I love Mondays....(ps Happy Valentines Day! tell someone you love them today)....Mondays are the beginning of a new week.......a time to start again..... I love watching our little snow birds hopping on the bare branches this morning ...I saw one; then two ; and then the third coming to our snowy feeder to enjoy their morning breakfast... I noticed the huge snow mounds that filled the yard were quietly melting little my little andheard the birds singing high in the trees ....and my mind began to think of Spring (maybe thats why I put up a new header)..........Springtime is coming...........Springtime in life.......... Maybe you have had a hard "winter" in your past. Maybe an illness that has taken you over day by day...maybe something or circumstances have prevailed and "broken your wings" in life...........But as God always promises " He will never leave thee or forsake thee".........and He gives you the strength to fly again............. The harsh cold winds have blown through our area; the icy trees and mounds of snow haveblanketed the land yet........the birds fly above it all and continue on to continue their journeysin their lives......... I try and focus on the positive (even though it can be easier to focus on the negative) of life....Look for the "beauty " as it peeks it way up through the snow......and take your broken wingsand learn to fly again.........
I really enjoy celebrations.........I have been so blessed to learn from so many sources alongthe years....my sister has hosted family gatherings; a wedding; and showers...my sister in lawhas shown me many ways to host huge gatherings and treat overnight guest.........my daughter in law has given me great "baskets" upon being a guest in her home and having everything I could want to make me feel loved.........my other sisters seem to have a knack for bringing colors and pretty things together "for to go" parties......I have worked in the past at summer camps for teens helping prepare for over 300 to eat and many a Valentine or other banquet where "special" was prepared beyond measure.............My mind is full of ideas but I take a "twist" on it all and try to do it on a budget.........I love when a table or buffet or shower "makes you feel welcome" and special........* I am alsoblessed to go to a church which has taught this for many years.......*
Celebrations can be simple.......I use what I have most of the time.
Here are some things I have collected....
. 3 -Tier Silver stand ( I found clear plates at the second hand store) -used for cookies or small sandwiches. Cloth or pretty paper napkins (these make it special and usually only cost $2 or under)-can be spread out in line or placed in a pretty basket. Napkin rings- these can be found on clearance many times or make your own using a little wire and a flower or other item. Baskets- second hand store...Large flat or tray like -group plates or napkins or centerpiece. Serving plates- find the colors you want only .50 -$2 second hand stores. White paper plates- for more simple celebrations Summertime. White plates- can be put on a charger to look extra special. Plastic pitchers in bright colors - Summertime drinks such as lemonade. Serving bowls- My sister has several large ones that fit big salads (Kohls has nice sales on these). Candle holders- the small glass votive s..I have used these over and over on my table . I have sometimes used the matching color candles or used white tea lights. All in all it gives the tablea glow.......... Nice quiet music in the background.....You dont have to have any or all of these....A pretty table with a sign made by your children saying Welcome Home to their daddy says it all!Other celebration items that you can purchase inexpensively are :
Balloons; Paper lanterns; Tissue flowers ( my daughter in law makes these and they are gorgeous! These can be bought at the dollar store including the tissue * I almost always buy white tissue in packs for my giftsGlass vases; silk flowers; little chocolates to place in tiny jars; netting to hold candy; pretty tea bags inside a pocket of a card; little glittery pieces that sprinkle on the tablecloth; a small mirror in the middle of the table to reflect your centerpiece or candles........................................Hosting a celebration
. Have a plan on how you want it to go.........( of course if this is just a family celebration this would be different and you can go with the flow).......but if you are hosting the family gathering for instance....Get a simple notebook .....and make a list of your meal; groceries; special dishes you may need...cakes or desserts etc......This may sound silly to some but it rest my mind ...and helps me to have it there in the book and done!. If hosting a shower or buffet ....make a plan. Again the items needed; who will bring what; who will help with different areas ( let people help ...it makes them feel needed) On the other hand dont make others feel that Have to help you clean up etc....Have that prepared ahead of time of who you may ask.....Let the special guest for the event feel special and make it about them! Have fun!..................................Ideas from others. My friend ; host our ladies circle each month at her home. She always has her table decorated with a nice cloth; potluck dishes; coffee and tea to enjoy. She has a large wooden shelf above her table decorated with each months theme ( ex Valentines Day)....She also haslong tables set up ; decorated with plates and a favor each month for us to enjoy. She doesnt have to do this but it always makes me feel loved when I have been there!. My sister in law....hosted a family holiday and I spent the weekend at her "Lodge Home". She had everything planned for the holiday along with special "gifts" given throughout the day through games. She had food all set out buffet style in her kitchen warm and ready to go.They had coffee and dessert and all sorts of creamers on hand( i loved that) Our room had fresh towels; soap and was beautifully furnished....I felt very loved.. My sister ....has had many family celebrations...She serves buffet style as well. She has hosted winter inside gatherings with candles; music; and many appetizers and food dishes...She has had showers; a wedding and my moms Hawaiian 90th birthday.....Each one was special and well decorated with pretty silver and glass dishes; special cakes; and Hawaiian themes and food to enjoy with pretty leis to wear and a special one flown in from Hawaii for my mom..
