New Facebook Page

Well, I have an announcement to make. I have finally started a Facebook page for The Home Maker's Corner and Cotton Apron. If you are interested in liking and/or following me there, please go here and click the appropriate buttons. :-) I will be so happy to have you join us.

I will be posting links there to the posts here on the blog and to new articles at The Home Maker's Corner. I'll also post things on the Facebook page that I don't post here or that only get limited posting here - music, verses, links to articles of interest on other sites, useful videos, art and crafts stuff, etc. I have plenty of some types of material for sharing with my readers, but there's only limited time and space to post everything on the blog or web page. Using Facebook will hopefully help me get some of the information, helps, and encouragement out there where it can be used.

Please come and join us if your are interested. :-)

Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 

Sew Happy Friday - Vintage Doilies Made into a Banner or Garland - Tutorial

Do you have vintage doilies that you like but don't enjoy having them out because they make extra work for you? Here is a clever way to make them into a banner that can be hung up for decoration. You could use this all the time, or you could use it for parties or celebrations. Do be sure to sew the cut edges very well so they don't come apart. :-)

Vintage Doily Banner

Thanks to Lauren at My Wonderfully Made for this pretty project.

Mug Exchange Reveal Spring 2018

In April I participated in the Tea Cup and Mug Exchange at The Enchanting Rose, an event Stephanie hosts twice a year to encourage making new friends.This year my gifts came from Cheryl who lives in Michigan. This was a happy "coincidence" because Michigan happens to be my home state. :-) She does not have a blog or web page for me to link to - which is fine!

These are the things she sent me (from left to right).
Back row: Tea Lover's Devotional book, The Twelve Teas of Inspiration book (both books contain recipes too), and a lovely card. (Pink is my favorite color and I always like sparkles on a card.)
Second row: magnet, zip pouch, mug, mint tea, and a fancy little note pad.
Front: tea bag holder and a ceramic tea spoon that matches the mug.

I have used the mug so far for vegetable broth and for cold cereal. (Yes, I eat cold cereal out of a mug sometimes. :-)  )

Strange to say, the little tan pouch actually became the star of the collection quite unexpectedly. It dawned on me at some point that it might possibly fit my travel sized paints. I went and collected the pouch from where it was and half hopefully tried it. It is a perfect fit - as if it were made for it! I could even tuck a paper towel into the inside pocket. With a water brush (which contains water in its special chamber), and a watercolor journal or pad of some sort, I can now easily carry along this paint either for plein air painting (a fancy French term for painting outside), or for traveling. I am really delighted with this! :-)  [In case you can't read it, the pouch says "Faith" on the metal tag and the ribbon on the zipper handle.]

Thank you so much, Cheryl, for you thoughtfulness, and for the gifts that you sent.

Previously, due to my shopping constraints, I have sent packages for the exchange through Amazon.com  This time I actually put the package together myself but, sorry to say, I completely forgot about taking a photo of the things I sent. The lady whose name I received was Roseann at "This Autoimmune Life."  She has posted pictures of the things I sent HERE. It was fun that she also lives in Texas, and another happy "coincidence" is that she has another friend named Mary Stephens! :-)

Thanks again to Stephanie for hosting this fun exchange. Visit her post to see what the various ladies received and sent.

Due to the fact that the Teacup and Mug Exchange has grown so much, and that there have been difficulties out of her control that have bothered some people, Stephanie is dropping the exchange at this time. I am sorry to hear it, but I understand. I have marveled at her dedication to make this all work. I hadn't really thought about the problematic aspects, aside from ladies not sending packages they promised to send, but I realize that there are probably a lot of things that can go wrong and so spoil things for some people and make Stephanie sad or unhappy as well. So, I just want to thank Stephanie again and tell her that her efforts are really appreciated by many of us, and I, for one, completely support her decision. It's been a great run. :-)

