Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Sunshine and Jesus and Prayer

Unsplash.com

Someone at my homeschool group told me that a friend of hers is a nurse in the chemo center. The nurse was encouraged one day when she saw me stop and pray with another patient. How cool is that? You never know who's watching. Spread sunshine and Jesus everywhere you go.

Recently, I said some friendly something to a clerk in Walmart. She chitchatted with me for a few minutes, then I asked her, "How are you?" She got a strange look on her face and said fine or something like that. I asked, "How can I pray for you?" She told me I could pray that her 18 year old son would stop hating her. I hugged her and prayed right then and there. We both had tears in our eyes by the time we were done. I made sure she was a believer before we were done. 

Reach out ladies! We all need someone to care and to carry us to Jesus. Ask Jesus for boldness. When someone needs prayer, pray right there, aloud with the person. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Hearing someone pray for me, or reading their prayer, gives me strength and confidence in God's goodness and in his ability to bring it all to pass.

Let's do it!
Blessings,
Laura



Homemaking Party

Monday, January 29, 2018

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ January 29, 2018


As I write ...  Late Monday night.

The weather.... Dark and chilly. 


Right now I am... eating ice cream.

Thinking... I'm thinking about my new knitting project. I've had a difficult time learning the pattern. I've had to pull out stitches numerous times, and I started all over once.

A quote to share... 
♥♥♥♥♥
♥♥♥♥♥ 
On my reading pile...   

  • Shepherds Abiding... A Mitford book by Jan Karon
  • The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse

Favorite blog post last week...  
Something fun to share... 




On the menu for this week...
  • Monday... Ham steak, au gratin potatoes, broccoli 
  • Tuesday...  Not sure yet. I won't be home for supper. 
  • Wednesday...  Eating at church
  • Thursday...   Chicken soup
  • Friday...   Date night I hope

On my to do list... 
  • Do some things on my bucket list.
  • Radiation daily
  • Medical oncologist appointment - I had an excellent report.
  • Radiation oncologist appointment
  • Chemo
  • Mop kitchen floor - I didn't get it done last week.
  • Laundry - I didn't get it done last week.
In the workbasket...  
  • I've been working on a hat with a modified basket weave stitch in a garnet yarn.
Looking forward to this week...
  • Tuesday - Knitting group
  • Wednesday - Church and an afterglow birthday for a man in our church
  • Thursday - 
  • Friday - Homeschool co-op
  • Saturday -  

Looking around the house...  My motto has become, "I can only do what I can do." Unfortunately, it shows!

From the camera... 
 
Route 66 runs through our town.

Devotional...   

On my prayer list...
  • Julie (a reader) asked for prayer for her mom who has a malignant breast tumor.
  • Peace of Jerusalem and Israel
  • Wisdom, health, and protection for President Trump, Vice-President Pence, and their families. 
  • Healing for our country so that we may be ONE nation under God.
  • Radiation will not harm my heart or lungs, and that I will be brave.
  • Cancer will die the death in my body. My heart, brain, organs, spleen, and healthy cells will be protected. I will live and not die and declare the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 118:17

My prayer for you, my reader...

Jesus, I thank you that you hear our prayers. Father, I thank you for sending Jesus. Holy Spirit, I thank you for being our comforter and our teacher. Lord God, three in one, I thank you that you personally know each one of my readers. You know each one's needs, fears, hopes, problems, pains, and illnesses. I ask you God to speak directly to each one, to meet each person's needs, and heal each physical problem. Bless each spiritually, physically, socially, and financially. I ask it all by the power of the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Thanks for dropping by!
Please say hello.
Laura
Trusting in God's timing, provision, and healing power

