I love my new design! And I just have to tell you how awesome Jill has been through the blog makeover process. She has been incredibly helpful, patient and just downright sweet. If you EVER feel the need for a new look, don't hesitate for a second. Scoot on over to Blogs By Sneaky Momma. You won't be disappointed! 

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1. free time
2. family meals
3. cooler weather -- YEA!

4. a beautiful outdoor party for Jonah

5. rest

6. Sonic happy hour

7. church family

8. working on makeover for guest bath

9. grace

10. health

Got Game?

No, not talking about video games. These are some board/card games that Marilyn and I enjoyed playing with each other when we were kids. We had a great time playing any and all of them. It's funny that when we began our own families some of these were still popular for game time with our children.

There are so many new games out there today. So...grab a new or old one and play with a kid (big or little)! It's a great opportunity to spend quality time together!

Without Him

(words & music by Mylon R. Lefevre)

Without him I could do nothing
Without him I'd surely fail
Without him I would be drifting
Like a ship without a sail.

Without him I would be dying
Without him I'd be enslaved
Without him life would be worthless
But with Jesus thank God I'm saved.

Oh Jesus, oh Jesus
Do you know him today?
Please don't turn him away
Oh Jesus, my Jesus
Without him how lost I would be
Without him how lost I would be.

So Worth It!

I have to tell you it was worth the wait! Selah's new CD is such a great one. They have an incredible way of mixing the new and old together to produce such heartfelt praise and worship music. I may just wear this thing out and have to purchase another one.

Jill over at Blogs By Sneaky Momma was hosting a giveaway for a blog makeover. The random number thingee picked #54 and that was me! Guess what my new favorite number is? I am so excited!

 I just know she is going to do a great job helping me. Hop on over when you get some time and check out her stuff. You might just see something you like.

And speaking of things I am so excited about...................

Fall is around the corner!

Happy 70th Birthday Wizard of Oz!

Didn't we all love Dorothy!

And what little girl didn't want a pair of these!

Or one of these...........

And finally some lessons we can learn from Dorothy and her friends............

1. Be aware that what we do affects other people. This awareness helps us make better choices and build better relationships.
2. We are all flawed and incomplete in some way. No one is perfect. It is how we deal with our flaws that form our character.
3. Don’t let life “stuff” bring you down.
4. It is through trials we learn and grow.
5. Things are not always what they seem. And that, my friend, can be a really good thing!

This week "Sunday Song" is taking a twist. Today, it's not a particular song. It's a couple of artists.

This weekend I went to the Women of Faith conference in Dallas. It was another great experience just as all of them have been in previous years. It was a weekend full of music, speakers, drama presentations, and fellowship. Highlights for me were through music and personal testimonies by Steven Curtis Chapman and Mandisa. Both of these shared updates on this past year and how God has helped them deal with hardships and experiences in their lives--Steven through the death of one of his daughters and Mandisa through her challenges of her weight/food addiction. Praise, honor, and glory to God! God has delivered them through the darkness of the moment and into HIS light. 

Steven and his family are doing well. It is growing; he now has two married children. He has two sons who were with him playing in his band. How awesome is that! Mandisa has been delivered from her chains. She continues to serve God through her music; she is also seeing a Christian counselor, working out, and striving to live a more healthy lifestyle. She has lost 80 pounds already.   

Both continue to sing as well as write songs using their lives and walk with God as inspiration for their music. 

Great Fall Giveaway!

Hey everyone! You need to go over and visit Keelie at Red Writing. Check out the encourage for a great fall project and her giveaway!

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San Diego 2008

The Hotel del Coronado  (known as the The Del to local residents) is a beachfront luxury hotel in the city of Coronado which is just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. It is one of the few surviving examples of an American architectural genre: the wooden Victorian beach resort. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

Selah

I have loved this group for years now. I have been anxiously awaiting their new release. I'll probably be at Lifeway's store on August 25 bright and early  saying, "Open, Open, Open." Now do a couple of things for me: first read this short bio from Todd Smith.

