Monday, Monday...

Well... I made it through my "media fast" this weekend.  

I spent my time in the Word of God, napping, sewing, crocheting and in reflection on my life.  

I am blessed with being surrounded by love from God, family and friends, and for that I am very thankful.

I had kind of forgotten that.   That's what happens when you don't slow down from time to time.

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Thought for the day:

 Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

Psalm 63:3

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My sewing projects during the "media fast":

 

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Final Thoughts of the day: 

May you wake with sunshine through your window, 

a day full a blessing on it's way.  

May you stay warm in the cold weather, 

and may the ice stay away. 

                                              sparham 

God bless and keep you,

Sonia 

Preparation...

As I prepare for my "media fast" I wonder how well I will do.  I have plans to keep my time occupied focusing on the Word of God and catching up on some projects I need to get done.

I have plans.. but will I miss the "media factor" in my life as much as I think I will.   Time will tell.  I have had thoughts of just taking off to somewhere... but if I do that then I will spend money I don't need to spend at this time... but there is a nervous energy building as I get closer to shut down time...

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My thought for the day:

Lord grant me the strength I need

to over come my need for media feed this weekend.

Lord keep my hands busy and my mind at peace.

 Give me the quiet time to hear You speak.

                  sparham                                                     

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How about a crochet pattern today?


Crochet Dishcloth Patterns
Cheerful Dish Cloth
By: Lily Sugar 'n Cream

Get in the mood for spring anytime of the year with this daisy-colored yellow and white dish cloth. This dish cloth crochet pattern brings warmth and cheer to your kitchen. This dattern is for the dish cloth at top right.

Materials:

•  Lily® Sugar ’n Cream (Solids: 70.9 g/2.5 oz/109 m/120 yds) (Ombres: 56.7g/2 oz/86 m/95 yds) (00165 Daisy Ombre) 1 ball

• Crochet Hook: Size 5 mm (U.S. H or 8) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge.

• Gauge: 13 sts and 12 rows = 4 ins [10 cm] in pat.

• Size: Approx 13 ins [33 cm] square.

Instructions:
Ch 44. 1st row: (RS). 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch to end of chain. 43 sts. Turn. 2nd row: Ch 1. *1 sc in next sc. 1 tr in next sc. Rep from * across to last sc, pushing tr to RS of work. 1 sc in last sc. Turn. 3rd row: Ch 1. 1 sc in each st to end of row. Turn. 4th row: Ch 1. 1 sc in each of first 2 sc. *1 tr in next sc. 1 sc in next sc. Rep from * across to last sc, pushing tr to RS of work. 1 sc in last sc. Turn. 5th row: As 3rd row. Rep 2nd to 5th rows for pat until work from beg measures 13 ins [33 cm], ending on a RS row. Hanging Loop: Ch 10. Join with sl st in last sc worked. Fasten off.

Find thousands of free crafts, decorating ideas, handmade gifts and more at www.FaveCrafts.com

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In Closing:

I wish you all a great weekend.  May you succeed at whatever you put your mind to this weekend. I'll see you in three days.  

God bless and keep you!   

Sonia  

Oh Robin Hood.... where for art thou?

I had the house all to myself this evening and decided to watch a Robin Hood movie that came on t.v.   

I've always liked the story of Robin Hood.  

What is it about that dashing outlaw that robs the rich to pay the poor? 

What is it that draws people to the story?    

Any thoughts? 

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Thought for the day: 

Make an excellent choice and watch the ripple effect of blessing.

from Our Daily Bread Devotional Journal  © 2007,2008,2010 by RBC Ministries.  

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Challenge: 

Take a 3 day "media fast".  

That means no radio, no TV,  break away from all non-work related computer activities.

Yes... that means blogging too. :)

Do it and see what happens.

I will be doing this beginning 12:00 AM Friday morning, 1/28/11. 
 

I have a feeling I will be twitching in withdrawals.  Quite frankly... I am an internet junkie.  

If I'm not blogging, I'm on Facebook, Modernroots or researching for a project I'm working on... all the while catching up with friends on instant messaging.  So this will be a challenge for me most assuredly.

If you do take the challenge... comment and let me know how it goes. 

I will be posting my results Monday evening, 1/31/11.

  

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Until next time... God bless and keep you! 

 

Heavy...

You know... I struggle every day with a battle between the Spirit and the flesh and there are times my heart gets heavy and I feel I'm not strong enough to keep going.   But then I receive an encouraging word from a friend, whether it be face to face or through an email or a blog post.  With that encouragement I am able to pick myself  back up, pull up on the boot straps and face the battle again.  I do this by the grace of God and only by His grace am I able to persevere.

