tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22287356759285017552024-03-27T18:01:46.157-04:00From Melanie's HomeAs for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. ~Joshua 24:15
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.comBlogger190125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-59568369515606797792017-01-20T09:28:00.000-05:002017-01-20T09:28:39.886-05:00~Building My Home~<b>Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. ~Proverbs 14:1 </b><br />
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I drew this little picture in my journal to remind me how important it is to build my home with good things.♥<br />
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I believe if we follow the verses below, we will be well on our way to having well-built homes. <br />
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♥ Proverbs 31:10-31<br />
♥ I Corinthians 13<br />
♥ Galatians 5:22-23<br />
♥ Ephesians 4:29-32 <br />
♥ Philippians 2:1-4, 14<br />
♥ Philippians 4:8 <br />
♥ I Thessalonians 5:16-18<br />
♥ I Timothy 6:6-8<br />
♥ Titus 2:3-5<br />
♥ I Peter 3:1-7<br />
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God bless you, and thank you for stopping by today! :-)<br />
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Take care,<br />
<i>~Melanie</i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-73149612127157449532017-01-16T23:03:00.000-05:002017-01-16T23:03:05.995-05:00A New Kitty to Love!♥<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is our sweet new kitty, Mika. She's about eight months old now.<br />
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Our cat, Precious, passed away on Thanksgiving Day 2015. I still miss her. :'-( We had her fourteen years, and we weren't really looking to get another pet. However, sometimes things don't go as planned, do they?<br />
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This past summer, Katie and her boyfriend were out and about when she saw this little kitten get hit by a car. To make a long story very short, we ended up keeping her. She is so sweet and lovable, and has a funny personality too. :-) <br />
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As you can see, she fits right in with our dog, Lilly, and our other cat, Oreo. They have a rough life, don't you think? ;-)<br />
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I hope you all are doing well, and having a great week. Thanks for stopping by.<br />
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Take care,<br />
~<i>Melanie</i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-80986050044582529272017-01-09T14:42:00.000-05:002017-03-28T22:04:28.727-04:00~Days of Winter~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had our first snowfall over the weekend, and have been enjoying it. The temperatures have been too cold for the snow to melt...our low last night was 13º.</div>
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We were happy that one of the students in our school gave us a bird feeder for Christmas. Our other one has seen better days. The bush on the left is a Rose of Sharon. Every morning, it is <i>full</i> of birds waiting for their turn at breakfast. :-)<br />
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My sweet husband gave me this electric fireplace for Christmas. We are enjoying it so much. It is one of the most realistic looking ones I've seen. I grew up with a wood stove, and I would love to have one, but this is the next best thing. ♥<br />
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Katie gave me this reindeer mug for Christmas. It is so cute, and blue is my favorite color. :-) <br />
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I received this precious book for Christmas. It has only 132 pages in a comfortable font. If you get the chance to read it, please do. I am sure it would be a blessing to you. The last few chapters were especially good. I could not stop the tears that flowed. <br />
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This is the third book of hers that I have read. They are deeply spiritual, yet very humble. <br />
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I hope you all will have a blessed week. Thank you so much for stopping by.<br />
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Take care,<br />
~<i>Melanie</i> Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-22391368545185485702017-01-01T16:25:00.001-05:002017-01-01T16:29:29.768-05:00Happy New Year!Hello, friends!! I hope you all are doing well!<br />
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I thought I would try blogging here again and see how things go. :-)<br />
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I pray that 2017 will be a wonderful year for you and your families.<br />
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I'm sharing a couple of verses that have been in my mind and heart for this new year....very familiar to us all, but something we shouldn't forget.<br />
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<i><b>Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. ~Proverbs 3:5-6</b></i><br />
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When we seek the LORD and ask <i><b>Him</b></i> to guide us, we can be assured things will be better than if we try to handle this life all on our own.<br />
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God bless you, friends!<br />
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Take care,<br />
~<i>Melanie</i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-25285671676698738502015-08-15T18:22:00.000-04:002015-08-15T18:22:48.187-04:00Summer ChatHello, friends! I hope you all are doing well. It's hard to believe summer is winding down!<br />
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We've had a good summer - it's just went by too quickly! The weather here hasn't been bad at all! The last two nights have been cool enough for us to open the windows...I love it! I'm sure I've said it before, but I don't do well with heat and humidity.<br />
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Our neighbors who have the chickens brought over six eggs for us a few days ago. They're all gone now, but they were yummy. :-) When our neighbors first got their chickens they asked if we minded if the chickens went in our yard. Our houses are very close together...we have less than a half acre of land and our neighbors have just a little more than that. We told them it was fine and they said they would share the eggs with us. The chickens have been enjoying our front yard now too. It's so funny watching them run. :-) <br />
