Show and Tell Friday: Fall decorations

Posted on September 28, 2007 by Barbara Harper

Kelli at There’s No Place Like Home hosts “Show and Tell Friday” asking “Do you have a something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, an antique find. Your show and tell can be old or new. Use your imagination and dig through those old boxes in your closet if you have to! Feel free to share pictures and if there’s a story behind your special something, that’s even better! If you would like to join in, all you have to do is post your “Show and Tell” on your blog, copy the post link, come over here and add it to Mr. Linky. Guidelines are here.“

Last week I showed a couple of fall door decorations. This week I put out most of the rest of my fall decorations. I don’t do a whole lot with fall decorating, partly because it’s a busy time of year, and partly because with all the pink I have around here, fall colors don’t really “go” very well. But I put a few out anyway because I love to bring the season in. None of these things was a major expense — they’ve just accumulated, a few dollars here and there over the years.

This is yet another door decoration. We don’t use this door, but it does face the driveway and we see it coming and going.

I don’t remember where I got these little bows, but they used to go on the double doors that I showed last week. Now one is on the mantle and one is on a window.

I took several shots of this with and without flash and couldn’t get it any clearer, but this is a little scarecrow, a couple of small bales of hay, and a stuffed pumpkin on the mantle in the family room.

By the way, that clock is in the shape of Idaho. My husband is from there and his pastor did woodworking for a hobby and made this for us. Maybe someday I’ll showcase that for a show and tell. 🙂

I usually only put a couple of little things on the windowsill, but I decided to group several things there this time. I like it.

Here’s a closer view of the left side…

…and the right side.

Close-ups:

A little Thomas Kinkade house.

I didn’t really set out to have a scarecrow theme, but that’s just what caught my eye over the years.

I love this figurine, the flurry of leaves and the label that says “Joy.”

I also love the little strand of leaves behind it — I love the fact that they’re fall colors, but muted and pinkish so they go with the rest of the room. I’d love to find more like that but haven’t been able to yet.

You can visit Kelli’s to see more show-and-tells or link to your own.

Have a great weekend!

Update: someone asked for more details about the figureine above with the little girls tossing leaves. It is from the Vintage Virtues collection by Kathy Killip for Demdaco.

Every possibility

Posted on September 27, 2007 by Barbara Harper

One of the ways my brain works is to run through almost every possible contingency related to a situation. That’s helpful, for instance, in traveling. Well, maybe not so helpful in that I tend to overpack based on all those possibilities, but it’s rare that I am without an item I need, and if I do forget something, it’s imprinted on my brain for next time.

That tendency is also helpful in our ladies ministry at church when, for instance, I noticed that in a college student gift bag we had assembled, the pointed ends of some loose pens were aimed right at some pudding cups. I could just imagine the recipient discovering a oozing pudding cup punctured by the pens during the jostling the gift bag would have taken en route. So I rearranged the package, also retrieving the soft Little Debbie snack cakes from underneath a heavier item and putting them on top.

When my children were little I had this amazing ability to foresee ways in which they could get hurt doing something. That could lend itself to obsessive over-protectiveness (and I’m sure my husband thought I probably did lean that way sometimes), but I think, kept in balance, it saved us all from a number of emergency room visits.

This tendency can cause problems, though, when it degenerates into excessive anxiety-producing “what if” thoughts. Sometimes what-if questions, like fear, can be helpful: for instance, if we’re crossing a busy street and fearful of being hit by a vehicle, we’ll watch the traffic lights, cross at the crosswalk, and be alert to where other vehicles are and what they’re doing. That fear goes too far, though, when it’s paralyzing, when we can’t even step into a clear street because a car might come upon us sooner than we think we can react.

And I have to confess I have made myself miserable, scared myself to death, and been nearly paralyzed at times by the multiplicity of what-if thoughts that my mind can produce. I have to “take every thought captive” (II Corinthians 10:5) and remind myself to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Yesterday as I was facing a situation that tends me make me anxious and nervous, I had been asking the Lord for peace and calmness when one of those stray what-if thoughts assaulted me. Normally I would think, “Oh no! I hadn’t thought of that!” And that little thought would run its course to its logical conclusion and perhaps trigger other what-if thoughts in the process before I could wrestle it down and give it to the Lord to take care of.

This time, though, almost immediately the thought came, “Well, that’s just one more thing to trust the Lord for.” It wonderfully short-circuited that little thought before it took off.

