Vintage Bowls

It's good to get those vintage bowls out of the cabinets and make use of them. This 100 year old English bowl is one of my favorite finds. The realistic appearing berries have almost fooled some people! Also, I decided to put onions in a vintage bowl on my countertop until they are used.

The Lesson of the Sprained Finger

On March 19, 2010, approximately 20 minutes after having arrived in Hot Springs, Arkansas for the weekend and while visiting the Hot Springs National Park, one of my shoes went flying through the air and I fell down some stairs. Apparently, my shoes were a little too slick on the bottom for the well worn stairs I had been down many times before. In my right hand was a camera which, thankfully, did not get dropped or banged. My left hand aimed downward in an attempt to catch myself. I immediately knew some type of damage had occurred, especially when the throbbing and swelling started. After waiting out the weekend, a local physician confirmed a case of a sprained finger. One sprained finger should not be so bad one may believe. Actually, I was amazed at how important one finger can be. The pain and stiffness, as it only bends so far, has affected how I perform routine tasks such as flossing my teeth, typing, shampooing my hair, cutting up meat, opening jars and packages, etc. I am grateful these functions, as well as the pain, have improved as of this date, but the stiffness and inflexibility remain.

When a part of the body is injured, one tends to think on the matter. Besides the obvious of refraining from wearing inappropriate shoes in certain situations, I also thought of how the Bible likens Christians as members of one body and we each have a part (Romans 12:4). 1 Corinthians 12:21-22 (NIV) reads: The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. . . (emphasis mine). I feel like this situation is a good reminder to me that the Lord does not play favorites and each one of us is important, no matter how feel about ourselves or how feeble our efforts seem. Paul stated in Romans 2:11 (NIV): For God does not show favoritism. Acts 10:34-35 (NIV) reads: Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right." How wonderful that is for us! I am thankful the Lord does not have his favorites. We, as His Creation, are all very important and loved, and there are not any inferior or second class creations among us. However, it is up to us how we live our lives and what we do with our God given potential.


This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays at http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/

Vegetable Gardening Tip

Recently, I was starting to plant a couple of dwarf Alberta Spruce trees when my neighbor's brother asked if he could have the plastic containers when I was finished. I willingly obliged and he explained that he cuts the bottoms of the containers out and uses them in his vegetable garden. He stated tomatoes, peppers, or other vegetables, are planted in these type of containers in the ground. He claims it helps to ward off pests, and as he is a long time gardener, I'm sure he knows what he is talking about. Thought I would pass this tip along as some people have struggled with pests in their vegetable gardens. Plastic coffee containers would be another resource. This is also a great way to recycle.

Nature Break - Honor Heights Park

Every April, Honor Heights Park in Muskogee, Oklahoma comes alive with color. The park consists of 40 acres with 30,000 blooming trees and shrubs and includes 635 varieties of azaleas. Last weekend, the blooming trees were at their peak and the azaleas were just starting to bloom. It was a nice, less crowded, but still pretty time to visit. This weekend the azaleas will likely be in full bloom, and there will be crowds and crowds of people enjoying the mass plantings of varying colors. We all seem to rush through life, and it's good to stop and enjoy nature. Here are my better pictures.

The Skeleton of Your Home

According to Alice Fulton and Pauline Hatch, the authors of the book It's Here Somewhere, cupboards, closets, and drawers are a home's skeleton. This skeleton reveals the true condition of a home. I have thought of this theory while mashing down the contents of drawers before shutting them! This idea does inspire me to clear some things out. Sock organizers have been particularly helpful to me. Once all the socks are neatly organized (preferably by color), as shown above, it takes no time to stuff the clean pairs in order. This is also a time saver, as I remember years ago hastily sorting through a jumbled mass every morning. Sock organizers are sold by several stores, or old shoe boxes may be used. Desk drawer organizers are a must to keep home office supplies in order.

Easter: Hope for the World

Easter to Christians is a day to remember the death of Jesus on the cross and to celebrate His resurrection. It reminds us of our salvation and our future in heaven. John 3:16 (NIV) reads: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." On the first Easter, after Jesus completed this unimaginable feat of taking on the sin of the world and dying for every person, all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Him (Matthew 28:18). Jesus states in John 10:28 (NIV): "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand." On our part, it is simply a gift, but it must be accepted. Receiving this precious gift makes life on earth worth living.

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21 (NIV)