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Our blackberry
bush put out a lot of berries this year! I gave a quart bag full to our neighbors
(who have the chickens) and I also froze some. They'll be
good this winter! :-)<br />
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Katie went to Guatemala again this summer on a missions trip. They ministered in some schools and visited a girls' home for young pregnant girls who had been rescued from s*x trafficking. Oh my, there is so much that goes on in this world that grieves my heart. I can only imagine how God must feel. <br />
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A couple days before they left, Katie was playing a game with the group. While she was running she tripped over a tree root and smashed her knee against a concrete wall. This is a picture of her poor leg. :-( I'm so thankful she didn't break anything! You know how bruises are, they get worse before they get better. Now it's starting to turn green and yellow. This was Katie's third foreign missions trip. I'm thankful for her heart that wants to serve the Lord and I'm thankful she has these opportunities, but I'm so glad when she's back home.♥ <br />
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On their flight home, one of the girls started to complain of pain in her back and side. Come to find out, she had a kidney stone and UTI, so one of the ladies stayed with her in Houston while the rest of the group flew on home. The two of them flew back the next day. I'm glad it didn't happen while they were out of the country!<br />
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Katie brought back this clock for us. She said there are little shops there where people make things to sell.<br />
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Well, you know the lilac bush I showed you in my last post...<i>it is dying</i>! Yes, I am very sad about it. The leaves all turned brown on one part of the bush and the branch just broke off...now the rest of the bush is starting to wilt. After doing some research on the internet, I found that lilacs don't like low-lying areas. They don't like their roots to stay wet, so I doubt I will be getting another one as long as we live here. We're only a few feet above sea level. My husband put in a clothesline when we moved here, and he hit water while digging the holes for the posts. He didn't have to put any water in the holes to mix up the cement. *sigh* I really love lilacs, but I'll just have to enjoy the other plants I have. My rose of sharon bushes do very well in this area.<br />
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We were able to visit with our families for a week this summer, and had a nice relaxing time. We went shopping a little one day, but most of the time we just sat and talked. We got out the picture albums and looked through those and just enjoyed being together.<br />
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One evening while we were there, I went out to the back yard to pick
some blackberries. After about 15 minutes I heard the neighbor's dogs
barking like crazy! I looked up and saw something black and furry
running through the woods! I went right into the house and looked out
the windows in the direction it had run, but I didn't see anything. I'm
pretty sure it was a bear. I talked to Mom a few days ago and she said the neighbors down the road
had counted seven different bears. It's a bit unnerving to say the
least. Then she said while Dad was
sitting on their back deck, he saw a big bear going through the woods.
I've been praying they'll all be safe. I sure don't want them to meet up
with any unexpectedly.<br />
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At a park about a half hour from where my parents live, there was a lady
attacked by a black bear the weekend before our visit. She had to have
14 stitches in her back and 14 in her leg. The bear slipped on some wet
leaves and she managed to escape, but then it started chasing her again.
Her son told her to 'act big' and make a lot of noise, so by hollering
and raising her hands, she intimidated the bear enough so that it left
her alone. Wow! She said she didn't think she was going to survive it. <br />
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Mom and Dad sent us home with all these lovely jars of yumminess...green beans, pears, lime pickles, tomatoes, and strawberry rhubarb jam.♥ We also took a walk in the garden on the morning we left and picked some tomatoes, squash, and a cucumber to take home with us.<br />
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Well, I'd better close for now. I hope you all have had a great summer! Fall will be here soon.♥ Thanks for stopping by! :-)<br />
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Take care,<br />
<i>~Melanie</i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-83500362450621357232015-07-24T19:13:00.000-04:002015-07-24T19:13:29.726-04:00SummertimeHello, friends!<br />
Summer is in full swing around here. :-)<br />
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I took this picture back in the Spring, but it's pretty anyway. I can't remember exactly when my husband bought this lilac bush for me, but it bloomed for the first time this year. I love lilacs...they're not only beautiful, they also smell wonderful! :-)<br />
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Our blueberry bush this year ~ last year the birds got nearly every berry before we could.<br />
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My dad also has blueberry bushes and said we should put a rubber snake in it, so we got this one and put it in our bush! It scared off the birds, and we were able to enjoy our blueberries this year. :-)<br />
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Last week I moved the snake to the blackberry bushes in the backyard.<br />
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Some feathery friends came to see me the other day when I was getting my clothes off the line. <br />
Our neighbors have chickens now...:-)<br />
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My husband and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary last month. He drew this sweet card for me. I love it...I like these types of cards much better than the store bought ones.♥<br />