Links Worth Reading - Technology's Negative Effects On Children and Babies

Psalm 78:2-4 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 

Some time back my husband and I were eating in a local restaurant. A mother came in with her daughter who appeared to be around 8 years old. They ordered and were waiting for their food. The girl had crayons and a coloring book or paper. The mother was glued to her smart phone. At some point the daughter after trying to communicate with her mom and being ignored or rebuffed started to cry. The mother told her in a harsh voice that was too loud for the situation that this was, "unacceptable behavior" and ordered her to stop crying. The mother was obviously highly annoyed to be interrupted in whatever she was doing on her phone by her daughter's need for attention. Dear reader, I wanted to get up and go over to that table and tell the mother that her behavior was "unacceptable." She shouldn't be loudly rebuking her daughter and that she should be paying attention to her daughter instead of being totally engrossed in the cyber world. Then maybe the girl wouldn't feel like she had to cry to get her attention! I didn't do it, but I have to admit that I was angry inside seeing that little girl be treated that way by her mother, and I am still sad for her.

This article is really worth reading. It addresses a serious problem with technology in many areas relating to childhood. I recommend it to anyone who is a parent, grandparent, aunt, sibling, or in any other way associated with children - pretty much all of us.

Excerpt: "Today’s children are being deprived of the fundamentals of a healthy childhood, such as:

• Emotionally available parents
• Clearly defined limits and guidance
• Responsibilities
• Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep
• Movement and outdoors
• Creative play, social interaction, opportunities for unstructured times and boredom"

Read it here: The Silent Tragedy Affecting Today's Children

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Is Ultrasound a safe option during pregnancy? I had heard some things in the past about the possibility that ultrasound was not as safe as it is reported to be. One man I know said that if they had children his wife was not getting any ultrasounds. Some situations may warrant one for safety purposes, but recreational, gender identification, and entertainment factor ultrasounds are highly questionable, and often repeated ultrasounds for "diagnostic purposes" should be avoided if at all possible. Some folks like to blame all the autism and various other problems on one source - often vaccines. I feel that there are multiple reasons for why children are suffering from so many disorders that were much less common in the past. One that people often don't think about, and I seldom hear mentioned is ultrasounds.

This article is informative and thought provoking, and it is written by a doctor who practices integrative medicine.

Perils of Peeking Into the Womb: Ultrasound Risks

Excerpt: "This recent study suggests that the seemingly benign practice of obstetrical ultrasonography is one practice that deserves urgent reassessment. Researchers exposed pregnant mice at 14.5 days gestation (a neurologically vulnerable window) to 30 minutes of fetal ultrasound and assessed the pups’ behavior at 3 weeks of age. They found that the exposed pups were significantly less interested in social interactions and had significant levels of behavioral hyperactivity, in the presence of an unfamiliar mouse."

Tea Cup and Mug Exchange at The Enchanting Rose

My blogging friend, Stephanie, is again hosting a tea cup and mug exchange at her blog, a twice-yearly event. If you are interested in participating, here is the link:

12th Tea Cup and Mug Exchange Sign-up

I have participated twice now. You can see my posts about it here:

Mug Exchange Reveal - Nov. 2016

Mug Exchange Reveal - April 2017

Sew Happy Friday - A Tutorial for Pretty Valances

Image property of sew4home.com

Here is a tutorial over at sew4home for some pretty valances with a lace inset. They also put a few rows of decorative stitching on them, but if your machine doesn't have decorative stitches, this is optional. The valances would still be very nice without them. If you do have decorative stitches on your machine and you haven't tried them out, this might the project to use one of them. :-) You could also sew on ribbon instead.

Home made valances and curtains can add a lot of color or personality to a room since you can use fabrics that would never be used in pre-manufactured types. I've made quite a few over the years. Some for myself, but also some for my siblings. In a room where there are Venetian blinds, and cheerful valance can really make in look more cheerful and homey (homely - of you're British).

Link:  Lace & Decorative Window Valances

Fade, Fade, Each Earthly Joy - A Poem and A Challenge

(graphic crated at AZQuotes.com)

My husband and I have had influenza this past week, so my post today will be somewhat brief.

Fade, Fade, Each Earthly Joy

Fade, fade, each earthly joy;
Jesus is mine.
Break ev'ry tender tie;
Jesus is mine.
Dark is the wilderness,
Earth has no resting place,
Jesus alone can bless;
Jesus is mine.

Tempt not my soul away;
Jesus is mine.
Here would I ever stay;
Jesus is mine.
Perishing things of clay,
Born but for one brief day,
Pass from my heart away;
Jesus is mine.

