A Perfect World

In a perfect world dogs wouldn’t shed all over the kitchen floor.

In a perfect world kids would stay tucked in after their bedtime stories.

In a perfect world chocolate chip cookies wouldn’t burn.

In a perfect world I would be constantly in touch with and aware of my Creator’s hand.

In a perfect world there would be no sorrows, no pain.

But, I don’t live in a perfect world. 

However, I was made for a perfect world.

I was made for a world where I’m always in my Creator’s presence.

I was made for a world where I am known by God and completely know him as well.

I was made for a world where the sun always shines and where there are no more tears.

In short, I was not made for this world.  This world isn’t home.

So until I’m there, in that perfect world; I’ll choose to be content with this glorious-though imperfect world that he’s given me. 

I’ll bask in the rays of the sun, knowing that someday I’ll be with the Son.

I’ll laugh over my children’s antics, knowing that someday laughter and joy will be all I’ll ever know.

And I’ll cry as well, but when I do I’ll remember that one day he will wipe away every tear.

 

Until then, I’ll always long to be home.

Thanksgiving Learning

With Thanksgiving just a week away we’ve been taking a break from our regular routine to learn about, you guessed it, Thanksgiving.

We found a few fun books from the library and have exploring what life for the pilgrims was like. I love the book Thanksgiving on Plymouth Plantation. It tells the story of two kids who travel back in time and gives a bit of history, in a fun way. The kids have been reading it over and over and over. And then reading it to their dad. I expect they’ll be spouting it verbatim by the end of the week.

We’ve also been talking turkey. And making turkey too. We made these cute little pinecone guys yesterday.

Just grab your pinecones, a stack of construction paper, a glue gun, a few hole punches and a glue stick.

Trace the feather shapes onto colored construction paper. I let the kids pick out the colors they wanted.

Have the kids cut out the feathers, punch out different sized holes for eyes, cut out a red blob for the gobbler thing and a beak too.

The kids put the faces together and I hot glued the feathers and face on for them. We got three happy little Tom’s, just as different as the three happy little kids who live here. Notice the Cyclops? Gobble, gobble!

Easy Christmas Garland

I love having Christmas garland up and around the house, and I love having garland that’s thick and textured and doesn’t look too plasticy.

Usually the non-plastic garland is either real and won’t last or it’s artificial and too pricey.

Here’s my easy solution.

I buy the cheap, plastic garland. It’s usually less than five bucks at a craft store. I get it home and wrap some lights around it, and then plug them in to make sure the lights a.) work, and b.) are even. Both are really hard to fix when the garland is hanging up. Trust me.

Then I pick up some “bushes,” or other realistic looking greens to add in. These are usually more expensive but that’s okay but you don’t need too much. I took advantage of a sale at Michael’s and picked up about thirty dollars in bushes (those are in the second picture) for all the garlands, plus a few wreaths in my house. I used wire cutters to snip the bushes apart into individual little pieces that I can cram into the garland.

Now here’s where I had a choice to make; I debated about sticking in all the stuff now, before the garland was hanging or after it was up and hanging from the curtain rod. I choose to do both. I gathered up all the pinecones that my hubby had earlier gathered up for me and I wired them to the garland using florist wire. I just cut a long piece, wrapped it around the pinecone and then wrapped the extra wire around the garland. It’s highly scientific. Even my super smart kids helped with this one. Then I stuck on some parts of my cut off bushes, I just figured out where to stick them and used the bendable part of the garland to wrap around the edge. Once I was done with that I hung it up.

Then I climbed up on the couch and stuck in the rest of the bushes until it looked right. I ended up using a lot on this one because you see it right when walking through our front door.

Then I moved upstairs and did the same with one for our bedroom.

I had enough left over to do this wreath and a few others too.

For only thirty dollars I think I got my money’s worth. Once the season is over I usually just take them all apart and start fresh again next time. The only reason I do that is because we don’t have a lot room for storage and I usually just cram the bare wreaths and garlands into a big storage bin.

I’ll be sharing with Kimba’s DIY day and with Kim’s Get Your Craft On day. Check them out for other fun, crafty inspiration.