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Hope you all have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by. :-)<br />
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Take care,<br />
<i>~Melanie</i><br />
<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-33312364603975231432015-07-17T21:30:00.000-04:002015-07-17T21:32:08.439-04:00Ice and SinThese are some pictures I took this past winter. They look pretty good to me on these hot summer days! :-)<br />
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If you've ever been in an ice storm, you know how pretty it is when the sun is shining and all the ice is sparkling. However, even though the ice is pretty, it's dangerous! People who don't see the danger of ice or <i>ignore</i> the danger will get out in it and end up getting hurt. Sin is that way. It may look pretty, but like ice, it's very dangerous. The devil is deceptive, and has a way of making sin look pretty. People let that 'beauty' lure them into dangerous territory, and before you know it, they've fallen and been broken. I've learned from experience that the best thing to do in an ice storm is stay home. :-)<br />
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Also, the ice accumulated! Our power lines were weighed down with it. Thankfully in this storm, the ice wasn't so thick that it caused our power lines to break. (We have had that happen before. It's not fun!) Like the ice on our lines, we can get 'weighed down' under the load of sin. In Psalm 38:4 David said, "For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me."<br />
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The good news is we don't have to stay weighed down by our sin! Because Jesus died on the cross, our sins can be forgiven. I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."<br />
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I hope you all will have a great weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by. :-)<br />
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Take care,<br />
<i>~Melanie</i><br />
<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-53614971865114865612015-07-03T15:22:00.000-04:002015-07-03T15:25:44.889-04:00Encouragement from God's WordHello, friends! I hope you all are doing well. Things here are going well. I've just been away for a while taking a break. There's so much happening in our nation and the world that I've felt the need to sort of back away for a bit, and spend more time with the Lord and His Word. I have a little notebook to write down thoughts as they come to me, and so much of what I've written over the last few months are verses, songs, and thoughts about resting and not worrying, remembering that our time here on earth is so short, that I'm just a pilgrim passing through this world, and that my treasures are stored in heaven.<br />
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I'm so thankful that God isn't caught off guard by what's going on in the world. As Christians, we can trust Him to be with us through whatever may be in the future. <br />
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So many Bible verses have been coming to my mind lately, and I believe it's God's way of helping me in these trying times. It's so important to read the Bible and even memorize it! <br />
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<i>Psalm 119:11 - Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. </i><br />
<i>Psalm 119:105 - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.</i><br />
<i>Romans 15:4 - For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.</i><br />
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Below are some verses that have been coming to mind these last few months. I hope they will bless you and be as comforting and encouraging to you as they have been to me.♥ <br />
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<i>Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. v.10a - Be still, and know that I am God: </i><br />
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<i>Psalm 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. </i><br />
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<i>Psalm 56:3 - What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. </i><br />
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<i>Psalm 119:114 - Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.</i><br />
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<i>Isaiah 26:3-4 - Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:</i><br />
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<i>Matthew 6:19-21 - Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. vs.31-34 - Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. </i><br />
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<i>Matthew 11:28-30 - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.</i><br />
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<i>John 14:1-3 - Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. v.27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.</i><br />
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<i>John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.</i><br />
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<i> Philippians 3:20 - For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. </i><br />
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<i>Hebrews 13:5 - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. </i><br />
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<i>James 4:14 - Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.</i><br />
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To all of you who have checked on me while I've been away, thank you. I hope you all have a great weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by.♥<br />
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Take care,<br />
<i>~Melanie </i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-81684762525841194142015-03-27T12:13:00.000-04:002015-04-11T09:50:26.067-04:00Pioneer Girl and UruguayHello, friends! I hope you're all doing well. :-)<br />
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Our school's third quarter is almost over, so I've been pretty busy getting ready for the end of the school year. We'll have to shorten our Easter break this year due to the snow days we had last month. <br />
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I am so excited that my copy of Pioneer Girl <i>finally</i> arrived yesterday! I had placed an order with Amazon, but they were out of stock for weeks, so I finally canceled that order and placed one with Barnes & Noble.<br />
