Walk In It, Word Filled Wednesday

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Visit Amy Deanne at the 160 Acre Woods for more of the Word!

Holykisses,
L

Whodunnit.... and Chocolate Buttermilk Cake!

Greetings and Holykisses,

Thanks for all the sweet comments and emails earlier today! I really appreciate it; yall are THEE BEST! ;)

Have you ever walked inside your house and found a cake you baked... look quite like this? Everyone knows the heart of a watermelon is thee sweetest, and cake from the middle... is better than a "side." ~ I would have expected to find a bigger piece missing than this .... but I guess he had a "little sweet tooth." The day before I'd baked a chocolate buttermilk cake to send with Myguy to take to work and leave out on the break room table for the guys he works with. Later that night, my phone rang and it was our youngest son: "Momma, I heard you baked a chocolate buttermilk cake today... can I have some?!!!" --- I felt so bad to have to tell him, "Uhhhhhh.....Nooooope son, you can't... coz I gave it ALL away!" (They haaaate when I do that.) lol So I promised him the very next day, I'd bake another; and...... I did! I frosted it and ran out the door to do some errands. When I got in the kitchen, this is what I'd found. Heeheehaahaahoohoo.... I knew right away, "whoo dunnit." Grabbing my camera off the counter; I ran down to the shop.
Caught red-handed. Well; PINK-fiestaware handed! lol (I musta just missed him.*)
Awwwwww; they still make my heart go pitter patter sometimes!*
The next day, our other son came up to the house for a plate, napkin, fork ... the works and a much larger piece of the same chocolate buttermilk cake. The MATCO truck guy had just pulled in, and Trent was fetchin a piece for him!* I kinda wondered if it was true, but tonight the Matco guy was here, and he said, "Ohhh by the way, I gotta thank you!" I said, "You do? What on earth for?" He said, "That cake was deeeeeeeeeeelicious!- Just like my Grandma used to make only she put nuts in it." lololol ---- Menfolk and their cake huh?!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's so much fun baking things around here when they eat it up like that! (Safer for me too, otherwise, I'm apt to have at it myself. lol)
(Sure do love my kids... especially when they desecrate my cakes a little.)






I've posted it before but have had requests again, so here ya go...

Old- Fashioned Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

(In a saucepan on the stove- don't nuke it... it's better thee old fashioned WAY)
Melt: 2 sticks REAL budda
4 Tablespoons cocoa (judge that for yourself!)
1 cup water.
Mix well and take off the stove.

In bowl: 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla.
Now dump thee ingredients in the saucepan in the bowl and mix really well.
Pour into a sprayed 9x13 pan and bake 350 til tests done with a toothpick. You don't want to overbake this... so don't blog n bake.*

When it's done, cool on a rack and then in a saucepan again, melt another stick of real budda, and add about 2 tablespoons of cocoa, and stir well. Remove from heat and dump in about a half a bag (maybe more) of powdered sugar, a dash of vanilla and enough buttermilk to make the consistency you want. Frost cake while it's still warm... usually it's still hot when I do it. If I end up makin too much frosting, I frost saltines with the leftover; unless I just eat it all of course. ;)

Good stuff Yall! Hard to leave alone, but good stuff. I highly recommend it when you've had a horrible day. lol (I know I can safely say that; besides... yall know I have issues already.)

SAWEET, holykisses,
L
ps. Do not blame me if you eat the WHOLE thang k?

I'll Go Anywhere with You........................Jesus, Be My Everything

Greetings and Holykisses,

Have you ever had a pebble in your shoe? ~ I had sand inside my shoe all day long. Pebbles... sand.... -- same difference. You try to ignore it but it's there... and it bugs you to the point that you have to take the time to STOP and remove it before you can go on. Thing is; This time, I couldn't shake it out. It was stuck in there all day long. I finally had to take the time to STOP and figure out how and why it's there. And now that I know... I think I'll keep it there awhile to remind me. ~~ So, in the future, if I begin to forget about it, I can slip them back on and walk awhile.... and remember.*

Something happened to me this week, that I think no I "hope" changed my life forever. .... I pray I'll never be the same.

