I LOVE MONDAYS..........MOVING FORWARD

I always seem to enjoy Mondays because "something" was given to me on Sundays......

It seems God always knows are needs that run deep inside...........and when you hear a sermon preached you may think it is all about one thing and it turns out to be just what you needed.
I have heard others say " this is just what I needed"..........I think that it is just what God wanted to give to you...........

I will not go through all I heard for I do not think I could do it justice but basically when you
wonder Why you are going through a situation..............we are to

. Remember where we came from and all that God has led us through

. Review the past and know that "He will never leave thee or forsake thee".......otherwise know that He is there with you now......

. And........move forward........even if you fear; doubt; get discouraged.........MOVE FORWARD

Life is life and good and bad things happen to good people.....We can STOP and fear and wonder and worry about what is next or we can remember how God has been merciful to me and
take one step at a time and move forward...........

I watch my granddaughter try to crawl. She has been on her little tummy ; then pushing up hard with her little arms; then rocks on her knees until she moves just an inch around in a circle.
All that struggle............all that she has............not really finding a direction..........but moving forward in her little life ........KNOWING that someone who loves her watches her struggles and
is there saying " you can do it Katy" "you can do it" and someday she will be able to crawl; stand; and then walk in her life.............

I must "remember" to keep moving;........... a little day by day.........

BEING CREATIVE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE..........

One of my favorite things is to make something special that doesnt cost too much.....I enjoy going through a thrift store or small resale shop and finding that little something to use in a gift or my home..............
I use my "Everything Dough" recipe to make holiday cookies with a simple cookie cutter or use some candy making pans (dollar store) and other little candies to add a fun topping...
A simple little bag stamped and a few Easter candies make a festive plate setting..............
Use containers from the market (they can sell these for a small price)...Add a few fun items and give away............

Use "egg cartons" and spray them Fun bright colors........Add a few candies ..............

Other items to help you Celebrate Spring that are inexpensive:

. Candles- small with votive s for your table; long candles to sit in a grouping in bright greens ( candle holders can run from .25 each at resale shops; Scented candles * I find if you can find a
nice Yankee or good name on this that the smell will last a long time...........

. Wreaths- Plain brown grapevine wreathes can be adorned with a big bright bow and flowers; eggs glued upon; or a nice little nest and eggs

. Flowers- silk tulips; white fluffy flowers; lilacs ( they add such a great aroma); branches from
your yard just beginning to bloom; branches snipped and painted white or red.

. Baskets- use for Easter; use long ones for trays to fill with pretty lamp; pictures; round wicker balls; baskets to hold items needed in bath area; kitchen; or pantry

. Sheets and Bedding- I love to change my bedding with the season if at all possible....Purchase good sheets that will last you a long time in a solid color.
Find Duvets; quilts; or good name comforters to change seasons on your bed.
Place nice pillows in coordinating colors..........

BEEF BOURGUIGNON..........SIMPLY

This dish is well known through the famous cook "Julie Child". I can remember as a young
girl watching her and looking through her cookbooks.............

But........when I heard about this special dish I wanted to learn how to make it.......** It seemed so hard.........but after searching I realized their are many cooks out there that have adapted newer easier versions of the same delish dish.....I have taken from "Julie Child"; "Barefoot Contessa"; and the "French Chef" and pulled these together simply...........

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

.1-2 lbs of cut up beef ( I use a part of a roast I may buy for Sundays; or stew meat)
. Onions Sliced 1-2 medium
. Pearl Onions (opt)
. Carrots 3 regular or 4 small cut into same size 2" bites
. Flour 1/4 cup
. Butter 1-2 T
. 2-4 garlic cloves * I used the kind in the jar easy...remember to use less
. Bacon
. Mushrooms (opt)
. 3 cups of Grape Juice or Beef Bouillon
. 3 cups of Beef Bouillon

* Cut up meat. ( I do this when I buy it and freeze it cut up)....Dry meat throughly before browning....
* Heat Dutch Oven with 2 T oil. Brown meat on all sides. * Dont overcrowd ...then remove meat to small plate.
* Add cut up onions; carrots and brown 3-4 minutes Turn way down....
* Mix 1/4 cup flour with about a good T butter or butter sub. ............
* Then..........ADD to veggies and stir until mixed........