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The book came while I was at work, so my husband decided to have a little fun. :-) He is so funny...I never know what he might do! *hahaha*<br />
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I hope to find some time to read this weekend.<br />
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Katie's trip to Uruguay went well. It wasn't easy letting her go so far away. She was gone twelve days. During that time they ministered in five churches and also had times of street witnessing. They estimated that they ministered to about 2,000 people. <br />
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One day they went mountain climbing and even had a chance to talk with a group of orphans that also happened to be there at the same time. This cross was on the mountain they climbed. <br />
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What a beautiful view!<br />
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The two pictures above were taken from inside the cross.<br />
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Spring has definitely arrived in my neck of the woods...my daffodils are just about to bloom.♥ <br />
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Have a great weekend, everyone! Thanks for stopping by! :-)<br />
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Take care,<br />
<i>~Melanie</i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-11662034165121697572015-02-26T15:51:00.000-05:002015-02-28T09:47:41.454-05:00More Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We awoke to more snow this morning! My husband filled the bird feeder and took some pictures of the snow and Lilly. He even took a little video of her. She is such a funny dog. :-)</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzotH_IvsnV7pWrtOmwaMnXFeppxxXifVEEgeUySJpyHuN_7-hbGuwYYMd5tPj0Iyhwp5J1v0eWHlHJHNpVVA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </div>
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I've been trying to keep myself busy to keep from missing Katie so much. I've washed clothes, put chicken in the crock pot, experimented with a new recipe for my bread machine, and made a strawberry cake for my husband. There are some good smells coming from my kitchen today!</div>
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I'm so thankful for all my 'maids' ~ my crock pot, washing machine, oven, etc.. I've often wondered what our ancestors would think of all our modern conveniences. Surely they would be amazed.</div>
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Katie's trip is going well. She'll be back next week! Please continue to keep her in your prayers. :-)</div>
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I hope you're all enjoying your day! So glad you stopped by. </div>
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Take care,</div>
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<i>~Melanie</i></div>
<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-57205646186918786292015-02-23T13:44:00.001-05:002015-02-23T13:44:07.504-05:00These Cold Winter DaysThis winter has been so very cold here! We've been letting the cold water drip on these really cold days to keep the pipes from freezing. So far so good! Our low was -1º on Friday! <br />
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Enduring the temperatures we've had lately makes me even<i> more</i> <i>thankful</i> to have a warm home. Last month our electric bill was about double what it usually is, but at least we are warm and have a heater that works! My husband taped some bubble wrap over the sliding glass doors in his office. It has really helped keep the cold out. I grew up with a wood stove, and I really miss it, especially on these super cold days!<br />
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With all the snow we got, we needed a new snow shovel and some ice melt. We checked the big stores like Wal-Mart, Lowe's, and Home Depot. They were all sold out. Finally, just out of curiosity, we stopped by a little hardware store, and wouldn't you know they had snow shovels and salt!<br />
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Katie's trip is going well, but we sure miss her at home! They did a street outreach their first night there and 16 people got saved! I'm keeping track of her flights on flightaware.com. What a neat site!<br />
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I've been enjoying this tea - Traditional Medicinals Echinacea Plus. Have any of you tried it? It's really good! After I sweeten it with a little raw honey, I'm good to go! I also like their Throat Coat tea. <br />
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Just a little of God's beauty to share. I took this
picture from my front door not long ago. I thought the sunset was so
pretty through the trees.<br />
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Hope you all are doing well and staying warm!! Have a great week. Thanks for stopping by. :-) <br />
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Take care,<br />
<i>~Melanie </i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-87596198543805292692015-02-18T23:05:00.000-05:002015-02-25T18:40:00.271-05:00February HodgepodgeJust a few little snippets of what's been going on around here the last few weeks.<br />
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We celebrated Katie's birthday, and this is her cake, made by my husband. I thought that was so sweet of him. Yes, that is gum along the edges. :-) The little round things are edible chocolate candy pieces.<br />
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My husband drew my Valentine card this year. Isn't that something? <br />
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We had a huge wind storm here last weekend! It blew a tree across the road, and took cable and power lines with it! I took this picture from my front window. What a mess! Thankfully, no one was on the road when the tree fell. That could have been really bad.<br />
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We got about 8 inches of snow Monday evening, and it's been too cold for the snow to melt. I took this picture of Lilly today. I thought she was so cute with her head stuck up in the air. She LOVES to play and roll in the snow. :-)<br />
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Katie leaves in the morning for a two-week missions trip to Uruguay. Please keep her (and me!) in your prayers. <br />
