Sharing My Award

I was humbled to receive the "Honest Scrap Award" from my friend Kristen over at Hands, House and Heart Full.

Kristen and I "met" through blogland and she has become a very dear friend of mine. I truly encourage you to check out her blog.

So...with this award, I am suppose to share 10 secrets...things about myself that you don't know. I don't know how well I'll do on that, but here goes.........

1) In elementary school, I played the flute. We later moved to another state and I wasn't able to continue on. I sometimes wish I had though.

2) I love to bake everything, especially desserts from scratch!! I believe everything tastes better made from scratch!

3) I have been a stay at home mom for 18 years. Financially, it hasn't always been easy, but it's always been worth it!

4) There is 13 years between me and my sister, and 13 years between my sister and my daughter!

5) I/we did fertility treatments for 5½ years before getting pregnant with DD.

6) DS is living proof there is no such thing as safe sex!! (Too much info maybe???....maybe not if you're talking to teenagers!)

7) The main part of our house is over 100 years old.

WOW!! This is harder than I thought it would be!!

8) We were missionaries in Colorado for 5 years.

9) I do not know how to swim--I can stay afloat a little bit, but it's not going to save me!!

10) I did not meet Jesus until I was 27 years old.

Now...I'm suppose to share this award with other bloggers I love. Well...I love ALL of you!!! So, if you are reading this post, I am giving you this award and I would love it if you would accept it and pass it on! If you choose to accept, please leave me a comment so I can come check out your post and learn your secrets!!!!

"I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning."
2 John 1:5, NLT

Three Mondays and Counting

We woke up Saturday morning to the most beautiful blessing....a dusting of beautiful, white snow was blanketing the ground. It wasn't much, it seldom is where we live, but it was so beautiful and so peaceful to look at. It took each one of us back in time to our mission field days in Colorado where snow on the ground was a very normal winter-time occurrence. For this family, it officially now 'feels' like Christmas.



I don't know about the rest of you, but when things like this snowfall happens, it always serves to remind me that God is always eager for ways to bless us and to bring back to mind the things that make us smile.

Meanwhile, it's December 7th, and I hope that all of your decorating is done, those Christmas cards are in the mail and you are able to enjoy this time of wrapping gifts and baking Christmas goodies with your family while Bing Crosby is busy crooning in the background, "I'll be home for Christmas...." or, if you're like our family TSO is jamming out with their famous Christmas Eve/Sarajevo...

Just a little sidenote.....I'm blessed to have a set of "Christmas dishes". They are so beautiful and a gift from my Mom from several years back. For a few years, we strictly used them on Christmas Eve and Christmas day only. Then it hit me...these are special dishes for a special family to use on a special occasion. Why save them for only one or two days because we eat everyday and everyday is a special time to remind this special family of the wonderful gift of Jesus.



So, if you have something that's only used for a special occasion or a special moment, take a moment and think about this....are your special moments only occasional happenings or are they every day that you get to share with your family??

Charlie Brown Made Me Cry

This setting is becoming the new 'norm' at my house....DH and I eating dinner, just the two of us. DH and I enjoying the outdoors, just the two of us. DH and I watching TV, just the two of us.

No, we're not empty nesters, but there is no doubt that having older teenagers is God's way of preparing us for that.

So...last night as DH and I were sitting on the couch, he reading the paper, me channel surfing...it was around 7 pm and while surfing, I landed on a channel that brought tears to this mom's eyes.

No not the channel itself, but rather what was on....the TV special that was playing was....It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown...and I broke into tears!!

How could Charlie Brown make me cry you ask? It is the first time in 18 years that there were no children at my house to watch Charlie Brown with me!!!!

DD was at work and DS was at his girlfriend's house and there were no little blond or brown curls jumping up and down in front of the the television screaming and clapping. There was no "big" sister shushing her "little" brudder. There was no little brudder running around the table clapping and chanting, "Great pumkin', great pumkin!!". Just me and DH settling in our new routine.

