We interrupt the regularly scheduled post for....a FABULOUS giveaway!

So one of my favorite blogs is having a fabulous giveaway today. Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting it. It is this fabulous, genuine, one-of-a-kind, antique grainsack...



Visit her site to enter for yourself!

Good luck....well, sort of....since I really want to win it.

Happy Tuesday!

Hugs~A

Don't Worry...Be Happy...

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Have you ever experienced a time when things were so overwhelming that you could not sleep? Have there been times when you were so preoccupied with a problem that you could scarcely function? Have there been issues in your life that seem to control every waking thought? If so, you know worry. Paul understood that humans have a natural tendency to become anxious. He knew that anxiety is one of the greatest thieves of joy.

Don't you hate when people tell you not to worry? It is so easy to say and much, much harder to do. Don't you sometimes feel that the person who is telling you not to worry is the one who doesn't fully comprehend the problem because if they did they would be worried too? I think Paul understood this...he knew that worry is natural, but also that it is a thief. Worry robs us of our ability to think, function and enjoy life.

How do we avoid worry. There is only ONE way...we have to ASK God to help us put our worries down and trust Him to meet them. I am not capable of giving up my worries on my own. I must rely on God to alleviate them...over and over again (because I tend to pick them back up over and over again). Only when I give my worries and anxieties to God can I REST in Him and engage in life again.

This is an area I struggle with often...and am struggling with now. Join with me in prayer...ask your Perfect Parent to take those worries and exchange them for rest and joy in living.

Hugs~A

Meet the Family

I'm so excited to have you here at my little virtual home. Most of you probably already know my family, but for those visiting who don't I thought introductions were in order.



The Hubby, aka Durk My love, my partner, my biggest supporter and most trusted friend. And the chief cause of my lunacy!







The Eldest, aka Memphis The amazing human being who made me a mother nearly 17 years ago. He is also the chief guinea pig around here, since we try out all our parenting on him. I guess that makes us the chief cause of his lunacy.








The 12 year old, aka Mais-Man My second-born, deep thinker, king of the million dollar smile, and future golf legend.







The other 12 year old, aka Bri My oldest daughter. I have had the privilege of mothering this sweet girl for the last four years....since she was a tiny little thing. Little stinker is now as tall as me. Long, lean and athletic...and lover of all living creatures.





The 9 year old, aka Jamie D My youngest son. His daddy gave me the privilege of being his mom for the last four years. He is hubby's little "Mini Me", to a T. Magic card master and soldier in training.





The baby, aka Kenziebelle The youngest, and the one who taught me how to be a mom to a daughter eight years ago after parenting her very boyish brothers for eight years. This girl is gonna be trouble...outgoing, funny and beautiful. Good thing she has three big brothers to look out for her!




Well, that's us in a nutshell. Thanks again for taking the time to visit and get to know a little about my precious, beautiful family!

Hugs~A

My Inaugural Post......$6 Bulletin Board

I figured since my first exposure to blogging was with Kimba at A Soft Place to Land, it was only appropriate that my first post on my own blog was one participating in her weekly Do It Yourself Party.



I've been wanting a large bulletin board for a short, narrow hallway in our home to display recent snapshots of our family and friends. This is by no means at the top of my list for home projects in which I want to invest right now. However, while at the Dollar Store this week, I came up with an idea. I purchased two sheets (20 x 30 each) of foam board. I taped them together with duct tape (yes, you can see it through the fabric, but I figure that will soon be covered with pictures) making one large 30 x 40 inch rectangle. I covered the board with one yard of clearance fabric from Wal-Mart (shhh....don't tell, I also just taped the fabric on). I then used two spools of grossgrain ribbon from the Dollar Store to create the diamond grid, inserting thumbtacks (also from the Dollar Store) at each intersection. Done!


Foam board...$2, Fabric...$1, Ribbon...$2, Thumb Tacks...$1. No more annoyingly empty wall...priceless.

Now, head on over to Kimba's to see some REALLY good DIY projects. And thanks for visiting!

Hugs~A