Happy Birthday America !!

Wishing you and yours a Happy & safe 4th of July !!!!

Summer Sweets ...

Summer here in the Northwest has come late... We are enjoying it.. but, not used to sweltering temperatures... Us Washingtonians are quite babied with the cooler temps. and rain... or snow. It was still snowing here late into Spring.

So what do we do to keep cool here?

Make lot's of strawberry lemonade !!!


Strawberry shortcake....


And swimming to beat the heat !!!

Hope you are enjoying your Summer & keeping cool !!!

A Family Affair

Washing the car becomes a family affair when it boiling hot outside. Beats the heat !!! Mr.Darling had fun with the hose, spraying the kids is the highlight of this family endeavor. He won't dare slash me.. I have the camera.. I am sure it crossed his mind though.

Yes, they are happy with this task. They're not ony working but having fun too !! Best of all they're staying cool.

So, next time you decide to wash the car... make it a family affair.. You will not be sorry !!!

Being Useful...

Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. Philem.11

Philemon is one of the shortest books in the Bible, yet tucked away is a sweet message on usefulness. Paul writes a letter to Philemon, a fellow believer, on behalf of Onesimus, a runaway slave. Paul has become friends with Onesimus through his conversion to Christianity. The slave desires to return to Philemon, but fears for his life, since runaways will be put to death. In Paul's letter he tells Philemon that Onesimus is now a brother in Christ and is no longer a possession. He goes to say that Onesimus, whose name means "useful" has been a huge help to him and wishes to return to be a useful servant to Philemon as well, asking to show kindness and to forgive Onesimus.

Does your heart cry out for Onesimus? He has changed!!

We all have run from God, rebelling against His authority, fearing punishment for our disobedience. God has saved me and has taken me into His household giving me a place to serve. Being useful impacts my life daily.

The Bible has a lot to say about usefulness.

My work is meaningful. [DO] something useful with [Your] own hands, that [You] may have something to share with those in need" Eph.4;28

Work isn't always something one does with their hands, yet Home Schooling is a definite hands-on profession. It is my overall job to make sure my children are receiving a wonderful education. I don't and am sure all home school Mama's don't earn a salary for this work, yet there are so many benefits that come to us as Home School teachers. Things that I wouldn't be able to do if I worked outside the home. We can bake together or bring goodies to a friend in need. We can help an elderly neighbor with his chores. The list goes on.

My faith is useful if it affects my actions: "Do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:20.

Turn that verse into a positive statement: "Faith that produces action is useful." This is one of the greatest benefits of home schooling... it is up close and personal. It will keep you on your knees before God.

The Bible is a useful tool: " All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,rebuking,correcting and training in righteousness" 2 Tim.3:16

This is what a home school teacher's job is all about. Teaching, correcting and training our children in righteousness. Only the word of God has life-changing power... all the lecturing in the world about letting go of bad habits or being a good person is useless without the Bible backing you up. It is our job to share and teach the word of God; He will do the rest.

I can be a valuable vessel: " In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and platters, but waste cans and compost buckets- some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to His guests for their blessing" 2 Tim. 2:20, 21

God has reshaped me into a vessel of pure silver and gold- one that cannot be broken. He has cleansed me, and now I am useful to Him. He is not ashamed to claim me as His own, I am not ashamed of myself either.

I have useful Faith: " And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith." 1 Cor.15:14

Because Christ was raised from the dead, our teaching and our faith are useful ( of value,helpful,worthy) The message of Christ is real; therefore, my faith rests on a rock-solid foundation. It is through faith that I am able to survive times of doubt and despair. In serving Christ our work, our actions, our words, our witnessing and our faith are all useful to God every day. He has brought that meaning and purpose in my life even the roughest of days. Don't think about running away !!!

Lord, show me everyday how to be useful in our school, towards our fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ and those around me who don't know you.

I am participating in Peggy's weekly Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

June 16, 2008

Outside my Window... the sun is about to come out in a few hours. I just can't sleep, so I am awake

I am thinking... I should go to bed right after I am finished here.

I am thankful for... My husband... always working so hard, leaving home to do it and sacraficing so much for his family.

From the kitchen... I can hear the icemaker spilling out ice cubes in the ice bin.

I am creating...The dolls I started last week...

I am going... to bed.. I promise !!!

I am wearing...Blue jean skirt, button up shirt.

I am reading...My daily Bible devotions

I am hoping... to finish what I start

I am hearing...The annoying sound of this computer buzzing.

Around the house...the kids are fast asleep, the doors are all locked and I'm a crazy woman staying up till wee hours in the morning.

One of my favorite things...Going to Thrift Shoppes

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Work on household chores, art work

Possible visit from my hubby's Cousin on Tuesday

My Son will be performing with his piano playing at our local retirment home.

Show & Tell Friday ( Vintage Tins & Buttons )

welcome to this weeks Show & Tell hosted by the lovely Kelli from

Theres No Place Like Home

For this weeks Show & Tell I am sharing a few of my old tin collection along with my great vintage button find !!!

I just adore these old vintage tins for their color and designs. I have only a few really old ones, then a few newer, still vintage tins. The three in the top picture is my favorites thus far.


Each is filled with buttons and notions.


The birds and flowers are so pleasing to the eye plus they go really well in my little studio. he he he.



The top left hand corner shows another really old tin as the other three are a bit newer. All my tins are from England except one from Denmark.



Did I say buttons ? Oh yes!!! Score!!! I got all these lovely yummies thrifting today !!! All so different and all vintage !!! I am also participating in a Blog-a-Thon called I Remember Laura hosted by Quill Cottage. We just shared a snippet about buttons... here is my post for this week here.




Stop by ... You can too participate in the fun.. who doesn't love Little House On The Prairie??? Thank You for stopping by this week. I look forward to visiting you... let me know that you stopped in by leaving a comment. Have a delightful weekend!!!