* Add Beef Broth; Grape juice or more Beef Broth
* Add meat back.........Cover and Bake 2-3 hours at 325...............* I try and reduce some of the broth. It seems to thicken nicely.

** Meanwhile ( or near the end) saute 6-8 slices of bacon ( or whatever you have **I again use
whats leftover after a breakfast meal)..............** if need be pour a little grease off
** Then add little onions or sliced onions and saute .....Add mushrooms too at this time if you prefer.....
* Set aside these go on top..........

When baking is complete...........I serve with baked potatoes; hard bread; steam broccoli

DOING THE HARD THINGS.....WHEN YOU JUST DONT FEEL LIKE IT

What a beautiful day it is here! The sun is shining; the birds are singing their joyful songs up high in the trees and it just seems like Spring is around the corner.........but ( my physical body is still fighting that "flu bug" that hit our home last week. ) Just the lingering effects of a strong
bout of illness..........

I have taken time to rest but life does go on and a few days ago I began to tackle a few more
Spring cleaning projects..............

Projects that do not seem fun. Projects probably do one will notice . But......projects that just
need to be done and make the room gleam a little more.............
Once again I go through my room; dust; sweep; bring in fresh colors for Springtime; let the
sunshine in through the curtains and bring life to a room .................
I look around at things that do not belong; that may catch dust instead of light; that may not
be needed anymore and rid out of these things...........
Last year I seemed to love the color Robin Egg Blue and pulled those colors around me in the Spring Summer. This year it seems to be the Spring Greens; soft sages; and country blues; mustard yellows and barn reds..........
Another couple of projects I tackled were the sink and oven areas.............I know ..........the sink seems simple right?
Sink- I scrubbed and scrubbed it with a good cleanser until clean and sparkling white.
. Then.......took a soapy dishcloth and a butter knife stuck down in the cloth and went all around
the outside crack of the sink **it gets all sorts of things in there
. Then..........back behind the faucet and any sort of area back there wipe and cleaned ...
. All dried and ready................* I know it will be grubby soon enough but a good cleaning like this protects your sink and counters...........

Oven.........I took off all the burners and stove plates............
Soaked.........then scrubbed them down and dried them.........
Wiped..........down the front of the stove thoroughly including knobs; oven door ledges and the floor below............
The overhead.........wipe this down also . This may get greasy so may need a soapy rag to do the job.......
Inside .........a overnight cleaner is used.............
. All dried; polished and ready to use.........I remember my mom saying " that her stove was
all polished and shining" because back in the 40's and 50's many a stove needed a good polish.

Doing some of the "unpleasant jobs" may not always be on my favorites list but once done
brings a job well done.

I LOVE MONDAYS......SHHHH WHATS THAT I HEAR???

Do you ever hear a sound amist the other noises going on around you? You cant quite hear it but then once again there it is...........Faintly........ The business of the day of phones; music; others voices filled the room but I walked closely towards the front window and there it was again..........

The sound of a beautiful song from some birds singing their song so clearly outside this busy window.... I peeked around the bare branches covered again with the whitest snow and there they stood Mr and Mrs. Cardinal......bright red and singing their songs to the fullest.........I just sat there mesmerized as if at a outside concert listening to their songs......

.I then saw them flit from one branch to another as if they were having fun chasing each other........... A whisper from God through them.......saying "I love you" after a very long week of illness. These sounds can come in the form of a giggle from a sweet baby girl..........in a prayer from a toddler "Jesus help my Papa feel better"; in excitement from a sister who just saw 6 deer wander into her yard while you were on the phone with her; music from a church radio station playing a song to fill your heart; even the quiet sounds of heaven through His Word.........

I want to take time to "be still" and listen to the sounds given to me........I want to be a sound of joy and encouragement.............and to say "Shh Whats that I hear?"

GIVEN WITH LOVE.............