Farewell, ye dreams of night;
Jesus is mine.
Lost in this dawning bright,
Jesus is mine.
All that my soul has tried
Left but a dismal void;
Jesus has satisfied;
Jesus is mine.

Farewell, mortality;
Jesus is mine.
Welcome, eternity;
Jesus is mine.
Welcome, O loved and blest,
Welcome, sweet scenes of rest,
Welcome, my Savior’s breast;
Jesus is mine.

-- Mrs. Catherine J. Bonar

I am reminded of my own Gramma, who did celebrate Christmas, but she got to where she did very little in her own house because she realized how much extra trouble it was and that what was done would need undoing later, and she didn't want to commit that much time and effort to it. She didn't need things to prove she loved the Lord, or that He was her joy.

Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

What level of vanity have you spent on "the season"? How much time, money, and effort have you spent on things that have little or nothing to do with the actual birth of Jesus Christ and things of eternal value?

May I ask you a personal question? Could you enjoy celebrating Jesus' birth without all the trimmings and decorations, without all the traditions and rituals?

Earthly joys are all going to fade away and not be remembered someday anyway. Only those things of true eternal value will last, and we don't need earthly things to prove our relationship to Jesus.

What will be of lasting value?

Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

3 John 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

1 Peter 3:3-4 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 

We can choose to live with less of earthly joys and more of eternal joys now - today - by what we choose to spend our time and efforts upon, but it will take conscious effort and sacrifice. How will you minister Christ in this world today, tomorrow, any day?

Only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

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Here is a lovely presentation of this hymn by my friend, Stephanie, at The Enchanting Rose.

Fade, Fade Each Earthly Joy

Thoughts from Hymns - Fight the Good Fight of Faith

1 Timothy 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Fight the Good Fight

Fight the good fight with all thy might;
Christ is thy strength, and Christ thy right;
Lay hold on life, and it shall be
Thy joy and crown eternally.

Run the straight race through God’s good grace,
Lift up thine eyes, and seek His face;
Life with its way before us lies,
Christ is the path, and Christ the prize.

Cast care aside, lean on thy Guide,
His boundless mercy will provide;
Trust, and thy trusting soul shall prove
Christ is its life and Christ its love.

Faint not nor fear, for He is near,
He changeth not, and thou art dear;
Only believe, and thou shalt see
That Christ is all in all to thee.

John S. B. Monsell

There is much sorrow, and foolishness, and fear and trembling in the world these days. It seems more and more like the end of all things is at hand, 1 Peter 4:7. But, there is one thing we need to focus on in the midst of all this – we have a battle to fight which supersedes these things.  It is not a war against flesh and blood, but it is the spiritual battle of the Christian life. 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

There are so many Christians in the United States who are focused on the “right to bear arms” – to own guns. This is not the good fight of faith. Dear ones for Christ’s sake, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal because our battle is not carnal – that is to say, it is not with flesh and blood.

Ephesians 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [Emphasis added]

We should not be fighting for the right to keep and use carnal weapons. Though they may serve a useful purpose (which I agree with), they are not the weapons of our warfare. They are a useful method of defending ourselves against general villainy (see Luke 22:36-28 where Jesus said that two swords were enough among 11 men!), and for hunting food. But, the weapons of our warfare must be spiritual weapons because it is a spiritual battle. The armor of God is spiritual armor.

Ephesians 6:13-17  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

We are not defending nor establishing a physical kingdom. Jesus Christ Himself said, …My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36 His Kingdom will not be of this world until He comes back Himself with the armies of heaven to establish it (see Rev. 19).

Our warfare is to fight the good fight – the spiritual warfare. Christ is our right. He has promised Himself to us. Hebrews 13:5-6  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. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Our goal is to run the straight race through God's grace, Heb. 12:1; to lay hold on eternal life, 1 Tim. 6:12 &19; to …press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Philippians. 3:14.  We can cast the cares of this present life on the Lord, 1 Pt. 5:7; and trust in the boundless mercy of God, finding His love and life enough and totally sustaining!

“Faint not nor fear, for He is near,
He changeth not, and thou are dear...”

