True Friends

Time has a way of defining true friends.

Friends are such a gift. They deserve to be treasured. Today I chatted with a friend. We laughed together, encouraged each other, and just talked. Isn't it nice to have those friends who you just "must" tell that "something" to! We need to affirm our friends. This ol' world can be harsh at times. We all need tender words every now and then!

Go tell your friend what a good job she's doing! Tell her what an awesome mother she is. Let her know how much her friendship lifts you up! Tell her you love her!

Free Audio Books to Download

Voices in the Dark website offers free audio books, stories, poems, etc. I like to listen to audio books while I do laundry or the dishes.

Enjoy!

Grammar Quiz

Enjoy grammar? Try this quick and easy quiz. Only drawback ~ they didn't tell me what I did wrong!

Your Language Arts Grade: 98%

Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).

Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz

Remember

To the world you may be only one person,
But to one person, you may be the world.

A Great Breakfast or Supper Meal!

We had a waffle taste test for our Friday evening meal. You can read about it at Tammy's website.

What shall we taste test next???

Fun Lunch

The kids and I have been enjoying some fun lunches. Usually we just eat leftovers or something else very quick to fix.

One day a week we've been eating out of a box. So far these meals have been Oriental in nature. Today we had Penaut Satay (by KAME), Coconut Ginger Noodles (by A Taste of Thai) and French Onion Soup (wrong country :) ). The kids made up their own chopsticks out of skewers.

It's fun to just do something different sometimes, isn't it? What have you been doing that is fun and simple and out of the ordinary for you? 

My heart is thankful for my HOME!

Every house where love abides and friendship is a guest is surely home, and home, sweet home for there the heart can rest. ~ Henry Van Dyke

My heart rests here in my home. And I'm so very thankful for the many blessings I share with these that I love.

Chinese Pork Chops for the Crock Pot

This recipe takes just a couple of minutes to assemble and it is so yummy.

Whisk together:
1/4 tsp. brown sugar (packed)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 cloves of garlic, (or garlic powder)

Pour over pork chops in a crockpot. Cook on high for a couple of hours.
(Cooking times will vary according to your crockpot.)

Autumn Fires

In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The gray smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!

Come Let Us Adore Him

A dear friend gave me the book Come Let Us Adore Him ~ stories behind the most cherished Christmas Hymns, written by Robert J. Morgan. Each morning as we begin our day, the children and I are reading about one hymn. Today our hymn was "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come" by Martin Luther. The story tells of how Luther came to be married. Soon he and Katharina had a little boy. When the little Hans was five years old his father wrote the above mentioned hymn for the child. Each year as the family celebrated the birth of Jesus, they sang the hymn.

I especially like this quote by Martin Luther~
"The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding." And it is truly amazing, isn't it?!

Influence

This I learned from the shadow of a tree,
That to and fro did sway against a wall,
Our shadow selves, our influence, may fall
Where we ourselves can never be.
~Anna Hamilton

Happiness

The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one has to do. ~ Sir James M. Barrie

Frugal Friday

It's Frugal Friday over at Biblical Womanhood. I love reading the tips from the thrifty homemakers!

I have been able to save money by buying my spices at our local health food store. The quality is far superior than anything you buy in a bottle. I buy pound bags of spices that I use often, such as cinnamon. Other spices I purchase from their bulk section. I just ask for as many ounces as I need.

Recently, I was purchasing the ingredients for a new Asian dish that I wanted to try. I needed seseme seeds but our health food store was already closed. McComick was selling a 1.9 oz. bottle for $3.69. I just couldn't make myself do it. I waited and purchased a pound at my health food store for under $2.00.

I have friends who purchase some of their spices online. Do you have any online businesses that sell spices that you really love?

A friend's encouraging words

I had mentioned to some friends that I'm really not that great about decorating and dressing up my home with the seasons. My friend, Abby, who has successfully raised three children, sent me this poem:

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow,

For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
~Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Thanks, Abby! You're a breath of fresh air to this mommy!

Friends

We must love our friends for their sakes rather than our own. ~ Charlotte Bronte

Another Favorite Hymn

Is a person allowed to have a new "favorite" hymn, oh, maybe every week or so? How could you help it? Here's my recent favorite, written by M.J. Harris.

I Will Praise Him

When I saw the cleansing fountain
Open wide for all my sin,
I obeyed the Spirit's wooing,
When He said, Wilt thou be clean?

I will praise Him! I will praise Him!
Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;
Give Him glory, all ye people,
For His blood can wash away each stain.

Tho' the way seems straight and narrow,
All I claimed was swept away;
My ambitions, plans, and wishes,
At my feet in ashes lay.

Then God's fire upon the altar
Of my heart was set a-flame;
I shall never cease to praise Him,
Glory, glory to His name!

Blessed be the name of Jesus!
I'm so glad He took me in;
He's forgiven my transgressions,
He has cleansed my heart from sin.

Glory, glory to the Father!
Glory, glory to the Son!
Glory, glory to the Spirit!
Glory to the Three in One!

I will praise Him! I will praise Him!
Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;
Give Him glory, all ye people,
For His blood can wash away each stain.

I'm so thankful for music. I love the richness of hymns. I love it when a group of God's people sing them together and you know that Jesus is among you. That happened today at our church and what a blessing it was to my heart! I love hearing my best friend, my husband, sing these hymns. I could listen to him for hours. Tonight I rejoice in my Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain for me and you! Praise His holy name!

My Little Man

 

Down Home Recipes

For down home cooking, I enjoy Tammy's Recipes . She updates her site regularly. There's always something new and exciting to try. Many times I already have the ingredients on my shelves.

We especially love the Apple Crisp! :)

Enjoy!

Our faith is a treausured heritage not a contemporary experiment. ~ Clarence Sexton

One cannot obtain a Christlike character for nothing; one cannot do a Christlike work save at a great price. ~ Howard Taylor, son of J. Hudson Taylor

Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing. ~ J. Hudson Taylor

Have you been to the library this week?

We love the library!!!

We check out tons of books each week. We also check out family friendly movies and educational DVDs. I also love the books on CD. We spend alot of time in the car listening to books on CD. We've recently enjoyed Stories of the Pilgrims and 1776.

We've saved hundreds of dollars throughout the years just by using our library!

Visit Biblical Womanhood for more fun ideas on saving!