My Refuge

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day have all come and gone.  We've definitely had a winter here this year, with our share of cold, very cold, snowy and icy days.  I remember growing up in the below freezing weather of Montana, with endless snow.  It's interesting that I was used to that, and it didn't seem to bother me.  But now that I'm older and haven't lived in that climate for over 25 years that I no longer tolerate the extremely cold weather.  I prefer to stay indoors, in the warm shelter of my home.

We enjoyed the days we had together while the icy roads kept us in.  We cherished the time with our children and granddaughter over the holidays.  We said a temporary goodbye to my husband's grandmother, the matriarch of their family, as she passed on to her heavenly home just before Christmas.  The long trip to and from her funeral, then the opposite direction to and from Christmas with our little family made us all very road weary, and we were grateful to come back home.  There's something about coming home to our own bed, to our dogs, and to our own home that is so comforting.

I'm one to take refuge in the protection my home offers from the weather and from the craziness the world throws our direction from time to time.  What about you? 

The other place I take refuge, no matter where I am and no matter what's going on around me is in God's Word.  There is nothing better than the wisdom and promise of God's Word to keep me grounded and settled.  Because sometimes life can be unsettling, right?  So it's here we can settle our hearts, souls and minds.  Here's a Word from God to tell you where you can find your refuge:

Psalm 18:2 (ESV)
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

May the Lord be your rock, your fortress, your deliverer, your refuge.  

Beautiful Things...

I am a mess.  A T-Total mess!  Anyone who knows me knows this, and knows that I readily admit to it.  Having A.D.D. is my excuse, but frankly, I think I'd be a mess without it too.  There are days when my focus is controlled, I stay on-task, and get lots done.  Then there are days I can't seem to focus on one thing long enough to get anything done.  I drive my dear husband crazy during the times my mind noodles around like a huge pile of spaghetti, never-ending, winding around and around.  Only because I can't contain all the thoughts and have to get them out - all of them - as quickly as I can and not necessarily in any sensible order.  And the poor dear is usually the only one around for me to talk to.  He says he loves it, but I don't know how he could.  I'm an incessant talker, babbling on, and he nods, grins and says "uh-huh" and "oh" at all the right times.  He loves me in spite of my silly little self. 
Not only am I a mess, I'm good at creating a mess as well.  I decorated the house for Fall, and had it all cleaned up before he got home.  Which was a great feat on my part.  Especially since part of the decorating included creating outdoor decor for the front porch.  When I told my husband I was going to trim the bush by the kitchen window, he knew a mess would ensue.  And it did. 

 

The picture of the pile of branches on the ground, (with a little photo-bomb in the bottom right corner from Molli), shows the mess pretty well.  As I looked at the pile of discarded branches I thought - hmm...I could make something out of that.  I touched up some old pumpkins I had with some paint to make them look new, arranged the branches in two urns, added some artificial berry branches, and voila!  Instant Fall Decor for the front porch!  I intentionally made them look wild and untamed for a more natural feel.  And, maybe it is a little reflection of my personality - a little wild and untamed. 

Here they are, adorning the front windows of the house, with scarecrows resting on the chair.

 

Yes, those are Christmas lights hanging on the house.  And yes, they've been there since last Christmas.  Don't judge me.

Well, all this got me to thinking about God.  As God works in us, he trims off the 'branches' we don't need anymore in order to form us into His image.  We look at the old pile of 'branches' (sin, sorrow, unforgiveness, hardship, pain, etc.) and think they aren't of any use to us or God any longer.  So we toss them aside.  But then God reminds us of how He used those branches to help us grow in Him, and He creates the beauty from them in our testimony of life in Him.  He takes the mess we are, in whatever state we are in, all the dust that covers us and makes us think we're ugly, and somehow arranges it in only the way He can.  Then voila!  Out we come, beautiful little things he loves and calls His children.  Then He sets us out on the world's front porch for all to see, examples of how He can work in everyone's life to create beauty in every circumstance.