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I hope things are going well in your little part of the world. So glad you stopped by. :-)<br />
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Take care,<br />
<i>~Melanie</i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-61607929329420829232015-01-27T12:55:00.000-05:002015-02-06T08:46:09.667-05:00Grandma's BibleWe have a 'snow day' from school/work today, so I thought it would be a good time to finish up a little post I've been working on....I love snow days sprinkled here and there. :-)<br />
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Last summer I was given something very special....my grandma's Bible.<br />
After she passed away in 1983, one of my aunts inherited it. A few years ago I mentioned to Mom that I would like to have it someday. I was so happy to hear that my aunt said she would give it to me!<br />
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This Bible was given to Grandma in 1975. I don't know where any of her older Bibles are, or if they're even still around. As you can tell from the worn cover, she spent a lot of time with it in those eight years...it was very important to her. This wasn't a Bible that sat on a shelf untouched between Sundays! Even though I was very young, I can remember her reading it. <br />
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I love seeing her handwriting and reading all the little notes...very special.<br />
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...her church bulletin dated just a couple of weeks before she died.<br />
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The cover is pretty fragile, so I keep it put away in a little box and take it out from time to time and look at it.<br />
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For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. ~Romans 15:4<br />
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I love this verse...we learn from Scripture, but it's also there to comfort us and give us hope!<br />
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Take care,<br />
~Melanie Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-69861778701026001242015-01-19T13:07:00.000-05:002015-01-19T17:13:33.899-05:00Happiness in Little ThingsIt's important to look for and enjoy those 'little things' that bring us happiness in life.<br />
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A happy chickadee... After I cropped the picture, it looks like the feeder is on the ground, but it's just the angle. I took the picture from my front door. The yard was *full* of happy singing birds. I love watching the birds at the feeder. Happiness from a simple bag of bird seed. :-)<br />
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A loaf of cinnamon bread from our neighbor....oh, it is yummy! It's a blessing to have good neighbors!<br />
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When we were visiting with my parents at Christmas, I mentioned to Mom that I remembered a pretty little blue candle holder she had that sat on a table in the living room. She went right to the kitchen and pulled it out of one of the cabinets and gave it to me. Isn't it pretty? I had no idea she'd kept it all these years! I'm happy to have it!<br />
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All these bags went to Goodwill last week. Now my closets and cabinets have a little more room to *breathe*...such a good feeling! It's amazing how things can accumulate!<br />
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Take care,<br />
~MelanieMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-11738112936686436122015-01-09T12:16:00.000-05:002015-02-14T13:07:03.668-05:00Grandma's BoxThank you all for your kind comments on my last post. I've enjoyed going through my memories of those sweet times with my grandma. <br />
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After she passed away, my mom was fortunate enough to get this box.<br />
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I think this was probably Grandma's special box.<br />
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Here's a closer look at some of the things inside...<br />
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...quilt pieces. I have no idea how many quilts she made over the years.<br />
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...my grandpa's railroad cap. He passed away when my mom was only twelve.<br />
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...a little notebook. It contains a hodgepodge of things like grocery lists, prayer requests, little doodles (most likely from one of her many grandchildren).<br />
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...recipes. I remember some of these. Seeing her handwriting makes it all much more special.<br />
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...an outline of the hand of her son, Albert. This is her child that passed away as an infant. What a sad time that must have been for her. Now she's reunited with him in heaven. <br />
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I'm so happy that Mom has this little box...such sweet memories. <br />
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Take care,<br />
~MelanieMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-76008933558350513342015-01-03T18:58:00.000-05:002015-01-03T18:58:20.007-05:00Memories of Grandma and Her HouseI have such sweet memories of my grandma. She passed away when I was only nine, but I still remember her. She was so humble and soft-spoken, always doing things for other people.<br />
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An early picture...<br />
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A picture of her not long before she passed away.<br />
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She
would come and stay with us some during the winter. She quilted
while she was there, but she also took time out to play. I remember
coloring with her and playing UNO. My brother would cheat by looking at
her cards through the reflection in her glasses. I loved to brush her
hair, and the lotion she wore always smelled so good.<br />
<br />
She
slept in my bed with me. If I got too fidgety, she'd call me a wiggle worm. Lying there in the dark, she taught me to say my ABC's backwards. She
said I was the only grandchild who learned.<br />
<br />
Grandma had ten children.
