When you are going through a difficult time, do you share it with others or do you tend to keep it to yourself? Is it best to not burden others? I often don’t know what to do.

My bosom friend, Cherie, gave me a Sherri Youngward CD a few years ago and it never fails to minister to my heart.  (I’m hoping the link will work for you all to listen to it as well.)  A blessed Sunday to you and your dear ones.

Click Here
to listen to Sherri Youngward’s song, Repay.

You were put on the cross on that day
I could not bear to hear
And when You come again
I could never repay You

Your came from heaven here
With power to save from certain death
I could never repay You

So I thank You now with my heart
And I’ll live for You with my heart
And I’ll worship you with everything
That I am

You made the way for me
And washed in Your blood I find myself
I could never repay You

Again and again
You bend and You lift this fallen frame
I could never repay You

So I thank You now with my heart
And I’ll live for You with my heart
And I’ll worship you with everything
That I am

Chris Greely

I was not sure my daughter and I would be able to have an adventure today due to the predicted snowstorm. I am pleased to say we did not get one single snowflake.

We are home but we were like “dogs off a leash” all morning and this afternoon. We left at 7:30 this morning for breakfast. The restaurant was fairly empty because everyone thought it would snow. I enjoyed a Belgiun Waffle, all crisp and buttery and a cup of tea.

After breakfast, we stopped at Barnes and Noble. I bought two magazines, Writer’s Digest and Somerset Life. I also bought another Bible that I will need for my Lenten study and the latest Nicholas Sparks book Dear John.

We decided to go to the big mall and wander around a bit, stopping to have a hot chocolate at Starbucks. We had such a lovely chat as we sipped our cocoa.

We dropped in the Borders Bookstore there and then decided to go to a movie. We walked up to the theater determined to watch whatever was showing next. We watched the movie Dear John. It was a sweet movie and for the matinee price! Yes, I did just buy the book but I enjoyed the movie too. I’d say it was only a one kleenex movie.

We had a funny moment before the movie started. The theater was about half full (and mostly women.. I think there were about 3 men total). We sat very near the top and about ten rows in front of us were some really annoying teenager girls that were being extremely LOUD. (Thankfully, directly in front of us were two very quiet women.) Now granted, the movie had not started yet but still! One of the teenagers jumped up and asked her friend to take her picture as she stood down in front of the movie screen. So she’s shouting from in front of the screen to her friend – don’t worry about focusing etc etc. And I said quietly to my daughter “Shoot me now“. The young woman in front of me laughed and turned to us and said that she was thinking the same thing. Too cute! The teenagers did finally quiet down and everyone could enjoy the movie.

We wandered a bit after the movie and then had lunch at On The Border. I savored every bite and every moment.

We are home now. What a lovely adventure we had!

I’m so happy my eldest daughter is on her way home. I’ll be enjoying her company until Sunday afternoon. Snowstorm or no snowstorm, we shall have a grand old time.

Do you ever have one of those days where you are incredibly busy but when you take a moment and look around, it looks as if nothing had been done? That is my day today.

I started my day grocery shopping. The store was twice as busy as usual. I believe everyone was shopping today because of the snow storm that is on its way. We aren’t to bear the brunt of the storm (so they say) but when people hear SNOW, they rush to the store to stock up on as much as they can.

I did my share of stocking up, especially on frozen vegetables. I prefer fresh when I can get them but the fresh vegetables have been looking rather sad lately. The store had a wonderful sale on frozen vegetables (the steamers) and I bought eighteen bags of them. Yes, you read correctly. Eighteen bags. They were on sale half-price and I am terribly spoiled with the microwave steamers. Honestly, I wonder if I need to join a 12 Step program?? Thankfully, I had room in the freezers.

Little Miss Matilda Bear helped me put away the groceries and it was well after noon by the time we were through. After lunch, I rested a short while and then it was time to get back to work.

I decided to make Susan’s Vegetable Chili for dinner. I love this recipe though it is a bit time consuming to make. Vegetable Chili and Cornbread made a tasty meal this winter night. I have plenty left over for the weekend. My darling eldest daughter is coming home for the weekend and I am delighted to have her.

It is almost 8 o’clock and the dishes are just now washed. Another hour or so until bedtime. Sweet dreams.

**Karen A. (my childhood friend) I hope you email me! I’d love to hear from you!
You can email me at simplyheartandhome@yahoo.com**

Today, I was reminded once again of God’s loving hand.  I had a meeting this morning with someone and I was initially rather nervous about it.  But I knew God was with me. God calmed my heart and the meeting went very well. Thank you, Lord.

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Bridge:
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you’ve done.
Not because of what I’ve done,
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I’m calling,
Lord, you catch me when I’m falling,
And you’ve told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you’ve done.
Not because of what I’ve done,
But because of who you are.

Casting Crowns

I must confess to you that I am sorely tempted today to ignore my chores and to simply spend every moment reading my books. I have a number of them about and they are dear to me. The weather is cloudy and cold and it is a perfect day to do so. My good shoulder angel is telling me that I must be responsible but my naughty shoulder angel is rather quite convincing and it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good reading day.  Which angel should I listen to?

Books are delightful society. If you go into a room and find it full of books – even without taking them from the shelves they seem to speak to you, to bid you welcome. ~ William Ewart Gladstone

Welcome this February Morning.  Though the sun is shining, it is quite cold outside. I think a hot breakfast is in order.

I love this picture of a little country kitchen so warm and cozy. The man’s flannel shirt on the chair, the stove with pancakes ready to be served up hot.

I have found such joy in simple things;
A plain clean room , a nut-brown loaf of bread,
A cup of milk, a kettle as it sings,
The shelter of a roof above my head,
And in a leaf-laced square along a floor,
Where yellow sunlight glimmers through a door.

I have found such joys in things that fill
My quiet days: a curtain’s blowing grace,
A potted plant upon my window sill,
A rose fresh-cut and placed within a vase,
A table cleared, a lamp beside a chair,
And books I long have loved beside me there.

Grace Noll Crowell

Pardon my dust – I’m decorating for Valentine’s Day.  It is an awful amount of pink and hopefully it isn’t awful. :-)

I’m still working on it.  For some reason,, I love the realistically pudgy angel on the left.

**Edited**

I think that’s better.  I like the softer pink roses in the header.  I think the red was just too busy looking for me.

O God, You search me and You know me,
All my thoughts lie open to Your gaze.
When I walk or lie down You are before me:
Ever the Maker and Keeper of my days.

You know my resting and my rising.
You discern my purpose from afar,
And with love everlasting You besiege me:
In every moment of life and death, You are.

Before a word is on my tongue, Lord,
You known it’s meaning all the way through,
You are with me beyond my understanding:
God of my present, past and future, too.

Although Your spirit is upon me,
Still I search for shelter from Your light.
There is nowhere on earth I can escape you:
Even the darkness is radiant in Your light.

For You created me and shaped me,
Gave me life within my mother’s womb.
For the wonder of who I am I praise You:
Safe in Your hands, all creation is made new.

Bernadette Farrell