Plenty

She caught my eye across the room. She was clean, her boy was clean, she didn't look needy.

She looked like me. Not too long ago, little boy in tow. Only I, WE... never stood in a soup line.

I stand in a grocery line and complain about the wait.

She stands in a soup line smiles at me and says "just half for him, we don't want waste it."

I dump half the bowl in the trash because my boy doesn't like onions and celery. 

Fussy eaters, spoiled in their plenty. 



The smell makes it hard for me to sleep. I remember the smell of that meat pie. Serving, upon serving. "Can we have seconds today?" "Yes, please do, we have plenty today."

Their plenty and my plenty - so different. 

Their plenty means seconds, enough to hold them until the next meal...the next day...the next seconds.

My plenty means dumping what's not eaten because we're --

Too full. Too much enough. Too many seconds. Too full of plenty. 

Too full of ...His Grace. 

The only thing that separates me from her. His Grace. I bake a cake, stir the beans, spoon out the meat pie...

Then I go home to my plenty and feel ...empty. 

 John 3:30

He must increase, but I must decrease.

I am decreasing day by day. Decreasing the plenty. The needs, wants, have to's which fill the me places ....daily decreasing and being filled... with Him. 

Thank you Spirit for those words. Filling my empty to plenty again with His words of assurance. His Love. His Presence. His Grace.

So excited for the new community book study A Million Little Ways! If you've never participated in an on-line book club you may want to give this one a try. It is so flexible and fun.

I am looking forward to this book as it appears to combine the Creator with His created - me!

Can't wait to see how she brings about changes how I look at His work in this world. I have been feeling a little down with the world lately and am hoping this new insight in to Him and into myself will bring a new light into my thoughts!

Hope to see you there. Jump on the link below and see what you think:)
Praising Him, T

Time Passes

Time passes and my nerves thin. I hold his hand, bringing him to get changed and it happens...that annoying habit of the small and dearly loved.

 He goes limp.

The hand holding turns into pulling and coaxing - why can't he just walk in the direction I have chosen for him. Doesn't he know I know the best way?

I can't help but think of the times I've gone limp holding my Savior's hand. Here we are walking, hand-in-hand, a beautiful path together. His thoughts, my thoughts; His path, mine. We walk in peace and security. No distractions, just the quiet, still voice, the leading of Him who loves me most.

Until... I go limp. Hand still held high -- reaching up. Reaching, but not wanting. Not wanting the path that has been chosen for me. My thoughts cloud over. I forget, it's a path chosen JUST for me. I hang there lost in my own indecision. Hand still held high but the weight of my own stubbornness pulling me hard to the earth. Weighed down like rocks making a protective wall around my heavy heart. I've changed direction, the path is not so straight, and the heaviness is all-consuming. It's a power issue. A fight for control. My head is dazed, I thought I knew the way. But it's all so clear that I do not. Who is to lead, who is to follow. I have to decide here and now who is in control. Where the wall is built.

The limp, the heavy, the stubborn, controlling body of a child of God. 

Time passes, I stop, thank God for this small, strong body and receive the calming hand of my Lord. I receive it much like the small, dangling child writhing on the floor. In my own time, but it's just a short time.... the loving arms of mom (my Savior) are too warm and too inviting to stray away from for too long. He is my only way. The only path worth walking, my only security.

For I, the Lord your God, 
will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, 
Fear not, I will help you.
--Isaiah 41:13

Adventures in Frugality

One of my goals for 2013 is to find new and exciting frugal replacements for everyday costly items. I am trying to adapt to 2 of these each month. But trial and error so far had me at 50% success...

This week's tip: Homemade Frugal Granola Bars 

They were and still are a huge hit!!

That has saved me considerably on my grocery bill which I am trying to keep around $100 a week. At $3++ a box for the cheap ones and $4++ a box for the quality ones - that is a HUGE savings for us each week. 

I make a double batch of bars and it lasts about 2 weeks. Frugal and tasty! I never liked granola bars before I tried these. I found these to be a treat to eat and so versatile. They can be different every week - you choose the mix-ins, be creative and use what's in your stockpile or on sale:)

Be sure to send in your mix-in ideas and experiences with them.


Next weeks frugal adventure - fabric softener alternatives...

What is frugality to the Proverbs 31 woman?? 

