Harvest Lane Cottage

This is my baby, Amy.  Isn't she so sweet?  She's auntie to Zoe her sister's cat!  My back is better thanks to to much medicine. I can get up and around though I'm stiff and achey.  The stabbing pain has stopped.  Now the challenge...taking it easy until I'm well.  ~grin~  Thank you all for your prayers.  If you think of me, please continue to pray.  I'm at about 75%.  Laura Learning to Be Still ~grin~

Click this photo to go to Ginny's page. I finished my socks.  Hurray! Back's a bit better. I appreciate your prayers. ~~~~~ May I suggest? Cherry Pits, Erma Bombeck, and Jehovah God ~~~~~ Shared with: Sew Much Ado

Hi Ladies, I need prayer please.  Hubby took me to the emergency room yesterday morning with severe back pain.  They sent me home with a prescription for a  muscle relaxer, anti-inflammatory, and pain medicine.  It's been excruciating.  The pain radiates into other parts of my body. I have had back problems before: but, nothing brought this on.  I just woke up with it.  I've been making some big plans for my future, getting my head clear, and was just going to get started Monday.  I believe this is an attack from satan (notice the little s; he doesn't deserve to be capitalized.). Please pray for my recovery.  The meds make me drowsy.  Tomorrow Hubby goes back to work.  The kids will have to take care of me.  They're 13, 11, and 9.  Here's where the things I've taught them get tested. On a good note, I've gotten plenty of rest and feel well rested. Thank you God for blessing us through this trouble.  I know th...

I finished about half of my mending last week. This morning, I sewed a button on a shirt, did some hand sewing to mend a number of seams, and pinned patches on my son's jeans in preparation for machine stitching.  Emily took initiative and mended a couple of holes in her own jeans.  The basket is now empty except for my son's jeans. DON'T TELL THE KIDS! ~GRIN~ Laura Keep calm and mend on! ~~~~~ May I suggest? Fall Homemaking  ~~~~~

...knitting my first pair of "real" socks... and reading Story of the World II by Susan Wise Bauer. Joy of joys.  We read about Ghengis Khan, his grandson, Kublai Khan, and their Mongol hordes this morning.  I think those guys could have benefited from a hot bath, a good book, and a good hobby...maybe knitting?  I can smile now; but, those guys killed their way from the China coast to the Islamic lands.  You joined them or were killed.  Not much of a choice.  I asked my kids if they thought they'd be strong enough to stand if it were Christians that were being killed.  They didn't know.  I don't think I would be strong enough.  But I know that Christ in me would be.  Thank God that we don't have to live or die in our own power.  Holy Spirit power is available to all those who believe on the Name of Jesus Christ and are saved. Believe. Laura Join the other ladies at this week's Yarn Along with...

{This Moment} A Friday Ritual with SouleMama ~~~~~ May I suggest? True Confessions ~~~~~

Every Thursday at Happiness Comes Oh the bitter irony of it all. I did all my mending a couple of weeks ago. My basket was empty. I wrote about it. I felt great about it. Then, my kids found out my basket was empty. Out came things they hadn't been wearing because they needed mending! Oh my! I started noticing things that needed a stitch or two here or there. Oh my! My mending basket overfloweth! So, for my first Sewing Bee, I'll be stitching and mending my way through my basket. Since I don't have a dedicated block of time today, I'll just pick it up when I sit and listen to the children read. I think I'll enjoy a cup of my favorite Folgers French Vanilla Cappuccino while I stitch. Keep Calm and Mend On! Laura ~~~~~ May I suggest? Busy Busy Sewing and Knitting ~~~~~ 

 I'm yarning along with Ginny at Small Things! Click the picture above to see her blog and other participants. I've been reading with the children and knitting today; because, it's been so snowy and cold here.  I'm on week five of being home all week.  We're snowed in right now; but, the only change that brings to me is that the kids can't get out and play as much.  It's been a big adjustment losing my freedom to go and do; but, it must be what's best for the season.  Someday, when God thinks I need a car again, I'll have a car again.  Until then, I'm doing my best to learn to be content at home.   I'm joining with Ginny today in her Yarn Along .  Here's the progress on my first sock. I'm using Paton's Kroy sock yarn in the denim jacquard colorway.  I've heard that it wears well.  I hope so.  I'm not looking forward to learning to darn!  The book is Story of the World Middle Ages by Susan Wise Bauer.  If...

"And let us not be weary in well doing:  for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." ~Galations 6:9 Having a husband who was unemployed and then underemployed brought many challenges to my life; but, none has been so challenging as the problem of whether I should seek employment.  I've been a homemaker for twenty years now.  I quit my job to stay home when my first child was born.  Our pastor told us that we needed to do what we believed God was telling us to do.  So, even though I was then making more money than my husband, we made the decision for me to stay home to raise Matthew.  It was hard in a lot of ways; but, we stuck with it.  Eventually, the Lord lead me to homeschool Matthew as well.  Fast forward....three more kids....Hubby has a great job....Hubby loses great job....starts business....business fails....series of less than profitable jobs after a period of unemployment.... During this time, one of my hardest struggle...

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." ~1 Peter 5:7

Gae at Hearts At Home encouraged us to make a list of four to six  things we commit to do this week to keep our "Hearts for Home". 1.  I commit to begin a new read aloud book with the children. 2.  I commit to doing at least three loads of laundry a day until I'm caught up. 3.  I commit to decluttering at least fifteen minutes each day this week. 4.  I commit to spending face to face time with each of my three little ones each day this week.   Four should be enough to begin with.

"My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." ~2 Corinthians 12:9 All I can say is thanks to God! Daily, I find myself so aware of my weaknesses and imperfections. As soon as I do better in one area of my life, something else slides. Can you relate? It is good for me to remember that all my life I will be weak in one area or another; but, God's strength is available to me. All I have to do is ask Him and believe that He will give it to me. Over the last couple of years, many are going through difficult times financially and emotionally. The government may call it a recession; but, for many it is truly a depression. My husband lost his good paying job seven years ago. The company decided, after ten years of service, to give Lowell's job to a young person who would work for half the pay. Ouch, ow, yeowww! God was strong when I was weak. I was so hurt, so angry, so lost. We didn't know what to do. We sought counsel from Chri...

"Everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." ~Matthew 7:8

My little girl and I prayed for snow!