Happy First Day Of Summer!

Good TUESDAY afternoon, dear friends! And HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER! I pray that this post finds you happy, healthy, and serving the Lord with gladness...praising Him in all things!

The past few days have been a blur! As already stated in an earlier post, Tony had his surgery on Friday. His finger is healing nicely, but he is still unable to bend it. He's afraid that it's locked up, but I'm sure that, as soon as the swelling goes out of it, it will be fine and he will regain the use of it. Please pray that I'm right about that.

Saturday afternoon the girls at the bank (where our son-in-law works) had a baby shower for Amber. She and Patrick's baby isn't due until the 8th of July, but the doctor believes that little Isaiah Andrew might arrive ahead of schedule. As of Friday, Amber was dilated to 1 1/2 and the doctor said she'd either see her again this week with the baby, or she'd see her for her regular appointment. It could go either way. This is grandbaby #10 for John and I and we are greatly looking forward to his arrival!

"But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting

upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's

children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that 

remember his commandments to do them" (Psalm 103:17-18).

Sunday, of course, was Father's Day. After church I put a loaf of French bread on to make in the bread machine for supper, then we took my dad out for lunch. After we got home the rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing. I was asleep on the couch when our son and his family dropped in to wish John a Happy Father's Day. For supper, it was my intent to make John a 'dish of the regular' (his favorite)...pasta and sauce. I'm not quite sure what happened, but, for the first time in my life! (John taught me to cook sauce when I was 11-years-old) I burnt the sauce!!! And I mean burnt it...and not just a little, either! I burnt it a lot! We ate some of it, but it tasted like Woody's Smokehouse BBQ-ed Sauce...if you can imagine that! It was awful! And we all felt sick after eating it. If I can avoid it, I never throw food out, but I had to throw this out. It was terrible! But the chickens enjoyed it! (At least I'm guessing they did. They ate it all up in a matter of minutes! LOL!) Oh, well! Like John said...that's not a bad track record...23 years of marriage and that's the first time I ever burnt the sauce! (But...on Father's Day? Arrghhh!) LOL!  Not good!

Monday was good. I didn't walk over the weekend and I was feeling it. Come Monday morning everything was back on track...diet, exercise, and school. Only a few more sessions and we are done with the 2010-2011 school year. Tony, nor I, either one, can wait. It's been a very long...very tedious year!

A funny thing happened while ago...I had just finished doing my daily Bible study and reading from my Nancy Campbell "100 Days of Praise" devotional. Today's entry was entitled 'Born To Look Up' and it was based on Psalm 5:3. Immediately afterwards, I checked my e-mail and I had a post from a person that I had never heard from before. Their ID really grabbed my attention! It was 'lookup_above'! Isn't it amazing how God can use the littlest things to get our attention and give us a second confirmation of what He's trying to get across to us? Incredible!

Well...that's all for now, Ladies! I hope that you all are having a nice day! Enjoy the longest day of the year to the fullest and I'll talk to you again soon! God bless!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Good Friday Evening! - 6/17/11

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

It's been a busy week! At the time of my last post I was awaiting our youngest daughter, Amanda, and her friend, Heather. They were going to visit Prairie State Park, kick around town a bit, then, eventually, end up here for the night...which they did!

We had a great visit and, over supper, I finally got to watch TANGLED! Now...that may not sound like a big deal, but it really is. My daughter...even though she's 25-years-old...loves any Disney princess movie. She and her husband saw TANGLED at the theater, and the night that they saw it she called me and made me promise not to watch it until we could watch it together. That wasn't a problem at all...until one of my 5-year-old granddaughters got it and wanted me to watch it with her. I can't tell you happy she was to find out that I had finally watched it with Aunt Amanda and am now free to watch it with her! LOL!

After watching TANGLED Amanda and Heather and I had an impromptu tea party. Here's a couple of pictures of us enjoying each other's company...

Heather, Rebecca, and Amanda

Over the course of the visit the girls and I enjoyed three different kinds of tea...rhubarb cream, blueberry vanilla cream, and Angel's Dream. I made a blueberry/cream cheese coffeecake for dessert. Yum!

The girls spent the night here and left before lunch the next morning. I don't know about them, but I had a lot of fun! It's been a long time since I've got to have 'girl time' with one of my daughters!

