Rebecca's Hearth and Home...a place where one woman shares all that is nearest and dearest to her heart...her home, her family, life on the tallgrass prairie, and her love for her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Today is Earth Day. I'll be honest...I may be a naturalist (my title at work), but I'm not an environmentalist. I'm not even a huge fan of Earth Day...at least not the way most people in our world think about it...but, I am a huge fan of our earth's Creator (God, our Heavenly Father) and the natural world that He created for us to live in and enjoy, and, yes, I do believe that we each need to do our part to take care of it (don't litter, use our natural resources wisely, recycle, etc.)...so, in light of that and the scripture above...Happy Earth Day! 🌎
I was 8-years-old when the first Earth Day was celebrated back in 1970. Today marks it's 50th anniversary. For those that are interested, this page shares the history of Earth Day and includes a typical, fear-producing news clip of the day. Earth Day's message? "Act or die!" To view,clickHERE.
How do you and your family view Earth Day? What do you do, if anything, to celebrate?
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Good morning, Dear Ones! 💗 Happy Monday! I trust that you and yours had a lovely weekend and that you are up and at 'em, ready to start the day, and are serving the Lord with gladness on this beautiful April morning!
Purple Iris Blooming In Our Yard
We had a good week here. We accomplished a lot around the place and I went back to work on Friday and Saturday. The nature center and campground are still closed (and will be through May 3rd, at this point), but there are still things to do and work on.
The Nature Center in Happier Times
June 2019
It's strange being in the nature center now with the doors locked and the shades drawn. Will be so glad when things open up and we can unlock those doors. I miss meeting new people and talking with visitors! I awoke to...
... Thoughts of the day, gray skies, and rain.
What I'm thinking...
... about my dad and Uncle Melvin. Had he still been with us, today would have been my dad's 86th birthday; it is also the four-year anniversary of my Uncle Melvin's death. In life Dad and Uncle Melvin were so close; only eight days separated them in death. I love and miss them both! What characters they were!
Happy Birthday in heaven, Dad! I love you! 💗
Uncle Melvin (on left) and My Dad (on right)
What I'm thankful for...
... For the fact that my dad was my dad and for the years that I had with him. He was quite a guy! Not wealthy, nor well-educated, by the world's standards, but, in reality, he was one of the richest and smartest men that I've ever known. I am truly blessed to have been born his daughter. 💗 On the breakfast plate...
... maple and brown sugar oatmeal and a cup of hot tea
The weather...
... Right now it's 54 degrees and rainy, but the high today is supposed to reach 72 degrees. There are chances of rain throughout the day, but by late afternoon and into the evening it is supposed to be sunny and clear. The week ahead doesn't look bad at all! 🌞
This week's menu plan...
Monday - Ham, biscuits and gravy, and fried potatoes
Wednesday - Turkey Italian sausage, Sue Gregg's cheesy potatoes, and green beans
Thursday - Stuffed pepper casserole and brussel sprouts Friday - Broiled salmon, oven-roasted potatoes, and oven-roasted carrots
Saturday - Pasta, sauce, turkey meatballs, salad, and homemade French bread (freezer)
Sunday - Leftovers
On my 'to do' list...
Monday - Complete this post, my weekly 'home blessing', laundry, wash bedding, wash bedroom and bathroom curtains, wash bedroom and bathroom windows
Tuesday - Work outside; go through a packed tote or two
Wednesday - Deep clean kitchen
Thursday - Just take it easy...read, crochet, watch "Little House" reruns, etc.
Friday - Work
Saturday - Work
Sunday - Church
On my reading pile...
Bible Prayer by Kenneth E. Hagin (Bible Study Course) and Iditarod Dreams by Lew Freedman and Deedee Jonrowe (had misplaced this book for a while, but found it this past week) 😄
From the camera...
My husband and I took a hike on the prairie yesterday afternoon and everything was so lovely! We saw the bison herd and lots of early spring flowers.
Blue-Eyed Grass One of my favorites of the early spring flowers that grow on the tall-grass prairies of southwest Missouri. It's so pretty!
Scripture verse...
Well, Ladies, that's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a great week ahead! Stay close the Lord and stay in His Word!
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." And, oh, what a season we find ourselves in...individually, as families, as a nation, and as a global community.
As for the ultimate purpose in all of this, I won't pretend to know the mind of God, and I can't speak for anybody but myself, but I do know that God's Word is truth and His Word tells us that "...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purposes" (Romans 8:28), so I have to believe that, whatever His purposes are in all of this, I have to trust Him.
For many, these are tough times. Many are depressed and discouraged. For many, fear prevails where there is no faith and, sadly, where there is no faith, there is no hope.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
For those that are willing to receive Him, Jesus is there. He loves you. He died for you. If you don't know Him, ask Him into your heart. Ask Him to make Himself real to you today. If you want or need help in doing that, feel free to message me. I am here for you and I am praying over you right now.
