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A Simply Lovely Life

Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. 1 Corinthians 7;17

***

It’s easy to be losing patience with the end of winter here in the North, where the ground is frozen and the snow is rock-hard. The little ones are finding even more creative things to do around the house, for example, squirreling into the drop ceiling downstairs (!) like common mice.

The desire of my heart is to settle in, and content myself with my HOME, and what it means to me, to all of us, to be here day after day, my purpose, my life, my all, my joy.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

We are in the world, but not of it, because everything we do is sacred, with Jesus in our heart and soul. It’s not about me, it’s about God.

Flipping pancakes with blueberries, serving them up with real butter and Grandpa’s maple syrup from New York (place of my childhood).

Listening to Seth say, “You should make pancakes on every tomorrow.”

Satisfaction in trying to make them the very best I can, even if one tears in half when I go to flip it. The children love them, and the dog gets a leftover *if there are any*.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15, 16

Sunshine through a ready bowl of apples. Nurturing the family with crisp and juicy fruit. I’ll even peel it or slice it for you.

Thankful for the fresh eggs of our flock of hens, who are beginning to lay as they should (a sign of spring). Brown and sage.

My Mom taught me to keep my roses even after they dried, to use in simple rose garlands.

It only takes about five minutes to snip the pretty flowers off their stems and string them on a piece of thread with a needle, for a garland.

Homekeeping can seem like such a solitary life but He is always with us.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

The comfort of His daily bread.

The beauty of a daughter.

The silliness of a daughter.

My friend Barb makes her own baskets but ours are from Target. Wouldn’t it be fun to make one?

I adore gray and pink together, and I still remember my Grandma telling me that she did, too.

Saying “yes” to fancy dress because life is short and little girls grow too fast.

Legos all over the house.

Snickerdoodles, a cookie I’ve made my whole life beginning with Aunt Colleen in Grandma’s kitchen, and just lately, in my own kitchen.

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

2 3/4 cups flour

****

mix in small bowl:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs together till smooth. Mix in dry ingredients. From into 1 inch balls. Dip into sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place onto ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Oh they are so good. So good.

Sarah said, “Can I have a kitty? I mean, a cookie?”

Be on the look out for end of season sales. I bought two Valentine placemats from Pottery Barn kids for next to nothing.

(Surrounding them with beautiful things.) Feathering the nest.

A sweet place to play.

A little glass pig on the kitchen windowsill.

My little rose garland (they can be extended easily with future rose bouquets) and the Dottie Angel wire heart decoration that I made myself this year for Valentine’s day.

I used things from my own stash of pretty (scroll down if you click) and I love how it turned out. All starting with a wire hanger, don’t you know. LOL

These are the Chocolate Crinkle cookies I made yesterday for the children as they watched Frozen together on the couch. The recipe is from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion cookbook that I got for my birthday. They turned out great, in fact, there are only 2 left.

Sarah! Is writing her name now! I just can’t stand it.

And my Seth. They learned about Blind Bartimaeus yesterday in Community Bible Study.

Look:

Isn’t that the dearest thing? You lift his “blind face” to see his new one, with healed eyes. There is no doubt that THOSE eyes can see! 🙂

Praise God.

Last night, small Sarah fell asleep so softly with her head on my arm as her Dad read to us all from our #1 family favorite book:

Last night we read about the Wanton woman, and Mr. Talkative.

We never heard about Mrs. Wanton in “Little Pilgrims Progress” so we were kinda like, bug eyed, but Rich said “Apparently someone in this room needs to hear this.” All boys do, right? Look out for Mrs. Wanton! Don’t follow her enticing ways.

And Mr. Talkative does the talking but not the actual living a life of grace. “I have heard that you are a man whose religion consists only in words and that your everyday life contradicts what you say.” Oh, there is a lesson in that as well.

*****

Thankful for:

Grace brushing my hair last night.
Seth’s hug that was more like a tackle around the legs. (He almost took me down with it!)
Sunshine pouring through the windows as I type.
The beautiful mess of a busy household.
The laughter of teen age boys.

38 candles

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Shanda

I had a birthday yesterday and for the first time probably EVER I wasn’t all worked up about it. I usually get so excited and expectant and I know there were times when I was a teenager or a young adult when I came crashing down with tears when my loved ones didn’t care about my birthday as much as I thought they would, (SO selfish, *sigh*).

I knew for a fact that I would be busy half the day because CBS is on Wednesdays and after missing three weeks I had absolutely no choice in the matter, I had to be there. So I told Rich from the get-go that he didn’t need to make any plans. We could do something on Valentine’s day for a special treat.