No matter what you are going through in your life, please know that God is right there with you, and can be the strength you need to endure.  If you are willing to let Him in, to let Him take control of your life, to guide you, direct you, and hold you, then you will be able to see the beauty He creates from your dusty circumstance on the other side of it.  It's hard to do.  You have to be honest, transparent, and it can be a struggle.  But it is SO worth it.  Let Him make you a new, 'beautiful thing'.

There's a song I love called "Beautiful Things" by Gungor.  It's perfect for this post.  Here it is for a listen: Musica.  
Love and peace to you all!
Lisa

Side-tracked in the Hills

It's been a while since I've been able to get on here, but I wanted to finish sharing my War Eagle Mill day-trip experience.  If you know me, you know that I'm definitely a poster child for A.D.D., and am often distracted by what I see as we drive through the countryside.  This can lead to a number of detours along the way.  It's so easy for me to get side-tracked in the hills, because there's SO much to see there!

We were headed away from the Mill, when I saw a little 'house' stuck to the side of a tree at a 'Y' in the road.  I thought about it long enough to tell my husband that I thought it had books in it, and how it would be neat to see if it was what I thought it was.  So, a few more yards down the road, as I pondered the box out loud - much to my husbands amusement (and most likely annoyance) - my husband glanced at me and asked the question he already knew the answer to. 

Hubby:  "Do you want me to turn around so you can go see it?" 
(He knows I do.)
Me:  "No, it's okay.  There's really no good place to turn around here." 
(Yes - I do.)
Hubby:  "I can turn around right up here if you want to check it out." 
(He knows I want to - badly.)
Me:  "No.  It's not that important.  Just go on." 
(It's getting to me - I want to see it.)
Hubby:  "But you want to go see it, don't you?" 
(Oh how he knows me too well.)
Me:  "Kind of.  But I don't have to." 
(Well of course I want do!  And now I think I have to.)
Hubby:  "But you want to.  You want to touch it, don't you?" 
(At this point he's making fun of me.)
Me:  "Yeah.  I do.  Is it okay?" 
I'm all giddy with excitement by now and can hardly sit still.)
Hubby:  "Of course it's okay!  Turning now!"
(Insert sheepish grin here because he knew he was going to have to turn around anyway and wanted to see how antsy I'd get.)
Me:  "Oh thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you!" 
(I'm literally bouncing in my seat at this point.)

As he pulled far enough off the road to be safe, he waited in the car as I jumped out to see the little house.  At first glance from the car, all I could see was the sign that said "City of War Eagle Public Library".  I knew that the little house couldn't be the actual public library, when it dawned on me that it must be on of the "Little Free Library" houses I'd read about long ago. 

This may not excite you, but I'm an avid book lover, so the thought of a convenient place for people to share that same love is really cool to me.  As I mentioned, I'd read about the "Little Free Library" program before, and thought it was a clever idea, with people sharing books for free, all being exchanged through a clever little mini lending library.

Isn't it cute?!

If you are interested in finding out more about the "Little Free Library" program, you can read more about it at their website:  littlefreelibrary.org.

Traveling with me must be exhausting for my husband!  Ha!  But bless his heart, my wonderful hubby made me happy with that little side-track adventure.  Brownie points for him, and pure delight for me!

Now go enjoy a book!

This is the day which The LORD has made

"This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 (NASB)

Today was Labor Day, and it was a beautiful, sunny, cooler (83 degrees F) summer day.  My wonderful husband decided to take half the day off with me.  Hooray!  We don't get much time off together, so we take it when we can.  Since he'd never been to the War Eagle Mill, we headed there to see the Mill, do some hiking and enjoy ourselves.


Let it be noted that I've received no remuneration for this post or any content therein, by War Eagle Mill or anyone else.  I just can't help but share this beautiful place!


If you've never been, you really need to go.  Of course as the water was running, so was the water wheel that allows the mill to grind the natural, organic grains they are famous for.  It's neat to see a working grist mill, and nice to see their support of healthy products.

For their Labor Day Celebration they had a wonderful country singer, Ronny Gibbons, on their front porch, entertaining everyone.  It made for a very nice atmosphere, and we made sure we tipped him for his hard work and talent.

