Haitian Children Arrive in Montana

All praise to God for the safe arrival of these 2 little girls to their forever home. I'm sure the snow outside was quite a change from Haiti. We continue to pray for Haiti and all those affected by the earthquake.

Outdoor Wednesday - Bubble Bath

On this beautiful, sunny morning, I caught this little iron bird in our birdbath taking a bubble bath in the glistening snow. Yesterday was cloudy and we had a little more snow, so it is nice to see the sun today.


Have a visit at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday.

Conceal or Reveal?

The older I get, the more things I see happening with my body that are getting out of control! For instance, I have had dark circles under my eyes for years, but the older I get, those circles are not just under my eyes, they are all around my eyes! So I use concealer every day, and this little tube of cream does its job brightening the area around my eyes, but it is temporary. Sigh.

And, the older I get, the list of changes in my body gets longer, my health changes, and the list of things I would like to just rub concealer on gets longer! Can you relate? If you are around my age, in your 50s, you probably can, and if you are younger, you may want to skip this paragraph, but I hope not the whole message. :) Somewhere in my 40s and 50s, I began the need to conceal. I tried to conceal extra pounds, poor eyesight, gray hair...you get the idea. And the shelves on the stores are full of concealers of many kinds, just ready for me to pluck them off the shelves and rush them to the nearest checkout!

Now, I am not saying that buying these things is wrong. I really don't think it matters and I am sure I will continue to buy some of these products. But all of this is of my inward person. It is the temporary, and today I am being reminded by God's Word that He is NOT looking upon these things. In fact, the only inward thing He cares about is written in His Word in 1 Samuel 15:7 "...The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

I love that! It gives me comfort to know that God loves me for my heart for Him, and I do not have to look a certain way to measure up to His expectations!

In Isaiah 40:5, God's Word says, "And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it." This revealing is seen in the first coming of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for our sins, and it will be again revealed in His second coming. Whew! get a hold of that! God's glory revealed; could there be anything else so amazing, so powerful?!

And just as amazing is that God reveals Himself to us. His Word says in Amos 4:7 "He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, He who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth - the Lord God Almighty is His name."

But wait. Knowing how much He loves me and He reveals Himself to me through His Word, I want to know more about Him and to share Him with others. I want to honor Him and bring him glory. I want to change my attitude from concealing to revealing, taking the focus off of me and turning it to Jesus. I have a long way to go in this, but He is faithful and He will do the work through me if I ask Him to.

As I look out my window this morning, I see that it is cloudy outside, but experience reminds me that, too, is temporary. The sun will come out; in fact, it did indeed rise in the east this morning. I know this for a fact because it is lighter outside, The sun is shining behind those clouds and it will break through when the clouds part. It will be revealed, just as the Son is revealed. And because His Spirit lives in my heart, He is revealed through me and He is revealed through all of you who call Him Lord.

Mercy Me recorded a song a while back that comes to mind. Here are the words and a video that express God's revealing to us so well. Enjoy...

Here With Me

I long for your embrace
Every single day
To meet you in this place
And see you face to face

Will you show me?
Reveal yourself to me
Because of your mercy
I fall down on my knees

And I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

You're everywhere I go
I am not alone
You call me as your own
To know you and be known

You are holy
And I fall down on my knees

I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

I surrender to your grace
I surrender to the one who took my place

I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender:

I can feel your presence here with me
Suddenly I'm lost within your beauty
Caught up in the wonder of your touch
Here in this moment I surrender to your love

Mosaic Monday - Baby Soft

Life is so precious, and children truly are a heritage from the Lord. These family photos are of our 3 JEMs, (Jack, Eli and Maya), as well as our 2 daughters, Erin and Sara, in the middle photo at very young ages.

"For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.


My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.


How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!"
-Psalm 139:13-17




Please join Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Haitian Orphans En Route To U.S.

