December Daily starts tomorrow!

 

For quite a few Decembers now, I've tried to post here at my kitchen table every day of the month as a sort of Christmas gift to my readers.  Some years I manage every day, and other years I haven't gotten here as often. So I'm trying again for 2023, and we will see how it goes.

I also post daily for December over at my Christmas blog, Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen, so you will likely want to visit there as well.  The posts will be different for each blog.

 
Here at my kitchen table, I will post ordinary (and maybe out of the ordinary) December doings, things like baking, goals, recipes, projects, Sunday Scripture, and so on, along with link parties like the Hodgepodge and Happy Homemaker Monday.  

Hope to see you here tomorrow!

Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in my most recent Sunday Scripture series.  I've been posting about my simple study of a little devotional journal titled Reflections: The Woman God Sees, by Jane L. Fryar -- a journal gifted me by some dear young friends.   It has a daily devotional one works through -- about a month's worth or so.  The daily devotions were a blessing to me when I worked through the book, so I've been sharing here.  Several readers have told me they're enjoying it, and so we continue.  I think there are perhaps seven devotions left.  I may possibly switch to something more seasonal for December and then back to these again.  We will see!

The Scripture for today is 2 Corinthians 3:3.   Here's the assignment: "If you and your life are 'a letter from Christ', to whom are you being sent?  What will your attitudes, words, and actions communicate to those who receive you?"  I chose to SOAP 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 as I considered this assignment.

S= "Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, know and read of all men;
"Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."  (2 Corinthians 3:2-3)

O= 2 Corinthians is a very personal, autobiographical letter written by Paul.  Scofield explains, "A wave of distrust in relation to Paul had now swept through the church.  Some said he was not sincere; others even questioned whether he had apostolic authority.  Consequently, Paul here defends his authority by placing before the church overwhelming evidence of his sincerity in serving God."  In the Scofield Reference Bible, chapter 3 is titled "The ministry: accredited."

A cross-reference for "Ye are our epistle" (verse 2) is 1 Corinthians 9:2 -- "If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord."

The phrase "tables of stone" obviously refers to the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written.  

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written: that thou mayest teach them."  (Exodus 24:12)

Cross-references for "tables of the heart" (verse 3) include:

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After these days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be My people."  (Jeremiah 31:33)

"And I will give them one heart, and will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and and will give them an heart of flesh,
"That they may walk in My statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God."  (Ezekiel 11:19-20)

Although the above verses obviously are speaking of Israel, it is true that God wants believers to have soft hearts on which He can write a testimony for Himself.

O= In answer to the questions "If you and your life are 'a letter from Christ', to whom are you being sent?  What will your attitudes, words, and actions communicate to those who receive you?" here's what I wrote:

I'm being sent to everyone I know and everyone I meet,  people I see every day (like my husband), people I interact with at church, people I love but don't see every day (like family and friends), casual acquaintances, neighbors, women I am mentoring, ladies who read my blog -- even people I haven't met yet (like cashiers and customers at the grocery store).

All of these people need to see in me attitudes, words, and actions that line up with God's Word.  If these are "written" by the Holy Spirit, they will obviously line up perfectly with God's Word.  However, if I get in the way -- if I jostle His arm, so to speak -- it's going to be more difficult to read the writing and it won't line up with His Word as it should. 

P= "Lord, this is such an encouraging, challenging passage.  That I am a letter, sent from Christ, written not with ink but with the Spirit of God -- this is huge!  I'm thankful for this illustration which is such an effective picture of how You want my life to reflect You.  I pray You will help my life to present an accurate picture of You.   I praise You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

There's the Sunday Scripture for this week.  I hope it was a blessing!

A blessed Thanksgiving to you!

 

A favorite Thanksgiving graphic from Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

 Just a quick Thanksgiving post before I go whip some cream and prepare some side dishes!  We will be joining our daughter's family along with some friends from church, and are so looking forward to the time.