Joining with Sandra at Happy Homemaker Monday.
Homemaking Party
~~~~~


Sunday, January 28, 2018

State of the Battle ~ Breast Cancer Update ~ January 28, 2018


I have been battling breast cancer for most of a year now, and I have reduced my writing because of it. I received word from my surgeon's office that the chemotherapy and surgery have been effective. There was no cancer in my lymph nodes and the cancer in my breast was contained. There was no cancer in the margins. This, of course, is excellent news. Further treatments, while difficult, will be to prevent future cancer from growing in my body. 


Remembering hair!
I have taken two weeks of radiation treatments so far and have five more to go. I am having some aching pain which I hope to talk to the radiation oncologist about on Tuesday. So far no burning on the skin. I am praying for protection for my heart, lungs, and skin.

Thank you for your patience with me as I've been fighting this battle. God bless you all. 

Laura
Learning to Rest





Friday, January 26, 2018

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #120

Welcome to another 
Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!
Each week I share ways I've saved money, my thrifty and frugal projects, and my blessings from God. 

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage
I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!
Please say hello! I'm always looking for new blog friends!

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~

Hello!

  Another week behind us! It's amazing. I am sure I was just writing about my last thrifty week such a short time ago. I guess when life is full, time seems to move quicker.

  Well, enough for now—on to my blessings and a bit of our thrifty life.

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~
Source: Christian QuotesFree quotes and images
~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~
Here's my thrifty week!
  • We took a bag of clothes to the Crisis Center.
  • I bought a skein of yarn for a garnet hat for 30% off at Hobby Lobby.
  • I used a 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby to get a large crochet hook for Amy.
  • Amy and I went to Chik-Fil-A for lunch. Using my gift card from Christmas, we only had to pay a little over $10 for the two of us to enjoy lunch out. It's not a thrifty place to eat. But I finally realized, when I do go out to lunch, I am voting with my dollars. Do I want to vote for Chik-Fil-A to stay open or for the cheap hamburger joint to stay open? Yeah, I'll vote for the place with Christian values that employs lots of Christian homeschooled kids in our area.
  • My friend, Niki, brought me a Chai Tea Latte from Starbucks to church Sunday. Yum! Thank you Niki!
  • My daughter, Emily, reorganized some drawers in the kitchen so that we can find things. Acts of service is one of my main love languages, so when someone does something for me like that, it just about brings me to tears; because, it makes me feel so very loved.


  • We heated primarily with our wood stove. Lowell bought the wood early in the season at a good price.
  • I used a red Sharpie to color in a little chip on the edge of my snowman spoon rest. It's hardly noticeable now. Funny how little things like that, which take moments, can make such a difference.
  • My son, Matthew, bought some Christmas bows for me for $.23 a bag. He brought several. Thank you Matthew!
  • Our friends gave us a dresser for our son, Michael. Thank you Ed and Amy!
  • My husband bought a refurbished laptop for $200 at The Software Center. They've been great at keeping our computers in good shape long after some folks would have discarded them. I type this blog on a desktop computer that we received second hand back in 2011! No, I don't really want a new computer. This one works for me.
  • I met a friend for a drink at the local coffee shop during my daughter's piano lesson. She kindly bought my Chai tea latte. Thanks Beth!
  • I visited a knitting group at The Brew at the invitation of two of my nurses Laura and Pat. It was frugal since I purchased hot tea for Amy and I instead of more expensive drinks. I tried a Rooibos. Yum! Thanks for the invitation ladies.
  • I used a long crochet hook to remove hair and yuck from our bathroom drain. I do it regularly since my daughters have long hair. It saves calling the plumber!
  • My friend took me to lunch at Red Onion Express. We both ordered the spinach salad. Oh my it was delectable! Thank you for lunch Regina! It was fun and delicious. 