My blog friend, Maxine, posted this on her blog recently, and I wanted to share it with you.
Thank you, Maxine.

I have also been following the story of 2 Montana families who are adopting children from Haiti in The Billings Gazette. Click here to read the story of these 2 beautiful girls being adopted by one of the families.Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blesses are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3-10

A Hush is Falling Outside

It is snowing again, and I just went out to shovel a little and let Lucy run. I was struck by the hush. the quiet, that happens when snow falls and muffles the usual sounds. A car went by, its tires barely making a noise. A distant churchbell chimed 1:00, a cheerful sound in the stillness. Lucy ran very fast around the yard, enjoying the snow once again.

Here's our back gate, with the snow decorating it for winter again....
A littel bird feeder with angels that are praying, but they look today like they are trying to keep warm...

A log cabin that is really a birdhouse, with a dollop of snow frosting covering its roof...

Maya is napping, so I think I will go inside and make a cup of tea, read a book, or perhaps take a little nap myself, as a 21-month old has lots of energy for me to keep up with when she wakes up. But I just had to share a little bit of winter returned, as we knew it would since it is only January, and as it should be.

Conquering the Clutter

(photo only from Clipart Guide; PEEP poster idea from Unclutterer)

There are rooms in my house that are calling to me, begging me to sort things into "save", "toss" and "donate" piles, or to put it in more updated terms, to recycle, reuse and reduce. It has to be done. So what did I do? I changed my blog back to 2 columns from the 3 I thought I wanted. But the 3 columns began to feel to cluttered, just as my house is feeling too cluttered. I am not big on clutter, but I have been putting it off. Perhaps it is because I have a little cabin fever, with the gray skies and the streets and sidewalks too slippery to go for the energetic walks that get me motivated.

Anyway, I thought that if I started with the blog change and then told you about my house telling me to get busy and unclutter the poor thing, perhaps this would make me accountable. Yes, I think it's working. I think there are 3 boxes in the basement that I could designate for this task. In fact, the basement would be a very good place to start, although perhaps TOO BIG of a task, so maybe a closet or 2. That's it - start small and then gain momentum...


The Little Engine That Could!



YES! I Think I can,
I Think I can...
I know I can,
I know I can!

That said, how do you go about uncluttering your home? I'd love to hear how you conquer the clutter in your home, and besides, misery loves company. I'll let you know how I do if you promise to let me know what you do with all of the stuff that collects!

Here's an article to get us started...and then I have to get off the computer and get to work! It is from Real Simple Magazine: Three Rules for an Uncluttered Life. The same author has an article on procrastination...hmmm...appropriately titled: Diagnosing and Treating Procrastination Fever. In fact, I found out that the author, Erin Doland, is Editor-in-Chief of Unclutterer! Oh my, this could be dangerous! Perhaps I will peruse the Unclutterer website for a little bit, since it is nearly lunchtime. and then, after lunch, I'll take on a closet, or two, or...

...To Be Continued...

P.S. A few helpful websites to help get started:

• Organized Home
• The Container Store
• Easy Home Organizing
• Home Organizing Ideas

Outdoor Wednesday...Mountain Air

I needed a change from the winter snow, so I am sharing a couple of mountain scenes in the Beartooth Mountains near Red Lodge, Montana that we took one fall. We live about 50 miles from there, and love to go for drives and hikes whenever possible. Even now, I can hear the sound of the creek and smell the strong scent of the pines.


I'm sure it is beautiful up there now, with several feet of snow; perhaps we will be able to take a drive and see the winter beauty soon. In the meantime, I will enjoy the photos this week at Susan's A Southern Daydreamer blog for Outdoor Wednesday.

Mosaic Monday - Jumpin' Jack Flash!

Just a little fun mosaic of our grandson Jack at age 4. He's 6 now, but his energy level remains high, and I would love to have his energy and zest for life!
Join Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Back to School with Old Readers

I love the smell of old books when I walk into a school or library, and I have a small collection of old readers from family and from my years of teaching.













