Wordfilled Wednesday Merry Christmas

Welcome to the last Wordfilled Wednesday before we celebrate
The birth of our Savior. 




. . . That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

(paraphrased) Phillipians 2:9,10,11

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come back and take you to be with me that you may be where I am. "

John 14:1-3

(my original post click here)


May your day be Blessed and filled with Smiles along your Journey . . .

 

 

On My Heart

I am glad you stopped in. . . I am bearing my soul to you. 

You are here this moment in time because something or someone sent you here. 

I have prayed for you.  I have wanted you to come here.  God has brought you here to this place to be encouraged.  Or maybe to be the encourager. 

It is difficult to bear your soul.  It is difficult to put into words the feelings that I want to share with you.  I am praying that the words that are written here come from God . . .

Our House is Divided



This Christmas my Cowboy will not see his mother.  He will not see his brother or his sister. 
My grandson will not see his Great Grandmother.  



As I think about my MIL's home I wonder if her couch looks similar to this.  It's not in an abandoned garage but I have a feeling that the autmosphere in here home is similar.  I have a feeling she is 'alone' at least during the days before Christmas. 

Her son and daughter may come into town.  Or she may go to spend some time with them. 

But she won't be with us.  She won't welcome a visit from my Cowboy.   Even though we live 10 minutes away.

And the biggest Christmas wish he has I can't give.  

Through no real fault of his he is isolated from His family. 

Circumstances have torn His/our family apart.  Yes we have made mistakes.  We've  all made mistakes.  The sadness is in that no one wants to forget or forgive.  

No one seems to want to . . .



I can't put the pieces back together.    I have prayed for an answer. 




I see Cowboy in my minds eye alone.  I see the rest of his family alone in their bitterness and anger. 

I pray for hope.  I pray that God will someday shine some light down and wake up their spirits to His love and His grace. 

And that they will give each other grace. 

I don't talk to Cowboy about it.  There are sometimes you can't bring up things that are so hurtful. 

I light a candle and pray. 

The flickering light of a candle makes me smile.  I love the automosphere of a room filled with candles. 

And in the quietness I pray. 

And I pray for you.  I pray that if you came by here that God wants you to know that someone loves you. 

Maybe your House is Divided.  I pray that you can bridge the gap and bring your family together. 

I pray that if it is out of your hands 'right now' that God will open the doors for restoration. 

I pray you feel God's precense.   I pray God answers your prayers.

I would love it if you prayed for my family.  I would love to pray for your family.

Do you have enough . . .

Chirstmas Lights?   I thought I did but;  Daisy didn't think so. 

She invited a few friends over to help with the decorations. 

She wanted everything here to be all nice and festive because she wanted to invite you to enter your dog in here Bloggy awards. 

But first . . .
A few more lights need to be hung . . .



It's a little hard sometimes to get good workers.  Some spend a lot of time on break . . .




Some are very patient waiting their turn to ad a bauble or two . . .



Some are a little tired from the night before . . .


I think there is something on my nose . . .


Nope it's on mine . . .

Is it time for lunch?

                                                                      Photo Source

Well the house is finally over the top with the lights and so it's time to invite you all to  Daisy's weekly post.  

Each Saturday she awards a doggie friend.   Wanna see some past winners?  Click here to see Cocoa,Click here to see Maggie, and here to meet Izzy.  

We need your help though.  We need you to write a post featuring you dog.   

Leave a comment and let us know and we'll feature your pet in an upcoming post! 

Please leave a comment and invite us to meet your Dog.  Daisy is really the party girl and loves meeting new friends. 


Will you Please ask her to come over and play?  All these friends coming to a one bedroom apartment well you can imagine!

A word from the human...don't tell her but I am adding her own page.  Beginning in January all the award winners will be featured on a seperate page.   Come by and visit us! 

Merry Christmas.  May your day be filled with Smiles . . .

                                                                            

Blue Monday

Linking with Smiling Sally for Blue Monday. Click Here.

