Living Beautifully Every Day

The last snow of the Season, 2014 March

It is so important to incorporate beauty and love into our lives;  so that even the most mundane of chores is in some small way elevated and validated as a daily ritual of beauty.     

                Our home is vibrantly lived in, and loved.

 We like to think we live "Romantically" here in
Blue Willow Cottage.

To me, romantic living is thoughtful, beautiful, and deliberate.

If one decides to embrace it, all days will be truly LIVED, not just "passed."

Dry Leaves...

After a particularly challenging day yesterday, my son,

noticing my less than cheery demeanor, took me by the hand,

leading me to the TV.   He pointed out the little quote I

had pasted on the front 3 years ago.  This is what it said:

     "In every person who

comes near you look for what is

good and strong,

honor that, try to imitate it

and your

faults will drop off

like dry leaves

when their time comes."

- John Ruskin

Away in a Manger... Christmas Eve

A Well Watered Garden...

I don't like to rush into December too quickly without saying a proper farewell to November.








I do love Christmas, but Autumn is one of my favorite seasons, so I let my Harvest Decor linger a bit longer than most people,

 allowing the rush of reds and greens of the Winter Holiday to wait a few days.

Tonight we have special out of town guests coming for dinner.

  I set my table last night and most of the food is done ahead,
 or in the Crockpot because I wanted to be able to visit with them, and not feel the slightest bit stressed about serving a nice, healthy and flavorful meal.

Here is a promise to ponder tonight:

"If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins,
 If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
Your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.

I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.

You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry.

You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past.

You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again." 

Isaiah 58: 9-12 The Message

This is how we know what love is: Playing Headbands with Pop Pop

B begged us for "Family Night" with Grandma and Pop Pop.  I knew it was a slim chance since Pop is post op from major back surgery and not exactly in the lap of comfort these days, but we asked anyway.  Mike fired up the grill, I bought New York Strips, (it has to be the first time in years-- with my Beans and Rice Mentality).   It was worth every cent... to see my father play BINGO and "Headbands" with all of us-- close to miraculous.  Miracles do happen!  Only my cousins and closest friends would know what this truly means to me... to have my Dad playing board games with us on a Friday Night! 

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us... " Ephesians 3: 20

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• Amy Cleveland-Dutton, Beth Barge Woods, Rose Snyder and 2 others like this.
• 

  

  Beth Sayers Missed you this weekend! Love the pictures!

  May 28 at 7:51pm via mobile · Unlike · 1
• 

  

  Jason Collett We have that game too!

  May 28 at 8:01pm via mobile · Unlike · 1
• 

  

  Blue BerryCottage Great fun!

  May 28 at 8:06pm · Like
• 

  

  Gayelynn Quigley Great pictures Dawn.

  May 28 at 8:23pm via mobile · Unlike · 1
• 

  

  Rose Snyder God's bountiful gifts never cease to amaze us...and the greatest of these is love.

  May 28 at 9:08pm · Unlike · 1
• 

  

  Beatty Shaffer Awesome what wonderful memories for all of you!:)
• 

  Carol Bartilson This old roomate from Africa is praising God with B!!
• 

  Blue BerryCottage @Carol-remember all our home made fun at the compound... Singing out hearts out, playing with the children making up skits for Sunday school...

"My Mommer Tips" for Loving a Child... Part Two

Think about the "cost" of not praying or reading God's Word with your children daily.

Really calculate the "Cost."

 Then calculate the short amount of time it would cost you

 to add this essential instruction to your day with them.

If you're always racing to practices and appointments,

pray out loud together in your vehicle.  

Play worship music & sing with them.

Pray for your children, and pray over them.

We can whisper a prayer that they will never hear,

but when we embrace them before heading out the door,

quickly praying God's Peace

and Protection

aloud over their little heads,

 they'll always know

 their Mother believed

in God's power,

 and in the power of Prayer!

Ordinary Moments

 "What's the most important thing about being a leader?" I ask, continuing a conversation I started in the car earlier today.

We're in the Garden, watering. 

Kimba  looks up, eyes shining blue against the Azure August sky.



"Being able to tell people the right thing to do, you know, like the God thing to do" he says.

Well, yes, I think to myself.  I think he's got something there.