"Distressing" Project

I love finding great pieces for low prices

and re-doing them to make them even more special!

A couple of years ago, my sister M introduced me to

a process of re-doing furniture called

"distressing."

Below are two of my latest projects...

First, (after a light sanding),

I painted the shelves black--2 coats.

Let them dry.

Then lightly sanded the edges.

Finally, I painted an antiquing finish onto the furniture.

 Look at the difference!

Amazing!

Now I have some brand new furniture!

*********************************************************

Lord,

Help me to remember

 that You are the "Refinisher"

and I am the dull old furniture.

When You take that sandpaper,

and sand off my rough edges,

although the process often feels

"distressing,"

You are only making me

beautiful and more like You.

A Summer Golfing Adventure

One of our summer adventures,

when Daddy was on a missions trip,

was to go to the golf course.

My blessings LOVE to golf!

I've never tried...

so for now, I love to take their pictures

and drive the cart :)

The week my beloved was away,

I enjoyed every minute with my blessings! 

We went places

and did different things.

But this trip to the golf course was

speaking their language of love!

Just look at this beaming face!

He was THRILLED to golf almost the entire

nine holes :D

At one of the holes,

the golfers are greeted by

these two wire sculptures...

or is it three?

Or maybe it is four...

I am not guaranteed 80+ years

with these blessings...

oh, to make the most of each precious moment...

living each day WITH them...

enjoying the special adventures

and the ordinary days...

filled with laughter

and sometimes tears...

and lots and lots of prayer and praise

to our incredible Provider!

joy comes in the morning

I will exalt you, O LORD,

for You lifted me out of the depths

and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

O LORD my God,

I called to You for help

and You healed me.

O LORD, You brought me up from the grave;

You spared me from going down into the pit.

Sing to the LORD, you saints of His;

praise His holy name.

For His anger lasts only a moment,

but His favor lasts a lifetime;

weeping may remain for a night,

but rejoicing comes in the morning.

When I felt secure, I said,

"I will never be shaken."

O LORD, when You favored me,

You made my mountain stand firm;

but when You hid Your face,

I was dismayed.

To You, O LORD, I called;

to the Lord I cried for mercy:

"What gain is there in my destruction,

in my going down to the pit?

Will the dust praise You?

Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?

Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;

O LORD, be my help."

You turned my wailing into dancing;

You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

that my heart may sing to You and not be slient.

O LORD my God, I will give You thanks forever.

Psalm 30

* * * * * * * * * * * * * **

David, the author of this psalm, is so sincere and transparent

in what he is going through in life. 

He tells God exactly what he is feeling and needs. 

Did you know that is exactly what God wants from us today? 

He is big enough to take it...

loving enough to hold us through those things that cause us pain...

and gracious enough to have provided

 a way of turning any painful experience

into a time of praise and joy.

How amazing to let God turn our wailing into dancing

our mourning into joy

our brokenness to healing.

Crying out to Him today...

I will exalt you, O LORD,

for You lifted me out of the depths...
Psalm 30:1

     

You Can Work It Out--Book Review

      One of the recent books I've read, You Can Work It Out holds so many encouraging principles for healthy relationships!  One of those Dr. Chuck Lynch walks the reader through is evaluating what exactly each person is responsible for.  Identifying those things in our own circle of responsibility is freeing!  We are not responsible for other people and their actions or reactions...only our own. 

      But in the midst of relationships with others, we have to remember that God has His own circle of responsibility. 
**"It is God's circle of responisibility to save, change, or close.  It is our circle of responsibility to be obedient to live and to share, regardless of the change or lack of change on another's part."
**"God never gives a person grace to do His job."
** "Influence is our responsibility.  Change is God's."
**"We confront.  We correct.  We influence, but God does the changing."

      A friend of mine encouraged me to read this book when I visited with her about knowing how to find a balance in ministry relationships and life.  Over the 10 plus years in ministry, I've taken on lots of responsibilities that were not mine...and were not God's calling on my life, but instead, they were what others thought I needed to do OR what others didn't follow through on.  When someone could no longer teach a Sunday school class, I would fill in...when someone else couldn't take care of nursery any more, I took it over....when the person in charge of children's church stepped down, I stepped in...when someone was unhappy with me, I took on their expectations of me and tried to please them...leading to an unbalanced life AND burn-out.  
      
     "How do you regain personal power in your life?  It starts by identifying and assigning legitimate responsibilites where they belong.  But then the key is to assume your own responsibilities.  Stop all forms of blame shifting.  Tenaciously resist taking on others' yokes.  That will not strengthen you.  It will only weaken you.  But God will dynamically empower you personally to do all that He requires of you."

      AMAZING!!!  Thank you, dear friend, for pointing me to this book!  I honestly look at so many things differently now.  Thank you, Dr. Chuck Lynch for sharing with your readers what God has been teaching you through His Word as you counsel people who come to you!  Thank you, Lord, for freeing me from the yokes of others!  
       

The Garden Path

Once upon a time,

our house and the east side of our yard

looked like this...

 

east side with fence dividing the area

original fence dividing the backyard from the front

railroad tie border

flowers near house

After new siding and shutters,

our house and the east flower area

looked like this...



flower area with "u" pattern of flowers...
along house, dividing fence, and fence near road

But a few years of dreaming,

a shovel, and some muscles,

we started seeing some changes...

 

brand new area outside of backyard
adjacent to dividing fence
lengthening the entire area

We found some brick edgers that we liked

to line our grass path

through the flower beds.

 

brick edgers

We laid down garden hose

and spray painted the grass

for a guide for cutting away sod

from the new grass path.

painted edges for path

Then the digging began!

 

digging sod

We worked at a few areas at a time.

 

back right corner where sod has been removed
pictured with future path

And dug in the brick edgers as we went...

 

close-up of same area...
notice the irises and daylilies that needed to
be moved

chairs added in back right corner
lilies removed :)
and path cut

And little by little,

the grass path emerged!

 

viewing to the south

viewing to the north

We added a seating area

to create a space to relax and enjoy

God's creation!

 



looking north

Here are just a few of the flowers

in the area...

one of the rose bushes

garden phlox

happy wild sunflowers that I just couldn't pull out

another rose bush

When the path was completed

and bricks were placed,

we went to our local garden center

and bought some bulk mulch.

bulk mulch from our local Custer County Garden Center

The time spent digging

has been wonderful!

Here's a glimpse of our new

garden path

and sanctuary...



expanded flower bed on north side of house
meeting the curve of the garden path on the left

finished path looking to the south

looking to the south

garage sale find...an old wash basin
now a flower pot for spreading sedum
Next year, the sedum should be spilling over the edges!

in the middle of the path
looking to the south

looking back to the north...
See the other wash basin
holding some ornamental grass.

seating area with new plantings :)

looking to the north

 

God is good

all of the time...

and all of the time,

 God is good!

*****************************************************************

Lord,

You knew last Spring

when I was itching

to get out to work

in this flower area

that the timing

just wasn't quite right. 

You knew

that we needed Spring rains. 

You also knew

that You would

be sending

cooler weather in the fall...

perfect for digging and moving

the sod and flowers.

Thank You!