Savoring Sunday

It just came to my mind.  I have wanted to share with you or at least leave something encouraging, meaningful or uplifiting on Sundays. 




I have sadly failed.  I am sorry. 


Sundays usually end up including a nap. I thought I was getting old.
 


But someone said something to me the other night. 

I was speaking with a couple of ladies from our prior church.  We were all being 'nicey' you know how you are when you see people you don't really know and your trying to 'make' small talk? 

A comment was made by one of the ladies about feeling bad about taking a Sunday afternoon nap. 

I agreed although I really didn't say much.  I just kind of listened to the conversation.  Kind of agreeing in my head but not willing to open myself up to criticsm or critical thoughts.  ( I am a good 20 years younger than these ladies)  But I was thinking to myself about how often I usually feel like I need that Sunday nap. 

It doesn't always happen and when it doesn't it's not like I can't function or anything.  Some days we might stop in and visit my mother.  And on those days we usually always end up taking her on a shopping errand.  And then I spend some time playing around in her sewing room with her.  So I miss a nap. 

It was the comment that one of the ladies  got to me.  What  I really want to share with you is this. 
Well... she said.  It is a day of rest.

And, it hit me.  It was a well duh moment. 

 In the beginning . . .




By the seventh day God had finished the work he was doing ; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.  And God blessed the seventh day and made it Holy, because on it he rested from the all the work of the creating he had done.  Genesis 2:2




And as the sun set he paused.  He reflected.  He rested. 

And he gave us a day of rest.   We just forgot.


May your Journey filled with Rest . . .

 Linking with Joan at The Beauty of His Grip

Click Here.

P.S. I hope you enjoy the new festive look. 
Merry Christmas!

Daisy's Bloggie Doggie Friends Meet Cocoa

Welcome to Daisys Saturday post.  This is the day that we award a special dog.  

Todays award goes to a special puppy  with a special mommy! 

The award goes to Cocoa Oldham.  She is so special she even got a stocking!


When mommy isn't feeling well Cocoa cuddles and gives mommy lots of love.


She isn't camera shy . . .

She is growing up to be a Big girl. 

She heared about Daisy's award and wrote her own post.  Click here 

Cocoa was a huge Blessing to the sweet Denise.  Here's what she says in her 
Life with Cocoa post . . .

She constantly makes us laugh, she cracks me up with some of the things she does. Every time I vacuum, she chases after it, barking, and growling. When the mop, or the broom, are standing up by our closet in the kitchen, she keeps running in there, and barks, and growls at them. Whenever I take a bath, she comes in the bathroom, and begs to get in the tub with me, so funny!! She sleeps in the bed with me every morning after Eddie goes to work. When we wake up, she gets on my belly, walks up to my face, and starts licking my face, and my ears. Of course, then I get up, get dressed, and we go out for a walk. Actually, she takes me for a walk!! She takes off running as soon as we get outside. There is a huge field behind our apartment building, she loves it. After our walk, we come in, and then it is playtime.

A puppy definately brings happiness and joy to life. 

And so for all the sweet puppy kisses and tail wags Cocao you deserve the award today. 

 Is your child asking for a puppy for Christmas? 

It's not too late!  I promise you all the extra work is very worth it!    And I promise many, many
happy faces and Smiles.

Merry Christmas!

On a Smile Filled Journey . . .

Christmas Puppys

Leaving you a few puppies to make you Smile . . .

And just in case it's kittens that make you Smile . . .


May your Journey be filled with Smiles
Merry Christmas . . .

Daisy will be back tomorrow for . . .

Random Household Survival Tips

I was thinking about the things that make me Smile today for  the ending of my post.  A few random things came to mind immediately followed by the idea for this post. 

updated after posting...I noticed my font seems small...Here's one more random tip. If you can't read it easily go to the little round wheel looking thing on your computer.  Mine is in the upper right corner.  If you click on it it will let you zoom and enlarge your window.  You can choose how big.  It should default to 100%.  You can change to smaller or larger.  I found this by accident.  I use it now to read the word verify.  It works great! 
Sorry my font is so small.  I don't know what happened.  Please read on anyway!