  • I bought body wash, soap, toothpaste, bread and butter pickles, stain remover and a few other things at Dollar Tree. I don't usually look at their grocery aisle, but they're getting some good things. I bought a 1 1/2 lb. box of spaghetti which, with a jar of Aldi spaghetti sauce and some ground venison given to us, will make an inexpensive dinner. Even if I use a pound of the ground chuck I bought on sale a few weeks ago, it will be inexpensive. I even have half a loaf of french bread in the freezer to complete the meal. 
  • My husband made popcorn for a snack. Yum!
  • I visited with friends Thursday afternoon and gave away some homeschooling books. Real estate and education investment!
  • I downloaded a free pattern from Ravelry for my latest hat project. It's called Langstaff Road.  I'm harvestlanelaura on Ravelry. 
  • Amy filled another give away bag!
  • I collected some ideas on Pinterest for Christmas gifts.
  • I found out about Christian Quotes. It's a website where you can use images with quotes or scripture for free. Check it out!
♥♥♥♥
That's my thrifty week.

What are you doing in your home this week?


~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~

May you find peace and joy this week 
regardless of  your situation.

ღLauraღ
...doing what I can with what I've got
where I am on a short shoestring budget!

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~


Thank you all for writing to me. I read every comment. I truly appreciate the support you've all given me during my treatments. If you'd like a response to your comment, please make sure that I have your email. I'm not taking time right now to copy responses onto the blog. I am having trouble keeping up. Please understand. Thanks! Laura


~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Wherever You Go


He goes with me everywhere—
even into the radiation room 
where I'm alone.
He goes with you everywhere.
You are never alone.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Happy Homemaker Tuesday ~ January 23, 2018


As I write ...  A day late on Tuesday afternoon.

The weather.... Sunny and partly cloudy. Very chilly outside. 


Right now I am... just done eating lunch.  

Thinking... I'm thinking about my new knitting project

A quote to share... 
♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥ 
On my reading pile...   

  • Shepherds Abiding... A Mitford book by Jan Karon
  • The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse

Favorite blog posts last week...  

Something fun to share... 




On the menu for this week...
  • Monday...   Chinese Take-out 
  • Tuesday...  Family gone, sandwiches or canned soup 
  • Wednesday...  Homemade bean burritos 
  • Thursday...   Not sure yet
  • Friday...   Date night I hope

On my to do list... 
  • Do some things on my bucket list.
  • Radiation
  • Mop kitchen floor
  • Laundry
  • Update school records
In the workbasket...  
  • I've just finished another little brown hat with the remaining yarn.  I enjoy having a knitting project on the needles. 
  • I'm going to start a new hat with a garnet yarn.
Looking forward to this week...
  • Tuesday - Knitting group
  • Wednesday - Church
  • Thursday - 
  • Friday - Homeschool co-op
  • Saturday -  

Looking around the house...  My motto has become, "I can only do what I can do." Unfortunately, it shows!

From the camera... 
 
Penny didn't know what to think of the snow!
Devotional...   

On my prayer list...
  • Radiation will not harm my heart or lungs, and that I will be brave.
  • Peace of Jerusalem and Israel
  • Wisdom, health, and protection for President Trump, Vice-President Pence, and their families. 
  • Healing for our country so that we may be ONE nation under God.
  • Cancer will die the death in my body. My heart, brain, organs, spleen, and healthy cells will be protected. I will live and not die and declare the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 118:17


My prayer for you, my reader...

Jesus, I thank you that you hear our prayers. Father, I thank you for sending Jesus. Holy Spirit, I thank you for being our comforter and our teacher. Lord God, three in one, I thank you that you personally know each one of my readers. You know each one's needs, fears, hopes, problems, pains, and illnesses. I ask you God to speak directly to each one, to meet each person's needs, and heal each physical problem. Bless each spiritually, physically, socially, and financially. I ask it all by the power of the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Thanks for dropping by!
Please say hello.
Laura
Trusting in God's timing, provision, and healing power

Joining with Sandra at Happy Homemaker Monday.
~~~~~
Share Your Cup


