An Iowa Farm Wife

On February 1, 1954, an Iowa farm wife gave birth to a daughter. She was 26 years old and already had 3 other children, 2 boys and another daughter. She had grown up in the city, so being a farm wife had its own share of challenges,and eventually she would have a 5th child, a boy, finishing their family of seven. She worked hard inside and outside, teaching her daughters how to cook and sew, serving as their 4-H leader for many years. She raised a very large vegetable garden, full of tomatoes that she canned, beans and peas that she put up, and acres of sweet corn that she froze for her large family. She also had several flower gardens that she tended and a large yard that she mowed. Their daughters helped with the housework and the sons helped their dad in the fields. As the kids got older they all learned how to have a good work ethic, helping wherever needed on the farm.

It was a very active, full life, and eventually she and her husband moved to Arizona where they were semiretired for several years and then fully retired. Her husband of over 50 years passed away, and she moved to Wisconsin to live by her oldest daughter, where she remains today.

This Iowa farm wife is my mom, and she gave birth to me 57 years ago today.  I visited with her on the phone this morning, and it is hard to hear how much more the Alzheimer's has taken from her, although she still remembers her children and likes to hear about her great grandchildren. She was having a sad day today, as winter there has been cold with lots of snow, and she doesn't get out much. But we had a nice visit, talking about what it was like to raise 5 kids on the farm, and I thanked her for giving birth to me. I don't get to see her very often, and I am so thankful that my dear sister and her husband take such good care of her.

So today I like to say "Happy Birth Day" to my mom, Doris, for giving birth to

 me and for the life she and my dad provided for me and my siblings.

Ours was a complex family relationship, as many families are, with many happy and

many difficult times together, but God saw fit to put us all together,

 and I am very thankful for that. I am also thankful for the past few years that

He has allowed grace in our relationships,so that we may have these

 years together with love, forgiveness and gratefulness for each other.

 Alzheimer's may steal memories, but it cannot rob us of family and love.

Out of the House!

Yea! I got out of the house recently, with one day a visit to the doctor and the next day a visit with our daughter Erin and her youngest, Eli. Both days wore me out a little, as I seem to have one of those colds that lasts until spring, but it was SO good to get out and enjoy the warmer temps we have been having (40s).  Tomorrow, we are supposed to get cold and snow again, so it has been nice to have a break from it all. But we do not have anything like those of you who live on the east coast!!

I realized that I haven't blogged for quite a while, but really, I don't have a lot to say except I am going to take a few days to visit YOUR blogs and get caught up with your news.

Here are just a few snaps of the JEMS, as they have been leading way more exciting lives than I have lately!

Jack's first ski lesson - he loved it!

Play-Doh fun with Ei and Maya...

Maya and I made muffins after reading "If You Give a Moose a Muffin"...

Eli thrives outside in the snow...

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

I leave you with one of my favorite Psalms...

(source)



Cabin Fever?

Do you find yourself...

yearning for sunshine, when all you see is gray and white out your window?

wanting desperately to go somewhere besides the grocery store?

wondering how snow can last for 2-3 months without melting?

doing a bad imitation of an ice skater as you try to get your mail?

looking at gardening catalogues and magazines and sighing out loud?

Yep - that's cabin fever, and I must say, I have it really bad!!

So, my cure for this feeling of being closed in is...

Tumblr.

On Tumblr, there are lots of like-minded women (and a few men, I am sure) 

who post photos that take me on little mini vacations, feed my soul and

make me laugh. It is sometimes where I go to escape bad tv and to recover from a bad cold.

So to celebrate the fact that warmer and sunnier days will come,

I put together a mosaic to bring beauty and light into our days.

Each of these photos are on my Tumblr blog where the sources are listed with the photos.

Some I are photos I found and some are from other Tumblrs that I reblogged.

You can find my Tumblr at

 My Heart's Home and Garden.

C.S. Lewis ~ God's Gift of Suffering

“God loves us, so He makes us the gift of suffering. Through suffering, we release our hold on the toys of this world, and know our true good lies in another world. We’re like blocks of stone, out of which the sculptor carves the forms of men. The blows of his chisel, which hurt us so much, are what make us perfect. The suffering in this world is not the failure of God’s love for us; it is that love in action. For believe me, this world that seems to us so substantial is no more than the shadlowlands. Real life has not begun yet.”

C.S. Lewis, Shadowlands

(photo)

Voices of the Faithful

Voices of the Faithful

With Beth Moore

and

Friends who Put Their Lives

on the Line for God

Thomas Nelson Publisher

This is a daily devotional book with introductions for each month written by Beth Moore, and each daily entry written by a different missionary serving on the international field. It is described as:

"Inspiring stories of courage from Christians serving around the world",

and it does not disappoint the reader.

Each month begins with an introduction by Beth Moore, and then each day has a Bible verse reference and a story by a missionary followed by a prayer. These are in-the-field stories and they stir the reader away from the ordinary lives many of us lead to thinking about and praying for the missionaries who write them. Reading the missionaries stories helps me to get to know just a little of what their lives are like as they serve the Lord, and to be grateful for that service and for the Lord's provision for each of them.

