tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36455014573558935702024-03-05T06:09:20.257-05:00Home Sweet LifeCarolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.comBlogger1503125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-35379319023858364892021-03-22T20:19:00.004-04:002021-03-22T20:19:29.659-04:00College Lessons<p><span style="font-size: large;"> So what have I learned so far this school year since I've gone back to college? A bunch! I've learned that it's hard to study after 11 p.m., chocolate is still a girl's best friend, and wireless headphones are a heaven sent blessing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Seriously though, I've been hard at work studying, except last week during Spring Break when I ONLY went to work for 40 hours and didn't study at all. LOL! I've had to change my habits. I make myself get to work right after dinner, and there's no TV or social life to speak of. That's okay. I've got a terrific group of friends from church who cheer me on, and let me join in whatever they're up to whenever I can carve out a couple hours. I've learned that making your own decisions can be thrilling, and sometimes a little overwhelming. I've been reminded again and again how blessed I am to have such a great group of co-workers who make me laugh - often!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Life is meant to be lived and enjoyed, not just endured. </i></b>That's my main takeaway from the past 8 months.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I'm still writing for other outlets, like the newspaper, and the blog at Conner Prairie, there's just not much time to write here anymore. If you want to keep up, follow my adventures on Instagram.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Hope you're finding Spring popping up all around you! It's time for me to get back to studying.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-50499409911991037582020-10-14T20:54:00.001-04:002020-10-14T20:55:29.449-04:00Back to College lessons<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> For the past eight weeks I have been hard at work learning something new - or rather - lots of new things!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I am woefully behind on sharing reviews of books I have read, but I hope to remedy that some next week on fall break. What has kept me occupied? College classes! Yes, after more than 20 years, I made the decision to head back to college to get a business degree. It has been a wild and crazy ride so far.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I've had fun (mostly) learning how to use PowerPoint, and I can report that I passed my MicroSoft certification exam for PowerPoint yesterday! Huzzah! Also on the schedule these first eight weeks was a class on Team Dynamics. Oh my! So many things to think about with this one. It had me asking various people I know in different areas of the business world for help and mentoring. I learned SO MUCH, and yet, it taught me I have a whole lot more to learn!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">What else has kept my days and evenings full? Two weeks ago I started a new, full-time job at Conner Prairie in the Facilities department - but, lest anything be too easy in my life - I am still working my scheduled days in Guest Services until the end of the month. One of my co-workers asked me today if I feel like I'm "trying to drink from the fire hose"? Um, yes. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">So many things to learn. I am so, so very thankful for the patience of my new boss(es) and the others in the department who have gone out of their way to make my transition as easy as possible. :)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Life is an adventure, this past month has been a whirlwind, and I am looking forward to what comes next. It might be another eight weeks before I get back on here to post an update, so feel free to ride along with me on my adventure by checking out my Instagram posts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">May your fall season bring joy, peace, purpose - and lots of Jesus!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-87996790308534941462020-08-24T06:00:00.000-04:002020-08-24T06:00:06.106-04:00Vying for the Viscount by Kristi Ann Hunter - a Bethany House book review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YPnHTBNOgs1yc-XVpOajt2_zm6RVq3AV0xZGff53-5sTEY3kGIu-0eICMM3emd55TSLrCf2NuL7qKrLMqG63soRujD9xiljI0kb_r-foa9C8i8ZSPVA3_-glryWLON1RgCCRf4HS5CM/s1600/Facebook+Post.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="book reviews, Kristi Ann Hunter, Bethany House Publishers" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YPnHTBNOgs1yc-XVpOajt2_zm6RVq3AV0xZGff53-5sTEY3kGIu-0eICMM3emd55TSLrCf2NuL7qKrLMqG63soRujD9xiljI0kb_r-foa9C8i8ZSPVA3_-glryWLON1RgCCRf4HS5CM/s640/Facebook+Post.png" title="Home Sweet Life: Vying for the Viscount" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">How do you handle it when everything changes in your life and you feel adrift? Miss Bianca Snowley is about to find out. Her step-mother decides that as the oldest daughter she needs to hurry up and get married so Mrs. Snowley's preferred younger daughter can become the center of attention and make a good marriage match. If that was not disturbing enough to Bianca's normally peaceful life, there is a new Viscount next door, and her access to his horses she loves to ride may be in jeopardy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hudson has endured a grueling six month sea voyage from India to England, yet once he arrives he finds out that assimilating into English society is exceedingly more complicated than he expected. As the new Lord Stildon Hudson now owns a vast home and grounds, and a well-known racing stable. Can he learn the nuances of moving within society and balance breeding, and racing, his horses while still looking for a wife? After all, would not a wife with good connections be an asset he needs? The life Hudson finds himself in is so different from the one he was raised in that he struggles at every turn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Vying for the Viscount</i> is Kristi Ann Hunter's newest Regency era romance from Bethany House Publishers. Hunter does a masterful job of weaving the history of Regency England into a charming and challenging story of life, friendship, and chances at true love. Fans of Jane Austin will find a wonderful tale filled with characters to adore and despise. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Lord Stildon and Miss Snowley decide to work together to help each other find spouses. They start as neighbors and end up as friends. The problems arise when Bianca starts to realize she is comparing each of her possible suitors to Hudson. How can she keep her word to help him court Lady Rebecca while secretly pining for his attention herself? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hudson is struggling as well. His stable manager Aaron Whitworth becomes Hudson's only other friend besides Bianca. Aaron admits he is an illegitimate son and therefore no help in matters of navigating the society circles. How can courting Lady Rebecca be so difficult? Hudson starts to doubt his own plans for his future when an acquaintance of Aaron's invites Hudson and Aaron over for a game of cricket and dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I enjoyed this story immensely. The characters might be set in Regency England, but they deal with problems that people have had since the beginning of time. How do you know who to trust? Is it better to have a wide swath of acquaintances or a few close friends? Is marriage a business deal, or a love match? Can financial security make up for a broken heart, and who would ever choose a broken heart?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Miss Snowley learns a lot about herself, and comes to realize it was not her step-mother's decision that set her adrift, but rather that she had been adrift for a while, and the command to marry soon simply pointed that out to her. Bianca learns how to invest time in friendships, to choose to offer compassion, and how help can come at just the right time from the most unlikely places.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Step away from the challenges of today and get lost in a wonderful story of friendship, choices, consequences and love in the English countryside.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are mine. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-28127236508352826692020-08-23T20:24:00.000-04:002020-08-23T20:24:47.248-04:00Mercy<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXeJ7rosL9FvPjjiqGnUmDp2TfKm58Q5wvAdLqCZviD3ki6o2KiW9M8194YucG0R9mWD7l-5hEnykcGDyyL7MTjfM3eTq6t1gZnWSJ3we_HymBg7V7rrKnNfZS4vhk75LNiwBxxD0-7g/s1600/Facebook+Post-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="five minute friday writing prompt, offer mercy, compassion" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXeJ7rosL9FvPjjiqGnUmDp2TfKm58Q5wvAdLqCZviD3ki6o2KiW9M8194YucG0R9mWD7l-5hEnykcGDyyL7MTjfM3eTq6t1gZnWSJ3we_HymBg7V7rrKnNfZS4vhk75LNiwBxxD0-7g/s640/Facebook+Post-3.png" title="Home Sweet Life, Mercy" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's been a bit since I've joined my friends in the <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/community/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday community</a> to write. Each week I've seen the word prompt, and had ideas, but life has a way of invading our small spaces and taking over our time. This week though, I could NOT pass up a chance to spend five minutes, or a little more reflecting on Mercy - a thing we all so desperately need.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Set a timer, and <span style="color: #38761d;">go</span>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first thing to come to mind when I read the word <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2020/08/20/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-mercy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mercy</a> are the lyrics to Matthew West's "Mercy is a Song." Now that it is stuck in your head too, I want to focus on what mercy means. The dictionary describes it as: compassion, charity, forgiveness, humanity, kindness, and generosity. These are all good synonyms, but mercy is more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mercy is deeper, and can only originate from God.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mercy is <b>not</b> receiving what we deserve. We deserve death. Each and every one of us deserves death. We have sinned, fallen short of following God. Whether by cursing the person who cut us off on the road last night or by committing a crime, we have all fallen short of Jesus' commandments to love God and love one another. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mercy is forgiveness and some grace. Grace is getting something good that we do not deserve. Can you see the difference? Mercy is not going to hell for our sins. Grace is having blessings poured out on us when we have done nothing good to earn them. The Scriptures tell us that the rains fall on the just and the unjust. (Matthew 5:45) That is a blessing, an expression of grace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If we have been given mercy (and grace), then why are we so hesitant to offer mercy to others? How can we choose to withhold mercy from the people around us? Our family, our neighbors, our co-workers? How about that guy you heard on tv that you did not agree with? These people, these human beings probably did not get up this morning thinking "I'm going to tick people off today, let me go cause strife." And yet, it might have happened anyway. You see, we need to offer mercy for the big things AND the small things. Because God is merciful to us. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Show mercy, extend mercy, offer mercy, be merciful. You are still alive and able to read this post because God has been merciful to you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Go and do likewise: offer mercy. Then spread grace.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you want to hear joy, grace, freedom, and mercy, here is <a href="https://youtu.be/fbpNUAZg09w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Matthew West's song</a>.</span></div>