BUT MY HUSBAND, this is so touching to me, had it in his head to spoil me the whole day long, beginning with breakfast in bed. Wednesday mornings are typically very hectic for me, getting five kids out the door and then getting Seth and Sarah ready to go to Bible Study. Yesterday my darling did everything and I left at 8 feeling calm and prepared (what a difference!).

He gave me a bouquet of small roses and I took them with me in a white fiesta vase!

Birthdays are a great day to pray “thank you” to God all day long and that is just what I did. As I was with the ladies (“my” ladies) for four hours yesterday I was thanking God for them and the blessing of meeting so many beautiful women (Debbie W.!) who are family to me because we share the same born-again experience, in Christ. We had our studies, then a special brunch, and a wonderful message from Annie. Then, leadership met afterwards for more fellowship and study, laughter, joy in simply being together.

I left with a full-heart but actually needing a nap and arrived back home to HIM, who was ready to whisk us back out the door for birthday spoiling. We picked up our little boys at school and headed downtown to my favorite little shop, where my Alaskan friend Hannah had arranged to have a gift ready for me to pick up.

Thank you, Hannah, for being so thoughtful and fun. Your gift was a highlight of the day. I adore the locket and the journal. love you.

coffeeshop

I had a bagel with cream cheese and sliced tomato.

The boys had soda. Sarah had an apple juice.

Not much elbow room but I love snuggling in the corners with my family.

Face of love. Face that I love. This man is attractive, generous, tender, kind, strong, and means the world to me.

The chess game developed into bickering, teasing, loud laughing, until I cautioned, “My birthday’s getting worse and worse!” I regret those words and wish I could take them back because I broke Caleb’s heart. He stopped playing, looked at me, and began to cry in sorrow. I held him in my arms and kissed him and told him I was so sorry……. and, because I knew it would cheer him up…..I told Rich the next stop was Barnes and Nobles bookstore. Off we went, where Caleb poured over books (he is an amazing reader for 8 years old) and came away with four new ones. 🙂

I also ran into Marshalls to buy hair products because my winter hair is driving me CRAZY.

My birthday gifts from the bookstore. My mom has the same cookbook (another highlight of the day was talking to her and Dad on the phone, as they called to wish me a Happy Birthday) xo

When we left the bookstore, we drove straight to the High School for Grace, Jacob, and Ethan. Grace showed me this picture of herself on the wall, she is part of the “Singin in the Rain” production this spring and this is one of her costumes. I think she’s beautiful. And happy.

Jacob and Ethan had a wrestling meet.

I think it’s so cute to see the guys all dive into the middle of the mat after warm ups.

Ethan won his, and Jacob lost his. It was fun to be there as a family cheering them on. I got to chat with my friend Nicole, too. She crochets. 🙂

My cake! I can’t get over that it says “MOM” on it, this is a first for me. I LOVE IT. Rich took David and Caleb with him on Tuesday night and the three of them carefully ordered my cake. It was carrot, with cream cheese frosting and probably weighed four pounds.

The kids ate the entire pizza we brought home while Rich inserted my “80 candles” (so he said) into my cake.

I had cake and ice cream for supper!

same smile

a happy birthday

38 candles

I closed my eyes to listen to my beloved family sing.

I look like I have fangs.

taking a deep breath

the smoke gets worse each year

With the love of my life.

VIDEO:

****

This morning it is snowing and and the children have a snow day. Because I had 2 pieces of cake for dinner last night, I have resolved to eat only fruits and vegetables today. I had 2 apples for breakfast with my coffee. We are watching Aristocats on TV, which is Sarah Joy’s new favorite movie. We have watched it four times this week. With all the excitement yesterday, I hope to be more still today, and perhaps even pick up my knitting!

Blessings and much love to all my friends who pass by here today.

“He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.” Proverbs 11:28

“The beloved of the Lord will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.” Deuteronomy 33:12

happy valentine brunch

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Shanda

Beloved,
let us love one another,
for love is from God,
and whoever loves has been born of God
and knows God.

1 John 4:7

This morning I had a little brunch for a few of the ladies from my Bible study and used Valentine’s Day as a theme for decorating.

My friend Christina recently sent me three handmade buntings that I was so thrilled to use today. I put one on each fireplace mantle, and I used one as a garland for my seasonal tree. Thank you, Chris! xoxo

Sarah loves this tree and spends a lot of time taking everything off it and then putting the ornaments all on one branch, making up little stories all the while. (I adore 3 year old girls!)

Sweet little ornament from Dawn.

