My cloche

I am crazy for cloches, no really I am.

I'm not sure why, but they intrigue me.

I started collecting them a few years back, and find them so fun to fill and scatter through out the house. Michael and the kids gifted me this giant one two years ago for my birthday, and it is my favorite!



For this time of year, it's a challenge to think of something fun to put in it. I don't really want to plant anything in it, although come to think of it, clover would have been fun for St. Patricks day. I like to change the display for the different seasons. This time I stacked favorite old books. I am often drawn to old books, sometimes just for their old pages for use in craft projects. Our family LOVES books, so it is fitting that we live with books, and admire their beauty.

 

Do you have anything at your house, that you leave out all year, but change for the seasons, or any collections that you scatter to decorate different parts of your home?

I scarce can take it in

 

Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.



 

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

And when I think that God His son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then i shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God how great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

My closet

Do you see anything strange about my closet?

(other than the boxes of pictures on the top shelves that are still taped up from our move)

Look more closely, do you see it yet?

My hangers, some of them are backwards!

I put them all backwards at the beginning of the year. Now, when I wear something I put it back the right way. The idea is, that at the end of the year anything that is still backwards has to say good-bye. If I haven't worn it in a year, then it hasn't earned the space it is taking up.

This system is doing three things. It is encouraging me to wear some things I had forgotten about, because I want to help them earn their keep. It is encouraging me to lose the weight this year so I can wear some of those items I really don't want to get rid of. And it will hopefully help me see those items that I just don't need to hold on to any longer.

Now, about all those shoes.....

Pelican Pete

We spied this beauty on the golf course yesterday. He seemed to be slow moving, and unwilling to fly. We kept our distance, and admired him from a distance.

Pelicans are plentiful around here, but aren't usually on the golf course. They like to soar over the ocean, and fish with their families.

Maybe this big guy just needed a change of scenery, or a little break from his routine. Either way, we enjoyed his visit.

Is anybody listening?

Do you ever feel like noone is listening?

Ever feel like in the midst of texting and blogging and facebook and e-mails, that your words are going un noticed and the words of your heart aren't being heard by anyone?

Psalm 139

 ¹ You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Did you catch verse 4?

Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.

     Isn't that amazing??

Not only does He hear you, but He knows exactly what you're going to say, before you ever even utter a sound!

 

fail

Pick interesting leaves they said, and we did.

Layer them between substantial paper they said, and we did.

Stack lots of heavy books on them in your half bath, and let everyone think you read a lot of really good large books in there, and wait two weeks they said, and we did, very patiently.

Reveal fossil like images they said, but we didn't.

There is no next picture of the results because there was nothing to show.

Ever have a failed science project?

living simply in March

 and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judea and Samaria,

and even to the remotest part of the earth.

Acts 1:8

source

One of the things we looked for in a church when we moved here, was one with a focus on  missions. We are very happy that the fellowship we found does!

Because they focus on missions, they ask that their members give, and serve, and train, with mission mindedness.

source

They "do" missions locally with a food bank, and they feed the poor. That is our Jerusalem.

They "do" missions in nearby Jacksonville with Baptist children's home, and a ministry to refugees in partnership with World Relief. That is our Judea and Samaria.

They "do" missions in Africa in hopes of reaching people groups who have never heard the good news of Jesus. That is the remotest part of the earth.

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In celebration of mission mindedness, our church has asked that during the month of March,

We live simply,

so that others may simply live.

Won't you join us?