I pray that each and every one of my readers will have a truly blessed Thanksgiving.  I know that some are grieving today.  Some are facing their first Thanksgiving without a beloved spouse, parent, or sibling.  Some are going through some very, very difficult times.  Some are dealing with uncertainties concerning health issues or a living situation.  There are personal friends of mine in all of these situations today.  And yet, as believers, we still have so very much to thank God for.

Think of it!  We have a personal relationship with the God of the universe!

  One thing I have come to realize is that even in the hardest things of life, I can be thankful that God is with me.  There are many other things to be thankful for as well: He loves me; He wants the best for me; He is good; He has a good purpose for all that He allows; He knows all about every situation; He is in control and sovereign over all things; He is all-powerful and able to change any situation.

And so today, Mr. T and I pray that each of you will spend some time counting the blessings God has given you.  There are so many, starting with salvation.  My daughter was remembering the other day how years ago, whenever a certain man in our church prayed publicly, he began by thanking God for his salvation.  I have no doubt that he began each of his private prayers the same way!

The hymn "Thanks to God" is one of my very favorites at Thanksgiving time and always.  Here are the words:

 Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a mem’ry,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and stormy fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

 Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

 Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name." 

(Psalm 100:4)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

 No time for a long post, but I'm taking a few minutes to join Sandra for this link party over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. 

The Weather:::

Currently 33º with 11 mph wind.  Feels like 24º, they say.  Not predicted to get any warmer than this all day.

As I look outside my window:::

Blue sky and clouds.  All of the trees in my view currently are leafless, though there are still some oak and beech trees with leaves.  There are still some beautiful golden oak trees out there with a great many of their leaves still in place.

Taken last fall at our little cottage.  A little deer leaping through the woods.

Right now I am:::

 
Working on a blog post.  And, once again, feeling guilty about taking the time!

 
Thinking and pondering:::

 

About this quote from the devotional portion of my Daily Walk Bible: "The question to ponder is this: How can I show in my daily walk that I serve a worthy God?  Is my speech worthy of Him? Is my conduct worthy of my privileged position in the family of God?  Do I talk of Him often? worship Him wholeheartedly? seek to please Him daily?"

Truly, this is worth pondering on and acting on, every day.

 

On my bedside table::: 

 A lamp, four books,  and a pen.

 Listening to::: 

A propane truck passing by on the road.  Washing machine humming along in the cellar.

On the Breakfast plate:::

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

On the dinner plate::: 

Not sure.  I'm thinking of squash soup and possibly quesadillas using low-carb wraps.  I usually use frozen squash, but we have a lot of buttercup squash (our favorite) purchased from our local farm stand.  I'm thinking of trying this tip for cooking the squash!

Interested in my favorite squash soup recipes?  Here's a real favorite filled with Cabot cheddar.  Another excellent squash soup is this one which includes sausage: Hearty Buttercup Squash Soup.

 

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:

Fish Chowder

Hamburgers
Chicken Divan

Shepherd's Pie using mashed turnips in place of potatoes

 

On my reading pile:::

 

Choosing Forgivemess by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor by Donna Otto

A Step Farther and Higher, by Gail MacDonald

High Call, High Privilege, also by Gail MacDonald

All Manner of Things, by Susie Finkbeiner 

 

 On my to do list today:::
 

Work on blog posts
Etsy listings

Work on Sunday School lesson 16

Send Thanksgiving cards√

Mail Etsy order√

Vacuum upstairs and down

Dust bedroom

Plans for this week:::

Plan menus and make grocery list
List some notions, patterns, cards, and kids' books on Etsy

Ironing
Take a bag to the thrift store
Work on my Sunday School lessons

Blogging

Continue decluttering the linen closet

Cook for, and celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends

 

What I am creating:::

 

Autumn cross-stitch sampler

Some "condensation catchers" out of old towels to place behind toilets that sweat in the humidity -- no, I still haven't finished started those! 😕

Need to start a pillow quilt for a granddaughter's gift

Need to start some Shutterfly projects for gifts

 

Bible verse, Devotional, Quote:::

 

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing.

Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.  

For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations."

PSALM 100

 

On my prayer list:::

 

Friends & family
Church family
Missionaries
Our country

 

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

 

 

 

Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in my most recent Sunday Scripture series.  I've been posting about my simple study of a little devotional journal titled Reflections: The Woman God Sees., by Jane L. Fryar -- a journal gifted me by some dear young friends   It has a daily devotional one works through -- about a month's worth or so.  It was a blessing to me when I worked through it, so I've been sharing here.  Several readers have told me they're enjoying it, and so we continue.  I think there are approximately ten devotionals left.  I may possibly switch to something more seasonal for December and then back to these again.  We will see!

The Scripture for today is Isaiah 61:3  Here's the assignment: "Isaiah 61:3 paints three before-and-after pictures.  Which of these is most meaningful to you personally?  Write about that picture."  I chose to SOAP Isaiah 61:1 and 3 as I considered this assignment.

S= "The LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound ..."To appoint unto those who mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified."  (Isaiah 61:1, 3)

O= Verses 1 through 3 of Isaiah 61 are titled by C.I. Scofield "Christ's two advents in one view."  He points out that Jesus read this passage from Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth.  We read this account in Luke 4:16-21.  

Believer's Bible Commentary notes, "We know that the Lord Jesus is the speaker here because He quoted verses 1-2a in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21) and added, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (v. 21).

Scofield comments, "Observe that the Lord Jesus suspended the reading of this passage in the synagogue at Nazareth with the words 'year of the LORD'.  The first advent, therefore, opened the day of grace, 'the acceptable year of the LORD', but does not fulfill the day of vengeance that will be accomplished when Messiah comes."

Warren Wiersbe writes in Be Compassionate, his study of Luke chapters 1-13, "In sptte of the unbelief of the people of Nazareth, the Scriptures declared that Jesus of Nazareth is God's Son, the Messiah sent to fulfill His promises.  The people who do not want Him and who reject 'the acceptable year of the Lord' will one day face 'the day of vengeance' of our God (Isaiah 61:2).  How significant that Jesus stopped reading in that very place!"

A=  Here's how I answered the assignment "Isaiah 61:3 paints three before-and-after pictures.  Which of these is most meaningful to you personally?  Write about that picture.": 

I can relate to all of these pictures, but perhaps the most meaningful is "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness".  A spirit of depression, unexplainable sadness, and dissatisfaction had been mine for a long time, but it has been replaced with a garment of praise as I praise God for His work in my life.  The "oil of joy for mourning" is another meaningful phrase.  Mourning over sin has been replaced with sheer joy -- joy in the Lord!  

And all of this is so that we may glorify Him, that we as oaks of righteousness, trees of His planting, will bring glory and praise to Him.

Warren Wiersbe adds a bit more to this thought in Be Comforted, his study of Isaiah:  "If you have trusted Christ as Savior, you have been set free from bondage, your spiritual debt to the Lord has been paid ... Instead of the ashes of mourning, you have a crown on your head, for He has made you a king.  You have been anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and you wear a garment of righteousness ... All of God's people should be His trees, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified."

A question in the "As I Reflect" section asks, "Imagine yourself as an 'oak of righteousness', anchored firmly, 'the planting of the LORD'.  What confidence does that give you as a woman of faith?"

I replied,  "Anchored firmly, the planting of the LORD Himself!  How secure and steadfast that makes me feel!  I can stand strong in Him."

Many years ago I wrote a blog post called Trees of God's planting.  You can click on the name if you'd like to read it.