I collect fiestaware and took out all of my red, pink, and white dishes to use. This round platter is black with cherries on it. I love cheerful cherry things, and have a cherry apron and placemats, too. (also perfect for Valentine’s day decorating!)

I always light candles when company is coming. This one was from a shop downtown. The gold leaf is charming.

This candle, from anthropologie, is orange scented and the red jar is thick and lovely. I’ll be able to use the jar again when the candle is used up.

Whole cloves are like tiny pieces of wood.

I put a 7 pound ham in the oven at 8 so it would be done by 10, when my friends were to arrive.

I scored the ham and inserted a whole clove in each cross section.

I used a glaze recipe from my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and it was delicious. You take a cup of orange juice, two teaspoons of finely grated orange zest, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of ground mustard, and 4 teaspoons of cornstarch, and whisk together in a pot on the stove. Cook until thick and bubbly and brush on the ham in the last 20 minutes of cooking time. The resulting Ham was delicious, simple, and elegant served on a big white platter.

Just be sure to remove the cloves as you carve. Not many people enjoy eating whole cloves.

(they are like tiny pieces of wood)

(actually, cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum, native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia)

We had an assortment of coffee, hot chocolate, and tea to chose from. The sugar and creamer were served from rose fiesta ware. (but of course!)

One more beautiful heart, made by Dawn. Dawn loves me. 🙂

The ladies and I had a fun time gabbing at the table while eating ham, pasta, apple slices, and scrumptious muffins. We talked about everything from our children’s mischief to the problems of internet, with lots of laughter. Thank you Kate, Diane, and Paula for a wonderful morning!

“If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:12

home

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Shanda

Sunday: After a big, gooey pizza, we had birthday cake.

I know, the cake was tiny! I bought it at a bake shop and I knew he would love the football and decide that it would slice into 10 pieces just fine. We each had one piece and then the cake was gone.

Monday: I knew we were about to get some snow so I took Seth and Sarah downtown to get some groceries. There is nothing like that “prepared” feeling.

After I got the groceries in the house Sarah and I ran down to the chicken coop.

We asked them to come out and play but they said they were barefoot.

Parker is always ready for some playtime.

Actually, I think this face is saying, “Do you have an egg in your pocket for me?”

Here is a laundry tip for mothers with a large family: KEEP DOING IT. No matter what, do your laundry every day, even weekends. Go around the house in the morning and pick up any dirty clothes, take sheets off a bed or two, pick up towels in the bathroom and gather up the kitchen laundry, too. Remember to wash coats and jackets every once in a while, too. If I keep up with the laundry I only have to do, at the most, three loads a day, and sometimes only two. I wait until they are all washed and dried and then I stand at the couch and fold everything (or, I have a child do the folding). As soon as they are folded they are put away in the proper place. I’m usually all done with laundry by 1 o’clock every day.

Snowflake photography next to the open door of a snowy day.

Quiet moments during Seth and Sarah’s nap time.

My latest thrift store book: Things to Make and Do, full of doable, cute crafts for little ones. We made puffets!

The living room toy basket.

Our stack of reading by the armchair.

The fire is so delightful.

And since we’ve no place to go,

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

More snow pictures from the front porch.

When Seth woke up we played his sock monkey game from Grandma.

Someone hides the monkey while the other one covers their eyes. Then, we read the questions in the game for clues to where it could be. Then, we GO LOOK.

Once, I hid the sock monkey in my plant.

Seth looked and looked.

And looked. Finally, he found it!

He was so happy. Then, it was his turn to hide it.

But when it’s my turn to look he cannot stand the suspense and usually tells me where it is before I can find it.

The boys came home in the snow.

Caleb spent the evening reading his book and finally finished it. The smile.

Tuesday: This was the view this morning from the porch, at about 7:30am. Fog was drifting toward me from over the trees, as the sun rose. And the trees were heavy with snow.

The children had school at the regular time but there are rumors of a snow storm tonight and a possible snow day, tomorrow.

I’m writing this in the bathroom while Seth splashes and sings in the bathtub.

Happy Tuesday!

Oh, I almost forgot to show you the puffets!

(They are really puppets but Seth and Sarah don’t say it right).

Calm my Anxious Heart (notes from chapters 2 and 3)

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Shanda

Two women looked
through prison bars
One saw mud,
the other saw stars.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. Philippians 4:6 TLB

Learning to be content is a heart choice-a choice to pray rather than be anxious.

When confronted with negative circumstances we have a choice: will we pray about the problem or will we worry about it?

Ultimately, contentment is more a shift in attitude than a change in circumstances.

“Lord, don’t let my pain be wasted. Use it to conform me to your image. Use it to teach me about how to be content.”

