Thankful End of January Thursday

Welcome to Thankful Thursday . . .
Today I am thankful it is Thursday so that means the week is almost over.  It has been a really, really busy week for us.  I'll share more and why in another post.  I have lots more things to be thankful for . . .

 I am thankful my Cowboy and I got to eat lunch out yesterday.  I had nacho's while he ate
Menudo.  Yuck.  But he really loves it.  We had gone to his favorite Mexican resturant that has a bakery.  We went there to buy chicharones (sp) for the boys on the drama team last night. 
Sorry but the spelling. In case your a gringo like me . . . they are fried pork fat.  The boys loved them it was a great treat for them.   I could share more. 

 But I have more thankfulness . . .

I am thankful that God uses other bloggers to encourage and help hold me accountable in many areas.
I am thankful to join this group and talk about why we love our husbands. 

And this one should have been #1  I am glad that God loves me and he is patient with me.

God put it on my heart to read through my Bible this year.  This week because it was such a busy week my Bible got dusty again. It was frustrating not to be able to read it.  But, I am praying that next week we will be back to normal. 

And I am thankful for Laurie who is the hostess for Januray. 

So do you have a thankful list today.  Click here to join Laura and link up.  Or just stop over and read all the other posts. 

On a Thankful Journey . . .

I would love for you to join me in reading through the Bible this year.  Or just join me in reading everyday.  Leave me a comment and let me know your Reading On.  I would love to pray for you everyday.  I would love to hear from you!

Wordfilled Wednesday Artcamp 1

Welcome to Wordfilled Wednesday
Today I wanted to begin sharing with you photo's from last Thursdays Art Camp at the Juvenile
Dention Center where my Cowboy and I serve as Chaplains.  

I was able to photograph Alan  early on during the painting process.  We were all amazed at what he chose to paint. 

It was actually his painting that gave me the idea to put the scripture on the artwork.  Notice he wrote the reference in the right hand corner.  I applied the verse when I downloaded the photo's.  

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.
Jeremiah 29:11-14

I had not had the chance prior to art camp to talk to Alan. (He had not come to chapel services)  I was listening as a couple of different volunteers talked to him during the day.  One of the volunteers asked him if he went to chapel and he answered 'No'. He continued to say he wasn't sure that there is a God. 

Alan is on my prayer list.  I am praying that he will call on God and he will pray.  I am praying that God hears his prayer.  I am praying Alan will seek God with all his heart. 

I am praying for you too.  I pray that if you don't have a relationship with God that today you will seek him. 

And, if you are a Believer.  A follower of Jesus that you will pray for Alan. 


Last Thursday was my first time to join the Art Camp.  I never dreamed that using a talent or a knowledge of painting was a way to spread the gospel.  A way to share God's love with boys in a Juvenile Detention Center. 

I would love for you to click here and read my entire post about Art Camp. 

Maybe God will reveal to you a gift you have or a new idea to share his love with someone else.

Thank you Amy Deanne for allowing God to speak to your heart and for sharing Wordfilled Wednesday!  Click here to visits Amy's blog.  Click here for the WFW linky.

I am challenging myself to read the Bible everyday this year.
Will you join me?

Reading along the Journey . . .

Titus Tuesday--T.V. or No T.V.

Today I am joining Darlene for Titus Tuesday a fun linky party about encouraging each other as Godly women.   As the scripture commands the older women are to teach the younger women.  To encourage.
Today I want to be open and honest.  And encourage you. 

A few posts ago when we were all writing about the New Year one of the things I said was that I was so glad for 2012 to start.  I was more than happy to put 2011 behind me.  It was a rough year for us for many reasons.

One of them being the lack of this. 

We spent from February to June with absolutely no t.v.  And, very little inter-net.  Giving up the t.v. as you can imagine was pretty difficult.  I really missed Home and Garden network and the Food Channel. 