Perhaps these are the most beautiful words in this whole song. In a time when many are fainting (giving up the battle and giving way to worldliness and false teachings) and fearing, it is so important to …earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude vs. 3. In a time when we are being regularly bombarded with “facts” that should cause us terror about every aspect of life, with claims that we are being spied upon, poisoned, and messed with by higher powers we have no control over, it is so important that we remember that our God is near. Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

And, He changes not! This is a wonderful blessing, and when connected with His love for us it is a great comfort! Malachi 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. If the unchanging Lord so loves the sons of Jacob, we can be assured that His love for believers now will not change! In the battle of the Christian life this should be a constant point of encouragement and blessing - we, in all our unworthiness, are dear to the Almighty, Holy God who created all things!

Only believe, and thou shalt see
That Christ is all in all to thee.

1 Timothy 1:18-19  This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

We must “hold faith” lest we also make shipwreck. It is only through the power of the Lord Jesus that we can fight the good fight of faith. 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Ephesians 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

If we do believe, we will find the great truth that Jesus Christ is all in all to us, that He is all we need, and that all the spiritual blessings God has available are available through Him. Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Like the Apostle Paul, let us strive to be able to say with him, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”  2 Timothy 4:7-8

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My blogging friend Stephanie at the Enchanting Rose made a lovely and thoughtful presentation of this hymn which you can see at here: Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might.



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First published here Oct. 2012.

Writing Challenge # 9

Are you ready for a new writing challenge?

This month it will be a little different. Instead of actually writing, we're going to share information.

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Share (on your blog or in the comments here) some of your favorite online resources for writing helps.

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This could be a fairly wide variety of resources - anything from online classes you recommend to dictionaries and things like that.

Here is a list of some of mine:

These are actually on my tool bar at the top of my browser for easy access.

Thesaurus.com - This is helpful when you want to say a certain thing but you're looking for a better word or a word that you haven't already used but means the same thing.

A Dictionary of the English Language by Samuel Johnson - This dictionary compiled by Johnson in the 1700s is a tool that I have used in an abridged form (in print) for years. I was happy to learn that they are putting it online, and I have used it here as well.

KJV Dictionary - This is helpful for those of us who use the KJV. It gives the definitions of over 11,000 words found in the King James Version of the Bible as taken from Webster's 1828 dictionary of English.

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Of course, Google is always helpful for doing research. I use it often for simple definitions of words and concepts - whether to check my usage or to provide my readers with a more concise explanation of the meaning. Type in the search box the word or phrase you are looking up with "definition" after it. Example: "persecution complex definition"
I also use it a lot for random research purposes on many varied subjects. For writing it can be very valuable. User discretion required. :-)

Wikipedia can be useful for some research, but on more sensitive subjects or things that have controversial aspects, it is not always completely reliable since the content can be biased by the contributors. Keep this in mind as you use it.

Another source for information can be Facebook if it is used wisely. If you want to know what the people of a specific group think, searching for their Facebook pages that are public can give you a lot of insight as to how they actually are thinking and arguing their own position. It is important to remember when using this source that the main perspective is that of the individual(s) who moderate the page, so don't assume that it is what all _________ think on a given subject. You will definitely find the opinions of the "common man and woman" in abundance!

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These sites are useful for working on poetry.

Rhymezone.com - This tool offers help with rhyming words and phrases, but it also gives a lot of other helps in the drop down box on the right. Click the little down arrow for a long list of ways to use this tool.

Rhymer.com - This page has some interesting technical options, along with an explanation on how to use it.

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One of the quote sites that I have liked and used the most is AZQuotes.com. They even have a way to make your own memes with many of the quotes offered there. Also there are many by known Christians, which is useful.

I strongly encourage discretion in using quotes. There are many people who have said interesting or even true things who are of dubious reputation, and some should not be used at all in most instances. It always bothers me to see someone quote a person who was known for their godless life on subjects where we should be sticking strictly to those who are had in honor for wisdom and godliness.

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So, there you are. I hope someone finds something useful here. :-)

See the other Writing Challenges.

