God's Valentine

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VALENTINE

~above all things, remember God loves you~

I can't think of a better valentine to share, than the love of God with others.   I know He has made an amazing change in my life.   He sought me, I gave my sins and myself to Him, He loves me unconditionally.  

How?   

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross for our sins.   All we need to do is believe, trust and accept His love.  We can't buy it, work for it, nor will we ever deserve it, but God loves us unconditionally and is waiting for us to heed His call.

Source: wonderwomancreations.blogspot.com via Sonia on Pinterest

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I thought, since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I'd start out with the valentine section as I most likely won't post again until Friday or Saturday.

I've been busy since I last posted.   I have a "grandmothers garden" quilt top that I received some time back, from a friend.   It is all hand pieced.  It was not finished and I didn't have the pattern to finish it.  It was big enough for me to square it off and it still be a full size quilt.   I am going to tie this quilt, as I'm not sure I want to take a chance trying to quilt it on my sewing machine.  I hope to get it finished by the end of the week as I have a log cabin quilt I want to start sewing, no later than Monday.

I was able to save a couple of blocks from the "grandmother's garden" quilt, after trimming it, and made a cute pillow to throw on the couch.

one side

other side

I crocheted a potholder to go with two dishcloths.

posted on blog dated 1/29/13

back side

front side

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My sweetheart, David, has come down with an upper respiratory sickness (I think).  He woke Monday sounding like he was losing his voice, he has felt bad and has had a cough since then.    Please remember him in your prayers.  I tend to worry about him, as he has a weakened immune system and is more susceptible to pneumonia and such.

I guess that's all I have for this evening.

Microsoft clipart

Here's wishing you a Love filled Valentine's Day!

God bless and keep you, 

Sonia

"Slow Down"

Last night, I sat down and scheduled out my week.

So how's that working out for me?

Well, today I didn't get everything I had planned done.  As you know my mornings are for job hunting and afternoons for projects.  Today, when I finished with job applications and such, I realized it was 3:00 p.m.   Thus, my afternoon was shot.  That's okay though, as least I have my name in on a few more job opportunities.

I will catch up on projects tomorrow.  

This afternoon, it struck me as I walked to my mailbox, of what a beautiful day the Lord blessed us with.   It seems I tend to over look those simple blessings when I'm busy.  I'm glad I had that moment to "slow down".  :)

Now, we're expecting some snow tomorrow.  Gotta love Arkansas weather.  :)

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One Pan Meal

This evening I cooked a cabbage/rice casserole.   I found a recipe in one of my cookbooks, but like usual, I didn't have everything it called for or I thought I could add to it to change it up.  Today it was little of both.   So here's what I came up with.

Cabbage/Rice Casserole

Cabbage/Rice Casserole served with tortilla chips and pepperoncinies

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 head of cabbage - chopped
1/4 onion - chopped
2/3 cups uncooked rice
1 can chili beans
1 can diced stewed tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 400° F
2. In a skillet combine ground beef, onions, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and cook until ground beef is done.
3. While beef is cooking, grease a baking pan and add chopped cabbage to pan.
4. When beef is done, add rice, chili beans, diced stewed tomatoes and mix well.  Pour meat mixture over cabbage in baking pan.  Pour the chicken broth over all.
5. Cover pan with foil and bake in oven for 50 - 60 minutes.

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VALENTINE

~above all things, remember God loves you~

This is a simple but heartfelt valentine to give your sweetheart.  I did a crocheted version of this a few years back for my husband.  He used the crocheted heart pocket as a coaster for a long time, until I changed it out.  :)

Here's what you need...

• Coordinating papers, I used pink and a mottled colored paper.
• Coordinating color yarn, I used hot pink.
• Large eyed needle
• Hole punch
• Scissors

Take pink colored paper (or the color of your choice) and cut out two hearts the same size, they should be big enough to create a pocket.

Punch holes around the edges of the hearts and use the yarn to sew them together to create a pocket. You can use any stitch you want.  I used a crisscross stitch.

Using coordinating colored paper, cut out smaller hearts and write the reason you love your sweetheart on them.   Stuff them in your heart pocket.   Leave them for your sweetheart where they will find it easily on Valentine morning.

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Here's wishing you terrific Tuesday!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Really?

Have you ever read something that made you wonder what circumstance caused the need to type such information?

My hair dryer went out and I had to buy a new one.   The new dryer had a button on it that my old dyer didn't have.  So I read through the little pamphlet that came with the dryer to find out what the button is for (it was a cold shot button).

Anyway, as I read through the pamphlet I see this warning: Never use while sleeping.



Really?

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This evening, I attended a Ladies Bible Study by Andrea Lennon. The study was titled "Walking With God".   It was a good meeting.  Andrea does an awesome job and gives all credit to the Lord for her ministry.

She is also having another session tomorrow, Saturday, morning from 9:00 a.m. - Noon, at First Baptist in Paris, AR.   I won't be able to make that session but plan to study the rest of her lesson, using the handout she gave this evening.

If you need a rekindling of your walk with the Lord or an uplifting in your faith, you can check out Andrea's ministry at the following resources.

