Clear Skies and Sunshine

Finally after months cold and wet weather, Spring is here. Where I live, it's not that unusual to have constant rain. The winter days and night are dreary and long. Someone mentioned to me last week that without the rain we wouldn't have the beautiful spring flowers and the pretty green trees.

As I was preparing my home for Spring and sorting through my stashes of fabric, I lifted my head. I'm smiled quickly as the glistening sun appeared through the evergreen greens.

From that point on I was motivated with excitement and my mind went there. My mind took me to a place where a perfect Spring for me would consist dresses, dresses and more dresses. Did I mention that I love dresses? Well, I do. Add to that, my "need" for just more Spring clothes in general. I can't leave out my obsession with aprons. Surely, I picture myself wearing the cutest floral printed aprons.

It doesn't take long for me to snap back to reality. Reality is where I live. Before I can do any of the things my mind took me, I need to do some Spring cleaning. I found a wonderful home management notebook that's free. All you have to do is download it.

I chuckled a bit as I turned to the first page.

Yep, before I start living out my fantasy of making multiple Spring dresses, I had to make sure my home was in order. You can find the link here at Proverbs 31 Mama. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for your free "Personal Home Diary".

I am happy to say that all of my Spring material is sorted and ready to glide through the steel plates of Pearl. Pearl is my sewing machine and she has quickly become my new "bff". So if you stopped by my house this Spring, you will find me at the table with Sarah doing homeschool work, Pearl and I at the other end trying to live out my fantasy of dresses and aprons galore.

Here's a peak into my Spring projects:

Solid Linen Fabrics

Floral Printed Linen and Rayon Fabrics

Cotton Fabrics: aprons for me, aprons as gifts and house-dresses. 

I'm going to make a few aprons for some Army moms that I've met on Facebook. Our children are in basic training together right now. I will meet these women as we gather together and watch our soldiers graduate from basic training. They don't read my blog so they will be surprised :)



I do have some other aprons I will be making for me. I found this material on sale at JoAnn's Fabric. I'm getting a little more bolder with my fabric selection as I age gracefully.

I also had to sort through my patterns as well. I would not dare show a photo of all my patterns. I'm afraid my friends and neighbors will report me for hoarding. Here are the patterns that I will use this Spring.

Aprons

Clothes

I know that's a lot of material and a lot of ideas. I can't help but to think of the fun that Pearl and I will have as we work together watching the beautiful Spring skies in my neck of the woods.

A Wife Like Sarah

When I grasp the concept that there was a pattern set for me to follow to be the best wife that I could be, I scratched my head in amazement. Could it have really been that simple? Well, perhaps.

Casually, I was reading the word of God and something hit me like a ton of bricks. The revelation wasn't so deep that I put it into practice right away. No, I pondered it for a few days. I talked to my husband about it. Then I decided to plunge deeper and study this wife. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted, in a sense, to emulate her if at all possible. Her name was Sarah. She was the wife to Abraham.

Sarah was the type of wife that every man would dream about, but only few men would ever have the privilege of being married to a woman such as her. Sarah was beautiful, though, that may have had something to do with why her husband honored her; but I'm sure there was much more. Beauty is only surface. If we go below the surface, we see it was all about the way she reverenced him.

What's a husband to do when his wife calls him lord?


I'm sure this may cause a man to take his guard down and make himself completely venerable. Which is something men may have difficulty doing. I can't speak for other husbands, but I can speak for mine.

The true essence of a man can't help but to respond to the counterpart of himself because she's of reflection of him; yet has many things that he, himself, can not obtain. Those things he can't obtain within him are made complete through his wife. At least this is what my husband conveys. He says that when a man is respected by his wife, he has need of nothing else.

So, I want to be like her. I want to be a wife like Sarah. I'm striving to respect my husband in such a way that I not only obey the Scripture, but that my life honors Him who breathe the words that gave me the pattern to follow.

My beloved and I are celebrating our anniversary this weekend. We are more in love today than ever before.

Before we were married.

In Honor of International Women's Day

In honor of International Women's Day, 

I would like to honor all the women who are truly 

striving to be a Proverbs 31 woman.

Each day, as Proverbs 31 women, we rise early. We do so not to catch up on the latest gossip circuiting the news media. Many of us rise early just to catch a glimpse of what His instructions are for us written in His word.

We go into our secret place to pour out our souls to the One whom we rely on each day. Knowing that without Him, we couldn't celebrate this day or any other day; but rather succomb to the pressures of the latest trend which society tells us what a real woman is. While there in that place, we die to ourselves so that when our family looks at us, they see Him.