One was stillborn and one died as an infant, so that left her with eight
children to raise in a little house. My mom was the youngest of them all. Grandma wasn't materialistic, and
only had space for what was really important.<br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
This is a picture I drew of her house. I don't have any
pictures of it...my mom has some, and I need to make copies of
them. This is the street view from Google Earth, so I went by that. I'm
not an artist, so this is the best I could do. It gives you an idea
of what her house looked like....I would guess no more than 1,000
square feet. The patio is drawn from memory. It may have been
different from what I remember. <br />
<br />
The tree to the left of the house was a tall cedar. At Christmastime I remember it being decorated with big colored lights.<br />
<br />
The space between the cedar and the house was a flower garden. Grandma loved flowers and always kept things so pretty.<br />
<br />
The house is made into
the side of the hill on the left. The two windows on the left are to the
living room, and the cellar is next to that. I remember it always
being chilly and damp. Grandma had a garden, so the cellar shelves were
lined with all the good food she canned. She made her own mincemeat, and
it was so good! I'd love to have one of her mincemeat pies again.<br />
<br />
In addition to all her regular housework, she also did odd jobs to make a little money. She would sew clothing for people, she even made Barbie doll clothes. I still have the Barbie doll clothes she made for me. She also cut people's hair and took in ironing. Whatever money she made would go into a canning jar she kept in the cellar. Mom would tell her she 'canned' money. :-) It would be there whenever the need arose for a little extra here and there.<br />
<br />
Down
the hill to the right is the main road. Further to the right is the river. One of Mom's older sisters remembers walking to the
river to get water to wash clothes. Their well didn't work, so they would get drinking water from a neighbor's well. By going around the neighborhood collecting signatures, Grandpa was instrumental in getting the city to install water lines across the road. By the time Mom was born, they had indoor plumbing. They still didn't have a bathroom though, only an outhouse. Grandpa passed away when Mom was twelve, and Grandma used the insurance money to put in a bathroom.<br />
<br />
When the whole family got together, that little house could hardly contain us all! I remember one time<span style="color: #0000ee;"> <span style="color: black;">I tried</span></span> on a pair of my aunt's high heeled shoes, then one of my uncles snatched me up by my feet and swung me around the room!<br />
<br />
My cousins and I loved being there together. We'd crawl under the dining room table and play. There was a special drawer in the hutch that was just for us. Grandma kept bags of candy in there. I can remember there being gumdrops, orange slices, and marshmallow peanuts. Orange slices were my favorite, but I couldn't stand the marshmallow peanuts! Yuck! There used to be a porch on the side closest to the road, but it had been enclosed. Grandma kept her freezer back there, and she always made sure there was ice cream in it for us. I remember curling up in the recliner with the GRIT magazine and working the puzzles. My favorite was finding the differences between the two pictures. There was an old metal dollhouse to play with, and so many other things I'm sure I'm forgetting, but it was such fun to be at Grandma's!<br />
<br />
Right after I
finished fourth grade, I spent the week at Grandma's house. We had a
great time. My parents came to pick me up on Sunday evening before
church, and after we returned home that night, we received the call that
Grandma had had a heart attack and passed away shortly after we left.
Her son who lived up the road found her when he had come to pick her up for church. I was
so sad and I still miss her, but I'm thankful for the time we had
together, and I'm looking forward to seeing her again in heaven someday. <br />
<br />
One of my uncles bought her house after she passed away. I haven't been back in it though. I'm sure it must look different inside now, and I want to remember it just as it was all those years ago.<br />
<br />
Take care,<br />
~Melanie Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-43311878923638439042015-01-01T21:54:00.000-05:002016-11-29T16:46:50.638-05:00Treasures of Home<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr align="left"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30bUoEZcdHxb3u1zJcQ_yJaRI1jzv3l6Zi-NTbRQkAYwFQIhEKPfR4Rz4L3ZJrWd2T_9Kp-1xxoNMu2AhMDQYKpLZc21MBhVkP_De1gI_WQc2b7du3Q2-RqdLPFW-wfn5nz_NQ2_eAIvZ/s1600/cottage-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30bUoEZcdHxb3u1zJcQ_yJaRI1jzv3l6Zi-NTbRQkAYwFQIhEKPfR4Rz4L3ZJrWd2T_9Kp-1xxoNMu2AhMDQYKpLZc21MBhVkP_De1gI_WQc2b7du3Q2-RqdLPFW-wfn5nz_NQ2_eAIvZ/s1600/cottage-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image source-reusableart.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
With pomp, power and glory the world beckons vainly,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In chase of such vanities why should I roam?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
While peace and content bless my little thatched cottage,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And warm my own hearth with the treasures of home.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
~Beatrix Potter</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-28865826660097824052014-12-18T10:28:00.000-05:002014-12-18T10:28:40.172-05:00A Happy Christmas <br />
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<br />
Then Pa and Ma and Mr. Edwards sat by the fire and talked about Christmas times back in Tennessee and up north in the Big Woods. But Mary and Laura looked at their beautiful cakes and played with their pennies and drank water out of their new cups. And little by little they licked and sucked their sticks of candy, till each stick was sharp-pointed on one end.<br />
That was a happy Christmas.<br />
<br />
~Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~*~</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Those sweet stories never get old. I hope you all will have a happy Christmas too!<br />
<br />
Take care,<br />