I think it was Hudson Taylor who said “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” When faced with a problem too big for us, a responsibility too heavy for us, a need too great for us, we can look for God’s intervention and help. And so with those tormenting little what-if thoughts, whatever the “what-if” is, even if it should come to pass, God is here, He knows about it, He allowed it for a reason and can bring good out of it, He can take care of it and provide the resources, wisdom, and grace to deal with it. And I can trust Him for all the possibilities.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. Psalm 94:19, NASB

Works-For-Me Wednesday: Making small fonts readable

Posted on September 26, 2007 by Barbara Harper

There are some blogs which have a font that is small in size, or the coloring of the text against the background makes it hard to read. I just recently read that you can make the print size bigger on a web site you’re reading by pressing Control and the key with the + and = on it. It’s helped me immensely!

That may be old news to more technologically savvy people out there, but it was new to me. 🙂

WFMW can be found most Wednesdays at Rocks In My Dryer.

The first WFMW of the month is usually a themed one, and Shannon has put a twist on the theme for next week: it will be Backwards Day. We’re to ask for specific tips in whatever area we have a question about or need help with instead of giving one. Should be interesting!

What do you love about your home?

Posted on September 25, 2007 by Barbara Harper

Karla’s Cottage is a blog new to me. I saw a link to it from ArtsyMama’s, telling about a “What do you love about your home?” party that Karla would be hosting today to celebrate being published in Romantic Country magazine. I loved perusing Karla’s lovely decorating featured on her blog, and looking around at just a few of the party entries, I’ve found a couple of new blogs to subscribe to already and have been inspired by the beauty and creativeness.

The link to the party post is here, and anyone who participates or comments is eligible for a drawing.

I have to admit there is a lot I don’t love about my home. When we found we would be moving here for my husband’s job, we made a whirlwind trip to look at houses and interview at Christian schools for my sons. This house was really the only one that had the space we needed. But after we got here, there were a few problems we hadn’t noticed when we first looked at the house. Plus we knew we wanted to change a lot of the wallpaper, paint, and carpeting, but that just takes time — both time to work on it plus time to spread out each project to be able to handle it financially. So there are things I have chafed about while trying to remind myself to be content with such things as I had. Over the past 9 1/2 years we’ve lived here, we’ve redone the living room, kitchen, family room (still a work in progress), one bathroom, and one of the boys’ bedrooms. There are still a few problems with the layout that we can’t change without mega-bucks and time and frustration, so it’s still my hope to move some day. But as far as the basic “look” inside goes, I am enjoying it a lot more and feel more at home in it.

This is our living room from different viewpoints:

If I had it to do over again, I think I’d mostly paint the walls and maybe have a rosy border along the top. But I do love the muted tones and colors, the roses on the wallpaper, in the pattern of the sofa and curtain fabric, and in the accessories. Overall it is a cozy room that I love to be in.

Here is the kitchen from the doorway between it and the living room:

I should have straightened that picture, eh?

This is the dining area:

This is taken from the far corner of the dining area showing the other side of the room:

As you can see, this room has a little bit more of a “country” feel to it. The previous owners had peach and blue wallpaper in this room with pink and blue diamond patterns on the floor. I don’t know why. It drove me crazy. 🙂 I was so glad when we could get rid of the peachy stuff. Again, if I were doing this over I think I’d stay with just the pink and white stripe all the way up — I think that would be a little less “busy.” But overall I do enjoy the look of it. This area is the one that is till the most problematic with the layout, kind of small and crowded with not enough cabinet space or room to have guests. We thought it looked cozy at first — the previous owners were retirees. But we weren’t thinking about having growing boys and their friends over through the years and family coming in from out of town, etc. But we’ve learned to make do.

This is our bedroom, which we haven’t redone yet. I hope you’ll overlook the pile of books there — I’ve finished them and need to send some to my mother-in-law, who reads as much or more than I do!

One thing I just love about this bedroom is the carpet with its bouquets of flowers:

When we do redo this room, I don’t know if I can let myself take this up, even though it’s discolored and worn in places.

This is our most recent project, the upstairs bathroom. We needed to replace the broken tile with a shower surround and ended up taking down the old wallpaper and painting (I say we — husband and two of three sons did):

I figured the menfolk needed a break from all the pink and florals, so this room is blue, tan, and beige with lighthouse accents. I just love the color of this paint. I wish I could remember the name of it so I could tell you!