P= "Lord, how very, very thankful I am for all you have done in my life!  The word pictures in this portion of Isaiah are so meaningful.  I'm so blessed that not only have You replaced ashes with beauty, mourning with joy, and heaviness with praise -- you have also planted me firmly as 'an oak of righteousness'.  All so that I may bring glory to You with my life!  What a blessing!  What a privilege!  I can never thank and praise You enough -- and will spend eternity doing just that!  I praise You in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week.  I hope it was a blessing to someone.  I enjoyed working on this one.

Happy Homemaker Monday

 No time for a long post, but I'm taking a few minutes to join Sandra for this link party over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. 

The Weather:::

Cold.  19º when we got up this morning.  It's not predicted to get above 28º and we may get some snow later this evening.

As I look outside my window:::

Blue sky and clouds.  All of the trees in my view currently are leafless, though there are still some oak and beech trees with leaves.  There are still some beautiful golden oak trees out there with a great many of their leaves still in place.

Right now I am:::

 Working on a blog post.  Feeling guilty about taking the time!

 
Thinking and pondering:::

 

About many things, among them trying to write and schedule some December posts for my Christmas blog.

On my bedside table::: 

 A lamp, three books,  and a pen.

 Listening to::: 

A pickup truck passing by on the road.

On the Breakfast plate:::

I do intermittent fasting so don't have breakfast.  Lunch was a salad with cubes of turkey and cheese in  addition to leaf lettuce.

On the dinner plate::: 

Hamburgers, baked buttercup squash.

 

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:

Fish Chowder

Hamburgers
Chicken Divan

Egg Roll in a Bowl

 

On my reading pile:::

 

Choosing Forgivemess by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor by Donna Otto

A Step Farther and Higher, by Gail MacDonald

High Call, High Privilege, also by Gail MacDonald

 

 

On my to do list today:::
 

Work on blog posts
Etsy listings

Work on Sunday School lesson 15

Plan a crockpot meal for Tuesday -- I need some fresh inspiration for crockpot meals so I am going to my Slow Cooker Inspiration Pinterest board.  Hoping to find something quick and easy with only a few ingredients.

Plans for this week:::

Plan menus and make grocery list
List some notions, patterns, cards, and kids' books on Etsy

Ironing
Take a bag to the thrift store
Work on my Sunday School lessons

Blogging

Do some cleaning at my volunteer job on Tuesday

Get together with a team of ladies to reorganize the church kitchen on Wednesday
Start decluttering the linen closet

Ladies Bible study on Saturday (studying the book below)

 

What I am creating:::

 

Autumn cross-stitch sampler

Crocheted hot mat as a gift

Some "condensation catchers" out of old towels to place behind toilets that sweat in the humidity -- no, I still haven't finished started those! 😕

Need to start a pillow quilt for a granddaughter's gift

 

Bible verse, Devotional, Quote:::

 

 “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass."  (Psalm 37:4-5)
 

Charles Spurgeon wrote concerning this verse:  “Roll the whole burden of life upon the Lord.  Leave with Jehovah not thy present fretfulness merely, but all thy cares; in fact, submit the whole tenor of thy way to Him.  Cast away anxiety, resign thy will, submit thy judgment, leave all with the God of all … Our destiny shall be joyfully accomplished if we confidently entrust all to our Lord.  We may serenely sing —
 

Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be;
O lead me by Thine own right hand,
Choose out the path for me.

Smooth let it be or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it matters not,
It leads me to Thy rest.

I dare not choose my lot,
I would not if I might,
But choose Thou for me, O my God
So shall I walk aright.

Take Thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill;
As ever best to Thee may see,
Choose Thou my good and ill.”

Beautiful graphic by Abby at  Little Birdie Blessings

On my prayer list:::

 

Friends & family
Church family
Missionaries
Our country

 

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

 

 

 

Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in my most recent Sunday Scripture series.  I've been posting about my simple study of a little devotional journal titled Reflections: The Woman God Sees., by Jane L. Fryar -- a journal gifted me by some dear young friends   It has a daily devotional one works through -- about a month's worth or so.  It was a blessing to me when I worked through it, so I've been sharing here.  Several readers have told me they're enjoying it, and so we continue.

