…from a very old tin.




Twenty Three more days of Winter!

Enjoy your day!
…from a very old tin.




Twenty Three more days of Winter!

Enjoy your day!
Here’s the last steel panel ready to hoist onto the roof of the shop. Be forewarned that this will be a photo overload post.
So happy our son could help.
Me and my shadow are happy to see that last panel fastened into place.
The Ridge Vent is the last part to install on the roof.
Dear is busy preparing the shop pad for the cement to be poured later this week or early next week. We’ll have to have a roller skating party when that’s done before the shop gets filled up with stuff after the walls, windows and doors are in.
…they will come. You don’t need a fancy house or a paved driveway.
Just keep your door and mind open and available to who God will send your way.
Welcome them in and start the process of knowing and being known.
Cramped quarters can work.
We had our first evening of a new small group season last night. We knew we’d have 7 of us from our previous year returning again but we didn’t know who else might show up for our first meeting. We had 6 new people show up and they found our home without having to call for directions. We were happy to welcome them in.
We are singles, couples, older, younger and in between. A good mix of ages from very different life experiences. The common ground is we want to follow Jesus. It will be good to get to know each other, grow together, and pray for one another. It’s good to be heading in the same direction with others.
Today I’m thankful for small groups also called life groups, cell groups or when we first started with this idea of smaller groups of people meeting outside of the church building we called them fellowship groups or Bible studies. We are thankful to have a home and chairs for people to fill.
The Last Couple of Days:
Dear and I have worked very hard the last two days in our basement. We moved out things we aren’t using to the garage so we had to also work on the garage organizing storage. We moved around furniture and now the room looks like a comfortable bedroom instead of a catch-all room. We pulled out a very heavy office desk system since we don’t use the computer in the basement anymore. We took an extra office chair out to the street with a free sign on it and it was gone by the end of the day. From the garage we offered up a smoker and barbecue to anyone at our son’s business and we have takers for both. Today we’re taking an antique chair frame that we’ve moved around for 30 years (why?) to an antique restorer hoping he’ll just take it off our hands. We are serious about getting rid of stuff. Thankful our bodies are still working today.
Anybody else out there hosting a small group, attending a small group or downsizing?
I’m linking up to Michelle’s Thankful Thursday and tomorrow to Susanne’s Friday’s Fave Five.
I have two new recipes up on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog this week. The Rustic Potato Salad has been enjoyed already on three separate occasions at this old house and the Chicken Tetrazzini Soup is also a new favorite. It has just the right amount of creaminess and the lemon zest adds a wonderful finish.
Last night my son, daughter in love and I enjoyed a beautiful shirt sleeve night at Century Link field in Seattle at the Seattle Sounders Soccer game. It was especially fun for us since our Sounders finally won a game with a 3-0 shutout. We’ve been on a tying streak and then we lost our last game in Salt Lake City. Winning is a treat and spending time with these two brings joy to me.
In 2007 and 2008 I participated in a weekly meme called Thankful Thursday. Here’s one of my posts from October 17, 2007.
I Will Always Love Your Name
Here I am and I have come
To thank You, Lord, for all You’ve done
Thank You, Lord
You paid the price at Calvary
You shed Your blood, You set me free
Thank You, Lord
No greater love was ever shown
No better life ever was laid down
And I will always love Your name
And I will always sing Your praise
You took my sin, You took my shame
You drank my cup, You bore my pain
Thank You, Lord
You broke the curse, You broke the chains
In victory from death You rose again
Thank You Lord
and not by works, but by Your grace
You clothe me now in Your righteousness
You bid me come, You make me whole
You give me peace, You restore my soul
Thank you, Lord
You’re making me to be like You
To do the works of the Father, too.
written by Paul Oakley (copyright 1997 Kingsway Thankyou Music/PRs/EMI Christian Music Publishing
I’m still thankful and always will be thankful for Jesus and what he’s done for me.
I’m thankful for Dear and the family God has given us to love and enjoy and grow alongside.
I’m thankful for good food and the Mennonite Girls Can Cook who have become some of my nearest and dearest friends.
