In May I was so frustrated and angry. I was questioning everything that I had believed and wondering if I could go on.
But then God, who is loving and gracious, breathed a breath of fresh air back into my spiritual life. He brought a book, that helped me to see where I was stumbling. God helped me to relax and see Him for who He truly is. He's been showing me how much He loves me. It’s been refreshing.
This song reminded me of the journey that God has been leading me on, so I thought I might share it with you.
I set out on a narrow way, many years ago
Hoping I would find true love, along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign, pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight to you
I think about the years I spent, just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan, that is coming true
Every long lost dream, lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight to you
Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lovers arms
This much I know, is true
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight to you
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight
to you
But then God, who is loving and gracious, breathed a breath of fresh air back into my spiritual life. He brought a book, that helped me to see where I was stumbling. God helped me to relax and see Him for who He truly is. He's been showing me how much He loves me. It’s been refreshing.
This song reminded me of the journey that God has been leading me on, so I thought I might share it with you.
I set out on a narrow way, many years ago
Hoping I would find true love, along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign, pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight to you
I think about the years I spent, just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan, that is coming true
Every long lost dream, lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight to you
Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lovers arms
This much I know, is true
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight to you
That God blessed the broken road
That lead me straight
to you
By Rose H.
When I graduated from high school, I knew that God had called me to work with some kind of ministries. The first ministry that God brought my way was a ministry called the Linus Connection. They give homemade blankets to kids in troubled situations.
Through them I became aware of the need for preemie baby items. I began to crochet preemie gowns and little dresses. Then I began to research on how to donate them.
I found out that there are a lot of ministries and that need preemie items. I also found ministries that need everything from baby items, to hats, to granny squares, to blankets. I started compiling a list of these for my personal reference.
I also came up with an idea to start a website to put out the word about ministries that distribute homemade items. I would only post links to ministries that I know are still working (so that hopefully you girls won’t have to sort through all of it on your own). I thought about calling it Homemade Ministry
Now I’d like you thoughts. Do you think that this would be helpful? Or do you think that it wouldn’t make a difference?
Please I would love some feedback.
When I graduated from high school, I knew that God had called me to work with some kind of ministries. The first ministry that God brought my way was a ministry called the Linus Connection. They give homemade blankets to kids in troubled situations.
Through them I became aware of the need for preemie baby items. I began to crochet preemie gowns and little dresses. Then I began to research on how to donate them.
I found out that there are a lot of ministries and that need preemie items. I also found ministries that need everything from baby items, to hats, to granny squares, to blankets. I started compiling a list of these for my personal reference.
I also came up with an idea to start a website to put out the word about ministries that distribute homemade items. I would only post links to ministries that I know are still working (so that hopefully you girls won’t have to sort through all of it on your own). I thought about calling it Homemade Ministry
Now I’d like you thoughts. Do you think that this would be helpful? Or do you think that it wouldn’t make a difference?
Please I would love some feedback.
My Dear Daughter,
Surrender your dreams to Me.
Be content with where you are.
Wait and see what I have planned.
Love, Your Heavenly Father
Surrender your dreams to Me.
Be content with where you are.
Wait and see what I have planned.
Love, Your Heavenly Father
In late June of this year I fell and got a one inch cut on my hand. 6 stitches and a few months later it was just a scar. Every time I look at it I remember the pain and hurt that went along with it, but time healed the wound and now it serves as a reminder to be careful when walking or riding near pavement.
It hit me yesterday that God does the same with all of my wounds. I’ve had some heartache over the years, some was through my own bad choices, some was through unforgiveness, and some was brought about by others.
Yet for every heartache, God has brought new healing and love. He was always there loving me, comforting me, and leading me. The scars on my heart bear testimony to the love of God. The wounds have been healed by the hand of an amazing God.
Now when I look at the scars of the past, I can smile. I can now look at them as beautiful examples of Gods love, grace, and healing. They are beautiful scars.
It hit me yesterday that God does the same with all of my wounds. I’ve had some heartache over the years, some was through my own bad choices, some was through unforgiveness, and some was brought about by others.
Yet for every heartache, God has brought new healing and love. He was always there loving me, comforting me, and leading me. The scars on my heart bear testimony to the love of God. The wounds have been healed by the hand of an amazing God.
Now when I look at the scars of the past, I can smile. I can now look at them as beautiful examples of Gods love, grace, and healing. They are beautiful scars.
This week in addition to filling in for Sarah at her blog post, I have been taking over teaching my two younger sisters for Sarah.
Ever since Sarah was about 13 she has been teaching something in our house. She started out with a medieval study. She not only taught us about the kings and knights, she had crafts that would go along with it.