But not having the inter-net was even harder.  Just for a moment girlfriend sit and think what it would be like to not be able to visit your friends blogs.  Or to write on yours.  Now that I have your attention let's switch gears and go back to the t.v. (We'll talk about the inter-net another day)

You see the reason that we didn't have any t.v. was we flat didn't have the money for cable.  Where we were living at the time cable was the only option.  And then thankfully in June we moved.  And we got t.v. again.

Still without cable.  This is what the picture looked like until we were able in July to buy an antenna or something so we could at least get local channels.

You may not think so but actually it really didn't bother me all that much because I am a reader.  I read alot.
I love to review books.  I love to read books from the library.  So, no t.v. really wasn't as much a burden to me it was Cowboy.

Once we got the antenna thingy we were able to get local channels.  Cowboy was happy when he could watch football last fall.  And we could get CW33.  Which was o.k. with me because I started watching
Hart Of Dixie and Ringer.  At least for a few weeks until I realized that those two hours needed to be spent sewing I had a quilt that had to be finished by Christmas.  BTW I didn't start watching those shows again.  I realized that in those 2 hours that I could do a lot of sewing.

Besides local channels we do have a couple of other channels.  One which has come to be my favorite.  And the real reason for this post. 

You see even before we didn't have t.v. we never really watched network t.v. we mostly watched Food Channel and Home and Garden.  And we would watch movies.  Usually rented.   We both just really are not into the themes of most sitcoms.  And all the adult cartoons are just trashy.  I don't know any other way to describe them.  The only other thing really left to watch is NCIS and although I would watch those types of shows Cowboy isn't into them.  And even those shows have language and contain adult very adult themes and scenes. 

T.V. isn't like it was when I was a kid or a teenager or actually a young adult.    Back in the day it was shows like . . .

Adam 12

And

And others like Leave It To Beaver and McHales Navy.  I love Lucy and Dick Van Dyke.  I remember

back in the day when a couple rarely even kissed.  And they slept in twin beds.  When mom's like June Cleaver stayed at home and wore pearls and dresses. 

I was glad when we got the antenna thingy and we found this channel

They show all the old shows.  All the shows that are wholesome and don't have words bleeped out.   All the shows that I wouldn't worry about my children hearing a bad word or seeing something that they shouldn't. 

I know that there are at least a couple of different camps when it comes to t.v. I know that some of you ladies don't even have t.v.'s in your house.  And honestly if it was up to me I would not have a t.v.

But I have to admit to you ladies it isn't necessarily because of the violence or language or adult content necessarily.  For me I just have other things to do. 

I realized when we didn't have t.v. that I could spend more time sewing or reading.  Or even cleaning.   I realized that if I didn't watch Ringer or X Factor (and it was hard to quit) that I could spend that hour reading my Bible.  Which is something that I have challenged myself to do much more of this year. 

Dear friends today I am challenging you to think about.  To ponder.  And to pray about what t.v. means to you and your family.  If your a young mother I want to challenge you to think about the amount of t.v. your children watch.  And, the content of what they do watch. 

And, I would love to hear from you.  I would love  for you to comment or email me. (slegan@yahoo.com) 

I want to pray for you and your family.  I know that many of us maybe are very careful about what we watch.  And we're careful about what the children watch. 

And, if you have already made the decision to not watch Ringer tonight (I think it's tonight. LOL) well why not just spend a few more minutes on the computer and go and check out the other Titus Tuesday posts I know you'll be encouraged.    Click here to go to the linky.  See you there!

Reading On the Journey . . .

Mosaic Monday Art Camp 1

Welcome to Mosaic Monday . . .
I haven't joined in a while.  I am glad to be back and share some cool art . . .

These photo's were taken last Thursday.  I got to go to art camp at the juvenile detention center where my Cowboy and I are Chaplains. 
It was our first time for art camp.  It was so much fun.  I thought it would be fun to collage/mosaic and share the photo's.   You can click here to read the story on my Thankful Thursday post. 