~Melanie Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-68469418403498307272014-12-11T08:50:00.000-05:002015-02-14T13:08:55.688-05:00Enjoying the Beautiful Christmas Season...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzkzJTJ6lX_E8e2XrV-fU36W1Lnr26RFqiafmRQ9bN7TkJRYmOvvb3yUK7F2ah-Esz0QkMc1WVGriwaA2CfURTI9H1fmYFNjc-wacnYGVcbfFDvar3WJ15t_xOjCID5gCJZC36VNCVrg_/s1600/10628645_722283031201376_865689148881721474_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzkzJTJ6lX_E8e2XrV-fU36W1Lnr26RFqiafmRQ9bN7TkJRYmOvvb3yUK7F2ah-Esz0QkMc1WVGriwaA2CfURTI9H1fmYFNjc-wacnYGVcbfFDvar3WJ15t_xOjCID5gCJZC36VNCVrg_/s1600/10628645_722283031201376_865689148881721474_o.jpg" height="400" width="247" /></a></div>
One of my favorite things....sitting in the dark looking at the lights on the tree.♥<br />
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Katie wound some lights around the handrails and the tree out front. :-)<br />
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Always enjoy the Christmas cards from friends and family...<br />
<br />
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A close-up of our nativity scene, the one we've had since we were first married.<br />
<br />
I hope you're all enjoying the beautiful Christmas season too. :-)<br />
<br />
Take care,<br />
~MelanieMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-44995324838773302092014-12-07T22:15:00.000-05:002015-02-14T13:11:10.792-05:00A White ThanksgivingWe spent Thanksgiving with my parents, and this is what we woke up to the day before Thanksgiving...so beautiful. It's no wonder I love snow and winter so much. These are the views I had when I was growing up! The pine trees go all the way around the yard. <br />
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We enjoyed watching the birds in the feeder. The squirrels climbed in there too. :-)<br />
<br />
We had a very nice visit with family and friends. The week went by too quickly!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~*~</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Just a little idea to pass along... </div>
<br />
<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">
We
have the Gideons come to our school every year. Sadly, they've told us
that now they're only allowed in about 5% of the public schools in
America. Our students receive these little New Testaments every year.
They've been encouraged to give any extras to friends who may not have
the opportunity to receive one. Also, Katie's class made up some care
packages to give out to the homeless, making sure to include a New
Testament along with water, snacks, a toothbrush, etc.<br />
<br />
If you don't have any extra Bibles lying around, I think tracts would work well too. We should always be looking for opportunities to share the Gospel! <br />
<br />
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<br />
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not
return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. ~Isaiah 55:11<br />
<br />
Take care,<br />
~Melanie</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-73430878547607177922014-11-13T22:19:00.000-05:002017-01-19T12:14:49.976-05:00Grateful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow, what a drastic weather change we've had! </div>
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I took this picture earlier in the week. It was so nice and warm outside.</div>
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The fall colors have been so pretty here! I've really enjoyed them. :-)</div>
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The leaves smelled so good...I love the sound of them crunching under my feet.</div>
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Now the weather has turned very cold, and winter is still more than a month away...brrr!! I <i>love </i>winter, but I really do hope a brutally cold one isn't on the way!</div>
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~♥~</div>
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Things have been a little crazy around here the last couple of weeks.</div>
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Katie started having stomach pain the day after my birthday. It would come and go, and we just couldn't figure out what it was. After dealing with it for a day, the pain just kept getting worse, so we put her on the prayer chain, then took her to the ER late on October 30. She was feeling really bad, and we found out appendicitis was to blame. Oh, how hard it is to see your child sick! She had surgery in the early morning hours of October 31st. Her appendix had already perforated by the time she had surgery, but thankfully, the infection was contained to one area. We prayed that God would guide the hands of her surgeon and that everything would go smoothly. </div>
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She had quite a few visitors and phone calls during her stay. My mom and dad even made the long drive to visit her. :-)</div>
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She was able to come home November 1st, and was back in school just a few days later. We're thankful she is recovering so quickly.</div>
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These verses kept going through my mind as we went through this ordeal...</div>
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<i>Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:</i></div>
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<i>~Isaiah 26:3-4</i></div>
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Everything is healing up nicely, though she did develop a rash around a couple of her incision sites. The doctor prescribed a cream for it, so hopefully she'll be all healed up soon. She has one week left of a ten pound lift restriction, then she can pick up Oreo again! :-) As you can see, our big loveable cat exceeds ten pounds.</div>
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We're so grateful for the good medical care Katie received, and that God's healing hand was on her every step of the way. I'm <i>so</i> thankful to have a heavenly Father who cares about us and is always there to supply what we need. </div>
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Take care,</div>
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<i>~Melanie</i></div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-4818683495930299292014-10-25T16:25:00.000-04:002014-12-09T17:36:10.299-05:00A Beautiful...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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early birthday present from one of the sweet ladies in our church </div>
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What a nice surprise! :-) </div>
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Katie brought home the pumpkin and gourds from her field trip yesterday.</div>
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I just love decorating in the fall.♥</div>