I'm also sharing with Melissa's Holiday Linky Friday-lot's of cool ideas there-go check it out.

It’s Not Randomness

 fresh snow, taken right out our front door last year

“We should be so one with God that we don’t need to ask continually for guidance…We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail.  Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order.  Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere.”

-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

This weekend I’m ready and I’m watching.  I want to discover what He’s up to, see His amazing designs everywhere I go.

Holiday Decorating and Being Content with What You Have

This last week I’ve been slowly getting out our Christmas decorations. As I do every year I challenge myself to put things up in a different way, to be creative with what I have and create a new look. And like in years past I’ve found myself searching through magazines, websites and blogs for inspiration. There’s a lot of inspiration out there for sure, and that’s a great thing. Except when it becomes a bad thing.

You see, I’ve noticed something very interesting, the more I look around for ideas the less content I am with what I have. I feel more paralyzed in my decorating, simply because I feel like I have to go buy something new to complete the look.

I was digging through the bins that store our Christmas decorations and I started thinking about Christmas growing up. I fondly remember the kitschy things my mom decorated with. There was the plastic Santa face (that’s what we called him). He hung on the wall and played a music box version of Jingle Bells when you pulled the string. There was a little ceramic, red boot that Mom always had plastic holly in. And then there were all the amazing things my Grandma had at her house.

As I was thinking of all this I realized that I can hardly remember all the specific holiday things that my mom decorated our home with growing up. What I do remember is the heart of it. She took time to make it special, no matter what we had. And I sure don’t remember her bringing in a bunch of new things every year. I’m coming to an understanding this year that decorating for Christmas is as much about making our homes beautiful as it is creating memories for the people who live in our homes. I don’t want my kids to remember the stressed out mom who got crazy trying to recreate all the cool things she saw in a magazine. I want my kids to find comfort in the sameness of our Christmas decor from year to year, even as I work in new touches. And really, I want to choose to be content with what I have while looking for new and creative (and thrifty) ways to add to. Because the heart of Christmas is not found in the decorating, it’s found in a tiny little baby who came to bring life. It’s about celebrating that, not a magazine worthy home.

So I’ve embraced a can of silver spray paint to update a few things. And even though I have purchased some artificial greens, I’ve decided to stop there and use what I have to make Christmas at my home. And in that I’m deciding to put my Christmas focus on the things that really matter this season.

How could you be creative and use what you have in a new way this season?

Today I’m sharing with the Inspired Room Beautiful Life Friday’s.

Projects, Projects, Projects

It must be the time of year, I’ve finally stopped thinking about outside stuff and now my brain is filled with ideas for inside my home.

Here’s some that have got me going.

The Tortoise and the Hare

I saw this cool idea for cute pom pom’s at The Tortoise and the Hare. I’d love to try it for some Christmas decor.

And I saw these super cool wrist warmers at Posie Gets Cozy. Love them! She’s got a link to a little how to on her post. I’m seeing more crochet work in my future!

Posie Gets Cozy

Then I saw these great curtains over at Tatertots and Jello-I’ve had burlap waiting around to hang over my kitchen window. Now Iknow what to do with it.

Tatertots and Jello

I’ve also got lots of plans for Christmas. Yes-I’m getting my home ready for Christmas already. And I love it! Inspiration has hit hard over here-I’ve got lots of projects up my sleeve, hopefully I’ll find the time to get some done!

Enjoying Fall

We’ve been finding great places to enjoy fall’s beauty. I love the changing colors and the amazing textures that seem to come alive this time of year.

The photo below is from a beautiful hike we took to Steelhead Falls. It’s an amazing spot that we are so glad to have found. Dad, you would love this place.

Although I’m relishing the beauty of fall, I find myself really looking forward to the Christmas Season. I know some people think I’m rushing things, but I usually feel like the month is just way too short.

So I’ll just be treasuring the beauty of fall in photos like these, while I’m slowly pulling out the Christmas decor. I have to admit, I’m feeling pretty excited about the most wonderful time of the year.

I'm sharing with The Beautiful Life Series over at the Inspired Room, head over to be inspired.