Yes, I turned the channel and for the first time in a long time, I did not watch the Great Pumpkin, but I did choose to be thankful (through tear-filled eyes) for those two wonderful teenagers, how responsible they've become and the warm, fuzzy memories that God has blessed me with.

Just Because

On Wednesday's I usually post a Family Favorite recipe. Something our family loves and we make over and over again. But, for today, I'm going to skip on the usual post, and just share a little something.

I am married to a man who hardly ever gives me cards on the "special" days. You know, birthdays, Valentine's day, anniversary....he'd rather give cards other days of the year, just because.

At first, that used to hurt my feelings a bit, because I am such a huge card person. But once I stepped out of selfish mode and realized how often DH surprised me with cards in my car, where I keep the coffee, the refrigerator, under my pillow...I realized that this man often expressed his love, just in his own way.

Same with flowers. Now, he is often picking wildflowers and bringing them in to me or he will pick flowers off our bushes and bring them in, but bought flowers are but a few times a year, and like the cards, hardly ever on the "special" days.

Yesterday before he came home from work, DH had to make a quick stop to return an old battery for his core charge. When he got ready to leave for work Monday morning, he was welcomed by a very dead battery on his Sidekick, so he drove my car to work. On his way home he had to get a battery, but had no core to exchange so he took care of that yesterday. I explain all of that to get to this, I knew he was going to be a little late getting home. He doesn't carry a cell phone and he normally gets off work about the same time everyday, so I get a little worried if he's late getting home.

When he got home he did his usual thing: came in, gave me a kiss, emptied his pockets..then, went back to the Sidekick.

Odd.

Then he pokes his head around the corner of the kitchen door, stuck his arm out and had these.........



He'd exchanged that old battery, yes, but he'd also bought me a dozen roses!!!!!!

No special reason, just because....and for me, that's the best reason!!

Warming Home on the Cheap

I try very hard to allow God to direct my steps....even when my flesh is screaming, "NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT TO BE IN CONTROL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It's not even remotely easy for me...but I do try....which explains why it took me a week to get my fall decos put where I want them!!

"The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?"
Proverbs 20:24, NLT

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Psalms 37:23, NLT

I thought I would share a couple of my favorite displays with you. But first...let me set the atmosphere.......

When you walk in, the smell of apple cinnamon and vanilla greets you. There are pumpkins, crows and scarecrows about the different rooms. The windows are open because the wind is gently blowing and there is a crispness in the air.

I want my home to be a place where you feel welcomed and we can relax and chat while enjoying a steaming cup of hot apple cider.

Most everything I've bought to decorate with has been purchased at dollar stores and yard sales. It doesn't take much money to create a feeling of welcome and warmth.

Drape a blanket here and there over a couple of comfy chairs. Go outside and gather some leaves and and bare branches and put them about with a pumpkin or two.

Gather and bind some dried corn stalks, add a couple of bales of hay and a pumpkin and you have a wonderful decoration for your porch!!

Let me encourage you to take just a little time to create a warm sanctuary for you, your family and guests. You've worked hard and played hard all summer......time to sit back and close your eyes.............

Family Favorites

I spent most of the day yesterday swapping out my spring/summer decos for fall ones. I changed out my Hawaiian air freshener for apple cinnamon.

It won't be long, even in my neck of the woods, that the morning air will soon be crisp and DH and I will be sitting on the swing under a blanket. He, enjoying a hot cup of coffee. Me, enjoying a hot cup of cocoa.

Oh yes, my favorite time of the year is well on it's way.

So, for today's Family Favorite, I decided to share a homemade hot cocoa mix that is a hit with my family and just about anyone else that has tried it.

This is also a great mix to make up and give away at Christmas time as a gift in a jar. I usually put the mix in a quart jar and tie a pretty ribbon around it with directions attached. I also add a cute mug, usually found at the dollar store, for each member in the family. I put all of this in a cute basket with a few candy canes and you have a wonderful family gift for just a few dollars!!!