My daughter in law....made baskets for my husband and I and my daughter when we visited their home out West. I loved that they were filled with so many nice things! She also made sure we had drinks; coffee creamers; foods and other necessities that we needed while there. We felt very loved when we left their home.. Banquets at our church. There is usually white tablecloths; candles; white plates ; centerpieces; nice soft Christian music; and a speaker or very well done play. Those that attend usually dress up and it is a nice formal evening done first class.................Whatever you choose.........to celebrate make it simple and enjoyable for you and others!
The kitchen always seems to be the hub" of the home....no matter where we have lived or big family event we have enjoyed....everyone seems to congregate in the kitchen to snack; eat; laugh and talk.... I have always loved the "Kitchen Table"....I really enjoy wooden tables....I have this "thing"about after everyone has had a good meal just wiping that old wooden table down scrubbing and cleaning until fresh and ready for the next meal.......... The "Kitchen Table " seems to get used for everything from a ice cold glass of milk with cookies and a quiet conversation; a warm supper meal with your family; homework; arts and crafts;fixing small things; a cooling area for baked goods or a little place to enjoy a cup of coffee....I have always enjoyed my kitchen to be sunny; smell of good food; clean and clutter free; but have simple homey decorations.........
I heard a dear lady (Mrs. Colsten) speak many years ago.....she basically said " as she was cooking along" she would fill a sink full of hot sudsy water and place things in that sink as she went along with fixing her meal".......Nowadays many of us have a dishwasher but that idea still sticks in my head.....Rinsing as you go and maybe filling a pot or pan with hot sudsy water makes the job almost done... She spoke also on "keeping your counters clutter free"....... ( If you decorate you kitchen with nice things but have counters full of papers; bottles; clutter it makes you feel unsettled) I know when my children were young....this wasnt always an easy task but now they have cute colorful bins; baskets and other containers to keep things in a place....I know I have to declutter where I live so I throw out any extra plastic ware; coffee cups; plates; or even boxes of food we dont need..... Here are a few decorating ideas I have learned from others :
> Placemats for your table * I like to look at Khols when they are 60% off or more or at a second hand store.....I enjoy special ones for the season to make the table look festive..
> Tablecloths for formal tables or simple ones for the kitchen. I find these at second hand stores
usually in colors for the season.....I found a beautiful white lightly quilted for my diningroom and used that many times changing the centerpiece or runners ( second hand shops) for the season.
Spring......greens; robin egg blues; all white a set of cloth napkins for special occasions ( I found
8 for $2)
> Drinking glasses....I realize that when you have young children as I did that glass is not always the best choice but use a children's cup for them and pretty glasses for adults. This past Thanksgiving I needed some new ones ( but of course wanted to be cheap) and ended up at the Dollar Store
3/$1 sale and found thick ( I think this is important so they dont all end up breaking) beautiful
glassware with small square design....
> Dishes....I have to admit I love dishes. I try and not get over zealous on these. I love old antique dishes and have picked up pretty old rose and pink dishes at tag sales; have some nice
blue and white dishes that were my moms; but the everyday dishes I have picked up at the second hand store and use white. I like white because they go with everything. I have dinner size; snack size ( I use these alot when eating right ); bowls; pretty serving bowls to serve mashed potatoes; veggies; or even a few large serving platters ( in robin egg blue and white)
to serve meats or even hamburgs! .......I love to serve soup with a snack plate under the bowl
and some crackers around the sides of the plate.......*If my hubby comes in late and I made soup I still serve the soup this way in his chair while he is watching the news.....Why? It just makes
it a bit more special!
> Simple vases ......centerpieces.........When my children were young they would pick me dandelions from the yard ....I loved putting these in a tiny vase in my window kitchen.
In the wintertime I place a centerpiece of "silk flowers" for the season.....My sister uses pretty branches in a large vase ( I love that and found some pretty red ones for winter cheap and have those up for now)........I try and use a smaller centerpiece for the kitchen table again for the season......Winter holidays; snowmen; hearts Valentines.
I have a friend who used a 3 tier silver basket and puts fruit in two and in the top hostess cupcakes.! When I asked her about the "strange hostess" she simply said " they are my hubbys favorite!" I loved that too!! ........Small "wooden trees" can be used to tie Easter eggs; Valentines; pictures.............
In the Spring and Summer I love to get fresh flowers if I can. I used to live near a place that had
"snowball bushes" ( these were so full and fluffy and free) and a friend had a huge lilac bush in her yard that she let me come and get as much as I wanted. I filled my house with lilacs for FREE! ....(these dont last long but you can enjoy them for awhile)
> A cart ( can be bought second hand and spray painted if needed) to hold extra things such as
dishes; cups; small dessert cups. Trays ( my daughter in law taught me this and has done such
beautiful things with trays).....use them to hold a grouping of things such as near your coffee area to hold a few cups; sweetner; spoons etc....so clever......; group anything you use together such as
small greenery; a small lamp; a pretty bowl to set on your counter. Turning on the lamp in the evening gives a warm glow in your kitchen.