<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-62194391999377392092020-08-05T06:00:00.000-04:002020-08-06T19:31:19.020-04:00Line by Line - by Jennifer Delamere - A Bethany House book review<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The year is 1881 and Alice McNeil is ready to leave her position at London’s Central Telegraph Office in search of a position with private company. With seven years’ experience and dreams of living somewhere other than a boarding house, Alice expects that her skills plus her determination will land her a job with a promising future.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The world of the telegraph has always fascinated me. How can someone have the skill to not only memorize the dots, dashes, and pauses needed to send a message in morse code, but understand it deeply enough to receive a message in code? <i>Line by Line</i> is a work of Historic Fiction by Jennifer Delamere focuses on an interesting point in London’s history approximately 20 years after the completion of the Transatlantic telegraph cable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Alice gains a step forward in her career when she is hired by Henley and Company, an importer of wheat and cotton. There she soon meets Douglas Shaw, Mr. Henley’s second in command who travels the world gaining the contracts for their imports. Mr. Shaw sees the benefit of having Alice, who is an excellent telegraph operator, learn more about the business overall, and Alice begins to see new possibilities for her future. The problem is, even though sparks begin to fly, Alice is prepared to be a spinster because she thinks it will allow her freedom to live as she wants, and Douglas has his sights set on a young society lady, Miss Rolland, he has yet to meet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Douglas and his friends find an etiquette book for ladies at a local bookstore, they read a few sections and laugh. Unbeknownst to Douglas, Alice is also in the bookstore and overhears their conversation. She isn’t out to catch a man, she just wants to read the book and laugh at its suggestions… or maybe find one or two to help her with a difficult co-worker, Archie Clapper. So she purchases <i>The Spinster’s Guide to Love and Romance</i> and takes it home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I enjoyed the banter between characters, the history lessons on the ins and outs of detailed telegraph work, and the everyday look at life in London, England in the 1880’s. A fun read, <i>Line by Line </i>is the first book of a new series from Delamere: <i>Love Along the Wires</i>. I look forward to her future books to see whether they will follow Alice’s friends Rose and Emma, or Douglas’s friends Stuart Carson and Hal Halverson. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I received an electronic ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.</span></span><br />
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Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-84657675356476508582020-08-02T06:00:00.000-04:002020-08-02T06:00:01.764-04:00Write into the Hard Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Write into the hard things. That is one of many insightful things that Leslie Leyland Fields imparted to us during her online writing class in April, May and June. Write into them, and then let God redeem them. It may not happen overnight, it may not even happen this side of eternity, but it is GOD who redeems us and our brokenness and uses it for His glory. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Leslie taught these lessons from her newest book: <i>Your Story Matters</i>. It was a really good class. It is an even better book. There are a lot of hard (read to understand as: difficult) things in each of our lives. And there are good things as well. Sometimes the same instance is both hard and good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At the end of May, our daughters and I were in a car accident. Someone else ran a red light, and hit us while we were turning. This has been a really, really long nine weeks. The girls' injuries are healed, mine are not. This is my hard thing right now. I want God to redeem it, to use it for His glory, and my good. So I am choosing to overcome the listlessness and apathy that come at the end of each hard day, and write. I write a lot, then none, then a little more, it is sporadic. Today I am sharing from early on, just a handful of days after the accident.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here I lie, flat on my back like a corpse in a morgue, except I'm not dead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know I'm supposed to be thankful, rather I am supposed to give thanks in all circumstances, but truthfully, it is hard to give thanks when you're consumed by pain. It must be around 2 a.m., I'm afraid to try to turn over and reach for my phone to confirm this hypothesis. I've been a wake for a while now. I took more Tylenol already, cranked back up the temperature on the heating pad I'm lying on, and yet, the pain continues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How could one little car wreck cause so much pain? Will I be stuck feeling this way forever? I surely hope not. I feel awful. At least it wasn't worse- I'm not in the hospital in traction - I'll give thanks for that. I don't think my husband believes I'm badly injured. He is used to me being able to do whatever needs done. I know I don't look injured, but Oh! how I feel it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here I lie in the dark in the middle of the night and think and pray. At least when I'm praying for others I can block out most of the pain. Oh wait. Who was I praying for? It's okay, I'll start again. The pain in my neck has made it difficult to hold my concentration these past few days since the accident. It has also made my right elbow and outside two fingers either tingle or go numb often.</span></div>
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-22867093859334586152020-07-27T17:10:00.001-04:002020-07-27T17:10:33.171-04:00A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund - A Bethany House book review<div style="font-family: Geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinBd0LXsGNLmmtmmfI39-xEbcBNHfz3p5zfUXiQ3pLLUGEiUsJsSJTJ7_S8gK2P2tRSCXiZS6vGYFUa5MTLJnvTSdOPhjZV6sy5UBTq18tPN3OufBn-wb8uxRywvTfP6M6ySAWetm8Jc/s1600/A+Bride+of+Convenience.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jody Hedlund, Bride ships, historic fiction, 1863 Vancouver Island" border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinBd0LXsGNLmmtmmfI39-xEbcBNHfz3p5zfUXiQ3pLLUGEiUsJsSJTJ7_S8gK2P2tRSCXiZS6vGYFUa5MTLJnvTSdOPhjZV6sy5UBTq18tPN3OufBn-wb8uxRywvTfP6M6ySAWetm8Jc/s400/A+Bride+of+Convenience.jpg" title="Home Sweet Life, A Bride of Convenience" width="258" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jody Hedlund has a gift for weaving fictional characters into real historical events in a way that makes a reader want to read more. Her latest novel, <i>A Bride of Convenience</i>, is no exception. This well written book is set on and around Vancouver Island, British Columbia in 1863.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Abraham Merivale, known to locals as <i>Pastor Abe</i> is serving the Church of England during a five year stint as a missionary in the British Colonies. He spends most of his time in the mining camps outside of Vancouver, but comes down to check in with his Bishop and get supplies several times a year. He loves his job, the miners he serves, and the rugged mountains. What he doesn’t love are the Bishop’s ideas about how he should be re-creating the Church of England in the wilderness. Abe is more concerned with the state of men’s hearts than whether or not a new church building gets completed this year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Zoe Hart has recently arrived in Vancouver upon one of the Bride Ships that left England, sailed around South America, and has brought dozens of former millworkers, all women, to this rugged land. She isn’t sure she wants to marry, unless it helps her find her twin brother who ran away from home after being falsely accused of setting a mill on fire. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Zoe has a huge heart for others, and soon finds herself taking over the care of a native baby, Violet, whose mother died and whose English-born father has failed at mining due to his alcoholism. But she cannot keep the baby in the Marine barracks where the other bride-ship women are staying. The baby cries, and the women are looking for husbands, not outside responsibilities. While none of the women will be forced to wed, many are hopping to find either a husband of a job and leave the barracks as soon as possible. They do not understand Zoe's desire to take on baby that night prevent finding a husband, or a job.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Zoe is hurting from the loss of her friend who dies shortly after they arrive. Now she really needs the help of others, but isn’t sure whom to trust. Through an unusual turn of events, Pastor Abe finds himself suddenly without a fiancé back home. He is reeling. Zoe is determined to find someone to help her find her brother. Local Dexter Dawson says he will take her if she marries him, but should she trust him? What about Pastor Abe?</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"><i>Want to know what happens next? Pick up a copy at your local bookstore or online. It is also available as an E-book.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I found the storyline compelling. To think that literally hundreds of women arrived on a handful of bride ships, trusting that there would be something better than their lives in England when they arrived in Vancouver. What challenges and trials must they have faced back home to board a ship knowing they would very likely never return? Not only were they sailing half-way around the world, they were doing it through the same oceans that were filled with the warships of the American Civil War. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">One part I always appreciate about Hedlund’s series is that she includes some historical information at the end of each story. This helps the reader walk away with a deeper understanding of what parts of the story were history, and what were fiction. She often references the historic texts she used while researching as well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are a fan of Jennifer Delamere, Elizabeth Camden, or Jocelyn Green you are sure to enjoy this third book in Hedlund’s The Bride Ships series. I give it 4.5 out of five stars.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.</span></span></div>
Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-83731250851463288522020-07-21T06:00:00.000-04:002020-07-21T06:00:09.263-04:00Will you or won't you homeschool this year?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am not going to lie - you have a HUGE decision ahead of you in the next couple of weeks. What are you going to choose for your children's education for this semester? There is so much uncertainty out there about if in-person classes will happen at local schools, will parents be able to continue e-learning and still keep their jobs, and how will you balance it all?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>There are choices, but there is also help!