The Art Camp program will be presented monthly throughout the spring and hopefully into the summer.  I'll be taking photo's at each camp.   This time I just went in and started snapping shots  And then a couple of hours into the day the other volunteers had begun talking to the boys and giving them a Bible.  Then they shared a special verse with each boy.  I was watching and taking photo's and it came to me that I could put the verse on the art.  By that time the day was almost over and I didn't get a chance to take any more shots.  I was in the process of taking shots of the boys holding their work.  Which unfortunately I can't share with you. I took those last shots and cropped them to only include the artwork which is what I used for the mosaic. 

I will be taking each of the individual photo's and adding the Bible verses to them.  I'll post them Wednesday for Wordfilled Wednesday.  Please come back by and see them. 

I am so looking forward to the February Art Camp.  I can't wait to share more photo's.  Click Here to read the Art Camp Story.

Thanks Mary for offering Mosaic Monday at your Little Red House!  Click here to join Mary for todays Mosaic Monday.  She is sharing some very pretty winter photo's.

Reading along the Journey . . . Read On

Marriage Monday

It was over 30 years ago that I did this . . .

 I don't usually write alot about what happens behind these closed doors.  If you happen to be a regular reader you might have noticed the page/tab I have set-up for The Love Dare.  And, if your a regular visitor you might have already noticed that there is nothing there. 

You see most of the time I am angry.  Most of the time I am annoyed.  Most of the time I am not this . . .

Oh I am really good at cooking dinner and keeping the laundry done. I am really good at keeping the house clean most of the time.  But I am not so good at Praising my husband.  I am not so good at supporting him.  I am not so good at having confidence in him.  Because . . .

• I am really good at finding fault. 
• I am really good at expecting too much
• I am really good at critizing
• I am really, really good at 'I want'

and the list could go on and on and on. 

But I realize that at least in my head.  Not so much in my heart.  That God expects me to be forgiving. 

Even when he happens to be feeling bad (he struggles with extreme pain in his knees) and he doesn't say he's feeling bad and he gets in a bad mood and yells at me over something insignificant. 

Or he happens to be a little snippy and make a comment to me that isn't so nice. 

Or like the other day when he came home about an hour before I expected him and I was in the middle of laundry.  And I was moving stuff around in my sewing room area (in our bedroom) and I was putting up in a closet some fabric and books to make room to put the dirty clothes hamper in a more out of the way place.
And I had a stack of books and papers in the middle of the bedroom floor that I was sorting to throw away or put in the closet.  And I had the computer on the floor because I was also writing a post between laundry loads.  One thing I do well at least I think so is multi task.  And, besides all this chaos in the middle of the bedroom floor is a really, really big dog and her dog bed. 

Which left actually no room to walk if you have good knees.  But imagine having bad knees. 

But in my defense all he had to do was say something like "Um honey I realize I came in an hour earlier than you expected.  But I would really like to get to my closet without stepping over the dog, and piles of fabric.  And piles of books and papers and ...."  But did he say something nice like that No. Of course not because he can be a ______ .  Well we won't go there but I am sure you have an idea of what I was thinking. 

He yelled at me.  And then when I yelled back he actually pointed his finger at me.  Which really, really, really made me mad.  And I was mad the rest of the day.  He left to go to work.  And I was still mad when  he came home.   The next day I was still mad. 

Even after praying for over an hour while he was at work.  Even after God tried to work on my heart and my spirit.  I was still mad. 

And then something happened.   God's grace.  God's patience. And God's loving kindness broke through all the anger.  And I . . .

looked into the mirror and I saw . . .

not a beautiful shining crown.  Not a woman of noble character.  I saw a broken and rusy, tarnished crown.  I saw a woman that expects too much.  I saw a woman that needs God's grace.  I saw a woman that needs her husbands grace and forgivenss. 

I saw a woman that needs to be loving and kind even when I don't feel like it.  Because God said to. 
And I pray that God will keep being patient with me and teach me to be loving and kind even when I don't feel like it.  

