Homemade granola

I think my mom is the reason I like to make things from scratch.

Both my sister and I watched Mom whip up cookies, bread, and pie from scratch as children.

She used to make her own jelly from the plum tree in the backyard.

She also grew mountains of vegetables, especially tomatoes, cukes, and corn.

Those seeds of growing food and then preparing it took root in both my sister and myself.

Actually, my sister is one of the best cooks I know.

She enjoys it so much that she will spend her free time cooking.

So, it’s not surprising that our family enjoys homemade food.

When our children were all little, my husband was working full-time and going to college.

Money was tight and my energy was spread across four children, plus the time volunteering at our church.

So, I learned how to make several things in bulk.

Canning fruit was a big help.

I’d take the kids to the orchard with bowls and we’d pick cherries or peaches.

I normally tried to catch the strawberries at the beginning of summer and put up jam.

My husband is an outdoorsman and a friend of mine taught me how to can meat.

Many of those things were left in the past due to our very busy years of highschool sports, but we’ve canned here and there.

Our daughters learned to make some of our favorite foods.

Infact, Anne is a better baker than I.

Then illness claimed my time and I’ve only recently been able to return to making some of the food my family loves.

Homemade granola is one of those.

We eat it for breakfast, but if I let them, the kids would have a bowl anytime.

I’ve even seen my husband pour a bowl after everyone’s in bed.

So, I’m grateful God has given me the strength to cook again.

I’m so thankful to God for this simple recipe I found in the back of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine, so many years ago.

I’m blessed to have the time and resources to provide meals for my family.

Truly, the small details of life can bring the most amazing joys.

A newborn’s smile.

A ray of sun shining through the apple tree.

A kiss good morning from a loved one.

A bowl of homemade granola.

God is so good!

His blessings surround us, if we will but take the time to notice.

Praise the Lord , all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord  endures forever. Praise the Lord !
Psalms 117:1‭-‬2 NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for the little and the large. Thank You for shining Your light into our lives. Lord, thank You for guiding and directing us. Thank You for providing for us. Lord, there are many who are struggling, hurting, lost. Please defend the innocent, provide for the weak and hungry, and save the lost. Please let our lives bring glory to Your name. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

Two sailboats

It’s been a very long time.

So much so, I’d almost given up on the idea completely.

Back in 2011, I had a difficult period.

My physical body was struggling, but the lessons I learned were so worthwhile.

During that season I felt the Lord ask me to draw.

I was surprised when He said, Sailboats.

As I drew, studied pictures, and prayed I learned something which comes to mind everytime I look at these boats.

My experience with physical problems has taught me that often emotional hurts will join the pain.

It actually makes sense.

If you are hurting, you’re going to struggle at seeing anything from any other perspective, but your own pain.

There will always be people who mean well, but actually hurt you simply by not understanding what you are going through.

Unfortunately, there will be others who will drop you completely, because you are no longer any use to them.

And on top of it all there are relationship struggles as the people closest to you work through their own pain and fear.

What does this have to do with sailboats?

Simply put, although a sailboat is made for sailing: its designed to be in the water, all will pickup some unwanted debris or go through a storm.

Whether it’s barnacles, scrapes from floating objects, or some other wear and tear, at some point it will need to be cleaned and maintenanced.

The same is true for us.

There will be seasons which will mar us, leave us feeling in need of repair.

That’s when we should head for the dock.

Only Jesus can heal our souls.

Only in God can we find the renewal and repair for the hurting heart.

Only His hands can restore.

This truth comes to mind whenever I see one of these pictures.

I’ve moved twice since drawing these sailboats.

For some reason, I’ve never framed them.

Last night, as I prayed about something else, the Lord reminded me of two frames.

They’d been given to me because they were in need of repair and our busy daughter didn’t have time to deal with fixing them.

I couldn’t understand why God was talking to me about the frames.

“Lord, I don’t know what to do with them after I fix them.”

My heart filled with gratitude at His answer.

Sailboats.

Now they’re hanging where I’ll look at them everyday.

A wonderful reminder to take all my cares and worries to Him.

1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV — Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for caring for every detail of our lives. Thank You for helping me draw these and now getting to enjoy them each day. Lord, so many are hurting and damaged, my heart aches for those who have yet to turn to You for healing and restoration. I so want people to be touched as You have touched me. Like the woman who reached through a crowd desperate for healing, You healed her and restored her. I am that woman. Thank You for Your touch. Please, let the hearts of the hurting reach out to You. Thank You. Amen.

