Saturday, February 24, 2018

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #122

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!

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♥♥♥
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Hello!

  I heard news that brought tears to my eyes this week. Tears of joy and sadness. Reverend Billy Graham had an impact on my life and the life of millions. May his name be blessed forever, and my his books and sermons continue to bring sinners to the savior and the saved to a deeper relationship with the LORD.

I don't have much to share. I hope you're having a pleasant week. One day it feels like spring here in southern Missouri, and the next the forecast calls for freezing rain. It shall be interesting to see which weather wins this coming week. It will be a quiet week here on the blog, because it will be my last week of radiation. I'm in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in. I've had some burning and some pain, but God has been a shield to me, my glory and the lifter of my head. Psalm 3:3

I'll probably be quiet here at the blog for a little while. I continue to read all your comments, and I appreciate your prayers.

  Here's my short and sweet list.

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♥♥♥
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"Read the Bible.
Work hard and honestly.
And don't complain."
Billy Graham
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♥♥♥
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Here's my thrifty week!
  • I received a bag of yarn. I've been making hats, and I am donating most to the chemo center.
  • I received a free cappuccino from a rewards program. Here's the not-so-thrifty truth. I've been stopping for a cappuccino at the gas station after radiation treatments. It puts the treat in treatments for about $1.69 a day. 
  • My daughter and I gave away a box of books and other items that had been gathering dust.
  • We bought the $5 pizzas from Papa Murphy for dinner one night. We had guests come in from out of town, and I didn't have the energy to prepare. Everyone understood.
♥♥♥♥
That's my thrifty week.

What are you doing in your home this week?


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♥♥♥
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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


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♥♥♥
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Saturday, February 17, 2018

Trust and Destruction




I lie down on the radiation table 
and look at a machine 
that can destroy cancer cells 
or destroy my life. 





I close my eyes 
and pray 
and worship 
the God who gave me life 
and is a shield protecting me. 




It is a choice that I must make...




every morning
Monday through Friday
at 9:30 in the morning. 




I make the choice to trust daily, 
but it didn't start there.




It started weeks ago
when I chose to trust God for radiation.




It started months ago
when I chose to trust God for chemotherapy.




It started nearly a year ago
in April when I found the lump 
and chose to trust 
God with my future.



It started years ago
when I chose to trust God 
with my eternity and my salvation.




Thank you God for giving me peace 
and banishing fear.





Make your choices now...
before the crisis...
or in the crisis...
but choose now whom 
you will trust and serve.

I will trust and serve the
LORD GOD ALMIGHTY
creator of the universe
who is awesome and loving
and who gave his life for me.

~~~~~

I am trusting
that the right things
will be destroyed
and trusting
in God's protection
for He is a shield to me.

~~~~~

I am entering my last two weeks of radiation.
I am feeling the effects. 
I need rest.
I will probably not write much for awhile.
Thank you for your prayers
and your notes.
God keep you all.


ஐღLauraღஐ 






Monday, February 12, 2018

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ February 12, 2018


As I write ...  Monday Afternoon

The weather.... If I'd written this yesterday afternoon, there would be ice everywhere. Today, it's sunny and growing warmer, so the ice is melting.


Right now I am... sharing a Snickers candy bar with my daughter. Thank you Amy!

Thinking... that I need to leave for errands soon.

A quote to share... 
 ♥♥♥♥♥ 
On my reading pile...   
Favorite blog post last week...  
Something fun to share... 




On the menu for this week... Once again, mealtimes will be at odd times. I wonder if this is how it will be for the remaining years of adult children at home?
Last week, my husband went to the store and bought canned soups, easy foods, salad and sandwich fixin's. I am going to "go with the flow" this week, also, since I'm still taking my radiation treatments. I have chicken leg quarters thawing in the fridge. They will most likely become a soup in a day or two. I also have ground chuck thawing. I'm thinking about meatloaf. It's an old-fashioned favorite.
  
On my to do list... 
  • Do some things on my bucket list.
  • Radiation daily
  • Laundry - I didn't get it done last week.
In the workbasket...  Oh so much to do!
  • I finished garnet hat to leave at the chemo center. I am currently working on a yellow cotton hat. I hope to have at least three hats to donate when I go to treatment next week. I also hope to pick up some yarn that was donated to the center so that I can make another hat or two. It's a way for me to give, to practice my knitting skills, and be thrifty all at once. Believe it or not, when I finish this yellow hat, I will have only one skein of yarn left! I've knitted and crocheted through everything else! Imagine that! No yarn stash!
  • I need to hem my husband's jeans which have been waiting for me for months. Blush!
  • I have a few items in the mending pile.
  • If I finish all of these things, I may cut out a simple skirt.
  • Oh, I just remembered, I started an apron months ago before I was diagnosed. I'd forgotten about it. I think I may need to find it. 
  • I can always work on the little quilts for donation.
  • I can always hand stitch my Emily's quilt.
Looking forward to this week...
  • Tuesday - Knitting group at The Brew coffee shop
  • Wednesday - Church  
  • Thursday - Lunch with my friend Sherry
  • Friday - Homeschool co-op
  • Saturday - bowling 

Looking around the house...  My motto has become, "I can only do what I can do." My daughters have helped me this past week. Most notably, the floors all got mopped! Yay!


