Time is drawing close!

Okay everyone…are you excited about the
Mystery GiveAway???

Well I am – I’ve been drumming up ideas for it all last week and over the weekend wondering what to give away and not only that…have you seen the entries??? Oh man….there are a lot of you out there just so curious. I guess a good mystery gets to almost everyone doesn’t it?

Well I’ll keep you in suspense no more…here’s what’s
going to happen…being there are (to this point anyway)
151 entries – WOW!!!

So that being the case it sure doesn’t give you good odds does it? So here’s the deal…I’m going to give away TWO - just because! I don’t know if they will be exact or if I’ll mix them up or how the 2nd person will be chosen.

That’s all you are getting for now!
Am I being the good me or the bad me???  LOL

Yesterday was a full day in the yard doing mulch and what a job…we live on a corner so we have several areas of gardens that need lots of attention so when it comes to mulch day it’s a chore. I went out to start helping after he got the lawn mowed. We started trimming areas and getting some left over leaves out of the base of some of the shrubs and
then the cleanup before the mulch was delivered….and when it came it was gorgeous.
I had said we were were getting the black mulch…I LOVE IT.
I like the dark look of dirt rather than the bright mulch.
Here’s 9 yards of it!

It was non-stop till 7 p.m. last night and by then
we were totally done in.
We both hauled wheelbarrows of it to locations and then
I was literally on my hands and knees all day long
and by evening I could barely move.
So here are a few pictures of the day as it progressed.

Oh, I did get my Perennials in the side gardens before
we got over in that area because once the mulch
got down i wasn’t going to disturb it.
And wouldn’t you know…just seconds after I got one of the Woodland Poppies in – he ran over it with the wheel of the wheelbarrow…now I think he’s out to get me with my flowers because a couple weeks ago he pulled out all of my Coneflowers..remember!!!!

So here’s what we did all day in the yard…Now I just have to wait for everything to grow bigger and flower

 

 

 

 

 

Taking a much needed break…don’t you love the pants!
Look at my shoes in the next picture…they went into the trash.

Oh, I forgot…our son Brett came over to pick up something so we put him to work blowing the area clean – I don’t think Doug could have picked up anything more by then!

I still have to get these planted and I think they are going to go in window boxes for the garage windows – it’s such a bare area over there now that the boat is gone.

That’s it! Sorry to bore you with yard work but it’s all I have right now to share with you…but I did want to let you all know that the time is getting closer for the give away…
GOOD LUCK TO ALL WHO ENTERED!
Karen

The Proverbs Woman... no, not THAT one! (part 1)

If prompted to think of "the Proverbs Woman", anyone who has read a handful of books, skimmed a few blogs, or heard a sermon or two aimed at Christian women will automatically call to mind the Proverbs 31 woman. Land investor, wise guru, accomplished seamstress, careful shopper, generous philanthropist, and dependable wife and mother all rolled into one, she's perhaps the most referred to biblical "example" for Christian women. But I don't want to talk about her today. It's a different woman of Proverbs I want to talk about...

"The Forbidden Woman"
Proverbs spends a lot of time talking about this "forbidden" (sometimes translated "strange" or "foreign") woman. Much of the text is aimed at imploring the author's son not to visit or be hoodwinked by her. But there are things we, as women who want to honor God, can learn from this woman. Just like TLC's show, "What Not to Wear", we can look at this negative example in God's Word to see "what not to be".

It is easy to look at negative examples in Scripture and link them to "that woman three rows up every Sunday who wears tight clothes and distracts all the men during worship" or "those young barely-clad strumpets at the mall." (OK, moment of truth-- I just wanted to use the word "strumpet"... how many times does one have the opportunity to do so?) :) But we can't much do anything about those other women... however, we CAN "ponder the path of our feet" as Proverbs 4 instructs us to do.

We CAN look to this example and learn something for our own selves.