He knows every detail…

I was so blessed to get both the baby shower gift and our nephew’s birthday present finished in time!

God truly had every detail of these projects in His hands.

I didn’t realize just how much so, until the phone rang.

Asthma had kept me at home, so I wasn’t able to be there when my sister-in-law opened her gift.

However, she blessed me so much with a phone call after all the work of cleaning up the shower and then getting home and unpacking.

I’m sure she was super tired, but she called me anyway.

She wanted me to know how special the gift was to her.

Her grandmother had always knitted and crocheted things for the family.

She explained that the very same pattern I used on the baby’s sweater was one she remembers her Grandmother using in clothes for her.

It had really touched her heart.

It did mine too.

I only recently learned that specific crochet stitch and I was quite nervous about trying it on a gift.

Yet, I couldn’t get away from the fact that God wanted me to use that specific one.

Of course, He knew it would bless her.

Only God can work through such details.

Only God could have known what would bless my sister-in-law.

I’m so thankful He choose to use me to bless her.

He truly is in everything!

Even the details.

Praise the Lord!

Each detail

The tiniest details
often
amaze me.

Possibly,
I am
easily
impressed.

Yet stooping
down
to
view
this little flower,
the
pause in my busy
schedule,
the moment
of awe,
again impressed me
with how amazing
our God is.

He cares about the tiniest details.

He pays attention to what we feel is insignificant.

He’s aware of my longings,
needs,
desires,
and
He meets me in the details of my day.

Recently,
I have been
noticing
my inability to
stay on top
of details.

Running from one activity to the next in a string of days which blur when retold,
has left my children without matching socks,
my husband without planned lunches,
and
my house in a state of disorder which was appalling,
when I took time to notice.

Yet,
God cares about my attitudes and actions enough to remind me of scripture when I’m tempted to be frustrated or angry with myself and my family.

Or when I feel like throwing out everything,
just so I don’t have to wash it and put it away,
He speaks clearly of Who He is and reminds me of the importance of self discipline.

My home is only a picture of what my heart could be,
if He were not allowed to attend to the details in me.

Things as small as prayer before breakfast and Bible before bed.

Things as easy as singing while driving and smiling while working.

Things as important as hugs and edifying words to each child both when they do well and when they fail.

How much I learn when I allow God to tend to my details.

I can genuinely say this morning:

“For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding.” Ps. 47:7

Up close

Details,
can be elusive.

It takes getting up-close,
magnifying the miniscule,
focusing on what normally goes unnoticed.

Effort,
time,
tools,
talent.

But what are the details which are worthy of so much effort?

Lately,
it’s been my reactions.

The tools used to magnify the miniscule is the Bible and prayer.

The time has been in quietness before the Lord.

The talent has been to be real with Him,  Who created me.

The result has been to see myself a little clearer.

Busy with schedules and tasks and lists which check off one at a time, can keep me from noticing the prick, the nudge, the pull at my heart strings.

Who wants to stop and stare at the details, revealing the weakness within?

I honestly don’t.

But I am.

And I will continue to.

Because the details of my reactions tell me the opportunity to hone something inside my character is available.

Not only in the words out of my mouth,
but the sighs,
gestures,
roll of the eyes,
tone of voice,
or even in the stony silence,
my attitudes are revealed.

Pride
Stubbornness
Selfishness
Fear
Distrust

All these have been unearthed with my focusing on details.

They weren’t “in your face” but they were there just the same.

I could have found excuses for every occasion,
blamed each on circumstance,
dodged the truth and backed away…

Yet these words kept me from running.

“How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things,  and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” Matt. 12:34b-35

I don’t want to hide evil in my heart.

Even if it is only the smallest seed it can grow to ruin the beautiful.

I asked the Lord:

“Clean me Father. Heal my heart of the designs of sin. Give me love to replace anger and hurt. Humility to replace pride and haughtiness.  Faith to replace fear and distrust. Lastly, forgive me please for allowing the seeds of sin.”

With a
Deep breath
and
renewed strength my eyes catch Ps. 16:11

“You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fulness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore.”

With this all I can say is:

Amen.