On the Journey to kindness,

Today I am linking with e-mom at  Marriage Monday.

Because someone near and dear to me had a rough week last week. 

And, I want you to know that even though we try to pretend all is well with the world. 

And that well all try to pretend that we are almost perfect.  And that our marriages are perfect. 

Well we're not.  We're human.  We're Real

  I pray that you are encouraged not by my actions but by my heart.

If you have any encouragement from being united in Christ, if any comfort from His love if any

fellowship witht he Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by

being like-minded, havingthe same love, being on in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of

selfish ambition or cain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 2:1-5

I am thankful God hears my cry for forgiveness.  I am God gives grace.

I am glad that my Cowboy gives grace.

Thankfully on a grace filled Journey . . .

My Bad

Yep I have to say "My Bad".  I have no idea what happened last week.  I didn't get a lot of posts done.  And, I didn't get a lot of Bible reading done.   I can't even tell you what happened.  Other than we were really busy with a lot of stuff that I won't bore you with!

This week here's what I plan to do . . .

And I plan to pray for you.  I plan to email you.  I plan to leave comments.  And encourage you to do what I need to do . . .

Dust a weeks worth of dust away and get back into reading!  Let's do this thing together!
Even though I may not come by and visit you.  Or send an email.  Or leave a comment.  I am praying for all of you!

If you haven't joined our little group yet it isn't too late.  Jump right on in and start reading your Bible everyday! 

I am challenging myself to get 'back on track' this week!  I challenge you!  Let's  Read On together. Reading along the Journey

Blue Monday--Blue Linky's

Happy Blue Monday I thought it might be fun to do something different and share some of my favorite linkys that all happen to have Blue buttons.  Or at least alot of blue on them. 

 First  my favorite and the first one I found.  Wordfilled Wednesday is a day dedicated to photo's that illustrate God's word.  When I first started participating I was pretty clueless.  I didn't know how to put words on photo's.  Amy was kind enough to let me use her post each week and link up.    After a few months I figured it out and started making my own.  Mine are not near is nice as Amy's or some of the others that participate each week.  But I love it.   Go over and check out WordFilled Wednesday Amy is now linked with Internet Cafe Devotions.  Click here to visit.  Be sure and go by on Wednesdays! Click here to visit Amy's blog. 

 This one I ocassionally visit.  I usally think about it when I visit my friend Denise at Shorty Bear's Place who I visit everyday because she Blesses me!  Click here to visit Denise.  She has the button on her blog.

 One of my absolute favorites.  Amy had the amazing idea to post videos of favorite Christian songs found through the week.  Go by on a Saturday and visit.  You will be Blessed.  Click here.

 And a new one I love, love, love.   I don't think I have actually participated here yet because I haven't gotten anything finished that I have photo's for.  I'll be posting the grandsons quilt this week!  Come by on Friday to check it out and go over to Sarah's too to see lots of amazing quilts and finished projects.  Click here.  Oh and Sarah's blog name is Confessions of a Fabric Addict. That could be my name!

 Next the newest I have found and joined.  Cindy had the amazing idea to memorize scripture in ABC order.  She has spent who knows how many hours coming up with a verse for each letter of the alphabet.  I started last week and I am challenging my kids to memorize with the grandkids.  Looking forward to this helping to bring our family closer together!  Click here to join Cindy. 

And last only because that is how the photo's loaded.  One of my favorites.  Thankful Thursday is the brain child of the amazing Iris at Grace Alone.  On Thursday we post about things we are Thankful for.   She also hosts Marriage Monday on her blog which I want to join soon.  Thankful Thursday now rotates to different blogs each month. In January the hostess is Laurie.  You can click here to join this week.

And one more Blue button . . .

Of course have to include Blue Monday!
I hope you enjoyed visiting today. And maybe you found a new linky you might want to join.  If so link up and leave a comment and let the hostess know I sent you by!  Oh and don't forget to visit Sally for Blue Monday!  Click here!   