It is the safe keeping of the Lord's blessings.

fka (formerly known as): Waste not, Want not:)

She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness. ----Prov 31:27


Frugality as per wiki:  the quality of being frugal, sparing, thrifty, prudent or economical in the use of consumable resources such as food, time or money and avoiding waste, lavishness or extravagance

The making of all things small

As I ponder the day, I look out the window at the new fallen snow- in awe of the artistry of our LORD. I wake up early, it's still dark, there is not a sound in the house, I begin to pray and I note how small I am in a world created by my God. 

We are merely moving shadows 

and all our busy rushing ends in 

nothing.--Psalm 39:6

I take time away from the busy rushing to dive head long into His world. 

Breathing Yah-Weh, Yah-Weh. 

My mind clears and the focus can be on the only thing that matters. How infinitely small I am and how infinitely HUGE my God is.

Every day presents a new challenge. As Proverbs 31 wife, mother, daughter.... I am continuously challenged with a changing of hats. 

My daily challenge---- 

'the making of all things small.'

It's a concept I developed to help my family deal with things they think are big. They come to me with their Goliath and I encourage them with the 'stones of Truth' (God's Word) until their giant is microscopic.

God does that...

                                He takes big things and makes them SMALL. 

We learn repeatedly that His thoughts are not our thoughts. It is ever so clear when we face our Goliaths. What we think are so BIG...He makes very small.

I took this thinking for myself and thought I could turn it around again. 

If God helps me by making my Big things small... what will happen if I make a conscious effort to make all HIS small things BIG?

What if I notice the snowflake rather the snow, the leaf rather than the tree, the ant rather than the hill, the mustard seed rather than the shrub (the smallest seed which grows to be the biggest in the garden, by the way)

What if I focus my attention on the small and make it big....

the griever rather than the grief, the child rather than the adult, the sinner rather than the sin (yes, that sinner is much smaller), the nail rather than the cross.....

To do this takes practice but it is worth every minute. 

Extraordinary things happen when we 'make BIG' what the world 'makes small' and 'make small' what the world 'makes big'...our thinking aligns with God's and Goliath shrinks. 

My encouragement today is: 

       slow down,  

                  take time to notice things differently, 

                                        give thanks, 

                                                    see what God sees and you will be blessed.

Bone broth

this is so practical you'll wish you tried it years ago!

Plan 'B'

Psalm 5:11 "But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You, 

Let them ever shout for joy, 

because You defend them; 

Let those also who love Your name 

Be Joyful in You. 

For you, O LORD, will bless the righteous; 

With favor You will surround him as with a shield." 

What are you doing today that requires FAITH? 

Is there something gnawing at your soul. Are you at a point where you feel hopeless about a certain situation. Are you ready to give up on God's plan and opt for Plan 'B'? 

Why is it we feel like we need a back-up plan when it comes to reliance on God? 

In times of stress it may seem that to sit back and do nothing is just that...

...to do nothing--

But nothing could be further from the truth when it come to God. 

When it comes to reliance on God 'nothing' can mean endurance (James 5:11), 

patience (Psalm 37:7), 

rest(Psalm 127:2), 

or reliance (John 14:1).

This is a time when you need to dig deep, to push away the stored-up layers of self-reliance, impatience, and fear. Dig until you find the you only God knows. Find that you and sit there a minute. It may feel uncomfortable at first-- it's different, it's raw, but it's clean. 

This is the you that Christ died for. This is the you that God proclaimed - This one is my Chosen, I can do great things with him. 

Are you more comfortable yet?? 

It takes some getting used to. It's not a side you are ready to share-- it's too bare, it's too-- vulnerable

But it's the you that He can make the most of. It's the one that says,  

"O Lord my God, in You I put my trust" (Psalm 7:1).  

It takes fear and turns it to falsehood. It takes restlessness and turns it to peaceful slumber. It takes a dirty wretch and makes him righteous before Him.

Relying on your own understanding will weigh you down. Trust in ME absolutely, and I will make your path straight. Isn't that what we're all longing for in our confused, human state? A Straight path.

Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; 

Make Your way straight before my face. Psalm 5:8

Don't give up. He will lead you. Hold on. Find the you only He can see and hold on to that trust in Him. He will never leave you. He's just waiting for you to draw near to Him. Be faithful and He will do wonderful things with you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27