She was so mature for her age that we would tease her that at the mature age of four she renounced all childish things and began to be reading Ivanhoe.
When I was younger I thought Sarah was perfect. She had everything a girl could want. She was beautiful, she could teach with grace, she played piano, and she always knew what to say and how to say it. I tried to copy everything she did and said. I held her in high honor.
Then there was me, Rose. I was clumsy, and wasn’t very pretty, and I had trouble speaking in normal situations (I seemed to always say the wrong thing).
When I was younger I was always comparing myself to Sarah, therefore I always came up as short, less than her, and not as good.
But as I got older, I realized that I couldn’t be like Sarah. I couldn’t possibly be who Sarah is. I was hard for me to realize this, but it finally sunk in.
Then a hard question came to mind: Who is Rose? I had been trying to be like Sarah for so long I didn’t know who I was.
Then bit by bit God showed me who Rose was. I found out I liked to crochet, bake, cross stitch, sing, and write poems and short stories. I found out who I was.
But over the years I’ve wondered at some things. I wondered if I could ever learn to speak like Sarah does. I wondered if I could watch the kids and keep order like Sarah does. I wondered if I could ever teach like Sarah does.
This week I was able to test out my skills. With Dad away at work and Mom and Sarah, working elections, I’ve been in charge of the kids and school.
I’ve learned three things this week.
1 I can be very uptight and controlling when I think I have to be.
2 I need to relax and love my family, even when I feel like I need to be controlling.
3 I love teaching. I’ve been learning so much by teaching my younger sisters. It’s so fun to help them learn.
I’ve learned that I can’t be Sarah, but I’m learning even more who Rose is. That is the best discovery I’ve made this week.
Ever since Sarah was about 13 she has been teaching something in our house. She started out with a medieval study. She not only taught us about the kings and knights, she had crafts that would go along with it.
She was so mature for her age that we would tease her that at the mature age of four she renounced all childish things and began to be reading Ivanhoe.
When I was younger I thought Sarah was perfect. She had everything a girl could want. She was beautiful, she could teach with grace, she played piano, and she always knew what to say and how to say it. I tried to copy everything she did and said. I held her in high honor.
Then there was me, Rose. I was clumsy, and wasn’t very pretty, and I had trouble speaking in normal situations (I seemed to always say the wrong thing).
When I was younger I was always comparing myself to Sarah, therefore I always came up as short, less than her, and not as good.
But as I got older, I realized that I couldn’t be like Sarah. I couldn’t possibly be who Sarah is. I was hard for me to realize this, but it finally sunk in.
Then a hard question came to mind: Who is Rose? I had been trying to be like Sarah for so long I didn’t know who I was.
Then bit by bit God showed me who Rose was. I found out I liked to crochet, bake, cross stitch, sing, and write poems and short stories. I found out who I was.
But over the years I’ve wondered at some things. I wondered if I could ever learn to speak like Sarah does. I wondered if I could watch the kids and keep order like Sarah does. I wondered if I could ever teach like Sarah does.
This week I was able to test out my skills. With Dad away at work and Mom and Sarah, working elections, I’ve been in charge of the kids and school.
I’ve learned three things this week.
1 I can be very uptight and controlling when I think I have to be.
2 I need to relax and love my family, even when I feel like I need to be controlling.
3 I love teaching. I’ve been learning so much by teaching my younger sisters. It’s so fun to help them learn.
I’ve learned that I can’t be Sarah, but I’m learning even more who Rose is. That is the best discovery I’ve made this week.
The brush, the pin, and the needle.
All these can be used to tell a story.
One can paint a masterpiece to be admired,
One can write a tale that holds readers in awe,
Or stitch thread to make a picture.
On their own these things can do nothing,
But when they are surrendered to the hands of the Master,
They can be used to make beautiful things.
So it is with us.
We can never write a story like God can,
We can never paint a picture like He can,
We can never guide the thread as masterfully as God can.
But if we surrender ourselves to the Master,
He will do wonders with us.
Just relax.
Learning To Relax,
Rose
All these can be used to tell a story.
One can paint a masterpiece to be admired,
One can write a tale that holds readers in awe,
Or stitch thread to make a picture.
On their own these things can do nothing,
But when they are surrendered to the hands of the Master,
They can be used to make beautiful things.
So it is with us.
We can never write a story like God can,
We can never paint a picture like He can,
We can never guide the thread as masterfully as God can.
But if we surrender ourselves to the Master,
He will do wonders with us.
Just relax.
Learning To Relax,
Rose
Hello everyone. This is Rose H, sister of Sarah H. I’m pleased to announce that after much decoding and hard work I have…No, I’m kidding.
Sarah is working elections and will be unable to post for the next two weeks. In her absence, she gave me permission to post on her blog.