Thankful Thursday

A day late but I have a great Thankful post I wanted to share.  I really meant to write this yesterday but it was one of those days when things just kept happening and I just never got a chance to post. 
But it was an absolutely amazing day and I wanted to share it with you! 

Yesterday we got to go to the juvenile detention center (prison) where we are chaplains.  We were able to help with a new program that was being provided by another group.  They were kind enough to allow us to help and I got to take pictures. 

This is Anne.  She was the director of the program which was called Art Camp.  In this photo she is sharing about how she became an 'artist' at the age of 40 (something).  God just spoke to her heart and told her to paint.  She didn't know why but she responded.  Anne has had no formal training.  Not even an art class in school.  (at least not in 30 or so years)  But she is an amazing artist.  She didn't know at first why God spoke to her until she realized that she could share what he had given her with 'our' boys.  And so, with God's grace Art Camp was born.  This was her second program at our facility.

We met at 9:00 yesterday morning.  We were allowed to have 5 boys come to the program.  (They were taken out of school.)  Anne shared her testimony with them and talked a little about art.  She showed some examples of how a talent to draw and paint can be used.  Most of the boys are actually very talented artists.  Many can draw very well and can copy almost anything. 

The sad part is what they typically draw are tattoes. And, if they have any desire or interest in using thier skill it is usually to be a tattoo artist. 

Anne showed examples of greeting cards and advertising elements and photography and explained to them how they could use thier talent in many different ways.  She explained to them that 'art' isn't just famous paintings in museums. 

And we also learned about a lot of different mediums.  We learned about using glue, mod podge, burlap, paint of all kinds; rocks and other 'texture' elements.  We learned about using sharpies with paint.  It was amazing.  I learned so much.  I came away wanting to paint!  

And, I even came home with an idea for a quilt.  One of the ladies was doodling or drawing.  All the boys made pencil drawings and then put the drawings on canvas.  I thought the lady was just doodling while she was talking to one of the boys.  And then she got a canvas and started painting.  Just 'playing' around she said.  But the actual painting was so cool.

Each of the boys were paired with an adult.  They worked through the day together and at the end of the day they were given Bibles.  The adults shared a verse with each boy and underlined it in the Bible. 

I wanted to show you one of the boys paintings.

This is actually the unfinished painting.  I didn't get a good one of the painting alone. (I can't share photo's of the boys)   When I noticed that he had written the reference on his canvas it gave me the idea to put the verse on each painting.  So I started taking more photo's.  Then I wrote down all the verses.

I am planning on putting the verses on each photo. Once I am done then we will print them and give the boys a photo of their art with the verse on it.

It was so much fun!  I loved the opportunity to spend the day with the boys yesterday.  I am so thankful that God is opening the doors and providing new programs for the boys.  I am thankful that he is allowing us to spend more time with the boys!   Even though we provide the Sunday church services.  And, we have a drama team and have weekly practises we don't get a lot of one on one time.  I am happy and grateful that
God is opening more doors that will allow us to have more one on one time!  I am Thankful!

A to Z Memory Verse Challenge

For a couple of years I have been wanting to work on memorizing Bible verse with my grandkids.  I loved the idea of doing it in order of the ABC's but I never did follow through.  But this year I am!    I found this amazing challenge over at Cindy's blog.  I just love her header and the verse she dedicates her blog with!

Cindy started this amazing and easy challenge.  A verse every two weeks.  Easy Peasy even for young children.  I just started we are behind a little but at least the first verse she chose was pretty easy.  We all (at least the adults) already know this one.  Just gotta learn the reference.

I love the photo she made so I wanted to share it.

One of the things things I want to do is illustrate each verse with my own photo or one I find on the web.  I already have an idea for this one.  Just gotta get the photo and get it illustrated.  I think it will be fun and encouraging sending them to my kids that live out of state. 

My son and his family live in Missouri.  This challenge I hope will be a way for all of us to communicate more and spend time together even if it is through cyberspace.   

