LADIES BRUNCH.....HIS WAYS...

I HOSTED OUR LADIES MISSIONS BRUNCH
YESTERDAY....I SET THE TABLE WITH
SPRING GREENS AND PINKS THE NIGHT
BEFORE....
I MADE DELICIOUS LEMON-BLUEBERRY
MUFFINS I FOUND ON "NO PLACE LIKE
HOME"....
I SET THE TABLE IN ANTICIPATION FOR
THE "POTLUCK"OTHERS WOULD BRING..
THE MUFFINS WERE SO MOIST AND THEY
YIELDED 18 TO A BATCH........
THE WEATHER WAS RAINY OUTSIDE BUT
TWINKLING CANDLES MADE IT WARM
AND COZY INSIDE.....
I ALSO MADE A "HASHBROWN CASSEROLE"
FROM "TASTE OF HOME". SO EASY AND
DELICIOUS . I ADD SOME SAUSAGE TOO.
MORE PICTURES OF THE MUFFINS..
I HAD A "COFFEE"; WARM BEVERAGES CORNER
AND I PUT APPLE AND GRAPE JUICE ON A TRAY
OPPOSITE FOR THEIR ENJOYMENT....

Yesterday was a day for others.... I hosted a "ladies brunch" at my house for our ladies missions group.
I rarely ( if ever) have a luncheon just for fun. Life is so busy and important that getting together is usually for a specific purpose.... thus our meeting.

I wanted the ladies to feel comfortable; joyful and well-fed. We fellowshipped and then got down to business of our missionaries and others. I love that our leader knows our missionaries
by her heart and their lives and tell us about them. She is a true leader and takes the time to
be informed and then care about each and every lady that attends.

I didnt have to spend much of anything to make a pretty "brunch". Everything I had gotten for .50 to $1 for decorations and table runner included. Then I just had to purchase some food items and it all seemed to go together.

I then asked God to make this simple little "brunch" pleasing and useful for Him>He did and I then Thanked Him afterward.

The rest of the day bought me to a "funeral" that was so sweet . A lady who had a brother who was lost and then found (homeless) and then passed away . This simple "memorial service" was filled with love .Another friend made a beautiful program complete with pictures and poems for funeral. A surprise for my friend. A man who sings wonderfully took time out of his very busy schedule this week to come and sing their favorite songs and honor this man. Flowers sent by our church and friends to come and sit with this lady on behalf of her brother. "Everyone is important!"

When I got home I have to admit I was tired...but it was a good tired full of good things.
Dinner; dishes cleaned up; and talking with my husband sharing our granddaughters fun stories.

As I put my head on my pillow that night I thanked God for His goodness of His day....

SENDING NOTES OF LOVE..........

WE ALL WANT OUR HOMES TO BE A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GO FOR REFUGE....
AND SPRING CAN BRING FORTH A SENSE OF RENEWAL IN OUR HEARTS..... BUT AT THE SAME TIME...THERE ARE ALWAYS THOSE GOING THROUGH A TOUGH TIME AND I WANT TO
MAYBE BRING A NOTE OF CHEER....
THIS WEEK AS I WRITE I CAN SEE 8 OR MORE NAMES I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN WITH HURTING HEARTS.... SOME IN A HOSPITAL; SOME WITH CANCER SURGERY TO COME; SOME WITH THE LOSS OF A CHILD; SOME WITH A FAMILY MEMBER WITH A STROKE OR HEART SURGERY AHEAD; OR SOME WITH DISCOURAGEMENT.

I CANT GET TO ALL THESE HURTING ONES . NOR DOES TIME WITH MY FAMILY ALWAYS PERMIT BUT ....I CAN PRAY FOR THEM. I CHOOSE A DAY OR DAYS TO PRAY FOR THEM. MANY TIMES I CAN MAKE AND SEND A NICE CARD WITH HEARTFELT WORDS. SOMETIMES I CAN MAKE A MEAL OR COOKIES TO SEND. AND SOMETIMES I CAN GO AND SIT BESIDE THAT ONE.

I GUESS I COULD NEVER BE TOTALLY BORED WITH MY LIFE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE ALWAYS "OTHERS" THAT WOULD NEED ME.

I LOVE THE SONG "BRIGHTEN THE CORNER WHERE YOU ARE" AND I HAVE SAID THAT MANY TIMES ON MY BLOG. BUT......ITS TRUE. I USUALLY CAN ONLY BRIGHTEN THE SMALL AREA IN WHICH GOD HAS PLACED ME. BUT ..I TRY AND MAKE THAT CORNER USEFUL FOR HIM.

