shatterproof

Thank you, Lord, for shatterproof ornaments!

If I were to take a picture of our tree right now, the bottom half would look strangely bare.

Hmmm....I wonder how that could happen?  I'm sure two little curious pairs of hands have nothing at all to do with it.  To be perfectly honest, though, it really is my fault.  I just couldn't bear forcing them not to touch the tree, they've been so mesmerized and enthralled by all the glimmer and glitz.  They (Astair espescially) are very fascinated with the shiny balls and just had to test them to see if they bounced.  And that's when I realized that not all shatterproof ornaments are created equal.  Nope.  Some shatter into a million little pieces.  I'm pretty sure all of those are now swept into the trash!

Okay, you know me, I have to put a little spin on this.

Lately, I've been feeling like one of those fragile glass ornaments that look as though they might shatter at the slightest stirring.  On Monday I learned that my hubby had to go out of town for work for two weeks before Christmas and another week after and had to leave that very afternoon.  I cried a river that threatened to flood our house.  Not for the first time, a long trip home to see my parents was sounding like a pretty good idea.  Just the thought of being so completely and utterly alone was sending me into panic mode.  It's true that I'm alone for the most part of the day as it is, but the knowledge that daddy is coming home for supper adds an air of much needed anticipation.  Relief is coming!  Adult conversation and companionship is coming!  The kids will have a new target to pounce on!  The exhausting duty of correcting and disciplining, loving and encouraging will now be shared by four shoulders instead of my weary two.

Well, here we are at the end of the week.  It's been a tough one, I will not lie.  I've been exhausted and I've been short-tempered.  But God has reminded me that He is with me.  I can start over again tomorrow and maybe this time I will learn to live on His strength and not my own.  While still feeling a little fragile, I'm convinced that God will help me bounce.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."  2 Corinthians 9:8

A glimpse

Jennifer at Studio JRU hosts a beautiful event she calls "A glimpse".  It's a wonderful opportunity to share the extraordinary glimpses of our God in the everyday ordinary.  One image crowds my heart today...

This was waiting for me in my inbox.

A gift from a beautiful friend that I've never met.

But one who has walked the path neither of us would have chosen.

One who knows the sorrow of losing...

And the need to remember.

One who comforts others in the midst of her own grief.

Much like another Friend I know.

A man acquainted with my every sorrow.

A God who captures tears in his jar of remembering.

One who carries me when I am weary.

Who promises beauty for ashes,

the oil of joy for mourning,

and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

The One who invites us to comfort others

With the same comfort we receive from Him.

His hands mending hearts through our tentative touch.

Thank you, Holly, for remembering my Titus.

This is twice you have blessed me-- the first was a necklace you gave away on your blog and it has meant so much to me, and has been such a precious keepsake of my little boy in heaven.

And Thank you, my Abba, for carefully handling my heart and mending all the broken places.

The {Sounds of Christmas}

Ever since we began exploring the Five Senses of Christmas, I've been re-awakened to the many different ways we can express our love for our Savior.  I'm more aware of the needs around me, the love that seems to flow more freely, the presence of my Jesus, my Prince of Peace. 

This Tuesday is about the Sounds of Christmas or anything else about enjoying Jesus during this Season that you might want to share.  Do you have a favorite song or one that brings back special memories?  If you have a post about your decorations or holiday fun feel free to add them here as well!  Just click on your post when it is published, copy the address that shows in your address bar and paste that link below.

The {Sounds of Christmas}

I don't know about you, but it's downright difficult for me to be grumpy when Christmas music is filling the air.  How can you help but smile while belting out songs like "Joy to the World" or "Hark the Herald"?  I find it so incredibly fitting that many of the greatest songs ever composed happen to be songs rejoicing in the birth of our Savior.