</i> If you want to try homeschooling your children this fall, I'm going to cheer you on, point you to helpful resources, and try to answer as many of your questions as I can. If you choose e-learning - I'm going to cheer you on and support you as best as I can. If you send your children to class - I'm going to cheer you on, pray for their health and safety, and try to hold you up as you balance all those deadlines. Whichever option you choose: I support you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know homeschooling is not for everyone. It was tough, but we found it worth the effort. I worked anywhere from 15-35 hours outside of the home the entire 16 years we homeschooled our girls. And by saying "<i>we homeschooled</i>" I'm, really saying "<i>I homeschooled</i>" while Kurt went to work 40 or more hours a week to make sure we could pay the bills, and then made sure no one burned the house down while I slept on the weekends. ;)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjresgRWc2dDyUyfGpduxNdRqR3_MPAKJpAmEuHjkV7lGrtI8iglmRNKxlZvpwpcEQa4r64ou5Dk-MP2UmBLzIyjwIR-MkNS9WIv4Qi36WFJDoLr_TlVmjpL7VZXIdR6b8F0Wi8-nX6QBo/s1600/ST-2020-Jul-Aug-BOGO-theme-1-ban-240x400-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjresgRWc2dDyUyfGpduxNdRqR3_MPAKJpAmEuHjkV7lGrtI8iglmRNKxlZvpwpcEQa4r64ou5Dk-MP2UmBLzIyjwIR-MkNS9WIv4Qi36WFJDoLr_TlVmjpL7VZXIdR6b8F0Wi8-nX6QBo/s400/ST-2020-Jul-Aug-BOGO-theme-1-ban-240x400-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you are considering homeschooling, or wondering if e-learning will be enough, I encourage you to check out your options. There are full curriculums in a box you can purchase, or you can use an online resource like <a href="https://schoolhouseteachers.com/dap/a/?a=2955" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SchoolhouseTeachers.com</a> that offers either full curriculum or single subject choices all for one price per family. If you love printed books, look to purchase as many of them as possible as used copies to save you some money. Many (most) homeschooling families sell their curriculum at a significant discount once they are finished with it. We always preferred printed math books, so I would budget to purchase them, then sell the teacher's books and DVD's to other homeschoolers once both girls were finished. A savings to the new owners, and a little cash to put towards the next year's books for us - a win-win! We used SchoolhouseTeachers to fill in the gaps between our printed resources, but I know many families use it exclusively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Want to know more about how we homeschooled? There are dozens of posts here in the blog archives that you can read. Lots about field trips, many about different curriculum we used over the years, quite a few about being different than everybody else - and how that is perfectly okay, and most importantly, some timely posts about God's faithfulness to help us through both the good and bad times. God gave you those precious children for a reason - it is important that you find out why that is!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you ARE considering homeschooling, but not quite sure where to start with curriculum, I suggest a family membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com. If you are certain you're going to homeschool, you can get their once-a-year <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="https://schoolhouseteachers.com/dap/a/?a=2955" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shark sale special of $179 for two years</a></span> for the entire family. That works out to less than $8/month for two full years of curriculum for all grades. Use coupon code: <a href="https://schoolhouseteachers.com/dap/a/?a=2955" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SHARK20</a> - this offer is non-refundable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you're still sitting on the fence about homeschooling, why not try the quarterly payment of $49.97 for all grades, or only $37.97 for PreK-8th grade? One of the best features of <a href="https://schoolhouseteachers.com/dap/a/?a=2955&p=www.example.com/somepage.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SchoolhouseTeachers</a> is that it has helps for parents, streaming videos and world book access for families, and a truly helpful "<a href="https://schoolhouseteachers.com/dap/a/?a=2955&p=www.schoolhouseteachers.com/start-here/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Start Here</a>" section.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not sure homeschooling is really legal? It is - in ALL 50 states <i>and </i>Washington, D.C. You can do a quick web search for the requirements for your specific state in less than five minutes. That gives you a great perspective on what will be needed both to get started, and to follow through with homeschooling. </span><br />
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<a href="http://home-sweet-life.blogspot.com/2016/08/school-supply-lists-for-homeschoolers.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgjNjRLZRQ9tc2n8rP8XRLfckm49Jubi90kpaWDicxQKvEARcIlbfLgQprHoZ3nFfo61N8iTiwgfeaQ7UmwiUNTvLexVNcowslafXNR9bVGpkviaArs-kNzT31r2XIIIu9LzVdJ3WSJ8/s320/School+Supply+Lists.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And because I know your next question might be this one: what do I need to buy? I want to point you back to this ever popular post of ours about <a href="http://home-sweet-life.blogspot.com/2016/08/school-supply-lists-for-homeschoolers.html" target="_blank">school supply lists for homeschoolers</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Check it out, ask questions, and know I'll stand by you whatever educational option you choose for your children for this fall!</span><br />
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-79484281823409326222020-07-20T15:30:00.001-04:002020-07-20T15:30:19.525-04:00At Love's Command by Karen Witemeyer - a Bethany House book review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Karen Witemeyer's latest book, <i>At Love's Command</i>, is a historical romance set in Texas in 1893. Since my family took a trip out west when I was in 8th grade, I've always enjoyed reading about the landscape and people of the western half of the United States. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the things I have come to appreciate about Witemeyer's books over other authors in this genre is her inclusion of the hardest parts of western life. Not just the tough landscape, but the tough questions that people faced back then and are facing again today: Whose land is this? Are we better or worse with law enforcement, what are the challenges of seeking justice in a rugged and often unforgiving landscape? Must our future life (and happiness) be dictated by our past mistakes, or does forgiveness really change us?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>At Love's Command</i> focuses on Dr. Josephine Burkett, and a retired calvary officer, Matthew Hanger. Though these are fictional characters, the challenges and choices they face come right from the pages of history. Calvary life after the Civil War ended was challenging, and many soldiers then, as today, face a certain amount of PTSD as well as self doubt. Being a female doctor in what was considered a man's profession was an almost unsurmountable obstacle, yet, some women trudged through the bias and misunderstanding and forged the way for others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dr "Joe" and Matthew face challenges from within and without. Josephine is worried for her younger brother Charlie, who cannot seems to accept their father's direction and insistence he work for a living, instead of relying upon Dad to provide him with funds. She also wonders if part of Charlie's waywardness could be attributed to her leaving home and striking out for a new place to begin her medical practice, instead of trying to begin nearer to home. Texas is a big state, even with the use of trains it takes time to get home and back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Matthew and his group of Horsemen: Jonah Brooks, Luke Davenport - commonly called 'Preach', and Mark Wallace have decided to leave the calvary behind and work as guns for hire. Not in a traditional mercenary fashion, but in trying to use their refined skills to search out justice for the oppressed and a fair ending to disputes and cattle rustling. When Mark gets shot while on an assignment, the nearest town with help is a wide spot on the trail with a single Doctor: Dr Joe. Sparks of a different kind fly when Matthew, who is used to being in charge, must defer to Josephine's directions, and her rules.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The only good thing about reaching the end of this book is knowing that it is book one in the series, and more will follow! I read it twice. I found the characters well-developed, unique, and achingly human. I look forward to the second book in the Hanger's Horseman series. If you enjoy reading about less-than-perfect people as they learn about God's love and forgiveness, this one is sure to entertain and inspire you. You too will become friends with Dr Joe and the Horsemen, and will look forward to their further adventures.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I received a digital ARC of <i>At Love's Command</i> in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">P.S. Big thanks to Arlene for creating the graphic for this post.</span></div>
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-69307756726870185462020-07-07T19:18:00.001-04:002020-07-07T19:19:54.070-04:00A Gilded Lady by Elizabeth Camden - A Bethany House review <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTry-rAoiyXnISuDyWY6_E2FQJEsknRRvPNy93G96i9yANn2vkHXT76Iy5JTxio3u_ochfz9sKBaJp3lGWfX6OOJbfZkRXyecR6-q0NESnUxRfTuMaj9Q1-dY_2w0NCc3un0hDZ-Dll9M/s1200/Facebook+Post.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bethany House Publishers, Christian Fiction" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTry-rAoiyXnISuDyWY6_E2FQJEsknRRvPNy93G96i9yANn2vkHXT76Iy5JTxio3u_ochfz9sKBaJp3lGWfX6OOJbfZkRXyecR6-q0NESnUxRfTuMaj9Q1-dY_2w0NCc3un0hDZ-Dll9M/w500-h500/Facebook+Post.png" title="Home Sweet Life: A Gilded Lady book review" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Caroline Delacroix is a princess of Washington society. She knows all the right people and understands the ins and outs of social calls, elegant dinners, and how to not offend society matrons. Her skills are about to be put to the ultimate test as the personal secretary to Mrs. Ida McKinley, the reclusive wife of President William McKinley. It is the end of July, 1900, and King Umberto of Italy has just been assassinated. Caroline must help the First Lady navigate the correct protocols while paying her respects to the Italian Ambassador’s wife. Thankfully Caroline knows Italian, and puts an appropriate, if not 100% truthful, spin on the First Lady’s words.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nathaniel Trask has been working for the US Treasury Department tracking down counterfeiters and solving other crimes. Under his supervisor, John Wilkie head of the Secret Service, Nathaniel has just wrapped up an investigation in Boston when the news of King Umberto’s assassination hits. Against his wishes, Trask is assigned to the White House, in hopes that an actual plan for the President’s safety can be developed before similar threats arise in the US.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fans of Elizabeth Camden’s <i>The Spice King </i>will enjoy returning to the Delacroix family and the mystery that surrounds them in <i>A Gilded Lady</i>. Caroline is a free-spirited lady who wants to DO something more than just choose a husband and settle down. Her twin, Luke, is languishing in a Cuban prison, charged with treason. Caroline knows that something just is not right about Luke's arrest, but cannot figure out how to help her brother. Their older brother Gray is balancing the day to day operations of the family’s spice import business with a need to free Luke from prison.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">As Nathaniel and Caroline are forced to work together, sparks fly - but not always the romantic kind. Caroline looks for the fun in life, and admits to having a few bad habits. Nathaniel is straight laced, focused, and does not have time for nonsense like flowers and tea parties. In order for each of them to do their jobs well, they have to learn to work through their own pasts, and accept help from each other. Caroline must learn to appreciate the hard work of others, even if it feels like a wet blanket on the plans she is making to help Mrs. McKinley entertain Washington Society. The lessons Nathaniel has to learn are even harder: forgiveness, trust, and hope.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Gilded Lady. Since <i>The Spice King</i> was one of my favorite books from 2019, I had been eagerly awaiting book 2 in Camden’s <i>Hope and Glory</i> series. <i>A Gilded Lady</i> is thought-provoking, interesting, and filled with plot twists. Definitely a great book. Along the way I found myself searching the web to learn more about President and Mrs. McKinley, their transcontinental tour, and American life in 1901.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are a fan of Lynn Austin, Jennifer Delamere, Tamera Alexander or Jocelyn Green you will enjoy meeting the characters of Elizabeth Camden’s books. Their real-ness, faults, and small victories will both challenge and encourage you, while the well written storyline will keep you entertained. Just don’t start this book in the evening - you’ll have trouble putting it down and heading off to sleep!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet"; font-size: large;">I received an advance reader copy of <i>A Gilded Lady</i> from Bethany House Publishers. No other compensation was provided. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations. All opinions are my own.</span></span></div>