YOU CAN BUY SOME PRETTY NOTECARDS AND STAMPS. YOU CAN EMAIL. YOU CAN EVEN GIVE A NOTE AWAY. WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO ....SEND IT WITH LOVE.

I REMEMBER MY MOM ALWAYS SENDING ME NICE NOTES AFTER I WAS MARRIED.
I TAUGHT MY GIRLS TO ALWAYS SEND A NOTE OF THANKS FOR ANYTHING THEY WERE GIVEN OR TAKEN TO.

I WOULD CARRY A STACK OF NOTE IN MY PURSE IN CASE I SAW A NEED RIGHT THERE.

WHEN I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME I FELT GOOD ENOUGH TO WRITE A NOTE TO EACH NURSE ( I COULD REMEMBER) THAT HELPED ME.
THIS WAS FOR ME AS WELL AS THEM.

WHO COULD USE YOUR LOVE THIS WEEK?

ABIGAIL ADAMS....

PRESIDENT JOHN ADAMS AND HIS WIFE ABIGAIL ADAMS.......
ABIGAIL ADAMS


Abigail Adams was the wife of one president and the mother of another-something no other woman in America has matched. she was also one of the greatest letter writers of her day. More than two thousand of the private letters she sent to members of her family during her lifetime were saved and later published.

Here are a few facts I have taken this week from her life.
. Abigail was born into a prosperous family to Reverend William Smith and Elizabeth Quincy .
. Her grandmother Quincy loved to read- and would have Abigail come to her home months at a time so they could read poetry together.
She was taught many things through her mother and grandmother.
. When Abigail was almost 20 , she married John Adams.
John rose as a lawyer and Abigail kept the home taking care of their 3 sons and 2 daughters.
. Abigail and her husband lost one daughter.
. John traveled much while Abigail stayed home in Massachusetts to manage their farm and raise their children.
They found this hard to be apart so much because they remained so deeply in love. .
Abigail never ceased sending John large amounts of encouragement he always needed.
. Abigail kept herself busy; had a wit about her; was strict in caring for her children. .
When John Adams became president she realized that her own task of living up to the example of simple dignity set by Martha Washington would not be easy.
To "watch over her conduct" she urged her sisters to watch her behavior in that she might not become to queenly.
. Abigail directed her household with rising daily at 5 o'clock supervising the servants for the day.
At noon she dressed formally, then received callers for about 3 hours
She then had a mid-afternoon dinner, took a ride to enjoy the fresh air, then came home to rest until seven, when some evening entertainment was scheduled.

. Abigail suffered several bouts of poor health during her husbands presidency but by the age of 56 she felt better when she came back to her home for good.

. She spent the next seventeen years enjoying a peaceful round of country activities with her husband and children and grandchildren.

. 2 weeks before her 74th birthday she died at her home. Her husband survived to see their son John Quincy elected as the nations sixth president in 1824. Two years later John Adams died at the age of 90.

SIMPLE TOUCHES OF SPRING...

IT WAS 60 DEGREES AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER
AND I TOOK A WALK...WE SPIED THIS NEW
LITTLE NEST ALL READY FOR "SPRING BABIES"
THE WIND WHIPPED THE FLAG OH SO BOLDLY
IN THE WARM SPRING BREEZES....
SO PRECIOUS..........
WALKING ON GRANDMAS PORCH..SUCH
A FINE DAY TO ROCK....
ON OUR WALK....LISTENING TO THE BIRDS...
GRANDPA CAME BY AND TOOK ME ON A LONG
WALK AFTER MY NAP...IT WAS SO FUN

We had our first two warm days of "Spring". I love the change of seasons and the newness it brings to my soul......

I just enjoyed the "present" of a warm day. I took a walk with my granddaughter and we ooh and ahhed at the sounds of birds and all the warm breezes...

I went out to my "front porch" and swept off all the little new cobwebs that began to form in the corners. I cleaned and swept and took any "winter things" that remained into the shed.
Then my husband and I sat out on our two wicker rockers and enjoyed the warm breezes.
.....We waved at the neighbors who went by on their walks enjoying their day. It seems that when you move out onto the "front porch" people seem to "flock" to you and sit down for a short
visit. I am sure in the days of my mom people had the time to sit for hours on their "porches" and sip iced tea and enjoy a visit. Nowadays we have to take the "moments" in time to enjoy the
same.

We ended our day with a simple meal of "Chicken Enchiladas" and a salad.
I hope you are enjoying your "Spring to come".....
Isnt God good to give us precious "moments" to enjoy......I am so very Thankful!

A WEEK OF FAMILY; FRIENDS AND HIS LOVE....

