically took over this project, bless his heart. It was difficult holding all the pieces together to get them tied appropriately. I do love them though! And since we have plenty of twigs in the yard and I already had the jute, they didn't cost me anything. :)

The garland was made from tying strips of homespun together and knotting them.

I would have liked to dry oranges to add to the tree, but my to-do wish list became longer than my time.

A little Christmas in the kitchen area:

Joy has always set up the village. She loves arranging it. We decided to put it out in the loft this year. She set it up with a little help from Luke.

This is my favorite little scene of the village. Of course, I love the log cabin and the people enjoying the simple moments.

We couldn't forget the bathroom. Got to have something Christmasy to look at when we're in there. :)

I'll be back with a few highlights of Christmas in our home.....not alot, just a few favorite photos to share. It's time to start baking. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Faithful Friday - "His Presence"

2011-12-16T06:48:00.000-08:00

It’s Friday. Time for Faithful Friday. :) It’s one day we set aside to share something from our Christian walk, although we enjoy walking with the Lord on a daily basis. :) Started by my daughter, Joy, as a way to share our faith, we invite you to join too. Just leave Joy a comment here on her blog and let her know you are participating. We’d love to visit you! Even if you aren’t joining us with a post, be sure to read Joy’s Faithful Friday post today. It’s a wonderful heartfelt and thoughtful post. It blessed me.

Today’s post is taken from the daily devotion book, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. In this busy time of year, it was refreshing to read this when I woke up this morning. I hope you enjoy it too and take it to heart.

I am speaking in the depths of your being. Be still, so that you can hear My voice. I speak in the language of Love; My words fill you with Life and Peace, Joy and Hope. I desire to talk with all of My children, but many are too busy to listen. The “work ethic” has them tied up in knots. They submit wholeheardly to this taskmaster, wondering why they feel so distant from Me.

Living close to Me requires making Me your First Love – your highest priority. As you seek My Presence above all else, you experience Peace and Joy in full measure. I also am blessed when you make Me first in your life. While you journey through life in My Presence, My Glory brightens the world around you.

The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Revelation 2:4 (NIV)

See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Isaiah 60:2 (NIV)

I pray you and your family are blessed this Christmas season and that you take time to feel God's presence and allow His glory to brighten your world. :)

~ Tammy ~

Our Family's Top Picks in Christmas Movies

2011-12-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

I’d really love to share Christmas décor pictures with you, but since my house doesn’t seem to be able to stay clean long enough for photos these days (between all the running, crafting, wrapping gifts, cooking, and all the Christmas season busyness), it’s just not happening today.

So…..since it’s also the season of Christmas movie watching, I thought I’d share our family favorites. We don’t have cable or satellite, so all of our viewing is on VHS, DVDs or instant streaming from Netflix. We even get limited local stations. So I am basing our favorites on what we have access to watching.

I’m going to list each of our "top three" favorites. Without revealing our favorites to each other, this is what we came up with. And these in our top favorites are watched multiple times during the Christmas season! And let me just say right here that I told Jason he cheated. :) He made his second choice a tie. Believe me, it was hard trying to put it in just 3 top picks.

Tammy’s:

#1 - It’s a Wonderful Life
#2 – A Holiday for Love (known on TV formerly as Christmas in my Hometown)
#3 – The Christmas Card

Jason’s:

#1 – It’s a Wonderful Life
#2 – Tie: A Holiday for Love & Christmas Comes to Willow Creek
#3 – The Christmas Card

Colt's:

His are in no particular order. These are just his favorites when asked to name three favorite Christmas movies. No surprise, his are all comedies. :)

Jingle All the Way
I'll Be Home For Christmas
The Santa Clause

Joy’s:

#1 – It’s a Wonderful Life
#2 – The Christmas Card
#3 – Christmas With a Capital C

Luke’s:

#1 – Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (Because it has an 18-wheeler in it which he LOVES!).
#2 – Bob the Builder - Christmas to Remember
#3 – Kipper's Christmas Eve

And seriously, It's a Wonderful Life is in a category all its own because none really compare to it in my book.

Now, we narrowed it down to the top three, but there are several more that we make a point of watching every year. These additional ones always include: A Christmas Romance, A Holiday Romance, A Holiday to Remember, Smoky Mountain Christmas, Comfort and Joy, Holiday Affair, Prancer, Mary Christmas, Christmas At Plum Creek, and Borrowed Hearts. Oh and I also love Annabelle's Wish, but we have always rented it and haven't found it this year and I really want Luke to see it! It's a sweet one!

For anyone taking note of these, I do want to warn you that Christmas Comes to Willow Creek does have a couple of words in it that I could do without, but since we know where they are, we can skip through it. Also after just watching Comfort and Joy again, please note that there are a couple of situations and lifestyles in there that we don't approve of in her "old life".

Actually the most wholesome movies listed above include: It's a Wonderful Life, A Holiday for Love, The Christmas Card, A Christmas Romance, Christmas With a Capital C, A Holiday to Remember, Christmas At Plum Creek, A Holiday Romance, Borrowed Hearts, Annabelle's Wish, Mary Christmas, and Prancer.
The movies we seem to enjoy have “that Christmas feeling” about them. It’s hard to describe. It just feels like Christmas. It is cozy and family centered, with a good moral story, and those with lots of snow definitely helps too. Speaking for myself, I also love to look at the houses and décor in the background. For example, A Holiday for Love, A Christmas Romance, Christmas at Plum Creek, Smoky Mountain Christmas, and a Holiday to Remember have “my kind” of décor, country/primitive/farmhouse/rustic charm, in the homes.

What about you? What are your favorite Christmas movies and why? Are we missing some really great ones that our family would love based on what I revealed about our favorites? Tell me.......... :)

Oh, and I definitely hope to be back in a couple of days with Christmas photos of our home and The Cedar Loft.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great day! And be sure and grab a big bowl of popcorn, snuggle up, and enjoy some Christmas movie watching! :)

Christmas Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone that stopped by and entered the Christmas giveaway! I used random.org to generate the winner……….

Are you ready? :)

These Christmas goodies will be going to the home of...........

~Donna ~ One Simple Country Girl ~

Congratulations, Donna! Donna has been a long time blogging friend! If you can email me your address, Donna, I’ll send your Christmas goodies out by priority mail!

A Christmas Giveaway!

2011-12-09T10:56:00.000-08:00

It’s giveaway time! I love Christmas and as a thank you to the readers of my blog and friends in blog land, I really wanted to host a Christmas giveaway!

I know today is the usual day for a Faithful Friday post, and I hope you’ll forgive me for skipping this week, but because of wanting to get this giveaway posted and out before Christmas, I decided to forego it this week. We should be back on schedule with it next Friday though.

Since Christmas is quickly approaching, the deadline to enter the giveaway will be Monday, December 12th at 9:00 p.m. (Central time). Hopefully this way, the winner can get their shipping information to me right away, and the Christmas goodies will be on their way via priority mail the next day, Tuesday the 13th. That’s the plan anyway.

Here’s what’s offered in the Christmas giveaway:

Table bench not included. :)

The Merry Christmas blocks were cut out by Jason and decorated by me.

The set of six primitive candy canes were crafted by Joy and me. Of course they can be separated, we just bundled them together with some Christmas greens.

The 8 x 10 stitchery was stitched by my good friend, Betty W. and tea stained and framed by me.

The giveaway is open to my US friends only (due to the cost of shipping). So sorry…..I really wish that could be different, but shipping is outrageous otherwise! You can be entered up to four times. Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for each entry to be counted separately, since the winner will be drawn by random.org.

You will be entered once by leaving a comment on this post letting me know you want to be entered. You will be entered a second time by letting me know in another comment that you are a follower of my blog. You may entered a third time by posting this giveaway on your blog or sidebar (and letting me know that in separate comment). And you may be entered a fourth time by following me on Pinterest (and letting me know that also on a separate comment). You can find the link to find me on Pinterest on my sidebar. By leaving a separate comment, each entry will be counted separately, giving you more chances of winning!

Example:

First Comment: I would like to be entered in your giveaway.
Second Comment: I am a follower of your blog.
Third Comment: I posted this on my sidebar (or blog post).
Fourth Comment: I now follow you on Pinterest.

Oh, and make sure you have a way for me to contact you in at least one of the comments! If I can't contact you, I'll have to pick another winner!

I will announce the winner Monday evening as soon as we have a winner! Again, thank you to each and every person that visits my little corner of blog land! I really appreciate you! And I hope you’re all taking time to enjoy the simple moments this Christmas season. :)

Meet Koda.......

2011-12-06T18:18:00.000-08:00

Colt gave himself (and Amber) an early Christmas present, compliments of one of his customers from work.

Since he is living in town in an apartment now with his friend and coworker, Tony, Colt drove out here and he and Amber were waiting on us next door at Grandmama and Pop’s house Saturday night when we came home from grocery shopping. We didn’t even notice his little surprise for a few minutes because she is SO tiny that she was hiding under Colt’s baseball cap. It was a few minutes before I noticed the cap moving on his lap. At first I thought he had mama’s little dog, Stinker, under there. Colt and Amber were trying hard to hold back the grins and snickers. He removed the cap and introduced us to Koda. She is a chihuahua and is supposed to be 6 weeks old, but we are doubting she is really that old. She is the cutest little thing. She actually reminds me more of a little wolf in the face.

Boy has she been fussed over. Her feet haven’t touched the floor too much because somebody is always holding her!

Colt told us Sunday at church that she woke him up every hour. Guess he’s getting practice for little ones one day (and pay back for all those nights he kept me awake). :) She is eating fairly well, but he's been giving her water and a little milk with a dropper. She’s already doing well with potty training for him too. He did look a little tired on Sunday though. :)

Colt and Amber came out for dinner Sunday night and brought Koda along. Of course, she was passed around again. She is just darling. Despite Colt insiting that she would NOT wear a sweater (after suggestions from Amber, Grandmama, and me), Koda arrived in a (very fashionable) sweater, compliments of Amber. She created it from the sleeve of fuzzy footy baby pajamas! Guess Colt was out voted!

Koda is quite the puppy super model too, except when she was just too cozy and sleepy to cooperate.

Just watching her is enough to make you sleepy!

He’s calling himself daddy to Koda, so does this mean we have a grand-dog? :)

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I just couldn’t wait any longer…….my next post will be a Christmas giveaway! I'm finishing up some crafting tonight and getting it ready to go! I'm hoping for tomorrow evening, but for sure by Thursday! Be sure and stop by! :)

Faithful Friday - "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"

2011-12-02T11:48:00.000-08:00

I am very relieved to see many of the stores where I shopped on Black Friday and where I love to shop sticking with the greeting of “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays”. After all, the holiday is Christmas and Christmas is the holiday we celebrate Christ Jesus’ birth.

