Valentine Cards

I {heart} these cards!

Steffanie taught our "Sew Smart" homeschool class how to make these adorable cards.

I love the fabric flower barrette she added to the lovebird card.

She's crafty-smart like that :)

Check out her blog for these and other super-cute ideas at sewgrown!

She has tutorials & lots of fun things for boys, too!

Lovely Thoughts

Sarah's lovely photos promote lovely thoughts!

A couple of weeks ago, while listening to the radio, something was said that gave me pause to think.

The speaker challenged listeners to go on a fast of negative speech. To prayerfully attempt to keep any negative thoughts to yourself... and then work on the thoughts!

I had already been thinking about negative speech, but to phrase it so deliberately to call it a fast intrigued me.

"best friend cousins" Reilly & Landon

What triggered this line of thinking for me, was some conversation I had with someone elderly.

Every phrase had the themes "woe is me" and "the world is going to hell in a handbasket"!

Now I am sure they have seen plenty in their lifetime and probably have a lot of pain

(both physically & emotionally),

but it really struck me that I don't want to be a grumpy old lady :)

Sarah & Gracie

I want my words to bring blessing & kindness.

I want Jesus' love to flow through me.

But how can I be sure I'll do that- be that- as the fogginess of age clouds my thinking?

Maybe, if I practice it enough, it will become such a habit that my heart will be so filled with grace that it will flow from my mouth-

even without thought.

⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ~Luke 6:45

~another of Sarah's lovely photos

To actually fast from negativity-

that seems to be taking it a step further.

A real commitment!

I told my family my plan.

One response was a sarcastic "When are you gonna start?"

Ouch!

I wondered if that sarcasm was learned from me.

More to fuel my determination.

Sarah & Maggie

I can't say I've had amazing success with this challenge- unfortunately.

However, the Lord is surely using it to point out where the problem areas are

and continues to encourage me through His Word.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~Philipians 4:8

Gracie

Under the Weather :(

When the tickly, hacking cough turned into chills, fever & bodyaches, I tried everything- I think I even ate 2 bags of oranges all by myself!

But after a few days, even though the fever was down, the cough was worse...so I gave in and went to the Dr.

Now, after 4 days on a Z-pack, neb treatments, inhalers & more- the bodyaches are gone but the cough is still hanging on. I haven't been out of the house in over a week!!

Kelley has sent food over for us several times this week (thanks, sweetie!), but I did finally cook a decent meal tonight. We had roast beef with potatoes and carrots and butter beans :) What did you cook on a cold rainy night?

I also started working on a dress for Sarah this afternoon. Trying to get it done before Sunday- just plugging away in spurts between cough attacks. I may get it finished since I cheated and picked up one I cut out ages ago, but never started sewing together for one reason or another ;)

It seems nearly impossible to find cute, appropriate dresses- or anything else for that matter- for an older teen. The other roadblock is that she usually dislikes (translate- wouldn't be found dead in) anything that I buy, make, or even look at ;)

She's so stinking cute, I'm determined her clothes are gonna be cute, too (anyway I'm gonna try!)