But, And....
A mishmash of thoughts and happenings:
My devotions this morning:
Well, Amen to that! Is there anyone you know who wouldn't agree with that, and that they feel like they're in the refining process?
BUT.
BUT there is good all around us as well.
Cub Sweetheart and I haven't killed each other, or even wanted to. We're using the time to go through old papers, and fill the shred bin. Doesn't that sound awful?
BUT.
BUT once we are in the middle of packing up this house we'll be glad we did it.
AND,
AND we're making sure to have some fun every day as well.
AND we're both reading. I'm reading my book on the government, and I have to admit I have a whole new appreciation for it, and our leaders. Whether I like them, voted for them, would vote for them now, etc. etc. etc. I appreciate the work they're doing.
AND I'm also reading the current copy of Magnolia Journal and if you are out and about at all, grab a copy. It's easily available at the drug store or grocery store, and Johanna Gaines' magazine is the most encouraging one out there I know of. Her articles are all about family and trying to live your best life, and who doesn't need to hear that right now. Her current issue has several great articles and after soaking in a hot bubble bath last night while reading them, I came out feeling refreshed and restored.
AND Cub Sweetheart is reading a really interesting book called The Indian Creek Chronicles, by Pete Fromm. given to him by our daughter for his recent birthday. It's the true story of a 20 year old man who agrees to live alone in a tent, through the winter in northern Idaho, guarding salmon eggs. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, it might for an older son or a husband stuck inside social distancing right now. CS says it's a great read.
AND I've been busy finishing up my Oliver the Pig knitting project, for a certain little granddaughter who has a birthday in late May. All he needs is one more sleeve, and a hood for his two pink ears to stick through, then I'll hug him goodbye and wrap him up. But before I do....
a knitting friend suggested I add a voice box inside him, and I'm going to do that! For $18.95 (on Amazon of course) I was able to get two, so I can make a 30 second recording and put it inside him. Isn't that a GREAT idea? It will mean doing some surgery on his backside, but I love the idea so much that it's worth the cutting into and reknitting back together.
AND, we've been practicing 'social distancing' with our grands here, but the other six, up in northern Idaho, are also stuck at home, so we've been trying to facetime with them much more regularly. Yesterday I heard a certain little someone could use some time and attention, so I called her.
Here are the photos of that experience:
AND we had the most hysterical talk, because she is of this generation and even at 7 years old, she was able to change her appearance on her mother's phone to an avatar with purple eyes. At one point she flipped the phone and her entire surroundings looked like a coloring book. And you can see what I looked like as I was trying to keep from getting nauseous because she's a wiggly one.
AND then I face timed with two of the others in Idaho. Here's how that went:
Who can have a conversation like this and not come away refreshed? The great thing about facetiming with little people is that they don't care what you look like, or what you even talk about, but that you let them talk. Ours are never, ever at a loss for words.
(Do you see that ear bud sticking out of her ear? Her brother is wearing the other one, on the other side of his head. That's teamwork!)
So I'd encourage you, if you are separated from family and loved ones, to call them up and even better, to skype or facetime or whatever else is out there to stay in touch.
AND last week I got to see our other grand give her new bearded dragon, Sir Arthur, a ride on their robot vacuum cleaner. It still makes me laugh every time I think back to the vacuum running into the wall, and the dragon just sitting there, looking around. I'm a bit scared of them, but can already see that they may be the best pet ever. You don't need to clean their cage, and they eat very minimally.
AND I remembered a great bread recipe I found years ago on Pioneer Woman's website called 'Pastor Ryan's Bloomin' Herb Bread. click on the link to get the recipe. It's made using a kitchenaid mixer, doesnt need to rise and turns out a loaf in a couple of hours, start to finish, at most. It's a solid, down to earth loaf to bread to eat with soup, but is also very good sliced for sandwiches. The last two times I was in the grocery store they had NO bread, but this would make fabulous grilled cheese sandwiches, or add it to soup for a hearty supper. That's what we're doing tonight, eating it alongside 15 bean soup I made in my instapot using THIS recipe. I usually throw some leftover ham or chicken or whatever I have into my soup to make it a bit more hearty, but you don't need to either. It's already very high in protein and fiber.
AND that's about what we're up to right now.
BUT I'll be back soon with another update.
Better yet, let your kids make the bread, and deliver it to your neighbors, especially if they're older. Throw in a can of hearty soup and it'll make a sweet gift right about now. It might just be the best part of someone's day, and this is a great time to teach kids to be compassionate, give forward, care about others more than themselves, recognize the needs out there. They may not be in school learning to read or do algebra, but there are so many wonderful things we can teach them right now. Baking bread and caring for our neighbors are both pretty great substitutes.
