another day of Grace

Hello again Dear Friend,

I'm so glad you have found your way to our Grace Thyme Cottage.

It's Wednesday! And I can feel it in my bones, it's gonna be a Grace day! So, don't worry about today. No frettin' allowed...not today! Jesus said He'll take our cares and burdens for today. And we can have His Joy. With a deal like that, I ask, Why not? Besides it's FREE.

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from my kitchen window I can see the rainbow I just pegged online. Girly decorated clothes pegs + girly colored clean clothes + heavenly sunshine! ah now that's what I call sweet.

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i am daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, niece, friend, neighbor. my desires are the same as God. Need me. Want me. Love me. don't be ashamed of me. ALL He requires is what He gives plus some sweet extras along the day.
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This was not: *smile*

Our 2 year old grandson is here while his mommie (my daughter) works at the seasonal restaurant by her grandparents. She is a waitress at The Cypress Grill. They do not have a website but the Smithsonian Magazine did a story on them. You can read about it Here.

The weather today is so nice, dry and warm. The ground is still very mucky. But what does that matter when above there is sunshine smiling down on us? We've had so much rain that these sunshiny days are pure treasure.

Thankfully this appears to be a day of home. We've no place to go. We've plenty of food to eat and clothes to wear. Sweet bliss is a day spent a home with those you know and love and those who know, love and accept you with all your little imperfections.

My Beloved has been listening to the Dave Ramsey Show. He recently bought the The Total Money Makeover book. He wants me to join him. No problem!

In 1996, I bought Amy Dacyczyn's book The Tightwad Gazette. Back then you had to buy them separately. And by February 1997, I had them all in hand with notebook, pen and calculator. We went away for a week and I started my lessons in thrift. I had been taught that if it was meant to be, it was up to me. Somehow they never included that it was God who gives us the strength to do these things. I was filled with much pride in what WE had done. Our meals were Southern gourmet with all natural organic ingredients. Our bank accounts were shining like little beckons to brighten our path. We did give along the way to those in need. But God had very little to do with any of it much, oh we did mention His name for we feared boasting out loud. But within I was very bloated with myself.

In 2008, we came to the end of ourselves. My health broke. Our bank account grew very dim. We still give, but we are thankful to have food, shelter, clothing, vehicles, cell phones and so much more left. And He still helps us to give to others. That's Grace!

God gives us so much. And we truly thank Him. However, I do think it is joyfully entertaining to be able to share what He gives. It thrills us to live below what He gives so that we may become a blessing to others. We are grateful. And do not wish to cast all of our God given blessings into the wind of cheap thrills, when His are oh so much better!

We know that being poor is nothing to be ashamed of. The poor are amongst the wealthiest in my humble opinion. But have money helps us to help others in ways we could never imagine.

This reminds me of a story I once read, do you have time for a little story?

The story was about a lady who took her children to a diner to eat. I was after noon and they had been so busy with errands and such that she had not noticed that they had not yet eaten until she saw the diner up ahead.

When they entered the diner, she noticed the only waitress was very pregnant.
Since the diner wasn't busy the lady began chatting with her waitress. Somehow as it goes with mothers, they began chatting of all the things one needs for babies. The waitress shyly shared that she was a little worried because she was due in a few weeks but had not managed to save enough for a reliable car seat. And without a car seat her hospital would not allow her to leave with her baby. She shared that her husband had taken on extra work, but the funds just didn't seem to want to grow as fast the little one due at anytime. She realized all that she had been saying to the lady and apologized for sharing her tales of woe.

As the family was leaving the diner, the lady left a nice little tip, more that her usual amount. And she felt good about helping the waitress and her husband. So, she was more than surprised when as clear as a bell she heard a small voice within herself tell her to go buy a car seat for the waitress. She reasoned that she might offend the waitress and her husband if she did. The waitress had admitted she was ashamed for telling the lady about their troubles. Soon the lady and her children were found in front of a large display of car seats in the department store just down the street.

She made her purchase and returned to the diner. She took the car seat in and upon seeing the car seat and the lady, the waitress was quite shocked at first. When she realized what the lady had done, she began to weep and apologize for not having the funds to pay her back. The lady said, "please don't thank me, it was all God's idea!"

I love that story and keep it tucked in my heart as I travel away from our little cottage.

May your day being filled with Beauty and The Light. And may Peace and Grace be yours all this lovely day.
Paula

Simple Pleasures

Cherishing life's simple pleasures

- being on the same page as my Beloved.

- children willing to stick-n-stand-together with their parents in the decisions they make for the family.

- finding a box of fortune cookies at market, bringing them home.

- listening to grandson laughing at his silly auntie.

- getting little homey things done.