If you went to school in the era I did, you will remember Dick and Jane. These little books were my introduction to reading in the first grade, and I fondly remember reading about the adventures of siblings Dick, Jane and Sally and their little dog, Spot...












It was published in 1953 (before I was born, but not by much!) by Scott, Foresman and Company. This particular book is a First Grade health book. I saw a 1948 "Rare, 1st Printing" edition online for $35.00.

The oldest reader I have belonged to my grandfather; I know this because he wrote his name inside several times! It was published in 1907 by Silver, Burdett and Company...









This precious little book belonged to my father's sister, who died at a young age. Her name, Edna, was written on the inside, and the book was published in 1928 by Charles E. Merrill Co...


I love the colors and the fact that not much has changed as far as items in a classroom, except we now have whiteboards and computers!

My last little gem belonged to my Uncle John; an adult wrote his name on the inside with the price marked as .55. It was published in 1930 by The MacMillan Company...






Again, I love the colors and the styles shown in these two pictures of the chapter "The First Day".

Perhaps some of you remember these books or have seen them as you browse old books in attics and antique stores. There is something very precious about holding a little bit of the past in your hands, and imagining a little boy or girl of long ago who learned to read within these pages.

Help for Haiti

We are all watching the news about the earthquake in Haiti, and our hearts break for those who have lost loved ones and have been injured and left homeless. There are many charities we may turn to to give help, and a good website to go to is: Charity Navigator. There you will find a list of charities that have a history of working in Haiti, along with some very good tips for donating safely and effectively. We need not feel helpless, for we serve the God of the universe, and He was not surprised by this earthquake. We may go to Him in prayer and He will hear our pleas for help for the Haitian people as well as those from other countries who were caught in this tragedy.
Some quick links: Compassion, Samaritan's Purse, American Red Cross, World Vision, and Mercy Ships.
He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Psalm 91:4

Out of the mouth of babes...

Our granddaughter Maya is 20 months old, and she built this snowman with her mom, using a kit to decorate him. She loved his big red heart. Maya loves to chat, and she has been putting together sentences. One of my favorite is her mealtime prayer. Please allow me this Nana indulgence! Click on the arrow to hear her sweet little voice and prayer of "Thank You God...too much! Amen"

Mom's Goulash and Alzheimer's

I have mentioned on this blog before that my mom, Doris, has Alzheimer's. Many of you may have loved ones who suffer from this "“truly long, long goodbye", as Nancy Reagan described it. Mom now lives across the street from my sister and her husband (I'm so grateful for your care of Mom, you 2!), and she has been having some very difficult days these past few months. Along with the memory loss, she has been having TIAs, or "mini-strokes", and depression, so she hasn't been very coherent lately. She forgets when I call her and had stopped calling me a few weeks ago, not really able to use her cell phone, turn on her tv or even make her own tea. She would talk with me, but she really didn't have much to say and didn't follow our conversations very well.

But 2 days ago, she called me, and she was Mom, upbeat, clear-headed and talkative. She was dressed and ready for the day. We had a nice chat, more like the ones we used to have, and it was such a sweet blessing. And then she called me again today, still upbeat, talked about the weather, (since she moved to WI from AZ, the weather is a big topic for her and I don't blame her!), and I told her I was going to make goulash today. "Oh, goulash! I haven't made that for years!" she said. We chatted about that a little while and said our goodbyes.

Mom made goulash a lot for our family of 5 kids as we grew up on our Iowa farm. It's family comfort food, the kind of meal I fall back on when I need a warm and satisfying meal that doesn't take fancy ingredients and I don't need a recipe. There are many recipes for goulash, and ours is very basic with ingredients often in the pantry. Mom could produce a very large pot of it in no time, using beef we raised, corn and tomatoes she grew in the garden and froze and canned every summer, and beans. (I started out with a big pot and realized the 2 of us didn't need so much, so the picture below is a big pot with a not-so-big recipe!)