I’m actually looking forward to it, since I don’t have a blog of my own.
Have a great day and talk to you all tomorrow.
Sarah is working elections and will be unable to post for the next two weeks. In her absence, she gave me permission to post on her blog.
I’m actually looking forward to it, since I don’t have a blog of my own.
Have a great day and talk to you all tomorrow.
A few days ago I did a post on one of my favorite parts of the chronicles of Narnia series from the horse and his boy (click here to read that post), and today I would like to share some more thoughts about it.
As many of you who have read my blog know, my family has been called on a journey that has lead us away from the more traditional ways of doing church and has called us to start a home church. Right now though, we are in a time of uncertainty, a time of waiting, a time that often feels like being in that Mountain pass with Shasta. The excitement that I first felt when we started this journey has waned, all the thankfulness I felt that I had for the fact my family is on this journey together has been over-shadowed by the fact that we seem to be all alone, we feel like we have done all we can do so all we can do now is wait.
I have been like Shasta; instead on keeping my eyes on the goal, I often wallow in self-pity and start complaining. I start thinking things like: if we are going to live without friends, why do we also have to struggle with money? If we are going to be called to live radically for God, at least that should have been balanced with a nice house. Oh yes, I am good at complaining, and I am sorry to say that I catch myself far too often thinking that God hasn’t been “fair” to me and my family.
After reading this part in The Horse and His boy, I was reminded about how much I really do have. If God and I were to have a similar conversation, I would imagine that it would go something like this:
Sarah: God we live in a mobile home that is so much smaller than most people’s homes.
God: I know. Remember the X family? Your family was the only one in the church that could really minister to them because they were poor and felt out of place and looked down upon by the people with huge houses. I needed you in that mobile home for a reason; that is why I put you there.
Sarah: God we don’t have a lot of money. I am really getting tired of having to watch every penny. You own the cattle on a thousand hills; can’t you give us a little more?
God: I could, but look at the character I am building in you and in your siblings. You have learned to trust me; you have seen and know that I can provide; you can be truly grateful for even the small blessings that I send your way and so much more.
Sarah: God I am so lonely, I just want one or two girls who will make the time to be my friend.
As many of you who have read my blog know, my family has been called on a journey that has lead us away from the more traditional ways of doing church and has called us to start a home church. Right now though, we are in a time of uncertainty, a time of waiting, a time that often feels like being in that Mountain pass with Shasta. The excitement that I first felt when we started this journey has waned, all the thankfulness I felt that I had for the fact my family is on this journey together has been over-shadowed by the fact that we seem to be all alone, we feel like we have done all we can do so all we can do now is wait.
I have been like Shasta; instead on keeping my eyes on the goal, I often wallow in self-pity and start complaining. I start thinking things like: if we are going to live without friends, why do we also have to struggle with money? If we are going to be called to live radically for God, at least that should have been balanced with a nice house. Oh yes, I am good at complaining, and I am sorry to say that I catch myself far too often thinking that God hasn’t been “fair” to me and my family.
After reading this part in The Horse and His boy, I was reminded about how much I really do have. If God and I were to have a similar conversation, I would imagine that it would go something like this:
Sarah: God we live in a mobile home that is so much smaller than most people’s homes.
God: I know. Remember the X family? Your family was the only one in the church that could really minister to them because they were poor and felt out of place and looked down upon by the people with huge houses. I needed you in that mobile home for a reason; that is why I put you there.
Sarah: God we don’t have a lot of money. I am really getting tired of having to watch every penny. You own the cattle on a thousand hills; can’t you give us a little more?
God: I could, but look at the character I am building in you and in your siblings. You have learned to trust me; you have seen and know that I can provide; you can be truly grateful for even the small blessings that I send your way and so much more.
Sarah: God I am so lonely, I just want one or two girls who will make the time to be my friend.
Okay, this week I will let you ask me any questions you have about writing and I will try to answer them next week. Are getting stumped by something? Do you want to know something about my writing? Ask anything you want, I can’t wait to see your questions.
Yesterday was post number 300! I didn’t realize it till I got up this morning and went to my blogger dashboard. Okay, so I am a little slow but at least I noticed, right?
I am thinking of doing a giveaway in January do any of you have any ideas for what you would like me to give away?
I am thinking of doing a giveaway in January do any of you have any ideas for what you would like me to give away?
I am not a fantasy fan. I don’t really like strange creatures, and I have a lot of trouble with good guys using magic and having strange powers. However, I do have one confession to make; I like most of the Chronicles of Narnia. You see, I grew up watching the old BBC version The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and my dad read us most of the series out loud to us one year. I have so many good memories of those evenings we spent in C. S. Lewis’s Narnia that I am very fond of most of the books.