Hope you have a blessed day filled with simple little pleasures,
Paula

For Everyday Blessings

For Everyday Blessings

Dear God,
Open my eyes to the beauty of this day.
The yellow of an egg yolk in a blue bowl.
The scent of bacon frying in the pan.
The soft caress of the morning breeze.
The sound of children at play.
Awaken my senses.
Let me see, hear, and feel the beauty around me.
And be aware of the presence of the Great Artist in my everyday world.

- William Webber

Life Favors...

Hello dear friend,

On Saturday night we stopped by the Dollar Tree. I needed some packing tape to mail a package. We also went because a dear friend works there, and so we get to see her while we're there.

As we were arriving at the check-out my eyes caught sight of a book with a cover which just drew me in. I glanced at the title: The Art of Abundance. I immediately picked it up without any more information and added it to our purchases.

Boy! I am really glad I did! This is a book I would gladly recommend and would pay full price for. Yes, it is that delicious!

What she calls "The Art of Abundance" I refer to as "Life favors."

Some time ago as I was trying to understand what "God's Amazing Grace" was all about, even though I should have known as I grew up in a very religious community. Sadly, I didn't.

As I sat one day trying to wrap my mind around "Grace" suddenly an image came to mind. I was at a party, the theme was "Celebrating Life." I was invited. But at this party the party favors were given, by The HOST at the beginning rather than at the end. He gave a package He referred to as "Today." We were encouraged to open our packages right away, without one delay. OH! But I hesitated because surely this isn't meant for me, I am still surprised that I was invited. I feared they would discover their mistake and I would be asked to leave. I hid in the corner because of that fear, trying to be as silent and still as I could.

But He saw me and encouraged me to Come! Take Joy!

When I finally accepted that He meant all this Grace was for even me. I joyfully accepted the package and received so many wonderful gifts!

That package came with a beautiful box that looked like early morning. It was filled with all sorts of wonderful tokens of love, some big, some small.

My spirit jumped and thrilled at being given this His gift of Grace as I had done not one thing to deserve them. Truly, I did not deserve to be invited to the party, yet I was.

"Come! Take Rest! Enjoy!" was what the invitation said...for me? My thoughts were "Oh no, I must keep working to earn my place at The Glorious Wedding. These little parties are only for those deserving." Now I shudder as I recall that I almost missed the party because I was too busy working to stop and heed the invitation.

I recall those little, simple, almost missed gifts:

~the silence of early morning before human and animals awaken.

~the smell of a rose in bloom.

~the eyes of an elderly person I have connected with just the day before.

~a volunteered hug, kiss and "I love you, mama" from my children.

~the shopping trip I had taken, with money enough for the things we needed and a few just because items tucked in.

The amazing thing about this "Today" package is that it never seems to completely empty. Just when I come to the bottom of Today I think that's where the Life Favors (Grace ends). But I awaken the next morning...Ta Da! The Today package has been refilled. JOY! That is always the first token fresh and new every morning!

Sadly though, some days I arrive at the "Celebrate Life" party with my spirit so loaded down with burdens and cares that I can't enjoy the celebration. Often times I arrive at the celebration with my eyes only focused on World's burdens, care, fears, worries, doubts, anxieties, etc. I am blinded by the darkness. When I am given my "Life Favor" package I just casually toss it into my spirit sack
and never pay much attention to Today with the beautiful morning bow on the top.

But daily I am quietly accepting, joining in with other to Celebrate Life. I am practicing the art of joting those "Life Favors" I find daily in my package...there in my journal.

Today I am sharing with you a quote from the book, another Life Favor that I was joyfully surprised by. It's from this book:
the Art of Abundance, A SIMPLE GUIDE TO DISCOVERING LIFE'S TREASURES by Candy Paull

"Celebrating abundance is the best antidote I know of for fear: fear that whispers there won't be enough for tomorrow, fear that hisses "things will never improve," fear that dominates and tortures, telling you that you're helpless and God has forgotten you. Don't believe it.

Start looking at what you already have. Start with basics like, "I'm still breathing." Make a game seeing how many positives there are in in your life. Then start counting the little things, the tiny joys a moment can bring. Open your eyes to see the wonder of the world you live in. I call this the "Abundance is..." game."
~Candy Paull

I hope you enjoy Candy Paull's book, website and blog. I pray you will join me at the Celebrating Life party...those Life Favors are truly priceless!

Walking Daily hand-in-hand with Grace
Paula

P.S. please if you see any mistakes in the above post, I beg for your kindness. I am struggling just to get these thoughts from here to there. I thank you in advance.

God's Love and Ours

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18

Hope you had a rest-filled Sabbath.
Paula

01/08/10

All great stories begin thus:



"Once upon a time..."

and always end:

"and they lived happily ever-after."

I love those stories.

I love to read. I read books, magazines, catalogs, sales-flyers, blogs, websites and my friends facebook status updates.

Sometimes I can read something which is truly so very innocent.

