Happy Homemaker Monday

 

 Once again this Monday, I may not logically have time for this, but -- I'm joining Sandra for this link party over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. 

The Weather:::

A mostly sunny day!  As I mentioned last week, we haven't seen the sun much in the last few weeks -- there's been a lot of rain.  It's currently 78º and sunny.  Only 57% humidity which isn't bad.  There's a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, though.

As I look outside my window:::

Everything is still very lush and green from all the rainy weather.  We have some odd looking little mushrooms on our lawn.  Orange daylilies are still abundant on roadsides and in people's yards.  One neighbor in the vicinity of our camp has a roadside flower bed crammed with orange lilies, red bee balm, and light purple hostas.  The colors should look terrible together, but somehow they work and are very cheery.

If I were planting them, however, I like the look of this photo below, from Pixabay, more to my taste.

Image from Pixabay

Right now I am:::

 

Working on a blog post.

 
Thinking and pondering:::

 
About the concept of "outliving one's life."  I recently read an article in an older Frontline magazine (January/February 2021) by Krista Sivnksty that expanded on this idea.  She wrote of hearing this phrase -- "he outlived his life" -- at the memorial service of a friend.  She noted, "The meaning is obvious.  His legacy will go on even though he is not with us physically anymore. The mentoring spirit he had will continue reaping benefits in those he discipled.  His memory may fade eventually, but lessons learned from his life will not."

She adds, "My mind parked on this thought for days after that service.  What am I doing now so that I will outlive my life?  What have I accomplished that will last?  Who am I influencing for God that will carry on when I'm not here?"  And near the end of the article she challenges her readers:

"As Christians .... are we seeking to leave a story that others will remember as blessed?  Are our lives compelling for Him?  Do people, in a way, read our story and sense the need to know God more?"

There is more, much more, but it certainly got me thinking.

On my bedside table::: 

 A lamp, three books,  a pen and a jar of lavender-infused oil for helping with insect bites.

On my tv this week::: 

Nothing this week.

 Listening to::: 

A phoebe singing outside the window.  We have phoebes at our camp too.  There's a nest full of baby ones outside the kitchen window there.  I think it should be time for them to leave the nest, but they are still chirping away out there.

 The screenshot above, from All About Birds, may give you more info than you ever wanted to know about Phoebes' nesting habits.   You can double click to enlarge it.  I found it interesting that phoebes will reuse a nest (I've certainly observed that at camp) but many birds will not.

On the Breakfast plate:::

I do intermittent fasting so don't have breakfast.  Lunch will be a salad with cubes of turkey and cheese in addition to leaf lettuce and maybe a few banana peppers.

On the dinner plate::: 

Loaded Cheeseburger Pie, and maybe some green beans

 

On the menu for this week::: 

I usually plan my menus from Thursday to Thursday, and grocery shop on Friday morning.  A few meals on my menu plan:

Egg roll in a bowl

Egg bake
Cheeseburger Pie

Fish Chowder (or, if the weather stays hot, a salad made with haddock and peas)
Enchilada skillet

 

On my reading pile:::

 

Holy Hygge by Jamie Erickson

Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor by Donna Otto

We Travel an Appointed Way by A.W. Tozer

The Teaming Church by Robert Crosby 

 

On my to do list today:::
 

Work on blog posts
Etsy listings

Reply to several personal emails 

Work on Sunday School lesson

Above is my most recent sale on Etsy.  I discovered a few more of these in my stash and have just re-listed them.  Below is a fun cookbooklet I hope to list later today.

 

Plans for this week:::

Plan menus and make grocery list
List some notions, patterns, cards, and kids' books on Etsy
Spend time doing some political volunteering at a fair

Ironing
Take a bag to the thrift store

Finish up my Christmas in July blog posts
Work on my Sunday School lesson

Possibly get together with friends

 

What I am creating:::

 

January cross-stitch sampler
Crocheting a red, white and blue hot mat

Some "condensation catchers" out of old towels to place behind toilets that sweat in the humidity

 

Bible verse, Devotional, Quote:::

 

Reading through the Bible, I've come to Ezekiel, a book I never find easy.  This morning I noticed this wonderful note in my Scofield study Bible:

"In exile, far from the sight of the glory of God's earthly Temple, surrounded by the pomp of idolatry, Ezekiel received a vision of the majesty and wonder of God's glory, showing that his God was more magnificent than anything to be found in heathenism, and impressing on his mind the greatness of the unseen God of Israel.  The vision indicated that the affairs of the world are not directed by impersonal laws of nature, but by a living Spirit.  Above the babel of man's plans, the authoritative voice of God speaks."

Wow, what a blessing to read this today!  Such a great reminder that God is in control and working all things after the counsel of His own will.  Men can babble all they like, but God's authoritative voice will have the final say.

On my prayer list:::

 

Friends & family
Church family
Missionaries
Our country

 

And there's the Happy Homemaker Monday for this week!