Hey everyone,

After almost 4 years we have a new CD, “You Deliver Me,” coming out August 25th!!  We are so excited about it!  When we started recording two years ago, it was to commemorate 10 years of music.  It’s a throw back to our first CD, Be Still My Soul, which was mostly piano/vocal, and hymns.

We started recording Be Still My Soul fathers day 1997.  We finished it in two weeks with a $2,000 budget.  We had borrowed some money from my mother, and Allan’s roommate Jason gave us a great deal on a studio.  It was suppose to be a one time independent CD.  We had no intention of doing it long term.  Nicol was signed to Curb Records as a solo artist and she gave a copy to the label.  When Mr. Curb heard it he called her the next day and said he would like to sign us as a trio!

We just started singing at churches which is what we’ve done most of our career.  We are so thankful to every pastor, music pastor, and promoter who would put in the effort and time to bring us in and allow us to share our music.  It’s incredible that  You Deliver Me will be our 6th release!  Not many artist get that opportunity!

This is the first full release with Amy Perry on it!  She is amazing!  She has been with us now for four years and we are so excited for everyone to hear her!

You Deliver Me includes:

Into My Heart/Fairest Lord Jesus, How Deep The Fathers Love, You Deliver Me, Hosanna, Standing On The Promises/Leaning on the Everlasting Arms, Beautiful Terrible Cross, The Lords Prayer, Unredeemed (Amy sings this beautifully, and I think it is such a powerful song), Down At the Cross, I Have Decided To Follow Jesus (my brother Jack and his wife Molly sing with me African style), Depth of Mercy, I Surrender All, God Be With You, and I Will Carry You (a song about my late daughter Audrey)

And if that isn't enough to get you to want to run out and buy their new CD, here's the second request. Silence my playlist and watch this amazing video about Todd, his wife, and daughters (including Audrey who is now in heaven). It will touch your heart! I promise.....

Clutter 101: Report Card

You may or may not remember my previous posts about my summer goal of decluttering. Well, I'll give myself an A- on the old grading scale. Not quite as good as this over achiever would like but certainly not anything to pass off as failure or lack of effort on my part.

Now as summer comes to a close and my work schedule picks up, I go back to work smiling and feeling pretty good about a few drawers, cabinets, nooks, and crannies. I wish to leave you with just three little tips I have found beneficial not just this summer but for many years in maintaining my home….

1. It’s easier to keep up than catch up!

2. Give everything a “home.”

3. Make a run through the house before you go to bed each night. 

From one clutter control queen to another..........

New Mexico and Great Giveaways

I'm missing the mountains! I can't show you the 150 pictures I took to document the trip. (The joke is I have to take pictures wherever I go so I can remember I've been there!)

To list a few things that I loved about this trip:

cool temperatures ranging 40-80 degrees 

beautiful mountains

flowing streams

wildlife--deer, antelope, fox, and elk to name a few

great food

cabin

daily road trips

jeep ride

family

I can't help but share just one awesome picture of the elk. Now I've seen elk before but never this many in one grassy meadow off the road. We stopped counting at 250. Awesome!!

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Need to check out great giveaways over at the following bloggers:

1. Joyful Chaos

2. Farmgirl Paints

I Love............. Travelin'

Rickie, Lucy, Fred and Ethel (aka Rick, Rickie, Marilyn, and I) are hitting the road to the west! We are going to Ute Park, New Mexico. We are leaving today and will be back Sunday night. I am SOOO looking forward to the cooler temps there.

Although I won’t be posting regularly during the next few days, I’ll try to check in and make up for it when I get home. I hope each of you have a great weekend and enjoy God’s blessings.

Let me know what you have planned!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 T cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 T shortening
4 T brown sugar
2 T cocoa
2 cups hot water

Mix first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Stir in milk and shortening. Spread in an 8x8 inch prepared baking dish. Mix brown sugar and additional cocoa and sprinkle over mixture. Pour 2 cups hot water on top and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve hot alone or with ice cream.

OK......I promise no chocolate tomorrow! Just can't help myself........