We all know how commercialized Christmas has become. We have always made the point of making sure our kids knew why we were celebrating and why we give gifts and we’ve try not to put the emphasis otherwise. But every year still we get caught up in the commercialization of Christmas as well. This year we are trying especially hard to make it all centered around the real reason for Christmas. We are starting an advent called What God wants for Christmas. It was given to me by someone at the end of the season last year, and for the life of me, I can’t remember who. Isn’t that terrible? Anyway, I had tucked it away since it was at the end of the season last year and just found it this year.

It is an interactive kid friendly nativity with things to read and activities to do and they are all centered around Christ’s birth. In the past we have made birthday cakes and sang happy birthday to Jesus as well. This year we are committed to especially making an effort to put the emphasis on the birth of Christ and not everything else. We are even checking into our family helping to serve dinner on Christmas Eve at a homeless shelter, random acts of kindness throughout the week, and anything else that involves the real reason we celebrate Christmas – the ultimate gift of love given to us in Jesus.

When I go to a store, no more Happy Holidays for me, I make a point to say Merry Christmas. By the way, that reminds me……have you seen Christmas with a Capital C? It’s a movie revolving around an attorney who returns to his small home town in Alaska and quickly rocks the boat by getting an injunction against the nativity display tradition and attacking Christmas. It can viewed instantly on Netflix.

Also I wanted to share a naughty or nice list concerning stores that still use “Merry Christmas”, those that are borderline, and those that do not use Merry Christmas, but instead Happy Holidays. Choosing not to shop at those that don’t support Merry Christmas and shopping at those that do, is just one small thing I can do and have done and intend to continue doing. You can view that list by clicking here.

I would like to challenge you to make a point of taking the Reason for the Season, Jesus, and do something He would want us to do. First of all, make sure He is foremost the center of our celebrating. Just a pleasant “Merry Christmas” (instead of Happy Holidays) to the clerk who checks us out; picking up someone’s tab at a restaurant, random acts of kindness, helping out the needy……….those things. Those are the things I want my family to be all about this Christmas season, and we’re going to try really hard this year to make that the center of our celebrating. Just thought I’d share………wouldn’t it be nice if we could all do that?

We'd love to have you join us in Faithful Friday too. If you have something you'd like to share from your Christian walk, just let us know in a comment either here or on Joy's blog, so we can come visit you too! (Joy's Faithful Friday post is coming....later tonight...she's babysitting today.) :)

Have a great weekend! Be Blessed!

A Cozy Snowy Evening.....

2011-11-29T15:47:00.000-08:00

We had the prettiest snow last night! It made for a snug and cozy evening inside.

It wasn’t supposed to be but a few flakes, but it really started coming down in huge gorgeous flakes for a few hours leaving us with a dusting, possibly an inch of snow.

Jason went outside and turned on the porch lights of The Cedar Loft so we could enjoy the snow fall under the lights from the kitchen.

After supper dishes were cleaned up, we all snuggled on the couch in the living room with bowls of popcorn.

And enjoyed yet another Christmas movie, An Avonlea Christmas, with the window blinds open in the living room so we could enjoy the snow fall through the front porch lights.

It was just one of those perfectly cozy evenings with my family that I want to etch in my memory forever with the Christmas lights twinkling inside and the beautiful snowflakes falling outside.

I know you folks up north get a good laugh at us folks (here in the south). But then again, we can get excited I suppose because we never have to worry about shoveling it every day. By morning, the snow was gone for the most part, and the rest of it melted quickly since the ground was still warm from previous days of rain.

It was good while it lasted. And I’m beginning to think that our persimmon seed weather forecast just might be right on. With snow here already in November, we just might see a lot of snow this winter.

And I'm just fine with that. :)

A Shopping Tradition......

2011-11-28T10:49:00.000-08:00

This is the result of four women shopping for fifteen hours on Black Friday. :)

You should have seen all of this and us crammed into my little Mazda 3. But we did it. :)

My mom, sister-in-law, niece-in-law, and I left the house at 3:10 a.m. and came dragging back in at 6:00 p.m. (with pizza for supper). :)

Joy stayed home with the men and helped out with the little ones all day. The guys were very thankful for her help….and she was happy to be surrounded by babies. (Thanks for your prayers….she is much better).

We had a great time, found some great deals, laughed a lot, and came home exhausted. Next year we will plan to do it all over again. :)

What about you? Did you shop on Black Friday?

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week!

Faithful Friday - "The Way"

2011-11-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

No matter what your circumstances, what you’re going through, where you’ve been, or how alone you feel – Jesus is The Way.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NIV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

I can’t imagine a day without the Lord and I wouldn’t want to face a day without Him. You don’t have to either, just call on Jesus. He is Way.

Fresh From the Workshop (to The Cedar Loft)

2011-11-22T14:54:00.000-08:00

If you heard squealing Monday evening, that was probably me! I knew my carpenter was working on a carpentry project that I requested of him (a TV cabinet for the loft), but without my knowledge, Jason finished it and snuck it up to The Cedar Loft. He summoned me up to the loft, and there it sat…..in all its glory! And it looks so perfect there. It was one of those pieces that was just meant to be, so in character for that space. You know how you envision a piece of furniture in a spot? Well this went far beyond my expectations! Can you tell I love it? :)

I had shown Jason a few cabinet ideas that I found online and in Country Sampler magazines, and told him I would like a “sort of mix” of those. I “turned him loose” on it. I so trust his judgement, because he knows me now. I say now when it comes to building furniture for me because it did take awhile to get the distressed idea through to him, but once he got it, he really got it! He even added some of his own creative touches that I didn’t show him!

The panels on the front of the door were his idea! I love that!

Instead of using antique glazing on the green (it's actually called Brown Moss), we had agreed upon sanding and rubbing on stain. We decided on red oak stain.

The ends being "paneled" was his little addition and I love it!

Monday night, after calling us up to the loft, after a while the kids fell asleep on the couch. Jason and I just sat there staring at it. Is that silly or what? Do you do that? I do that with my Christmas lights and décor. I like to turn off the lights and just sit back and enjoy it. And that’s exactly what we did with that cabinet. We didn’t even have the TV on. We just snuggled up on the couch and admired his handiwork. :) And it’s all his handiwork. I didn’t have one hand in the building of it. I just told him what I wanted, and he built it. I’m so grateful that he enjoys building what I dream up!

I just love that little indention of the wood near the left knob!

We just got the 40" flat screen LCD TV a couple of weeks ago. Jason started on the TV cabinet right about then, but has only been able to work here and there after work and a little on the weekends.

I’m really thrilled because now we can enjoy our Christmas movies in The Cedar Loft if we want! I’m still working on adding some Christmas decorations up there. Hopefully in a week or so, I will have it to the point of sharing more pictures of the loft decorated for Christmas.

He made sure I had a shelf to display rustic/prim decor....even though it's on a very low wall!

This is absolutely one of my very favorite pieces Jason had made for me. I really love my red stepback cupboard in the kitchen and the navy blue sideboard/buffet in the dining, room, but this definitely rates right there with those.

Now for the next projects……….pegboards and a cupboard for the kitchen in The Cedar Loft. That would make a great Christmas gift, don’t you think? :)

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**Dianne (a reader of my blog) left a comment asking if I could recommend more movies, possibly from instant streaming Netflix that were family friendly. I didn't have a way to contact you, Dianne, so I decided to post it here. I would love to do that. I will try to put together some sort of list and post that as soon as I can get it all together. I am not sure if you were speaking of movies in general, or just Christmas ones. I am assuming movies in general. If you would let me know for sure, that would be helpful! Thank you for your comment! I love hearing from you! **

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Thank you for stopping by today! I don't know if I can hold out to 500 followers for a giveaway.....I want to do a Christmas one, so I might just have to do that real soon! :)

Since I Missed Faithful Friday......

2011-11-20T19:35:00.000-08:00

First of all, I apologize for missing our Faithful Friday post! It’s been a different kind of week for us. And then Friday was filled with appointments, and well, my post just didn’t happen. I had many thoughts flooding my head for a post, but it just didn’t make it to the computer.

Thank you so much for your comments and concern about the spider bite. I am so thankful that I went to the doctor when I did. I am almost finished with my treatment and it is looking so much better. It’s going to be fine. There is a tiny dark spot in the middle, and that’s it. I just feel so bad for Jason because he endured what he did with his brown recluse spider bite and no one knew exactly what it was at the time, and as you can see, he paid dearly. Because of his ordeal, we recognized the possibility and it changed my outcome. I am so thankful. Again, please be careful when you reach in boxes, put on pants, socks, gloves, shoes, etc….. We are trying to make sure we turn gloves and socks inside out before putting them on, shake out pants and shoes, and we always check our beds when we pull the sheets back. But since this is the time of year when we all pull boxes out from storage, I wanted everyone to beware and just be careful. It’s hard to believe that something so small can do such damage!

Since I missed my Faithful Friday post, I thought I’d share something with you this Sunday that my dad sent me by email concerning the Nature of God. I thought this was a great explanation on the Nature of God.

Does God Exist?

A man went to a barber shop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: “I don’t believe that God exists.”

“Why do you say that?” asked the customer.

“Well you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be so many abandoned children? If God existed there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving God that would allow all of these things.”

The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair, and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barbershop again, and said to the barber, “You know what, barbers don’t exist.”

“How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber. “I am here, and I am a barber. I just worked on you!”

“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.”

“Ah, but barbers do exist! That’s what happens when people do not come to me.”

“Exactly!” affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don’t look to Him for help. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”

You know, God never promised we wouldn’t have pain and suffering, but he promised he would be with us, if we will come to Him. Pain, suffering, and death entered the world because of sin (thanks to Adam and Eve in the Garden), but God promises if we come to Him, He will not only be with us but carry us through! That’s a promise I wouldn’t want to live without! I’m so thankful today for that promise!

I hope you all have a wonderful week and remember this week to count all your blessings! (If you think about it, please say a prayer for Joy....she's having stomach issues now, bless her heart, and she really wants to feel well for Thanksgiving since we're going to see "her girls" in Alabama). :)

A (Not So) Lovely Surprise in a Christmas Box......

2011-11-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

If there’s a part about Christmas decorating that I don’t like, that would be all the boxes and Rubbermaid tubs full of decorations that await me. I don’t like the clutter and I’m a little impatient to get to the enjoy-it-part. We do usually try to get the main (big) tree up and decorated in the living room over the first weekend that we pull all the decorations out. Then the following week, I just work on it as I can. I can happily say that everything is pretty much decorated for Christmas here in our home, and we are in the enjoy-it-part. I can now move on to The Cedar Loft this weekend!

