May We Praise Him

Wishing all of you a happy thanksgiving.

We will be busy the next few days. I must clean from top to bottom today. Tomorrow we head to relatives to celebrate with them, and friday we are having a friendly football game between the men of our church and another. Everyone is then coming to our house. Saturday I hope to take down all my fall decorations and put up winter ones.

What are you doing this weekend?

The Garden of Friendship - Gossip

I think that as women, one of our biggest sins is misuse of our mouths. Whether you are by nature talkative or quiet, you may deal with the temptation to gossip with your friends and aquaintances. So many times I recall a conversation I had and wonder, "was that gossip?"

Will you join me in reflecting on a few points that may help us with this tendency? I need this too!

1. Gossip may often be disguised as, "we need to pray for ..." Using the need for prayer as a reason to talk about someone else's personal business is not okay. I know I have done this, and I am heartily ashamed. There are times when it is legitimate to bring up a situation as a prayer request. Pray that God will give you wisdom in this matter.

2. Be a secret keeper. It is sooooo easy to "let it slip." When friends tell you something in confidence, carefully guard their information. I would like to add that it is okay to let a secret out is when someone tells you something that could seriously harm them. We shouldn't glibly promise to keep a secret when we know we can't. In that situation, it is proper to inform the person that if they do not share their information with someone they trust, you may have to. "A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter." Prov 11:13

3. Gossip is sinful. This sin is not to be taken lightly. Our speech is to be always with grace, seasoned with salt. (Col 4:6) Is what we are saying helpful and edifying? Does it lift another up or tear down?

4. Be humble. Don't be afraid to go back after having an unwise conversation and apologize to the friend you had it with. This is pleasing to God, and it may help your friends to think twice before giving in to gossip. "The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body." Prov 26:22

Any other thoughts on this subject? I could go on and on, but time doesn't permit. How do you avoid gossip?

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Sorry I have taken so long to post and to update myself on your lovely blogs. For some reason, our laptop has suddenly decided not to work on our network. Until we get that fixed, I can't be online as much because I'd be sitting in our office all day and not getting anything else accomplished!

I wanted to share a recipe with you.

I just made this, and believe me -- it is soooooo yummy! The best thing about this recipe is that you can eat some and still have plenty to share!

This yields 3 loaves ...

Here's what you need:

3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup vegetable oil

I always make my breads without raisins and nuts, but it is still super yummy.

Here's what you do -- so easy!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7 x 3 inch loaf pans.
Mix oil, sugar, and eggs together in a large bowl. Mix in pumpkin puree and water. Stir together flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add to the pumpkin mixture, and mix until just combined. Stir in nuts and raisins. Divide batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 1 hour. Cool on wire racks.

I got some foil pans at the store so I could give a couple of loaves away, and they took about 15 minutes longer to cook. Check the bread after an hour and make sure it's done.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

The Garden of Friendship - Helping Others

This is more of a thank you post then an exhortation! Some of you I know personally, and others I know from "blog-land." I have seen the servant's hearts that you have.

One of the ways that we can be good friends is to find little helpful things to do that will make our friend's lives easier.

This post is about my sister, but of course she is my friend as well.

Right now, hubby is very busy and has to be away overnight at times. This is a difficult season for our little family even though it is temporary. I don't like being home alone overnight, and our little daughter misses her Daddy and is sad when he isn't there to tuck her in. We know that he is doing this for the good of our whole family and that it is hard for him too. We only have eight weeks left - Yippee!! God has been faithful as always.

But I digress. My sister has been sweet enough to come over and stay with us when hubby is away. This makes life very happy and we look forward to our "girlie" weekends. I don't know how she puts up with Selena saying "hi dee-dee" over and over and over. And over.

see the smile on Lena's face?

So thank you so much Neesie, for helping us through this season of life. We are going to have so much fun pumpkin picking tomorrow.

Sixteenth Birthday Party

I wanted to share with you the idea of a Proverbs 31 birthday party. My parents had one for me when I turned sixteen, and the effects were far reaching.


Unbeknownst to me, each invited guest was to give me a gift based on one of the verses in Proverbs 31:10-31. Each gift was to be for my hopechest, and was to be saved for the future (for marriage if God so blessed me).

I still have the cards and gifts that were given to me ...

For example:
verse 15 "She also rises while it is yet night ..." I received a beautiful porcelain clock.
verse 16 "She considers a field and buys it..." I recieved a lovely couch throw with embroidered seed packets on it.
verse 18 "... her lamp does not go out by night." I received an elegant crystal lamp, and two pairs of candlesticks -- one brass and one crystal.
verse 21 "...for all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple." I received some absolutely lovely purple material and a sewing box.

These are just some of the things I received on that birthday. I also received a gorgeous apron, some cookbooks, vases, and even a set of dishes! It was such a surprise - I knew about the party but not the Proverbs 31/hopechest theme.

Everyone wrote out the verse that they were representing with their gift, and a note to me. These things are reflected all around my home today. People kept up with the theme for future gifts for me also.

When I got married, it was so exciting to take out each carefully wrapped item and show my husband the things I had saved for our future home. I also remember that when we had secured an apartment that we would live in, and my mom and I went to start cleaning and moving in, that I was able to decorate with table scarves, candles and doilies right away.