Some pity us because they have the tendency to think that our days are filled with drudgery. Yes, some days are hard because we are going against our selfish nature that wants to be catered to rather than catering to others. For the most part we look forward to serving our husband and training our children. Some may see us as women who sit around all day eating Bon Bons while watching the latest daytime drama on television. Truth be told, we wish we had a moment to sit and watch anything. We live our lives not being busybodies in other men's/women's matters, but rather spending our days being keepers in our homes.

At the end of today just like any other day, we will praise God for blessing our day. We will praise Him for helping us get through this day. If it's His will that we rise tomorrow morning, we will praise Him again. We live our lives to praise Him each and every day in all that we do.

  

My First Grandbaby Is Now 1 Years Old

I really wished someone had sat me down a year ago and explained to me how becoming a grandmother would change my life forever. 

I heard the cliches about being a grandmother; but what I'm experiencing can't be explained through mere words. 

Maybe that's why others couldn't express their feelings through words. 

The only word that I can use when describing what it's like to be a grandmother is phenomenal!

 This was right after he was born.

His first birthday party!

I feel beyond blessed. My first grandbaby will be a big brother next month.

Whenever he comes over, I always do something fun with him. 

Like silly glasses.

Teaching him how to jump up and down on the couch. 

Yes, my grandbabies can get away with that, but my children never could. 

You won't understand that unless you're a grandmother :)

Cinnamon Roll Cake

 

I found this recipe on Pinterest for a Cinnamon Roll Cake. Upon my first glance at the picture, I knew I had to make it. I love cinnamon rolls and I love cake. What a great combination.

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Mix everything together except for the butter.

Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined.

Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife.

Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes. While baking, prepare the glaze.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

When the cake is done. Wait about 5-10 minutes, then drizzle glaze. 

Taste delicious while it's warm.

If you're on pinterest, look me up :)

Are You Too Busy For Timothy?

I've been thinking about all the women in the Bible who had a Godly influence on their children. I want to be one of those mothers who's influence on her children would be carried out for generations to come. I want my children to tell my grandchildren and great grandchildren stories about me. Most of all, I want the generations that follow me, follow the same faith I have in God.

The only way I know to make sure that it happens is by spending time with my children. 

Next year, we will have two more children leaving the nest. Our sons, Trae and Benjamin, will be joining the military. I keep having these episodes that I've named "mommy moments." It's when something strikes that sensitive string that reminds me that my sons are leaving home within 6 months apart.

Am I ready for them to leave?

The real question is are they ready?

The answer to both questions are yes and yes.....Well, kinda yes and no to the first one.

I was reading about Timothy this morning. That's when that string was struck and I started to have a "mommy moment." Mommy moments are when I cry and blubber words that need an interpreter. I laugh too during those moments because I'm so proud of my sons.

I Timothy 1:5 says, "When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also."

Here's Timothy, a young man whom the Apostle Paul had great confidence in, who's faith was passed down through his grandmother and mother. Paul didn't get through the first chapter of the first book of Timothy without acknowledging the faith that was passed on to Timothy.

How did Lois and Eunice pass faith on to Timothy? I think it's spelled t-i-m-e, time. It takes time to impart faith into our children. This precious time that I have with my sons before they leave the nest is time that I will use wisely.

Mothers should never had to apologize to anyone when they say no to others so that their time can be spent on their Timothy. Your Timothy is more important than the women's meeting at church. Your Timothy is more important then the to-do list from your pastor. Your Timothy is more important than the job, your friends, your neighbors, etc.

Let us not be to busy for our Timothy. He may be the next person we read about in the history books. Your name will be there also, just like Lois and Eunice's were.

Domestic Tranquility

My home is all decorated for Christmas and I've been working on several projects. Each time I try and finish one, I start another one. Today, as I sat there at the kitchen table sewing an apron for a friend, something hit me. My home was so peaceful.

It was far from quiet. There were numerous sounds through out my home today. The washing machine which has the tendency to get louder and louder each day. Maybe I would too if I was being used for the fifth time before noon. Sarah sitting at the table with me cracking jokes as usual. One of my sons come through talking about the latest thing happening in his life. My sewing machine humming away with each step on the pedal. In the midst of it all, it's peaceful here.

Peaceful should be at least one of the words we use to describe our homes. With so many homes today in disarray, it can get discouraging at times. It's during those times that we have to remember who called us to do the job we are doing in our homes.

Being a keeper of the home is so valuable. In order for us to win the war against the declination of the family structure, the battles have to be won in our homes. Some days, the feeling of facing another battle can be overwhelming. It's on those days when we put our armor on and fight. When we fight, we don't play patty-cake with the adversary. We fight as if our lives and the lives of our families depend on it.

Peace is something that can be obtained in our homes. Look around your home. Look at your family. Look at yourself in the mirror. Tell yourself that peace in your home is worth having. Something that's worth having is worth fighting for.