War Eagle Mill also has a cute little restaurant on the third floor called "The Bean Palace Restaurant".  They boast freshly made, USDA organic food.  We had their Beans, Cornbread and Slaw meal.  After all, when the place is called "The Bean Palace", isn't it only courteous to have the beans?  You could tell that the cornbread was made with their own ground corn, and it was delicious - as were the beans.  Sorry there are no pictures of the restaurant or food.  I was too busy eating and enjoying conversation with my darling husband to take pictures.

Next to the Mill is a neat one lane bridge that's been there since 1908.  Here you can see it as you look over the Mill's water wheel.  Apparently the river water must have been wonderful, because there were people swimming, playing, and sitting in it, rejoicing in the day as well!

Of course, after we finished our delightful meal, we had to walk across it and see the incredible views up and down the river.  That handsome man is my amazing husband, and love of my life.  We held hands as we crossed and enjoyed the beauty like two young lovers exploring God's splendor.  Have I mentioned that I love this man? 

The beauty around us was so inspiring, and as we looked back over the river to the Mill, we were blessed with this view.

It was like having a piece of the New England countryside that I remember from years ago delivered right to me today!  So beautiful - yes?  Yes!

I hope that you have been able to get out and enjoy the splendor God has brought to you!  If not, do it soon!  Take that time.  Be glad!  Enjoy your life! 

For indeed, this is the day which the Lord has made, we certainly rejoiced in His might splendor, each other's company, and were quite glad in it!

Love and peace to you all!

(If you'd like more information about The War Eagle Mill you can find them online at  http://www.wareaglemill.com.)

(While I don't profess to be a photographer by any means, I wanted to remind everyone that all pictures on my blog are my original work and thereby protected under copyright laws.)

Rough to Ruff!

A day where I had hoped to accomplish much before work, has turned into a less-than-productive one.  In the first few seconds of stretching before what was suppose to be my workout - a fun one with dancing involved - (in the privacy of my home because no one should have to see that!) - I pulled a muscle in my back.  In the same place I popped a rib out a few weeks ago.  If this would have happened on a Monday instead of today, I know I could get to the chiropractor and get some quick relief.  Unfortunately, it didn't, and the office isn't open until Tuesday of next week.  So ice and rest and taking it easy is in the works.  That's the Rough part.  Especially when I work in retail.  On a negative note - this makes it pretty hard to keep working on the weight loss and fitness.  :-(

On a positive note - I found a fun and very easy craft to do that wouldn't hurt my back while I did it!  :-)  I'm all about being frugal, recycling, up-cycling, re-purposing, whatever you choose to call it.  My husband was throwing out some tank tops he had that were too stained to wear for work, but nothing else was wrong with them.  I snagged them from the recycle box and decided to make doggy chew toys with them.  That's the Ruff part!

Here are the instructions:


1.  Cut the front, sides and back so you have four pieces of material.

 2.  Cut each piece from the bottom to the top in thirds, leaving the band that was sewn in the top to keep the fabric together.  Pull each band to stretch it.  I find that this makes for a longer, stronger rope.

3.  Simply, but very tightly, braid the pieces together, keeping the fabric pulled tight as you go.  The top part where the edging was on the shirt forms a nice little chewing end for your dog.

4.  When you get to the end, simply but very tightly tie knots, alternating each piece.  This provides another knot and chew surface for them to 'brush their gums and teeth'.

Voila!  You are done.

For my husband's lab Molli, (who happens to have extremely strong jaws and teeth like bolt cutters),  I braided three of these finished ropes together for a little bigger, stronger challenge.  For my daughter's mini dachshund Chloe, I left one of the small ropes made from the side of the shirt as-is for her little mouth.  As you can see by the pictures, they love them!
 

 

In case you are wondering, they aren't going to last forever, especially if you have a dog like Molli.  But they do last just as long as the chew toys I buy at the store, without having to spend an extra $5-$10.  Success!

Now it's time to ice the back, watch The Waltons, and rest before work tonight.   Enjoy your day and the blessings God provides therein!

