Harvest Lane Cottage

These numbers are even higher now.  Thank you everyone for your support and prayers.  We've got a long way to go; but, the generosity, love, and prayers you all are providing are making recovery much much easier. Our family lives 10 miles from Joplin.  My husband, Lowell Lane, is the operations manager for the Joplin Family Worship Center relief organization.  If you want to help by volunteering or making a donation, we can help you get your help to the folks of Joplin.

I'm getting the itch.  I'll bet you're getting it, too.  Time to clean up and clear out again.  The excesses of Christmas always make me ready for cut backs.  I think I'll plan to have a yard sale the first weekend of March.  That gives me plenty of time to go through everything .  If I can just make some hard decisions.  Well, maybe I'll start next week.  ~grin~ Linking with Raising Homemakers.

"If we would just back up and let God be God, let the Holy Spirit do the work in a person's life, it's amazing what God will do if we shut up.  It's amazing.  I'm telling you... truth.  We really do think God— that God needs our help to change a life; but, God was God before you got here." T.D. Jakes Art of Homemaking 

Last week I put a large package of boneless chicken breasts in the crock pot, seasoned them with lots of salt and pepper, and let them cook on low all day.  The meat was fork tender; so, I shredded it and let it set in the broth for a few minutes.  I used half of the chicken to make bbq sandwiches with Bull's Eye original bbq sauce. I used the broth and the other half for hot chicken sandwiches.I made a gravy with the broth then added shredded chicken to the gravy.  I then piled up the meal: a slice of bread followed by mashed potatoes and then smothered in chicken and gravy.  Ooh yum! Think creatively ladies! Laura Happy at Home January Linky

Nativity by Jon McNaughton Item #: 5244378 available from art.com. In Christ alone, I make my boast. He gives me breath.  Genesis 2:7 He gives me life. Jeremiah 10:23 He gives me hope for the future. Psalm 42:5 He gives me faith.  Hebrews 11:1 He gives me peace with my past. Romans 5:1 He gives me wisdom. Proverbs 2:1-6 He gives me love. 1 John 4:10 He gives me eternal security in insecure times. John 14:27 He gives me provision for my needs. Philipians 4:10-20 He gives me the ability to look beyond myself to care for others. John 13:34-35 He meets me where I am and takes me to where he wants me to be.  Jeremiah 6:16, Deuteronomy 31:8 In Christ alone, I make my boast.

It began as a comment about giving on Annie's blog, Scrappalachia.   As I wrote, I thought I should share it with you, too. We have seen miraculous giving over the last 7 months.  My husband is director of operations for the Joplin, Missouri Tornado Relief effort at Joplin Family Worship Center. Thousands of volunteers have come to help from across America and the world.  Millions of dollars worth of supplies have passed through our hands and been distributed to those affected by the tornado.  We have served thousands of meals and continue to do so.  We want to be, as our pastor says, "Jesus with skin on". It's what our family and our church has been doing to give, it's what we'll be doing to give for another four or five years.  It has changed us.  It's now who we are.  We are blessed to be a blessing. If you or your readers would like to help by volunteering or donating, please go to http://jfwc.org for information on how to...

Last evening's dinner, pork loin with garlic mashed potatoes and peas. My husband just posted the recipe at his blog . It was delicious! Shared: Encourage One Another

Tonight's the night. We're going to decorate the Christmas tree. I give the children an ornament each year. We put the ornaments on the tree chronologically beginning with the wired gold tinsel "I love you" that my husband made for me while we were dating.  I tell the story of our life as we go, something from each year. My husband usually hangs our couple ornaments.  The children begin adding their ornaments when we get to their birth year.  If they complain, I just tell them they're not born yet! Tradition! Linking with Raising Homemakers

Enjoyed the Christmas parade tonight with old friends and family. Ah, tradition!

 There's always a bit more seasonal work around Christmas isn't there? I'm doing extra cleaning, extra planning, extra baking, extra cooking, extra making, and extra decorating. How is your seasonal work coming? Are you keeping your focus on Christ, on those you love, and those less fortunate? Happy Advent!

"Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart." ~Washington Irving It seems we grow so very busy around Christmas time.  What are we busy with?  Is it shopping, cooking, cleaning, worrying that we aren't buying enough...doing enough?  Could it be that maybe, just maybe, we need to rethink the whole month of December? What's most important? Who's most important? Can we make a choice and a plan right now to focus on those two things? The goal is to spend this month doing those things that really matter with those who really matter. First, set some time aside, fifteen minutes, an hour, and afternoon, whatever you have.  Use this time to brainstorm what is most important to you and your family this month.  This will be different for each family.  It may even be different for each family member.  Now is the time to get your thoughts on paper; then, speak with your ...