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Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-4603054542865563272020-06-25T12:28:00.003-04:002020-06-25T12:28:24.098-04:00Emotions<span style="font-size: large;">Our emotions are tricky things aren't they? One minute we're up, happy, moving forward, and then something happens and we're sad, stopped, leaning over the chasm of depression and wondering if we will fall in. Have you been on that roller coaster recently? I surely have.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">While it is possible to shut ourselves off from our emotional responses, build walls and keep other people at arm's length, that is NOT healthy. We need the ups and downs of our emotions to feel alive. We need the hope of turning our emotional burdens over to God to give us a way forward when we are feeling overwhelmed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Life isn't easy. Life is not always joy, rainbows, and unicorns. But life is precious, and we only have one chance to live it. I don't have all the answers to your struggles, but I know the God who does. I don't have all the answers to <i>my own</i> struggles, but Jesus promised that when I come to Him He will take my burdens and give me rest. He offers that same rest to you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whether you are laughing or crying, raging at the world or hiding under a blanket, God still sees you. He still offers His love and peace. He is holding out rest for your weary soul. Accept His gift.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'll be praying for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-70045013362932476232020-06-16T18:06:00.001-04:002020-06-16T18:06:19.078-04:00How<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="helvetica" size="5">Today I'm joining back up with one of my favorite groups, the <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2020/06/11/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-how/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday writers</a>. And yes, I am quite aware it is Tuesday - life is moving at a different pace around here ;)</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgI0tW_6qNSEZT0aCvf84mPC8y903i9X_aaudIOYrph6rBWLvb2mVWN8BURuGUrmOYXHqi1h5i_7n-wAP8uze-__yeHK0qqWzeS0CinJCDO-CCqbrCjUVkNdN_K9UXB7EgB-_vTf2l7pk/s1200/HOW+FMF.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgI0tW_6qNSEZT0aCvf84mPC8y903i9X_aaudIOYrph6rBWLvb2mVWN8BURuGUrmOYXHqi1h5i_7n-wAP8uze-__yeHK0qqWzeS0CinJCDO-CCqbrCjUVkNdN_K9UXB7EgB-_vTf2l7pk/w400-h400/HOW+FMF.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font size="5"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><font size="5">How do we write stories that show both the grit and the grace of everyday life? I have been taking an online writing course this spring from Leslie Leyland Fields. Each week we are encouraged to think about another element of writing our stories. It isn’t write, write, write, but rather think, think, investigate, think, write, refine, write some more. </font></span></p><p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><font size="5"><br /></font></span></p>
<p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><font size="5">This slower process has been good for me. It has reminded me that not everything needs written right now, and truly, maybe not every story even needs written at all. Through it all Leslie has encouraged and challenged us to not be afraid to write into the hard or difficult memories in our lives. Not everything I write needs to be shared - amazing, right?!? But for those things that I DO feel led to share, I want them to be the best they can. I want my writing to draw people into my story, the one where God is the center, where Jesus is the Savior, and where I keep listening day by day to hear where to go next.</font></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><font size="5">How we write and what we write can either encourage or discourage others. Right now our world, and our country in particular, is going through a lot of very, very hard things. Am I adding noise to the chaos, or am I offering a glimpse of peace, of healing, or restoration? I pray it is the latter.</font></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><font size="5">So I’m going to get back to writing, a little at a time, and see where this think, think, investigate, think, write, refine, write path takes me. To start with, I’m not going back very far. Just two and a half weeks or so. How soon will you read this story? I dunno.</font></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><font size="5">Two and a half weeks ago the girls and I were in a minor car accident. It is categorized as minor, no airbags deployed, none of us had to go to the hospital immediately, but the changes in my life and activities these past two weeks have been anything but minor. That is where I will start writing. I am praying that through writing into this difficult time I can offer hope, and peace in the midst of this crazy world. So check back next week. Maybe some words will have been through the refining process by then.</font></span></p>
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<p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><font size="5">How will I proceed? With much prayer.</font></span></p><p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><font size="5"><br /></font></span></p><p style="font-family: geneva; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><font size="5"><br /></font></span></p></div>Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-68152075889803849432020-05-09T05:30:00.000-04:002020-05-09T18:34:16.726-04:00Happy Mother's Day <br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Happy Mother's Day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know some of you are having a terrific day, and others are so disappointed or mad that they want to cry. Mother's Day runs the gamut from over the top joy and love to the depths of despair and sorrow. All of those options are on the table today. If you need to cry, go ahead and do it. If you want to dance and sing, that's okay too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After 22 years of motherhood I think I've lived all the possible options for the best and worst of attitudes and occurrences on Mother's Day. May I offer a suggestion? Stop being so hard on yourself, and your family. Motherhood is really hard, and vitally important. We will all have our up days, and those filled with struggles. Some days are a glorious struggle filled with laughter and smiles at the end. Other days seem like they'll never end and are full of heartache.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">God gave you those precious children for a reason. More than one reason actually. You are to teach them about God and Jesus' love and sacrifice. They are there to refine you and teach you about sacrifice and finding strength in God alone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mother's Day will be hard for a lot of people this year, what with travel restrictions, quarantines, and social distancing. Take time today to think about the blessing you have. Focus on the good you've found in motherhood. If you need some time alone today, take it. If your family makes a mess, leave it for tomorrow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today, work through whatever you need to with God's help. While today may not start out happy, you can find joy in God's presence, and peace. Go to Him and find strength for this really awesome, yet really tough job of motherhood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Consider yourself hugged Mama!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>You are loved.</i></span><br />
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-11757081840930936732020-04-25T10:31:00.004-04:002020-04-25T10:31:53.608-04:00time for reflection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Taking time for reflection or introspection is hard work. Some of my friends journal every day, others - not at all. I fall somewhere in the middle. Whether we think, pray, meditate, draw, create, journal or do something else entirely, we need to set aside time to reflect - and then adjust our lives if needed - regularly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few weeks ago our pastor said something like this: ‘don’t think you have to be broken to go to counseling, we all need counseling.’ I’ll add on that we are all in some measure cracked, broken, or unsure. Maybe you won’t feel compelled to go see a pastor or counsellor after your self-reflection time, but might you seek out a trusted friend and talk things through? We are meant to live in community, not in isolation. Is anyone else missing their in-person community during this time of social distancing to try to slow the speed of the corona virus, or is it just me?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few days ago I spent about an hour on the phone with a good friend. We were talking about the struggle to find a new normal, a routine of sorts to structure our days and weeks since our normal activities have been cancelled, postponed, or moved online. Our church has been really good about having regular facebook live events in addition to streaming our weekly services. This is helpful, but I miss seeing people and interacting face to face. I miss the presence of other people.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have you encountered something similar? A struggle to find your rhythm? I think that’s okay - even expected right now. Some days I wake up energized, ready to clean a closet or go outside and work in my garden. Other days I just want to curl up alone, with a book or a movie. My moods and aspirations change often. Your probably do too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am grounded through all of this by the knowledge that the same God who carried my grandparents through the 1918 influenza epidemic and the Great Depression is still here guiding me today.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we take time to reflect, we find different challenges on different levels. Some days all your reflection may prompt you to do is wash a load of laundry or bake some cookies. Other days you will dig deeper. Like when I got to 1 Corinthians 13 in my Bible reading earlier this month. I don’t want to be a noisy gong, be nothing, or gain nothing. That prompted me to take a deeper look at all the times recently when i have not been loving towards my family. I’ve been feeling a little off-centered since then. Good thing I’m a lump of clay that the Master Potter can re-center.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you’re feeling a little off-balance too, I encourage you to go to God and ask Hi to help you too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life is too short to not live it. Spend a little time reflecting on where you are today. Then ask God where He wants you to be.</span></span></div>
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-45368187264513013942020-04-16T12:08:00.002-04:002020-04-16T12:08:45.902-04:00At Home Nature Play<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUgJnA2RCODcDLJK4o2muWNojIba6IRr_ms9KR9AXziIK92nUtaWixKjg1yZfCd8vSkCBg3VZykri7jvxZivZyZEiAkXc3lZXB6r603TZdhWvDZ9l5hpJzTYaiyK8ahpz2crrBMCNJzg/s1600/At+Home+Nature+Play.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="nature play, stay at home, opt outdoors" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUgJnA2RCODcDLJK4o2muWNojIba6IRr_ms9KR9AXziIK92nUtaWixKjg1yZfCd8vSkCBg3VZykri7jvxZivZyZEiAkXc3lZXB6r603TZdhWvDZ9l5hpJzTYaiyK8ahpz2crrBMCNJzg/s640/At+Home+Nature+Play.png" title="Home Sweet Life, At Home Nature Play" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hi out there!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wish I could see all your smiling faces in person.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being separated from our friends and extended family really stinks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, Spring is slowly making its way to us. To encourage, and hopefully inspire you, I'm linking my monthly newspaper column about At-home Nature Play. I hope it gives you some ideas to implement, for yourself, and the kids.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.heraldbulletin.com/opinion/columns/on-nature-column-nature-play-while-stuck-at-home/article_8676d4ea-6f88-11ea-afeb-fb38968f0081.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Find the column here.</a></span><br />
