Harvest Lane Cottage

Family Pumpkin Carving  2014 We usually get so busy in October that we wait until November to carve pumpkins!  You see, we don't associate carving pumpkins with Halloween.  We just have fun seeing how we can clean all the yuck out and make something fun.  For years we have read a book called The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs.  I highly recommend it.  She shows how God has redeemed something for good just like He wants to redeem us if we'll accept Jesus as our Savior and let Him clean us up and give us a new countenance.     My husband explains why we carve pumpkins here. May God bless you all as you direct your attention to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Blessings, Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage Happy to be Momma and Wife ~~~~~ May I suggest? Thoughts of Autumn and Fall

On this lovely day at home....   A little Bible...    I've got a new NKJV Study Bible that I'll be looking through today.  I want to look at the little extras they put in it to make it a study Bible.  I'll do some reading in the book of Philippians, too. A little errand running...  A joyous no!  I don't even have the van today.  It's a stay home day.  Praise God! A little cleaning... just a general clean up. A little cooking...   I've got a nice roast that I'll sear well and put in the oven this afternoon with some carrots and onions.  I'll make some mashed potatoes and gravy, too.   A little reading...   I'm reading a biography of George Mueller aloud to the children. A little teaching time...   Spelling, math, and such. A little knitting... Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth from Joy at Artful Homemaking . A little computer time...   E-mail, linking a few posts to blog parties, read...

This is an open letter to Sue who recently commented on another post.  I don't have her e-mail, so I shall address it here. She asked about taking communion. Here is an excerpt from her comment, "I  have a question about communion. What is communion and who can and can't take part in it? I just recently gave my heart to God, I have so much to learn. I so enjoy your blog.   Thank you Sue" Dear Sue,  I am no expert in theology.  What I know comes from reading my Bible and from the teaching I've received from my pastors over the last thirty plus years.  I encourage you to seek out your pastor's wife or one of the older ladies in your church.  If you're not yet in church, find one with a pastor that  opens the Bible every Sunday and preaches from it. There is scripture about taking communion or The Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 11. "23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same...

~ I made do with using up lots of leftovers and bits and pieces of food this week. ~ I made pancakes with what I had on hand... a bit of ground wheat, some oats, cornmeal, and ground golden flax seed.  They were... interesting and full of fiber. ~grin~ ~ I also made pancake syrup by adding maple, vanilla, and butter extracts to some corn syrup I found in the back of the cupboard. ~ I received a new Bible for review.  My old one is falling apart.  Praise God. ~ I  reviewed Keepers of the Covenant . ~ I began reading Lady of Willowgrove Hall , a book I received in exchange for an honest review. ~ The fourth book in the collage is Where Treetops Glisten another review book. ~ I kept the heater turned off even though it's starting to get chilly.  A few years ago our heater broke, and we had no way to get it fixed.  I learned the difference between chilly and dangerously cold. Here's some advice on keeping the shivers at bay and keeping w...

The leaves are just turning to rich vibrant shades here in Southwest Missouri.  In my yard, it begins with a deep crimson followed by mellow gold and brilliant oranges and thrill me delightful reds.  I do love being surrounded by Maples and Oaks and Black Walnuts.  It's been raining for days and nights, so I don't have photos yet.   Last night we had soup, and I'll no doubt be thinking of soups and stews as I plan my menus later today.  I'll be digging out warmer clothes this week, too, as well as washing extra blankets.   How are you enjoying the change of seasons? Laura Enjoying the Blessings of Home ~~~~~ May I suggest? Falling for Autumn ~~~~~

This morning, just after 5:00 a.m., we watched the second of the four blood moons.  It was beautiful and different than the one that we observed this past February.  As I write now, the sun is about to rise, and the moon has fallen below the treeline.  I can just see the top sliver out the kitchen window. It was so beautiful, so coppery red, then so very dark, then coppery again around the edges and finally the sun's brilliant light began to illuminate the edges brightly.  I have no doubt some of my west coast readers will see it all illuminate before their sunrise.  My little camera just didn't take good photos.  We made a memory as we bundled up and sat outside watching in the dark.  I prayed and worshiped our Creator God. Are you curious about the four blood moons and Bible prophecy?  The interesting part about these blood moons is that they are on Jewish feast days. Passover April 15, 2014, Sukkot Oct 8, 2014, (a solar eclypse) Nisan Marc...

Sometimes we have to wait. While we wait, we can pray. Sometimes God changes things. Sometimes God changes us. Sometimes we just have to wait. Wait, watch and pray. Blessings, Laura

Thank you Litfuse for this review copy. One of the things that I love about Autumn is the chill in the air.  When I first feel that chill, my thoughts drift to evenings spent wrapped in a warm blanket, sipping cocoa, and reading a good book. My favorite autumn books are Christmas books.  I love to read them in Autumn because I'm so busy making Christmas in December. Three lovely short stories make up Where Treetops Glisten a beautifully nostalgic look at the lives of three young adult siblings,  Abigail, Pete, and Merry Turner.  I enjoyed how the three stories fit together so beautifully. The first, White Christmas , is written by Cara Putman.  I'd not heard of Mrs. Putman before, but I really enjoyed her style of writing.  It was relaxed and easy to read.  Her mention of the movie, Holiday Inn, sent my mind spinning back to 1942 and Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire singing and dancing their way across the big screen, or in my case, my little scree...

October!  My favorite month of the year!  Cooler temperatures make walks outside with Penny, my puppy, much more pleasant.  I enjoy watching the leaves slowly fade then transform into brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges in anticipation of their November browns. I enjoy many Autumn activities in October, but one of my favorite is reading.   Can't find time to read?  You should try what I call "snatch reading".   Five minutes here, five minutes there. It works well if you're only reading one book and use a post it note to keep track of what paragraph you're reading. Once upon a time, it was the only reading I did.  Also, take a book with you everywhere you go.  Snatch every free moment to read a bit. These are the books that I'm reading this Autumn.  Ezra and the Babylonian Captivity at the time of Esther. Click on the cover for my review! Holiday romance during World War II Just finished it! Click on the cover for my review...