Too often in our lives, accomplishment and doing overshadow growth and becoming.

Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God. 1 Peter 3:3-4

On her tongue is the law of kindness. Proverbs 31

*Taken from the book: Calm My Anxious Heart, A Woman’s Guide to Finding Contentment by Linda Dillow.

*****

About the pictures: Before Christmas, I was walking outside and decided to cut a bouquet of winterberry branches for the kitchen windowsill. The branches were covered in bright red berries, and a favorite way of mine to bring nature into the winter house to decorate. There they sat, and sat, and sat upon the window, for over a month. After a time, the water turned moldy, every time I bumped into it a shriveled berry fell, and there were little wisps of cobwebs growing, too. I distinctly remember thinking, “It’s about time I take that jar out to the porch and dump it over the railing.” But, of course it didn’t happen. Last week, on a particular bluesy-blue day, I was standing at the sink drying tears off my face and getting a glass of water. With a startle, I noticed that the dead and shriveled branches had a surprise in store for me. They were growing, with tiny, gloriously green leaves popping out, almost like magic. I almost didn’t believe my eyes. It wasn’t magic though, it was God showing me truth through his creation: He makes things new. He makes things grow.

He makes beautiful things, out of dust.

contentment and bean bags

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Shanda

Hello, lovelies. I am sitting cross legged on the couch looking into a brand new laptop screen with fingers tip tapping across fresh, clean keys. The children are at school, Seth and Sarah are napping, the dryer is humming, the roof is dripping. It’s up 20 degrees from yesterday and feels positively warm at 39, the snow was slushy and wet under my feet when I went to the coop earlier. Seth and Sarah went outside for about 20 minutes and managed to build and destroy three little snow men. The dog ran off with the carrots. Laughter, cold hands, hungry tummies, sandwiches, naps.

What am I thinking about? In a word, contentment. My dear friend Kara shared with me a book to read and I am only a few pages in but already refreshed by good, wholesome truths.

“…..I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11

Wow, wait a minute, contentment can be learned. This fills me with hope, and a strong desire to learn, learn, learn! As Christians, God can and will infuse us with the strength we need to face each moment of every day and will teach us everything we need to know. Isn’t it encouraging that we got this far? I’m done with “chasing happy”, from now on I am going to “chase contentment”.

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” 2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT

I am excited about my new book and if you want to read along, too, it is by Linda Dillow and titled Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Contentment (I am sure men would enjoy it, too). 🙂 I am reading it on my kindle with a pencil and notebook.

***

A poem I came across recently:

What God Hath Promised

God hath not promised
Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
All our lives through;
God hath not promised
Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
Peace without pain.

But God hath promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
Light for the way,
Grace for the trials,
Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
Undying love.

Annie Johnson Flint

****

A craft to do with the children

Like homemade play dough, homemade bean bags are a quick and easy thing to do with the children and are all the better for being made by our own six (more or less) hands. Seth and Sarah had a fun time choosing their own fabric from my bin of scraps, and I even let Seth press the sewing machine “foot” (scary) to sew his own.

We kept making them until the beans ran out.

Sethers was still in his cozy pajamas. I love those darling bare feet.

We ended up with six colorful little bean bags to throw around.

This one was my favorite, as you can see I got fancy with the stitching on this one, too. Mushrooms!

Sarah’s favorites were the baby blue/pink rose ones. She told me she didn’t like the mushroom one.

Watch out! They are about to let them fly.

“just to be alive is a grand thing”

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Shanda

a simply lovely life

“But there was something more {to his experience} which he felt, but could not express, sights and scents and sounds of which he could only say: ‘It seems to get hold of you like, somehow.'” Flora Thompson, in Lark Rise to Candleford

….”it is in the smallest details that the flavor of life is savored.” Sarah Ban Breathnach, in Simple Abundance

“Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart. I want to see You.”

This morning I sat in the recliner by the window, under a lamp, and spent some time (the best time) in the Word of God, reading Ephesians and a Charles Spurgeon devotional, Evening and Morning.

As I was reading, the children were quietly buzzing about, playing and fighting a little, too (over toys).

I was blessed by Sarah’s face as she sat back and looked at the pink plastic necklace she put around my neck, her eyes were adorably thoughtful and considering.

I thought about the Holy Spirit and how God moves like wind, blowing life into dead hearts, stirring them up to begin to think of him, a miracle of soul-work. A man shared his salvation story in church on Sunday and broke down as he told us the sacred memory of the desire he heard in his mind for the very first time “READ THE BIBLE, READ THE BIBLE” until he finally obeyed and went to the mall to find one, and buy it. The Word was like a dagger into his heart, telling him clearly who he was, and what he needed, which was Jesus Christ to save and comfort him, to take his burdens away and give him rest, finally rest, for his weary soul.