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-59983553286952719662020-03-31T22:00:00.000-04:002020-04-01T10:10:27.838-04:00March 31, 2020<div style="font-family: Geneva; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bjH4J4dcVOR7r3fDStvJICHEOnulTkg-CBYsmclsg1sADCNK_QD1Jt1qAUIrsonkfp1OsepHY0xTntN_HULVuU8WQ6fiYVyaevRs6azURpa6ZV0OGXP72Qv3Ma8VaYa_aDB3KXDzZks/s1600/March+31%252C+2020.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="COVID19thoughts, encouragement, new normal" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bjH4J4dcVOR7r3fDStvJICHEOnulTkg-CBYsmclsg1sADCNK_QD1Jt1qAUIrsonkfp1OsepHY0xTntN_HULVuU8WQ6fiYVyaevRs6azURpa6ZV0OGXP72Qv3Ma8VaYa_aDB3KXDzZks/s640/March+31%252C+2020.png" title="Home Sweet Life, March 31" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">What if this is your new normal?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">What if whatever unusual situation you find yourself in today becomes your way of life for the next three months, or even the next three years?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Does that thought cause you dread, anxiety, or even grief? As Americans we have had it oh so good for oh so long that we might have, as a collective nation, forgotten what it is like to struggle for existence.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">If we were to take a look back in our history, we would find that our grandparents, and for some of us our great grandparents, knew exactly what it meant to sacrifice and struggle. They are now referred to as the Greatest Generation - those born from 1901-1924, those who grew up during the Great Depression and served and worked during WWII.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">For those of them that were children at the outset of WWI, I doubt they understood the sacrifices their families were making to send men off to war. They only knew what had happened in their short lifetimes, and that varied widely based upon where they lived and their economic status. Some had been in cities with a natural gas boom, or where cars were being seen as a new mode of transportation, not just a toy for the rich. Others lived in rural areas and life continued on as it had for the decades before they were born. This Great Generation grew up during a war, lived through the depression, and served in the following war.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">We are currently facing a war of a different kind: a war against a virus that threatens to undo our world’s economy, and for many of us, our current way of life. How do we explain this to our children? How do we even wrap our own minds around our change in circumstances from only a month ago? One day at a time - one prayer at a time. Our children know their own “normal” - what we need to help them understand is their new normal, as we navigate our own. Prayer is the first step, loving each other is the second.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">We do not know what the future will bring. Only God can see outside of linear time. In three weeks’ time will the curve of new cases be flattened, even gone? Or will it take three months or even a year before our lives attempt to return to what we used to think of as normal?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the midst of all this uncertainty, what are we to do? What should we be called to do? <i>Let us each start by doing our part. </i>Today in your home, or at work if your job has been labelled essential, let’s each do our part. Wash laundry, cook meals, stock groceries, care for the sick - whatever your part is in the fabric of our nation - go do it. <i>And do it well.</i> In Colossians 3:23 Paul admonished fellow believers “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">We are called to work heartily. Whether that is a third grader working to master long division or a CEO re-writing the budget so their employees are paid, work heartily. Work hard. Give it your best effort today, and again tomorrow. God is watching. He wants us to be a blessing to those around us and not a burden. One way to do that is by doing our part - without complaining.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Do the hard work of prayer. Your life, regardless of how it looks today, offers you the opportunity to pray for others. Instead of joining in the masses who are complaining about our elected officials doing too much or too little in this crisis - spend that time in prayer for them. Pray for your family, your neighbors, your local firemen, EMT’s, the Doctors and nurses at your local hospital. Pray for those who are still working at the grocery store or the gas station. Pray for those working at home, the unemployed, those in quarantine, those in the hospital. Then do the really hard work of praying for those who have lost a loved one to this virus. You have time to pray today - use it wisely.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">My final admonition for you today is to not give up hope! Looking back through history we see both good times and bad. They alternate. This too shall pass. There will be an eventual end to this virus and the havoc it is causing in our world. In Romans 5 we are reminded that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character, hope. Why? Because the Holy Spirit pours God’s love into our hearts. If this all sounds foreign to you, I encourage you to read the Gospel of John. You can read it for free on the Bible App on your phone, or at <a href="http://biblegateway.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">biblegateway.com</span></a> - then ask questions - get answers - meet Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">In just under two weeks we will celebrate Easter. Celebrate all Jesus has done for us. It does not matter what our new normal is. What matters is remembering all God has done for us - and that He has promised to never leave us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Easter is coming.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Work hard, celebrate with awe.</span></span></div>
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Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-44961819029847937632020-03-22T10:05:00.003-04:002020-04-28T18:43:16.679-04:00March 22, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">A fellow writer posted yesterday and asked us to share our stories. She asked us to share our coronavirus stories, that in doing so, we would read each others’ words and not feel so alone during this time of social isolation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">A week ago my boss asked us to practice social distancing - in an effort to keep people safe and healthy - without being socially distant.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #a64d79;">Catching a theme here? Yeah, me too.</span></i> So now, at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, I will write, and pray that God gives me the words to share what’s on my heart. Let’s begin shall we?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s early on Sunday, March 22nd, 2020 and I’m thinking back on this month. Just over three weeks ago I went to the NFL combine in Indianapolis. People were all around me, having fun, talking football, thinking of the future in rosy hues. It was a good day to be alive, spend time with friends, and to laugh at the snow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">On Tuesday, March 3rd, Our older daughter and I went to Fountain Square. An old neighborhood in Indianapolis that has seen a revitalization over the past 20 or so years. It is where my dad grew up in the 40’s and 50’s. We went duck pin bowling, bought chocolates, and browsed the vintage clothing shops. <i><span style="color: #741b47;">It was a windy but sunny day full of the promise of a coming spring. We laughed and danced.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">On Friday, March 6th I went to work as usual, and then the girls and I attended the opening of an art exhibit celebrating diversity and inclusion through art. The future still looked bright and free.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the following Monday, March 9th, my youngest daughter and I went to Indianapolis. We went to the Garfield Park Conservatory and photographed tropical flowers. Then we went to the City Market for a late lunch of NY style pizza. She had been wanting to go there for years, and since it was Spring Break, I made sure it happened. That afternoon marked our first real conversation about coronavirus (COVID-19) as we walked around downtown and talked about how we thought they would work to keep everyone safe for the Big 10 college basketball tournament. Later that week the tournament would be cancelled, along with every other major and minor sporting event across the US.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">On Wednesday, March 11th my mom came over for lunch. It was nothing unusual, just the girls, grandma, and me. We had wanted to see her, and get her expert advice on a knitting project Arlene was doing. My mom is 77 years old and in good health - a situation I try to never take for granted. I know many people younger than her who struggle with a host of health challenges.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thursday the 12th was a day for errands and grocery shopping. The lines were longer than usual. People were starting to talk a lot more about coronavirus - they were beginning to stock up -<i><span style="color: #741b47;"> there was a tension in the air. </span></i>The news from other countries was not good. People were getting infected and many were needing hospitalized. This was not just another round of seasonal flu. What would it be like here? This was the day the Big 10 tournament (and many others) was cancelled. Now it was getting real - affecting things close to home. The outlook was much less rosy than it had been just 4 days before. Had it only been four days (three really) since that Monday afternoon stroll around downtown Indianapolis?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I went to work on Friday, March 13th. Our regular solid cleaning routine had been ramped up even more. Not panic, just concern. We had less visitors than usual. I think the public was just waking up to the understanding that if the Big 10 tournament was cancelled, other things might be as well. At the end of the day we had an all-staff meeting. We found out that we would be closed to the public until at least the end of the month. There would be more details on Monday. Stay home tomorrow. I understood it - we are a museum. We let people learn through experiences - most of them hands-on. Earlier that afternoon we had heard that the Children’s Museum was closing. I, along with most of my co-workers, had figured we would not be far behind. It it was closed, and we hadn’t, we would have been inundated with children and they parents, way beyond even our normal capacity - and that would not have been good for the recommendation to keep a local distance to avoid spreading the virus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #741b47;">This past week at our house had been different, and yet not.</span></i> Our younger daughter was granted a second week of Spring Break wile her college figures out the logistics of switching to all online courses for the remained of the semester. Our older daughter had worked that weekend, worked again on Monday, had a shift cancelled, and then was told her employer would be closing - permanently.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having the three of us home mid-week was not that unusual, other than the news about the virus. You see, we spent 16 years as a homeschooling family, from the first day of Kindergarten, to the last day of high school. <span style="color: #741b47;">That has prepared us for a lot of this “new normal” we are in right now. </span>We know how to go for long walks in the woods each day to get our exercise, how to enjoy curling up with a good book, and how to bake up a storms’ worth of good treats.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #351c75;">But more importantly than all of that, we have faith in God and in Jesus Christ as our Savior. We know where to weather our storms.</span></i> Being a Christian does not make this storm easier, but it does make it possible to hold on to hope int he midst of it. We have hope because we know the One who holds our tomorrows. He is the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the end. He knows our future. The same God who created the universe and named the stars knows my name. I am His beloved child.