Psalms of Praises

 

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.

 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. 
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Psalm 96:4-13 (NIV)

 

Don't you just love when a songwriter uses scripture

as the foundation of their song so that as it comes

to mind you realize you are singing

Holy words?

 

I do!

 

This morning I noticed the words that I've highlighted in

blue and immediately a song started running

through my head.

 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/BmuTYWJWSS8

 

What a joyful way to begin a day!

Getting in Deeper...Literally

 

It is January.

 

Unofficially I am continuing the candle business.

It is unofficial because Warren and I have yet to sit

down and have that LONG discussion about whether

this is continuing or not.

However,

short chats have led to an agreement to

try some changes......

Big changes that have to happen to make it work.

 

One of the biggest is that I'll be moving my

workspace to the room that Mikey used to occupy.

 

He's been moved out several months now and gives no

hint of wanting to come back.

He is in a very good place with very nice roomates.

We are happy for him and are always thrilled

when he pops in whether for a few minutes

or for a day or two.

Of course the rest of the family gets to see

him at work.

Made easier since they all work at the same

theater.

 

I haven't heard any more from the salon owner about the

space she may be offering me.

However, the more I think about leaving the house

to work the less I like the idea.

That's not to say that it still may not happen

but I think I really want to give this new

arrangement a real chance first.

 

I say I'm getting in deeper because his room

is in our lower level

right next to Warren's

"man cave".

 

I'm going to get buff carrying the boxes

up and down the stairs.

Seriously, buff.

*grin*

The soy boxes themselves are

50 pounds.

Yep, I'm going to get into

shape...if it doesn't kill me.

 

In the meantime the creative juices have been flowing

and I've been creating both mentally and literally.

 

For this month's feature fragrance

 I created a new fragrance that Chelsea

has been after me to make for quite some time.

Peppermint Mocha.

Yum!

 

I continue to experiment with palm wax, wood wicks

and cotton wicks.

Today I found some adorable containers to make up

goodies for weddings and Valentine's Day.

 

Oh Joy!

I'm having fun again.

 

As you may have seen in an earlier post

I'll be offering soap made by

some friends with soapmaking experience

and I'm looking into making

coordinating lotions.

 

Lots going on here!

 

Thanks to all of my dear friends and readers

who have been so supportive.

I've got a temporary reprieve.

I'll try to make good on it.

Two things have to happen:

 

First....I have to turn a profit.

Secondly,

I have to make our house a home once again.

 

That will be so wonderful!

 

We had a Ball

There is something broken with my Bloggy self.

I went to a fun New Years/Birthday Party last night

and did not take the camera!

 

Oh dear!

 

Sadly, Warren and several others had their cameras and

captured much silliness.

 

The event was actually a birthday party for our dear

friend Lindsay Rabe from Creekside Cottage.

She turns 21 today.

Conveniently it happened that we could celebrate

the New Year's arrival at the same time.

 

We had a ball.

Literally.

 

An English Country Ball.

 

Some danced every dance

while some of us

did just one or two.

 

I chose to do one

but it went on forever since

the music had been tampered with

to extend the "fun".

 

Well, it was funny to see everyone's faces

as the song began again and again.

 

Mikey came to the party and was

cracking all of us up with his

shenanigans.

He is such the middle child.

 

I am going to try to be a better

blogger this year.

It's so hard with all of the time I

have to spend promoting my Etsy shop

that I tend to want to be off the computer when

I'm not busy with that but I do miss

seeing what everyone is up to and the fun

of planning, shooting and posting

deliberate posts.

 

I have a major project coming up that I

intend to document and share.

Very exciting....

to me, anyway.

 

Today I will make pork and saurkraut

to get this New Year off on the right foot.

Tradition!

 

We plan to see a movie

and probably head to bed early to make up

for the missed sleep from last night.

It was after 2am when we finally headed to bed.

Most years I work hard

just to make it to the ball drop

and then head straight to bed.

 

But, this year held new adventures.

Some I am sure to regret.

Maybe as soon as Sunday morning if certain

people decide to share their video.

 

Happy Birthday, Lindsay.

Thanks for the fun.

 

 

 

 

In Which the New Week and New Year Come Together

When I grow up

I want to do all kinds of things.

One of these things could involve being

a published author.

Maybe.

 

But if I ever do that

I would want to do something classic.

Something whimsical and uplifting.

I don't think I want to write a memoir

or anything heavy like that.

 

Perhaps a children's book

or

a humerous devotional.

 

Laughter and God's Word could

be just the perfect way to begin a day,

don't you think?

 

Anyway.....

I don't really know what got me started

on that tangent other than the title

I wrote for this post which made me

think of A.A. Milne and Winnie the Pooh.

 

Don't be dismayed if you didn't follow that.

It's early here and I'm still working out the cobwebs of

my sleepy brain.

 

I think I may be suffering from hyper awareness of this

New Year and all of the possibilities it holds.

We have been "not" talking about the future of

the candle business here.

