Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Winner Winner ??



Today the Sweet Beans and I made pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving.
It was a first for both of us!!

Started with our thawed frozen deep dish pie shell...

Well of course we added pumpkin!

 Sweetened condensed milk.....
 My little sugar holding the brown sugar :-)

 Yes....saying cheeeeeessshz and adding vanilla ..
 ........made with Pumpkin spice
 cinnamon ...
and ready for the oven!

" Wow, big Namaw"........
 Pointing to the one she made.

Most thankful today for my chef, my buddy my Sweet Beans who brightens every day she's with me.
We'll let you know if we win a blue ribbon !
Khloe echos from my heart today...

Monday, November 25, 2013

I'm Riding the Breaks!

 ~

When operating a motor vehicle we know not to ride the brakes.
It's not good for the brakes and its unclear to the one behind you if you
really plan to stop or if your just slowing down.
So, if you do this....stop it!

~

Life.
When living my life, I've learned to ride the breaks.
Refusing during this holiday season to become rushed, overwhelmed, frustrated,
you fill in your adjective...

Because I slowed down, lightened my calendar...
I have, discovered a more relaxed time to read my devotionals
 in the early morning hours.
For me, by being faithful in my quiet time, 
without a million things on my mind that need to be done,
it has produced so much more positivity in my day.

More time for baking with my little chef Khloe .....

Because I've slowed down I find I laugh more, enjoy the outdoor beauty more,
I'm exited about another day everyday. 
No more dread of all I need to do tomorrow and the next day!
I couldn't enjoy our little ones more! 
Well, I could if we all lived on the same block.....but we don't. :-)




 ~

I do  have a lot of events coming my way in December, it's sometimes that kind of month.
I had a couple thoughts about how booked it is, so rather than stress about it I chose
to be proactive in making sure it isn't something to stress about


I've almost completed my Christmas shopping, which gets easier every year since 
I can do most of it online!  
I make a list of who I'm shopping for and when something is purchased
I add it next to their names.  It feels good to be able to look in one spot and know just
what has been accomplished and what is left to do.




More time for this little Snuggle bug, Ellery Grace.

~

Saturday and Sunday we pulled out the Christmas Decorations and with the exception of the tree
we are ready for December!!  With Thanksgiving so close to Dec. 1 this year, it was the only way to not feel as though we are racing to keep up.


Tomorrow I shop for Thanksgiving, we will have 11 around our table this year.
I'm not sure how much is age, mortality, or what, but I'm more thankful than ever.
~
I am so thankful for my family and friends, and my church on the hill :-)
With the wrinkles, and all things heading south, memory (what's that)failing, 
 the mid section recently mistaken for a baby, thinning hair, and fuller beard :-) (drat!)
I've never been more happy or content in my life.

I know for certain it's nothing to do with this world and all that is or isn't going on in it.

From this NASCAR fan, I will refer to this world as
 my pit stop,
 en route to life everlasting in my true destination.
Heaven my Victory Lane, no trophy, but a crown !!

Praying you all have a  blessed Thanksgiving with those you love.
Gently apply the brakes and enjoy the moments :-)
Thankful for all who have touched my life, it's what echos from my heart today..



Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Please help!

 Hello blogging friends!

 Please read this brief story about my friend Jim and Susan's charity...

3 little Halos

Aubrey, Alex and Braden Butler passed away in November, 2007 as a result of a fire in their West Chester home. Their grandparents, Jim and Susan Butler, created 3 little Halos in their memory. They first purchased Sparky's Hazard House, which is an interactive house that allows small children a way to learn about fire and household safety, and donated it to the West Chester Fire Department. In order for smaller children to learn to not be afraid of firemen in their protective gear, they donated an inflatable Walk Around Fireman, in which members of the WC Fire Department wear to meet and greet children and families. They have recently turned their attention towards building a Safety Town in West Chester, which will feature a large array of safety instruction including fire, water, traffic, poison, and many more in the hopes of preventing future tragedies to children. 


.My friends Jim and Susan are in a contest to win $10,000 for their charity which will surely help save many lives of children.
I am asking you to go to the link below...once on the page you must check to "like" the page prior to you being allowed to vote.  The contest ends on the 25th of November.
 
These people are very close to my heart and their heartache is unfathomable... Please, please take a minute to vote for 3 little halos :-) They are what echo from my heart today and everyday that I can hold my grand children, or look into their sweet faces....please share this and ask people you love to vote.
Hugs!!!



Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Pain...an Honor ?

For it has been granted to you on behalf of 
Christ not only to believe on him
but also to suffer for him.
~ Philippians 1:29


I am on day two with pain involving my back.
Can't bend, turn, stand or lay without pain..
Every movement requires careful thought.
Dressing myself waist down a challenge, as is showering.
(hubby assistance)
This morning I felt stuck lying on my side in bed.  Regardless of what 
or how I tried to move it, I was not able to do so.
Thankful the hubby was not working and here to help me out of bed.
On the one had I so appreciate his help and waiting on me, on the other hand
I have great difficulty with help and being waited on!
In the scheme of things....no biggie...yet it's an area I've never felt comfortable in.
Never comfortable but I trust God continues to get me comfortable in it!
I have learned that it blesses the person doing the helping...
A work in progress for sure.....