However, I guess you could say I had an unexpected surprise that awaited me in one of those boxes. After I made Monday’s post to my blog regarding Christmas decorating, Jason came home and insisted that I get to the doctor, and right away.

But here’s the events that led up to that.

I also mentioned in my last post that Luke had a stomach bug and had passed it along to me. Therefore, on Saturday, I assumed I was having symptoms from the stomach bug, although Luke never had the exact same ones. Saturday, as the day stretched on, I began feeling nauseated, and more so as time passed. By evening, when we were settling down to watch our Christmas movie, I was really feeling more nauseous, and just felt bad in general. Then I started to have chills and fever. Still thinking this was the stomach virus, I took some ibuprofen, bundled up (because I was freezing), and went to bed. The next morning I noticed my knuckle on my right hand was itching. I looked down and saw a tiny festered blister. I still thought nothing of it.

I was home from church that morning (because of our stomach virus), so when Jason came home, I showed him the little blister, but because it was itching and not hurting, we still didn’t think a lot of it. I mean it was really tiny.

Now fast forward to Monday. By this time, my hand, knuckle, and index finger were hurting a little, and the redness was beginning to climb up my hand more, and beginning to swell. This was when Jason came home from work. When I told him my hand was hurting some, he insisted that I get to the doctor. He realized at that point, I think, that it was similar to what happened to him a few years ago. His suspicion was that I was bitten by a brown recluse spider. So I went. And he was right. The Dr. knew right away. Because it was later than 24 hours after the bite, it was too late to get the steroid shot in the location of the bite, so I had to get one in the hip. She then put me on Cipro, one of the two best antibiotics for treating a brown recluse spider bite; the other one I’m allergic to. She said that being bit on the knuckle is “a good location”, (if there can be a good location), because there is not much tissue or fat in that area.

If you’re not familiar with brown recluse spiders, they are one of the most poisonous types, and we have a lot of them around here. We try to keep the house sprayed. Evidently, one was hiding out in a Christmas box. You also never feel when a brown recluse bites you, according to our doctor. And I know this was true for both Jason and me. And the little blister was so tiny! What really stumped us was that my knuckle didn’t hurt at first.

When Jason got bit, he also had no idea. Looking back, he never knew when the bite occurred. He had respiratory issues during the night that we thought were related to that time of year (bronchitis). But then his leg hurt that day. That’s what sent him to the doctor. They misdiagnosed him because they didn’t see a blister of any sort, or at least if he did, we missed that step. He was told it was possibly a busted varicose vein. However, things worsened over the next week, and to say it was a major ordeal is an understatement. He went through a long process of healing in his leg and it all came from a little brown recluse spider.

So when Jason showed concern and told me to get to the doctor, I didn’t hesitate.

I discussed with Jason whether to post this or not, but decided I wanted to warn folks about these little creatures! They look a lot like some of the harmless ones . The biggest difference is that the body (very small)has what appears to be a “stamp” of the shape of a violin on the upper portion.

Can you see the tiny violin at the top?

My hand is already much better. This is a photo of what my bite looked like, and it is also two days later. I didn’t think to get a picture in the beginning, since I didn’t realize what it was.

If you look closely, you can see the center pin point where the blister originally was located.

If you ever notice a blistery or pimply type bite that itches or hurts, go to the doctor! If you go within 24 hours, no matter where it is located, they can give you a shot in the affected area, and follow it up by antibiotics, and it will greatly reduce the amount of damage it can cause! What it does is attack fatty and muscle tissue and “eats it out”, leaving a hole or blackened area.

And just to show you the damage that a brown recluse can do, I am going to show you the scar Jason has from his bite.

** PLEASE NOTE THAT IF THINGS LIKE THIS BOTHER YOU OR MAKE YOU SICK, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THE REST OF THIS POST! ** (I have his permission, by the way).

This scar is about inches 2 1/2 "across and 2 1/2" inches tall.

So from this, I am so thankful that it wasn’t any of my children that were bit. And I am thankful that if I was going to be bitten, it was on the knuckle. And finally, that my husband had enough insight to persuade me to get to the doctor!

So please be careful as you’re digging in those boxes with your Christmas decorations!

And I promise, my next post will not have any graphic images! I really try NOT to do that, but did want to warn folks of the results of a brown recluse spider bite! Please be careful!

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Don’t forget, for this one last post, you can still make a reasonable offer on any of the remaining auction items to help bring Leiney Grace home! You can click here to see what is left!

I’m not that far away from 500 followers – just 9 more…..and then it’s giveaway time! Don’t you just love Christmas giveaways? Speaking of followers, I prefer to use the terminology, faithful readers. So thank you to my faithful readers, those that have been with me for awhile, as well as the new ones! I appreciate you so much!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

A Hint of What I've Been Up To.....

2011-11-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

Besides having a little one with the stomach bug and passing it along to his mama, what have I been up to the past week?

Well, here are a few little hints…….

Okay, so enough for hints. :) Hopefully by tonight, the house will be completely decked out in Christmas decor, and then it will be time to add a little Christmas atmosphere to The Cedar Loft. As much as I would love to go all out with Christmas decorations up there, it will have to be done on a slim budget. But I'm up for the challenge!

And already so far, we’ve watched two of my very favorite Christmas movies, A Holiday for Love, and The Christmas Card, as well as a few other ones we enjoy too: A Holiday Romance, Christmas at Plum Creek, and A Smoky Mountain Christmas.

Oh yeah, and Prancer. I can’t forget that one. That’s the one we usually have on while decorating the big tree.

How I love this time of year! It is so cozy!

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Don’t forget you have a few more days to “make a reasonable offer” on the remaining items from the Auction for Adoption and be a part of bringing Leiney Grace home to the Bryant family. Click here to see what’s left.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great week!

Faithful Friday - "Freedom is Never Free"

2011-11-11T10:54:00.000-08:00

Today is Faithful Friday. It’s day that we’ve set aside to specifically share something from our Christian walk. If you would like to participate, please grab the button below, and leave Joy a comment here letting her know you are participating so we can visit!

With today also being Veterans Day, I couldn’t think of a better post than one to express my heartfelt gratitude to the men and women of our country that give so unselfishly of themselves to ensure that America is safe and free.

I think of the family that lost their son in Iraq when he was scheduled to come home for good and see his first baby being born. Instead he never came home, Instead there was a knock at their door in the wee hours of the morning letting the family know he would never return. He never had the opportunity to see the face of his baby girl and watch her grow up. How do you even put that kind of gratitude into words? That’s sacrifice. I hurt for that family that still deals with that hurt. Everyday.

I think of families who still have their sons, but they came home, never to be the same, injured for life. Life altering injuries.

I think of the families that sacrifice everyday because their husband, daddy, wife, son, or daughter is serving overseas. They miss so many moments of their kids’ lives and how they must long for the embrace of their husband (or wife). My brother was one of those. I think of Lois and when her Colonel was gone overseas too. That’s sacrifice. They go over there, so we can be safe here. But life goes on everyday for the families and I know it is hard!

And I think, please America……let all of this count for something! They’re doing what they can there. Let’s do what we can here. We can make our voice known. There’s war (issues and legislation) all around us in the political realm, and if we will stand up and be involved, making our opinions known, we are fighting for America here. Fight for what’s right! If we don’t make our own decisions and think for ourselves, decisions will be made for us. Our children may not know freedom like we do. I know fighting for America is so worth it!

And most of all, I think of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. And I’m so thankful.

And I know that God says in his word:

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Psalm 33:12 (NIV)

So today, I thank God for blessing America. And I pray we will continue to defend it by making sure we keep God as our Lord! I thank all the men and women that defend our country everyday by their service to our country and I thank the families of these men and women for their sacrifice! I truly pray that God blesses you abundantly!

Happy Veterans Day!

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Thank you to everyone that came by and visited our auction. The Bryant family and I thank you especially to those that bid on items! You are awesome! You are a part of this journey of bringing Leiney Grace home to her forever family. Those that couldn’t bid, you can still pray! Please pray that Leiney Grace is operable and that the journey is speedy to get her home! I have emailed all the winners. If, for some reason, you didn’t get an email, please email me and we’ll get payment and shipping all in order for you! Thanks again, SO MUCH!

We decided that since we still had items left that we are going to take the remaining items as a “Make a Reasonable Offer to Help Bring Leiney Grace Home”. All items that are sold will be marked accordingly and you may go to this link: Remaining Auction Items – Make a Reasonable Offer. All reasonable offers will be considered. Email me here and we’ll get back with you! We are going to keep it going for a week or so until (hopefully) all items have a home!

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I'm getting close to 500 followers......when I make it to 500, a giveaway will be in order. It would be nice to be a Christmas one!

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Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope you have a great weekend!

Be Blessed!
~ Tammy ~

~ Auction for Adoption ~ (Come Do Some Christmas Shopping)!

2011-11-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

If you’ve been reading my blog, then you know how dear adoption is to my heart. I couldn’t even begin to express the blessings that come along with it. Unfortunately, it is a very expensive thing. To think that money is what stands in the way of so many waiting children coming home to loving families really saddens me. Because of the expenses of the adoption process, fundraising is an avenue for many adoptive families to meet these expenses. Today you have the opportunity to be a part of bringing a child home to a loving Christian family, and even get some Christmas shopping done as well!

As I mentioned on the last few posts, today begins the auction to help raise funds for the Bryant family to bring home their 8 year old daughter, Leiney Grace, from China. Please take a look at their blog and see their sweet family! They have huge hearts for orphans. Leiney Grace will be coming home to seven brothers and sisters! She needs heart surgery. This family is really stepping out on faith, not sure the extent of her heart problems, or knowing if she is operable. They are trusting God. But, one thing is for sure, Leiney Grace needs to get home where her medical issues can be addressed and where she can know and feel the love of her forever family!

You can play a part in bringing Leiney Grace home in a couple of different ways. First, by bidding in this auction today, and second, at the end of this post, there will be a link to Jan’s blog posts where you may purchase goat milk soap and/or beautiful postards.

So here’s how the auction works. Bidders from US only please due to shipping prices. Above each picture is a description and below each picture will be a starting bid. Email me here (or by using the email option on my sidebar) with your bid and include a detailed description of the item you are bidding on and I’ll post your bid to my blog. I will verify the bid with you by email as well. If you are outbid, I will notify you so that you have the option of bidding again. I will notify all winners once the auction ends, which will be on Thursday, November 10th at 5 p.m. (Central Standard Time). Payments can be made by paypal or by check. At the time you are notified, you will be given the paypal or mailing address, depending on which payment method you choose. Please note that if you are paying by check, the item will not be mailed until the check is received by the family.

