Hello dear blogging friends!
I am finally back after a nice two week break.
I have missed all of you a great deal!
Before I even begin this post I want to say THANK YOU to
Jessica
for being gracious and willing to write a guest post for my blog.
Each one is a treasure and precious blogging friend.
Anyway,
while I was away I would like to say that I went to a tropical island
and enjoyed the lovely sunshine and warm ocean.....
but I actually didn't go anywhere.
I stayed put in my cozy home with snow melting outside
and lots of mud to play in :)
My laptop needed a few repairs so I had to send it away to Texas.
Hopefully everything is back in tip-top shape.
I must say I thoroughly enjoyed my time away from the computer.
Isn't it amazing how quickly we become dependent on the Internet?
I am on the computer without really consciously thinking about it.
I drink a cup of coffee in the morning so I get on the computer,
it's lunch time so I get on again,
more coffee in the afternoon and what do I do - get on the computer.
It's evening time so I had better get on again :)
My time away really opened my eyes
to how much time I spend sitting looking at the computer screen.
A few things I enjoyed while being home but "away" was the time spent reading books.
When I climb into bed, I turn on my little reading light and will spend hours laying there reading.
I was able to get 4 books read during the last two weeks.
I got quite a bit of sewing done.
A new Easter dress for me.
Isn't the fabric lovely?
A turquoise belt and a light pink cardigan will finish the look.
The dress was not planned....I stopped by Hobby Lobby and saw this beautiful fabric.
I knew I had to have it :)
In the end I spent about $20.00 for a new dress - not bad.
It's not my usual color (I like pastels),
but I actually like the Indian look and feel of it.
All I need is turquoise jewelry to finish the look.
Then I made a couple of pinwheel throw pillows with pretty flowers attached to the middle.
Rosie Girl likes the blue and yellow one :)
I was able to get my dead flowers pulled out of my garden.
I am very behind as this should have been done in the Fall.
I have no excuse for my lateness :)
Then my son and I cleaned/organized the shed and got a pile together for a yard sale.
It's been ages since we've had a yard sale so I think it's time to de-clutter.
I was also able to work on an Easter piano piece....Lord-willing it will be ready by Easter Sunday.
The song is Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
in the setting of G.F. Handel's Hallelujah from The Messiah.
All-in-all it was a very productive and relaxing two weeks.
This may sound silly, but I also did some soul-searching while I was away from the computer.
You see, I was going to finish making products for my Esty store
that I had been setting up for the last month.
My goal was to finish things up and open by the end of this month.
But God had other plans and He used His Holy Word to show me :)
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
~ Isaiah 55:8,9 ~
The Lord brought to my attention that I was doing what I wanted to do
and had forgotten to pray about this matter
and to take it to the Lord for His approval and direction - to see what He wanted.
As I stated earlier, I realized the precious time I was spending on the computer
and the Lord showed me how much more time I would be spending
trying to keep an Etsy shop full with handmade goods.
I don't want to miss out on family moments and daily living.
My God and my family come first and I am thankful for the Lord' gentle reminder
and His precious leading :)
I am reminded of the quote I shared last Sunday:
One reason we are so harried and hurried
is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business,
when all that legitimately concerns us is today.
If we really have too much to do,
there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there.
Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete.
There is always time to do the will of God.
If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.
~ Elisabeth Elliot - Secure in the Everlasting Arms ~
So to sum it all up, I think know the Lord had His hand in all of this
right down to needing to send my laptop off for repairs
because He knew I needed that time to see things through His eyes.
I apologize for the lengthy post.
I guess I needed to share some of my heart with you sweet friends.
I am glad to be back and I look forward to visiting with all of you.
Enjoy your weekend.
Much love to you!