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fear may be on a daily quest to try to undermine my peace, but it will not win. This peace I have has been hard-won and will not be surrendered. It has come as my faith has been tested and tried over and over again. I have been through the refiner’s fire over and over again - and I know that He is not done with me yet. There is still dross to remove. It is a life-long process, this refinement.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do not fear the future. I used to. Then I finally came to understand that wavering back and forth across the line between faith and fear is too exhausting. I had to decide to go all in and trust God with everything: my marriage, our kids, mu job, my very life. I had nothing to lose. I was in a dark and painful place. I knew I could not thrive there, I was barely surviving there! So I let it all go. I had been reading a book about healthy spirituality and this line stood out to me as though it had been written in neon lettering in the sky ‘ a person with nothing left to lose becomes the most powerful person on earth.’</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">What did I have to lose? Nothing of value. I could see my life that I thought I had control of crumbling around me each day. I surrendered. For the first time I truly meant it with my whole heart when I prayer “Whatever, Lord.” Whatever He wanted to give, or take, or do - it had to be better than what I had - which was nothing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">So where does that past surrender leave me today, in the midst of a global pandemic? Safely in the arms of my loving Heavenly Father. Hands up and open wide. I can now close my eyes, stretch out my hands, open my heart and connect with God in a deep and powerful way through the Holy Spirit that lives within me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we look tot he uncertain future we have many questions. Will the social distancing be enough to stop the spread? Will thousand more have to die, or will most recover? Will someone I know and love catch COVID-19, struggle to breathe, and possibly even die? I do not know any of these answers, but I do not need to. I know life had been hard, is hard, and will continue to be hard for many of my friends. Some of them know Jesus and have begun to receive His peace. Others do not know Him and have no peace, no real hope. I pray for them all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">My grandparents lived through WWI and WWII. They were a vastly different generation than what I see today. They might have worried, in fact I’m sure they did, but I think they did something that we lack today: they prayed. Then they trusted God to keep His word and they went on living, loving, and serving others. The trusted God to not forsake them, to give them comfort and hope. Perhaps they were made of sterner stuff than we are. They didn’t have google to answer all their questions - shoot - they’d only had the Dewey Decimal system for 35 years when WWI began. We struggle to imagine life without toilet paper, they struggled with not having food. <i><span style="color: #660000;">We want to be over-informed on what is happening across the globe, and anxiety runs rampant because of it.</span></i> They were under informed, and yet lived to tell us about it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">What lessons of faith did I learn from my grandparents that can help me during these challenging times? <i><span style="color: #741b47;">Perhaps they can help you too.</span></i> I learned that you can always, always pray the Lord’s prayer - that His will would be done. I learned that family is important, and we should be quick to forgive others. I learned that God can be trusted - no matter what!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I was 10 my grandfather died. My most vivid memory of that summer is from his funeral. During the eulogy, their pastor talked about how Dale trusted God. Someday, hopefully quite a ways into he future, I hope the same can be said of me at my passing, “Carol trusted God.”</span></span></div>
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-91793991607545785102020-03-17T11:30:00.000-04:002020-03-17T11:51:15.800-04:00Gardening 201- Winter Sowing<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This post originally aired on February 20, 2013. Since I've seen many of you on FB and IG talking about growing some of your own produce this year. I wanted to share it again.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You've chosen seeds, you have a great idea about where to put your garden...but what? It's only 11 degrees outside? (Or twenty, or forty.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Never fear, enter winter-sowing! We live in Indiana. Where most people don't get enough sunlight in the winter, <u>and</u> it can be really difficult to start seeds indoor without grow-lights. So what to do, what to do? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Last winter my friend introduced me to a great blog "A Garden for the House." Kevin has WAY more time than I have, for cooking, blogging, & gardening, but I love his advice on winter-sowing. You can go directly there from this link if you still have questions when I'm finished today: <a href="http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/category/gardening/winter-sowing/">http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/category/gardening/winter-sowing/</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The general idea is this: start your seeds outdoors, in little greenhouses made of recycled milk-jugs. Since it'll be too cold for anything to grow for a little while, they'll just sit and wait. Once it starts to warm up outside, your seeds will be all ready to go, you'll just need to keep an eye on when they need water.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuh3Fr14KoPyk1zXfWCIkj-xNvzRNkA4KD0VYG2ofUPZqo2hLPJ0iUByG2Q8f_hVgE4pZSAUumMxay-zxQ0zN4zseCWsPmFZqtRWG1VO4xwvyPNenmEMtfJVzpExyYZBaVxCP-Mi-BW4m/s1600/IMG_8158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuh3Fr14KoPyk1zXfWCIkj-xNvzRNkA4KD0VYG2ofUPZqo2hLPJ0iUByG2Q8f_hVgE4pZSAUumMxay-zxQ0zN4zseCWsPmFZqtRWG1VO4xwvyPNenmEMtfJVzpExyYZBaVxCP-Mi-BW4m/s320/IMG_8158.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's last year's lettuce on March 16th</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7883K1ysbRKSWxGmqB2ylfbFltT0fyigsml_blZR7p5typh_3rXCIkI2vKrBKP7JQiuhiOffzScNcM6g8xJyUkYGN_q7mPUBKkSdkqQP7C5SJtrZIxi9qelQljvARXw4pZq0bX26h3Eq/s1600/photo-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7883K1ysbRKSWxGmqB2ylfbFltT0fyigsml_blZR7p5typh_3rXCIkI2vKrBKP7JQiuhiOffzScNcM6g8xJyUkYGN_q7mPUBKkSdkqQP7C5SJtrZIxi9qelQljvARXw4pZq0bX26h3Eq/s320/photo-32.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By the end of March it was already big enough to eat! Our "frost-free" date here is May 1st, so we were WAY ahead of the game.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We did this for the first time last year and had the best tomato starts I have ever gotten from seeds. Short and stocky!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now I'm going to show you how I winter-sow. I do it a little differently than on agardenforthehouse, but it's just a few tweeks of my own.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSF0ghxhVEjJ0puUCzQMdTL3Mfm8iXOBvC_dOawkCCMH4NVgjk_QJchK8vAwM5f5z0_oAL0imwApc03FszpfySmKD7WuXpyC6MHrbYVvH3LkRl1cVt4utc5KwjS5pKZyjNE3VtXo-p-9P/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSF0ghxhVEjJ0puUCzQMdTL3Mfm8iXOBvC_dOawkCCMH4NVgjk_QJchK8vAwM5f5z0_oAL0imwApc03FszpfySmKD7WuXpyC6MHrbYVvH3LkRl1cVt4utc5KwjS5pKZyjNE3VtXo-p-9P/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First- save LOTS of empty (washed out) milk and OJ jugs! We had 28 so far, but I'll probably end up starting 40 mini greenhouses total this year, so I'll keep saving them!</span></td></tr>
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVm1_7VDf1P51Zg00dzRBogdcJI1p1dvwCAJKVzM_9i2wkS64a7UAudzfsrj_6dTjsueVQEcbeLsEcuPkA3JddRauwByKsIYZuj4JJNHywbK_6USgObYUu7o8RgEmZGSa3_-fYCMkRns3X/s1600/IMG_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVm1_7VDf1P51Zg00dzRBogdcJI1p1dvwCAJKVzM_9i2wkS64a7UAudzfsrj_6dTjsueVQEcbeLsEcuPkA3JddRauwByKsIYZuj4JJNHywbK_6USgObYUu7o8RgEmZGSa3_-fYCMkRns3X/s320/IMG_0034.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next up, gather your supplies: you'll need: jugs, a tray to pot on, some newspaper to catch your mess, seeds, potting soil, a BLACK sharpie, duck tape, a sturdy knife & kitchen scissors. An empty box to put down when you are cutting is a plus.</span><br />
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGP1gdSI15vBnziIhRnixYhLfukMvwatqSu8JFd0EhyST8AzsJP3hsJ4bHKu6baUJE-w-B_ZsbutdTABsfYXLtV094yuI4jbL_FOcaWZwXmZQP6gDQbYcG3UTihXM300YHc87gvp32XZJk/s1600/IMG_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGP1gdSI15vBnziIhRnixYhLfukMvwatqSu8JFd0EhyST8AzsJP3hsJ4bHKu6baUJE-w-B_ZsbutdTABsfYXLtV094yuI4jbL_FOcaWZwXmZQP6gDQbYcG3UTihXM300YHc87gvp32XZJk/s320/IMG_0036.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then, punch at least 4 drainage holes inthe bottom of each jug (do this first to ALL of them so you won't forget it!) I punch the knife in, and then twist it. It makes a hole about the size of a writing pen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After that, you'll need to use your sturdy knife to cut a slit in one side, I like to put it in the middle of a side that adjoins the handle. Do this step for several jugs at a time, them move to the next step.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM-7EI40c3lXqTVsH8SiHdJxCAFlsmsmFl93nG1maunOZd4F5pGxfW343-QuKPHOZeoFVtvgEll1KBquLOhIMEcygtpDzC5yKW88T7nxs8cKOZ1W1mXcC_fLvLogLE-Rv0_lEdk8b2MpQ/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM-7EI40c3lXqTVsH8SiHdJxCAFlsmsmFl93nG1maunOZd4F5pGxfW343-QuKPHOZeoFVtvgEll1KBquLOhIMEcygtpDzC5yKW88T7nxs8cKOZ1W1mXcC_fLvLogLE-Rv0_lEdk8b2MpQ/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmUH46aDX0aR-gUK3ZExbA98slq3hvB5_JnITctgwqSMu5SbwShc-Oi9yPsxGtsFKopbAGpuDhevQBDiwcWCW2Llx2XVMmW0iy2oX35CwGnaqUuE_1jH863M2TOZjb75mNn-UmndIkWAd/s1600/IMG_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmUH46aDX0aR-gUK3ZExbA98slq3hvB5_JnITctgwqSMu5SbwShc-Oi9yPsxGtsFKopbAGpuDhevQBDiwcWCW2Llx2XVMmW0iy2oX35CwGnaqUuE_1jH863M2TOZjb75mNn-UmndIkWAd/s320/IMG_0044.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The following step is to use your scissors to make the slit wrap around</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <b>all but the part under the handle, </b>this will be your hinge!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFoueskbKlw7St5rJ_tsXp6gSTue3Zrw1B78QgXwlyOKVIZr80uBieiw9C93K6M2v3sIZO-8YbY0AyVKp-igAqC8VFfaxjFpJNSEdYmtPrALRGbT5f1UW_eA-Xn87QKtJQBWv6m9A4wsV/s1600/IMG_0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFoueskbKlw7St5rJ_tsXp6gSTue3Zrw1B78QgXwlyOKVIZr80uBieiw9C93K6M2v3sIZO-8YbY0AyVKp-igAqC8VFfaxjFpJNSEdYmtPrALRGbT5f1UW_eA-Xn87QKtJQBWv6m9A4wsV/s320/IMG_0047.JPG" width="320" /></a>Now to the messy part. Mix up your potting soil nice and muddy. On days when the weather breaks, I do this outside in a 5 gallon bucket. But since it was 45 and windy, I did it inside in an old ice cream bucket.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaw_ztL0W-6FEy5qv1aZPD1NXBGM7v5wvuznvZqrRfVWdORyJwMe28qwZ1PcnftdpwmoCsdF5FTsw7yHouKSlg1iGueeO8R68zUzwv8xaQZgJITJpf4MFa8XHj7cwleXiw3KbsuesEXkZq/s1600/IMG_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaw_ztL0W-6FEy5qv1aZPD1NXBGM7v5wvuznvZqrRfVWdORyJwMe28qwZ1PcnftdpwmoCsdF5FTsw7yHouKSlg1iGueeO8R68zUzwv8xaQZgJITJpf4MFa8XHj7cwleXiw3KbsuesEXkZq/s320/IMG_0051.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now put soil in the bottom about 2-3" deep and plant your seeds according to the package. For small things like lettuce, you can plant a few dozen per jug. For plants you want to grow big and stocky (like tomatoes) limit yourself to 4 per jug. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Use your duck tape (whatever color you have on hand) to tape shut the two sides opposite the handle-hinge. Notice the drip-tray to catch (at least most of) the wet, soggy soil leaking out the drainage holes!</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPt_f0w_z_KPnYacXV948zi1_uhY0LTv3nojCabgg0J3uPNrpEq7pLlPyxhtx5OX2Zd0AWpwQKjHz73vEiItX8neILUSTtKljExXRnyEgvRynlZWp7cDCYBE03BLOuDIBz2topqXQVOPwD/s1600/IMG_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPt_f0w_z_KPnYacXV948zi1_uhY0LTv3nojCabgg0J3uPNrpEq7pLlPyxhtx5OX2Zd0AWpwQKjHz73vEiItX8neILUSTtKljExXRnyEgvRynlZWp7cDCYBE03BLOuDIBz2topqXQVOPwD/s320/IMG_0054.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">LABEL, LABEL, LABEL!</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Use a black sharpie (other colors fade too soon) and mark what you planted in each jug & the date you planted it. After all, those tomato plants are all going to look alike when they are still small!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Finally, put your jug greenhouses outside in your garden spot (whether it's ready yet or not!) </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Today I only started 10 greenhouses, but I didn't want to go dig in the garage for more potting soil, so the next time it's warm(er) out, I'll get a lot more started. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Don't be discouraged if you aren't ready for this because you don't have your seeds yet. It will still be helpful to start your plants in March or April the same way. I'm starting mine now for 2 main reasons: 1- I want fresh lettuce ASAP, & 2- I'll be doing a lot of these, so spreading them out makes it more enjoyable!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dreaming of fresh tomatoes!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">T<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">hanks to Arlene for being my photographer for the day!</span></span><br />
