I (Miss Antoinette) was reading my devotions this morning and felt the need to share what I read with my dear mother, which in turn we now wish to share with y’all as we feel this would be an encouragement to those who are in the same boat! It is from Oswald Chambers book “My Utmost for His Highest”.  I pray that the Lord would give you rest and comfort as you tread the rugged path in the strength of the Lord!

God bless:

Mark 6:45-52

“We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God’s purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end.

What is my dream of God’s purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. God is not working towards a particular finish; His end is the process – that I see Him walking on the waves, no shore in sight, no success, no goal, just the absolute certainty that it is all right because I see Him walking on the sea. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God.

God’s training is for now, not presently. His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future. We have nothing to do with the afterwards of obedience; we get wrong when we think of the afterwards. What men call training and preparation, God calls the end.

God’s end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious.”

Love in Christ,

What I thought would be neat is to every other week on Tuesdays to share a song that I love and that I find might be of encouragement to all our dear readers!  Some of these songs I share are also songs the rest of my family loves as well!  The reason I say “some” is because some members of our family do not care for certain types of music that I and my mother might enjoy!

So, to start off here is one hymn I find myself singing often:

He Leadeth Me

He leadeth me O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
by his own hand he leadeth me;
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
by waters still, o’er troubled sea,
still ’tis his hand that leadeth me.
(Refrain)

Lord, I would place my hand in thine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
(Refrain)

And when my task on earth is done,
when by thy grace the victory’s won,
e’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me.
(Refrain)

You can listen to the song below as well

I hope this song encourages you and blesses you as it has for me!  This verse in Psalm seems to fit perfectly:

“Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel,  and afterward you will receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

~Psalm 73: 23-26~

Love in Christ,

“If you were born female, you may as well embrace it with all your heart and live your femaleness to the full. To do anything less is to shortchange the destiny of your life!

________________________________________

…As you catch the vision to be the Enricher of your home, you will also be an…

Enabler – enabling your children to reach their full destiny.

Encourager – daily encouraging your husband and each one of your children for who they are and for the little things they do for you.

Endearer – endearing your family to one another.

Enhancer – enhancing the atmosphere of love and joy in your home, making it richer day by day.

Enlarger – enlarging your heart to embrace the poor and needy.

Enlightener – giving understanding and enlightenment of the ways of God to your children.

Enlivener – seeking to make your home alive with the presence of God.

Ennobler – making your children honorable and noble in all things.

Enthraller – enthralling your children with new ideas, creativity and the wonders of God’s creation.

Enthuser – enthusing your children to be ardent for God.

Entertainer – keeping your little children happy.

Enticer – enticing your children into the joy of prayer and reading God’s living Word.

Enveloper – wrapping your children around with protection and love.

Envisioner – giving vision and hope to each member of the family.

Energizer – releasing the spirit of work and creativity in the home.

Engraver – engraving the names of your children upon your heart in prayer. (Exodus 28:29-30)

Entreater – entreating your children to keep a straight course in the ways of God.”

-Nancy Campbell Quoted from AboveRubies.org

This, and more, is the calling of a Keeper of the Home.

This high calling cannot be accomplished by half-hearted women –

This calling takes total commitment and thoroughness. It cannot be accomplished through our own human strength –

This calling takes tenacity and resolve. It cannot be accomplished through our human knowledge –

This calling takes a thorough study of Scripture.  This calling takes women of faith, ladies of purpose, and daughters of vision.

Obsessed? Possibly.

Passionate? Absolutely!!

We need ladies that are passionate about their roles as women in the home.  Biblical Womanhood is not about cleaning bathrooms, feeding ten (or 20) kids and weeding our gardens and baking cookies (which is really not a bad thing to make! lol). Biblical Womanhood is a mindset, and the Scriptures have been given for our instruction on this subject.  As daughters and future Homemakers we must be committed to the study of the Scriptures. Our teenage and single years are only as productive and eternal as we make them, and unfortunately, most of us live these single years as though it were a curse to be rid of.  No, but sadly the truth, if we think this way then we know not the Scriptures.

“And his (or her) interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.”

1 Corinthians 7:34

We must care for the things of the Savior and as we dedicate our life to the Lord, we will be preparing ourselves to dedicate our life to our husband and children in the future. Our effectiveness to carry this out today will affect how we will respond in the future. The Christian life works like a beautiful circle – each phase of our life prepares for the next.

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Deuteronomy 11:18, 19

We cannot teach until we have first laid up His words and bound them upon our hearts (Prov. 6:21). We must study to know the doctrines of Christ, how we are to live our lives, and defend our faith and we must be doing this now. Here is a quote from Jonathon Edwards from one of his sermons on the importance of redeeming your time (I really like this one!):

“…time is very precious, because when it is past, it cannot be recovered. There are many things which men possess, which if they part with, they can obtain them again. If a man have parted with something which he had, not knowing the worth of it, or the need he should have of it; he often can regain it, at least with pains and cost. If a man have been overseen in a bargain, and have bartered away or sold something, and afterwards repents of it, he may often obtain a release, and recover what he had parted with. —But it is not so with respect to time. When once that is gone, it is gone forever; no pains, no cost will recover it. Though we repent ever so much that we let it pass, and did not improve it while we had it, it will be to no purpose. Every part of it is successively offered to us, that we may choose whether we will make it our own, or not. But there is no delay. It will not wait upon us to see whether or no we will comply with the offer. But if we refuse, it is immediately taken away, and never offered more. As to that part of time which is gone, however we have neglected to improve it, it is out of our possession and out of our reach.”