One book from the series always stands out to me from when my dad read it to us, and that was The Horse and His Boy. I loved the story of a talking horse and the boy Shasta and their adventures as they make their way toward the land of Narnia. I still can see the mental pictures I painted when my dad first read it to us.
One of the scenes that stood out to me was the one where Shasta is in the mountains. He is cold, hungry and is feeling very sorry for himself. All the excitement from his adventures has worn off, all the thankfulness he felt for reaching the king in time is overshadowed by his loneliness, and he had completed his mission, so there was nothing left that he had to think about.
Aslan comes to him, and Shasta tells him his life story and is bemoaning about all the unfortunate events of his life from when he was a baby till that day. He echoed how I have felt many times when he said everything always works out well for other people but not for me.
Aslan then goes one by one through his list of complaints and tells him “I was behind this all the time; I was working it out for your good.” This reminded me that God does the same thing with my list of complaints. He doesn’t see my life the way I see it. When I see an injustice or something gone wrong, he sees a chance, an opportunity for me to grow. When I am struggling though something and I see it as my worst moment, he sees it as my finest hour.
Well, I never meant this post to get so long, though I feel like I could keep writing, so there will probably be a part two sometime. Have a wonderful day!
One book from the series always stands out to me from when my dad read it to us, and that was The Horse and His Boy. I loved the story of a talking horse and the boy Shasta and their adventures as they make their way toward the land of Narnia. I still can see the mental pictures I painted when my dad first read it to us.
One of the scenes that stood out to me was the one where Shasta is in the mountains. He is cold, hungry and is feeling very sorry for himself. All the excitement from his adventures has worn off, all the thankfulness he felt for reaching the king in time is overshadowed by his loneliness, and he had completed his mission, so there was nothing left that he had to think about.
Aslan comes to him, and Shasta tells him his life story and is bemoaning about all the unfortunate events of his life from when he was a baby till that day. He echoed how I have felt many times when he said everything always works out well for other people but not for me.
Aslan then goes one by one through his list of complaints and tells him “I was behind this all the time; I was working it out for your good.” This reminded me that God does the same thing with my list of complaints. He doesn’t see my life the way I see it. When I see an injustice or something gone wrong, he sees a chance, an opportunity for me to grow. When I am struggling though something and I see it as my worst moment, he sees it as my finest hour.
Well, I never meant this post to get so long, though I feel like I could keep writing, so there will probably be a part two sometime. Have a wonderful day!
Good Morning everyone! How is your week going? Mine is off to a good start even though I have a lot to do.
Yesterday, we ran errands and I took my first elections training class. I have one more class that I have to take in order to be the computer clerk for early voting at the end of this month. If you live in Texas, there are 11 statewide propositions on the ballet.
I wish I had longer to post, but I have so many things I want to get done today that I’m think this is as long as I’m going to get. However, I hope to post once a day all this week.
Yesterday, we ran errands and I took my first elections training class. I have one more class that I have to take in order to be the computer clerk for early voting at the end of this month. If you live in Texas, there are 11 statewide propositions on the ballet.
I wish I had longer to post, but I have so many things I want to get done today that I’m think this is as long as I’m going to get. However, I hope to post once a day all this week.
There are some tools which I have found very beneficial in writing a book and/or articles, and today I would like to share a list of them with you.
1. A good baby name book that includes the meaning of the names and countries of origin. Even though I have come up with some names on my own, it is really nice. When I get stumped for a name I can scan through the book and find one.
2. A thesaurus is another helpful tool, especially when writing books set in the past, future or in some fantasy world. You can find some really fun and different words that mean the same thing as cup, crown prince, or store.
3. A dictionary is another good thing to have around to look up the meaning of a word or to learn some new words.
4. I find having some inspiring music to listen to while I am writing is very helpful. It keeps me in the mood to write and drowns out most of the other noise that might distract me.
5. Have an encyclopedia set and/or access to the web so that when you need to look up something from lasers to the history of coffee.
Are there any tools that you have found helpful as an author?
1. A good baby name book that includes the meaning of the names and countries of origin. Even though I have come up with some names on my own, it is really nice. When I get stumped for a name I can scan through the book and find one.
2. A thesaurus is another helpful tool, especially when writing books set in the past, future or in some fantasy world. You can find some really fun and different words that mean the same thing as cup, crown prince, or store.
3. A dictionary is another good thing to have around to look up the meaning of a word or to learn some new words.
4. I find having some inspiring music to listen to while I am writing is very helpful. It keeps me in the mood to write and drowns out most of the other noise that might distract me.
5. Have an encyclopedia set and/or access to the web so that when you need to look up something from lasers to the history of coffee.
Are there any tools that you have found helpful as an author?