One of my sisters made this:

I think those are all the rooms I’ll show — some are still a work in progress. 🙂 But I also wanted to show just a few of the little touches I love that help personalize a house and make it at home. Some of these have been gifts, some have been collected over the years, some have been made. Most I’ve mentioned in previous posts, so I’ll just show a representative photo with a link to the rest if you’re interested.

One of my most recent prints is this one, which my husband bought for me, the story of which I told about here :

This hangs in our family room (still a work in progress, which also has blue, tan, and beige colors). But abundantly more than the colors, I love the representation of the Good Shepherd finding His lost sheep.

I love pink roses and showed several of them here. Here are a couple of my favorites:

I also loved heart-shaped things. One of my favorites:

I found when we moved here I had several small houses: here are a couple of favorites:

Finally, I have been collecting Boyd’s Bears figurines for years. Most of them were given to me by my husband and my mom. Since my mom passed away almost two years ago, the ones she gave me are a special remembrance of her love. I posted some of my collection here, and then some from a division of Boyd’s figurines called Dollstones here. Here are a couple of favorites from those:

Thanks so much for coming by to visit. Enjoy the rest of Karla’s party, and always feel free to stop by any time!

(P.S. If you stop by for the party I’d love for you to leave a comment and let me know you were here. 🙂 )

Good reads and fun contests

Posted on September 24, 2007 by Barbara Harper

Anyone who has been a Christian for any thing length of time has struggled with some hard questions. Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer beautifully deals with some of these in Why I Believe.

Jeana at Days To Come has an excellent post on not making children share. I never thought of it in the way she presents it, but she’s right. Teaching children to respect other people’s property is as important as teaching sharing.

Karla at Karla’s Cottage is hosting a “What do you love about your home?” party on Tuesday, September 25.

Turkeyfeathers, one of my favorite craft sites, is sponsoring a Finish What You Have challenge.

Make Mine Pink has a short article conveying that the revived Victoria magazine will stay true to its roots. I am so glad!

There are several great give-aways going on. Deena at A Peek at My Bookshelf usually has a few book give-aways going on: here’s a round up of what she currently has going on. You can win a pink or blue ladies’ tool set at Multi-Tasking Moms. The 5 Minutes For Mom site has a whole round-up of give-aways and contests and bloggy happenings. And Shannon of Rocks In My Dryer and Works For Me Wednesday fame has started a new blog just for Bloggy Giveaways.

A late night drive…

Posted on September 24, 2007 by Barbara Harper

…amidst the deserted downtown streets, alone with my husband…

A romantic tête-à-tête? Returning from a date?

No — a trip to the ER. What fun!

Sometime in the last few years I’ve started having what they call SVTs — supraventricular tachycardia. My heart will suddenly start beating around 200 times a minute. When trying to describe it to my sister she asked if it wasn’t just a panic attack. No, it’s different — it presents distinctly on the EKG.

They say it is an electrical problem of the heart with signals going awry. In many cases, mine thankfully one of them, it’s not associated with any worse heart conditions (though they do check enzymes to make sure I haven’t had a heart attack when it happens). It’s happened enough to require an ER trip I think maybe 6 or so times in the last 8 years. The last time it happened was a year ago last April.

I’ve had to go off all caffeine and can’t take decongestants. I take a beta-blocker which is supposed to help, and does, I think. There are measures I can take at home if it starts up, like inhaling and then acting as if I am going to blow air back out, but not letting any escape. That has warded it off a few times.

But last night after I put Jesse to bed around 10:30 and came back downstairs to get something to drink, it started up as I was getting ice out of the tray. I tried the blowing thing, I laid down with my feet above my heart (another recommendation), I went into the bathroom (bearing down as if having a BM can help). After about an hour of taking turns trying these measures, I gave up and we went in to the ER. It was 11:30 by this time, and my husband usually has to get up at 5 a.m. to get to where he needs to be at work. I hated that he was going to have to be up the next few hours. The first few times this happened I felt more panicky. Now it is mainly an annoyance.

One thing about it, though — when you get to the ER with a heart rate of 187, they take you right back with no waiting. I asked if I could use the restroom before they hooked me up to everything (I always have to go at the most inconvenient times!), but they said they’d rather I didn’t — they’d rather take care of the heart thing first. So even though I’d been walking around my own home using the bathroom at my own discretion and under my own power for the last hour, I acquiesced (sigh!) I know they have to be concerned about a patient passing out with a lack of oxygen to the brain when this kind of thing is going on.