I bring it up....

he says "not yet".

But I get little snippets of his thoughts

in the process.

So.....it seems we take it a day at a time while

we consider the entire world's possibilities

for my life.

Not the least of these being about six months worth of

cleaning, painting, and organization within

the sphere I call my home.

 

I kind of like that the New Year Celebrations

and our Monday coincide.  

This being New Year's Eve

allows for some business to be completed and then

a Holiday again.

Awe.some!

 

2013 is the year that is scheduled to see our

Chelsea off to her big Australian adventure.

 

We were practicing Skype yesterday.

The wonders of technology.

Thank you, Lord!

 

I don't know what 2013 will hold for us.

That's probably good.

But, I do know the ONE who knows.

And He is able beyond anything we could

dream or imagine.

 

So....we begin this New Year with

joy and excitement about all that is to come.

Knowing that it will pass very quickly

and that these days one needs to live

quite intentionally to

appreciate it.

 

Here goes..........

 

Anything you care to share

about your New Years thoughts or plans?

 

 

 



Sometimes Themes Get Mixed

You may remember the funny labels I designed for

a local salon some time ago?

Well, one of them stuck. 

It is this

Hippy Chick (Patchouli Vanilla)

12 ounce candle.

 

 

 

I don't think that animal print

and Hippies have anything in common.

But, Hippies and Patchouli certainly do did.
The animal print was a nod to the Salon,
Faux Real Spalon.
There is animal print everywhere.
Even the wall to wall carpet is
animal print.
Much more tastefully done that you
could possibly be imagining.

 

So today I was working around the kitchen

and dining room making up orders

that have accumulated while I was

off enjoying visiting family

and Christmas.

All of a sudden I noticed something left

on the dining room table by one of the

my offspring.

It was a hat.

 

Alas, it had a very similar design to

the print on the label I had just

attached to a candle jar.

 

Well, as long as we are mixing

our themes anyway why not take it

a step further.

And so I did.

 

 

Isn't it adorable?

 

So hap - py to-gether!

 

 



Christmas Filled With Laughter and Tears

 

 This is Mikey's first Christmas since moving out there on his own.

So his Christmas list was pretty much about survival items.....

mostly cash

but we threw in his favorite Cheez-its

and he got gift cards for food.

 

However, we are a family that also enjoys opening

gifts so.....

I found a bunch of party items for the New Year

and then put a pile of dough in the hat.

He loved it

and put on quite a show for us.

Now he is looking for a party to attend on

New Years Eve.

lol

 

 

Aunt Bev gets the award for the absolutely funniest gifts.

She got these Lazy Suits from Woot.

One for each "kid".

Its hard to call them that these days....

except that they played the role pretty well on Christmas Day.

 

We laughed so hard to see them in these silly

but apparently very comfy blue lounge overalls.

 Grandma Ruth checked out the softness.

 

 Mikey demos the convenient flap in the back.

 

 And then there were three!

 

Just too cute!

I wonder what they would think of this in Australia.

((smile))

 

We did have a very sweet day together.

Mom started our time with a poem that my Dad had written

but we had not heard.

It was as if he was speaking to us directly.

So moving.

Bittersweet tears were shed.

 

We laughed again when Mom and Georgia

exchanged identical concert tickets for the

Three Irish Tenors....

 

I cried like a baby when Mom gave Warren and I

a vacation that involved a four concert event

in my favorite Southern Gospel genre.

 

I have another favorite gift to show you

but it is going to get its own post.

It is something pretty.

Warren and Jonathan did well.

 

My brother took a huge risk

by giving Bev a car cover

instead of a garage.

Yes, there is a bit of a difference.

She actually liked it.

He scores.

 

Later in the day Bev's sister, Betsy,

arrived from Ohio

and then Pastor Mike

and our friend Jenny came for a delicious dinner.

Allan made venison with a creamy wild mushroom sauce.

(He and Bev are educated in mushroom collection)

Jonathan made a Dr. Pepper Ham.

Which was very good.

 

We ate....laughed....talked....ate...

 

Then went outside and launched chinese

lanterns.  We were thankful that it had lightly snowed

so there was plenty of moisture should the lantern

come down before being extinguished.

If you haven't seen them it is like a small

tissue paper hot air balloon.

There was a breeze so they went up, up, up

and off into the distance.

Well, all but the first one.

It was like the kite that found the neighborhood tree.

But it burned itself out as we watched.

 

All in all this Christmas will go down in

history as one of our favorites.

Pretty gifts,

Yummy food,

delightful people

and

the true reason remembered.

 

 



So Blessed

Yesterday was so special.  By day's end I could hardly keep my eyes open to watch the Von Trapp family sing their way over the mountains of Austria on their way to freedom.....but it was worth it.

It was "Christmas Day" at church.  As you have gathered our church is a bit unusual.  We operate as a family.....all of us. While it is really a community of families........we have large families, small families, couples, widows, singles, adopted and biological.  We are a very diverse mix. 