Heaven is filled with choruses of praise and on one marvelous night, the starry skies were folded back and earth received a glimpse of glory.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."  {Luke 2: 8-14} 

 Have you ever asked yourself, why were only average shepherds blessed with this holy visitation?  I have, and I am so humbled by the thought that God chose to invite these lowly men to the birthplace of our King.  The angels appeared to them in the fields where they were living.  Not in a palace.  Not even in a warm and cozy home but in the harshness of the desert.  Where they were exposed to all the elements, where they slept on hard ground, and where they took turns watching their only means of income.  These men were chosen to welcome our Savior into this world.  They were the first to receive the good news that would be for all people.

And you know what I think?  I think they appreciated that good news more than anyone else might have.  I think it flooded their souls with hope and joyful anticipation.  I think they treasured what they saw and heard in their hearts always.

This Christmas, I want to treasure the good news as well.  I want the glory of it to fill my home as I read the Christmas story to my kids.  I want the awe and splendor of my King Jesus to radiate from my heart and I want to share it with the shepherds in my life.  I want to share it with those who live in darkness, those who sleep under the stars, and those who need the hope Jesus offers us all.

"Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy..."  {Luke 2:10}

Christmas Change

Christmas Change from Kujilana on Vimeo.

Together we can give back just a little.  Together we can start a movement of love.

Today, I'm inspired and motivated into action by The Christmas Change Blog and these words of my Savior:

diy yarn ornaments for kids

I am loving Christmas in blogland.  

If I thought it was remotely possible to over-celebrate Christmas, which I don't, I would be guilty.

Very merrily guilty.

So guilty, in fact, I'm certain all the neighbors blame us for the power outage that occurred when we turned on our gazillion outdoor Christmas lights and had just plugged the final switch in for our tree.  I am convinced it was our fault because we are, after all, the only house on the block with Christmas lights up!  It was like a scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  

This week, Exemplify is hosting a Christmas event on the traditions we have for celebrating Christmas in  our homes.  While power outages are certainly not a tradition  (we hope!),  we have filled our home with many other Christmas traditions.  We often refer to it as Jesus' Birthday and the gifts received are from him, and the gifts given are for him.  We look for ways to bless His heart during this special season and we want to teach our children to notice opportunities to give.  Now that Thaddeus is nearing an age where he understands so much more about the world around him, this is the perfect year for us to make lasting traditions and among those I want the focus to be on giving to others because that is truly the best way to give to Jesus.  I'm excited about making a list with Thad this year on what we can do to give to those in need and to love on our Savior.

Some of our other fun traditions are Christmas crafts.  We get crazily crafty over here.  Last year we made cookie ornaments and a styrofoam nativity scene.  This year I definitely want to continue those fun traditions.  Making a nativity scene was a great way to visually share the Christmas story with my Little Man and he loved it.  We already made some yarn ornaments to hang in our windows and I thought I would post the how-to.

How to make yarn ornaments  

(our very messy version!)

You will need:

Balloons

Colorful yarn

White glue

Leftover ribbons

First, prepare your craft area with newspaper or a vinyl tablecloth.  Then you will need a bowl to fill with equal parts white glue and water.  Blow up the balloons to the size you would like.  The dip the end of your yarn in the glue and placed a heavy metal object over it to keep in place as you pull the yarn through the glue (daddy's ingenious idea).  Then tie the yarn onto the knotted end of the balloon and begin to wrap the yarn around the ballon until you are satisfied with how it looks.  Side note:  Don't overwrap it--make sure there are spaces at least an inch to an inch and a half wide.

Hang the balloon outside to dry (if you must tie it up indoors be careful where you place it because the glue will drip!)  Allow it to dry for at least 24 hours.  Then pop the ballon and use a small pair of scissors to carefully cut the balloon out of the ornament.  Tie some decorative ribbon around it, maybe even dust it in some glitter, and hang it up in your window to enjoy!

messy test

Thank you to all the lovely ladies who shared their visions of Christmas and love for Jesus with us yesterday!  I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading every one of them!  You can view their links in the post below.  I'm looking forward to sharing next Tuesday with each other on the Sounds of Christmas!  You've all inspired me so much.

Can I just share with you what my day was like? 