Simple, satisfying, and comforting. Mom is more herself right now, and even though that could change as I write this, it is comforting to talk with her and to have my sister tell me that she has been more like herself for a few days now. We are thankful for this gift from God, and thankful even for when it will change, for she is His creation and He loves her even more than we do.

Alzheimer's is not a comforting disease. But for now, God has given me my Mom back, and that is a comfort. So tonight we'll have goulash, and the next time I talk with her on the phone she may have forgotten all about our conversation, but I think I will ask her about goulash again and see what she says. And I bet she could still make it from her long-ago memory.

Goulash: 1. a stew of Hungarian origin, made with beef, veal, lamb or pork and seasoned with paprika. 2. an eclectic and uncoordinated mixture of something

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day...

(Photo of Glacier Park from http://www.mtpics.com/)

OK, so that is a little corny, but it popped into my head as I was getting ready for the day. Living in Montana, the skies are seldom cloudy, but we do get a few overcast days, and recently that has been the case. Today is promising to be bright and sunny, and WARM, so the snow will melt a little more and I hope to be able to go for a walk and to breathe all the sunshine and fresh air in.

Are you in need of a little encouragement? I have found encouragement in a few good places lately. I've found it in God's Word, through family relationships, through my church family, through close and dear friends, and even through your blogs.

Let's talk about the blogs. What an amazing way for women to share their gifts and passions! Many of you are gifted photographers, talented cooks and excellent crafters. I am in awe of your talents and I enjoy them very much. Many of you are also encouragers; you have a gift that lifts others up even as you share about your everyday lives. My thanks to all of you who take time to share a little about who you are and what you do with all of us bloggers!

On my Playlist, I have a song called, "The More I Seek You", and it expresses what I am drawing from God's well, His Word: the more I seek Him, the more I will know about Him, who He is and what His plan is for my life. It sounds simple, but it is far from it. He encourages me in verses such as Phil. 1:6 "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ", Luke 12:31&34 "But seek His kingdom, and these things (our worldly needs) will be given to you as well...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also", Psalm 105:4 "Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always".

Thank you to everyone who is an encourager today, even if you do not realize it. It is my hope and my prayer that you will be blessed as you share you gifts and talents with others. You are amazing because we have an amazing Father and Savior!

Mosaic Monday - A Montana Snowy Day

Mary at Little Red House hosts Mosaic Monday each week. I used a few of the previously posted photos I took on a recent snowy day and added a few more to make a mosaic. The old ice skates are my husband Lauren's from his youth, and we hang them on our front porch every winter. Skiers, sledders and snowshoers will want to get their time in soon, as the temperatures are rising this week!

Little Red House Giveaway!

Mary at Dear Little Red House, is having a giveaway to celebrate her new Etsy shop. Mary's photographs are extraordinary, and I am looking forward to visiting her new shop. Click here to go to Mary's blog and enter, and from there click on her Etsy shop button to enjoy a peak at her beautiful photography. You will love the journey! (Entries must be in by midnight (EST) Sunday, January 10.)

Winter Scene

This old print hangs in our entry every winter. I don't remember how long we've had it or where I got it from, but its simplicity pleases me. It isn't worth much; there are a few small creases and smudges, but the pastoral scene with the old fencing and gates, bare trees and the farmer who seems to walk jauntily along even with his burden creates a soft and pleasant scene.

At first, I thought he was walking towards a barn, but a closer look shows 2 chimneys coming from the building's roof; yet, it doesn't look like a cottage or a cabin. The slanted roof on the right suggests a shed or barn. What do you think? A barn with a fireplace? Unlikely. An old cottage worn by time? There even appears to be a rickety fence of some sort around it.