I know God started this in me long ago, but today I realize that the sand started getting in my shoe about a year ago. I sat on the beach in Cancun for hours, just staring out at the water. I felt God's awesome power with every lap of the waves. And swimming there; made me feel even more small... and helpless. We had red flag days every day we were there, but we swam anyways. I'd get tired out, so fast, and a couple times Mike had to help pull me in. The undertow was so strong and the waves would either knock us down or try to drag us out further. I was mesmerized by the power of the water, and my God who created it all.

We walked the shoreline and I was overcome with awe. For a short time, I was in another world from what I was used to. Here ~ ; I was out of my element. And because of that I began to see outside my box. Even on the plane there, I had my nose pressed against the window , wanting to see "more." My mountain-top experience - ... at Sea.
My favorite thing to do there was walk in the sand. I couldn't stand it in my sandals, so I walked barefoot until the tops of my feet were so sunburned they swelled and reminded me of two fat little butterball turkeys. I then had to walk in the water or I couldn't stand the pain. But it still didn't matter because I was a fish out of water that was able to thoroughly enjoy my new environment. I forgot all worries, cares, and problems that I normally carried. I was too busy basking in Abba Father SONshine.

Boarding the plane to go back home, I picked up baggage that I should have left behind. My usual worries, problems and weights got packed in my carry-on. They all came back home with me. Then as the days wore into weeks, I started to forget my mountain top experience at Sea. I would forget to take the time to stop, and remember what's important. And more and more of the world kept creeping in. I've still been seeking God, but without realizing it, I was letting alot of the world in too.

A few weeks ago, I'd started studying my purpose. I saturated myself in the word, and immersed my heart in prayer. I want so badly to be plugged in to everything God has for me.
My prayers are being answered. I know I'm just a micro speck in this incredible world He created. I'm just me, but He did create us all for special purposes.


This week, He sprinkled more sand in my shoe. The King of the universe, used someone I'd just met, to get me to TAKE TIME and really STOP. This person in a sense has as little as most human beings can have, yet God used her to speak to me without saying a word. A divine meeting of hearts, ....we "connected." Spending time with her, I realized how spoiled I am. How shallow I am. How vain I am. How I take my life for granted. How I take my talents for granted, and do not use them to their fullest. Inspite of her limitations, God used her with power. Without, moving a muscle, ..... our hearts embraced, and for a second I felt mercy and grace. And even though I'm just a grain of sand, I know God's showing me that even one grain has purpose.





Mother Teresa said, " "We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something."




I know God carried me back today with purpose and I'm thankful. With all my heart, I pray He blesses the special one He used to remind me to stop. May she bask in His SONshine.

I've been looking for a reason… I've been longing for a purpose…I'm losing all my meaning…I've run out of excuses.

Lord, it's hard to know You. I don't always see your plan / But holiness is calling me so take me as I am.

Chorus: You are my everything, you are the song I sing; I'll do anything for you / Teach me how to pray, to live a life of grace; I'll go anywhere with you / Jesus, be my everything.

Lord, I get so tired of the struggle within / I settle in complacency and I'm weighed down in my sin /

So lead me past emotion, 'cause they changed with the wind / I want to be a true disciple to daily choose Your hand.

Word Filled Wednesday ~Bless the Lord~

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name." Psalm 103:1


Greetings and Happy Word Filled Wednesday.
This photo was taken near thee end of our driveway~... SPRING has sprung and with all my heart, I BLESS HIS HOLY NAME.

Visit Amy Deanne today over at her 160 Acre Woods for more of the WORD today! Thanks Amy!

Spring Bedroom Makeover SOS!

Greetings and Holykisses Yall!
I hope everyone's having a wonderful weekend!