It was miserably wet and dreary and we were trapped indoors.  Like caged animals, my kids roamed around the house bent on destruction.  Every room in my home looks like a tornado hit it--three little tornadoes to be exact!  I tried desperately to entertain them--resorted even to puppet shows and silly antics, read over a dozen books, baked cookies, stood on my head--well, maybe not that last part (I've heard pregnant women topple easily).  All to no avail.  In the two short minutes it would take to whisk one away to change a diaper, my little zoo animals would wreak havoc.  Every single shelf in my closet is now empty and the floor is piled knee high in clothes.  The twins dresser drawers were ransacked and clothing was scattered from the cribs to the closet.  Nosy little fingers found a bag of crackers and deposited them on sixteen stairs and into the top level family room.

And I am writing this blog instead of cleaning it all up.

I'm even considering going straight to bed...

In the midst of the chaos, though, I couldn't help but be moved by all of the posts about seeing Jesus in everything and letting the light of His face fill our hearts.  This was the test.  Of course I had to discipline and correct, but could I do it without losing my peace and could I let the light of Jesus shine through me even still?  Well, I can't say I passed with flying colors, but I do know that God gave me grace today and instead of frantically cleaning up after them and pulling the hairs out of my head, I held my little ones close and determined to fill their love-o-meters up to the top.

And the greatest gift today?

I overheard Thaddeus pointing baby Jesus out to his little brother and telling him in that big brother voice, 

"This is Jesus.  He will always help you.  And He teaches us to be nice."

Christmas in the Heart

{The Sights of Christmas}

Visually, Christmas is stunning...  

Bright ornaments dancing softly in the lights of the Christmas tree. Red holly berries dangling in frosty windows.  Warm candlelight flickering on nativity scenes, and Christmas lights making the nights sparkle with merriment.

It is no small wonder that Christmas is so breathtakingly beautiful.  It is the Lord who created the light and gave us the fulfillment of His promise to never walk in darkness when He sent us the Light of the World, Christ Jesus.

"For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." {2 Corinthians 4:6}

In the face of Christ...all darkness hides.  In the face of Christ...the very splendor and glory of the Lord resides.  In the face of Christ...


I want my eyes to filled with the light of His face.  I want to see Him in my children's joy, my neighbor's pain, my city's needy.  I don't want to turn away.


I want to take every opportunity I can to show Him to my children and to show Him to my world.  Because He is truly wonderful!  In Him there are no shadows, only brilliant light!  

What are you doing this Christmas to enjoy Jesus?  Share anything you want to about your Christmas!  Every Tuesday, I'll be offering you a chance to link up and spread the joy of Christmas!  Just copy and post the link to your post here.

fly away wreath

Here's what I've been doing lately...

I've got so many craft ideas rattling around in my head and I can't wait to do them all!  Lucky for me, Thad loves art projects and he's so excited to make ornaments and wreaths, cookies and gingerbread.  He is definitely a child after my own heart.

I really wanted to hang a wreath on my mirror this year since it's the first Christmas I've had it.  I was envisioning a white one, but I didn't want to spend a fortune and I wasn't too excited about having to use spray paint, either (which is what I usually resort to when I'm pinching the pennies).  So when I spied a white feather boa while braving a trip to Hobby Lobby with all three kids in tow, I knew it would be perfect.

What I used to make it:

White feather boa

White wire hanger

White trash ties

How I made it:

I untwisted the wire hanger and formed a circle, twisting the ends back together with wire pinchers. Then I wrapped the boa around the wire, fastening it in several places with white trash ties.  I looped a purple ribbon around it and fastened it on the nail behind my mirror.  I ended up spray painting some twigs we collected on our walk and put them in a silver planter filled with rocks from our gravel driveway.  (The planter was spray painted last year).  Really, spray paint can be a wonderful thing when it comes to decorating on the cheap!

I love my wreath.  Now I just have to think of what to do for the front door...

P.S.  I'm starting a Christmas Link-up on Tuesdays beginning this Tuesday!  I'm just so excited for us all to share the joy of Jesus with each other this year.  You can read more about it in the post below and the button is in the side bar.

This Tuesday I'll be sharing on the Sights of Christmas and how to visually enjoy Jesus this season.