I must confess, I do not really spend a lot of time looking at the building when I glance at this picture; I see the quietness of it all. It was mid afternoon when I took the picture of it, and the afternoon light casts an interesting shadow. I love the color of the sky, with its soft blue hue and yellow hint of sunset and, I hear the birds calling overhead. I see the texture of the dry grass sticking out of the snow, and I hear his footsteps as he trudges through the snow. It somehow warms me to see it, even though it depicts a chilly day. I wish I knew who created it, but most of all I just enjoy it.

Warming Up

Oooh, the house smells sooo good! I am planning a meal to take to friends; the wife is recuperating from surgery, and I well remember from my own experience how wonderful it is to not have to be concerned about meals. Our church has a meal chain and we take turns sharing meals. It seems to warm the hearts of both the givers and the receivers! I found a box of Pampered Chef Pizza Crust and Roll Mix in the cupboard. I mixed it up and the results are as good as they look and smell! (Yes, I've already tasted one!) The house is so chilly, I wasn't sure the rolls would rise well, but popping them in the warmed oven with a pan of hot water coaxed them along well. Having the mix on hand was a good motivator for me, but I do like to bake from scratch, although I don't make yeast breads very often, and these are a nice treat.
I am going to make a pan of Lazy Lasagna with ingredients I also have in the cupboard and refrigerator, as it is toooo cold to go to the store. Here is the recipe:

Lazy Lasagna
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 jar meatless spaghetti sauce
16 oz. carton of ricotta or cottage cheese
8 oz. (approx. 3 1/2 c.) any pasta, such as mostaccioli or ziti
2 c, shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T. Parmesan cheese

While the pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef and onion; add spaghetti sauce and ricotta cheese. Stir in the drained pasta and add it all to a 9x13 pan, top with the mozzerella. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and bake 5-10 minutes more.

Outdoor Wednesday...A January Snowfall

It snowed all afternoon yesterday and accumulated a couple of inches, but this morning we woke up to about 6 inches, and it is absolutely beautiful outside! Lucy, our Golden Retriever, and I went out to play in the backyard; she ran around believing once again that the snow was God's special gift for her, and I took a few photos to share.

It's a good thing that most of the birds have flown south for the winter...
Jack's Tree Stand...
The view from our front door...
The red door on the side of our garage...
I hope you stay warm and cozy in your part of the world!

Be sure to join A Southern Daydreamer each week for Outdoor Wednesday. Click the Outdoor Wednesday button in the left column.

My Utmost for His Highest

One of my favorite devotionals is My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. After a couple of years away, I am going to renew my reading of it this year for fresh insights into God's Word each day. Though in print since 1927, Chambers' message is very contemporary. For a daily message from My Utmost for His Highest, scroll to the widget in the left column and click on the titles under "Recent Posts".

Oswald Chambers Story
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was born July 24, 1874, in Aberdeen, Scotland. Converted in his teen years under the ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, he studied art and archaeology at the University of Edinburgh before answering a call from God to the Christian ministry. He then studied theology at Dunoon College. From 1906-1910 he conducted an itinerant Bible-teaching ministry in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

In 1910, Chambers married Gertrude Hobbs. They had one daughter, Kathleen.

In 1911 he founded and became principal of the Bible Training College in Clapham, London, where he lectured until the school was closed in 1915 because of World War I. In October 1915 he sailed for Zeitoun, Egypt (near Cairo), where he ministered to troops from Australia and New Zealand as a YMCA chaplain. He died there November 15, 1917, following surgery for a ruptured appendix.

Although Oswald Chambers wrote only one book, Baffled to Fight Better, more than thirty titles bear his name. With this one exception, published works were compiled by Mrs. Chambers, a court stenographer, from her verbatim shorthand notes of his messages taken during their seven years of marriage. For half a century following her husband's death she labored to give his words to the world.

My Utmost For His Highest, his best-known book, has been continuously in print in the United States since 1935 and remains in the top ten titles of the religious book bestseller list with millions of copies in print. It has become a Christian classic.