This takes a bit of courage to show you, because so many of you have fabulous homes, and I'm about to show you our bedroom. Ya see, it's time for a makeover, and Lord knows I need help!
We added onto our house years ago, and never finished our bedroom. You'll see from these photos, that there is not one piece of trim anywhere! We just stopped....! Somehow, our course in life took us to new priorities before finishing this one? One week went by, and then months, and ..... 10 years later, here we still are. Actually, I think it's been longer than that.

Because so many of you decorate beautifully, I'm asking for your help. All opinions and advice are completely welcomed and you'll not hurt my feelings, I promise! Just please keep in mind that money is an issue.... and try to remember that you're at the sHABBy oLdE poTTiNg ShEd! -- not Victoria magazine okay? I've been trying to think of all the things I love... and that's my problem. I love too many styles, ways, and charms. Ecclectic to the bone. Yet... dream of having a shabby chic room. Myguy would be okay with that, I'm sure. In fact this past week, he said something that is really nudging me to make some big changes. I'd given the dogs baths and because one thinks she has to be on the bed, I'd thrown a sheet over the top of the bed so she wouldn't shed on our comforter. The sheet was botanical, and honestly it looked really good!
I hadn't said a word about it and when Myguy came in the room he said, "The bed looks really PRETTY." -- (He meant it.) I replied, "Really?... It's just a sheet." And he said, "Yeah, really... it looks pretty!" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Years ago, when we first got married, my Mil borrowed me a christian book about marriage. I wish I knew the name of it, because I loved it! (Guess what? She found the book! It's called : You Can Be The Wife Of A Happy Husband by Darien B. Cooper 1982) One chapter talked about our bedrooms. The thought was that so many women spend most of their time beautifying their living rooms and kitchens because that's what everyone sees. Yet, the book said, as married women we "ought" to make our bedrooms thee most beautiful room in our homes. Your sanctuary where we come together as man and wife. Isn't that a beautiful thought? A retreat at thee end of the day. Egads.... as you look at these pictures, you'll see that our room is comfortable but... not beautiful! --

The top picture of our bed is my favorite. We have thee best bed in the world. We hate traveling because we miss our bed. After I figure out a color for everything, I want to find thee most beeeeautiful bedding set for it. My hearts desire for it the most is that the covering be large enough. I'm so sick of queen size comforters being too small. So what do you think if I get a King? Plus, I want a white eyelet dust ruffle that actually touches the floor. I really love the L & M also... but maybe I'll need to paint them??? I dunno? Help me!!
This little corner needs something different. I love the black box that is setting on thee other box because it houses all my old love letters. I love the picture on the wall above it too because our youngest son Tony bought it for me one day at walmart when he was a little boy. It wasn't my birthday or anything, ... he just saw it and thought: "MOM would love this!" -- and bought it for me with his very own money. It has to stay!
This is our window. I love it but it needs something over it because it's so bright. We wish it had some type of shade to open n close that wasn't ugly.
This is where yall will start thinking... "Ohhh no!" I told ya it needs help. Our dressers are fine. But the thing in the corner is too dark isn't it? What if I painted it a creamy white and hung lace in the door? I know the tv stand is hideous... I think it was free. heehee One of my biggest pet peeves is "cords." I cannot stand em. So this bugs me to NO END. Myguy... could care less. Cords don't seem to bother him.

Our bedroom is huge. Probably 16x20. This little tv has to be stretched from the wall because now that we're aging we can't see it to read anything from our bed. lol So stretching it out across the floor, means... cords. Yuck!
When I first painted the walls; I was into sponge painting. I'm SO OVER that now.* The carpets old and ugly too... but I think just getting the walls painted will help tremendously. I love the little desk you see with the candle on it. It's very old, and in pretty good shape. But it needs something hung above it. Maybe my new rabbit picture that I bought from Phyllis' Etsy shop?
Of course, Urina Mariah has to stay. She's even wearing my angel Mother's dress.