I remember getting this recipe off of a website, but cannot remember which one. As always, if this is original to your site, let me know and I'll be glad to give you a shout out!!!

Happy Fall ya'll!!!!

Hot Cocoa Mix

2 cups sugar
1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Measure all of the ingredients into a dry, clean bowl. Use a whisk to stir everything together. Mash any clumps and continue to mix well. Put entire mix into a clean, dry canister.

Put 1/3 cup mix into a mug. Add boiling water to the top. Stir and serve.

:o)--When I'm feeling really adventurous, I'll add some marshmallows and stir! Delicious!!--:o)

I Just Want to Celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOO HOOO!!!!!!! Today brings reason to celebrate!!!

One Single Minute is a year old today!!!!!!!!!!

It is so hard for me to believe that it's been a year since I sat down at this computer and said, "Okay Lord, what do you want me to do with this?"

I've traveled a few roads, but for now, I am just still trying to allow God to direct what gets written here.

So many have give-a-ways to celebrate and I am no different. I want to share a few items that have blessed me over the last year, with others.

Most people usually have this taken care of by their blogoversary and have the actual give-a-way on that day....but if you've followed me for any length of time, you know that I'm not most people!! The ups and downs of the last few weeks combined with our vacation has kept me very busy...and my family is my priority!!

So....with that being said, Monday will bring all the information you'll need about my give-a-way!!

Thanks for celebrating with me and just 'cause....

Share something with me you'd like to see me cover in the next few months, ask some questions, tell me (nicely please) of a direction you'd like to see OSM go. I would love to read your ideas and run them before my Father to get His input as well!!

THANKS, HUGS AND MANY, MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Making a Memory

After church yesterday morning, we decided to go get a bite to eat. Now, we don't go out to eat after church that often, but it was just one of those days that we all decided we wanted a burger (and I didn't want to cook!)

We drove into town and pulled in at our favorite fast food joint only to find the place packed!! The drive through was backed up and the restaurant was full, but we were so hungry we were going to brave the crowd and just wait.

As we pulled into a parking space, I noticed the car next to us had a Tennessee tag.

Me: "Hey! They're from Tennessee." ( We love Tennessee!!!)

DD: (jokingly) "Since they're eating in Alabama and live in Tennessee, we should drive up to Tennessee for lunch."

At that moment, DH puts the car in reverse and before I knew it, we were on the interstate headed towards Tennessee!!!!!!

While DH loves to surprise his family, spontaneity isn't his strong point...besides, it takes about 2½ hours to get to Tennessee!!!

Our two teenagers start cheering and an afternoon of laughter, smiles and music began.

We did stop quickly at Walgreens for some drinks and chips to eat on the way, but other than that, it was up there to eat and then just driving back home.

We got a chance to talk, sing some praise and worship songs together (even DH joined in on the few contemporary songs he knew). We were able to laugh and now, we have a memory to share.

Maybe some would look at us and say that we wasted over a half tank of gas just to eat out. That driving 150 miles one way to eat a hamburger and french fries is ridiculous....and maybe to some it is.

But to us...it's what memories are made of and those are priceless.

Lovin' My Gifts!!

It was just another ordinary day. I was up by 6 a.m., had hubby up by 6:15. Watched the morning news to see if it was going to be good motorcycle weather. Hmmm.....95º with 100% humidity...yep, excellent melting weather! Hug and kiss hubby, hand him lunch, wave and he's off.

Take a minute to think about my day..should do devotions first, ahh...but the kids are leaving at 10 to go to the lake. All will be quiet, I'll do it then..BIG lie from satan....

Make the bed, comb my hair, brush my teeth get dressed.

Time for some iced green tea and checking the ole' e-mail box.

Great comments from some bloggy buddies, a couple of devos..read those....

Oooops!! Just remembered, meeting Mom about 9 to give her some egg cartons for her fresh hen eggs.

Kids up...go meet Mom...

Back home, kids are laughing running around collecting towels and sunblock.

R drops by for a few minutes and the kids are off to the lake.