True Vine Ministry

Andrea Lennon

https://www.facebook.com/truevineministry?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/AndreaJLennon

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VALENTINE

~above all things, remember God loves you~

Source: twelveoeight.blogspot.com via Helen on Pinterest

For this valentine craft, click on the picture and when it pulls up again, click on it and it will take you to the instructions.

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Before I sign off ~ Please remember those in the Northeastern part of our country, going through the winter storm Nemo, in your prayers.

Here's wishing you a good weekend!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Jewels were found...

This morning it was soooo foggy!  

I took this picture at 11:30 this morning.  The fog hung right above the ground for quite a while.

Though it was foggy, jewels were to be found.  :)

In my flower bed, at the front of the house, there is new growth peeking through the mulch along with a few weeds that will need to be pulled.

This is what I call Easter lilies but I think they are daffodils.

This has small white flowers with a little yellow and orange centers.  Very pretty.

So, it has started.  All the pretty little wonders, God has put in place for us to enjoy, are stretching forth to welcome Spring.

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ~ Luke 12:27

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VALENTINE

~ above all things, remember God loves you ~

How about a heart garland?   

Check out the Southern Lovely blog for details on how to make it.

http://www.southernlovely.com/2013/02/heart-garland.html

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Here's wishing you a wonderful rest of the day!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Woo... Pig... Sooi!

I woke up earlier today than I have for the past four weeks.   Life Style Youth Ministries, at First Baptist Paris, had a Razorback basketball game to catch.  We had a pretty good sized group and had to use the People Mover and the van.

On the way up to Fayetteville, we went through the Bobby Hopper Tunnel on 540 N and just before we got to the tunnel one of the kids called out, "hold your breath all the way through the tunnel".   So we enter the tunnel and it gets very quiet and is quiet through the tunnel.  Oh, if you could have heard the gasp for air as we left that tunnel!  :0)

This was my very first Razorback game.  

I guess you could say I was in Hog heaven.

Before the game started, I took a overhead picture of the court and stadium seats. I'm thinking it would make a cool looking quilted wall hanging.

Then the Arkansas Razorback team was introduced.

They played Tennessee today.



The two teams went back and forth, each scoring, giving high points and low points in the excitement.

woo...pig...sooi

woo...pig...sooi

woo...pig...sooi

 Razorbacks!

(yes, I learned how to call the Hogs today)  :0)

I'm happy to report the HOGS WON!

I wasn't able to get a good picture of them from where I was sitting, but the Razorback Band was awesome!



We were on our way back home around 6:00 p.m., just as the sun was going down.









The sky is clear tonight.  I'm always amazed at the beauty God has given us in the night sky.  On the way back I noticed the Great Bear in the sky.  Ursa Major, which contains one of the most popular constellations, the Big Dipper.   Here is how it looks this time of the year.

And God made two great lights; the great light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.  And the evening and the morning were the forth day. ~ Genesis 1:16-19

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VALENTINE

~above all things, remember God loves you ~

Source: craftaholicsanonymous.net via Kelly on Pinterest

Check this project out on Pinterest.

http://pinterest.com/pin/254101603945213250/

When you get to this pin on Pinterest, click on it and will take you to the blog with instructions.

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Microsoft clip art

From what I understand, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow today, so it looks like Spring will be early.

Only time will tell.  :0)

I guess that's all I have for this evening.

Until next time, 

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Finally... Progress

Finally... progress.  :0)

I was able to get the table cloth pieced together today.  I will back it and stitch the two layers together but will not have batting between the layers.

The colors bring a little bit of Spring indoors.  :0)

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VALENTINE
~ above all things - remember God loves you ~

One of my favorite flowers is the rose.   Most of the roses I have are red.  I have a ground cover rose that is a coral color that turns to pink as the flowers begin to fade.  I think all the rose colors are beautiful and plan to add new colors in the future.

How about giving a rose to someone or to yourself for Valentines?   Plant them in the Spring and then you will have beautiful roses every year.  

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GIVEAWAYS

Here are some giveaways to check out.

Happy Cottage Quilter's February Giveaway

http://happycottagequilter.blogspot.com/2013/02/february-giveaway.html

Oh So Nifty's 300 Followers Giveaway

http://www.ohsonifty.blogspot.co.nz/

The Rusty Thimble February Giveaway

http://therustythimble.blogspot.com/2013/02/february-giveaway-time.html

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That's it for this evening.

Until next time, 

God bless and keep you, 

Sonia

Short and sweet...

Hello,
how are you doing?  I hope all is going well for you and yours.

I've been side tracked from the table cloth I've been working on.  I did work on it, some yesterday.  I hope to finish it tomorrow.

Today, I noticed the bananas were getting soft, so I baked a banana bread.  Yum!

While the bread baked, I crocheted a little owl.

I named him Olly.

Meet little Olly, the baby snow owl.

My son told me, "Mom, you know if you name them, you're going to get attached to them."   LOL  :0)


Until next time,
God bless and keep you,
Sonia

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day.
May songbirds serenade you every step along the way.
May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue.
And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.
- Irish Blessing