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-36750974517041329782020-03-14T05:30:00.000-04:002020-03-14T05:30:17.751-04:00And then there were none<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once there was a mom with two daughters. She homeschooled them and loved on them, and even made dinner pretty regularly. Her husband went to work, and came home to see what the girls had learned. She worked outside the home too, but a lot of the world didn't understand how that was possible. She wasn't too sure herself, but knew that she carried on by God's grace alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then one of those little girls grew up and went to college, then the other one did too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And now there were no little girls to homeschool. And the world changed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, really, the world didn't change that much, but the mom did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So many possibilities, so many struggles over, and new ones to come. It was time for a change in her life - but which change? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Perhaps you've deduced by now that the mom in our story is me - good for you! I dedicated 16 years of my life to homeschooling our daughters. My husband thinks I should be running out to get a full time job. He doesn't realize that I've had two full time jobs for 16 years, well, truly, three jobs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I feel a little like General Waverly in White Christmas. You know the part where Bing Crosby sings <i>"What do you do with a General, when he stops being a General?" </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What do you do with a homeschooling mom who is done and wants to change direction? I feel vastly under-qualified for many jobs I would love to have, and vastly over-qualified for many of the ones I see open to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I really enjoy my current job. As in I like it - a lot! But is that all I should be doing? Is my husband right? Am I being silly or selfish, or am I right where God wants me to be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I also want to write. But this book writing thing is a long-term commitment. And while I've gotten the first chapter out of my head and started on the second, I think I need a re-write because I'm not satisfied with the tone of my writing. Funny isn't it? I'm often able to re-write what others say, and make it clearer and more enjoyable to read, but I'm currently struggling with how to re-write my own words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It has been over a year since our youngest graduated. What comes next? Do I go back to school? Do I look for a writing job that pays now, but might put my book writing on hold? Do I look for a different day job that I might not love as much as my current one because it offers different benefits? I don't know. There are so many variables in this life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>There is one thing I do know - God is right here with me.</b></i> He can and will lead me where I need to go. I want to be attuned to His presence and His direction. I don't want to step ahead or fall behind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is something else - I know I want to make a difference in this world. So each day I ask Him to lead me to one person that I can point to Him. One person I can show God's love to. Some days He brings a lot more than just one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So now there are none left in our little homeschool. A few books to pass on, a few books to sell, and a lot of time to think. Funny how you struggle to find time to think when you're busy educating a child. Today I've thought a lot and not come up with any answers. Tonight I'll go back before the presence of my Heavenly Father, my Abba, Daddy in prayer and ask for direction. One step. That's all I need light for today, just the next step.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you're in the middle of a time of change - spend it in prayer. God won't leave you to drift aimlessly - He will direct your path - one step at a time.</span></div>
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-45957188775535480682020-03-13T05:30:00.000-04:002020-03-13T05:30:04.695-04:00After<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijejrgrArGFYrS8vhc13KadcGqFW5QMqjckdxIdDj-lp5QEQGhOtuuXDOMcd2hDALm6FEXhqia7gjxBzvT77QCVwoX9IyETpitKnUlDKjIFSHcVra-dxCeYtkE61s9QrIkMJKtUmzPVvY/s1600/After.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="life changes, contentment, trusting God" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijejrgrArGFYrS8vhc13KadcGqFW5QMqjckdxIdDj-lp5QEQGhOtuuXDOMcd2hDALm6FEXhqia7gjxBzvT77QCVwoX9IyETpitKnUlDKjIFSHcVra-dxCeYtkE61s9QrIkMJKtUmzPVvY/s640/After.png" title="Home Sweet Life, After" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>What happens after?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a movie is over</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a workday is completed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a child graduates</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a change in careers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a closed door</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a rejection letter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a frustrating conversation</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After an afternoon of sunshine </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After Spring arrives and flowers bloom</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">______________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is it wrong to be content where you are?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do other people misunderstand or underestimate you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is life filled with confusion?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do you know you are loved by God?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You are valuable, you are loved, you are a child of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What happens <i>after</i> is sometimes good and gentle and kind. At other times the thing that happens <i>after</i> is filled with hurt and confusion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We live our lives in a constant state of befores and afters. We choose how to respond to each change, each question, each questioning by others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We can choose to accept that we are loved by God, or we can choose to reject this truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Can I change the world? Maybe not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Can I change my corner of the world with His love? Definitely!</span></div>
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-43446201946229306742020-03-12T05:30:00.000-04:002020-03-12T05:30:00.969-04:00Plan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiM613UsbJijL3ZF2V01Zmh5qw0v3P-JmV6lVckyTpZts9M70anh_ZUc6E1Wh_S1nJEU7K7lO3j3mztayilwDLlEhvux3msqvcew02KRVK45BxtR0RwFapj734FpwkaXPltSHQLKk3ak/s1600/Plan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiM613UsbJijL3ZF2V01Zmh5qw0v3P-JmV6lVckyTpZts9M70anh_ZUc6E1Wh_S1nJEU7K7lO3j3mztayilwDLlEhvux3msqvcew02KRVK45BxtR0RwFapj734FpwkaXPltSHQLKk3ak/s640/Plan.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When you were younger, did you have a plan for your life?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How did that work out for you? Is life following your plan, or does God have a better plan for you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know life can be so difficult at times. I was thinking earlier today about how many people meet God during a mountaintop experience. I don't really know what that is like. God has always met me in the valleys of trials and refining. I'm not complaining, I'm just stating. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life gets complicated, and while it might be nice to have a mountaintop experience with God, I am so thankful for all those valleys He has led me through. I feel like I'm standing at another juncture. Do I go right or left? This valley or that one?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">God has a plan, I'm asking Him to reveal it to me, one step at a time. Trying to make my own plan is hard. Trusting God's plan is easier. If you're also at a juncture - let me encourage you to seek God's face. Ask Him for direction - to light up the next step so you can take it. Then ask Him for grace to accept whatever happens in that shift in your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My plans are small. God's plans are huge. I'm glad to be a small part of a huge plan. How about you?</span></div>
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-25939954444224789712020-03-11T18:46:00.002-04:002020-03-11T18:46:54.793-04:00Story<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtB7gi7OMcdNQsApEC6G3UgCfUMJEiQ2heN26D8SmFJPtiHvKyh-g0I47TUaKi1u5VQYlRMwC52XsE0T-cPqq1PoXaBQAD57dBDYyHfD1kUTWBtFwxGdVdnuLz4Jvpj10l5eruNCek4w/s1600/Story.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="freeform poetry, five minute writes, life" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtB7gi7OMcdNQsApEC6G3UgCfUMJEiQ2heN26D8SmFJPtiHvKyh-g0I47TUaKi1u5VQYlRMwC52XsE0T-cPqq1PoXaBQAD57dBDYyHfD1kUTWBtFwxGdVdnuLz4Jvpj10l5eruNCek4w/s400/Story.png" title="Home Sweet Life, Story" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is not lived along a line</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">from here to there</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It twists and turns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">goes up and down</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and all around the bends and berms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You stretch and reach</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">while others teach</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">how to get past roadblocks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and doors that are locked</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is not lived along a line</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">from here to there</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life travels cross the oceans wide</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">while emotions try to hide</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">your frustrations and desires</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You feel your breath escape</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">as mountains challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and valleys quake</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At times you wonder </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">where is there?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And can I ever reach it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is a journey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">that is sure </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to test you and to try</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But along the paths</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">you find some friends</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and joy is found again</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You do not wish for here or there</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">instead enjoying the in-betweens</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">where life is lived in full</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those twists and turns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">become your story</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">that leads another forward</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You become the one</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who offers hope</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of life with meaning</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">when words tell your story</span><br />