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Photo in title - unknown source. This probably came from an advertisement since it was said to be a Smith-Corona that the lady is typing on. I learned to type a later model, portable Smith-Corona, so I liked this picture for that reason as well as the historical content and the way it was setup by the photographer. :-)

Sew Happy Friday - Tutorial for Burp Cloths

Here is a tutorial at the Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth blog for making easy burp cloths for babies. These are really easy to make and would make a fun gift done in pretty or cute flannel fabrics (as shown). Please leave a comment for JES if you like the idea. :-)

Easy to Sew Baby Gift Burp Cloths

P.S. These aren't just for moms. Anyone who helps burp the baby can use these. :-)

The Autumn Tea Cup and Mug Exchange

Photo property of Stephanie Dunsdon at The Enchanting Rose.

The September Tea Cup and Mug Exchange starts today over at Stephanie's web site, The Enchanting Rose. If you want to sign up, go on over and look over the rules and sign up. It is a very enjoyable exchange to participate in. I will be sitting this one out because of some extra busy-ness this Fall, but I would normally have enjoyed it. I hope some of you will if you can.

Please know that it is not for the U.S. only, so you can participate if you live in another country. Also, it is not necessary to have a blog in order to participate.

Click Here to Sign Up.

Colossians 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

It Is Jesus - A Poem by Annie Johnson Flint

Matthew 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

There is a Voice through Earth's wild clamor calling,
To all the heavy laden and oppressed,
Sweet as the cooling dew at even falling;
"Come unto Me and rest."

It is the voice of Jesus still entreating,
To all the comfortless and all the sad;
Day after day His tender call repeating,
"Come unto Me and I will make you glad."

Continue Reading.

The Thousand Word Project - A Friend's Colorado Mountain Adventure

Photo property of Stephanie Dunsdon, The Enchanting Rose.

Here is a great post by my blogging friend, Stephanie, at The Enchanting Rose. She shared a Jeep trip into the Colorado mountains with us in photographs that are truly worth a thousand words! Enjoy, and please leave her a comment if you have the time. :-)

Let's Go on A Jeep Adventure

Habakkuk 3:19  The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Random Acts of Blogging - Odds and Ends After Vacation

We arrived home from a good vacation on Friday, having driven a 12 hour day, and we had just pulled through the gate when my brother informed us that some long standing friends of my family were coming to visit this weekend. They are traveling in an RV (caravan) and they may park here at least one night. Since our house is the only one of the three here that is big enough hold 11+ people, we knew we had to unpack and then do some house cleaning in a big hurry, so we hit the ground running. You might say I was a bit overwhelmed. :-)  Life is certainly full of surprises!

Anyway, this blog post will be just an assortment of random things that hopefully will edify and encourage someone. (I hope to write more about our trip later, but we'll see.)

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Manna

Out of despair hope is dawning;
After the darkness comes light.
His mercies are new every morning,
He scatters His manna each night,

Scatters it freely as hoarfrost;
Then use it as freely, nor hoard
In fear of tomorrow's privation;
It pleases our bountiful Lord

To give these good gifts to His children.
His promise is faithful and true,
That He will provide on the morrow
Enough for tomorrow's need too.

- Martha Snell Nicholson

Lamentations 3:22-25  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

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Here is an article that I read this weekend on the subject of learning to be discerning about women's Bible study courses/books. This is really important since there are so many popular women's Bible teachers out there these days and some of them are teaching things that are really contrary to scripture. We need to be alert and no just trust someone because of their name or because so-and-so said they were "good". We need to examine their teachings in light of God's word for ourselves to see if they are teaching the truth. This article has some good points to make:

Yet Another One - An Undiscerning Believer - Is Being Deceived

Philippians 1:9-11  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

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Here is a blog post by a friend of mine who, with her husband and two daughters, is a missionary in New Zealand. She just started her blog recently and this particular post was a blessing to me to read because I can really relate to whole battle with worry. I'm sure some of you can too. :-)

Worry or Not to Worry

Philippians 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

A Few Things from My Dad

Since last Sunday was Father's Day here in the U.S., I thought it would be interesting to share a few things written by my dad that I hope you might enjoy.

My parents attended a missionary boarding school when they were growing up in East Africa. They had a lot of experiences there that were unique to that type of environment. My dad, being of the prankster temperament, made quite a few of those unique experiences for himself. We grew up listening to these stories and we never got tired of them.

The Night the Donkey Came to Pray - This one is a particular favorite because my mom was involved in the situation, albeit in a non-active sense.