Today's post is a little bit different in that I don't quite agree with how the author is applying it.   It seems to me that she has lifted the verse out of its context.  (This is why it is so important to rightly divide God's Word.  Don't ever assume that everything you come across in a devotional book is accurate.  Make sure it lines up biblically.)  

The Scripture for today is Isaiah 62:4.  Here's the assignment: "What does your name mean?  Did you know you have another name, too?  One given by your Heavenly Father?  'My Delight Is In Her?'  What will you say to your Lord about that?"  I chose to SOAP Isaiah 62:2-5 as I considered this, in order to get more of  the context.

S= "And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name,  which the mouth of the LORD shall name.

" Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD; and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

"Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken, neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate, but thou shalt be called Hepzibah, and thy land Beulah; for the LORD delighteth in thee.

"... and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.". (Isaiah 62:2-5)

O=  Isaiah chapter 62 is titled by C.I. Scofield, " Divine unrest until Israel restored. "

These verses are clearly written to Israel.  If we look back at verse 1, God says that He will not rest until Israel is restored.

Warren Wiersbe writes, "As an unfaithful wife, Israel was 'forsaken' by the Lord, but not 'divorced'.  Her trials will all be forgotten when she receives her new name ... 'My delight is in her'."

For the phrase "name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name", (verse 2)  a cross reference is Isaiah 62:12  -- " And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and Thou shalt be called, Sought out, a city not forsaken. "

For the phrase "crown of glory" (verse 3) a cross reference is Zechariah 9:16 -- "And the LORD,  their God, shall save them in that day as the flock of His people, for they shall be like the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon His land."

For the phrase "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken" in verse 4, two cross-references are given:

"Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that, in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God."  (Hosea 1:10)

"Who in time past were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but have now obtained mercy."  (1 Peter 2:10)

The name "Hepzibah" in verse 4 means "My delight is in her."

A= In response to the assignment: "What does your name mean?  Did you know you have another name, too?  One given by your Heavenly Father?  'My Delight Is In Her?'  What will you say to your Lord about that?" here is what I wrote: 

My name actually means "princess".  Although I knew that, growing up, I never really liked my name.  Since becoming a Christian, though, and recognizing that I truly am a princess -- the daughter of the King of Kings-- my name has become much more meaningful to me.

The verses here are clearly speaking of Israel -- this name "My Delight is in Her" does not really belong to individual believers -- but yet, as Warren Wiersbe notes, "God delights in His people and enjoys giving them His best."

To me the most important thing about my name is that it is written in the Book of Life.

"... but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."  (Luke 10:20)

There's also a little section called "Seeing Through Jesus' Eyes" in which the author notes, "New names can bring about new attitudes and spark new ventures.  What is your new name creating in your life?  What possibilities might Jesus see?"

I answered: "He has brought about many new attitudes and new ventures in my life over the years I've been a believer.  It continues to be exciting to see new ways in which He is using me in the lives of others as I seek to bring glory to Him with all that He has given me."

P= "Lord, how thankful I am to be one of Your blood-bought, redeemed children!  I thank and praise You that my name is written in heaven!  The work You have done in my life over time is truly amazing, and I can never thank and praise You enough for how You have not only "written my name down in glory", but have transformed my life!  I pray in Jesus' matchless name, Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  Although it's been a little different than usual, I trust it's been a blessing to someone.

Very occasionally, procrastination actually pays off

 

 Those are words I may never have expected to hear myself say.  I fight procrastination every day of my life.  I guess it may be a common character flaw to many people.  But this time it did work in my favor.  I'll explain.