Soon all is quiet and I'm enjoying some Toby Mac while washing dishes. Nothing makes dishwashing more fun than singing loudly to Boomin' !! Man!! That's a great song!!

Rrrrringggg!!!

"Mom. All of us are coming home and getting a bite to eat."

"All of who??" Mild panic begins to set in.....

"All of us teenagers. (duh!!) You know...all of us that went to the lake?? (duh!!!)"

"Okay....."

"We're hungry."

Oh no!!!! 6 hungry teenagers less than 2 miles from my house!!!! No time to run! No time to hide!

"Okay. See you in a minute..."

"Loveyoubye!!!" (No typo there...with DD, that truly is all one word! :o)

Sweat begins to pour as the panic begins to set in. I stand in the middle of my clean kitchen looking around at the orderly cabinets, clean counters and feeling the cool breeze from the fan.

I realize they've arrived. I hear the thumping of car speakers. I hear the yelling and laughter of 6 mouths, 3 male..3 female....Car doors slam..they're getting closer.....the door flies open and the feeding frenzy begins!!

"Hi Mama Willis!!! Thanks for feeding us!!"

Then begins the clanging of cabinet doors, the noise of ice falling into glasses and the pshh of soda cans being opened. Chips are everywhere, noodles are cooking, bologna sandwiches are being made.

"I LOVE Toby Mac, turn it up!!!"

Then the tv comes on....I know this because I hear the Gospel Music channel in the background....Stellar Kart gives it away...

I'm finally left in the kitchen with Toby Mac singing to me..."I don't want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul...."

The door to the pool deck opens and their off. 2 hours of playing chicken and dumping teenage girls off their floats......

Soon it's time for DS and DD to get ready for work and the crowd disperses.

I look around and I'm left with wet towels, dirty dishes, no food and Toby Mac singing to me.....and I realize......

I wouldn't change this for anything.....I AM BLESSED!!!!!!

Psalm 127:3a "Children are a gift from the Lord...." NLT

My Husband Rocks Friday!!

I'm joining Katy Lin over at The Great Adventure for My Husband Rocks!

It's no secret that I think my DH is awesome! I share that with you most Fridays. He did something just this morning though that is so out of the norm for him--in a way--and so sweet as well.

My sweet hubby, likes getting out of bed just in time to get ready for work, grab his lunch and coffee and head out the door.

Since we have 2 very active teenagers in the house, sleep~or enough of it~ is a very precious thing for us....so DH sleeps in the mornings just as long as he possible can.

When he gets on his motorcycle or gets in his car, he has one thing in mind--get to work...straight to work....no time for delays....straight....to....work!!!

So this morning he gets on his bike and heads up the driveway. I wave to him from the window and then I realize he's stopped at the top of our driveway.

I can hear the bike just idling and I look to see what's going on.

I see DH in my flower garden picking one of my lilies that have just began blooming.

He gets back on his bike, lily in hand, turns around and comes back down to the carport.

He gets off his bike, hands me my flower, gives me a quick kiss and he's off!!




What he doesn't realize is that he's handed me more than a flower, he has just handed me a wonderful start to my day!!!

What an unselfish man I'm blessed with!!

Our Story

Bananas and Bee Stings


Paw was a tall man. He was well over six feet tall but he was very thin. She used to think it was so funny to look at Maw and Paw. Both were tall, but Maw was much.....bigger than Paw. They made her think of that Jack Sprat poem she heard in school.

She really liked hanging out with Paw.

They had two things in common bananas and Reese Cups. They LOVED them!!

She knew that any time they were going to Paw's house, there would be a bowl full of bananas on the kitchen table and a good supply of Reese Cups in the fridge.

Maw and Paw lived in Kentucky on the side of a mountain...literally. For many years, Mommy and Daddy had to park at the bottom of the mountain and everyone had to carry there suitcases up the mountain to the house. It was a great day when her grandparents had a driveway put in!!