So here we go with the items up for auction.......

** PLEASE NOTE THAT SHIPPING FOR EACH ITEM WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL $6.00 UNLESS IT IS STATED BENEATH THE PICTURE THAT SHIPPING IS COVERED BY THE DONOR, OR A DIFFERENT SPECIFIC SHIPPING CHARGE IS NOTED. **

#1 - Cowboy Outfit - by Le Top. Brand new with tags. Size 4T.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER!

#2 - African jars - From Zimbabwe where they are used to store seasonings. Set of 6.

SOLD

#3 - "Soak in the Tub" Essentials - 4 large bars of goat milk soap, your choice of fragrance, and a wonderful source of encouragement for busy moms: The Bathub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained by Lysa Terkerust. (Fragrance options include Black Raspberry, Clean Cotton, Honeysuckle, Lavender, Luv Spell, Nautical, Oatmeal Milk & Honey, Ocean, Pink Sugary and Purity.) A more detailed description of these fragrances if available on the goat milk soap link below (at the bottom of this post). blog below

SOLD

#4 Our Chosen Child, How You Came to Us and The Growing Up Years - a baby memory book for adoptive parents.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER

#5 - Tote Bag - by Thirty One.

SOLD

#6 - Pogo - an adorable Christmas bear for your special someone this Christmas! "Pogos are small forest friends created for imagination and play. They are ecofriendly pals who love adventure by day with stories and snuggling each night." Handmade and adorable. 10 1/2". This pogo was created from an upcycled cream-colored wool sweater. He's wearing a red wool pullover and a red/green striped cap that has a festive wool tassel on top. His stuffing is locally sourced alpaca wool, which makes him wonderfully soft to hold. Read and see more here at the donor's etsy shop.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER

#7 - Handmade Ugandan Magazine Necklace - The Karamojong women from Uganda create these beautiful necklaces by hand and from re-cycled paper. May also be twisted several times around your wrist to be worn as a bracelet. Obtained from 147millionorphans.com and donated to our auction by another adopting family. There are 2 necklaces up for auction, each one to be bidded on separately. They will be labeled A) or B). Please specify in your email whether you are bidding on 7 (A) or 7 (B).

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER

SOLD

#8 - After the Storm" - 20" x 16" original painting on canvas by a dear friend of the Bryant family.

SOLD

#9 - "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" Christmas Tea- Stained Stitchery. (10 x 13 - Frame painted "Old Ivy"). Stitched by my friend, Betty. No shipping charge on this item, as shipping will be covered by the donor.

SOLD

#10 - Tutu Hairbow Holder - Crafted and Designed by Amber. (Hang your little princess' hairbows on the streaming ribbons). Fit for the princess in your life! Can be personalized with the name of your little princess! (Colors mostly hot pinks/purple with a little yellow and aqua/teal - tulle is a creamy sparkly white - hangs approximately 30" long and 12" wide. No shipping on this item as shipping will be covered by the donor.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (Shipping will covered by the donor)

#11 - Assortment of Hairbows - made by Joy. Six hairbows include: Peace/love streaming ribbon with french barette in pink & orange. This looks great with hair pulled back in a pony tail or a section pulled up with the ribbons streaming down. Also included are the smaller hairbows (aqua with lime, white with yellow, and brown and blue design--all with alligator clips), which look great with hair pulled up a little on the side for younger and older girls. Also included are the brown/pink design with alligator clip & the pink/white/brown/aqua floral design with alligator clip.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (Donor will cover the shipping charges)

#12 - Picture Frame - Winner of this particular auction may choose between ONE of the following: a boy frame, girl frame, couples frame, or teen frame. May request frame color and decoration. There will be no shipping charge for this item as the donor will cover shipping charges. Design by Renee. (Click on her name for her email).

Girl's frame:

Boy's frame:

Wedding Frame:

Teen Frame:

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (Shipping is covered by the donor - no shipping charges).

#13 - Adoption Bottle Caps (set of 2) - "Adoption Rocks" & "For This Child I Prayed". By Patty. Can be either a necklace or a key chain or one of each. No shipping charge on this item as it will be covered by the donor.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (Shipping is covered by the donor - no shipping charges).

#14 - Adoption Bottle Caps (set of 2) - For This Child I Prayed Adoption Bottle Caps Designs. By Patty. Can be either a necklace of keychain or one of each. No shipping charge on this item as it will be covered by the donor.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (Shipping will be covered by the donor - no shipping charge).

#15 - Children's Bottle Cap Necklace Set - "Strawberry Shortcake" & "Hello Kitty" - By Patty. No shipping charge on this item as it will be covered by the donor.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (Shipping will be covered by the donor - no shipping charge).

#16 - Grinch T-Shirt and Bottle Cap Necklace Set - T-shirt Youth Size L (14-16). By Patty. Shipping on this particular item is $2.50.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (Shipping charge for this set will be $2.50)

#17 - Cross T- Shirt (Adult Size 2X - but runs a size smaller). By Patty. Shipping on this will be $2.50.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (Shipping will be $2.50 on this item).

#18 - 3 Scentsy Bars (Your choice from in stock bars from Patty's website) - Scensy. Consultant - Patty Fosnight. Shipping charge on this item will be $2.50.

MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER (This is for 3 bars of Patty's in stock fragrances. She will email you the list of choices at the close of the auction. Shipping for the 3 bars will be $2.50).

Please tell anyone you know that might be interested in helping. I know not everyone can adopt, but you can help bring home one more child to a Christian family, and make one less orphan in this world. After all, just think how much difference you’re making for that one! You have permission to grab this photo button if you’d like to post it on your sidebar stating the days of the auction (Nov. 7 - Nov. 10) and linking to my blog. Just right click and save.

And if you’d rather help by purchasing goat milk soap (I can’t wait to get ours), you can go here on Jan’s blog and learn how to order. Each bar is $6 and there are many wonderful scents and even an unscented one. I think they would make great gifts for teachers. They arrive in cute little bags. Oh, and they would make great stocking stuffers too!

Also Shelby, the Bryant’s oldest daughter has taken beautiful photographs and designed postcards from them to sell as well. You may see those here. There are several designs from which to choose.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog to check out the auction and for having a heart for adoption! I pray that each and every person that comes here will be blessed for coming! And I know the Bryant family appreciates anyway you can help as they raise the funds to bring home their Leiney Grace!

God bless you!

Persimmon Seed Winter Weather Forecast

2011-11-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

I’m not sure why I had never heard this until now. According to folklore, a persimmon seed can predict the weather for the winter. Of course, you need one that is grown locally to supposedly get an accurate assessment of the winter for your neck of the woods. A ripe seed works best.

The first I heard of this was in September when our homeschooling group visited Parker Pioneer Homestead which I blogged about here. At one of the stations, the lady showed us how when a persimmon seed is cut, there will either be an image of a spoon, a fork, or a knife. I was amazed at the clarity of the image! It was a tiny spoon just as clear as day! She also told us that it was almost always accurate.

Here’s what they mean:

I couldn't find a photo showing the image of a fork.

If the kernel is spoon shaped, you will have lots of heavy snow. Think about shoveling snow. Spoon is equal to shovel.

If the kernel is fork shaped, expect a lighter powdery snow, thus a milder winter.

And if the kernel is knife shaped, you will be “cut” by cold icy winds….more ice than snow, bitterly cold.

Then just the other day, my daddy brought one home to show to Joy and Luke, not knowing that we had already seen it. This persimmon was taken from another area, but still fairly local to us. It was the same – spoon.

See it?

My dad also said that Texas is supposedly getting some knives. Therefore, according to the persimmon forecast, Texas might expect a little more ice and icy winds.

According to Farmer’s Almanac and the persimmon seeds so far, for most of the US and Canada, it is mostly spoons, with a lower percentage of knives. Either way that’s not supposed to be a mild winter. So, I guess you better get your snow shovels ready!

I guess we shall see if the folklore predictions are true. If you haven’t seen this, check it out! It is really cool! (No pun intended). :)

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Please come back on Monday and check out the fundraising auction that will run through Thursday for the Bryant family waiting to bring home their beautiful 8 year old daughter, Leiney Grace, from China!

Have a great weekend!

Faithful Friday - "Name Above All Names"

2011-11-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

It’s time for Faithful Friday again! I thank you so much for stopping by on Friday. We’d love for you to participate. If you have something to share from your Christian Walk, grab the button below, and head over to Joy’s blog (Doodlebug), and leave her a comment letting her know that you are participating so we can visit!

Just the other day driving down the road, listening to K-Love on the radio, this song really spoke to my heart. It was just one of those times that the tune first caught my attention. I thought the music was beautiful and listening closely to the words, it reminded me of all the things that Jesus is to me. The tears welled up in my eyes as I pondered all that He truly is. Honestly, how can I make it through a day without Him? The song is “I'd Need a Savior” by Among the Thirsty.

There are so many names for Jesus mentioned in the Bible. That really made me think of how grateful I am to Him for all that He is to me. There’s so much in His name. Every name for Jesus describes what He does and is to me. Every time I thought of one, I would get excited and think that just might be my favorite. Then I would think of another and think, no that one just might be my favorite. It's hard to beat Savior. But then again I love Wonderful Counselor. I seem to be depending on His counsel alot these days. Then there's Prince of Peace. Wow! Only He gives true peace in the middle of turmoil, and then there's Creator. Creator of everything.

Did you know that there are at least 100 names for Jesus mentioned in the Bible? How awesome is that? He really is everything we need. Just take a look!

Jesus. Name above all names.

What about you? Do you have a favorite name for Jesus?

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Don’t forget to come by this coming Monday to check out the fundraising auction hosted here on my blog for my friend, Jan, to help bring home precious 8 year old Leiney Grace. Come do some Christmas shopping!

Isn’t she beautiful?

Be blessed and have a great weekend!

Our Little English Major :)

2011-11-03T13:54:00.000-07:00

This is what our littlest student learned over the summer. :)

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Be sure and come back tomorrow for Faithful Friday, and even better, we'd love for you to participate! And remember Monday is the auction fundraiser hosted here on my blog to help the Bryant family who is bringing home their 8 year old daughter, Leiney Grace, from China!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great day! :)

Our Little Sock Monkey

2011-11-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

On Halloween, we spent a very low key family evening here at home. We actually attended a funeral visitation for a dear friend’s mother first and ate out for dinner (BBQ). We just realized sitting there, that we ate at the exact same spot last Halloween, and didn't even plan it that way. Afterwards, Luke did get a chance to wear his sock monkey costume that he won from Joy of Miracles, Markers and Me. Since we didn’t get to attend any church harvest parties or carnivals this year, we offered to take the kids to Walmart to pick out their favorite snacks and candies; go home and play a board game; and watch a family movie together. So we came home with candy of their choice, cookies, and popcorn; played our game, and watched our movie. It was much more relaxing and we all had a good time.