Satan is so very good at knowing just how to twist and turn those innocent words and whisper, "Yeah, but what about you? Look at you. Look at your life. What has God and His Grace ever done for you. All hope is lost. There is no one who can help you."

Suddenly the sky turns dark and threatening. Before I know it, I have allowed him to cause me to look down, taking my eyes off my Saviour. Down there all I see is me, hopelessness and despair.

I turn to look for Jesus and question Him. "Master, is there none for me? Why have you done this? Why have you allowed this thing I feared the most to come upon me?"

My heart sinks lower and lower. I weep.

Within me there is a voice, a very small voice. "I AM here My little one, look up."

I look up and see Hope and Grace and Wisdom. They encourage me to look for His goodness which He has lavishly showered on me. I would be ashamed of my hopelessness and despair, but my heart is overcome with His Goodness.

My list includes blessings which can make my heart thrill like nothing else:

~ Laughter, the kind that comes from deep within a person's soul. It's genuine and authentic...and tickles the ears and heart.

~ The eyes of an elder person, when they realize someone has noticed them.

~ The arch of a rainbow.

~ Believing that Unicorns live in the woods just outside of your cottage.

~ Seeing a "been-married-for-more-years-than-we-have-fingers" couple walking, side-by-side, hand-in-hand.

~ Watching that same couple as they "sneak" a kiss, as if they were teenagers again.

~ Surprise Smiley Faces. Like the ones we saw during the July 4th, 2009 fireworks display in Little Washington.

~ While traveling, meeting someone who knows where Little Washington is. Suddenly there is a heart connection, or so it seems. And that thrills my spirit!

These are just a few of the "Life Favors" that give my spirit a thrill and a lift.

So with these "Life Favors" still clutched within my heart. I gave thanks to Papa God for another Grace Day. Soon I am wrapped into a cozy cocoon by the Comforter and sleep.

By morning, satan is, I'm sure planning His next attack.

This morning, I was able to rise, shine, give God the glory...
I fried up a pan of country ham and eggs.

For my darling family, my mother in-love gave me an apple-cinnamon muffin mix for Christmas 2008. I haven't been able to mix and bake it because our oven has been broken since.

My Beloved has spent lots of money to repair it, but nothing worked. The thing that worked, required no money at all. Mr. Asa, who delivers our propane told him how to fix it. Thank you Lord for wonderful helpful people!

Now the oven works and challenge the popular challenge for the month of January seems to be to "eat out of the pantry."

So I baked those this morning. Everyone liked them. They are loaded with sugar, so I can't eat them.

Hoping you and yours has a beautiful Grace Day,
Paula

I leave you with this Fun idea:

Homemade Sausage

Hello dear friend,

We're so glad you have come for a visit. Please have a seat at the kitchen table while we mix up a favorite receipt here at Slowing Down Cottage. Would you like a cup of fresh brewed coffee, tea or would you prefer something else? Relax. We do hope you enjoy your visit with us today.

Since becoming "sugar intolerant" I have to watch what I eat. My family loves sausage. But since we became reading labels a little better than we were, we noticed lots of unwanted and unneeded additives, i.e.: dextrose and MSG. While they enhance the the flavor a bit, we have discovered that one can make these foods and enjoy them just as well. And often times cheaper than the overly-processed stuff.

Here's our receipt for a great sausage patty:
Homemade Pork Sausage Receipt
5 pounds ground pork*
4 teaspoons sea salt
3 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 teaspoons poultry seasonings
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup cold water**

First you'll need a large pan or bowl. I use a shallow roasting pan.

Measure the seasonings together; mix with the water. Put the ground pork in the bowl/pan. Now pour the seasoned water mixture over the meat. This part takes the most time, but be patient and mix - mix - mix! Once you've got the seasonings mixed in to your liking, you may stop. *smile*

Next pinch off a small amount; form into a patty. Fry in a cast-iron skillet with a wee bit of pork lard. If it is not spicy enough for you, you can add more seasonings at this point.

Now divide the sausage into 5 equal portions. I like to roll them into "logs" and wrap in freezer paper. You could make it more air-tight with plastic wrap, if you chose. Freeze the sausage until you need them.

This is just like the bulk packs of ground sausage. You can fry it up into patties for breakfast or mix with ground turkey, chicken or beef for meatballs or browned for casseroles, etc.

"EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About It":
* You can buy this already ground or buy a pork butt and grind it yourself. If you buy pork pre-ground, make sure it is 100% ground pork with nothing added.

**I got this idea from Maggie, the original Hillbilly Housewife. Maggie said, do not omit this part, "the water makes the meat softer and easier to blend with the seasonings. If you leave the water out then the seasonings will stay in peculiar clumps, stubbornly refusing to blend in with the meat." Maggie is right. I find it truly does help.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Blessings to you and yours~
Paula