Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello dear Friends!

Happy new week to you. ☀️💗

This is my vibe this AM. Laptop tapping and a good caffeine boost. The sun is streaming in and it's going to be an amazingly mild day! Almost 50* - which is kind of unheard of in February for the northwoods. It just reiterates the hope in my heart that Spring is around the corner. Can you believe it's less than a week to March? Oh glorious days as I watch the snow melting away outside... 

On these sunnier mild days we go out and soak up the sunbeams and get our vitamin D - even though we know it won't last, and winter will still have a hold in the north a while longer. But the hope it feeds our hearts brings pure joy! ☀️☀️☀️

Did you have a lovely weekend Friends? It was a busy one here and I apologize not getting around to my visits, but that is what I will be doing all afternoon! I need to catch up with my blogging besties and see what you've been up to lately. Also, later this week I will share the super yummy recipes I made last week that I didn't get to share then.

This past weekend I spent extra hospice time and then we spent Saturday up at the lake. We took a road trip there to check on the property and we needed to bring some things up there. Our weekend also included church time and we went to help my Mom and step Dad with some things. And we had dinner with them last night and played games. Overall a full and wonderful weekend. I hope you had the same! 

 

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

coffee with splash of protein creamer, wasa cracker with a little jam

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

usual errands, groceries, projects I've been working on, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT:  

How the sun feels so wonderful and gives us life on days like these up here in the north. Dreaming on some garden ideas and some things I'd like to change outside this year. 💚

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

It's sunny and bright and I'm listening to some Joshua Bell violin music. I'm wearing a hockey jersey and yoga kind of pants. I still have valentine's and some winter decorations up. I'm going to take them down this week and start some deeper cleaning. I plan to then start getting out bunnies and Easter decorations and all things Spring!💐💗

 I have my bible study book and the bible next to me. I've been loving working on it week by week and diving deeper into the Gospels primarily right now. I can't believe Lent will begin in less than 2 weeks! More signs of Spring ahead. 

CURRENTLY READING

I've been mainly looking at gardening magazines, but I think I will be diving into my Debbie Macomber book next. 

ON THE TV TODAY:

When Calls the Heart, All Creatures Great & Small, The Rookie ,  Shifting Gears, Jeopardy, Ghosts, Shark Tank, The Flip Off & Christina on the Coast (HGTV shows), Survivor starts this week!  still catch up TWD too

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY - salsa lime chicken on chipotle ranch salad

TUESDAY -   pierogies w/ grilled onions we didn't have last week, veggie side dish

WEDNESDAY - soup dumplings with Asian cucumbers

THURSDAY - spicy spaghetti sauce I froze earlier in the winter with healthy noodles, salad

FRIDAY - maybe out for dinner?

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

 work on our wedding scrapbook, crochet, cross stitch, read

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

FROM THE CAMERA:

The snow was still deep enough up at the lake that we didn't want to risk getting stuck - so we hiked the stuff we brought up to the cabin. It was a lovely mild day and the hike felt great! 

It was fun to see the cabin in a different season. 

And of course we had to go down and check out the frozen lake.

It was cool to see the ridges from the ice and the winds.

Then we went to the little Thai restaurant in town and I had chicken pad thai that was amazing! 😋

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflicts all over the world and anyone living in war & fear. For peace and unity in this country, especially from hate and shootings or violence.  For anyone sick, suffering, in pain, fear, loneliness etc ... that God bring them comfort and peace.  For a Friend of mine needing extra prayers.

For Christ's Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere and help the world find its way. 🙏🏻

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

We're sure enjoying this little "false Spring" moment. I hope you're enjoying the sunshine wherever you are Friends. 

I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

Word-Full Wednesday (Healthy Soul Time)

 

Today I wanted to share some things on my heart. Maybe it's a way to help another that may be carrying pain. Or in some ways this blog has been like chapters in my life that I sometimes like to look back on for sweet memories...but also, hopefully, to learn and grow.

I know I have shared a lot of my journey on here. I have gone through some of the darkest and most difficult days of my life while I've been blogging. Dealing with my former MIL's growing Alzheimer's, care giving for her, then her eventual long term care facility admittance...and  ultimately her death. 

And also during that time I went through many things: trying to help my ex through some of his darkest days, dealing with another person actively destroying the life I knew, and the toll all of it took on my marriage...and eventually led to our divorce. 

Through all of that I know I have, at times, channeled my pain, bitterness, hurt, and even fears in various posts on here. I know I'm human. I know God gives me His grace and forgiveness - and so, as His daughter, I have given myself a lot too. 

I am the happiest I have ever been. I give all praise and glory to the Lord for the many many gifts in my life. I wake up and pray and do devotional time and then go live my days trying to be the best servant I can to Him. Being the best mother I can be. The best fiancee. The best family member and friend. And the best hospice worker I'm capable of being - always asking Him to use me in His name. 

And I always say the same prayer within that devotional time: asking Jesus to be ever on my mind, my lips, and my heart....so when others see and hear me, they really see and hear Him. And I know there are far too many times I fail. But I know there are so many times I succeed in His name and help others. Reach others. Forgive others. Love, share, volunteer, give in the ways I know He wants of me. 

My point here is this. There are many kinds of "health". In this year of such happiness and big events (my daughter graduating and the last to the leave the nest...and the wedding of Matthew & I) I am working hard to feel the best physically that I'm able. Working out. Healthier eating habits. And emotionally too by sharing with Matt, my mom or friends when I struggle. 

By praying. Going for walks. Journaling etc. 

But the biggest and most important part is I am working to be healthy spiritually. 

I go to church. I read His word daily. I go to Him as a best friend in prayer, talking, sharing, asking forgiveness EVERY SINGLE DAY, and just loving Him with all of my heart. And I didn't used to be such a devoted follower - but that is what truly changed everything in my life. And has continued to help me be the healthiest I can hope to be. And it's still something I actively work at every single day. To improve upon. And I'm so grateful for a partner in Matt who understands and shares so much of that part of the journey with me too. ❤️

I hope that those I may have ever affected in my words or deeds will have compassion for my pain. That they will know I ask forgiveness of them as much as of my Lord. And I hope that anyone who lives in a place of anger, bitterness, sadness, pain, hopelessness will find their way to Him. And answers to heal, change, grow and become healthy too. 

The moment I truly stopped trying to control everything in my life. Stopped trying to hold on to the anger and pain so tightly.... and instead truly started to let it go and believed in His plans for me, even in the depths of pain. Well that's when everything changed. It didn't feel so overwhelming and difficult anymore. I could feel the healing in my heart. And that's when Matt came into my life too. Because God's timing is amazing and He knew my heart could be open and could trust someone again.  And where I live the most in my relationship with the Lord, besides my love, is complete and utter gratitude. I am so grateful for His gifts and tell Him that daily. 

Thanks for letting me share so much with you in this lengthy post. I wanted to leave you with one of my favorite passages in the bible that I hold on to every day...especially the darkest ones. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. "

Proverbs 3:5-6

Blessings always. xoxo