Sunday, January 21, 2018

Finding my Peaceful Place

My daughters have blessed me with their piano and guitar
skills and with their worship.

  Finding my peaceful place in the middle of radiation for breast cancer has been on my mind this week. A dear friend, Laurie, has been encouraging me to find my peaceful spot.

  My peaceful spot has been praying and worshiping on my way to the next town for daily treatments. Friday, I sang in the waiting room. Each day this week, the LORD has put a song on my heart. Yesterday, it was the song that begins, "You unravel me, with a melody. You surround me with a song, of deliverance, from my enemies, until all my fears are gone. I'm no longer a slave to fear. I am a child of God. I'm no longer a slave to fear. I am a child of God."

  That's all I remembered while I was having treatment. I asked God to protect me, and I spoke the name of Jesus, then I just sang it in my head in worship to our LORD throughout the treatment and afterward. He is helping me through. No tears yesterday.

Listen: I Am a Child of God

God bless you all! Whatever you are facing, you can do it with Jesus. Holy Spirit is as close as you ask Him to be. He is your comforter and your teacher. Ask Him where your peaceful place is. He will answer you—probably in a still small voice.

Where is your peaceful place?

Sincerely,
Laura
Pushing Through with Holy Spirit as my Peace

Thank you all for writing to me. I read every comment. I truly appreciate the support you've all given me during my treatments. If you'd like a response to your comment, please make sure that I have your email. I'm not taking time right now to copy responses onto the blog. I am having trouble keeping up. Please understand. Thanks! Laura

Share Your Cup

Friday, January 19, 2018

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #119

Welcome to another 
Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!
Each week I share ways I've saved money, my thrifty and frugal projects, and my blessings from God. 

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage
I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!
Please say hello! I'm always looking for new blog friends!

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~

Hello!

  Another week has passed. Where did it go? I spent a fair bit of it going back and forth to radiation treatments. I'm settling into a routine that I will follow over the next six weeks. I'll be leaving the house a bit before 9:00 each morning. It seems like the whole process will take about an hour and a half to two hours to go and return home again. Ah well. Time invested with the hope of years of happy return.

  Well, enough for now—on to my blessings and a bit of our thrifty life.

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~
"Commit your works to the LORD,
And your thoughts will be established."
Proverbs 16:3
~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~
Here's my thrifty week!

Lots of Real Estate Investment this week!
    • My husband bought tickets to see The Greatest Showman with our AAA membership. He saved $4 per ticket for five of us. $20 savings.  It was a terrific movie!
    • I took a box of books to give away at the homeschool co-op. Half were taken.  
    • Someone anonymously gave me $100! That's $500 of the $535 we paid for our washer. God is so amazing! I feel so blessed. The $100 will go into our emergency fund. Thank you anonymous! What a blessing!
    • My son slid off the road on the first icy/snowy day Sunday morning. He had to be pulled out of the ditch. No harm to son or truck thank you LORD! Our AAA membership has really paid off!
    • Real Estate Investment ~ My Lowell and I worked in our basement Monday night (trash carryout night) and filled two 30 gallon trash bags and a white 13 gallon trash bag with old papers and miscellaneous junk to toss. Praise God! Forward progress! That will have to keep me satisfied for awhile, because I'm going to be slowing down now that radiation is begun.
    • We are heating primarily with our wood stove. My husband was able to purchase seasoned wood early in the Fall. Occasionally, I will turn the radiators up to 70 degrees for a half an hour to warm the house and take the chill off. The radiators keep radiating heat even after I turn the heat back down to 65. I'm just a bit of a wimp this year with the cold. I don't know if it's my treatments or what, but I am bothered more by it this year. I'm still too cheap to keep it truly warm in the house though!
    • My daughter, Amy, asked me if I had any fabric I don't want. She's making a rag rug. We went through two small totes of fabric and some fabric squares I was given. We found several pieces for Amy, and two lengths of fabric that I've held onto for awhile, but have decided not to use. Amy decided that the yards should be given away since they were enough to make a dress or something big. I was energized by making these decisions to give, and so we continued on through the bottom of my hall closet and found other things to give away and a few things to toss. So, I took a small box of fabric, an organizer box, a book, and some embroidery floss to the homeschool co-op. Sure enough, other moms took it home. I now have some space in the bottom of the closet as my reward, and Amy has some fabric for projects, too. It helped so much having her there to help me let go of things. It's empowering to give things away!


    ♥♥♥♥
    That's my thrifty week.

    What are you doing in your home this week?


