veteran's day

let us all remember to pray for those men and women who have given their lives in service for our country, served our country in the past and are presently serving our country.

a good book

the last few days i've spent re-reading a very good book, one that my mother had in the house when i was a child. it's the story of corrie ten boom and it's called the hiding place by corrie ten boom with john and elizabeth sherrill. i was pleasantly surprised several years ago to discover she had written other books and devotionals, as i really enjoy all of ms. ten boom's writings. a passage from the preface especially resonnated with me during this reading:

"already we found ourselves actually putting into practice how-to's we learned from about her:
*handling separation
*getting along with less
*security in the midst of insecurity
*forgiveness
*how God can use weakness
*facing death
*dealing with difficult people
*how to love your enemies
*what to do when evil wins
we commented to her about the practicalness of everything she recalled, how her memories seemed to throw a spotlight on problems and decisions we faced here and now. 'but,' she said, 'this is what the past is for! every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.'" (p viii)

i, too, am enjoying learning from the wisdom of this godly woman (who is now gone to be with the LORD) and from her family memories and life experiences. i highly recommend this book, although parents will want to pre-read it for suitability for their children first.

snowfall

we got around one and a half inches of snow from last night around midnight through this afternoon around one o'clock. most of it is gone now, due to rising temperatures and the sun coming out for brief periods of time. it was lovely to spend the morning watching the snow fall, taking pictures of it, drinking hot tea/hot chocolate/hot cider and knitting/reading. very cozy!

winter weather

this evening, we are expecting (and in some parts of the county already experiencing) the first snowfall of the season! not much of it is going to hang around very long, but still the temperatures are dipping down, even if we don't get but a dusting.

i would like to remind any who read this post that not all are as fortunate or blessed as we are. there are, no doubt, families still cold in their houses/apartments right now. let us all pray for those who are struggling to keep warm this cold time of year as well as put our faith in action by doing what we can to help, whether that be make a donation to a charity providing heating assistance, donating quilts/blankets/sweaters/warm slippers, etc. or helping a neighbor directly to pay for heating fuel.

LORD, hear our prayer!

i hope everyone has had a blessed LORD's day and are looking forward to another week of blessings from His hands.

this past week at the cottage, i've been busy trying to do above and beyond normal cleaning and maintenance cleaning. i've found that if i do the bigger tasks in smaller chunks that i don't get as overwhelmed with them or discouraged at the list of them. so cleaning out the fridge for a good scrub turns into several sessions of cleaning and scrubbing the various levels. some tasks may not be suitable to being broken down into smaller ones to be done over a series of days, so reserving one day as a day to do thus-and-so is also more pleasant than fretting over the list of ones not tackled just yet. it was very refreshing to rest today and see how much i've accomplished.

another task i've been busy at is weaving. the next project i'll warp the loom for is a Harvest Home tablerunner for my sister, as she is hosting her first family Thanksgiving this year. she has recently expressed an interest in and discovered a talent for baking, so i think she's looking forward to cooking a meal for us all. i'm also trying to make as many Christmas gifts as possible this year and am trying to outdo my previous handmade gift tallies.

the garden is still giving veggies, mainly yellow squash. there are some pumpkins still growing and i discovered several cantalope as well. the dahlias are still blooming, as are the zinnias. the leaf color is deepening and spreading, making every day a pallete of brilliant golds, reds and greens. how blessed i truly am!

preparation day

it's saturday and that means it's preparation day in anticipation of the LORD's day tomorrow...i'm hoping to get a start on some deep-cleaning today in addition to my regularly scheduled cleaning tasks...Autumn always makes me want to clean and organize the cottage; i suppose that's in anticipation of the cold Winter days when i feel the urge to do less strenuous tasks...i hope all have a good LORD's day tomorrow!

the importance of family

it has been brought more and more to my attention during these times of uncertain finances how important family is! i am feeling more and more led by the LORD to 'circle the wagons' and gather my immediate and extended family about me. not solely for my own protection and support (although i assure you that has crossed my mind), but to ensure that no-one amongst my kith and kin is left wanting, either financially, physically, emotionally or spiritually. this, i believe, is how GOD designed families to truly be: a support and asset in times of trouble and to share joy and goodness in times of blessings (and i've been reflecting on how no time is purely a time of trouble; there are always blessings if we look for them, but that is another topic).

by the way, the cinnamon rolls of the previous entry turned out wonderfully! i look forward to making them a regular treat during the coming cooler months.