Yes, "to every thing there is a season" but this, too, shall pass. Don't let this season that you find yourself in right now pass without making the most important decision of your life.
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Good afternoon, Dear Ladies! This has been a wild week and, as you've probably noticed, I've not kept up with posting as much as I should liked to have. To be honest, I've been completely distracted. I lost Tuesday altogether. At this point, I couldn't even tell you what happened that day, but yesterday was a day of increase and blessing in so many ways! I don't even know where to begin to tell you about it! To make a very long story extremely short, the stimulus check came in yesterday, as did my paycheck. We took what was left after tithe, added $1000.00 out of our emergency fund, and paid off the last of the credit card debt. As of late last night/early this morning, we are now 100% debt-free and we give all the glory to God! Despite our mistakes and failures along the way, God has remained faithful and He has seen us through to that very last payment. There's so much I could tell you about this, but I'll spare you the details, but I do want to say this to anyone who is in bondage to debt and wants to get out... #1 - Pay your tithe first and foremost, and don't do it begrudgingly. If you're not doing it out of a love for and in obedience to God, it doesn't matter anyway. I don't know if it's the right way to do it or not, but for us, we have always paid tithe on the gross amount of every penny that has ever come in since we first started tithing back in 1992. We look forward to tithing and know that, for us, it is the only way to go. #2 - Stay focused. Keep your end goal in mind at all times. If something comes up and you can't afford to pay as much extra this month as you did last...it's okay. Pay what you can. It all counts! # 3 - Stay consistent. No matter how long it takes just keep on keepin' on! Many times I've stated that we were "digging our way out of debt one teaspoonful at a time" and man! Was that ever the truth! This has been a 22-year-long journey...BUT, with God's help (His wisdom, His direction, and His guidance) we've made it! When I started my part-time job almost six years ago we were $18,000 in debt (credit cards and medical bills combined)...and, I know, to many, that is nothing...but...for us...that was a mountain of debt! Our income (even with the part-time job) was (and still is) very small. When I started my job, we didn't make enough to pay the minimums on our bills, let alone have extra for groceries, gas, and utilities...BUT...we have never missed a meal, been late on or missed a payment, or gone without ANYTHING! In the natural the numbers don't add up, but for the past six years I have worked, consistently, to pay $300 to $700 a month towards debt-freedom and, now, it's finally here! I'm telling you...it's all God! We've done our part and He's brought us through! Praise His holy name! #4 - Don't every give up. Even if you make mistakes along the way...and you will...don't let them get you down. You just jump right back up and get right back on track. You might have to back up a little bit to get back on track with where you were, but that's okay. In the end, it will be well worth it! I promise!!! There are so many more things that I could say about this, but I won't. If anyone has questions, though, or if I can be of encouragement or help to you in anyway, please, feel free to leave a comment below or email me at: proverbs31heart@yahoo.com. Be sure and put DEBT FREEDOM in the subject line so I don't overlook it or accidentally delete it. Okay... (deep sigh) So...all that happened yesterday. Then, on TOP of all that...our youngest son and his family came up and they brought me an early Mother's Day gift. A brand new computer with a lot of extras!
My Mother's Day Gift 2020
And there were other financial blessings that we hadn't figured into everything!
And... And... And...the list goes on! I was (and still am) completely overwhelmed! God's goodness is great; His blessings are many! I'm trying to imagine what it's going to be like when I sit down at the beginning of May to figure the budget and don't have to schedule that $300 to $700 payment that I've done for years. That will be the first month in 22 years that I do not have to write out a check for, or schedule, a credit card payment (or medical bill payment). Amazing! Anyway, I hope none of what I've said here appears haughty or prideful, because that is not how I feel and it's not what I want to convey. I want God to be glorified and I want to encourage others who may be where we've been. I want to let anyone who is in bondage to debt, and wants out, to know that there is hope! If we can do it...ANYBODY can do it! Sometimes it just takes a while. Stay strong and stay the course! You can do it! Until next time... ~Rebecca Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...
I've done it again! I just realized that April 12th has come and gone and I missed celebrating the 28th anniversary of God's deliverance from a four-pack-a-day cigarette habit! I know I've shared this testimony with you before, but it's definitely worth sharing again! It was April 11, 1992 and, like I said, I was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day. (I had been smoking since I was 15, and was 31 at that point.) I had tried to quit smoking many times, but couldn't. Even though we weren't doing a very good job of it, John and I had committed our lives to the Lord, and were serious about getting our lives, and our household, in line with His Word. (Needless to say, we are still working on it!)
On the evening of April 11, 1992 I was sitting in a chair in our bedroom reading my Bible. I heard a voice, just as clear as day, say, "Throw your cigarettes and lighters away and wait 24 hours."