I read this morning Spurgeon’s words to the sinking Christian, and how we find our refuge in the humble act of PRAYER. Oh what a comfort to simply go to Him with all our troubles, knowing that He hears and helps in such amazing ways. If only we had eyes to see all that He truly does for His own loved and cherished children.

“The fox hies to its hole for protection; the bird flies to the wood for shelter; and even so the tried believer hastens to the mercy seat for safety. Heaven’s great harbor of refuge is All-prayer; thousands of weather-beaten vessels have found a haven there, and the moment a storm comes on, it is wise for us to make for it with all sail.”

“Immediately a keen sense of danger forces an anxious cry from us the ear of Jesus hears, and with him ear and heart go together, and the hand does not long linger. At the last moment we appeal to our Master, but His swift hand makes up for our delays by instant and effectual action. Are we nearly engulfed by the boisterous waters of affliction? Let us then lift up our souls unto the Savior, and we may rest assured that He will not suffer us to perish. When we can do nothing Jesus can do all things; let us enlist His powerful aid upon our side, and all will be well.” Charles Spurgeon

so much to be thankful for;

Jacob cleaned the kitchen the other day, he cleaned it spotless, and one of his techniques was to take the everlasting four inch pile of mail, school papers, and other papers and put it in my bedroom with this label on top. LOL

It seems so strange to have flowers coming up in a “hot spot” in the flower beds. They do this every year in January and it’s amazing to see how they get covered in snow again, and frozen, but still come up and blossom prettily in the spring.

The chickens had a happy couple of days with milder temperatures and laid a few extra eggs for us.

I took a freshly baked berry cobbler to our Bible study brunch yesterday. Recipe here.

I just love the look of ice on the pond. We have another rainy day today but it was nice to see a peek of the blue sky yesterday.

If I do say so myself, I knocked one out of the park yesterday at dinnertime. I made fluffy cornmeal dinner rolls from a cookbook that Aunt Mary gave me years ago. (please be advised, if you try the recipe, I had to add more milk (increase amount to 1 cup), this dough needs to stay somewhat sticky and soft in order for the rolls to be fluffy. I used my kitchenaid to knead the dough.)

And a big huge pot of homemade chicken noodle soup.

Darling Caleb, scraping up the last of his (third) bowl of soup made by mother.

contentment.

“I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.” Agatha Christie

“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:5

God bless all those who pass through here today, I pray that you have a gentle, serene day in the Lord, no matter what trials come your way. You are loved.

a thoughtful hello

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Shanda

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, we took naps. My mind was hazy (I called Seth “Caleb” three times and didn’t even know it until the family corrected me), football was on TV, we were all together, I was thinking about nothing.

Sitting on the couch next to my husband, I leaned my head back against the cushions and saw through the window above, a familiar friend!

“You didn’t get outside for a walk like you wanted to. I just wanted to say hello,” the moon remarked.

ice and rain and orchids in january

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Shanda

In January
its so nice
while slipping
on the sliding ice
to sip hot chicken soup
with rice. Maurice Sendak

So far in this month of newness, we have had deep freezing temperatures suited for ice skating, snow to make us stay at home, and now…..rain.

January is a time to rest after the holidays, and a time to talk about the weather.

Sarah herself says that today is a fine day and I quite agree. When we went out to the chicken coop we were quite happy to get rained upon. It was ridiculous and made us laugh. Rain in January?

In other news, we have orchids blooming in my bathroom. Rich bought me these last year and I am just thrilled that they grew new branches and blossomed. There are five big magenta blooms and it amazed me to see them uncurl from their buds. Imagine trying to fold them back in? God is truly a master designer, my son David works so hard to make an origami masterpiece out of a flat sheet of paper…..God takes a seed, which grows into a green leaf and stalk, and a bud, and the flower UNFOLDS ITSELF from it just perfectly! And that’s just the basic explanation, there is much more to it as we all learned so well, in science class.

Yesterday morning’s frosty ice.

“Hast thou entered into the treasure of the snow?” book of Job

It was so beautiful by the stream, doesn’t this look like melting candles flowing into a wax puddle? or a cow udder?

I saw this beautiful bare foot sight this weekend….Grace was playing songs for the little ones on the computer, songs from the movie “Frozen” that Rich and I took the girls to see.

Sarah’s been wearing her fanciest dresses at home and I say, “yes”, because life is short and tiny girls grow out of little fancy dresses eventually.