One of the nurses was a guy who looked to be about 16 who held up the little hospital gown for me to get into. Nuh-uh, fella, I’m not changing right in front of you! I didn’t say that, but I stepped over to the corner where a chair was and I guess he got the message, because he laid it down and left the room. The my husband helped me change.

So they got me all hooked up to the EKG, an iv, and oxygen and asked a ton of questions and then injected the iv with adenosine, and I felt really, really, really miserable for about 10 seconds or so. The adenosine causes the heart to “pause,” as the doctor put it, long enough to get the signals straight and “reset” the electrical rhythm back right. Then they had to monitor me for a while and make sure everything was stable. Then they sent me home.

It’s almost become routine now.

There is a type of surgery they can do where they go up through a blood vessel in your groin through to your heart (like they do with a heart catheterization) and somehow “zap” the little area that’s causing problems. The first time this happened, I was sent for follow-up to a heart doctor who specializes in electrical problems of the heart, had an echo done, etc., and he told about that surgery. But he said if this wasn’t happening very often, I could just wait. So that’s we’ve opted to do. Really the zapping part of the heart thing doesn’t bother me as much as having to lie flat on my back for hours afterward, which would be extremely uncomfortable for me, and not being able to get to a restroom. I have this almost phobia about being able to get to a restroom, and my body just doesn’t cooperate with bedpans. But since I have these SVTs less than once a year and don’t have any corresponding problems, they say it fine to wait.

I do have a follow-up visit with my doctor this week.

One thing about going in the direction of the hospital, though, is that a Krispy Kreme is on the route. Only once that I can remember have I ever gone out of my way specifically to get a donut there. And since we go up to the hospital or the doctors in the area fairly infrequently, it’s kind of a treat to get a donut there on the way back. Well, we discovered on our way back that they were open 24 hours. And this one has a drive-through! My husband said it seemed kind of ironic to be getting donuts after coming from the cardiac unit of the ER, with my hospital bracelet still on. But I guess you could say we made a date of it after all. 🙂

I got to sleep about 2:30, got up at 5 as usual, but went back to bed after Jesse got off to school until lunchtime.

I was wrestling with the whys of it. It just seems so inconvenient and such a waste of time when this happens. It’s not like there was an immediate spiritual benefit like witnessing to someone at the hospital. But then I reminded myself that inconvenient is better than traumatic, and a problem that can be taken care of in a few hours is better than a week of the flu or a longer term worse illness. I really don’t have anything to complain about.

I was glad that it happened when my husband was here. It has happened a couple of times before when he was away, which had been one of my fears. The Lord worked everything out each time with a friend taking me in and the kids being old enough by them to be home alone. But my husband is an excellent caretaker. 🙂

So, life is back to “normal” (whatever that is), hopefully for a very long time to come.

God’s rest

Posted on September 23, 2007 by Barbara Harper

This morning when I was posting the hymn below, I looked at Hebrews 4 about the rest that God gives. I felt at the time maybe I should post it, but refrained — I didn’t want to make two post right after each other. But that urging is till on my heart, so here it is. I pray that anyone reading who has not entered into His rest and ceased from trying to obtain it by their own works might find that blessed rest even today.

1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Safely Through Another Week

Posted on September 23, 2007 by Barbara Harper

By John Newton, 1774

Safely through another week God has brought us on our way;
Let us now a blessing seek, on th’approaching Sabbath day;
Day of all the week the best, emblem of eternal rest,
Day of all the week the best, emblem of eternal rest.

Mercies multiplied each hour through the week our praise demand;
Guarded by almighty power, fed and guided by His hand;
Though ungrateful we have been, only made returns of sin,
Though ungrateful we have been, only made returns of sin.

While we pray for pardoning grace, through the dear Redeemer’s Name,
Show Thy reconciled face, shine away our sin and shame;
From our worldly cares set free, may we rest this night with Thee,
From our worldly cares set free, may we rest this night with Thee.

Here we come Thy Name to praise, let us feel Thy presence near,
May Thy glory meet our eyes, while we in Thy house appear:
Here afford us, Lord, a taste of our everlasting feast,
Here afford us, Lord, a taste of our everlasting feast.

When the morn shall bid us rise, may we feel Thy presence near:
May Thy glory meet our eyes, when we in Thy house appear:
There afford us, Lord, a taste of our everlasting feast,
There afford us, Lord, a taste of our everlasting feast.

May Thy Gospel’s joyful sound conquer sinners, comfort saints;
May the fruits of grace abound, bring relief for all complaints;
Thus may all our Sabbaths prove till we join the church above,
Thus may all our Sabbaths prove till we join the church above!