Protector

The highlight of our weekend was time spent with our son, daughter-in-law and beautiful granddaughter.  At a year old, she is the apple of our eyes.  And the delight of our hearts.  It's amazing to see how quickly she grows, especially since we only get up to visit them about once every three weeks.  We are blessed to have a beautiful, healthy granddaughter, and wonderful, healthy children.  For that we are eternally grateful and thankful.  This was the last trip there before the craziness of the Fall Season.
As the next few months come upon us, my schedule will get busier.  School will commence in two weeks, retreats and conferences begin, and time will be stretched.  My prayer life will increase, which is a good outcome of the busyness.  My reliance upon the Lord, His wisdom, and the strength He will offer will be in full force as well.
The reassurance is (and will be) knowing that amidst the chaos, my constant will be God.  I know that He will be there for me whenever, wherever, and however, to meet my needs.  As I navigate the newness of doing it all without meds to help with the pain, anxiety, and whatever else may come, I know that my protection from being overwhelmed with come from the Lord.  When I am exhausted and unable to do anything but sleep, I know He will be ever-aware, ever-vigilant, and ever-protective.  How do I know this?  Because the Bible tells me and I believe it's inerrant promises!
Psalm 121:3-4 (HCSB)

³ He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.

Thank you Lord, my Protector, for your omnipotence and omniscience.

Stinks to be me?

My darling husband and I were talking earlier today, and he asked how I was doing.  As I gave him the run-down of how miserable I really felt, he hugged me and said, "I'm sorry.  If I could take the pain away for you I would."  I replied, "Thank you hun.  I know you would.  But you can't, so...stinks to be me." 
Then he chose to enlighten me on how awful it must be to be me, with an adoring husband, healthy children, all my needs met, etc.  Of course I had to let him know that I am deeply grateful for all of that, so it really doesn't stink to be me.  It just stinks to feel the way I feel today.  My lower back is killing me, for no reason I can think of.  My muscles hurt no matter what's going on.  My joints ache.  My stomach is queasy when I eat.  I'm tired, but can't get a decent nap.  I'm a little grumpy off and on.  My allergies have me sniffling and blowing my nose.  I have a dull headache constantly.  I have "power surges" (others label them 'hot flashes') that come and go throughout the day, leaving me drenched in sweat.  It hurts just to exist.
Now whether this is my body in detox from the prescription meds or just being my contrary body, I don't know.  All I know is that it stinks to live in my body right now.  When I go for my yearly checkup, it will be interesting to see the doctor's reaction to my own desire to eliminate all prescriptions, and to see if he'll be on board with my decision.  This process is like taking that proverbial one step forward - three steps back.
Amidst all of this, I can't help but to think of the 'affliction' that Paul had to endure his entire life.  Not to mention the beatings, starvation, imprisonment, and torture he endured in the name of Christ.  In 2 Corinthians Chapter 4, Paul wrote words that reflected his train of thought, and set focus on God's glory each day, regardless of what our flesh experiences.  It's these words that I look at on days like today.

2 Corinthians 4
 ^"16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  (NASB)

I have no idea how my affliction will benefit the kingdom of God, but I know in His way, in His time, and according to His purpose, God's glory will shine as I continue to suffer.  So my train of thought must be like that of those saints in the Bible who've suffered and gone before me, leaving their written testimony as an example for me.  There are several other scriptures that refer to gaining strength, reassurance, comfort, grace, mercy, love, endurance, and much more from our Lord.  For these I'm thankful. 
God is at work in my life.  Not just on this fleshly body I'm in conflict with, but most importantly on my eternal soul, which is so much more important.  When I go to sleep tonight I can find my own comfort in knowing that while I am at rest, trying to give my body the chance to recover, the Lord is still awake, at my defense, and still working on me.  

Psalm 121:4 "Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep." (HSCB)

Thank You Lord for always working in my life.  Thank you for the many, many, many blessings You've gifted me.  Thank You for the wonderful husband You've blessed me with.
So...stinks to be me?  No.  As long as I have You, blessed to be me.