The rest of the day Thursday was spent doing school and preparing for our trip to Springfield today and Tony's surgery...which, by the way...went very well! The surgeon was sure that there would be tendon damage, but even she was surprised to find that there wasn't any! The BB was lodged under both tendons and was imbedded in the bone, but there was no damage to the tendons or the bone! The Lord's presence was evident on every front and His peace was upon us today. Please join us in praising the Lord for His awesome provision, His tender mercy, and His never-ending love and care!

Well, Ladies, I am going to close for now. We have another baby shower tomorrow and, of course, Sunday is Father's Day. Now that I'm past Tony's surgery, perhaps I can turn my attention elsewhere. Have a great evening and a beautiful and blessed weekend!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

In Times Of Trouble

St. Patty's Day is over and the company gone. As I settle myself down from a few days of silliness and fun, my thoughts now turn to the real issues of life...home, family, finances, etc. There's always so much going on that sometimes...most of the time, in fact...it's hard for me to even know where to begin with any of it. 

I get tickled...I read these gals on-line who seem to have it altogether and I'm sure a lot of them really do. I oftentimes, in them, see reflections of my younger self when I was more on top of everything and full of zeal. I seemed to have it altogether back then...but I really didn't! I probably had it more together then than I do today, but I was in a different season. Our children were all at home then, our parents were younger and still able to do everything for themselves, and it was just us...John and me and our children. It was easy. We prayed together and struggled and, somehow, with the Lord's help and guidance, we worked it out and we made it.

But now we're in a different season...we're older (with age comes a whole new set of problems), most of our children are married and have families of their own (now we worry about their problems....aging parents, financial responsibilities and difficulties, job changes, health issues of their own, the list goes on and on) and we still have our own issues to contend with...financial struggles, trying to finish up the education of the last of six children (which school has been almost impossible to keep up with lately), elderly parents and other family members that need the kind of help that we simply are not able to give (and with that, of course, comes guilt), and the list goes on and on.

Then, you add to that all that's going on in the world around us...wars, famine, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, the threat of nuclear meltdowns...

Where does it stop? Can't we get off this crazy merry-go-round yet?

The answer is, no! The truth is...it doesn't stop! Life goes on and, contrary to popular theory, things are NOT evolving and getting better! This old world is slowing down and decaying...and it's going to continue the decaying process until the one constant in our lives...the one thing that, no matter how crazy life gets, always stays the same...comes...and that is Jesus Christ!

No matter how crazy life gets, it is to Jesus we must cling, for besides Him there is no other. He is THE Way...our rock, our shield, our buckler, our help in times of trouble, and it is to Him that we must run to and cling to...in good times and in bad.

Troubles? Yes! We all have them. Answers? No! Not always. But Jesus? YES! ALWAYS! Always the same...YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER!

Do you know Him?


"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, be the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and the kingdom against kingdom: and tehre shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:6-8).


"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).


"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8). 

If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour...if you've never had that personal relationship with Him and would like to...it's not too late. Ask Him into your heart today, then commit your life to following Him and the teachings of His Holy Word. If you need more information, help, or someone to pray with you, feel free to e-mail me proverbs31heart@yahoo.com. I am here and I am praying for you even as I write this. In Jesus' name...

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Good TUESDAY Morning - 2/22/11

It's hard to believe that it's only been a year since our son-in-law's father, Fred, passed away. So many things have happened since then. My husband and I have lost three very special, very close uncles, a grandchild has been born to us, another is in heaven, we have had ups and downs, gains and losses, joys and sorrows. Through it all God has been there. During the times of sorrow His love has sustained us. During the times of joy His presence has moved us to even greater depths of love and appreciation for those He has put in our lives and bound us to in His infinite wisdom.

So often, especially in times of trial and testing, we question the Lord. We ask, "Why is this happening to me?" "Why is this happening in our family?" Over and over again we question the Lord, doubting His promises and even His very presence in our lives.

But, you know, it is through these hard times that we grow. It is in these 'hard times' that we go running into the arms of our Heavenly Father and they move us ever closer to Him. It is in these 'hard times' that we seek Him out and commune deeply with Him, because it is in these hard times that no one else can ever truly know and understand what we are going through deep down in our hearts and spirits. God can because He is our creator and we are created in His image. God, and God alone, knows us better than anybody on this face of this earth ever could or will.

If you are going through hard times right now...physically, financially, spiritually...if your marriage is in trouble, or if you have suffered loss and are having a hard time healing...keep this thought in mind...

God knows what you're going through...and He cares!


"For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jeremiah 29:11). 

If you are questioning God and His infinite wisdom concerning the place you find yourself in today, consider these words of the Psalmist...

"Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word" (Psalm 119:67).