Here's what the button looks like:

this is Good News

The Holidays, those Holy Days of Cheer, have been ushered in with excitement over here. 
I love Christmas.  In no small way.  

In fact, if I had my way, we would have a tree all year round and Christmas lights would never be taken down.  Something miraculous happens when we allow ourselves to get caught up in the spirit of Christmas, to let the Good News of Christ Jesus seep into our hearts and into our homes.  Because it is, after all, very GOOD NEWS!  In the words of the angel that brought the message to the shepherds on that wonderful night, 

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." {Luke 9:10-11}

A Savior.  The One who rescued us from certain death.  The One who delivered us from darkness and overwhelming defeat.  The One who gave Himself for us that we might have great joy!
Is there any better reason to celebrate?
This Christmas, I get to participate in the single most important birthday party.  The birth of My Savior, My King Eternal.
And I want it to be special.
I want to show Jesus just how thankful I am for His amazing love.  I want my home to overflow with love and appreciation for who He is to me.

Christmas in our home has always been known as the Birthday Party for Jesus.  When Mimi and Papa D. came to our house today we celebrated with joyful expectancy of all this season means to us.  We strung up our lights and feasted on Mimi's delectable crab cakes.  We put up a tree while humming to the tunes of Christmas and with the sticky taste of candy canes on little cheeks that begged to be kissed.  Later, when all the lights were up, Thad's face broke into a gleaming smile and he gushed, "Jesus will love it!"
That's what Christmas is all about after all, isn't it?
Loving Jesus and blessing His heart.

I'm starting a little Christmas meme over here because I want to hear all about your celebrations!  Every Tuesday until Christmas, I'll give you an opportunity to link up and share with us anything you want to about how you are celebrating the birth of Jesus.  I've made a button that you can copy the code for and paste in the Edit HTML of your blog post.  Then simply click on your post when it is published on your blog and copy the address that shows in your address bar.  This is the address you will copy into the Link-up that will be at the bottom of my post on Tuesday.  You can share a craft project, a family tradition, a special memory, or even a recipe.  Just tell us the simple ways you enjoy Jesus during this season of worship.  I will be giving a more specific theme (within the one of celebrating Jesus) for each week, but it is only for inspiration.  The themes will be on how to use our five senses to glorify our Lord Jesus.
For example, here is the list for each Tuesday:
Dec. 1     {The Sights of Christmas}
Dec. 8     {The Sounds of Christmas}
Dec. 15   {The Tastes and Smells of Christmas}
Dec. 22   {The Touch of Christmas}
It's all about sharing the joy of Jesus this season and being inspired to love Him even more!

here's to you

giving thanks.

Lately, I see it everywhere.

And it's truly wonderful.

Giving Thanks.

It's breathing in crisp morning air after a night of lost sleep and feeling rejuvenated...

Counting change to buy groceries and realizing you have a little more than "just enough"...

Piling yet another load of laundry onto an already immense mountain of clothing...

At least three pairs of muddy shoes on the back porch and still no bare feet...

Dirty dishes in the sink, little hands leaving smudges, little hearts yours to fill...

Waking up too early and falling asleep with wee ones snuggled close under fuzzy blankets...

Uncertain what tomorrow will bring, but knowing there will always be enough...

Because everyday it is the same--God is faithful and unchanging...

His hands held out in invitation...a dance with Him as thanks is given.

**And oh! what fun!  I am featured on Tip Junkie today!

apple cider pancakes

I am thankful for...

apple cider pancakes

favorite pancake batter (mine is Pioneer Brand)

1 1/2 pkg. spiced apple cider instant drink mix (if making 6-8 pancakes)

1 1/2 c. thinly sliced and roughly diced apples

1/4 tsp.cinnamon

Top with apples, whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of syrup.

