Goodbye January

The month has flown...they all do it seems. 

"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom". Psalm 90:12 (NLT)

(January twilight)

Sun, Sun, Sun, here it comes....

Ah...what a wonderful way to start the day...God's gift of sunshine





Matthew 4:16 (New Living Translation)
the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”

(picture of sun shining through the barn)

Living in His Grace,
Jody

Dreary

We've had a couple dreary days now. The snow has melted quite a bit but everything is now shades of gray. It seems to me that it's colder even though we are near 40. The dampness settles into the bones.


Office work and preparing for a Haiti Outreach at church kept me busy this weekend. Did manage though to bake a Banana Bread on Saturday and that was quite an accomplishment for me. This is a wonderful banana bread and very easy to make.

Easy Banana Bread

3 very ripe bananas

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. butter, melted

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

Mash bananas with a fork. Stir in all ingredients. Pour in greased loaf pan. Bake one hour in a preheated 325 degree oven.

That's it! It comes out great every time and gets eaten up rather quickly.

Off to enjoy the next to last piece now with a cup of French Roast

Living In His Grace
Jody

Melting

It made it all the way up to 40 today....it is a heat wave! Spent a little bit of time outside with "the collies" taking a few pictures here and there. The snow is very slushy and very, very dirty near the road. Hopefully it will wash away Sunday as we are expecting some rain. The downside of the warmth and rain is now we will have to contend with mud...oh...I truly dislike the mud.

My Darling Daughter has started to plan her wedding :) She became engaged on Christmas Eve with The Boy Next Door...we love The Boy Next Door and are very excited about it. It was a long journey for her to find him...even though he was right there all the time. The Lord it good!!! Looks like we will have a summer wedding, so things will soon begin to get very busy.

The house is quiet tonight and after spending some time cleaning in the bedroom I think it will be a nice time to work on a dishcloth I'm knitting...I'm just learning (at 50) so my entire knitting expertise is dishcloths and scarves but it makes me happy and that's enough.


In His Grace
Jody

Pray for Haiti

My heart goes out to those in Haiti today. Please pray for those living through this disaster, those who are heading there to help and those who have it in their means to send money to help. One way to help is by going here: Samaritan's Purse
Pray also that the Lord Almighty will be glorified through the hands of His followers and that the love of Jesus will be evident to those being served.

Luke 12:48 (New Living Translation)
48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

In this land of great blessing, even during a time of recession, we have been entrusted with much.

Still a Winter Wonderland

The cold and snow continue. We are getting a little bit of snow everyday which keeps everything looking like a winter wonderland. If it has to be cold...and it does, it's winter...there might as well be snow.

Psalm 51:7 - Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

(one of the collies watching DF keep snow off the front porch)

Work, Home & Blogging

Well, setting up this blog is proving to be fun, challenging and time consuming. It's like decorating a room...I want it to be warm, inviting and reflect a bit of who I am. I am amazed at how much "stuff" there is out there to "decorate" with. I am trying not to get carried away and make it too busy. I try to go by the saying "less is more".



This day has been another cold and snowy one, it seems most of the country is finding the same. Driving home from work my Darling Daughter lost control of her car and did a bit of fishtailing on the highway. I thank God she was able to correct the situation and that no other cars were close to her during the incident. There have been several accidents during rush hour the last few days. I work from home so I get to enjoy the beauty of it all and not the frustration. In fact, at times, I do not leave the property for days. It's a good thing I am content with being at home.

My only frustration today was that the water spigot in the barn was frozen...grrr. I tromp back to the house after calling my DF to meet me at the door with the hair dryer, stand outside the door waiting because he can't find the hair dryer, head inside, take off my boots and find DF in the kitchen with the hair dryer in hand....ughhh....head back to the barn, sit on a bucket for 45 minutes blowing hot air at the spigot and the pipe. Thankfully water finally started to flow. I then begin filling buckets. I'm filling the 4th bucket when I let it slip out of my hands, it lands right side up but the water shot straight up in the air and made full contact with my face...being that it's about 10 degrees in the barn, I head back to the house for a towel (of course the paper towel dispenser in the barn is empty) to dry off and then back to the barn to finish the morning work. Ahhh the life of the hobby farmer (smiles).

Daybook

Outside my window...cold and snow, oh and wind (but it's beautiful)

I am thinking....about the list of things I need to get done.

I am thankful for....the list of things I need to get done. It reminds me to be thankful for home, clothes, work, family, etc.

I am wearing....my new favorite - flannel jeans (a wonderful Christmas gift from my Dearest Friend), long sleeve t and warm slippers.

I am remembering...hmmm, nothing right now :(

I am going....Nowhere (and that makes me happy).

I am currently reading...my Bible, started to work...again...on my yearly Bible reading plan. I hope...again...to discipline myself to keep up with this. Other than that, I am awaiting books I have reserved at the Library to come in.

I am hearing...the washer and my DF on the phone in the office.

On my mind....the fact that I'm not sure I'm doing this correctly.

From the kitchen....chili for dinner tonight...oh and and that life giving elixir...coffee (Fair Trade, French Roast).

Around the House....Christmas decorations to be stored and a very dry Christmas Tree to be drug outside.

Harder than I thought

OK, taking the time to write each day is going to be more difficult than I thought. It's almost 9pm here and I'm ready for bed. So, before I go I thought I would take this small moment before sleep and jot a note so that there was some evidence of life on this newly birthed little blog. I have plans to take pictures and put them here and plans to write often, but right now they are just plans. We'll see how it goes.

Jody