Here’s a few pics of our little sock monkey.

Joy didn’t dress up, but I did try to convince her to be the “Man in the Yellow Hat”. However, she opted to be simply Joy, which is special anyway. :)

And our little sock monkey fell asleep on the way home. The drive from town is just long enough to put him out. We had to wake him up for all the fun! :)

And he had to post for a couple of full length photos when we got home. Mama had to have those! Can you tell he had just woke up? :)

On another note, I wanted to announce a couple of things. First of all, next Monday, I will be hosting an auction for my friend, Jan. We met online as we were both waiting on our sons to come home from China. We hoped to travel together, but they ended up going a couple of weeks before us to bring their little two year old son, Hudson, home. They are now fundraising to bring home beautiful Leiney Grace, who is 8 years old. Knowing the blessing of adoption, I am honored and excited to be able to help them in this way. So beginning at 7:00 a.m. this coming Monday morning, November 7th, and extending through Thursday, November 10th at 5 p.m., there will be several items for auction here on my blog. All the proceeds will go to the Bryant family to help bring home their precious Leiney Grace. Please keep them in mind and come over and shop for Christmas! You can take care of some Christmas gifts while helping to bring home a precious child of God, and thus making one less orphan in this world!

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I also realized I made a mistake on a previous post. It was supposed to read that I am planning a giveaway when I reach 500 followers, not 600. That’s not quite so far away. So sorry for the mistake…….I seem to be making several of these lately. I think it’s time for wearing my glasses all the time.

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And lastly, there have been several people over a period of a few weeks that have emailed me with questions concerning décor/colors, etc.. I haven’t had an email address to direct the answer. So please, if you email me with a question, I would love to answer your question, but be sure to leave a way to contact you!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great day!

What If?

2011-10-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

If you’re like me, you’re probably concerned about the direction our country is headed. What if you had another choice? A real conservative choice?

But I don’t want to persuade you or convince you. Please check him out for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Read more about Herman Cain and what he stands for here.

What do you think?

A Bench Makeover

2011-10-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

My mother’s friend, Ms. Sally, gave Mama a bench that has been stored above the garage that is now The Cedar Loft. Since she had not done anything with it, Mama graciously gave it to us to be used in the loft. Thank you, Mama!

I forgot to purposely take a photo of it "before", but I found one in a shot that I took of the general loft area before we got started on it:

We finally got around to giving it a makeover! Jason used the sprayer and painted it the same red (heirloom red) as the kitchen cabinets in the loft. I then distressed it with my favorite antiquing glaze and then we gave it one layer of polyurethane to bring out the distressing. Actually these pictures really don't show the distressing that well. It shows up much more in person.

Here's the bench now:

I love all the little dings and dents in it. I think they show up a little more with the polyurethane. Actually, I think those dents are kind of special. Ms. Sally’s daughter, Tracy, was a friend of mine through school. Ms. Sally says that bench sat in their hallway near the telephone and those dents came from all the times her three kids sat on the bench talking on the phone.

When I first saw the bench, I knew it would be perfect placed at the foot of the bed for additional seating space for the small loft. I love the way it looks there.

Every little detail that we add just seems to more character to The Cedar Loft. It is coming along slowly now, but we will eventually get it the way we want it. In a way, not being able to do it all at once is a blessing in itself, because it gives us something to look forward to. And that’s always a good thing!

Thank you so much to old and new followers, for your visits and your comments. I’m thinking about a giveaway when I hit 500 followers, which means I need to give my carpenter some ideas too. Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

Faithful Friday - "Encouragement"

2011-10-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

I’m a little later today getting my Faithful Friday post on. But I didn’t forget! Faithful Fridays was started by my daughter, Joy, as a way to set aside one day a week to share something from our Christian Walk with the blogging world. Sharing should be done everyday, in the way we live, and the words we say and in our relationships, but we like to specifically set aside a day and this is that day. If you would like to participate, just grab the button, and leave Joy a comment here, letting her know you are participating, so we can visit your blog too.

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that wasn’t in need of encouragement at some point in their life. We all have low points or just a time in our life where we need a little push, or know that someone cares about what we’re going through. Sometimes that comes through family or friends, and that’s great. We should encourage one another. But family and friends, because we are all human, will fail us. Not intentionally, but because we are all imperfect. However, there is One that we can depend on no matter what. First you have to know Him. His name is Jesus. And his invitation to know Him is open to anyone.

“Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 (NIV)

And that’s not by how good we are or things we do, it’s a gift from God to anyone who desires it:

“For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

So you see, it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what you’ve come from, how bad you’ve been, how good you are, we all come to Christ the same way! And you don’t have to be in church to do this. You can do this anywhere; wherever you are. Jesus meets you right where you are.

After you know Him, then you have a special relationship with God and He is with you, everywhere you go and everything you do. He gives us encouragement through promises in His Word. And God’s Word can be trusted and depended on for all aspects of a Christian’s life:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Honestly, I don’t know how folks get through this life without that assurance. I know that I can depend on God, no matter what. If everyone else fails me, or if everything falls apart, He cares. He won’t leave me or forsake me. That is the only true comfort that exists.

Here are few scriptures of promise from God’s Word that especially encourage and comfort me:

“Be strong and courageous. Do no fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

And this one is one of my very favorite sources of encouragement and comfort:

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

And there are more:

“It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

“Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

God didn’t promise that we wouldn’t have problems, troubles, or tribulation. Because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, sin entered this world, at which time entered pain, death, and suffering. But God did promise us that He would be with us, giving us peace and comfort. We must seek Him for this and trust Him. God is faithful, folks. It’s true!

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”. John 16:33

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

And He promises to guide us and carry us through these times:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8

And here's another of my very favorite ones for guidance because a lot of times I can’t understand why I’m going through a particular trial or why this is happening, but God tells me to not worry about understanding it but to lean on him and trust Him in all my ways and He will carry me through and guide me:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him; and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

And lest you think these words were meant for previous times and not for modern days, know that Jesus Christ never changes. What was real and true back then, is real and true for today.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

I know how discouraging this world can be. Whether you’re going through something emotional, something financial, loss of a loved one, stress, depression, a tragedy, hurtful relationships, feeling of being alone, thoughts that you can’t escape, and more…….God cares! He yearns for you to seek Him, lean on Him, trust Him, and let Him carry you through.

I hope this encourages you as much as it does me. Remember first you have to know Him, and then boy when you do, just look what you have! You have something that has overcome this world! You have victory in any circumstance.

And can I add one more thing? If you’ve never seen the movie, Facing the Giants, watch it! I think God wants us to give Him praise through bad times as well as through the good times. Just continue to trust Him through it all. This movie is a good example of all of this. You will be encouraged watching it. One of my favorite quotes from it has to do with a point where fear and faith collides. When they do, will your faith win or your fear? Watch this movie! It is available on DVD.

Oh, and another thing..... When you get in your car or you’re at home where you can listen to the radio, find K-Love on your radio. It’s positive, encouraging, and uplifting music that continually feeds my soul. It’s available across the nation in most every city. You can actually listen at home on the link I provided above, and you can go here to find a radio station near you. Why not let these words flow into your ears and to your heart as you drive or are at home relaxing? I promise you that you will be blessed and encouraged!

I hope these words and God's Word encourages you as much as it does me. And from me to you, here’s a big hug to go with it too!

**EDITED** I just came from Joy's blog to preview her post (and she previews mine) and we both just discovered, without knowing what the other one was doing, that our posts coincide with each other. So please go over and read her post. She talks about how God can use your sufferings for Him and how some of these times when you need encouragement are actually a blessing. Read it here.

Be encouraged……and be blessed!
~ Tammy ~

Me......From A to Z.

2011-10-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

I've really enjoyed reading "Me...From A to Z" on several of my blogging buddies' blogs. I thought it would be fun, so I decided to participate. So did Joy.....and you can read hers here.

Okay, here goes:

A – Age. I just turned 48 in August and I’m very glad and blessed to have another birthday to celebrate!

B – Bed. We still sleep in a full size (double) bed. No queen or king size. Until a few months ago, it was Luke in the bed with us too until he decided that he would sleep with Joy (he doesn’t sleep in the beautiful bed Jason made him), and that he would keep Joy warm and daddy could keep mama warm. I feel like we have SO much room now.

C – Chores I hate. Hmm….I think that would have to be cleaning the shower in the master bathroom. It’s hard to reach it all without just getting in and getting totally yucky!

D – Dogs. No dogs now. We have one very spoiled cat named Bambi.

E – Essential to start my day. Well I don’t want to ever start my day without praying. Other than that, I do want my diet dew.

F – Favorite color – Red. Most definately red.

G – Gold or silver? – Neither one really. If I have to pick, I’d have to say I like silver better. I do like my earrings, and probably prefer silver between the two. However, my wedding ring is gold, so I do love gold for that reason.

H – Height. I’m 5’7”. One thing I’ve always liked….being relatively tall.

I – Instrument I play. Piano. I love the piano. I started taking lessons when I was 10 and began teaching lessons when I was about 14 to fill in for my teacher when she couldn’t teach. I started playing piano in church at age 14 also. I am now a piano teacher. I got my piano for my 12th birthday so it's special to me.

J – Job Title. Christian. That's the most important one. I really love being wife and mom, although I don’t really consider that a job. Let’s see, homemaker, piano teacher, Mary Kay beauty consultant, homeschool coordinator, blogger....

K – Kids. I have 3. I would have loved to have a house full of kids. What is not to love about kids? I love teaching them and have taught kids in church and still do, as well as homeschooling my own.

L – Live Where? In the Mid-South; with farm fields around.

M – Make of car. (Black) Mazda 3 Sport. Love the gas mileage, but it is small.

N – Nicknames – By my daddy: “Toots”. By Jason: “Tiger”, “babe or baby”, “hon or honey”, and he calls Joy and me “his girls”. By a previous employer as a teenager: “Tammy Tutu”.

O – Overnight hospital stay – I think I had several as a baby. I was sick as a baby to the point that my dad wasn’t sure if he wanted to have more kids. Luckily my mom talked him into it, or my brother, Richie, might not be around today. In my adulthood, my only overnight hospital stay was when I was in the hospital giving birth to Ms. Joy Max.

P – Pet Peeve. – I really don’t like to be lied to about anything by anyone. But the little nit-picky thing is probably that I can’t stand people smacking their gum. I have been known to take it away from piano students. (Mean, mean, teacher, I know). It’s a joke around our house to not give Jason gum because I tell him he doesn’t know how to chew it – he kind of has a sort of way that I call “cocky” when he chews gum. Told you I was nit-picky about it.