My dad is also a poet. Among my earliest memories is him singing "The Fox" to me. It is a long poem, but he learned the whole thing, more or less, and he would sing it from start to finish for us when I would ask him to "Sing us the fox song, Daddy."

Well, my dad also sometimes writes his own poetry, and here is one of them:
Musings from My Front Porch - My dad wrote this when we lived in Tennessee. The photo is of the very porch he was sitting on. :-) The shed and house in the distance is Charlotte's place as well.

Last but not least, my dad is a Christian. He was a missionary for a short time during my early life and later a pastor for much longer. Some years ago he wrote this study on the Gospel of John to help people know for sure if they are truly born again or not. Because of this page, my dear friend Theresa came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior after living most of her life thinking she was saved when, in fact, she was not. [Read Theresa's story here.] I am very thankful that the Lord used my own dad to bring her to a realization that she did not understand the Gospel and what it really meant to be born again, and that because of that she eventually came to true salvation. I hope that it has helped others and that it will continue to do so.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Sew Happy Friday - A Tutorial for Pretty Cloth Tea Napkins (Serviettes)

Photo property of Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose

Make Your Own Tea Time Napkins

Here is a tutorial for some lovely cloth napkins (serviettes, or whatever you call them in your country :-) ). Stephanie posted made this useful tutorial at The Enchanting Rose. I hope someone enjoys making these pretties.

Meanwhile Elsewhere - Malaysia

Photo property of Rachel at The Random Writings of Rachel.

In case you hadn't noticed, there has been a rise in the United States of bad attitudes toward people of other nationalities. This is not limited to people living within this country who are viewed as "aliens" or immigrants. I have run across Americans being really rude to people who live in other countries. I could say A LOT about this subject as it is something that really puffs my tail, but I'll refrain at this time. :-)

What I thought might be interesting is to make some posts from time to time about other countries, cultures, nations, etc. Those of us who are Christians should be seeing our fellow believers in other countries (whether nationals or expats) as our fellow saints; and personally, I think it is healthy to show an interest in their culture and the things they have to deal with on a daily basis.

Strangely, it makes some professing Christians very angry when anyone says this, but: The United States of America is not God's favorite nation. Some of us are ambassadors for Christ here, and some are in other countries, but if we're saved, we're all members of the same body of Christ and this world is not our home! Praise God for that!

1 Corinthians 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Galatians 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:19-20  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Revelation 5:9-10  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

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So here is a post at another blog about what it is like to live in Malaysia. I hope you take the time to read it. I found it very interesting.

What Do You Want to Know about Malaysia? by Rachel

Is It Food?

Another post from the past since we have company at present and I needed a quick post. :-)

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Did you ever wonder how to tell what is good food and what is not at the grocery store?  Or, have you ever had trouble deciphering the label lingo?  Here’s a clever flowchart to help you determine what is really edible on the grocery store shelves. :-)
Is It Food? [Flowchart]

Show No Mercy, Give No Quarter?

I posted this link here several years ago, but it seems like a good time to repost it due to all the merciless judgment and lack of compassion we are seeing of late.



James 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

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Some years ago a pastor my dad met told him that he thought a lot of pastors had the philosophy, "Do Satan no harm." We agreed in many cases and remembered that quote. However, in doing Satan no harm, or perhaps we should say in pretending to do Satan harm, too many pastors and Christians in general resort to harming the believers or the sinners they deal with.

Our natural response, if not too weak, is inclined to be too hard. We forget that ...we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12 We are often inclined to count the person as the enemy, and in giving Satan no mercy nor quarter, our human tendency is to react upon the person in giving them no mercy nor quarter either. It is this forgetfulness and merciless attitude that eventually leads some to extremes like the Thompson brothers who beat a Mexican boy nearly to death in Austin, Tx.; and the infamous godhatesfags.com and Westboro “church”, that encourages wild rage against many sinners for whom Christ died…

Continue reading.

Blessed Quietness at The Enchanting Rose Blog

Photo property of Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose.

Here is a lovely post by Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose featuring the hymn "Blessed Quietness". Since that is the hymn which my dad named his web page after, and since this is his birthday, I thought it would be a nice post to share with my readers today. :-) Please go over and enjoy her encouraging post and beautiful photos.