1. friends
2. invitation to go to the mountains
3. worship time

4. late movie with Keelie

5. Saturday afternoon drive

6. still getting garden veggies

7. Mexican food

8. family members are finally well

9. new recipe

10. freshly mowed yard (thanks to hub)

Zucchini Brownies

With the abundance of zucchini in many gardens this time of the year, I decided to see what to do with it besides the typical casseroles. There are different versions of zucchini brownies; this is the one I chose. I was definitely pleased, and the frosting was yummy!


Ingredients

1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 c. shredded zucchini
1/2 c. walnuts or pecans

Frosting

6 T. cocoa
1/4 c. margarine
2 c. confectioners' sugar
1/4 c. milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 baking pan. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, eggs, and 2 t. vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 c. cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and nuts. Spread evenly into the pan. Bake for 25-30 mins.

To make the frosting, melt together the 6 T. cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar. milk, and 1/2 t. vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies. Cut into squares to serve.


Verse 1
Let the children sing a song of liberation
The God of our salvation set us free
Death, where is thy sting? The curse of sin is broken
The empty tomb stands open, come and see

CHORUS
He's alive, alive, alive. Hallelujah!
Alive! Praise and glory to the Lamb.
He's alive, alive, alive. Hallelujah!
Alive forever. Amen

Verse 2
Let my heart sing out, for Christ, the One and only
So powerful and holy rescued me
Death won't hurt me now because He has redeemed me
No grave will ever keep me from my King

Bridge
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy of our praise
Worthy is the One who has overcome the grave
Let the people dance, let the people sing
Worthy is the mighty King.

Tag
You are worthy. Amen!

Hey ladies, remember it's out today!


**original post here

Pictures from the past.....

Pictures from this week...

I've entered this giveway! You may want to also.

Sandy is having a Blog-iversary giveaway. A year's subscription to one of these magazines. Go check it out here.

Tolerance vs. Intolerance

Tolerance. A prized virtue today. The ability to be understanding of those with whom you differ is a sign of sophistication. Jesus, too, was a champion of tolerance:

*Tolerant of the disciples when they doubted.

*Tolerant of the crowds when they misunderstood.

*Tolerant of us when we fall.

But there is one area where Jesus was intolerant. There was one area where he was unindulgent and dogmatic....  

As far as he was concerned, when it comes to salvation, there aren't several roads . . . there is only one road.... There aren't several paths, .. there is only one path. And that path is Jesus himself.  

That is why it is so hard for people to believe in Jesus. It’s much easier to consider him one of several options rather than the option. But such a philosophy is no option.

From: A Gentle Thunder

Copyright (Word Publishing, 1995)

Max Lucado 

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Happy Birthday, Marilyn!

(August 5)

Happiness in Homemaking

It feels sooooo good today to get some things done around the house to start the week off. Got the house vacuumed, floors mopped, the laundry done, pot roast cooking, and it's not even noon yet! Anybody impressed besides me?

1. rain
2. everybody seems to be well
3. cooler weather (until yesterday!) 

4. Jenna and the sushi experience

5. family time/meals

6. more jelly making

7. worship time

8. new dessert by Keelie

9. repaired a/c

10. church family

Shout To The Lord

Darlene Zschech

My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord
All the Earth, let us sing
Power and majesty
Praise to the King
Mountains bow down
And the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the works
Of Your hands
Forever I'll love You
Forever I'll stand
Nothing compares
To the promise I have
In You

Teasing and Tortillas

We are thankful Jonah is feeling better today. (Check out the gourmet meal he chose for the evening! Just glad he was eating.) He was smiling, playing and teasing us. Now if we can get Glory and PaPa feeling better!

Oh yeah. The rest of us had Chicken Tortilla Bake. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilies

1 c. chicken broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 small onion or onion salt

12 corn tortillas

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions

In a bowl, combine the chicken, chilies, broth, soups, and onion; set aside. Warm tortillas in the microwave according to package directions. Layer half of the tortillas on the bottom of a greased 9X13 baking pan, cutting to fit pan if desired. Top with half of the chicken mixture and half the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.