GIVEN WITH LOVE.......A PICK OF POSEYS

GIVEN WITH LOVE.........A PICK OF POSEYS.....


As the warm days of Spring come along; I notice patches of ground covered in small blue flowers............

I love to see these beautiful little flowers flourish everywhere on their own... No one has planted them; they are a present sent by God for anyone to enjoy!!

I remember as a young girl going out to a wooded area and finding these "little violets" and picking each one and gathering them in my hand so tightly; then running toward the house with my heart as full as it could be; reaping with love to be given to my mother.

I would then take them (usually hidden behind my back) and 'SURPRISE' I would say to my mom ; these are for you!! She would take them so proudly and gather the bunch up to her nose and say" Oh these are beautiful and they smell so nice"......and then again my heart would fill with joy of giving love and receiving her admiration.

She would then take them in the house and put them in a nice"juice glass" filled with water and sit them proudly on her windowsill in the kitchen window. I would pass by that window throughout my day and look at those "little blue flowers" given with love and once again feel the love.

Is that how are heavenly Father feels as He strives to give us His love and gifts everyday?

He loves us so much that He wants only the best for us. We may think He has forgotten about us but He is there and waiting to hear from us.

Sometimes we may give a gift of love to someone else in the form of a good meal; a clean home; working hard on a project; praying for someone...........It is given in LOVE and OHHH the blessings we receive as we see that person smile or laugh or enjoy what was given.

This Spring stop and look at the "poseys" and remember someone loves you!

OPEN THE DOORS. THE WINDOWS...LET THE FRESH AIR IN.........

Last Thursday my husband came home from work with a bad cough and feeling pretty exhausted......( with his immune system I am getting used to things attacking him so we started on some nice warm chicken soup and he went to rest).....By Friday I was feeling achy but being a wife and mom I kept plugging on thinking I was just overtired..( my husband seemed to get worse) .........By Saturday I was really feeling exhausted and couldnt hardly take steps without feeling the heaviness throughout my body..........By Sunday the fever had hit us both and we
had the worst flu both of us had experienced in a very long time.........

I was used to caring for my husband.........and could barely lift my head from one side to another without pain....My married daughter came and brought us soups and toast and Lysol
and gather what she could to keep our room comfortable........I remember waking up one night
and the "pain chart" that my husband would have in the hospital came to my mind and I thought "Lord this is a 9 for sure!"........I would barely wake up and then sleep again.....(during one of those times I remember whispering to the Lord" I know what you have given is what I am to go through and I thank you for even this!") I couldnt help remembering those of whom I have been
praying for going through their own "trials" in life and how to them this was like a heaviness
that they could hardly bare.............

So what did I do? Oh I just got up and took care of things.......NOOO .....I couldnt. It was out of my control. I had to go through the timing of this "time" and let it run its coarse..........

I stayed in bed for days. Took sips of drinks. Slept and slept.....until it passed..........When I got up the first day I was still achy and needed some rest. I am still sore from coughing and abit weak but on the mend.............

God always shows me a lesson.................Sometimes we have to stop and go through the trials of
life to become stronger and take time with Him! ...............I am careful now to take my vitamins
and get my strength back ....why? Because He has others that have been put in my path to care for.........I need to take care of myself to be a help to myself and others..........

Im not the first one to have this "bug" . There are many in are area and other areas across the country.........Im not the first one to go through ___________........but when we are going through it it may seem like it!

I have now lost both of my parents......I miss them dearly. It was hurtful to lose someone you love but you know what ? Now I can "feel" for others that are going through the same thing and
can maybe do some things I know I needed during that time..........
I say .........Open the doors...........let the fresh air in..............and the warms breezes flow again
through our lives..............

I love that Spring is coming.....I love the sunshine I can see peeking through my windows...
It gives me renewed strength..............

So today I am for being Thankful..........Thankful for the little things such as the red cardinal
I saw in my big tree out my picture window......thankful for a husband who has regained his strength and returned to work.......thankful for a daughter who was willing to take care of her two parents ( and now has two sick little ones with this bug); a son in law willing to go to get "drugstore" items needed" and ..........for Gods goodness.............