For many years I've had a large collection of Taste of Home magazines.  You can read about my Christmas issues here.  Every couple of months, I like to get out part of my stash of older Taste of Home magazines -- the ones for the particular season we're in-- and browse through them.  (I often do this with my Cook & Tell newsletters as well.)  Invariably I find some neat recipes that I had forgotten about, or ones I had meant to try and never got around to.  I keep most of the out-of-season magazines neatly stacked in a bookcase, and transfer the ones for the current season to a bakers rack in the dining area where they are handy for browsing.

I was thinking in mid-October that I needed to get out the Thanksgiving and Christmas issues.  It's been such a busy year for us and I couldn't even remember the last seasonal issues I had brought out.  (I keep a folder of healthy recipes and one of slow cooker recipes stacked atop my seasonal magazines in the bakers rack.)  So I reached under those folders to see what season was there.

Lo and behold!  Thanksgiving, starting with the very issue you see at the top of this post!  And, stacked just beneath them, the Christmas issues!  There was no need to change out the issues, as I had apparently never changed them out at any point in 2023.  They were just as they'd been left in 2022.   And rather than being disgusted with myself for procrastinating, I am actually very thankful for it, as it has saved me some work at a very busy time.  Now I can browse Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes at my leisure.

Hodgepodge for November 8

 

 It's Wednesday again, and time for the Hodgepodge -- the linkup where Joyce, at  From This Side of the Pond, asks the questions and bloggers provide the answers on their own blogs.   I'm a little late posting -- we were out of town all day Tuesday -- but today's questions are doable, so here we go!

 1. Are you too hard on yourself or not hard enough? Elaborate. 

I think I'm both too hard on myself and too easy on myself at times.  Too hard on myself in many ways -- but not in any way a perfectionist! Yet I can also tend to cut myself a lot of slack in certain areas.  I'm definitely a work in progress and will probably be working on diligence and self-discipline until the day I die.

2. What's the role of gratitude in your life? 

It has a big part in my life.  Gratitude is hugely important.  I am grateful to God for every moment of life and for the guarantee of eternal life to come.

Sweet graphic  by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

3. Where do you get your news these days? How much attention are you giving it currently? 

We get most of our news from The Epoch Times and are extremely thankful that this news source exists.  We subscribe to the print newspaper, which only comes out once a week, but it has so much excellent content that it takes us more than a week to read it.  Our subscription also includes email news and access to Epoch TV, which has great news shows, amazing documentaries, and even old movies like early John Wayne westerns.  Highly recommended if you don't have a trusted source of news.

As to how much attention I'm giving it currently, well, there is a lot of fascinating stuff going on.  I'm trying to stay aware and generally informed, but not get caught up in it all.  

4. Do you like potatoes? Last time you prepared potatoes in some way? Which of the following is your favorite...baked potato, mashed potato, french fried potato, sweet potato, hash brown potatoes, roasted potatoes, or potato salad? 

I do like potatoes and I enjoy them every one of the ways that were listed.  If I had to choose a favorite, out of all of those I would probably choose the simple baked potato.   I guess it probably has to do with childhood.  My mother served baked potatoes as a side with lots of main dishes -- pork chops in a tomatoey sauce, creamed chipped beef, meat loaf, Swedish meatballs, and many more that I can't recall right now.  My dad would always cut a baked potato in half, scoop out the inside, and place a pat of butter in each potato skin half.  We kids thought that was the greatest thing ever -- and we were allowed to do it too!  Now I realize that was probably a ploy to get us to eat the potato skins, where so many of the vitamins reside.  But it sure tasted good and I still eat them that way when we have baked potatoes at home.  My hubby adopted the custom too.

Oven fries are pretty good too.

5. Are you a veteran? Are there any veterans in your family? Will you do anything special to honor them on Veteran's Day/Remembrance Day this year? 

