It is cold and gray outside. The sun can barely show its face. My thoughts are heavy.

The recent earthquake has left the nation of Haiti devastated. There are many children who are homeless and are in need of families. They have nothing aside from the clothes on their backs . . . and not all of them have even that.

But there is hope in the God that created them, in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The people of Haiti are in need. There is a strong team of men down there helping the orphans and people of Haiti. You can follow their trip to Rescue Haiti’s Children on Mr. Phillip’s Blog, Twitter, and Facebook. You can help them by giving a donation.

The world outside may seem bleak, but inside there are flowers blooming. A beautiful reminder that there is always hope in difficult times.

There is always hope in Christ.

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant:
if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
—Anne Bradstreet

Categories: Encouragement, God's Creation, Photography | 10 Comments »

“Out of the south comes the storm,
And out of the north the cold.

From the breath of God ice is made,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.”

Job 37:9-10

Categories: Encouragement, God's Creation, Photography | 22 Comments »

Where has the bird of time flown off to? Why does it seem that whenever we look for it, we find that it has fluttered off into the distance? One moment it is here right beside us, and the next it is flying off into the horizon never to return again.

Time fades more quickly than we would like it to. We would love to stop time and savor the special moments when the joy around us seems as though it can be no happier.

It seems as though every day there is something that we wish could last longer.

Yet time cannot be stopped, it keeps on going. Life is a gift from our Lord. It is as a vapor that lasts only for a moment (James 4:14). We are given only a time, only a season on this earth in which things come and go.

That is why every moment is important: it is a gift of God. Every hour is important. Every day is important.  We are responsible for how we use our time. Are we using these blessed moments in a fruitful way?

I can always see areas in which I can and need to improve the way I spend my time. I am far from perfect. But I do know the One who is perfect, and in Him, with His strength, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13).

At all times our focus must be on our Creator. God is in control, and it is because of Him that we must be faithful with the time He has given us on this beautiful earth. We must use our time wisely.

In this culture fascinated with entertainment, it is easy to become distracted. That is where regret may come into play. We can find ourselves caught up in the moment and forget the most important things around us when we loose our focus and misplace our priorities.

Looking back we see how the Lord has worked in our lives. We can see the many changes in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We may miss those past days, but hopefully we will not look back with regrets. That would be a terrible end of the story.

It is up to us how we use our time and, by God’s grace, we can use it for His honor and glory.

Will we waste it or spend it wisely with no regrets?

Categories: Day-to-Day Life, Encouragement, The Home | 12 Comments »

Categories: Day-to-Day Life, Family, Inspirations, The Home | 14 Comments »

There was a crisp breeze and it was very cold outside, but we decided it was time for a photo shoot. There was a heavy fog, creating the field to fade into gray skies. Thanks goes to my dearest sister who was a wonderful model for these shots!

Categories: Family, Photography | 32 Comments »

Simply Vintagegirl has changed her outfit to one a bit more fashionable to her title. The new layout is soft and gentle, incorporating a few vintage accents.

The new design has been in the workings for quite some time now. It began just as an idea (as most things do), and then formulated into what it is today (after a couple major changes in the blueprints).

A few changes include:

• The Home page and Photography blog retiring,
• The Archives have moved to their own page,
• A Frequently Asked Questions (f.a.q.) page is in the works, and
• The Categories are now located at the top of the blog.

The before and after:

The vintage texture in the background I created from a scan of an old book. The words you can see in the image are from this lovely poem my dear cousin wrote.

There are a couple more things I’m going to do to the design, but I wanted to go ahead and surprise you all with it now. In the meantime, please pretend you do not see the dust.

P.S. New posts are on their way, so stay tuned to keep updated!

Categories: Handmade, Vintage | 23 Comments »

It does seem odd that 2009 is now finished, having just completed it’s course in our time zone. This past year has been one that I shall never forget! It has been one filled with surprises, joyous fellowship, unimaginable projects, and the love of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This year has had its ups and downs, but looking back I can see how the Lord uses even the little things to prepare His people for what He has in store for them – whether they are around the corner or on the other side of a steep and treacherous hill.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose.” —Romans 8:28

We began 2009 with many plans and goals. Some we accomplished, some have been postponed, and some may never be even started. But God is faithful, and has blessed us with far more than we could have ever planned, expected, or anticipated! What a comfort to remember that,

“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” —Proverbs 16:9

We have been able to look back and see our Creator’s mighty hand working things according to His perfect plan and purpose. We can delight in the Lord in both joyous times and sorrowful times because we know that He is sovereign and in control. We must trust in Him with all of our heart,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” —Proverbs 3:5-6

With thankfulness and joy I say farewell to 2009 . . . not because things were unpleasant, but because I am ready to find out (in His timing) what God has in store for the future!

Saying goodbye to this past year does not mean that it shall not be spoken of again, as I am sure that this will be a year spoken of for many decades to come, but that we are saying hello to a new year!

As we enter the year of our Lord 2010, may we be drawn ever closer to the Lord Jesus Christ, and be found faithful to what He has called us to do!

Categories: Day-to-Day Life, Family, God's Creation, Inspirations, Vintage | 8 Comments »

Welcome to A Homemade Christmas! This is No. 4 of 4 A Homemade Christmas events.
I hope you’ll join us in sharing about homemade gifts, decorations, foods, and/or handmade things that made your home extra special for Christmas!
{Feel free to learn more about A Homemade Christmas here.}

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas celebrating our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! We had a lovely time here at home and with extended family. (We are also very glad to have Daddy home until after the first of the new year!)

{Pictures to come, but in the meantime you can look here.}

Our gift-giving was very small, but most delightful! Mom surprised Breezy and I with homemade ornaments that she was working on over the past week (we didn’t realize how many she actually made until we opened our packages). (You can view a picture here.)

Momma also crocheted Breezy and I each an afghan in our colors of choice. They are beautiful and cozy, and most definitely large enough for ourselves and a few wee ones! (You can view pictures here.)

I gave Mother-Dear a pair of fingerless gloves (the set pictured here) and a crocheted wallet/cough drop holder/receipt case. She knew she was going to receive them, and even got to use them before Christmas Eve.

Also, this coming week I will have a happy little download for my readers! I think you’ll enjoy it and you just might end up adding it to your list of things to do for next Christmas!

Thank you all for joining me for  A Homemade Christmas! It has been such a pleasure to see what you have been creating! Thank you for sharing, and I hope you’ll join us again next year (Lord willing) in 2010 for another round of A Homemade Christmas!

Did you have A Homemade Christmas? I invite you to join me here by adding your link to your post about homemade gift(s), decorations, foods, and/or handmade things that made your home extra special for Christmas!

To join us in wrapping up, just sign Mr. Linky below (make sure you use the direct post link). You can get the codes and instructions for adding an A Homemade Christmas icons to your blog by clicking here. This Linky will be open for two weeks.

View Other A Homemade Christmas Posts:

Categories: A Homemade Christmas, Encouragement, Family, Handmade, Inspirations, The Home | 8 Comments »