Preparing for a Feast on Fat Tuesday

While others are preparing to deny themselves something for the next forty days, would you consider joining me in indulging in something extra for Lent?

 Deuteronomy 8:3 tells us, "So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord."

And Jesus repeated that truth in Luke 4:4, " And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."

Let's sit down each day at a banquet feast prepared for us by the King of kings and LORD of lords, the true manna from heaven, the Living Word, and see how that perfect daily bread enriches our lives.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." ~ Colossians 3:16

(I made a schedule for Lenten Bible reading a few years ago, and you're welcome to use it, too! I find that it takes me about an hour - or less - to read the selection for the day.)

 Lenten Bible Reading Plan
Day 1: Genesis
Day 2: Exodus
Day 3: Leviticus, Numbers
Day 4: Deuteronomy
Day 5: Joshua
Day 6: Judges, Ruth
Day 7: I Samuel
Day 8: II Samuel
Day 9: I Kings
Day 10: II Kings
Day 11: I Chronicles
Day 12: II Chronicles
Day 13: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
Day 14: Job
Day 15: Psalms, chapters 1 - 75
Day 16: Psalms, chapters 76 - 150
Day 17: Proverbs
Day 18: Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Day 19: Isaiah, chapters 1 - 33
Day 20: Isaiah, chapters 34 - 66
Day 21: Jeremiah, chapters 1 - 26
Day 22: Jeremiah, chapters 27 - 52
Day 23: Lamentations
Day 24: Ezekiel, chapters 1 - 24
Day 25: Ezekiel, chapters 25 - 48
Day 26: Daniel
Day 27: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah
Day 28: Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Day 29: Matthew
Day 30: Mark
Day 31: Luke
Day 32: John
Day 33: Acts
Day 34: Romans
Day 35: I Corinthians
Day 36: II Corinthians
Day 37: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians
Day 38: I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, Philemon
Day 39: Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John, II John, III John
Day 40: Jude, Revelation

Babies are blessings!

We are enjoying a season of joyful news! Hayley, Abbey, Mady, and Bear are expecting two new cousins to arrive this summer and fall.  Everyone is happy and excited and we would appreciate prayers for the expectant mamas (health and safety during pregnancy, labor, and birth), the expectant daddies (working hard and trusting God to provide for their growing families), and the extended families (to encourage, support, and help in any way possible).  And please pray for these two sweet little ones, that they would, from a tender age on, know "the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world!"

A wedding

Sarah and Christian were wed on December 1, 2012.  The wedding was small (maybe 65 people, and most were family members of the bride and the groom).  Both ceremony and reception were held in a small antebellum home, and the bride's grandfather and the groom's grandfather performed the service.  It was a  joyous and lovely day.

Knitting in Napa

Knitting while in Napa was necessary.  There was only so much tasting I could do before I felt like I was "tasted out."  I'm not a huge connoisseur of wine, although I do appreciate good wine.  So my while my companions tasted on I pulled out my yarn and needles and listened to their observations about the wine.  It made for some perfect days.

Napa in November

Napa in November was very nice.  Steve and I went with two other couples and spent five days sightseeing and wine-tasting.  Definitely plan to go back and see more!

Hayley's quilt

Last fall Hayley asked me to make her a quilt.  She is coming (with the rest of her family) on Friday to spend the weekend and to go to an Auburn football game (that's the birthday gift she asked for).  I told her that no matter the outcome of the game, she'll have her quilt to take home with her.  Happy 12th Birthday, Hayley!

The Gentle Art of Stitching

The Gentle Art of Stitching: 40 Projects Inspired by Everyday Beauty by Jane Brocket

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book is as lovely and informative as Jane Brocket's other "Gentle Art" books.  None of the projects are daunting, and all are easily do-able both in skills and materials for anyone without years of experience and without a really good needle-work store nearby. 

My only complaint (and it's a paltry one) is that I'd like to have had a few photos of the pieces as they were in progress.  I find it easier to see the way to do something than to read a description of the process.

But that is a preference of mine and I'm still happy to have bought this book.

Private Enterprise

Last night I finished reading Angela Thirkell's novel, Private Enterprise http://www.amazon.com/Private-Enterprise-Angela-Thirkell-Barsetshire/dp/155921189X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346343739&sr=8-1&keywords=private+enterprise+angela+thirkell.  Like her other novels, it is set in the fictional county of Barsetshire (yes, the Barsetshire imagined first by Anthony Trollope!) and takes place just a few years after the end of WWII.  Her characters are likeable and realistic and her humor is gentle and consistent.

In this novel, the county is still suffering the privations of war, particularly food rationing.  Everyone is excited and interested when a young war widow, Mrs. Arbuthnot, and her sister-in-law, Miss Arbuthnot, move into the area.  Marriages are imagined (and eventually made) and the topic of conversation moves easily from the lack of decent food to the doings of the new county citizens.

It's not a sensational book, but a calming read and lovely for those who have read all of Trollope's novels and wish there were more.

Thanks to Susan!

My granddaughters all have barefoot sandals now, thanks to Susan, who saw Joan's sandals and gave us a huge bag filled with DMC floss.  Hayley, Abbey, and Madyson chose colors and Joan and I started crocheting the sandals last week.  I have three very happy little girls!