~

Pain we rarely understand it's purpose


Pain...it's inevitable  in life, be it physical or emotional.
Neither are something we want in our lives,
both can produce something awesome.

I've recently read that if we were to know what was to come in our lives we may try and 
prepare for it, get in God's way,
 rather than allowing the element of surprise to test our faith,
as well as in it's process, bring glory and honor to God in others seeing our faith 
in action..

It's in the painful stuff we grow the most.
Jim McGuggian refers to pain as a Badge of Honor...
In the Bible no one suffered pain and losses like Job did.
God allowed Satan to bring much pain and torment upon Job.
God knew Job loved him above all else and that Job's faith in God
 was greater than Satan's attempt to rock it!
It was all intended to bring glory and honor to God.

"He, Job, being made into humanity's champion against the dark forces of evil and cynicism.
Job being totally unaware of God's plan, made the physical and emotional pain even worse."

Here's the part I loved reading;

"Had he known what was happening, he would almost certainly not have asked 
for the pain to be removed-
it was a badge of honor, don't you see. 
Still the pain was real, the suffering was prolonged and acute, the agony would still bring groans and longings for ease."

When I think of my cousin Dona who recently lost her husband Gary..I am inspired by her faith.
Her suffering is her badge of honor, a consequence of loving him for all of those years,
A consequence of her commitment to him and the life and love they shared.

As Mc Guiggan put it;

"Why not, instead of seeing the pain as something to be eradicated, view it as the direct
consequence of loving well? "

Oh how I love that....

~
In terms of others feeling you should be moving on from loss he say's this;

  "I continue to suffer because I cannot deny myself, 
because I cannot wipe away the years, because I continue to love and long for
 my husband and friend."

My cousin in her pain in loss has shown so many the power of God in us!
Shown us it's okay to want the pain to leave, to even beg God to remove it.
Most importantly she has shown us what true faith looks like in the midst
of a pain so big and so real.

 She has honored God in her suffering and the lives of others will change because of it!
Someone will come to know God and or renew their walk with him because of
Dona, living with a great sadness but with a greater faith in the midst...

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him
Job 13:15

Suffering and pain, something we all have in common...
different levels, different forms of it.

My pain is for but a short time (hopeful)...
However long, I know God has a plan.. I've something to learn here,
it's occurred to me it may even be an answer to prayer...prayer for pain you ask?
Well not for pain but Yes!
I've been wanting more quiet time, to read and grow, to hear God's voice.
Time to shusssh the world out....
I trust that time has come, and I'm thankful in the midst of my pain that this
is likely what it was going to take for me to do so.

Jim McGuiggan ends with this thought;

"Had Job known his suffering was directly related to his love for God, he would probably have
embraced it with strong joy.  
But then we would have had an entirely different book,
wouldn't we? "

Good will come out of the pain....we just don't always see it at the time....
Think back on the most painful of times...can you see what grew out of that time?
So much I would be missing if I didn't have a true spiritual relationship with God.
Seek Him and find out for yourself, its what echos from my heart today.......


Friday, November 8, 2013

Historic Homes and The Store of Stuff ~


Highly recommend our hotel !
This is our second time here and it's been great both times.
 
Off to take some photos of some Historic Homes, below.

My personal favorite :-)






 Cosmos and bee are included.






This is a closer look at my favorite....

 These trees are everywhere in San Luis Obispo, I think the trunks are amazing!




We've dined here twice now...it's a must for Tri tip Sandwiches !




The photo below has a few possibilities based solely on attire;
1) This is a stolen police bike and helmet.
2) A very poor attempt at being undercover.
3) The Police are very laid back in San Luis Obispo?

 ~
 Above is the wooden horse out front of "the" store.
Below are photos of a large variety of Stuff.



 I'm a tractor lover so the table below was pretty cool :-)















If you find yourself looking for a very large wine glass ...we found it!


Made of fabric and very comfortable!


~

He sat for a very long time.
It not only reclined (which is required) it gently moves forward and back
as you lay in it??








 Wide variety of hammocks!


 ....and chairs.

 What? 
A hanging, swinging couch, with a sunshade,
why yes I'll take one!

 and for those day's I tire of swinging....


Love these new, old wooden chairs!

We don't know....
but we liked him.





I made it very clear I loved this bowl,
however, it's still available.....





 We fell in love with these birdhouses last visit here.
Pa is going to figure out how to make them!
~
Lots of walking and shopping and eating...
Back to the room for some blogging and relaxation on our last night here.



My sweet hubstir has surprised me with two cards since arriving in 
San Luis Obispo.....

It's been a great visit....
Resting up from our relaxing vacation, echos from my heart today :-)