Morning Musing Over Coffee - Carpe Diem

credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.  ~ Mary Manin Morrissey

We each have dreams - God given dreams - and we are placed here with those dreams for a purpose. Dreams are made to be followed. 

Carpe diem - Seize the day!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

LINKING HERE
SUNDAY - The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays

Morning Musing Over Coffee - Mud or Stars?

credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

Don't cry when the sun is gone, because the tears won't let you see the stars. ~ Violetta Perra

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the things we thought were awful and should never have happened to us were actually for our best. And if we had stopped whining and crying sooner we would have seen the good in the situation and saved ourselves a lot of misery. And Christians are promised that in all things God is working for our good. 

My mother used to quote this little saying to me when I looked at a situation negatively - 

"Two men stood at the selfsame bars,

One saw mud and the other saw stars."

There is no reason for me to allow myself to spend so much time bewailing my situation that I miss the wonderful work God is doing in and around me. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

Isaiah 41:10

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

1 Corinthians 15:57


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SUNDAY - Sunday Features SATURDAY - TGI Saturdays

Black Beans and Rice, A Cute Bunny, A Grumpy Rooster and More - The Walnut Acre Daily Tuesday August 6, 2013

WORDS TO LIVE BY

All Your words are true, all Your righteous laws are eternal. ~ Psalm 119:160

WORKING, LEARNING AND PLAYING TOGETHER

This is Amanda vacuuming her hair!

 Why is Amanda vacuuming her hair? 

Because she poured glitter in it. 

Why did she pour glitter in her hair? 

Your guess is as good as mine. 

Doug worked on installing red lights on his truck for when he runs emergency calls with the rescue squad. Once again, he had plenty of help and supervision. 

IN THE KITCHEN

Blacks Beans and Rice - it's what was for lunch. I've made several different variations of this recipe, tweaking it until I have it the way I like it. It's one of my very favorite meals - and it is pretty much a whole meal by itself. Here's how I made it today.

Black Beans and Rice

3 15.25 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 lb ground meat (today I used ground chicken, but ground beef, turkey, or sausage works as well) 

1 onion, chopped

1 pepper, chopped (today I used a yellow pepper, but any pepper is fine)

2 cups frozen corn

3 cups water

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon  ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cooked rice

In large saucepan or skillet saute peppers and onions and brown ground meat. Add black beans, water, seasonings and corn and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat and add cheese, stirring until melted. 

Serve over cooked rice.

FURRY, FEATHERED AND FOUR FOOTED FRIENDS

We have a little bunny that likes to come hop around in my poor neglected garden and in the yard. It will even act like it's teasing our grumpy white rooster, hopping toward the rooster until the rooster looks at it and puffs up and then hopping off again until the rooster settles back down. Then it will start the process all over again. It's so fun to watch.

Michael saw the bunny and decided to go down and see if he could touch it. I didn't think he had a chance but when he got to the bunny it actually started hopping toward him. However, the rooster (below on the left) had just had enough excitement and decided to take his frustration out on Michael. I don't know if I've seen Doug move as fast as he did running after that rooster and chasing it away from Michael! I think the rooster learned his lesson.  However, the bunny was scared off too and we haven't seen it again today. 

Austin's like the Pied Piper of the chickens when he goes out to feed them. They come running from all over the yard to follow him to the feed pan. 

ON MY MIND

God tells us 150 times in the Bible to "fear not." He wants us to move from fear into faith. There is an open Kingdom of God sitting above us waiting to be poured out over us if we will simply open our lives in faith for Him to pour into. It is out of a perspective of fear that we make decisions that are contrary to the will of God. Sometimes the decisions we make when we move out of fear and into faith will look strange to others but we can rest in the assurance that when we are moving in faith in His leading we know that we are headed the right way. And faith gives birth to more faith so with each step we take our faith increases. 

So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. ~ Isaiah 41:10

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,  and all these things will be given to you as well.  ~ Matthew 6:33

~ notes and thoughts from sermon preached by David Chappell 8/04/13

READING AROUND THE WEB

Navigating the Nutrition Maze: Cereal Killers at Of the Hearth

Confetti Chicken Salad at Posed Perfection

Introducing Madi Walker at There is Grace

If You Give a Mom a Day At Home at 365 Organize

TODAY'S QUOTE

Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. ~ Kenyan Proverb

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Monday - I Made It,  Monday Funday, More the Merrier Monday, Market Yourself Monday, Inspiration Monday, Make It Pretty Monday, Living Proverbs 31,  Homestead Barn Hop,  The Better Mom Tuesday - Titus 2sday, Tweak It Tuesday, Tuesday's Treasures, Heart+Home Link Up, Domestically Divine, One Project at a Time, Wednesday - Cast Party Wednesday,  Adorned From Above,  Walking Redeemed,  Wow Us Wednesday, Made By Me, Living Well Wednesdays, A Little R and R, Wholehearted Wednesdays, Homemaking Link-Up Thursday - Home and Garden Thursday,  The Homeacre Hop, Weekly Homemaking Party, Creative Thursday, It's a Party, 

We're Going On a Bear Hunt Lunch Fun

Our PreK/K activities this week are based on the book We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Micheal Rosen. We've been having fun hearing the story and watching a dramatized telling of it by the author.

I thought it would be fun to have a lunch based on this theme as well. So, after some thought here's what I came up with.

Thin sliced peppers for the grass
Chocolate Pudding for the mud
Sweet Potato fries for tree trunks with cress leaves for tree leaves
Cottage cheese for the snow
Turkey and cheese sandwiches are a cave
Water to drink to represent the river

I put the first one together so Amanda could see what I had in mind and then she did the rest of them. 

And, for a table centerpiece, a stuffed bear!

Along with this theme we're talking about fear and overcoming fear. We're learning Isaiah 41:10 as we talk about how God is with us even when we are afraid and that He watches over us.

Do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God. ~ Isaiah 41:10

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 The Better Mom, Living Well Wednesdays, Titus 2sdays, Homemaking Link-Up, Encourage One Another, Heart & Home Tuesdays!, It's A Party, It's Playtime, Sun Scholars, Local Fun for Kids, Homeschool Creations, Creative Jewish Mom, No TIme For Flash Cards, Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas, ABC and 123,