Somehow Paw always knew when they would be getting to his house. As soon as they would come around that last big curve, she would start looking up the mountain for Paw. There he would be standing...smoking one of his Camel cigarettes and holding two bananas.

She knew she should probably help Mommy and Daddy with the suitcases, but Paw was smiling so big and waving at her...she just had to run give him a hug.

It wasn't long before everyone had gathered around and said hi and gave out hugs that she and Paw would go set on the edge of the yard talking and enjoying their bananas.

"How's school going?"

"Okay."

Munch, munch.

"Did you get sick on the drive down this time?"

"A little."

Munch, munch.

She wasn't talking too much because she was looking at all the bees that were on the wildflowers and clover.

"Paw, why do you have so many bees?"

"Got a lot of mouths to feed. The honey comes in handy. Don't you like my bees?"

"Not really. Remember last time I left my shoe on the porch and one got in my shoe and when I had to go to the bathroom I put my shoe on and it stung me on my toe and my toe swelled up so big that Mommy had to go buy me some flip flops cause my toe wouldn't fit in my shoe?? I don't like your bees at all!!"

With that, she jumped up, threw her banana peel over the hill, kissed Paw on top of his head and ran in the house to find Maw.

Maw let her go in the fancy living room and read, but after a few minutes of turning pages in her favorite book, she found herself thinking more and more about Paw's bees.

He had so many boxes of bees on the hill behind the house and it seemed like every time she was at his house someone was in a tree catching more bees or standing over the boxes with a smoke box and something covering their faces stealing the bee's honey.

She thought that was really mean. Those bees had to work hard to make that honey and Paw was stealing from them all the time!!

Maybe that's why those bees were always mad and stinging folks......

A few days later found her running around outside playing with the dogs and running in and out of the smoke house with some new treasure to beg Maw out of.

Maw was busy helping Paw steal some honey and she soon tired of the little girl's energy.

"Why don't you go find your Mommy and see what she's up to?"

"Can I have another Reese Cup?"

"You and your Paw have eat them all. But if you'll go sit with Mommy while we steal this honey, we'll go up to IGA and buy some more a little later."

That did it!

A promise of getting to sit beside Paw all the way to IGA to buy more Reese Cups!! She was off to find Mommy.

She found Mommy and her aunts sitting on the porch letting their hair dry.

They were talking and laughing and it was funny to her to watch them.

They all talked at once and laughed about everything and she thought they were just plain silly.

All of a sudden Mommy jumps up and screams, "A bee just flew in my hair!!!"

Mommy was slapping at her hair and the aunts were trying to calm Mommy down and find the bee. All the time, the little girl just stood there wide eyed.

By this time, Maw had come running to the front porch to see what all the screaming was about.

Finally the aunts convinced Mommy to stand still and they managed to get the bee out of Mommy's hair.

That bee was really mad though and he needed someone to sting!!

All of a sudden the little girl let out a huge scream and grabbed her eye. That stupid bee had stung her on her eyelid!!!!

Oh her eyelid was hurting so bad and she just couldn't quit screaming. Nothing Mommy did could make it quit hurting and the little girl was jumping up and down and screaming and screaming!!!

All of a sudden Maw grabbed her by the shoulders and said, "If you don't quit screaming, I'm going to get my switch down and whip your rear end."

That was all it took. She'd never been whipped by Maw's switch, but she'd seen her aunts and uncles get whipped and she knew she didn't want any part of that!

Maw managed to get the stinger out of her eyelid and she put ice on it to help the swelling, but the fact was her eyelid was swollen shut and it would hurt for several days to come.

Maw and Paw kept their promise and a few house later they were on their way to buy more Reese Cups and bananas.

As a woman, she can laugh about it now. It has honestly become a funny, warm memory to her heart.

And every time she eats a banana or a Reese Cup, she goes back in time to when simple things were the most fun......

My Husband Rocks Friday!!

Today is Friday and I'm joining Katy Lin over at The Great Adventure for My Husband Rocks!!