One of the things on my To Do list for 2012 is to be a better long distance Grandma;  what better way?

How about you?  Are you a long distance grandma? Why not join us?  Here's the link to Cindy's blog. 

And, why not join me in reading through the Bible this year?  Read On!

Wordfilled Wednesday Proverbs 31

 Cowboy has the privilege next month of performing his first wedding.  We are praying for the sweet couple as they prepare to begin their new life together.  It really is a privilege and an honor to be a part of their wedding.  I'll be taking photo's (my first wedding too).  The bride is on staff at the juvenile detention center where we serve. 
What a blessing it has been to see the staff trading places while on duty so they can come to service if only for a few minutes. 

I am praying for all the brides this year as the plan and prepare for their weddings.  Praying that they are preparing their hearts and that God is giving wisdom and molding their characters.

Thanks for visiting today please follow this link for more WFW posts and beautiful photo's and scripture.

Join me Reading the Bible this year.  Read On . . .

Titus Tuesday Errands with Happy Children

What to do today?  I don't know about you but rarely do I have to ask myself that question; because I usually have a million things to
do!  I bet you do too! 

I have never been a list maker. 

 At least I thought I wasn't . . . LOL. But I realized I am.  I just never actually wrote down a list. But I always seemed to have a plan in mind of what I/we (me and kids) would need to accomplish during the week.  And during the day. 

I realize belatedly I/we might have accomplished alot more had I actually written down what I/we needed to do. 

Today I want to encourage you to make a list.  I know for us as a family knowing what we needed to do each day helped alot!   Whether your list looks like this . . .

Or your more of an old fashioned girl . . .

A daily or weekly list encouraged us to keep on track.  I realized that for my family it not only helped us to get things accomplished but it really helped our family get along.  My kids knew everyday when we left for school what 'the plan' for the afternoon after schoolwas.  Having 'a plan' really made after school errands much easier for us.  I think it had a lot to do with that the kids knew what was expected each afternoon.  So instead of sitting in school all day making plans to play with neighbor kids, or play nintendo or a million other kid things right after school.  They knew that their plans would happen once we were home after a couple of stops. Basically they would get in the car expecting to stop at the cleaners or at the store.  And they would have a happy attitude about it.  Once we learned this it made our drives much quieter.  No whinning or crying about running errands. 

One thing that I didn't do that my daughter does with her 3 year old is . . .

. . . making a list together.  This is a new habit for her.  And probably comes from our habit of  planning our days.



When I saw her making a list with my grandson I couldn't help but think of this verse.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he/she will not turn from it.  Proverbs 22:6

Give it a try; include your child/children in making plans for the day or for the afternoon after school.  I would love to hear from you if you try this.  Let me know if it makes your after school errands happier times. 

Oh and BTW here's what my list looks like these days . . .

I am planning to Read the Bible through this year.  Wanna join me?

Click on the Read On 2012 on my sidebar.

Joining Darlene for Titus Tuesday. Click here.

Blue Monday Don't Fence Me In

Last Monday Sally shared a blue fence near her home.  It gave me the idea to see what I could find. 
Enjoy . . .

First I found just a simple Blue structure.  Not sure it is a fence maybe a barn wall.  I would love to have a barn this color. I could just imagine hanging a finished quilt on it for a photo shoot! 

Then I found . . .

This adorable fence.  I imagine it is a an 'old ladies' fence.  I could see this at my grandmothers.  I am speaking kindly of the 'old ladies' here.  I am one of them!    And then I found . . .

Another great example.  I wish I could virtually put all these together for my dream home.  But of course it would also include . . .

A cat because of course there is the barn and where there is a barn there are mice.  Ick and EEEK!  And by the way my cat would not be walking along the fence to stalk the birdies in our bird houses!
And then of course it would include . . .

This one was my favorite.  Which BTW gave me the name for this post. 

Of course my dream home would always have a dog!

Thanks for coming by.  And don't forget to visit Sally!