OUR GRANDDAUGHTER AND HER COUSIN HAVING FUN COLORING.......... SHARING THINGS TOGETHER WITH LOVE

This week has bought sharing.......sharing good thing with those you love and care about.
Tuesday I attended a ladies meeting at our church where we had potluck ( those are always
good); listened to a good speaker and had a time to spend with friends doing a good thing for
others.

On the way home....I went by the hospital to visit with a dear friend who had a stroke 2 years ago and now was placed back in the hospital due to other complications.
I remember being there on that floor with my husband almost 2 years ago for a month! When I arrived it was very quiet and no one was there.
I took a cheery balloon and card and just chatted about her and then some good things about her to cheer her...
I realize that while you are lying in that hospital bed you are there for a reason and you may tire easily. I told her anytime she wanted to close her eyes she could and I would just sit for a while. She did. And I waited for a few minutes until she woke again.
I then asked if I could get her anything like a drink ect.. and yes she very much wished for that. I also know nurses can get very busy and its nice to have someone nearby to ask such things. We chatted and laughed and then some other ladies came to visit and we all left....
I was so thankful I went by this sweet friend. She blessed me......

The morning bought sunshine and my sweet sister in law and my niece in town for a visit.

It was so fun seeing her. I LOVE my family and am very thankful for them. You can just be yourself with family and know they love you. My granddaughter and her cousin loved "coloring"
on the big roll of paper Grandpa brought home........ Later that day I got to go to a very special
luncheon that I had earned getting "perfect attendance". I had the most wonderful "chicken salad" and a cake with chocolate and hazelnuts that I will never forget.........

Simple days.....filled with unexpected treasures..........

SPRING CLEANING....ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE

This week started off with more "Spring Cleaning". I took everything out of the fridge shelf
by shelf and used my hot soapy solution to wipe down all the shelves and then took out all
the drawers and washed and dried them. When finished it looked empty but clean............

I also pulled everything I could move out; except for heavy items in my bedroom and ran the sweeper; took down the plastic that covered the winter windows; changed the sheets and
once again worked on some things to "Spring Decorate" our bedroom. I thought the room had just a little too much in the area so took out some things and moved them in other rooms and even used one shelf to now"house shoes" that come in from the garage area....It now feels simple; fresh and clean.

My daughter and I worked together cleaning and ridding out the basement area. She is so good at tossing things or helping me to put them together for someone else to use. We used "tubs" to keep things tidy and stacked items alike in areas they belong. We also wiped down; bleached; and cleaned laundry sink area. We have so much and thus learning what we really need is important.....and learning to give away what is not needed may in turn bless someone else.

Its not really "Spring" here yet......but I love to start the season fresh and anew.....
How is your "Spring Cleaning going?"

MARTHA WASHINGTON....FIRST LADIES

MARTHA WASHINGTON AS A YOUNG LADY....
GEORGE AND MARTHA WASHINGTON
I have been reading a book on the "First Ladies" of our country. I have always been intrigued by these ladies and their role in history and in the lives they lead.

These are a few interesting facts I gathered from her life:

. She was the eldest of 7 children. .

She was taught how to manage a large household.

Martha married Daniel Parke Curtis ( a man in his thirties) .

She had 2 small children a boy named Josh and a girl named Pasty .

Daniel Curtis died leaving Martha ( now 22) a widow

. She met Colonel Washington about 8 months after her first husbands death .

They married days later.... . He took the two young children in as his own.
.
Their daughter Pasty ( age 12) collapsed with seizures and 5 years later died of epilepsy.

This plunged her into a deep grief but her sense of duty of welcoming guest to Mount Vernon helped her push on.

. She was about 45 when her husband began serving what would soon be called the United States. .

Throughout the war she went back and forth from Mount Vernon to various military headquarters always dong her best to create a comfortable surroundings for her husband.

. Mrs. Washington suffered greatly during the final stage of the Revolutionary War when her son "Jackie" died of "camp fever"

. He left a wife and 4 children. .

Her 2 older children remained with the mother.

George and Martha took the youngest grandchildren to bring-up as their own.
In 1789 -People began calling her "Lady Washington".

Mrs. Washington continued to be her husbands social partner and hostess to many.
.
In addition ; Mrs. Washington gave weekly Friday evening receptions called " drawing rooms" where her husband "George Washington" would greet their company in a more relaxed manner.
.
To make sure that no visitors overstayed their welcome, she told them; " The General always retires at nine, and I usually preceded him".

. They retired in 1797.

He died two years later.

. Two and a half years after his death; shortly before her 75th birthday, Martha Washington died at Mt. Vernon.


* It is amazing what these women went through in their lives yet throughout history they left a legacy for many to follow.