I'm not a veteran, nor is my hubby. Two of his brothers are veterans, one Army and one Navy.  All of the other veterans in our families have passed away.  My dad was a Navy veteran of World War ll and was, obviously, the veteran I knew the best.  He did sacrifice much in the course of the years he served.  I'm so thankful to have had a godly man of such sterling character in my life, and particularly blessed to have had him as my dad. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Yesterday was rather balmy for November in New Hampshire.  Today is much more seasonal.  Not getting out of the 30s, with a sharp wind blowing.    It's currently 35º with 10 mph winds and with the wind chill, feels like 28º!  Snow is predicted for tonight and tomorrow.  I guess it's to be expected!

Photo is from a previous November.  But it may well look like this tomorrow.

 Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Sunday Scripture

 

Here's another in my most recent Sunday Scripture series.  I've been posting about my simple study of a little devotional journal titled Reflections: The Woman God Sees., by Jane L. Fryar -- a journal gifted me by some dear young friends   It has a daily devotional one works through -- about a month's worth or so.  It was a blessing to me when I worked through it, so I've been sharing here.  Several readers have told me they're enjoying it, and I'm so thankful for that!

The Scripture for today is 1 Peter 3:4.  Here's the assignment: "Read 1 Peter 3:4.  Then reread it, pausing to reflect on each word or phrase.  What insights do you gain from meditating on this practice in this way?"  I chose to SOAP 1 Peter 3:3-4 as I considered this.

S= "Let [your adorning] not be that outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing of gold, or putting on of apparel,
"But let it be the hidden person of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."  (1 Peter 3:3-4)

O= This section is titled in the Scofield Reference Bible as "Godly living in the home and in the church."

If we look back at verses 1-2, which speak of the testimony of a Christian wife to an unbelieving husband, we see that the "hidden person of the heart" also factors into our testimony.  A wife's submission to her husband and her chaste conduct, both of which proceed from a heart yielded to the Lord, will help point an unbelieving husband to Him.

Concerning the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, Rand Hummel writes:

"People take notice of a meek spirit.  Meekness toward God and man is seen in the gentle attitude that accepts disturbing and difficult situations without resisting, arguing, or pouting.  Biblical meekness is often used to describe individuals who are totally dependent on God rather than their own strength.  Those who are gentle do not quickly take things into their own hands but trust God's control, knowing that He wants the best for all.  Meek attitudes are not argumentative.  Gentleness and meekness are characteristics of Christ we should all desire."

Here's another quote from Rand Hummel that zeroes in on a quiet spirit:

"A quiet, unabrasive spirit or disposition is quite attractive, especially in our world today!  No matter the stress, a meek and quiet attitude is always settled, still, and undisturbed.  Too many grandmas are considered grumpy old ladies.  A woman who seeks to grow beautiful internally will always be a joy to be around.  A quiet spirit is a magnet to all family members."

(Quotes are from Rand Hummel's six-week Bible study of 1 Peter,  Living in the Face of Ridicule.)

A= Things like elaborate makeup, extreme hairstyles, ostentatious jewelry and expensive clothing are all mere externals.  Instead of majoring on these, God would have us to focus on the inward -- on the imperishable ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.  This is what's really valuable to God and what truly makes a difference in our lives.

Warren Wiersbe wrote in Be Hopeful: 

"A Christian woman who cultivates the beauty of the inner person will not have to depend on cheap externals."

God wants us as women to focus on the inward far more than the outward.  Of course our appearance matters -- it's part of our testimony -- but our hearts are much more important.  Our adorning should be the hidden person of the heart, with things that are not perishable.  Things like the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is extremely precious.

P= "Lord, I pray that you will help me to pay far more attention to the inner person of the heart than I do to externals.  Yes, our appearance is part of our testimony, and I do want to be sure my appearance is pleasing and glorifying to You.  But I pray that You will help me to grow increasingly beautiful on the inside and not to ever become a grumpy old lady.  It could be all too possible to have a nice appearance that hides an ugly disposition, and that certainly not would be pleasing to You.  Help me to cultivate a meek and quiet spirit, I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

There is the Sunday Scripture for this week!