Since I have not read the entire book yet because it is a year-long devotional, I am looking forward to reading each day's devotional and then digging deeper by exploring the Bible verse further and applying it all to my own life. This would make a wonderful gift book to those you know who support the work of missionaries and want to have a glimpse into their lives and work.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 .

That's My King ~ Dr. S.M. Lockridge

Quite some time ago, I heard this message on the radio, and I have often thought about it.

It may be quite familiar to some of you, but it bears listening to again.

 It came across my Tumblr blog today, and I want to share it here.

Here is Dr. S.M. Lockridge's Biography

Dr. Shadrach Meshach (S.M.) Lockridge (March 7, 1913 – April 4, 2000)

Shadrach Meshach Lockridge was born March 7, 1913, in Robertson County, Texas, the oldest of eight children and son of a Baptist minister. A graduate of Bishop College in Marshall, Texas, he worked for two years as a high school English teacher. In 1940 in Dallas, he felt led to preach. In 1941 he married Virgil Mae Thomas but they never had any children.

His Ministry

In 1942, he accepted his first pastorate at Fourth Ward Baptist Church in Ennis, Texas. In August 1952, he was named pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego where he served until retiring in 1993.

During Dr. Lockridge’s tenure at Calvary Baptist, a predominantly African-American congregation, his ministry touched the lives of more than 100,000 people. He preached at crusades, revivals, religious rallies and evangelistic conferences around the world.

He also served in key regional, state and national positions with the Baptist Church, including being elected the first president of the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America.

He held doctorates and numerous honorary degrees and was often sought as a public speaker, even after he retired in 1993. He served as guest lecturer at numerous schools and universities and on the faculty of several others, including the Billy Graham School of Evangelism.

Dr. Lockridge was active in the civil rights movement, and under his leadership Calvary Baptist hosted several of its leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

(source)

I did find a recording of Dr. Lockridge as he gave this message, but I could not copy it to this post.

The words below are the complete text as he spoke it; the video leaves out some of the words.

Words of That's My King

The Bible says my King is a seven-way king....He's the King of the Jews; that's a racial king....He's the King of Israel; that's a national King....He's the King of Righteousness....He's the King of the Ages.....He's the King of Heaven....He's the King of Glory....He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King. Well....I wonder, do you know Him?.... David said, "The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He's enduringly strong....He's entirely sincere....He's eternally steadfast....He's immortally graceful....He's imperially powerful....He's impartially merciful....... Do you know Him?

He's the greatest phenomenon that ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son....He's a sinner's Saviour....He's the centerpiece of civilization....He stands in the solitude of Himself....He's august....He's unique....He's unparalleled....He's unprecedented....He's the loftiest idea in literature....He's the highest personality in philosophy....He's the supreme problem in higher criticism....He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology....He's the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion....He's the miracle of the age.... He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him....He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour...... I wonder if you know Him today?
He supplies strength for the weak....He's available for the tempted and the tried....He sympathizes and He saves....He strengthens and sustains....He guards and He guides....He heals the sick....He cleanses lepers....He forgives sinners....He discharges debtors....He delivers captives....He defends the feeble....He blesses the young....He serves the unfortunate....He regards the aged....He rewards the diligent....and He beautifies the meek....... I wonder if you know Him?

Well, my King....is the King....He's the key to knowledge....He's the wellspring to wisdom....He's the doorway of deliverance....He's the pathway of peace....He's the roadway of righteousness ....He's the highway of holiness....He's the gateway of glory....... Do you know Him?

Well....His office is manifold....His promise is sure....His light is matchless....His goodness is limitless....His mercy is everlasting....His love never changes....His word is enough....His grace is sufficient....His reign is righteous....and His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He's indescribable....He's incomprehensible....He's invincible....He's irresistible.

Well, you can't get Him out of your mind....You can't get Him off of your hand....You can't out live Him, and you can't live without Him....The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him....Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him....The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree....Herod couldn't kill Him....Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him. Yea!!!, that's my King, that's my King.

Father..."Thine is the Kingdom....and the Power....and the Glory....Forever"....and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever...and ever...and when you get through with all the forevers, then.... AMEN!....AMEN!

You've Got...

This is a scene from the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie

You've Got Mail.

(photo: hooked on houses)

As I was watching it today, I decided to title this post

You've Got...
 Mail  a Cold.

Look closely at the kitchen counter...

full of cold medicine, tea pot and  tea packages.

and the table...

full of tissues.

Yes, you know what this is.

This is my house

or your house

or your friend's house...

Someone you know

has a cold.

Now, I am not looking for sympathy,

no,

I am just trying to get myself off of the sofa

to do something constructive.

So, if you or someone you love

has a cold,

and can't sleep because of all of the coughing,

and sneezing 

and a runny nose,

you have my sympathy.

We're in this together!

Now, back to the sofa.

Would someone please pass me a tissue?

(photo: getty images)