Traits of the Forbidden Woman (all references from Proverbs):

• Her lips and speech seem smooth and sweet, like oil or honey (2:16, 5:3)
• She forsakes the companion of her youth (2:17)
• She forgets her covenant with God (2:17)
  
• Her final destination is bitterness (5:4)
  
• She's as sharp and dangerous as a sword (5:4)
  
• She's on the path towards death & hell (2:18, 5:5)
  
• She does not ponder the path of life (5:6)
  
• Her ways wander and she doesn't even know it. (5:6)
  
• She takes from the honor and labor of strangers (5:9-10, 23:28)
• She's like a deep pit that you fall into and can't escape from (22:14, 23:27)
• She increases sin among mankind (22:28)
  

There are many things we can learn from this. I'd like to propose a few self-examining questions we could think through as we consider this passage:

• When speaking with married men, do I speak and carry myself carefully, in ways that will not be enticing or tempting?
  
• Have I forsaken the companion of my youth? Am I growing in love or in annoyance towards my husband? Do my actions and words towards my husband give encouragement and support, or are my words discouraging and quarrelsome?
• Have I forgotten my covenant with God? (This question assumes that we are in covenant with God. If you are not sure on that point, click here and consider this.) Do I forget my Lord as I go through my days and weeks? Is my life still being changed by God?
• Do my decisions and attitudes lead me on the path towards bitterness? Am I quick to forgive, or do I hold onto grudges? Am I working towards contentment in all things or would it be more accurate to say that I actively seek things to gripe about?
• Are my words sharp like swords? Do people feel lanced and bruised after being around me, or do I speak life-giving words?
  
• Do I ponder the path of my feet? Do I consider where I've been, where I am, and where I'm headed? Do I live thoughtfully and intentionally? (Some Proverbs to consider and pray through: 3:6, 3:17, 3:21-23, 4:11, 4:14, 4:18, 4:25-27)
• Am I wandering, and have I looked closely enough at my life to recognize it if I were? If my life was an airplane, and Christlikeness, wisdom, and Heaven were my ultimate destination, am I headed in the right direction, or do I need a mid-course correction? Is my life more influenced by TV personalities or by Christ? Am I more likely to make a change in my life and home based on an HGTV episode or on God's Word? Am I like the women talked about in 2 Timothy 3:1-7 that are easily led astray, "always learning", but never arriving at the knowledge of the truth? Am I bouncing around in the philosophies and lifestyles of the world, or am I seeking to honor Christ in the overall trajectory of my life?
• Are others around me influenced towards God or towards sin after being around me? Is my mouth more likely to gossip or encourage? Do I encourage lust by the way I dress or the words I use? Do the words of God regularly pour forth from my mouth, or is my advice interlaced with tips and techniques found in any grocery store magazine, psychological daytime TV show, or best-selling book? Does the "fruit" of my life propel people Godward or sinward? Do my actions show compassion and kindness, or am I an obstacle someone would have to "get past" in order to know God more?
  

Just a few thoughts I had about this "Proverbs woman".

I'm enjoying reading through Proverbs each month and gleaning more wisdom for life... if you aren't already involved in a Bible study, I'd encourage you to follow Proverbs through each month (read Proverbs chapter 1 on the 1st, chapter 17 on the 17th, etc.). It's full of practical wisdom for life, and it's something even the busiest mom can make time for most days.

May God's wisdom be evident in your heart and life this week! ~Jess

Small Pleasures

Sometimes it's the little things that make my day. Especially when fragrance is involved. I don't know if I just have an extra sensitive sniffer or what, but scents really have an impact on me (both bad and good).


The other week while at Target, I came upon a Caldrea product display. It's not in the normal cleaning aisle, but rather near the kitchenware department. They have three fragrances in this lower budget line. Herbs of Provence, Citron Ginger, and Olive Oil. I like them all, but the favorite for me is Olive Oil. Thankfully, it smells nothing like olive oil. It's more of an herby/spa/fresh type scent. So far, I've gotten the candle and hand lotion. I would like to try the stainless steel spray and counter spray next.

Another new little find is an inexpensive dish detergent. It's made by Costco's brand, Kirkland. It has the most refreshing citrus scent and NOT a lemon-cleaner citrus like some other ones I've tried. It's so fresh and clean and eco-friendly to boot. And the color of the soap is perfect for displaying. I like it better than the more expensive brand I had been using. If you belong to Costco, I encourage you to peruse their dish soap aisle and take a whiff.

Cleaning never smelled so good. Mmmm.