Breezy’s New Blog Design
April 17, 2010
Over the past few days I have been designing a new layout for my dear sister’s blog, A Bowl of Moss & Pebbles. Breezy drew blueprints for how she wanted the finished site to look, making the process very smooth.
The style of the design is fresh and cheerful with a clean layout. A few of the details include a bird carrying a ribbon in between the posts, a photo in the header that Breezy captured of our pear blossoms, and in the sidebar is a happy little link to subscribe to her blog.
There are still a few more elements I will be adding next week. But in the meantime, please visit Breezy’s blog and enjoy her posts of encouragement, artwork, and daily living!
P.S. Photos of the skirt and bag—the very large bag—are coming soon!
Notes from the Father & Daughter Retreat – Part One
April 8, 2010
The speeches were most certainly a highlight for my father, sister and I. The Lord has used the speakers mightily in our walks with Him, and it is always such a blessing to hear them speak such wonderful words of wisdom from the Word of God.
Below are brief summaries of a couple of the sessions during the 2010 Father & Daughter Retreat put on by Vision Forum and held at the Callaway Gardens in Georgia.
I hope that they are as much of an encouragement to you as they have been to me!
(Please note that these are not necessarily direct quotations,
but rather short summaries of what I wrote down while listening to the talks.)
What It Means for a Daughter to Have a Father by Doug Phillips
Fathers are God-given and God-appointed. Fathers are wonderful gifts that the Lord has given and they help us to understand our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
There are many orphans who spend their days yearning, praying, and hoping for a father, and yet the world is telling daughters who have fathers to run from their fathers in independence.
Those girls without daddys would give everything to enjoy just a moment of the pleasure we take granted every day: the blessing of having a father who provides, protects, guides, and cares for us. Be thankful for the father that you have and pray for those dear girls who do not have daddys.
Proverbs 31 and the Daughter of the King by Scott Brown
The Proverbs 31 woman is a treasure, a strong, virtuous woman. She is very difficult to find – her rarity shows her value and that she is not a “cheap” girl. The Bible puts enormous emphasis on women and Proverbs 31 is no exception! A virtuous woman is priceless and we have a wonderful purpose!
She is Christ-centered above all, and through that she focuses her time and energy in her God-given role towards her husband, children and the home.
All the things in Proverbs 31 are fruits of the fear of the Lord. Be willing to take every bit of chastisement that will come, because His ways are pleasant ways. Do not falter. Do everything in Him, through Him, and for Him. What a wonderful life to be called to!
More notes coming . . . don’t miss them!
Sneak peek . . .
March 27, 2010
The bag and skirt were finished in perfect timing! Here’s a sneak peek . . .
And there’s another surprise – one that will be a wonderful blessing to you all – but you’ll just have to wait a few more days to see it!
Sewing Happiness
March 18, 2010
Yesterday I created a skirt out of the top fabric for a special event with my father and sister!
I am currently creating a pattern for a bag which will be made out of both of these fabrics.
It will hopefully turn out to be the perfect size to hold my camera, lenses, bible, and
notebook . . . with possibly a little extra room.
Photos coming soon . . . you can stay updated here!
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever.”
Psalm 111:10
Finding Life.
March 10, 2010
The sun was shining and the day looked promising. A little girl was gladdened to find that the weather had warmed. The earth seemed refreshed to see the sun’s shining face again, in hopes that new life would begin springing from it’s soil.
A bright and cheery day it was, and so out the little girl went in search of something very, very special.
It was a bit like an adventure, searching here and there for the treasure. A treasure that when found, would bring a bright smile to her face. A treasure that gave hope for a lovelier tomorrow.
Exploring she went, looking high and low. But she could not find what she so eagerly sought.
Just as she began to think that she just might have to wait another day before finding what she sought, out of the corner of her eye she spotted a tiny patch of green.
She hurried over to where the long-searched for treasure was. That little patch of green brought a bright and beautiful smile to her face.
The happy beam of sunshine that shone through those little green stubs made her think about the flowers that would one day bloom, giving her happiness in knowing that Spring was truly on its way.
Nothing said Spring quite as well as the little green knobs which peaked up from the leaf-covered soil.
Finding that little bit of new life was worth the searching and worth the wait . . .
. . . and because of all the waiting and searching, the finding was all the more sweet.