    ~~~~~
    ♥♥♥
    ~~~~~

    May you find peace and joy this week 
    regardless of  your situation.

    ღLauraღ
    ...doing what I can with what I've got
    where I am on a short shoestring budget!

    ~~~~~
    ♥♥♥
    ~~~~~





    ~~~~~
    ♥♥♥
    ~~~~~


    Tuesday, January 16, 2018

    My First Radiation Treatment Report

    I made it through my first radiation treatment Tuesday morning! I felt like I was in a Star Trek movie with the strange machine and sounds. It's definitely space age! I prayed and worshiped as I drove to the Radiology Oncology Center. 


    When I lay down on the table, and they positioned me in the molded form, an old song came to mind. "Thou oh LORD art a shield for me, my glory and the lifter of my head." I've been praying He would be my shield. I've prayed that He will shield my heart, my lungs, my good cells, my skin, my lymph nodes, and so on. I'm praying that only cancer cells and any meany cells will be destroyed.


    CANCER DIE THE DEATH IN JESUS' NAME!
    I PLEAD THE BLOOD OF JESUS OVER MY BODY FOR PROTECTION!

    I just lay there in that mold being still for maybe 15 or 20 minutes while they got ready and did the treatment. I whispered "Jesus" a couple times, then sang the song in my head every time they told me to hold my breath while they zapped me. God got me through. 

    I wonder if this will make me more radiant? I'm tired tonight from the emotion of it all, and sore from holding my arms over my head, but otherwise I am fine. 

    I'll have treatments every weekday morning until March 2nd now. 

    Thank you for praying! 

    Laura

    P.S. Yes, I will be going to bed earlier tomorrow night!









    Friday at the Fire Station

    Monday, January 15, 2018

    Happy Homemaker Monday ~ January 15, 2018


    As I write ...  late Sunday night

    The weather.... snowy and cold! Hurrah! Y'all know I love snow. We haven't had a good snow in a few years.

    Right now I am... eating orange sherbet ice cream. Yum!




    Thinking... I'm thinking about my upcoming radiation therapy. I'll begin Tuesday afternoon. It will be five days a week for seven weeks. The treatments are short, but it's about thirty miles round trip. 


    A quote to share... 
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    "Hope is a strange invention—
    A Patent of the Heart—
    In unremitting action
    Yet never wearing out."
    Emily Dickinson 
    ♥♥♥♥♥ 
    On my reading pile...   

    • Shepherds Abiding... A Mitford book by Jan Karon
    • The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse


    Favorite blog posts last week...  


    Something fun to share... 




    On the menu for this week...
    • Monday...   Taco Soup
    • Tuesday...   Pizza or leftover soup
    • Wednesday...  Baked Chicken
    • Thursday...   Chicken and Dumplings with mashed potatoes
    • Friday...   Date night I hope

    On my to do list... 
    • Help my girls practice hospitality.
    • Buy some bag balm.
    • Do some things on my bucket list.
    • Radiation
    • Crafty afternoon with friends on Thursday

    In the workbasket...  
    • I'm nearing the end of a little brown hat that I'm knitting.  I love having a knitting project on the needles.
    • I usually keep a dishcloth on my crochet hook. I like knitted cloths, too, but they take much longer to knit. I use dishcloths for small gifts. I don't have one going right now.
    • The little bereavement blanket top is pieced. I need to get some soft flannel for the backing.

    Looking forward to this week...
    •  Monday - Princess movie marathon with Emily and her friends
    • Tuesday - my first radiation treatment. Maybe I'll go knit, too.
    • Wednesday - radiation, and maybe visiting a church in town
    • Thursday - radiation and a crafting day with friends
    • Friday - I hope to have a date night with my husband.
    • Saturday - I'm still thinking about this. I'd like to plan something fun.

    Looking around the house...  I see so much that I want done before radiation, but I'll just have to accept that I haven't regained my strength, stamina, and energy yet. My motto has become, "I can only do what I can do." 

    From the camera... 

    Last spring before I found the lump.
    Devotional...   

