Guess what I did with the trash can??

Not only is this a great way to use the cruddy, old trash can. It can be used annually for it. Year after year, remembering the great grace of our Lord as you reap the rewards of gardening. Include the whole family - after all it will take at least 3 of you to actually dump the can when the time comes!

If you read often, or have looked at my other blogs, you will notice I love to cook and garden. It's really something to grow stuff and then be able to eat it. I am in awe of this. So, when I saw this idea from Heavenly Homemakers, I knew I just had to do it. This is a container garden in a whole new direction---move over topsy- turvy hanging tomatoes!

You actually beat up your container a little more , add some holes, dirt, and seed potatoes and you've got mashed potatoes galore. (Yes, there is definitely another day's blog......)

Anyway, here are the complete directions: love to hear if anyone else tries it - I will include pictures as it grows!

Planting Potatoes in a Container

Lately the 3 blogs have been too much for me to handle so I am concentrating mainly on this one and adding whatever the Lord puts on my mind for that day. However, I will also still share recipes and garden on my other blog: Proverbs31 Cooking

May you be blessing in all you do today--T

How do you get rid of a trash can?

I was just sitting here thinking - how do you get rid of an old trash can? You can't just leave it by the curb - people will either put trash in it or think you're a slob.

Even if you put it out on trash day - if there's trash in it they'll take the trash and leave the can. If you don't put trash in it - they'll still leave it - come on, it's a "trash can."

Do you go to all the trouble of bagging it up. Buy one of those super, HUGE bags tie it up and disguise it as - "trash". Odds are your trash man is on to you by now and will leave it there just to mess with you - I would:)

I would probably go a step further...unwrap the bag and put it into the can as a liner. Like the owner didn't know how to set it up correctly...LOL, I do like to do things like that to people...it usually makes them laugh, and we can all use a good laugh now and again.

So now that I've messed with you my dear reader you are probably asking yourself, "What does this have to do with "dailystuff"? "

Well, after I looked at it a bit longer I decided I couldn't throw that old trash can away after all. Sure it had dents and a couple holes. It was a little rusty in spots where it was bent out of shape, it sagged to one side, and it had lost all of it's original shine. I thought maybe this is a reflection of me on some days. Sure I've had my super mom-perfect wife-good church girl-loving friend - Jesus glowing days. But I've also had my: do it yourself-you don't love me-who's going to miss me-are you sure she loves Jesus? bent-up, rusty, dented, dull, sagged-to-one-side days too.

Days when I should have been left out for the trash, days when it was probably would have been easier to leave me than love me.

Those were the days when I needed it the most but deserved it the least--

Those were the days when I received the most Grace.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

His grace is always enough.
So, today I give grace to that old trash can. My gracious God has given me new life and I will return that today by finding new life even for my old trash can that no one else wanted.
I am glad the Lord did not leave me at the curb for someone else to take away. I am so glad He wanted me.

Many blessing to all today.--T

Know that God wants you dearly. He is waiting for you to accept His invitation. It's that easy.

Upside-down-cake day

Did you ever wake up and your day starts out like an upside down cake?? I found this great recipe and immediately I said, "Hey, that's me today.!" Unfortunately, I didn't have time to actually make this yummy confection on my upside down day, but I plan to as soon as I can get right-side up. The only thing is I'm not sure I'll be in the mood for it then.... On these days my paths are not straight, the light is not on my path, kids are unorganized, school starts late, laundry is stacked and babies need feeding - can they eat upside down cake?

After wallowing in self-pity for a while, I decided to make the most of my upside-down day. Just because you're standing in sticky syrup doesn't mean you have to stay there. There are these great bananas to stand on...Cool:) You might still be in the sticky stuff, but you've got semi-stable foundation to coast on until you can pull yourself out. That's when I got to the spongy cake. Wow, maybe this wasn't so bad after all. Spongy cake was good. It was supportive, tasted good with the rest of the cake and made me feel like I had accomplished some stability in my less-than-stable day. I had tried all on my own to make this upside-down cake day into a beautiful 3-tier-whipped-white-frosting-with-tiny-crystallized-violets-cake (Oh, but that sounded so much better!)

I resigned myself to the fact that this day was not going to change and God would give me a brand new 24 hours tomorrow. When it hit me - sometimes you have to ask for the help. God's answer was simple, get over yourself...stop complaining and stop trying to turn your cake over. I later found that he made that day upside-down for a reason. I wasn't supposed to make it different, I was supposed to make the best use of what I was given.

As Christians, we spend a lot of time trying to turn our cakes. What we need to do is live the best we can through it so we can be a good testament to others-- believers or unbelievers. We need to keep walking and even though you might end up with sticky feet, they will be washed by the hands of God in the end.

We are so blessed that our Savior allows us to have our cake and eat it to:)

I hope you found this message encouraging. Meanwhile this cake really exists and is the fabulous creation of Closet cooking

Hugs and blessings-

In Praise

Let's Celebrate the National Day of Prayer today!

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me --Revelation 3:20

We are so blessed to be in a free country where we can pray publicly and privately!

Thank you Jesus!

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

But the Lord will deliver him out of them all...Psalm 34:19

I am in such awe of my Father today! My mom has just received the news that her second battle with cancer has ended and she is once again a wonderful miracle of God. I can't even describe the awe and wonder I am feeling!

Thanks be to God.

I would love to pray for you today. If you have a concern or need guidance as to God's will please respond with a post comment and I will pray for you. Remember He WILL deliver you out of whatever you are facing. He who promises is faithful! God loves you and He is so faithful. Believe Him, trust Him, honor Him, pray...Also, if you have not trusted Jesus as your Savior, today would be a really great day to do that! Just click on the big, red READY button- you'll be glad you did!

Lifting you up right now--E

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Top 10 things I never want to take for granted...

1. The blood of my Lord and Savior Jesus


2. Having parents who never divorced or abused me


3. Having my husband home and in my bed every night rather than out doing "his" thing


4. The emotional and physical health of my children


5. The freedom to worship my Savior 24/7--- publicly and privately


6. Homeschooling my kids all of their academic years


7. Intercessory prayer from Jesus and the saints - you ARE my rock! Also, my prayer team - You are my earthly rocks!


8. Learning something new every time I open the Bible....


9. Fresh, clean water, indoor plumbing, owning my own home (I guess that's really 3 but who's counting!)


10. Going to a grocery store and buying anything I want, whenever I want, and never feeling hungry...

There are really so many more I could add, I would love to hear what everyone else 'never wants to take for granted' too! We are so blessed. One thing about the information super highway is that you never have to wonder how other people live, what it's like in other countries, it's all right there. I really don't want to live anywhere else. Our darkest day is nothing compared to the brightest day in some other countries. Thank you Jesus...

Thanks for stopping by. I have taken a bit of a hiatus after buying our first home (at 42 years old)--this was a good exercise in patience-- and will be posting more often now. Thanks again for dropping by today. May you be blessed in all you do today.
Hugs and Blessings