From the camera... 
 
Constant Comment is my very favorite tea.


Devotional...   
On my prayer list...
  • 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
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Friday, February 9, 2018

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #121

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!

    I've got the windows open this afternoon to enjoy some fresh air. It's still chilly, but it's nice to air out stale rooms. I never know what to expect of February in southern Missouri (pronounced Missouruh). A few days ago we had ice, today it's 58°. Like that little ° sign? Here's 1 Key to Unlock 5 Symbols. Tomorrow we're expecting an ice storm. Go figure.... I sent my husband for milk and chocolate chips. Guess what I'll probably be doing tomorrow. Yes, chocolate chip cookies are most likely on my to bake list.  I already have some marshmallows in case we want candy cane cocoa or homemade cocoa.

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

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♥♥♥
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Source: Christian Quotes, Click for more information on needing Christ.


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Here's my thrifty week!
  • I finally made candy cane cocoa with half price candy canes, powdered sugar, and Hershey's cocoa.
  • I knit another hat with yarn donated to the chemo center. It was a bulky yarn. It knit up pretty quickly. I may buy some bulky yarn to make myself a hat sometime. I'll take the hat in to donate when I go for my next treatment in a couple weeks. 
  • Twice this week I went to coffee shops. Both times I purchased hot tea instead of a fancy drink. Each time I saved a few dollars.
  • Last year, my friend, Cheryl, sent me quilt squares she had cut out. I'm using some of them to make little blankets to donate. I'm using thread I have on-hand, so there is no cost. I'll have to shop for some flannel to back them.
  • We've had some crazy weather. My son missed the Superbowl, because he ended up in the ditch with his truck. He had to wait for the tow truck. There were so many accidents on that road, they closed it for awhile. Icy roads, ick. AAA membership, thank you God! This is twice he's gone in the ditch with that truck. 
  • I knit up a second hat to go to in my chemo bag as a donation. I used the leftovers from my waffle knit hat I made for me last week. The yarn is a pretty garnet color, but I won't be buying it again, since it turned out pretty fuzzy even as I was knitting it. I got two hats out of one skein, though, and it was less than $4.00 with tax. I bought it 30% off at Hobby Lobby a week or two ago. It was Lion Brand Heartland. 

♥♥♥♥
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


~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~


Monday, February 5, 2018

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ February 5, 2018


As I write ...  Sunday Afternoon

The weather.... Snow is falling! Praise God!


Right now I am... drinking candy cane cocoa that I just made with my daughter.

Thinking... that I'm glad I don't have anywhere to go tonight.

A quote to share... 
♥♥♥♥♥
On my reading pile...   
  • The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse
Favorite blog post last week...  
Something fun to share... 




On the menu for this week... Everyone has meetings at odd times. My husband went to the store and bought canned soups, easy foods, salad and sandwich fixin's. It's not the way we usually eat, but I was so tired from treatments last week, we need to be realistic about my ability to come home and cook for the next few weeks.
  
On my to do list... 
  • Do some things on my bucket list.
  • Radiation daily
  • Radiation oncologist appointment
  • Laundry - I didn't get it done last week.
In the workbasket...  
  • I finished the hat with a modified basket weave stitch in a garnet yarn. Now I'm working on a blue chunky hat. I may use the remaining garnet yarn to begin another hat.
Looking forward to this week...
  • Tuesday - Breast Cancer Support Group followed by Knitting group
  • Wednesday - Church  
  • Thursday - 
  • Friday - Homeschool co-op
  • Saturday -  I'm going to visit my friend Sarah! She writes at Classical Homemaking. She's so talented. Last week we met and sewed together. She sewed a beautiful skirt then remade some clothes into a new dress. She's also a published author and a lover of the Regency Era and Jane Austen. 

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

From the camera... 
 
I love making homemade soap. I haven't made any for awhile
because of chemo. I had to avoid chemicals. 

Devotional...   

On my prayer list...
  • 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, February 4, 2018

He's Never Gonna Let Me Down

In church this morning, we sang a song with the lyrics, "He's never gonna let me down." I changed it and sang directly to God,  "You're never gonna let me down." God knows that the most important thing to me is my children's salvation. It finally got through to me that this is most important to God, too. He's not gonna let me down on something that important, so as I sang the song, I called out the names of my children, my husband, and my family members. Sometimes loud music is a good thing! I choose to trust Him to do what He came to do—to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:2

God's bringing me into a new level of trust in so many ways. I have a feeling that I'm going to be a whole new person when this process is complete.

If you've left me a message or comment, I have read it. Thank you. I am very behind on my email. I have over two hundred in my inbox, and I cannot catch up. Please understand. I just cannot write back to everyone right now. I value your notes so much. Let me know if you need a response, and I will try to reply as soon as I can.
Thanks,
Laura

Here's the song on YouTube.