There are two pictures to the left of my dresser I'd like to keep up. One, is about Mother's that son Tony bought me again, and thee other is a vintage Mother Motto picture that I now collect. The birds and Jesus picture on the right side were my Mom's. Keep up?... Not?? I dunno?
This is my hideous hutch. I was once upon a time in a grunge mode. I know, I know WHAT was I thinking? I kept trying to change it and then gave up. It's thee ugliest hutch on the planet... yet I still like it... it just needs more help. Patty from Attic Clutter has a hutch I adore, so I'm thinking it just needs fresh paint... in soft shabby colors. (Click the link to find it!) The quilt on the top of it was made by my great Grandmother. It's all pastels, and it's the Grandmother's flower garden pattern! I love it... -- it has to stay.
I love the hatboxes on top. The one on the right is the one that keeps saying, "Paint this room a shabby aqua color to match me!" My Angel Mother gave it to me for my birthday.

The top of this hutch has everything inside that reminds me of my angel Mother, except for the picture of Mike and I when we got married again. --- I have held on so tightly to my Mother's things..... I know to keep healing I need to put some of them away, and find the ones that I love the most to keep out. She made the ragdoll so I'd love to keep it out somewhere, and the picture of her in the white gown.
The French painting stays. Again, the color in her dress is what I want everything to match. I love it! Now, I'm wondering, should I paint this desk and chair a creamy white?
Vertical blinds are on the french doors, and nothing else. I know it would cost alot to do something fabulous with them. Maybe a scarf would be enough? Unfortunately we don't have matching night stands. Just makeshift things, but they're okay. Maybe this round thing on my side should be painted white too? I kinda like the cradle with mags n books.
This is my inspiration picture. Found it at Lowes and I totally love it. I love the way the color on the wall goes with thee oak furniture. It's an aqua shade and so soothing isn't it? I think Myguy would like this, and feel comfortable in here. Not too girly, yet very soft n "pretty."
I look in our room, and see quite a few things I could do without. But we can't go out and buy everything new ya know? Besides we're shabby and vintage.* I do have a vintage birdcage out in the shed that I think I painted white. Maybe that could be used after the walls are painted?
I know I hate wallpaper. No wallpaper ever again. It took me forever to take it all down in our living room. -- But I'm all for paint.

I'm ready to make our bedroom thee most beautiful room in our house. I know it won't happen over night, but I'm ready to start. The master bath is connected to our bedroom as well, and unfortunately needs fresh paint as well. It's the same sponge painted grey. :( Ohboy* I want it all to match. I want it to be "pretty!"

It's so strange to me how my tastes have changed over the years. I used to hate pastels. Could not stand them. Now, I love it! At least for this room. A spring makeover; which I hope does not carry into Summer and Autumn; especially of following years!!!!! ;)

Beyond our french doors in the bedroom, is my garden, and our little koi and goldfish pond. We still have concrete blocks that go out from those doors. Myguy talks about building a wrap around porch. I'm hoping this is our year! heehaoaoaoo You should see me carefully step down onto those concrete blocks when my arms are full with the laundry basket, heading to the clothesline. I always worry too, that a snake could be coiled up in one of those blocks, so I find myself "jumping away." So maybe this will be our year to finish up a few project that got left- undone.

Please oh please, fire away with your imaginations, ideas, and decorating skills. I need all the help I can get. Tell me if you like the paint chips I 'm leaning toward. Tell me what on earth to do with that hideous hutch...besides burning it. lololol Do the picture frames need to be the same color? SOS!!!

I have to add one thing. Myguy's not into "decorating, --or worrying about any of it." He looks at things as, "He wants things "HIS" way in his shop.... but the bedroom/ and interior of our house ... well; I could ask him all day long what he thinks and he will not have much of an opinion. He'd say, "If you like it I'll like it." -- Although he'd say that... I don't want it to be too girly ya know?

Inspire me!
Holykisses,
Lea

Word Filled Wednesday ~ Looking Glass~

Visit our lovely hostess Amy Deanne over at the 160 Acre Woods, for more of
the WORD. (Thanks Amy!!)