I immediately gathered up my cigarettes (I had an open pack, an open carton, and an unopened carton) and my lighters and headed for the trashcan in the kitchen. John was in the living-room and, when he saw me, he said, "What are you doing?"
Anyone who knows my husband knows that he HATES cigarettes (always has), and he hated me smoking them, but he was skeptical. He knew how many times I had tried to quit smoking before and how often I had failed. He knew how awful my lungs were. Not only did I smoke like a chimney, but I had chemically burned the lining out of my lungs a few years earlier when I accidentally mixed sulfuric acid and Clorox together in an attempt to unclog a toilet. (I ended up in a hospital emergency room over than one!) After that I could hardly breathe most of the time and couldn't even blow up a balloon for my children to play with!
Anyway, I threw the cigarettes away and I waited. That 24-hour period was one of the longest, most horrific times of my life, and, to be honest, I didn't think I'd make it through it. Yet, somehow, I knew, that if I did, the Lord had something very special waiting for me on the other side.
Well, sure enough, the next night, on the evening of April 12 1992, I was sitting there reading my Bible. All of a sudden I had the most horrendous pain in my stomach. I looked up at the clock, and it was 11:00 p.m. I jumped up and had to get to the bathroom. I was in there until 4:00 a.m. My stomach hurt so bad! It wrenched in pain and I kept passing this black, tarry-like substance. When it was over, I knew that the Lord had, literally, cleaned me out! To this day, I've not been able to stand the thought of smoking another cigarette. I can't even stand the smell of one! It's been 28 years (and 2 days) and I STILL stand in awe of what the Lord did for me that night! It was a miracle! And, praise God! He is still in the miracle business today!!! Are you struggling with a cigarette addiction (or some other kind of addiction)? If so, I'd love to pray with you about it! Please, feel free to e-mail me privately at proverbs31heart@yahoo.com (please put PRAYER on the subject line so I don't delete it by mistake) and I will be happy to join you in prayer for deliverance from whatever it is that is holding you in bondage today. Be assured that the Lord is able! I've experienced it first hand! Blessed be the name of the Lord! And God bless YOU! Until next time... ~Rebecca Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...
Greetings, Dear Ones! 💗 I trust that, despite our current situation, that you and yours found ways to make the best of it and enjoyed an absolutely lovely Resurrection Weekend! I shared about Saturday's activities in Sunday's post, so will not reiterate all that, but yesterday was spent at home. We had church and worshiped online. Then, my cousin joined us for lunch. We ate and visited, watched movies, and visited some more. It was good to get together. How about you? How did you spend your Resurrection Sunday?
Lilacs
I awoke to...
... thoughts of the day and desire to get up and get started!
What I'm thinking...
... about how to build my Norwex business. I signed up as a consultant a year ago, and, although I love my Norwex products and am learning to use them regularly, I haven't done too much about building a business. To be honest, I just haven't had time, up until now, but, lately, I've had enough time at home to really be thinking about it and I'm starting to realize that this company was made for such a time as this! If anyone is interested in finding out more, here is a link to my Norwex site. Just click HERE. Here's an interesting video to watch that tells about Norwex's microfiber...which is amazing and I absolutely love... Amazing Clean With Only H2O - Click HERE. I would appreciate any input, insight, and support anyone might care to give. Thanks!
... for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for our president and the leadership that he is exhibiting in the midst of all that is going on in our nation right now, for family, friends, and God's provision.
Flowering Quince 2013
On the breakfast plate...
... maple and brown sugar oatmeal and a cup of hot tea
The weather...
... at present it is sunny, but cold. We are under a freeze warning until 10:00 this morning. At present it is 33 degrees; the week ahead looks chilly and, possibly, wet.
This week's menu plan...
Monday - Leftovers from yesterday's lunch (ham, deviled eggs, bean salad, coleslaw, and cobbler)
Wednesday - Turkey burgers, salad, and baked potatoes with cottage cheese
Thursday - Chicken pot pie and salad Friday - Broiled salmon, mashed potatoes, and brussel sprouts
Saturday - Dh's night to cook
Sunday - Leftovers
On my 'to do' list...
... spend time in God's Word and prayer
... spend quality time with my husband
... check in on, and visit with, friends and family members via telephone and video chats ... work on my blog ... work around the house (clean, organize, do laundry) ... spend time outside ... watch 'Little House' reruns and sermons online
... crochet (Christmas gifts for the grands)
... read ... rest ... relax
On my reading pile...
Bible Prayer by Kenneth E. Hagin (Bible Study Course)
From the camera...
Lilacs
Scripture verse...
Well, Ladies, that's it for this week! I pray that each and every one of you have a great week ahead! Stay close the Lord and stay in His Word!
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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