    On my prayer list...
    • Radiation will not harm my heart or lungs, and that I will be brave.
    • Peace of Jerusalem and Israel
    • Wisdom, health, and protection for President Trump, Vice-President Pence, and their families. 
    • Healing for our country so that we may be ONE nation under God.
    • Cancer will die the death in my body. My heart, brain, organs, spleen, and healthy cells will be protected. I will live and not die and declare the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 118:17

    My prayer for you, my reader...

    Jesus, I thank you that you hear our prayers. Father, I thank you for sending Jesus. Holy Spirit, I thank you for being our comforter and our teacher. Lord God, three in one, I thank you that you personally know each one of my readers. You know each one's needs, fears, hopes, problems, pains, and illnesses. I ask you God to speak directly to each one, to meet each person's needs, and heal each physical problem. Bless each spiritually, physically, socially, and financially. I ask it all by the power of the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

    Thanks for dropping by!
    Please say hello.
    Laura
    Trusting in God's timing, provision, and healing power

    Joining with Sandra at Happy Homemaker Monday.
    ~~~~~


    Friday, January 12, 2018

    A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #118



    Welcome to another 
    Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!
    Each week I share ways I've saved money, my thrifty and frugal projects, and my blessings from God. 

    A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage
    I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!
    Please say hello! I'm always looking for new blog friends!

    ~~~~~
    ♥♥♥
    ~~~~~

    Happy New Year everyone!

      Yes, I know my greeting is late; but hey, it's still a new year, is it not? It's been quite a new year for us. We've visited family in Kansas City. We've already had to replace our washer, and we've already taken a trip. I've had a CT scan, and have been set up for radiation which begins next week on the 16th. I've had a nurse practitioner visit, blood work, an afternoon at the hospital for a test, and a round of mini-chemo (one drug) this week. I've also taken my son to get books for his first semester as a dual enrolled student with a nearby junior college. Life doesn't slow down, does it? Well, maybe a little, the surgeon cancelled my appointment this morning because of weather conditions. I'm glad to get a couple days without medical treatments/appointments before radiation starts its relentless schedule. ~smile~


      Well, enough for now—on to my blessings and a bit of our thrifty life.

    Remembering a snowier winter
    ~~~~~
    ♥♥♥
    ~~~~~
    "He maketh the barren woman to keep house, 
    and to be a joyful mother of children. 
    Praise ye the LORD."
    Psalm 113:9

    I was a barren woman.
    Read more.
    ~~~~~
    ♥♥♥
    ~~~~~
    Here's my thrifty list!
      • My daughters and I cleared about six cubic feet of real estate.
      • We ate things we had on hand this week.
      • We saved money by reusing our Christmas tree this year again. Original purchase price $25 sight unseen from a friend moving to Michigan. It was big and beautiful. I love our tree!
      • We kept gifts simple this year. We gave family photos to our family. 
      • My friend, Sarah of Classical Homemaking, invited me to a sew-in at a quilt shop in a small town between us. I didn't have a project going, so I took some fabric squares that Cheryl of Homespun Devotions sent to me last year. I prayed as I sorted the squares and found myself drawn to the camo and orange squares. I ended up using them together to make a small pieced top for a bereavement quilt. There's a man in our church who runs a cemetery. Sometimes parents don't have anything to wrap their babies in. It's a small way to show the love of Jesus to those who are mourning. 
      I'm using a free photo from Pixabay for my desktop.
      • My chemo port hasn't been working for blood draws well.  My favorite chemo nurse, also Laura, questioned the order for port replacement surgery. I had a test done first, now it looks like I will avoid the surgery. That saved untold thousands of dollars!


      ♥♥♥♥
      That's my thrifty update. 
      What are you doing in your home this week?

      ~~~~~
      ♥♥♥
      ~~~~~

      I hope your weekend and week are thrifty and frugal!

      ღLauraღ
      ...doing what I can with what I've got
      where I am on a short shoestring budget!

      ~~~~~
      ♥♥♥
      ~~~~~




      ~~~~~
      ♥♥♥
      ~~~~~