So today I am sharing  3 random tips and stories about things that made our House a home. 

Home Survival Tip #1
Let's start with clean sheets. 
I love the feel of clean sheets on the bed.  As I was spending a couple of waking moments this morning before I got up and started my day I was going over what I was going to do.  Washing the sheets was on the list and I began to think of getting back in bed to those beautifully clean sheets. 



                                          Source (click Here) With Allergy friendly home tips
Here's the story in this tip.  Back in the day when my Cowboy was in the corporate world he traveled alot!  He was usually gone Mon. or Tues. thru Friday.  Being the good wife that I am I always made sure to have the bedding clean on the night he returned home. 

After probably a couple of years I was running late and didn't get the sheets (we have a king bed and only had one set of sheets)  He stopped me as I started to strip the bed and
said.  "Honey you really don't have to do that.  I really don't like clean sheets."  I am looking at him and thinking in my head what a nut case.  He must be joking.  But he continued to explain.  After sleeping in hotels for days.   And sleeping on freshly made beds it was kind of nice to come home and feel 'at home'.

Now I am no dummy.  I know a good thing when I hear it!  No more clean sheets for this man. 
(at least not after a long week of traveling)  

That small little thing sure made my life simpler.  Because while he was gone I spent the week being mommy and daddy. 


Home Survival Tip #2 . . .
Cook His Kill  

This is not one I really had a probably with but after reading a couple of comments from other bloggers and remembering back to the days that Cowboy was hunting and talking to other hunters wives I remember those ladies comments about cooking The Kill. 

Ladies it makes your husband happy and proud to eat the meat he brings home.  I know you might be all wierded out about it but my tip is

Pray for him while he hunts. (and girls that means Pray for his safety and that he 'gets a big one'  It really isn't nice to pray he comes home empty handed.)  Pray for him when he comes home.  And say a little prayer for yourself while your cooking it. 

Seriously think about this.  The man has probably spent hours getting ready for the 'big' hunt.  Especially if he is on a lease.  He probably spent days and hours trying to find that lease.  At least that is the way it is in Texas.  And the cost.  Wow I don't even want to know what he spent.  And so,  I figure the least we can do is cook His Kill. 

I saw this post the other day at Susan's. I bet you didn't realize how lucky you are!
 

Back in the day when I was learning to cook The Kill I didn't have inter-net.  Now a days all you have to do is go to a linky party to find tips!  Thanks Susan for sharing at  Jacqueline's
Encouraging One Another linky party.  Click here.

Home Survival Tip #3
Whistle while you work....No that really isn't it but it popped into my crazy head....But actually it is a good idea!
My real tip is Pray yep Pray while you work.


Is there a household job that is just absolute drudgery to you?  There was a time when we lived in this house that had the prettiest white tile.  It was in the entry, the hall bathroom, the kitchen, the laundry room, the game room and the master bath!  And these rooms were big.   It was one of those entries that you could actually put a big 'ole round table in with a beautiful floor arrangement kind of like you see on t.v.


This is what I felt like every time I mopped.  And so I began to pray.  It wasn't one of those times of sweet prayers.  You know the kind.  It was one of those crying out kind.  One of those help me God kind of prayers.   

Fast forward a few years later. 
We lived for a short time in a house that had all concrete floors.  I loved those floors and I realized I didn't mind mopping!  It wasn't that I loved the concrete floors it was because God had had changed my heart.  God was right there with me while I was mopping and he was giving me a smile.

I hope that my tips and stories today gave you a little encouragement and filled your day with Smiles.  

Do you have any Survival tips for Homemaking?
Leave me a comment.

Smiling Through The Journey . . .

 

Smiley Things today (aka Things that make me Smile today)

An empty clothes hamper (that means all the laundry is done!)
Little boy cowboy boots (we're from Texas)
Speaking of...Living in Texas
Cinnamon Rolls yumm yumm


So are there any random simple things that make you smile today?