Q - Quote from a movie. – Around our house for a few years, we’ve jokingly done quotes from Nacho Libre. I love several quotes from Facing the Giants and Courageous – one that I remember especially was “the point where fear and faith collide”. I like that. I also like from Facing the Giants, "With God, all things are possible".

R – Right or left handed? – Right handed, but I do some things as a left-handed person would do, such as I hold a baby in my right arm and feed them with my left. I hold my purse on my right shoulder. I have always placed my children in their crib or lay them down in the manner that a left-handed person does (as in putting their head at the opposite end of the bed). My mother tells me I’m confused. Also I when I sit down certain items, I might turn them as a left- handed person does (such as pitchers with handles).

S – Siblings. I have one brother, Richie, who is 4 years younger than me. My parents lost twin girls before me, so had they lived, I would have twin sisters that would be 51 years old.

That's my brother, Richie, and his family (before Sydney & Ellie).

T – TV Shows. – We don’t watch TV; no cable or satellite; only Netflix and DVDs. I would have to say that I have always loved Little House on the Prairie though.

U – Underwear. - What?

V – Veggie I hate. Spinach

W – What makes me late? – Getting all of our school done, getting Luke ready, then remembering to take everything I need for where I’m going since we live a ways from town and I try to take care of everything I can when we make trips to town.

X – X-rays. – None lately. Have never broken a bone except my little pinky finger. Do mammograms count?

Y – Yummy food. – Mexican is my favorite! I also love Italian and Asian food though!

Z – Zoo Animals - Well I think visiting the monkeys is fun and the most entertaining. My brother and I used to stand in front of the monkeys for the longest and watch them. My brother could make this sound just like them and get them all going….making the sounds. It’s the kind that their throats puff up when they’re making the sounds. I also thought that the orangutans were interesting but they sometimes are kind of scary because they stare so much.

What scares me? – Well I really don’t like snakes at all. Not any kind of snake. Don’t even tell me there are good snakes. That doesn’t work. I don’t like them. I don’t like lizards either. And I don’t like horror movies. The direction our country is headed also scares me. Oh, and I'm afraid of heights.

And 5 Things You Didn't Know About Me:

1) I love to smell coffee but I don't like to drink it.

2) I don't like to go out without my makeup if I can help it. I even got up early the morning after Joy was born and put it on to be ready for visitors.

3) I would love to adopt again.

4) My middle name is Lyn. (only one N).

5) When I was little, I always said I was naming my daughter Laura. I still like that name too. (Joy is named after my mom and Jason's mom and Joy just fits her anyway).

Little Cabin in the Woods

2011-10-25T05:20:00.000-07:00

Peaceful. Relaxing. Serene. Beautiful. Refreshing. Those are just a few of the words that describe our little getaway at the little cabin in the woods.

And to think that it’s less than an hour’s drive from our home is encouraging because I foresee more little hopeful getaways in our future. :)

But, I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

And yes, it was cold enough for a fire. So cozy!

Joy's friend, Christina, went with us.

Luke hung right in there with us through all the hiking and kept up like a champ!

We found a tree, along the trail, carved with Jason and Joy's initials. :)

It was a greatly needed simple retreat for us all, next to nature. We’re home now and of course, there’s no place like home. :)

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Have a great week!

Faithful Friday - "I Trust in Jesus"

2011-10-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, as we were preparing for our mini vacation, I was thinking ahead to what I would like to post for this Faithful Friday. I wanted to get a post scheduled for Friday, since we were leaving on Wednesday. Several things came to mind, but nothing really felt right. So I did nothing. Now I know why.

For quite some time now, for probably almost two years, Jason and I have been praying about some changes in our lives. We’ve just turned it over to the Lord and asked Him to lead us and to have His way and show us His plan for us. It really has seemed like nothing was happening – everything was the same – and we really weren’t seeing a real answer to this prayer and we kept wondering why God wasn’t answering or showing us. And we didn’t want to act ourselves and make wrong decisions that were of our own doing, instead of His, so we’ve just been waiting for God’s Will to unfold concerning this. And waiting isn’t easy.

Well, as I write this post on Thursday afternoon (and schedule it to post for Friday a.m.), we are away on our little vacation, snug and cozy in our cabin, our family (minus Colt) plus Joy’s friend Christina. While here, just earlier today, Jason received news that will affect us a great deal financially. Not exactly the news we want to hear anytime, let alone on vacation. And not exactly the news we hoped to hear in answer to our prayer either. However, after getting this news, I know I should have been worried and even depressed, but honestly I’m not. I feel more of a peace. This is not of me, but only because I know God is in control. God is good. He loves us and promises He won’t leave us. If he cares enough for the lilies of the field and the sparrows, how much more He cares for His children!

So then, I also had the answer to what I would post for Faithful Friday. I know this has to be part of God’s plan for us and in the days and weeks to come, reality will set in and it’s going to be tough and I’m sure my human nature is going to kick in at some point and I will worry and Jason will worry. I had to put it here so that when we see God’s will unfold, all can see what God can do and will do if we trust in Him. And it is our desire to trust Him completely! And because I know I have Christian friends that read this blog, and I’m asking you to please pray for our family. We trust in Jesus to handle this and not only carry us through, but to give us Victory in it, and we will give Him the honor and glory for it!

Thanks in advance for your prayers, as we trust in Jesus and wait on Him to show us His plan.

If you would like to share something for Faithful Friday, we'd love for you to join in. Just grab the Faithful Friday button above and click over to Joy's blog and leave her a comment letting her know you participated, so we can come visit you too. :)

This is the Stuff.........

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love moments like this. In a rare moment (on camera), Luke cooperated and sang with Joy. Notice the foot motion. And they’re holding their pretend microphones. Yeah, “This is the Stuff” I definitely treasure! :)

** Song - This is the Stuff (by Francesca Battistelli) **

A Pinch of Autumn (The Cedar Loft)

2011-10-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

Since we’ve been staying out in the Cedar Loft on Friday nights, I just had to add a “pinch” of fall out there.

The center of the table:

Three simple pumpkins on the bar:

Linda of Parker’s Paradise sent me another little fall goodie envelope the other day, so when I opened it, I knew immediately where at least part of it was going…..into The Cedar Loft! Thank you, Linda! You are SO sweet!

It was more bittersweet (like she sent me last year which I reused in the house this year)! I think having bittersweet sprinkled throughout just oozes autumn! So I knew adding that to the loft would definitely give it the touch of fall it needed! It added instant cozy, I think. :)

On top of the refrigerator

I have plans to cover that outlet. :)

She also sent this little “Autumn Blessings” stitched pillow tuck that she made. Actually Mr. Luke helped figure out where to put it. He was trying it out different places. (I guess he can’t help himself with a Mama that walks around tweaking with her decorating constantly). And he really did come up with a good spot, so there it stayed! I added it to the fabric pumpkins that Gina made me. I think it’s perfect there. This is in the house, not the loft.

And slowly, but surely, I’m adding a little more décor to the loft. I will share it with you later, when I have added more. My goodness, before I know it, it will be Christmas décor time and I can’t wait to add Christmas touches to the loft too!

Oh, and this is the fabric I’m thinking of using for the valance above the bed and the tier for the dormer window. What do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate each and every reader and comment!

Blessings,
Tammy

Faithful Friday - "You Never Know"

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

You never know just who might be watching, reading, or listening to what you have to say. I knew that already, and I take very seriously what I put out there on my blog for others to read. I always pray that God will use me, in the way I live my life, as well as what I write. Well, what a confirmation and blessing it was to hear that God used me through something I wrote. I was brought to tears, with a smile on my face, as I opened my inbox to find an email from Sarah W., all the way from England. Sarah had emailed me awhile back telling me that she read my blog and thanked me for what I share. She also shared with me at that time that she had come to Christ, as did her husband and daughter. Well back to yesterday’s email that I opened, there was even more good news and to think I played a tiny part in such a blessing. I asked Sarah if I could share with my readers today on Faithful Friday, and she said she would be honored for me to share it and that she wanted to be an encouragement to others. So here’s Sarah’s email. Thank you, Sarah! And congratulations! :)

Hello Tammy,

Do you remember me…the girl from England who became a Christian about a year and a half ago? I sent you an email months ago to tell you I was so inspired by your blog, and I have followed it avidly ever since then! We read about your talk with your husband about having more children (before you adopted Luke). Well, on discussing with my husband about Christian families having Godly offspring and passing on their faith through the next generation, we decided to have another child! So I am 16 weeks pregnant now, and this is pretty amazing as our other kids are 13 and 18 (I am 38) and my husband always said he didn't want anymore! (he is 41 and felt he might be too old, but changed his mind obviously!) But the Lord has really worked in our hearts and changed our views of having more children. We can see now that it is His ultimate blessing for us. Seeing the photos of Joy showing such obvious love and care for Luke, really spoke to my heart too! Anyway I just thought you might like to know that what you write on your blog can contribute to the spiritual journey of others...and even help to bring another life into this world- Praise the Lord!!! I will keep you posted!

Love in Jesus,
Sarah W. :O) xxx

I want to encourage all Christians out there to share what you can, when you can, because we all need encouragement. And although you might think you don’t have anything extraordinary to share, you never know just who might need to hear what you have to say. Each one of us have different experiences and by sharing our experiences, we never know when we may be helping or encouraging someone that may be going through the exact same thing, whether that be a hardship or just a new chapter in their life or spiritual journey. By sharing what God has done for us, it encourages other to not give up hope and to trust in the Lord because He cares about even the smallest of things when it concerns His children. And sometimes, it might just play a part in another child coming into this world into a Christian family. :) Can you see me beaming here?

Faithful Fridays is just one way we can share. My daughter, Joy, came up with the idea awhile back of setting aside one day a week to share on our blogs (hers and mine) what God lays on our heart or an experience or answered prayer from our Christian walk, in hopes that we may encourage other Christians along their spiritual journey, and to invite others to join us. We would love for you to participate! Just grab the Faithful Friday button and leave Joy (or me) a comment letting us know you are participating, so we can read your post and be encouraged as well!

Another thing……..if you haven’t seen the movie, “Courageous” yet, please…….GO SEE IT! And take your tissues with you, because when you’re not laughing, you will be crying! It is a wonderful movie!