I’m thankful for good bloggy friends. Some of you I have met and some I haven’t met in person but I cherish you nonetheless. You have encouraged me, prayed for me and my family, entertained me, taught me, inspired me and made me laugh out loud. I’ve traveled to places I’ll never be able to go through your posts and I’ve enjoyed your adventures. I’ve grieved with some of you as you’ve said goodbye to your spouses ad other loved ones. I’ve also grieved the loss and miss posts from bloggers who have died. Blogging has been a good thing in my life, thank you Lord!
And on the lighter side of thankfulness. Thank you Lord for my enjoyment of soccer! 🙂
Linking up with Michelle at It’s a Small Town Life for Thankful Thursday and tomorrow I’ll link up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for Friday’s Fave Five.
I am so thankful to God for this time of year. This time before Spring arrives. The anticipation for Easter and then the culmination with a great celebration of the Resurrection. I think this even trumps Christmas for me. I love Christmas, too, but the New life and new birth and flowers and strawberries that come with Spring just overwhelm me! Thank you God for these simple pleasures and your amazing sacrifice and miracle of your Resurrection that make this season so beautiful!
Hebrews 6: 19, 20 ~ “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us has entered on our behalf. ”
For more Thankful Thursday click here.
I am thankful for God’s compassion for us.
Before he formed us in our mother’s womb, before his creation multiplied on the earth He planned a way for us to be made alive with Christ. His compassion for the lost world because of sin sent His son to the cross to suffer and die for us. Without the sacrifice on Jesus’ part on behalf of us we would still be dead in our sins, separated from God, utterly lost. We are redeemed through Christ’s blood.
Thank you God for your compassion.
Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice.
Thank you Holy Spirit for your work in our lives to help us to be a compassionate people who love like God and sacrifice like Jesus.
Ephesians 4:32, 5: 1-2 ~
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Praying that God through His Spirit helps us to be a compassionate people who see the world through His eyes…
For more Thankful posts visit Iris at Sting My Heart.
I’m thankful that God chose me, that He forgives me, that He loves me, and that He continues to lead me and protect me.
I am thankful for our new evening Home group that encourages me and gives me the opportunity to encourage.
I am thankful for learning about other people and cultures in bloggy world. It opens up the world to me in ways that I never dreamed of before.
I’m thankful to be able to pray for people all over the world.
I am thankful that Jesus laid down His life for me and brought me out of darkness into His light.
I am thankful that God fills me with joy!
I Thessalonians 5: 23-24 ~ “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
For more thankful posts head over to Sting My Heart.
John 1: 16-17
“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
I am thankful today for God’s grace given to us because of Jesus Christ.
I am thankful for my 3 children who are all celebrating birthdays from December 27th to January 19th. God blessed us with 3 very unique individuals who are a gift to us and their friends.
I am thankful for my brother Tim who will be celebrating his 50th birthday with us this weekend.
I am thankful for a new niece or nephew who is due to my brother and his wife on January 19th! We’re excited to see when he/she actually arrives!
I am thankful for my family who I got to spend time with this week at my parents senior apartment. We laugh and enjoy each other till the neighbor bangs on the wall because we’re making too much noise at 7:30 PM. Some people grow old too fast, not my parents!
I am thankful that Iris is back. Welcome back Iris!
Blessings and may God’s grace be poured out on you…
For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at Sting My Heart.
Lamentations 3: 21-25 ~
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.”
I am thankful for a new year, each new day that the Lord extends his love and mercy to me and my loved ones.
I am thankful that He is the faithful one and nothing that I do changes who He is.
I am thankful that He continues to teach me through His Holy Spirit.
I am thankful that He gives me the desire to continue to seek Him and wait for him.
I pray that we all grow in His wisdom and grace this New Year.
For more Thankful Thursday posts head over to Lynn’s who I am thankful to for hosting again!

I am so thankful for all the love from family and friends that has filled my life this past week.
Today (December 27th) is our daughter’s 22nd birthday and we are so thankful that God blessed us with a little girl 22 years ago and that she has grown into a lovely young lady.
I am thankful that God continues to shower us with His blessings and extends His mercy to us each day.
Praying that God will fill your life with His love and Joy this coming New Year!
For more Thankful Thursday Posts visit Lynn here.