"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn they statutes" (Psalm 119:71).


"I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" (Psalm 119:75).

Instead of asking negative questions that lead to self-pity and the undermining of our faith in God, why not try a new thing? Why not ask positive questions of the Lord?

"Lord, what are you trying to show me in this situation?" "What are you saying to me, Lord?" "What are trying to tell me through these current circumstances?"

Then...take time to listen to His answer.

"Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?" (Jeremiah 23:35)

Good MONDAY Morning 2/21/11

It's a rainy Monday morning here in southwest Missouri, but I am thankful for another day to enjoy God's many blessings and be a part of His wondrous creation! Thank You, Lord, for all that You have given us!

After a weekend of preparation I am off to a good start with Inspired To Action's "Maximize Your Mornings" e-book. I read through it over the weekend and filled in my blanks, shared my goals with a friend (who also happens to be my accountability partner), and was up and at 'em this morning and, thus far, am making progress. Praise the Lord!

One of the coolest things that happened during the course of the weekend was, as I was reading "Maximize Your Mornings" Kat was talking about listening to praise music. Well, as anyone who knows me knows, I am always the last person to get any kind of new electronic device, because, generally, other than my computer and cell phone, I have no use for them, and, also as anyone who knows us knows, our house is so small that there is no privacy. I was thinking that if I turned praise music on at 5:30...6:00 in the morning, my son would be up in no time and my private time with the Lord would be over. This made me wonder about the value of owning an mp3 player.Yesterday afternoon I was looking them up on-line (not that I had the money to buy one, because I didn't, but just out of curiosity to see what they were all about and how much one would cost), when, lo! And behold! IN THE COURSE OF LOOKING THEM UP the Lord opened a door and within minutes I had an mp3 player in my hand! Unbelievable! I had no more conceived the idea about checking into one of the things and there it was! Is the Lord and His ways not simply amazing?

So, with that, I started my morning this morning with praise and worship using my very own, new-to-me mp3 player with music that I downloaded last night, and am off to a fresh start to my week! In addition to "Maximize Your Mornings" I am currently going through Darlene Schact's Study of Ruth and am reading daily from Nancy Campbell's "100 Days of Blessing". Both of these resources have proven to be a real blessing as and I am extremely thankful for both of these beautiful women of God!

Well, that's it for now. You all have a wonderful day and I'll talk to you again soon! God bless all here!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Good Morning, Dear Friends,

This past week has been a long one full of stress (both good and bad) and I can't help but feel rather anxious about it all at times.

Fortunately, though I struggle constantly with not knowing what to do about, or how to handle, one situation or another, I know the One Who does...the One who will lead, guide, and direct my path if I will only settle down and allow Him to do it. Unfortunately, at times, this becomes rather difficult for me and it's my own doing. Things happen and instead of immediately running to the Word and the safety and protection of my Heavenly Father's arms, I start stressing and worrying over things in the natural which I have no control. In doing so, I only give place to the devil and, in no time, my whole world is out of control.

While I don't have many of those "older women" that Titus 2 talks about in real life I am so very thankful for all the lovely sites for women that I have found over the years and for the comfort that they have provided in times of trouble. Time Warp Wife, Holy Experience, and Above Rubies especially have all lent comfort to my troubled soul in recent days as they continually calm my spirit and point me toward the One Who gave Himself for me...the One Who has already paid the price...the One Who loves me so. If it weren't for JESUS where would I be?

In the days ahead it is my goal to cling ever tighter to my Saviour...to stay in His Word...and to trust Him at every turn. In recent days we've had some real eye-opening experiences as to just how scary...how fragile...this life really is. It is what I do (the choices I make) TODAY that matters and THAT in accordance to God's Holy Word...NOT according to the world's standard.

The Lord...HE is my refuge and my strength...a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1) and it is upon Him I will depend!

I pray that each and every one of you all have a wonderful weekend full of God's many blessings!

In Him and With All My Love,
~Rebecca

Monday, July 5, 2010

Have been blessed with corn and cucumbers. Am getting ready to put the corn in the freezer and am thinking I might just pickle those cucumbers. Am drying herbs today, too.

Cool Food On A Hot Day

Hot! Hot! HOT! Just made a HUGE fruit salad and a double batch of strawberry frozen yogurt. Am going to make a double batch of banana oat-bran muffins and grill some chicken tenders, then call it a day in the kitchen. Will freeze some of the muffins and save the rest for snacks tonight and breakfast tomorrow. Will serve chicken ranch salad for supper tonight.