Oh, and one more thing......today is my sweet hubby's 51st birthday! I want to wish Jason a Happy Birthday! You make 51 look good, honey! And thank you for being a "courageous" man! I love you! :)

Be Blessed!
~ Tammy ~

The Pioneer Days

2011-10-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

The pioneer days are absolutely my favorite time period in history! I’ve always felt that way, even since my childhood. It was evident by the names I chose for my dolls (old fashioned ones), the things I pretended (traveling in a covered wagon and living on a prairie), stories I wrote (wrote a book called “Country Girl”), books I read (books from the pioneer era), and the shows I loved to watch (greatly anticipated every episode of Little House on the Prairie).

As much as I love the pioneer days, I am still very grateful for many of our modern conveniences. I really don’t care for outhouses. And yes, I have had my experiences with those at my Aunt Jo and Uncle Wayne's cabin. :) I also like my washing machine. They washed them by hand, but then again, they didn’t have the (unnecessary) excess of clothing we have these days.

I think what appeals to me about this time period is the simple way of life. I especially like the way life was centered around the family in every way. I really like their morals much more than these days' morals. I even like their dresses, bonnets, and aprons as well as the guys’ overalls and suspenders. And of course, the pioneer homes (especially log ones) appeal to me, as well as their simple décor.

And speaking of simple décor, I thought I’d share a little with you from a homeschool field trip we took a couple of weeks ago. It was a pioneer homestead complete with homes, school, church, blacksmith, and more. The folks were dressed in attire from the pioneer days sharing with us and making things such as sorghum, soap, brooms, quilts, kettle popcorn, etc. I’d thought I’d share a little of the pioneer days for all of you out there that share this love of the pioneer days with me! :)

And you know I have to share one of my kiddos...... :) And I loved this one. They were listening to the men playing the guitars and singing on the front porch of one of the cabins.

And back in April while in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, we also visited another little walk through pioneer village. Here’s more from that day:

And what pioneer loving person doesn’t love episodes of Little House on the Prairie? We most certainly have been enjoying them! My mom owns a few of the seasons on DVD (and has loaned them to us), so our family has been watching an episode or two every evening, beginning with Season 1. Just about every episode teaches a great moral lesson and I get to take in all that (prim) prairie décor in the Ingalls’ cabin! And I love their prairie cabin! I actually feel like I have my own little prairie cabin now with The Cedar Loft. :)

I know not everyone shares this love of pioneer days as a favorite time period in history. I have a friend that just loves everything about the medieval times. So what about you? What’s your favorite time period in history?

Faithful Friday - "Walking the Walk"

2011-10-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

It’s Friday, which means it’s “Faithful Friday”, the day that Joy and I have set aside to share something from our Christian walk to encourage others along this path of life as we strive to live our lives to honor our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, I’d like to share what I’m calling, “Walking the Walk”. I often wonder how many times we, or I, have been the cause of someone not choosing the path of Christ. That’s a strong statement, but on the other hand, it’s a big responsibility we have as Christians to live our lives so that others can see Jesus in us. In other words, are we pointing people to Christ by the way we live our lives, or are we a stumbling block?

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness.
Titus 2:7 (NIV)

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

I remember hearing someone say once concerning church, “Why go to church?” “I mean, I live a better life than most people I know that go to church.” That statement ought to really bother us, as Christians. If we can go to church and hear God’s Word Sunday after Sunday and walk away and not apply that to our lives in the way we live, I wonder how many people that affects negatively?

Someone is always watching to see if “we are the real thing”. For me, the way I fail in this is being quick to anger, and an attitude comes to the surface which results in snippety words before I think. That is especially true at fast food drive-throughs, when people are just plain rude. But whether they are rude or not, I might be the only Jesus they might possibly see that day. So am I pointing them to Christ in the way I act? No. And I don’t want to be the reason they don’t come to the Lord. I have to pray about this constantly. It’s a hard thing for me. I really do want to be able to do as the scripture says above and “set an example by doing what is good in my speech and in life”.

Another is by being honest in all of our dealings…..people of integrity. We are to be set apart in every way. Someone is watching to see if we are the “real thing”….whether it be the cashier that gave us back too much change and we return that dime to them instead of thinking it’s only a dime, what does it matter. Or it could be our kids that are watching. To me that’s really serious! Are we living our life in such a way that we are being a stumbling block to them by telling them to do one thing and living another, or are we pointing them to Christ?

In other words, do people only hear us "talking the talk" or are we "walking the walk"?

If you have something you’d like to share for Faithful Friday, we’d love to hear it! Grab the button above and leave Joy a comment on her blog, here, letting her know!

Be blessed,
~ Tammy ~

Goodies for The Cedar Loft

2011-10-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

When we returned home from our weekend in Alabama, there was a package waiting for me. There’s nothing like coming home to find a package with your name on it, is there? Anyway, it didn’t take me long to tear into it to find something wonderful, sent to me from a friend I met through blogging. Julie F. is a friend that I first met when she found my blog and emailed me. It blossomed from there. We discovered we have a lot in common. And the most recent thing we have in common is that she just returned home from China to bring home her 9 year old beautiful daughter, Mia. :)

What a wonderful gift she sent! Julie weaved this basket around an antique kitchen strainer. She thought it would look good in The Cedar Loft, and she is so right! I have just the place in mind and hope to get it hung there this weekend! Thank you SO much, Julie! I just love it!

And last week, our homeschooling group went on a field trip (which I will tell about in a later post), and I came home with two goodies, also for The Cedar Loft. First of all, remember the soap dish that Mama and Daddy brought back for the bathroom in The Cedar Loft? Well, I found this peg rack that matches it and had to bring it home to add to the bathroom.

And I definitely couldn’t pass up this sconce for $2.00! I know I will find a home for it somewhere in the loft as well. Isn’t it great?

So as you see, I need to get the hammer and nails ready for our weekend in the loft because I have a few more décor items to add! Every little thing I add seems to add more character, so it’s fun watching it transform into a cozy living space!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I’d also like to invite you to join us for Faithful Fridays tomorrow! We’d love for you to share a post too!

Have a great Thursday!

Blessings,
Tammy

Simply Fall....

2011-10-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

I just love the colors of fall and the instant cozy feeling those colors add to our home. I’ve had my fall décor out for a couple of weeks now and am finally getting around to posting some pictures of our simple fall décor. And I do mean simple. :) I really just sprinkle what I have here and there and it seems like just enough to invoke that cozy fall feeling, especially when I add the smells of fall with pumpkin and other spicy candles and room sprays!

Looking through the photos, I realized just how many of my fall decorations came from my blogging friends.....Mandy, Colleen, Linda, Gina, and Dawn. Thank you so much, ladies! I'm proud to display your creations and gifts in my home! :)

We’ll start with the kitchen………

Linda of Parker’s Paradise sent me some bittersweet last year and I stored it in Ziploc bags and it kept really well. I just love this stuff. I had never seen it before, except in pictures until she sent me my own. I love adding little sprigs of it throughout. Such a small touch adds so much, I think.

Now moving into the dining room……

And into the living room………

The foyer:

And a little bit more on the sunporch:

Fall really is my favorite season (since you can’t count Christmas as a season)! What about you? Do you do lots of fall decorating or simply fall decorating?

Thanks so much for stopping by! Happy Fall! :)

Faithful Friday - "Courageous"

2011-09-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

When films like this one come along, I think it would be wonderful for Christians to support it, especially on opening weekend! Let’s show Hollywood that this is the kind of movie we want for our families. And this one opens today (September 30th) in theatres.

Have you heard of it? It’s called “Courageous”. Maybe you’ve heard the song by Casting Crowns. If not, you really should hear it, so I’m including it here first. Just listen to those words. Wow! And it’s the theme song for the movie.

Here’s the synopsis for the movie.

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, they are confident and focused, standing up to the worst the streets can offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge they're ill prepared to tackle: fatherhood. When tragedy strikes home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Sherwood Pictures, creators of Fireproof, returns with this heartfelt, action-packed story. Protecting the streets is second nature to these law enforcement officers. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That takes courage.

Since I haven’t seen it (yet), I really can’t say anymore about it, except that any movie that encourages husbands and dads to step up and be a wonderful role model and spiritual leader of the family is definitely the kind of movie I want for my family. It’s from the creators of Fireproof, and if you saw that, you know how good (and uplifting) it was! They also produced Flywheel and Facing the Giants. All of these were very good family films that deal with issues that families face these days.

We plan to see it this weekend. I encourage you to support this film and do yourself and your family a wonderful thing by going to see this movie!

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If you would like to participate in Faithful Fridays, which was created so that Christians can share their faith, please grab the button at the top of this page, and click here to Joy’s blog (Doodlebug) and leave her a comment letting her know you are participating. We’d love to visit!

Be Blessed!
~ Tammy ~

A Package for Luke

2011-09-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

Oh what an exciting day it was for Luke when our mail lady left a package at the front door for him! He knew that a package was on its way, so he was waiting.

Recently, we entered Joy G.'s (Miracles, Markers, and Me) contest for adoptive parents. We joined her for “Thursday Tea”. The contest question for her giveaway was to tell your child’s favorite book(s) after bringing him/her home. Her two sweet daughters and the third grade class would be choosing winners based on the answers. Well, imagine our surprise when Joy G. left me a comment letting me know that Luke was one of the winners! The winners were to receive a pair of pajamas and a book.

Luke’s favorite book when he came home (and one which he still loves) was (and is) Caps for Sale. He loves the silliness of it, and of course we have to put a lot of drama into it as we read it, which has always made him cackle. And it has a lot of repetitiveness to it, which I think helped him learn his English as well.

Another favorite was (and is) The Little Fur Family. All of my children have loved that book. It tells the sweet story of the love of a family portrayed through little “fur people”. This story just has an air of coziness, sweetness, love, and the security of a family and home. Plus it has a song at the end in which I made up a tune when Colt was little. I have continued to sing it to each of my children.

And as of lately, a favorite book of his has been Green Eggs and Ham. He loves quoting that book. And of course, it helped when we made him his green eggs and ham which I posted about here.

So fast forward………the third grade class made Luke one of the winners……….and his package arrived Saturday! Luke was SO excited!

And wow! How generous they were! Joy G. knew Luke loved cars (and any type of vehicle), so it also included a Cars book and stamp set.

And going with the theme of Caps for Sale with the monkeys and all…………an album of Curious George stories! Luke loves these!

They included a special (very sweet) inscription inside:

He's had the whole family reading it to him. Joy received the first honor:

And a sneak peek of something else “monkey”…….

Aren’t these pajamas (which can also double as a costume) the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen? Oh my goodness!

And since he plans on wearing it to our Harvest party the first week of November, I’ll save a photo of him as a little sock monkey to share for then!

Thank you so much Ms. Joy G, Olivia, Lian, and the third grade class for picking us! Luke thanks you and he thinks you girls rock too!

A Color and a Cut (The New Natural) :)

2011-09-24T17:08:00.000-07:00

Colt’s fiancee, Amber, recently got her cosmetologist license and is getting her business started at one of “The” places to work (locally), when it comes to hair salons.