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-14620700149762661782020-03-03T12:13:00.001-05:002020-03-03T12:13:23.114-05:00Today<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am not willing to let this day slip away</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will not allow anyone besides God to define me</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will choose the path less taken, and find the wonder along the way. I will choose joy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love will come easily, smiles will come soften.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will remember that I am a child of God and that is where my worth comes from - not from material things or the opinions of others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I will be free, and find out who I really am.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I choose me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-80421879855091524862020-02-28T11:26:00.000-05:002020-02-28T11:26:01.171-05:00Lent<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many people think of Lent as a Catholic observance, if they think of it at all. Perhaps they only know it as that thing that happens after Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras. Lent has been observed in both Catholic and Protestant churches as a time of reflection and preparation before Easter. Most scholars agree that Lent in its traditional sense began around 325 A.D. after the Council of Nicea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most of today's Evangelical churches rarely observe Lent. I personally see it as more of an individual choice, because it is more about the inner workings of your Christian life than about the outward observation of the season before Easter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I grew up in a denominational church that observed Lent, but not as deeply as my friends who grew up Catholic did. It has left me with a unique perspective. While my Christian faith is much more about my daily walk with Jesus than about the outward show of religion, I find both comfort and challenge in the liturgy of church history and worship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What does it mean to me to observe Lent as a Protestant, and how might this become something beneficial to all of us? That's what I'm hoping to share today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Traditionally Lent is seen as the season of giving up: sweets, movies, bad habits and the like. But while these can be a positive step towards a deeper walk with God, if they only last for the 40 days/ six weeks of Lent what good are they to us? I prefer to look at Lent as a season to start something new and beneficial in my life. It is a time to create good habits that can continue long after the Easter Sunday celebration is over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What might Lent look like?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Making daily time to read my Bible - every single day, not just more days than not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Choosing to hand-write out a verse that God used to speak to me from that day's reading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Writing an encouraging note to a friend or a co-worker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Making the best choice for my lunch selection out of my available options.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Choosing to spend more time listening <i>to</i> my kids than talking <i>at</i> them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Taking a walk every evening and spending that time in prayer for others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These are just a few of the things I've done, or seen others do, during Lent in recent years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Right now a pretty popular Lenten practice is 40 bags in 40 days. It is the idea of purging out the things you don't need from your home and giving the ones that still have value to those in need. It sounds like a great idea to me. Can you imagine if you had 40 bags' less stuff in your home when it came time to clean the week before Easter?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since we've already been purging for the past two months, we might not come up with 40 bags' worth - but I think it's worth a try anyway. Getting rid of unused things and donating the good we find can remind us of Jesus' commands to love one another and care for those in need. As you clean you can thank God for His provision of what you truly need, and ask Him to bless those who will receive your extra: clothes, toys, books, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">The practice of Lent is about drawing closer to God, reflecting on His sacrifice through Jesus, and allowing Him to work in our hearts.</span></i> It's about letting God direct our paths for each day, whether that means volunteering more in your community, saying a kind word to a co-worker, or drinking more water to improve your health. It is something we do without drawing a lot of attention to ourselves, because it traditionally points to Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the wilderness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Lent is not about sorrow, but about trust.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Can you set aside a little extra time each day for the next six weeks for God? Will you prayerfully consider what He might be calling you to give up or begin as a way to draw closer to Him, to understand His will? If yes, then Lent sounds like a great time to start. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't spend this time worried about what you have not done in your life, but instead, focus on what Jesus has already done for you. Think about His mercy and forgiveness. Think about His grace and sacrifice on the cross for us. Ask God to help you follow His example of service to others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">For the next 40 days, and beyond:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Walk, <span style="color: #674ea7;">in His steps.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">1 Peter 2:21</span></div>
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<br />Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3645501457355893570.post-69522631264495570892020-02-27T05:30:00.000-05:002020-02-27T05:30:07.064-05:00Community - part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxz_TSO_o-0lyUVsr-0z-q45xtk1Qt38OPlsnlqGAnwv6O87KHxvjiSMaibkrgVQVJmW1uET_IY_XUhCGYhnfxsDuim8N4uuQArYlYi_PXgeNm33YAnPW4vKSK23kxyx7v4F2h86RirRc/s1600/Community.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="community involvement, definitions, childhood" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxz_TSO_o-0lyUVsr-0z-q45xtk1Qt38OPlsnlqGAnwv6O87KHxvjiSMaibkrgVQVJmW1uET_IY_XUhCGYhnfxsDuim8N4uuQArYlYi_PXgeNm33YAnPW4vKSK23kxyx7v4F2h86RirRc/s400/Community.png" title="Home Sweet Life, Community" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What first comes to mind when you hear the word community?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No really, I'll wait for you to think about it...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are you thinking of a beach-front community? You know, the way a realtor advertises a house or condo to make it more attractive by labeling it "part of a beach-front community."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or maybe you're thinking about that line you hear at church " a community of believers."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Something else?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What would you have thought when you were 10 or 12 years old? Would you have had any idea what to say if your Grandma asked you about a community?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our definitions in our head are often different than those in the dictionary. In high school I learned that this was the word's connotation (what we think of) instead of its denotation (what the dictionary says.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our ideas about a word (connotation), often change as we get older. Funny that. The dictionary definitions (denotations) often change over time too. Words that were used often 200 years ago are now labeled as archaic, or do not even get space in modern dictionaries. Many people would rather look at a website like Wikipedia than pull out an actual dictionary or encyclopedia. I'm not opposed to using either, but I'm more likely to put stock in what the book says over what the collective internet users say - shocking right?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My modern dictionary says this about community: <i>a group of people living in the same place or having a particular <span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">characteristic</span> <span apple_mouseover_highlight="1">in common</span></i></span><br />
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<span apple_mouseover_highlight="1"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My reprint of Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary said this:<i> a society of people having common rights and privileges, or common interests, civil, political, or ecclesiastical </i></span></span><br />
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<span apple_mouseover_highlight="1"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So which would you rather belong to, a beach front community, senior community, a gated or farm community? That's what the modern definition seems to imply. Community means living in the same place. Does that actually make a community? Maybe. But I think it often lacks a depth of closeness or relationships. </span></span><br />
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<span apple_mouseover_highlight="1"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've lived in several communities in my life, in regards to a physical place. But what I think we long for is the older </span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">definition: having common interests, common rights, having a place where we belong as a person, not just as a number.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been writing about community this past month for my book, and it has given me pause. We take so much for granted because we hurry through this life. Where is the community you MOST want to belong to?<i> Is it important enough for you to invest time into?</i> Do you give to your community or only take? How can we teach another generation about the importance of true community with deep relationships and real responsibilities when we don't live in community ourselves? You cannot teach what you do not know.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is time for us to step back and evaluate our communities, whether they be by geographical location or by common interests. How can we lift others up? How can we give back more than we take? How can we create and sustain healthy communities for ourselves and our families?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll be sharing some more thoughts about community as I work through it myself. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment and tell me something you appreciate about a community you belong to!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09381892464525017093noreply@blogger.com0