Do you have any memorable party ideas? If so, leave it in a comment or email me at joyousmommie@girlinside.com.

How God Brought Us Together - Part Three

Ecclesiastes 4:12 A cord of three strands is not easily broken.


"A threefold cord is not easily broken, any more than a bundle of arrows, though each single thread and each single arrow is. Two together he compares to a threefold cord; for where two are closely joined in holy love and fellowship, Christ will by His spirit come to them, and make the third, as He joined Himself to the two disciples going to Emmaus, and then there is a threefold cord that can never be broken. They that dwell in love, dwell in God and God in them."
-Matthew Henry-(the above is an excerpt from our wedding program)

It was Saturday the 25th of September 2004. At one o' clock in the afternoon, an expectant groom walked to the front of the sanctuary to await his bride.

He watched and waited as two violins and a piano played Canon in D as the mothers were seated, and Largo from Xerxes as the beautiful bridesmaids walked down the aisle.

The four flower girls were led by the ringbearer and then ...
... the doors were closed.

All rose as the bride and her father approached.

All in the wedding party sat as a charge was given to the couple. The congregation joined in singing O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus and Take My Life and Let it Be.

Vows were spoken, rings were exchanged, prayer was given for the couple, and their union was pronounced.



They couldn't seem to wipe the happy grins from their faces.


Were they really married? So much joy wasn't possible, was it?

They walked arm in arm into the reception, held in the very same room where they met.

When it was time to go, the bride shed a few tears as she said goodbye to her family, but quickly shook them away to leave with her new husband.

Near disaster was averted as the impatient groom almost caused a fender bender.

The newlyweds rode off into the sunset. They didn't realize that they could love each other any more then they did at that moment...

... but they do.

How God Brought Us Together - Part Two (x-post from my other blog)

THE SUMMER COURTSHIP
The days of summer progressed, and so did our relationship with one another. The emails continued, but they got shorter because we were talking so much. The calls got more frequent, and we began to see each other every weekend.

We started to pray together. Mr S emailed me a list of items to pray for.

We also started reading two Christian books which Mr. S purchased for me. We started to talk about the future. We were surprised how closely God was knitting our hearts. I think we all just knew.

He had not confessed his love for me, although he made sure I knew how he felt. He always talked about how red roses meant love, and he knew that I loved roses. On the day before my birthday a vase stuffed with beautiful red roses and other filler flowers arrived at my house. The card read: "Red!!! What does that mean? I forget. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow."

When he asked my Dad if he could officially court me, my Dad gave his consent readily (after a serious conversation of course!). He became a part of our small family and I became a part of his big family.

ENGAGEMENT

On October 17, 2003, I was supposed to go spend the weekend in Mr.S's neck of the woods. I was going to a birthday party for his cousin. This was my first time spending an overnight in North Jersey.

I noticed that Mom said "I love you," to Mr S when we were walking down the driveway, but I didn't think anything of it.

We went past the exit we were supposed to turn off on, and when I asked about it, I was assured that "we could go this way too." He pulled into Liberty State Park and I was enjoying the lit up buildings ... it was beautiful. I was fine until he pulled into a parking lot and stopped the car. He asked me if I wanted to take a walk. I wasn't sure what he was doing. We always discussed everything we did before we did it. We always cleared everything with my dad too. I told him that I didn't want to take a walk. He was shocked! He said that he needed to stretch his legs and after he walked around and got his jacket out of the trunk, he told me that there was something he wanted to show me. I was uncomfortable (spontaneity is not my strong point), but I went. We walked onto the bridge and he showed me the Statue of Liberty. It was breathtaking in the dusk.

Then I felt a drop land on my nose.

"It's raining," I announced.

"It's not," he said quickly.

"Bev, your parents know we're here," he finally said, sensing my inner thoughts.

"They do?" I said, ready to cry with relief, "why didn't you tell me that?"

"Because it was supposed to be a surprise," he answered smiling down at me.

We started to walk along the bridge hand in hand. He stopped and told me that he wished he could show me how much he loved me.

I started to realize at that moment what was going on.

He told me that he was going to show me, and next thing I knew, he was down on one knee in front of me. He was holding a ring in the air ... it was sparkling in the overhead lights.I don't remember what I said. It was an indescribable feeling.

But yes --- we still had to attend the birthday party. So we got back in the car -- we were both giddy, and drove to his house. When I walked in, my parents and my sister and his family and some friends were there! It wasn't a birthday party but an engagement party for us. It was a perfect ending.

The next morning, we went to breakfast at a friend's house. There, we saw our two friends who had gotten engaged the very same night! Mr.S and the other guy - the very same one who had alerted Mr.S to sit at our table at the banquet - had planned all this to perfection. We got engaged simultaneously, and not far in location from one another. You can imagine what a gleeful breakfast this was.

By the way, we also got married within three months of each other and had our first children within three months of each other. We are currently planning their wedding:-) They beat us with the second child though, theirs is due in just a few weeks!

That night, we went to The Manor for dinner. A wedding was going on outside and we sat at a distance and dreamed and planned about us.

Thus ends my narrative about the courtship and engagement.I think I will post about the wedding on September 25th as that is our actual anniversary. And yes, I'll include a few pictures.