Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Perfect Retreat...


     A soft, well-loved pillow, a simple quilt to wrap oneself in, or a just-picked handful of Daisies-- these are some of the memories that stand out from my childhood, memories that evoke the feelings of warmth, comfort, and happiness. More and more, I find myself trying to bring those pleasures back into my daily life. Though we all strive to improve our lives, Mike & I are finding that bigger, faster, or more expensive is not always better. Unpretentious living seems to give the greatest satisfction to those of us who are "romantics." 

To that end, we celebrate the Cottage Style of our Home. It is a style of decorating that speaks of simple needs, cozy feelings, honest values, and the love of nature.   Cottage style is planted in our family's memories from the Fairy Tales of our childhood -- the perfect retreat that we long to re-create in our Home. We hope that in reading our posts and visiting our blog, the readers will discover the reason that we snuggle into this style, and why we would not trade our small dwelling spaces for a palace in Versailles.


I think of Blue Willow Cottage as a place of Retreat... where the bustle, hustle, and stress of life is set aside so that we are able to slow down for the evening to enjoy the memorable times in our lives.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

A Key to Life...


Attitude
Is more important than the past,
Than education,Than money, than circumstance,
Than what other people think, or do.
Attitude is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.
Attitude will make or break a company, a church, or a home.
The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude
We will embrace for that day.
We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change  the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our Attitude.
Philipians 2:1-11

Friday, January 27, 2012

The Victory


"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world,
and this is the Victory that has overcome the world---

 our Faith."---------------- I John 5:4

Billy twisted his ankle,
Blaine wraps it for him.

I am watching our world’s moral conscience decay, and am saddened by what I see. Since we do not have television in our home, Mike & I listen to the Radio quite a bit. It would seem that there are no longer moral absolutes in this great Country. Sins are deemed neutral acts, and "civil rights."

I am so glad that the LORD has promised us the power to overcome. The enticements of this world – riches, promiscuity, gossip, alcohol, drugs, abortion, etc. – completely turn me off. For our childrens’ sake, we must speak out and identify sin as sin, no matter how ‘beautiful’ its wrappings. The enemy will continue to try to deceive our children and others by his lies, but the Word of God is alive and sharp. The standard of the LORD will helps us to overcome the world. ...................................................Are you an Overcomer?


Dear Father God,
Thank you for sending Your only Son to die for me. Thank you for giving me the power to be an overcomer of the sin in this world. May I keep my eyes always focused on You so that I will recognize sin, no matter how appealing. Help me to teach my child to be an overcomer, too.
In Jesus Name,
AMEN
almost finished wrapping

 
rie

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Wednesdays with Blaine: A Joke

What is a Kitten's favorite Book?
answer- A "CAT-a log!"
Classmates love Blaine's Kitten
Harding Academy, 2011 Spring

                               

Thursday, January 19, 2012

My Hope...

My Hope is Built on Nothing less
Than Jesus' Love and Righteousness!
In every high and stormy gale: My anchor holds within the vale...

God does not promise that there will be no Storms, no discouragement,
He did promise that when these times come, He Will give us an Anchor…

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Monday, January 16, 2012

Take this for your comfort


"Christian, take this for your comfort, that there is no change in Jesus Christ's love to those who rest in Him. Yesterday you were on the mount and you said, 'He loves me:' today you are in the valley of humiliation, but He loves you still the same"
.- Spurgeon♥ - A great man and Author

Saturday, January 14, 2012

GOD MADE US A FAMILY

We need one another.  
 We love one another.
 We forgive one another.
 We work together.
 We play together.
Together we use God’s word.
Together we grow in Christ.
 Together we love all men.
 Together we serve our God.
 Together we hope for heaven.

 These are our hopes and ideals.
 Help us to attain them, Oh God.
 Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Wednesdays with Blaine: Say "NO" to drugs day

I painted this Tshirt to tell
people not to smoke cigarettes.
they Kill You.

Mommy helped me paint these socks to go with
my No Cigarettes T Shirt

Mommy helped me paint these old sneakers and paint no drugs on them
with puffy paint.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Excellence, and not PERFECTIONISM!

“And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His Eternal Glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (I Peter 5:10).
I can’t wait for "That Day", because I am so hopelessly flawed.
The other day I had a small patch of flaky skin frozen off, and the Dermatologist diagnosed Pre-cancerous skin on the top of my lip. I look very much like Nanny McFee, with what looks like a HUGE discolored and conspicuous mole to the left of my upper lip. I yearn for the Return of Christ, & I hope the rumors are correct about 2012 (that the Rapture will occur some time this year... but then, I know it really won't because of what Jesus said about "no man knoweth" ... ).     I am striving to be ready, but I am way far from perfect! And will be until I receive my resurrection-body! But I try not to beat myself up about it. I must move forward in His Grace. Sometimes I find it difficult to forgive myself, especially if I handled some essential discipline in the wrong way, or failed my husband somehow. But, miraculously, my husband and son still think I am pretty special! They are like my Father, God… gracious in all of my shortcomings. I am so glad that God is working to perfect us. HE sees us through much different eyes than we see ourselves. We see weakness, He sees strength, we see failure, He sees victories. We see unattractiveness, He sees beauty.
Little humble tree we used for our Christmas this year:  "Imperfection"

My Prayer today-
Precious God,
Please give Me the Grace to accept my shortcomings with dignity. Please keep my reaching for High Standards, but keep me from the Trap of Perfectionism!
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Wednesdays with Blaine: Blaine posts about: "Pictures of my weekend"

These are my good friends Hayden and Billy. 
They live in a cabin near the river, where we have our weekend cabin. 

We have so much fun playing.

I bought my friend Nataleigh these paper dolls.  She was coming over
with her brother to play, so I set them up for her.
She loved them.

Cutting out the paper dolls for Nataleigh