Some goals for November

 

Somehow, it's November.  Not sure how it happened, but we are three days in.  Time to set some goals:

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Continue working through the "Make Room Challenge" from Make Room for What You Love
* Post in this blog as often as possible -- hopefully several times per week
* Begin working on December posts for my Christmas blog, and possibly for this one too
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Stay at our little camp as often as possible
* Volunteer at The Wilds of New England as we are needed
* Enjoy special services with Morris Gleiser at our church November 5-8
* Have friends over for lunch after church
* Craft some homemade Christmas gifts and decorations
* Do some sewing projects ( a few more sachets to stave off musty odors) for the cottage
* Do a couple cleaning/painting projects at the cottage
* Sew 2 pillow quilts for youngest granddaughters
* Spend a little time on some UFO craft projects
* Continue decluttering the entire house, zone by zone
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Continue to work on memorizing the book of James
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Continue focusing on improving my gut health
* Prepare and teach a ladies' Sunday School class each week
* Host this month's ladies ministry for our church ladies
* Attend a monthly ladies Bible study at a friend's home
* Get back into our study of the book of Daniel with younger believers
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Drink enough water each day
* Plan and prepare for how and when we will celebrate Thanksgiving
* Complete a 40-day sugar fast just ahead of Thanksgiving
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week

HEALTHY HABITS FOR NOVEMBER:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/intermittent fasting/limit sugar/work on gut health

As always, many of these goals are ongoing ones and will not be finished just because October is past.

First of November Hodgepodge

 

 Wednesday again, so it's time for the Hodgepodge -- the linkup where Joyce, at  From This Side of the Pond, asks the questions and bloggers provide the answers on their own blogs.   I'm a little late posting -- we were out of town with no internet access -- but today's questions are doable, so here we go!

1. Besides Thanksgiving (in the USA) what's one thing you're looking forward to in November? 

Special services at church with Morris Gleiser, starting Sunday.   We enjoy his ministry so much and are looking forward to seeing what God will do during these days.

2. Do you like candles? Your favorite scent? How often do you burn a candle in your home? 

I do like candles, but I do find I need to be careful what kind.  Currently I am using one called Pumpkin Marshmallow, and I like that one a lot.  I light a candle maybe every week or two at home, more often at our cottage.  I couldn't find that scent at Bath & Body to link to it (I've had this candle awhile), but maybe this one might be similar.

3. What gadgets did you use today? 

Hmmm ... I haven't done much in the kitchen yet today, and that might be the main place I would use a gadget.  I think the only thing I've used that might even remotely be considered a gadget is a tea bag holder.  Or maybe a dryer ball?  Or a toilet bowl brush?

4. This question is a repeat from one asked in November of 2014, but I liked it so it's coming round again. Many of you weren't here in 2014. Okay, you can have fifty pounds of something (anything but money)...what will you choose? Also, since I mentioned it...what were you up to in November of 2014? 

Fifty pounds of anything?  How about local, grass-fed beef?

In November 2014 I was feeling thankful and also I made a delicious autumn meal -- chicken stew and pumpkin biscuits -- that you might like to try. 

5. 'Tis the season...what's something you're feeling especially grateful for today? 

The blessings of friendship with fellow believers.   On Sunday, in addition to our fellowship at church, we  ate a late lunch with dear friends a couple of hours away, then spent two nights with a sweet older widow friend.  At her home we had the joy of meeting a new believer, a young mom, whom our friend has a Bible study with.  And then today I had my usual Wednesday phone call with my younger friend Jennifer.  We are memorizing the book of James together, and what a blessing it was to share the verses we have learned so far!

Lovely image by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Even though I have an abundance of good quality time in the Bible every morning, I was challenged by an Instagram post from @Proverbs_31Life to choose a Scripture writing plan for November.  I chose this one from The Ruffled Mango and am planning to work on it each evening.  If you haven't done a Scripture writing plan recently, wouldn't November be the perfect month to do so?

That's the Hodgepodge for today!