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Now, I'm not fond of bugs, but I *do* think this winking one that Katie carved a couple weeks ago is cute. </div>
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He smiled at everyone who drove by. :-)</div>
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I hope you're all having a great weekend!<br />
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Take care,</div>
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~<i>Melanie</i></div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-42530533950697055572014-10-20T18:34:00.000-04:002015-02-14T20:26:39.932-05:00Fall...is in full swing around here. I love this time of year...all the pretty colors and the cooler weather does my heart good!<br />
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It's hard to believe our first nine weeks of school are almost over...time seems to be flying by! <br />
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I just snapped this picture outside my front door this evening. We don't have a lot of color here yet, but it's coming. :-)<br />
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Things here have been quite busy lately. We've had some very serious issues to deal with in and around the church and school. My husband has had quite a time of it. Pastoring can be very stressful, and lately it has been stressful on a whole new level. But, God has helped us through so many things, and we are praying that very soon we'll be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.<br />
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Yesterday was Pastor Appreciation Day at our church. We had a potluck dinner after the service, and some of the kids put on a cheer for us. It was all very sweet. One of the families put this card together and we thought it was so cute...very creative. :-)<br />
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I happened across <a href="http://bibleorphanministry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">this</a> blog not very long ago. As I looked through the posts, it just touched my heart...these poor Ukrainian orphans all but forgotten. Thankfully, some folks have taken an interest in these children and are helping to provide basic necessities for them.<br />
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Oh, my sweet friends, as I looked through this blog, I was reminded that we in America have so much!<br />
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I'm sure they would appreciate any donation you could give. There is a donate tab at the top of their blog. What a genuine care and concern they have for these precious ones! <br />
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<b>Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. - James 1:27</b><br />
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I hope you all are doing well...thanks for stopping by! :-)<br />
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Take care,<br />
~Melanie<br />
<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-47220906505403625692014-08-23T21:40:00.000-04:002017-01-19T12:00:29.187-05:00Recent RandomnessThanks to a very generous family member, we were able to spend a few days at the ocean last week. I hadn't been in over ten years! Oh, I hope it's not that long before I can get back! It was so beautiful. There's something so peaceful about listening to the waves hit against the shore. <br />
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A yummy cobbler made with our blackberries. Mmmm......it was good!<br />
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Have been enjoying these this summer...just plain ole tomato and mayo...some kind of good! :-)<br />
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Earlier this week I hung some clothes out to dry. The weather forecast said there was only a 20% chance of rain that day...<i>*wrong*</i>. Well, the clothes got wet and the pins did too, so I brought everything inside...the clothes went in the dryer, and I laid the pins out to dry. When I came back a little later, I found Oreo taking a nap on them! He is so funny!<br />
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This picture is one I found from back in the spring. The blossoms from
the cherry tree were so pretty with the pinks and purples in the background. What a
beautiful sunset that was! <br />
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School will be starting again very soon! We were out this week getting some supplies for this lovely girl....<br />
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we've been blessed to have for the past sixteen years.♥<br />
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Thanks for stopping by. :-)<br />
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Take care,<br />
~MelanieMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228735675928501755.post-84573799543202017192014-07-22T13:47:00.000-04:002014-10-27T11:10:58.357-04:00simple blessings of summer...<br />
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What a treat to have this beautiful rose of sharon by our front door to greet us as we come and go... <br />
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bees hard at work...<br />
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the pretty little crape myrtle given to me for Mother's Day...♥</div>
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daylily...</div>
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a surprise acorn squash plant my husband found...I *do* remember throwing out some seeds earlier in the year! :-)</div>
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fresh blackberries...so juicy when they're warm...straight from the vine to my mouth! Mmmmm....</div>
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picking some to share with a neighbor...</div>
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beautiful weather so I can hang the clothes outside...</div>
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thankful for the shade and the gentle breeze while I hang them up!</div>
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sweet Oreo...</div>
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being camera shy...*smile*</div>
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Thank You, Lord, for all your blessings!</div>
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<b>~Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. -Psalm 68:19~</b></div>
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Take care,</div>
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~Melanie</div>
<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09781522902442021512noreply@blogger.com5