Graphics courtesy of Creative Ladies Ministry Graphics

Fall Into Reading

Posted on September 22, 2007 by Barbara Harper

Katrina at Callapidder Days is hosting another Fall Into Reading challenge. She writes:

Because reading is a wonderful thing, and I like to do my part to share the love of reading with as many people as possible. But also because a challenge often gives me the motivation I need to read books I’ve been “meaning to read” or to finish books that I got half-way through and then abandoned. I use challenges as an opportunity to incorporate some variety into my reading (I tend to fall into reading ruts) and to try out new authors or new genres. My hope is that Fall Into Reading 2007 will give you the motivation and opportunity you need to reach your own reading goals.

Those reasons are exactly what I like about the challenge. If you’d like to participate, check the guidelines here. You’ll also find out there how to win an Amazon.com gift certificate! You can go here to link your post or find out what others are reading (I’ve started keeping a list of interesting things I see others reading).

My first two are non-fiction rolled over from my summer reading list:

Spirit of the Rainforest: A Yanomamo Shaman’s Story by Mark Ritchie, recommended by Jungle Mom.

In the Best Possible Light by Beneth Peters Jones, about Biblical femininity.

New books are:

Return to Me by Robin Lee Hatcher, about a prodigal daughter. I’ve seen this recommended by numbers of people and won a copy through Deena’s Pay It Forward Challenge at A Peek At My Bookshelf.

Simple Gifts by Lori Copeland.

The Parting, the first in a new series by Beverly Lewis, who is always good. Most, if not all of her stories are stem from her grandmother’s Amish heritage.

Just Beyond the Clouds by Karen Kingsbury, a sequel to A Thousand Tomorrows, continuing the story of Cody Gunner, dealing in this book with the care of his brother who has Down Syndrome.

Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon, a new novel about Father Tim of the Mitford series, due out in late October.

I also like to include at least one classic…I think this time it will be The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas pere. I was actually disappointed in his Three Musketeers and The Man In the Iron Mask, but I have heard good things about this one.

And, of course, there are my daily/weekly reads:

Queen of the Castle: 52 Weeks of Encouragement for the Uninspired, Domestically Challenged or Just Plain Tired Homemaker by Lynn Bowen Walker

Daily Light on the Daily Path compiled by the Samuel Bagster family

Wonderful Words by Stewart Custer

The Bible: Finishing Psalms, going on next to Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.

I may add more, depending on how I do with these. But these will keep me busy for a while.

Book Review: True Light

Posted on September 22, 2007 by Barbara Harper

I never used to read suspense novels, but once I was looking for Christian fiction my mom might read, and she liked suspense, so I looked in that category. It was then I first discovered Terri Blackstock through her Newpointe 911 series… and I was hooked. Not only were her stories suspenseful, but her characters were so real I felt I knew them, and the struggles they faced and the wrestlings they endured in their Christian lives were real as well.

I have to admit, though, that I wasn’t looking forward to the Restoration series, about a time when all the power in the world goes off all at once. And that had nothing to do with Terri — I knew the stories would be good. But it had to do with my knowing what an awful, miserable time I would have of it if such a thing really happened. I’m afraid I like my creature comforts all too well, and I knew I would encounter such attitudes by characters in the book. But because it was Terri, I bought the books.

I just finished True Light, the 3rd book in the series. The previous books dealt with the struggles with meeting basic needs through the main characters, the Branning family. This book primarily focuses on Mark Green, a friend of the family who has been distantly interested in their oldest daughter, Deni. Deni had been engaged to someone on the fast track to a career in Washington, DC, but through the changes she goes through and the difference in perspective she acquires as she matures, she breaks off the engagement in the last book. She and Mark are interested in each other, but cautious for various reasons.

Mark’s father and brothers were evil men, and many of the townspeople attribute to him the characteristics of his family, even though he has shown himself to be faithful, inventive, helpful and caring. When a young man is shot over a deer he just killed, every man who brought a deer home that morning is questioned. Mark happened to have been one of the men, and in many people’s minds that and his family associations convict him. The rest of the book deals primarily with his relationship with Deni, the prejudices against Mark, the greed of people, the strain on the police department with the increase in crime and lack of manpower, and Mark’s wrestlings with thoughts of revenge versus forgiveness toward the people who wrong him. There are some powerful sections as well as keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat sections. It gives one much to think about. I highly recommend this series!