Passion and Preparation
March 8, 2010
The Lord brought these verses at a most timely moment:
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” —Hebrews 13:5-6
Daddy read aloud Hebrews 13 during family worship, and it was a wonderful reminder that God gives us exactly what we need at the exact time we’re in need of it! (Proverbs 15:23.)
Before this was read, we had been discussing the future – including marriage and children and the generations to come. Breezy and I are eagerly looking forward to having families of our own and implementing into the lives of our children the many wonderful things our parents have taught us.
Yet, in the Lord’s good timing, He has not given us our families yet. We must wait patiently on God, and serve Him in where He has placed us.
We are passionate about the future, but are we passionate about today?
It is easy to look at the future and imagine how wonderful it will be, because “the grass is always greener on the other side,” right? Right?
We may imagine that it is so, but that doesn’t make it true.
We know not what the Lord’s plan is, but we do know that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28) and that “He will never forsake [us]” (Hebrews 13:5).
The future is the future for a reason – it is not today.
Let us be content in today. Content in where the Lord has placed us. Content in what the Lord has blessed us with. As Corrie Ten Boom said, “Every experience God gives us, every person he puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.”
Today we can prepare for the future and become better equipped for the Lord’s will. Right now we can be living each and every day for the glory of God and faithfully serve Him where He has placed us and with what He has blessed us with.
“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” —Luke 12:48b
Let us be passionate about today, glorify our Savior in devoting every minute to obeying Him, building His Kingdom and preparing for His will in His timing!
An afternoon of reading with a cup of tea . . .
February 9, 2010
“In the same way that God designed all of creation in its undeniable perfection and beauty, He handcrafted each girl’s situation with exquisite precision. He chose the exact parents, position, and opportunities that would best fulfill His purposes for her life and bring Him glory. . . continue reading.”
—Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin at Visionary Daughters
“I don’t think that any woman could prepare long enough to perfectly execute this list [in Titus 2:3-5]. But it is my duty to aim to follow this standard that God has set. . . . And what better way to practice being a keeper at home than to learn the ins and outs from my mother, who has wells of wisdom on the subject! And who could think of a better way to prepare to submit to a husband, whether he’s right or wrong, than to practice in a daughters relationship to her father? . . . continue reading.”
—Stephanie at In His Time
“It is when we create things for God’s sake that our work most clearly promotes His glory, rather than threatening to compete with it. Thus the true purpose of art is the same as the true purpose of anything: it is not for ourselves or for our own self-expression, but for the service of others and the glory of God.”
—Philip Graham Ryken in Art for God’s Sake
Delicious Stuffed French Toast
February 6, 2010
Yes, stuffed French Toast. As if French toast wasn’t good enough—it just got better!
This morning my dear mother prepared this delightful dish! We ate it while listening to Mr. Botkin’s Saturday Morning Online Mentoring.
Stuffed French Toast
1 loaf French bread, cut into 8 diagonal slices (making very large slices)
1 cup homemade cream cheese (recipe below)
1/2 cup fruit preserves (we used peach)
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Cut a each thick bread slice almost in half by cutting from the top crust almost to the bottom crust, making a pocket. Be careful to not slice completely through the bread. Mix cream cheese and preserves in small bowl. Spoon cream mixture evenly into each pocket.
Beat eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl, until well mixed. Dip stuffed bread slices in egg mixture, making sure to let the excess drip off.
Spray griddle (our favorite!) or skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Cook bread slices over medium heat until golden brown, flip, and cook on other side.
For extra beauty, sprinkle each slice with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup, fruits, and/or whipped cream, if desired. Makes 8 slices of delicious Stuffed French Toast!
Homemade Cream Cheese
(it’s as easy as can be!)
1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
Line strainer with cheese cloth. Place strainer in bowl, large enough to hold the drained liquid without touching the strainer. Let strain in refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
The homemade cream cheese is what is left in the strainer! You can do this the day before it is needed, and store the cream cheese in a container after being drained.
We all thought it tasted delicious! The filling was great, but I think we put a little too much in the pocket. Next time we’ll put in less, and it will be perfect!
While living the life my Lord has blessed me with, I am at home with my family enjoying being a daughter, homemaker and artist. My highest goal is to give glory to God and enjoy Him forever. It is He that has saved me with His amazing grace and is continually molding me; to Him I owe everything. Read more . . .