You know, I could pull out the big guns and really brag and tell you what an awesome man I'm blessed with. I could brag about how hard he works to support his family and I could tell you how incredibly Christ-like he is and I envy that in him.

But I'm not.

I'm just going to tell you the facts.

This man loves and accepts me just the way I am. In 25 plus years of marriage, he's never tried to change anything about me. Not once.

He loves me if I'm the perfect weight or if I'm 75 pounds overweight (and I have been) or if I'm somewhere in between.

He always tells me I'm beautiful even when I'm covered in garden dirt and my hair is stringy from sweat. And he means it.

He quietly indulges me when I act 10 years old and even smiles when I dance to music he can't understand a word of.

He's patient if I've had a bad day and he can't kick his way through the house. He hates clutter, but he'll never complain.

He holds his tongue with me even when I haven't held my tongue with him.

He won't dunk me under the water in the pool, even though everything in him wants to, because he knows it scares me.

He'll watch chick flicks even when he'd rather be watching a documentary or something on the History channel.

He loves drag racing as much as I do, but when we go, he'll watch me because I get so wound up when the racing is going on.

It always amazes me when I stop and think about it how awesome God is.Even before I had a relationship with God, He picked out this man and blessed me with him.

Salvation aside....what a debt I owe.

Looks Like She Made It!

I made it.

Yes, I cried....almost immediately. Yes, she cried..privately, when she hugged my neck and whispered in my ear, "Thank you."

We have graduated our first born from high school.

She looked so beautiful and we were so proud. Not just of her academic achievements, but of the young woman she's become.

So many family and close friends there to celebrate this wonderful moment in our lives.

Those that were there the day she entered this world. Those that were there when she took her first steps, said her first words. Those that were there when we decided to leave public school and those that were there when we took our first steps into homeschooling. Those who've cried with her over broken relationships and the deaths of friends. Those who sold her her first car and who watch (with their stomachs in their throats) as the poor car never stays in the driveway for long. (She bought her car from our neighbors)...Those that were there who work with her everyday and mean far more to her than the label, 'co-worker'.

Those that couldn't be there, but were lifting her up in prayer because they knew that meant the most.

THANK YOU.


Friends and family listening to Beth speak on her school years.


Holding the gift that her 'little brother' gave her.


Beth with Mom and Dad after receiving her diploma.

Thankful Thursday

As I'm sitting here mentally going over my Thankful Thursday list, I'm listening to the birds sing. There are a few windows open in my house, so it's just the least bit chilly. I love mornings like this. The hardest thing is making myself stay up and busy since DH has left for work when all I want to do is jump back in the bed and curl up under the warm covers and go right back to sleep!! Too much to do today for that pleasure though.

On Thursday's I link up with Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey to share what I'm thankful for this week.

As always the list is changing, but sometimes.....things stay the same.....

1) I'm thankful for....MORE strawberries!!! I was able to visit with my MIL this week and she blessed me with more strawberries!! We have really enjoyed making a syrup with these and pouring it over pound cake....(BIG smile!!!)

2) I'm thankful that I finally figured out how to make things look right on DD's graduation invitations. Now, maybe that's not a big deal to most of you, but to this computer illiterate lady...it's HUGE!!!!

3) I'm thankful for a wonderful pastor. He was talking to DH about some things last night and shared a few things that really blessed our entire family. He's young (only 27) but he is a wonderful man of God.

4) I'm thankful that our youth pastor's daughter made it safely in the world! A beautiful 8lb 11oz bundle of joy!! Welcome Abbey!! (Mom is doing great as well!!)

5) I'm thankful that my cousin's house was spared from the floods. (she lives in Kentucky) Her yard is a mess and her driveway is torn up, but this time, her house is okay.

Sometimes it's so easy to overlook those small things that make us smile and enjoy warm fuzzies. We believe our problems are so big and take for granted the blessings. I encourage you to stop and look around. God is in the blessing business and I'm sure He's pleased when we focus on the blessings He gives.

For more Thankful Thursday, click here.