I went to Amber for the first time Friday, because I was way overdue for a color, cut, and eyebrow wax. And yes, I color my hair and we may never know my true hair color these days, because I have no plans of seeing the natural (if I can help it). I like to think of it as “the new natural”.

I’ve gradually been growing my hair out after an inverted bob a few years ago (which I did love) because I wanted a change and it’s nice to be able to wear my hair up when I want to do so.

I think Amber did a great job! I was very pleased with the layers she put in it. I don’t know if you can tell by the pictures, but I have very fine and thin hair, so anything that gives it volume, I’m all for! She added some layers and gave me “my red” with blondish highlights for depth and dimension. Guess I love red everything, right? :)

And sorry that the pictures aren't the best quality. We grabbed Jason's camera instead of mine (which is a small point and shoot camera) and Joy just snapped some quick photos for me.

These photos were taken the day after (today), which means I styled my own hair. Believe me the style looked much better when Amber did it. Doesn’t it always look better when they do it though? I noticed that I have it a little puffy there in the back. Wish I had thought to take the photos yesterday. Oh well….

Anyway, I just had to “brag” on her a little bit here because I am really proud of her. I think she’s going to be great at her work! She is very creative. I think my hair is in good hands. :)

Faithful Friday - "Happiness is a Choice"

2011-09-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's time for Faithful Friday again. Everyday is a day to share God's love and what He's done for us, but Friday is a day we've set aside to especially make a point to do so to encourage and lift up one another. If you would like to participate, grab the button below, click over to Joy's blog and leave her a comment letting her know you're participating, and we'll come visit! :)

I really believe that happiness is a choice. But let me be quick to tell you that I have most definitely not mastered this, so I’m really pointing a finger back at me as I write this. However, I am really trying.

I do know that the people that I really enjoy being around or those that make me feel inspired or refreshed after having been in their presence seem to be those that choose to be happy.

The Bible really has several things to say about this:

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Psalm 68:3

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:13

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Wow. I especially love that last one. It’s true! Laughter, or a joyful heart is actually good for your health!

I’m amazed when we visit the Nursing Home at the folks that end up lifting me up by their happy attitude. I was talking to one particular lady there, Ms. Viola, recently. I told her how I thought it was really admirable the way she gets up every day, makes her bed herself, cleans her bathroom, helps others around her, and is just a lovely person to be around and that I always felt encouraged after having visited her. I went on to say that I thought every person needs something to look forward to everyday, whether that thing is something small (as in playing bingo for the nursing home residents or taking care of the flowers in the garden in Ms. Viola’s case), or bigger things.

I believe that to be true. Find something in every day to look forward to. For me, sometimes that thing is making a blog post. Sometimes it is to continue the read-aloud that Joy and I are engrossed in, sitting down to enjoy my Country Sampler magazine, or other times it may be going to a particular place, or even decorating. But I always try to find one thing to look forward to everyday and I’ve encouraged Joy to do the same. I think this helps in making the choice of happiness.

I know there are situations in which it is very hard to choose to be happy because all feels hopeless. Sometimes in that position, happiness can be found in helping others. Actually God can give us that kind of happiness, but we still have to choose to embrace it.

I guess I just wanted this post to encourage others to stop and think about what it is you have to be thankful about, to wake up and purposefully have the thought that God made this day and to make the choice to be happy in it. Try to look forward to something (at least one thing) in your day. Set out to find some way to help someone else that day or put a smile on someone’s face.

Happiness is a choice and smiles are contagious. That’s one thing that’s nice to spread around.

It's That Time of Year Again......

2011-09-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

The evenings around here have been cooler and just right for 4-wheeler rides. So for the last two weeks, right after supper, we’ve loaded up ….4-wheeler, wagon, and kids…. and enjoyed a ride on the farm field roads around our home and the back gravel roads. It’s something we all have been looking forward to each evening!

Would you like to come along?

Okay, here we go…..

We're starting off in the field right behind the house......

Joy and Luke are back there with a little padding because it’s a little bumpy.

Past the neighbor’s pond…….

Across the road in another field…..it's a little bumpy here!

Down the gravel road....

More neighbors down the gravel road……don’t they have a pretty house?

Yep, it's a dead end road, but I love the house at the end of this little dead end road so we always ride this way.....

Sorry for the blurry photo.....it's kind of hard taking a picture from a moving 4-wheeler. :)

And here it is.......isn't this just the cutest house? I think it just looks so cozy and homey. :)

Here we go through the little "tunnel of trees"....

Cutting back through the fields again headed toward home...

It's starting to get a little dark, so here we are coming in at the back of the house. Hold on, we have to go down into the ditch to get into the backyard.....

And here we are. It was fun, but there's no place like home.

Looks like the little ride put Mr. Luke to sleep....

That happens a good bit of the time. His Joy carries him inside...

Home again until tomorrow evening after supper!

Hope you enjoyed the ride!

The Cedar Loft..........Revealed.

2011-09-19T21:07:00.000-07:00

The Cedar Loft is, for the most part, completed. And we made our deadline of Labor Day! We are very thankful to my dad for all his work on the plumbing and electricity and my mom for helping whip it in shape at the last minute, as well as Colt helping us on Saturday mornings. There are still several little things that need to be done, but it is definitely a living space now! Most of the things left now are really just "wants" and cosmetic things.

As I mentioned in a former post, our first guests, Kim, Chuck, and their girls, stayed up there over the Labor Day weekend. And we’ve already enjoyed two Friday nights up there too, followed by Saturday morning breakfast. Grandmama and Pop came over and joined us for breakfast the last two weeks in our cozy loft.

I’m excited about the decorating part, but it will just take time since funds are low. Oh well, I will definitely have something to look forward to and will be keeping my eye out for bargains now. :)

Some of the “little” things still left to do include more trim pieces (several in the bathroom), little spaces stained where boards were cut, my bench painted and put at the foot of the bed, the chest put in the dormer window by the bed, night stands by the bed, a free standing cupboard in the kitchen (Jason will build this and I’m really looking forward to it), curtains over the bed and in the dormer window, wall décor, coffee table, rugs, a TV/DVD player………… Wow….that sounds like alot when I typed it. Oh well, we will eventually get there.

In spite of the things left to do, we’re enjoying it as it is. I can envisioning the Christmas holidays up there and enjoying my anticipated Christmas movies there as well. We just might make a regular Friday night treat out of it. It’s nice having a special retreat in our own backyard actually.

Well, I won’t keep you waiting any longer……..here’s The Cedar Loft……….

The little spot next to the refrigerator will be the spot for the free standing cupboard.

Closer look at the countertops

The bathroom…..it actually turned out to be rather roomy and especially has a cabin feel to it.

Don't you just love Jason's toilet paper holder design? He surprised me with this!

One of the curtains is the shower and the one across is a double closet with a curtain in front of it.

My mom and dad brought this home from Alabama to add to our bathroom. I love it!

You can see the little spot for the cupboard here. You can also catch a glimpse of the laundry area here too.

The little laundry room/pantry area.

Jason's design for closet doors.

I really like the way the bathroom is on an angle. It seems more roomy.

Pure Sunshine.......Waiting.

2011-09-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

This waiting little girl in China has stolen my heart……..totally and completely!

From the first pictures I saw of her…………

to the most recent ones.

She actually reminds me of Luke in a couple of the photos. She also has spina bifida – (post-op myelomeningocele and post-op right foot inversion). She is 7 years old (born April 2004).

Isn't she beautiful? She just has a sparkle about her!

She is known as "Whitney" with BAAS and she just needs someone to be her family. Maybe that could be you? She loves baths, bright colors, and dressing up. I can just see her coming home to a girly girl bedroom, painting her fingernails and toenails, growing out her hair and dressing up! I'm sure she'd have her daddy wrapped around her little finger too. A little princess.......

If you are interested, you can email me at countrygirlathome@att.net or contact Xiaoqing at xqcai@comcast.net for more information.

Faithful Friday - "Home Beyond the Sun" (A Movie Review)

2011-09-16T05:49:00.000-07:00

I’m not quite sure how it can possibly be Friday already, but here it is! This week has flown by for us. That means it’s also time for Faithful Friday – a day we’ve set aside especially to share something from our Christian walk. Of course, everyday is a day to live and share Jesus.

If you would like to participate, leave Joy (Doodlebug) a comment on her blog letting her know and grab her button below, so we can visit your Faithful Friday post as well.

Not too long ago, I shared my heart on “Taking Control of the TV”. It really is something we’ve just grown accustomed to not letting have much of a priority at all in our home. We don't have cable or satellite anymore. At any given time, you most certainly will see Luke’s learning videos/DVDs playing for him. But really other than that, our TV is rarely used, except for the occasional good family DVD, instant Netflix documentary or movie, or Answers in Genesis DVD. (Now when Christmas gets here, it is on a deal more because I LOVE Christmas movies). However, there’s one movie that Joy and I especially love and have watched now several times, so I just had to share it today because if you’re looking for an inspirational wholesome, uplifting movie, you really should watch this. And I love it when I find a movie that I can feel good about sharing with my family or someone shares a movie they discovered as well. Be warned that this movie, more than likely, doesn't meet Hollywood's standards of production quality of filming, but honestly, I don't care too much for Hollywood's standard of anything, so it's quite easy for me to overlook. I judge it by the content, more than the quality of filming.

This one is a Christian drama set in China.

I can’t sum it up any better than the review I found below.

"Home Beyond the Sun" is the story of despair and hope, deceit and compassion, depression and renewal. It follows the adventures of a young Christian woman seeking to repay her mentor for his affection and his guidance. She demonstrates the depth of her commitment to the ministry by displaying the same gifts of generosity of spirit and passionate belief when she shares them with a young orphaned girl caught in the web of need and depression. This history of mankinds’ most vulnerable becomes memorable through the gift of faith. It is both an everlasting lesson and an enduring testament to Faith in God.

It was recently made available through Netflix as an instant view option, but it’s one that Joy wants to own, so I think it’s even on her Christmas wish list. We like it THAT much. I always cry when I watch it. (Just a warning…… you might want to have Kleenex nearby if you’re anything like me). Based on a true story, it shows how God’s plan brings together an 8 year old orphan from China and a 22 year old student from the United States.

So from one Christian mom to another, I highly recommend this heart stirring movie! Get out the popcorn and make it a family night!

I am always excited to find movies that I feel good about showing in our home. And I KNOW I’m not the only mom out there that feels this way. So, if you have any to share, let’s encourage and lift one another up by sharing our finds! I’d love to hear from you!

Have a great weekend. Be Blessed! :)