My devotions this morning:
The difficult circumstances in life and the times of waiting often refine, teach, and prepare us for the future responsibilities God has for us.
Well, Amen to that! Is there anyone you know who wouldn't agree with that, and that they feel like they're in the refining process?
BUT.
BUT there is good all around us as well.
Cub Sweetheart and I haven't killed each other, or even wanted to. We're using the time to go through old papers, and fill the shred bin. Doesn't that sound awful?
BUT.
BUT once we are in the middle of packing up this house we'll be glad we did it.
AND,
AND we're making sure to have some fun every day as well.
AND we're both reading. I'm reading my book on the government, and I have to admit I have a whole new appreciation for it, and our leaders. Whether I like them, voted for them, would vote for them now, etc. etc. etc. I appreciate the work they're doing.
AND I'm also reading the current copy of Magnolia Journal and if you are out and about at all, grab a copy. It's easily available at the drug store or grocery store, and Johanna Gaines' magazine is the most encouraging one out there I know of. Her articles are all about family and trying to live your best life, and who doesn't need to hear that right now. Her current issue has several great articles and after soaking in a hot bubble bath last night while reading them, I came out feeling refreshed and restored.
AND Cub Sweetheart is reading a really interesting book called The Indian Creek Chronicles, by Pete Fromm. given to him by our daughter for his recent birthday. It's the true story of a 20 year old man who agrees to live alone in a tent, through the winter in northern Idaho, guarding salmon eggs. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, it might for an older son or a husband stuck inside social distancing right now. CS says it's a great read.
AND I've been busy finishing up my Oliver the Pig knitting project, for a certain little granddaughter who has a birthday in late May. All he needs is one more sleeve, and a hood for his two pink ears to stick through, then I'll hug him goodbye and wrap him up. But before I do....
a knitting friend suggested I add a voice box inside him, and I'm going to do that! For $18.95 (on Amazon of course) I was able to get two, so I can make a 30 second recording and put it inside him. Isn't that a GREAT idea? It will mean doing some surgery on his backside, but I love the idea so much that it's worth the cutting into and reknitting back together.AND, we've been practicing 'social distancing' with our grands here, but the other six, up in northern Idaho, are also stuck at home, so we've been trying to facetime with them much more regularly. Yesterday I heard a certain little someone could use some time and attention, so I called her.
Here are the photos of that experience:
AND we had the most hysterical talk, because she is of this generation and even at 7 years old, she was able to change her appearance on her mother's phone to an avatar with purple eyes. At one point she flipped the phone and her entire surroundings looked like a coloring book. And you can see what I looked like as I was trying to keep from getting nauseous because she's a wiggly one.
AND then I face timed with two of the others in Idaho. Here's how that went:
Who can have a conversation like this and not come away refreshed? The great thing about facetiming with little people is that they don't care what you look like, or what you even talk about, but that you let them talk. Ours are never, ever at a loss for words.
(Do you see that ear bud sticking out of her ear? Her brother is wearing the other one, on the other side of his head. That's teamwork!)
So I'd encourage you, if you are separated from family and loved ones, to call them up and even better, to skype or facetime or whatever else is out there to stay in touch.
AND last week I got to see our other grand give her new bearded dragon, Sir Arthur, a ride on their robot vacuum cleaner. It still makes me laugh every time I think back to the vacuum running into the wall, and the dragon just sitting there, looking around. I'm a bit scared of them, but can already see that they may be the best pet ever. You don't need to clean their cage, and they eat very minimally.
AND I remembered a great bread recipe I found years ago on Pioneer Woman's website called 'Pastor Ryan's Bloomin' Herb Bread. click on the link to get the recipe. It's made using a kitchenaid mixer, doesnt need to rise and turns out a loaf in a couple of hours, start to finish, at most. It's a solid, down to earth loaf to bread to eat with soup, but is also very good sliced for sandwiches. The last two times I was in the grocery store they had NO bread, but this would make fabulous grilled cheese sandwiches, or add it to soup for a hearty supper. That's what we're doing tonight, eating it alongside 15 bean soup I made in my instapot using THIS recipe. I usually throw some leftover ham or chicken or whatever I have into my soup to make it a bit more hearty, but you don't need to either. It's already very high in protein and fiber.
AND that's about what we're up to right now.
BUT I'll be back soon with another update.
Better yet, let your kids make the bread, and deliver it to your neighbors, especially if they're older. Throw in a can of hearty soup and it'll make a sweet gift right about now. It might just be the best part of someone's day, and this is a great time to teach kids to be compassionate, give forward, care about others more than themselves, recognize the needs out there. They may not be in school learning to read or do algebra, but there are so many wonderful things we can teach them right now. Baking bread and caring for our neighbors are both pretty great substitutes.
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Vicki