Of late, my heart has been burdened with the weight of a collective whole.  How does one deal with a burden as heavy as this, I ask?   The answer came to me -  Pray for discernment.

so....

My thought for today:

I have prayed... I will wait and listen.  The heaviness is not mine to bear alone.

John 14:27 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

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Recipe for today:

 When I post a recipe, I will be posting from a set of cookbooks titled Favorite Recipes of America, 

©Favorite Recipes Press, 1968 

PO Box 18324 

Louisville, KY

Since it's chilly outside I thought I'd start with a casserole dish.  This dish is easy and very tasty.  My options to the recipe are in parenthesis.

Texas Hash

3 large onions, thinly sliced

1 large green pepper, minced

3 tbsp. fat  ( I use olive oil )

1 lb. ground beef

2 c. cooked tomatoes ( I like to use diced stewed tomatoes)

1/2 c. uncooked rice

1 or 2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Saute onions and green pepper in fat (oil) until tender.  Add meat and brown until crumbly.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour into greased 2-quart baking dish.  Cover and bake 45 minutes at 350°F.  Remove cover and bake 15 minutes longer.  Mixture may be simmered slowly on top of stove rather than baked.  

Yield: 6-8 servings.     recipe submitted by Mrs. Ann Hoit, Home Economics Teacher, Arlington, Tex.

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 Do you have a recipe you would like to share?

If so, please submit it and I will post it with your name. :)

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Final Thoughts:

How Do You Think

By Author Unknown 

 

If you think you are beaten, you are; If you think you dare not, you don't! If you'd like to win, but you think you can't, It's almost certain you won't. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
  If you think you'll lose, you're lost; For out in the world we find Success begins with a fellow's will; It's all in the state of mind! 
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If you think you're outclassed, you are; You've got to think high to rise. You've got to be sure of yourself Before you 'll ever win the prize. 
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Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or faster man; But sooner or later the man who wins Is the person who thinks he can! 

  -- Author Unknown 

 http://www.inspireme.net/inspirational-poems/how_do_you_think.htm

Changing Things Up

I have been remiss in my posting of late and for that I apologize.

I am changing things up a bit.  I will be posting mainly to this blog incorporating my thoughts and projects into one.    So... here goes....

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My thought of the day: 

  As I sit here sipping my hot chocolate with my little space heater going, I'm thankful I have a roof over my head and walls to shelter me from the cold winds outside. 

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Projects?

Back in 2007 I won all the quilt blocks turned in at the Logan County Piece Makers quilt guild meeting in February.   These blocks have sat in my fabric stash until this year.

Talk about putting something on the back burner...

I finally got them out, laid them all out on the bed to audition them and quickly realized I would be making more than one project out of the blocks.

I had hoped to make one quilt top out of all them but because of the different colors and styles of the blocks, when put together, no matter how I placed them, they just didn't jive.

I have pieced together two wall hangings thus far and plan to finish them this week?

What project are you working on?

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Giveaways:

400+ FOLLOWERS THANK YOU GIVEAWAY by Stray Stitches.

This beautiful collection of Vintage Florals by Beth Ann Bruske for David Textiles! 

There is a total of 6 1/2 yards of fabric in this collection.

http://straystitches1.blogspot.com/2011/01/its-giveaway-time.html 

 300 FOLLOWER BLOGGY GIVEAWAY!! by Leona's Quilting Adventure.

To celebrate 300 followers, we are having a special Bloggy Giveaway! I love shopping at the Fat Quarter Shop and thought that Leona's Quilting Adventure would giveaway one $25.00 gift certificate to one lucky winner!

http://oneygirl-myquiltingadventure.blogspot.com/2011/01/300-follower-bloggy-giveaway.html

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Final Thoughts:

As the new week begins I wish you all a successful week in whatever you do.  May you smile each day and be thankful for the small blessing you have in your life.  

God bless and keep you, 

Sonia

 Publish Post

That's how it works...

As I woke this morning and watched the weatherman predict foul weather in the form of snow, sleet, and ice, my mood turn in the same direction – foul.   If I can stay in watch the weather happen I’m okay but if I have to get out in it – NO WAY!     I knew that if the mood I was in stayed it would be a very long unhappy day.  So, I prayed.   I asked God to remove that foul feeling from me.  I told my husband I had done so, and he simply nodded, which meant he would be praying too.  I have to smile at that, because I know he prays for me daily, but I have to wonder if he prayed this morning for his own peace of mind. 

I left for work and the roads weren’t bad, just a little wet, but I was still in a foul mood after I got to work.   I told three friends of mine of my predicament and I know they started praying too, because within the hour my mood had lightened considerably. 

That’s how it works.  Pray believing, then share with others that you know will pray too.  When all that prayer gets moving… well, the power of prayer takes over!

Mark 11:24 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (NIV)