Time is always ticking, never to be gained ever again. What are we doing that is worthwhile? Are we cherishing each moment Christ has given us here on earth, or do we desire to do something else instead?  Let’s quote Mrs. Campbell again in her blessed words:

“If you were born female, you may as well embrace it with all your heart and live your femaleness to the full. To do anything less is to shortchange the destiny of your life! We must passionately and without reserve give ourselves over to Christ and the study to know Him. We don’t need someone crazy.

But one step short of crazy, what do you get? Passionate!”

Love and blessings in Christ our Lord,

Here is a sneak peek video about it, I cannot wait till we can watch it next year!!!  I a very excited about it!

You can also subscribe to their You Tube channel HERE or to their e-newsletters or their blog HERE!!!

Blessings,

These headbands are so very sweet, and very easy to make as it only took me about 30 min. to do it for my first try!  Miss Johanna is very clear in her instructions and  did a wonderful job!

I will be making many more of these for gifts!

Have any of my dear readers made any of these or have other fun ides or tutorials to share?

Blessings to y’all and have a great weekend,

Even though my dear mother does not sew, she knows when she finds some fabric that would make a lovely skirt or blouse that I (miss Antoinette) will be happy to make it for her!

We found a lovely giveaway through our dear friend’s blog “Country Hearts At Home” that “Warehouse Fabrics Inc.”

is having a giveaway!!!!

This lovely store is giving away a $50 shopping spree to the providential winner of this lovely giveaway, so head on over and make sure to enter this giveaway!  They have such lovely fabrics, it will be hard to spend only $50 if we win!

The first one we watched about a week ago for the second time was “Sergeant York” (click the title to see the trailer!) starring Gary Cooper and this one had to be one of our favorite movies! It is up their with “Gettysburg” and “Gods and Generals” it is so good!

Here is a short synopsis of the film:

“A stirring biography of World War I hero Alvin York, SERGEANT YORK features Gary Cooper in one of his most famous roles as a wild, hard-drinking young man from rural Tennessee who finds religion… A stirring biography of World War I hero Alvin York, SERGEANT YORK features Gary Cooper in one of his most famous roles as a wild, hard-drinking young man from rural Tennessee who finds religion and reforms after almost killing a man for revenge. Alvin becomes a pillar of his community; when the war breaks out, he refuses to defy the Bible and kill the enemy. However, after being drafted and put into combat, Alvin realizes that duty to his fellow soldiers and his country are important as well and succeeds in capturing more than 100 Germans almost single-handedly at the Battle of Argonne. A moving war drama that boasts an Academy Award-winning performance by Cooper, SERGEANT YORK is an affectionate look at a simpler time in U.S. history as well as an inspirational portrait of a true American hero.”

Another great movie around the same era, this time WW II is “Mrs. Miniver”

This movie has both action and romance in it, though my brothers thought it was ok (due to the romance and not enough action for their taste), my parents and I enjoyed it a lot!

Here is a synopsis of this film:

“It’s World War II. The Minivers, an otherwise happy and well adjusted English middle class family, must learn to live under daily bombardment by German planes. Mr. Miniver joins hundreds of boat owners summoned to Dunkirk to help evacuate British soldiers from the mainland. While he is gone, a downed German flyer seeks shelter in the Miniver home. Mrs. Miniver is one of the best Allied propaganda films of World War II. It shows how the British public reacted to German aerial bombardment during the Battle of Britain (August – October, 1940). President Roosevelt was so impressed with the final speech in this film that he ordered it printed onto leaflets and dropped over occupied Europe.”

The last film is one I enjoyed, but my brothers liked a lot called “Sink The Bismarck” which is based in WWII

“The English Navy faces some hard choices in the spring of 1941. An order for Prime Minister Winston Churchill “Sink the Bismarck at what ever the cost.” puts the Royal Navy on high alert. The Admiralty pulls in every ship it can muster and even takes ships from convoy and troop escort duty to follow the order of sinking the Bismarck. Based on actual events and featuring real combat film footage.”

I hope you and your family enjoy these great films as much as our family has!

Blessings in Christ,

PS. Sorry about Mrs. Miniver trailer, it was the only one I could find, and it is a little bit dark!

Here are a couple samples of my work

( you can also see more photos HERE and HERE!):

I am selling these lovely hankies for $20 and I make sure lots of love and care goes into each one!

So head on over to my Etsy Shop (which is also located on the side of our blog) and look around! if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I would be happy to answer!

Have a blessed Lord’s Day tomorrow!

Love in Christ,

(click the button to enter my blog!)

called my “365 Day Snap Shot Challenge” where I take a photo a day for a whole year!

Anyone is able to join in on the fun, and even if you cannot, still come and stop by to take a peek, I enjoy reading my readers comments!

I am also now selling note cards (I am not selling on Etsy yet) with the photos featured on my blog (meaning any photo you see on my blog), so if you are interested, send me an e-mail for more info. !  You can also contact me through my photography blog by scrolling to the bottom of the page to send me an e-mail!

Have a blessed weekend everyone!

Love in Christ,

The first is over at “Prairie Flower Farm” and you can enter the giveaway by clicking HERE!

She is giving away lots of really neat things so head on over to check it out!

The second is over at a wonderful new site new web-site called “Raising Homemakers”

and they are giving away the whole 10 DVD set of  the “Homestead Blessings” collection!!!!!

WOW, you cannot pass that one up!  I already have the whole set, but I know I could really bless one of my dear friends with them!   You can enter the giveaway HERE!!!

I would also encourage you to read the other posts on the site as it is very refreshing to read!

And last but not least a giveaway at “Homestead Revival” for a very useful family first aid kit!  Enter this giveaway HERE!