But within that mix we are family.  We love each other.  Sometimes we disagree.  Often we laugh together...to the point of tears.  We have our good days and our bad days.  We try to work within our strengths so that everything gets done cheerfully. 

Chelsea took all of the photos in this post.  I think they reflect nicely how we see things on a weekly basis...the big kids and the little kids blend very nicely together.  Everyone works and plays together learning and growing.

Hannah and Asher play peek a boo!



So cute!!



Miss Juliet looking all cute as she eats M&M's that were a gift from an older couple in the church. All of the kids were well sugared up by the end of the afternoon!



Daniel and Sonja study music. 

I love the bag on one shoulder and the much loved bear on the other.

It is a very great place to be.  We are more than delighted that this once very tiny church family has grown.  There were more than 80 people at our Christmas luncheon yesterday.  Wow!  God is so good!!

Worship service yesterday was pretty wonderful.  The music was great and Pastor Mike preached on the Christmas Geneologies.  Interesting stuff!  Not exactly what I would have thought.  Because my eyes tend to glaze over as I get to those name lists. (Except when we were home educating and I would use those lists to get my kiddos giggling like crazy on a hard school day.  They loved the sounds of some of the names.)

After the service we had a delightful sit down luncheon organized by Mrs. Rabe ( Deanna).  She decorated beautifully.  She arranged for some young people to act as servers.  She, Lindsay and I plated up the food.  We had ham, cheesy potatoes and green beans.  Fruit cups and rolls were on the tables.  Dessert was cake.  Yum!  All of the ladies who were able had signed up to bring something for the meal.  Our friend, Jenny and my Mom, Ruth, both made wonderful hams.  Oh.my.goodness.  They were delightful.  Brigette had made a ham too but it was barely touched since we didn't even get there as we served.  I heard it was mighty tasty though.  One never wants to run out of food so we made sure there was plenty.  Our servers did a fabulous job!

Then came the time for last minute practice before our Christmas "Eve" service.  So many of our families come from a distance. We wanted to make sure that they could make the most of their time together over Christmas so we moved that service up to yesterday.  It is so amazing and a picture of how the church should work that I simply make an announcement inviting anyone who would like to take part to let me know what they would like to do.  Over the weeks leading up to it I hear from this one and that one that they have a reading to share, a song to play on this instrument or that.  The children always get to do a song together and we have our resident audience.  They simply enjoy encouraging those who participate.  And by doing so create a wonderful environment!

This year we had a violin/cello duet, a bass and piano duet, Three hands on the piano (As I played with a recuperating Joseph after hand surgery), a vocal ensemble, a vocal duet, a reading by Kelly, several piano solos and an instrumental ensemble that blew us all away with Carol of the Bells.
We have been blessed with amazing musical talent! 

I enjoyed a little chat I had with the children just before they sang Go Tell it on the Mountain.  Lately I've been thinking about how we talk about stories from the Bible.  It seems to me that  young ears hear stories all of the time.  Some of them are fairy tales and some of them are Bible truth.  So we talked very briefly about the difference between Fairy Tales and True Stories.  The Author is very different when it comes to the Bible Stories.  While fairy tales can have merit they aren't the same.
Boy did I enjoy that little time with those children.  So bright eyed and joyful.  Gotta love them!

 

They sang their little hearts out!!

Quickly we came to the end of that service and it was time for our traditional candle lighting and singing of Silent Night.  Four verses.  During that time it is so special to look around in the glow and see all of the church family that we have come to love.  To celebrate together an event that happened so long ago....but is just as relevant today. 

Then we came home to find that our newest neighbors had left Christmas cookies on our doorstep.  LOVE that!!! They are in their first year of marriage and are just a delightful young couple.  I can't wait to get to know them better.

AND as we pulled into our driveway Allan and Bev (brother and sister in love) pulled into Mom's driveway.  Yay.  We decompressed for a few minutes here and then went across the way for fun conversation and some turkey sandwiches.  YUM!  Ham and turkey all in one day.   Delicious!
As is usual for us when Allan is here we laughed a lot.  He is just funny.  I like him.  Bev is such a wonderful sister to me.  I never had a sister.  But she reminds me that I have one now.  And I love her.

Sometime after I allowed my eyes to close in sleep last evening, my boys came home.  Jonathan had worked and Mikey agreed to pick him up so we didn't have to run out again.  So.....my joy is complete.  All three of my children are under one roof.  We can continue with our celebrations of the birth of a Savior.

Today we will sing carols at a local nursing home.  I will sing a solo of Mary's Song (Breath of Heaven).  It has been so long since I've used my voice this much.  Hope it holds up.  Between last night and today I've been reminded of how much I love singing.  The piano has been my instrument for the past 12 years....but I need to work to get my vocal strength back because I now have an accompaniest and friends who love to sing as much as I do.  JOY!!

So, as you can see, I am so very, very blessed.  God has been so good to us.  We are thankful for His goodness and for His Son.

I pray your family has a delightful Christmas celebration.  May His love warm your heart and home.