It's my favorite time of year!

I saw this over at Lisa's and just had to see where I belong. Even though there were a few answers that I could of chosen one or another, I still came out as belonging in Fall.

I often find it humorous that I love this time of year since I grew up in Southern California where very little changes throughout the year in comparison to other places. But I still loved the season of pumpkin patches on street corners, leaves piling on the ground, the sounds of a football game, and the smell of hot apple cider and pumpkin. Pumpkin bars, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup, pumpkin anything! Yum! But it is the colors that I love the most. And since I am a whole lot closer than I used to be, some day I hope to take a long Autumn drive through the New England states and just savor the beauty.

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season are you?

Wordless Wednesday - Two and a Half

This Is The Day - At the Cafe

Have you forgotten how to greet the day? The knowledge is all but lost to many that a new day is sacred: a gift from God, a rare and precious gift. A new day brings with it a fresh start, to lift your head from the pillow with joy and to observe the clouds peeking through the dark sky and welcome a gift from the Lord.

Join me at the Cafe today as we are reminded that "This is the day..."

Menu Plan Monday

I have gone totally crock pot happy this week. It just works well for busy afternoons and allows me to do most of the meal preparation in the morning.

Monday: Beef Stew in the crock pot

Tuesday: Lasagna in the crock pot

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Italian Sausage Soup in the crock pot

Friday: Tex-Mex Meatball Pie

For more menu ideas visit I'm an Organizing Junkie here

Gone Fishing!

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

When you are not sure what your next step should be...go fishing!

We Take Nothing With Us

...But the only hope that I or anyone else can offer is in Christ. He came, lived among us, and suffered a horrific and tragic death, so that I whether given many years on this earth or not, could have life rather than the death that I most certainly deserve. Nothing in this life or on this earth compares to Christ.





I am at the Cafe today. But more importantly my heart aches for those who are experiencing a very difficult loss of a loved one. Katherine at Raising Five and Rachel Anne at Home Sanctuary are grieving the tragic loss of their nephew. Amy Wilhoite went home to meet her Savior in glory. She leaves behind a loving husband and baby. Please keep these and their families in your prayers.

PRAYER NEEDED!!

Thank you to everyone who prayed today, those who left comments and those who emailed me. It means so much to Lyndsey and her family. Praise God who is "...the blessed and only Ruler, King of kings and Lord of lords." 1 Timothy 6:15

Update 9 pm ~ Lyndsey is out of surgery and back in her room. Her mom said she was resting. The surgery which should have taken three hours ended up taking six. Thank you so much for your prayers. Please continue to pray for her recovery. May the Lord bless each of you.

Update 12:15 pm ~ she is still in surgery and they have been reassured that things are going fine. It is just taking a little longer than expected. Please continue to pray.

Please keep my dear friend's daughter in prayer. Her name is Lyndsey and tomorrow she is having a colectomy (removal of the colon). She is only fourteen. For privacy reasons I won't go into the details of her illness. I have known this beautiful young lady since birth. Her parents are wonderful long time friends.

First, please pray for a miracle~complete and total healing of her colon.

Next, pray that the surgery would go smoothly and her healing would be quick. She will face two additional surgeries over the next year.

The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning (9/7) at 8 am central time. Please pray!

Finishing the Race!

I give thanks to the Lord when life is a bit uneventful. Today in the midst of my laundry folding, dust bunny chasing, and bathroom scrubbing, I pause to praise God for redemption. When I was a teenager I had a little saying posted on my bulletin board in my bedroom which I don't recall who wrote it or where it came from. It stated, "Life is short, Death is sure, Sin the cause, Christ the cure." I can remember many days reading those words above my mirror next to my closet as I left my room for the day and headed off to school. Here is a link to a beautiful tribute of a Life Lived Well. Her faith, her testimony, her trust in God inspires me to continue on and fight the good fight and finish well.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Giveaway

Here is a wonderful opportunity to win six volumes of the Reformed Expository Commentary Series. I currently own one, Esther & Ruth, but I know these girls would love to have the rest of the group join them. It is real simple and you don't have to have your own blog to enter. (just an email address) Thank you to Tim Challies for doing this.

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend marks the official end of summer even though according to the calendar we still have twenty more days . Today I made a list of small projects that needed to be done and my husband and I tackled them while the kids cleaned their rooms and than played outside. The weather has been utterly gorgeous and perfect for being outdoors.

The kids all seem to be adjusting to their new teachers and schedules and other than his black eye and a busted up lip, my two year old is doing fine.

Today I spent time re-organizing our mud/laundry/grand central station room/entrance from the garage. It is a small space with a lot of activity. It is not only home to the washer and dryer but also is the coat/shoe/backpack/sporting gear/musical instrument pit stop and will soon be the home of snow pants/boots/gloves and any other outer wear. Today I moved out the beach towels and goggles from their summer homes on the hooks to make room for sweatshirts and backpacks. The suntan lotions, beach bags, and pool toys sadly departed for their long winter stay in their new location. I hung some new hooks a friend pointed out at Ikea and love the additional storage it provides. I also hung a new white/message board and this. It is a shower shelf made of black steel that will work great for mail, keys, gloves and best of all looks really cute on the wall.
I cleaned off my bulletin board of all the summer information and replaced it with the lunch menu and school calendar. My in-box is already bursting with school papers for me to review from the first week and a half of school.
We have the schedules, our routine is in place, and I feel a bit more organized. Now, bring on the fall colors, a pot of chili, and lots and lots of football.