Diclaimer:  I am not a chef.  In fact, I didn't even know how to cook an egg when I got married.  So, coming up with recipes is not something I generally do  (I'm lucky if it comes out well even after I follow the directions!)  I put this together this morning and I enjoyed it, but it is no gourmet meal. : )

the art of our thankfulness

I haven't been much into decorating for fall this year...I guess I'm just too excited for it to be over and CHRISTMAS to be here!  I can't wait to start decorating for Christmas... untangling the lights to the sound of Jingle Bells blaring over the radio while the fragrance of cinnamon and cloves steeping in freshly brewed apple cider weaves through the air....mmmmmm.  Now, that inspires me!  I've caught myself thinking "Why can't we just skip Thanksgiving?  Why do we have to wait to put up Christmas decorations until after the last slice of turkey has been scraped off the plate?"  Well, I immediately realized what a ridiculous thought that was!  Thanksgiving and Christmas go hand in hand. One prepares our hearts for the other.  It wouldn't be right to have Christmas without Thanksgiving.  I truly do want the spirit of Thankfulness to permeate our home this year.  I want to capture the essence of being grateful for all the Lord has blessed us with.

So, Thad and I came up with an idea.  We made a list  of all the things we thank God for and then we found pictures in our photo archives that matched our list.  There was a whole lot more on our list than I had pictures to match, but it was a great way to get my Little Man involved.  I wanted to display the pictures in a place that would be easy to see and in an arrangement that could last all year round as a continual reminder of all the things we have to be thankful for.  I thought a photo collage would be perfect!

How we made it...

1}  I edited most of the pictures into black and white and made a thin white border as a frame.

2}  I found white string and adorable decorative pin tacks at wal-mart.  I also bought miniature craft clothespins.

3}  We strung 'em up on the wall above our sofa in the upstairs family room...and voila!

Our Thankfulness in Photos...

For more home decorating, visit my Bargain Decorating Files

what i love

I love etsy.

I have been avoiding it lately because it's a wee bit addictive to search and sift through the thousands upon thousands of gorgeous goodies.  I'll admit that I am only a lurker and rarely buy.  So far, I've been completely satisfied to window shop and let my creative nature run wild.  I'm constantly thinking, "I could so make this..." and then I remember that I don't even have time to shower and get dressed every day!  Awhile back,  I even created a fun product that I wanted to sell on etsy, but I quickly realized how time consuming it was to make just one and I had to shelf it.  I'm sure they'll be plenty of time for it later--when I'm old and gray and have nothing better to do than sit around knitting and reading books and sipping on eggnog.  And I'm sure then I'll wish I was changing ten diapers a day, kissing away bobos, and rescuing rubber duckies from the toilet...  

Ahhh, this is truly a wonderful life.

My latest etsy love:  a rose cameo "fleur necklace" from pandadcub

And slate and white velour velvet flower headbands for baby and mommy by DolceVitaMia

feed me

Boston's face says it perfectly, "I'm crabby when I don't eat."

Hmmmm....I wonder if they make this shirt in maternity?

chasing rainbows

Thad has a book we love to read called "Hello, Sun" by Sheila Walsh.

In the story, God sends a little girl a rainbow.  Ever since we read that book, Thad sees rainbows everywhere.  A couple months ago I remember Thad's excited voice ushering me into the next room, "Mom, look!  God sent me a rainbow!"  His little nose was pressed against the windowpane, his eyes filled with wonder and excitement.

Struggling with doubt, I squinted into the afternoon sun, it's molten glow casting rays of color through the flutter of leaves.  I can't exactly say whether or not what I saw was a rainbow.  I do know my heart was touched by his childlike expectancy and I was chagrined by my disbelief.

I want to believe my God still sends rainbows.  I want to believe that He'll send them to me.


I had all but forgotten about rainbow chasing.  The thrill and the joy of asking God to do the impossible, or even something seemingly silly and sentimental.  Nothing we ask is taken lightly by our God.  His answer often appears as a rainbow: a promise, a ray of hope, a spark of love seen by the eyes that linger in the clouds, waiting, searching... expectant.

After all, rainbows are merely glimpses He gives us of Himself.

He is the rainbow I seek.  And He always reveals Himself to those who ask.

"Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD."  Ezekiel 1: 27

lamp love

I buried a lamp yesterday.
It was a beautiful lamp, too.  I didn't think it was breakable (laugh if you will!)  It felt like it was made of fiberglass.  Well, it shattered.  And every one of my children looked as innocent as could be  (even if they were all conveniently sitting where the lamp had been).

So, off we went on the hunt for a lamp that I could buy with my spare change.  I had learned my lesson, or so I thought.  And then I found it.  Covered in layers of dust in a used furniture store, hidden under a hideous and outdated old shade.  It was love at first sight.  Never mind that this one was undeniably breakable and very likely irreplaceable.  Oh well, at least I've never claimed to be practical.  I had saved the modern shade from my former lamp and, with a few tweeks from my own personal hunk of a Hanyman (i.e. My Honey), it fit perfectly.

I hope it lasts!  But, honestly, if it doesn't, I won't be out more than a few dollars.  Who knows?  Maybe I could get my Handyman to super glue it to the coffe table...or is that a bit tacky?

autumn beauty

I couldn't resist adding this picture of Sarah into the I Heart Faces photo fun!  Here's for an "Autumn Beauty".

I'm used to the North, where Fall creeps in on a wind and a whim and goes out in a blaze of glory. Down here in the boot, where it's green all year round, fall is much more subtle.  In color as well as temperature!

sisters-in-love

 I am in no way a professional photographer (as if that needed any clarification!).  But I do love photography.  It's something I've always wanted to develop a skill for.  Just the thought of capturing beautiful moments in time has me enthralled.  Photography is such an enchanting art form.  And of course what mommy doesn't want breathtaking photos of her darlings?  In the art of "picture taking", however, I have A LOT to learn.  I own a novice SLR camera that could be a tad bit better if I really knew how to use it and I have never purchased a software editing program.  Right now, I'm contentedly addicted to free programs like picnik and photobucket  (why waste time lamenting what I can't afford, anyway, right?)  But I won't deny that it would be wonderful to one day learn to navigate the fantastic world of adobe photoshop!

All that said, yesterday I had an impromptu novice photo session with my darling sister-in-love Sarah.  Neither of us planned it, but it ended up being a blast.  My sisters-in-love Beth and Sarah are both absolutely gorgeous, fashion savvy ladies that are genuinely as beautiful inside as they are on the outside.    I had forgotten how much FUN it is to take pictures of a NON-MOVING subject!  My kids are constantly on the move and the perfect picture takes many, many, many trials and errors!

So, here is Sarah who really does know how to play the guitar and has a lovely voice as well...

And I just had to snap a picture of my amazingly beautiful sister-in-love, Beth, with Astair...

I don't know which is more fun--taking the pictures or editing them!  As amateur as I may be, I'm still blissfully addicted to photography.

not about me

I started fretting.  And getting anxious.  Dreams were passing me by, floating just out of my reach and taking my heart with them.

Had God forgotten about me?  Was He passing me by, too?  I thought my dreams were important to Him.  Hadn't He promised me the desires of my heart?

I laid all this and more out on my messy kitchen table.  With my head in my hands I let my selfish tears flow.  I needed to know.  I needed the reassurance of my Father.

He was as gentle as He always is.  And yet His question was persistent.

"Am I more important to you than your dreams?"


I knew what God was asking and I knew what the answer would be.  In His own compassionate way, He was reminding me that this life I live is not about me.  I was clinging to my dreams instead of to His will.  I had my own ideas of how things should work out, what I wanted living for Him to look like.  It was just a matter of time, I thought, until God will bring my dreams to pass.  And although I know my dreams ARE important to God, what if He has other plans?

I had to let them go.  I had to choose again to let Jesus fill my soul.  His dreams must become my own.  And I am remembering just how incredible it is to dream God's dreams.  They are more, so much more than even I dare to imagine.

This life I live is not about me and I hope that it never will be.
It's about the overwhelming, life-changing, all-encompassing love of my Jesus that dares to make the ordinary into the extraordinary, the impossible possible, and is changing the world one mended heart at a time.

Use me as you will, Father, use me as you will!