> Paint.....if you feel your kitchen could use some freshing up use paint. I remember in one
home we owned ( a 1940's home) I painted all the cabinets a white wash white and replaced the
handles; then a soft buttercream yellow. I found a kitchen window topper for about $2 (Waverly)....a whole new kitchen. ( The paint was FREE from a friend whose husband painted in exchange for something I had)...
> Dishtowels....I love dishtowels too. I know I am crazy but they can do anything. They can wipe a dish; a counter; replace paper toweling; wipe a childs face ( they are clean); warm a basket of rolls; cover bread that is rising; hang pretty on your stove; may be used as a napkin if necessary; and they last and last....I bleach the old ones and the new ones I have found cheap at the second hand store or on sales at Walmart......
These are just a few ideas from my kitchen to yours...
This past week was a week full of BIG things and a week full of good things................ Like so many others across the country we prepared for SNOW........now five to eight inches we have had many times before in my area but this time they were predicting 22 inches or more....BUT..........I was also preparing for my husband and I to attend a marriage retreat out of town on Thursday through Saturday.......
I admit many things wired through my mind.........will the roads be clear or even open? What about this or that detail being cared for......we had put up quite a bit of money for this weekend that could or maybe should have gone to various other places........???..........
BUT.......I took it to God and He just settled it in my mind to "do the next thing" and that was to prepare as if we were going..........SO I did! Clothes were pressed; suitcases packed; snacks bought for the car if we got stuck; and the SNOW came and came and came............... News reports flashed across the screens with reports of highways closed; cars stuck for hours; and the temperature now dipping.........but somehow I knew deep down in my heart that this was what we needed to do..........Feelings just needed to be set aside............... By Thursday morning........the roads had been semi cleared........high snow mountains dominated the areas and everyone began the process of digging out..........My dear husband had rented us a car ( I was surprised that was open) with a sunroof and off we went in the snow valley........I looked up at the sunroof with my husband and he opened it abit and we sat with the cool breezes and the hot heater flying down the road.......... We arrived safely ( thank you Lord) and the nice hotel.....When we pulled up front the men up front offered to take our bags like they usually ask. ** I thought to myself "Oh we can take those in and save some money " but my husband had already told them to go ahead".........
(Then the little voice came" you know the one" and said " Just relax and enjoy this moment with your hubby who wants to be with you"........and I did! ......(later I thought to myself how foolish I had even thought to have him carry all that with his heart and the cold air and him not feeling well)
We had a wonderful time with great speakers; dinner out with our Sunday School teacher and his wife and some friends; time alone with breakfast and then several hours just to ourselves to do what we wanted.......
.Later that evening.........we were to "dress up" for a nice dinner banquet ; and one more session.......The next morning......my husband took me to breakfast at a place he picked out special that had a nice fireplace and great food for breakfast.....the bacon we raved and raved about!..........Back to the hotel for some great teaching for the next few hours and then a great buffet lunch to end the day.......
.We cuddled and spent the drive home together enjoying our time we spent together..........
NOW........I put this all together in one small little sum to show our weekend but it whats between the lines that taught me things............. .
Let your expectations come from God.........* I had been taught this a few years back but its always a great reminder for me........
.Dont expect your mate to meet all your needs....He or she is only human. Let God meet your need.......He can fill what you need more than anyone else.... .
Love your spouse unconditionally........you know what that is a hard thing to do ...but God loves me that way.......When my granddaughter comes to me after she has drawn on something of mine she shouldn't have do I remind her everyday for the rest of her days? Do I say .....well she just never meets my needs or does this or that? .......No I just grab her and hug her and love on her ...Why? Because she is so cute? No because I love her and I want to love her with all my heart......... .
Laugh at things that are not perfect. You know what ......most people are not perfect ( I know Im not)..........but we expect them to be...
.Learn to laugh and "do the next thing" . . Dont compare yourself with other couples......That will only make you worry or go crazy trying to make yourself something God didnt make you to be.......
Let him be who he is.... I was watching all the different couples in the retreat and by the end of the retreat all of them were sitting close somehow; rich or poor; large or small; and old and young......... .
Look to what God is trying to teach YOU.......and believe me I saw that clearly in me.....It wasnt all about me and what I wanted....When I rested in that thought I got everything I needed and more...........
After over 30 years ......I am glad I have ridden in the ship that tossed and turned and came to rest in the peaceful waters of life.........
Are the "storms" of life over for this ship . Probably not ...but we have built the ship stronger with someone to show the way........Someone who sees the shore we cannot see........... One of my favorite books is "First We Have Coffee".......its a true story of a lady and her life and her family....from the beginning to the end back in the early 1900's ........her endurance and how if she would have quit this life so many great things would not have come about in her life.... ...
.Valentines Day is coming this week.....maybe your thinking.....I dont care. But then again... maybe just maybe you do........and you can hang on to that ship just a little longer..............
I love Mondays....(ps Happy Valentines Day! tell someone you love them today)....
