Books I've Read

First let me say – I **LOVE** the kindle app on my new phone! And I love free Christian fiction books from Amazon! Yippee!
[I’ll admit I’ve bought a few books for it too -]

I’ve read more books in the past month than I’ve read in a year!

This post is not a commentary or review – just a simple list of those I’ve read. Let me know if you’ve read them too! Some are books in a series and I can’t wait to finish the others in the series as well. Some are not fiction. So here’s the list of books I’ve read recently [in no particular order] –

Beatitude – Matthew Paul Turner *

Always the Baker, Never the Bride – Sandra Bricker

Choosing to See – Mary Beth Chapman [Stephen Curtis Chapman's wife]

Hide in Plain Site – Martha Perry

Stuck in the Middle – Virginia Smith

Daughter of Joy – Kathleen Morgan

Against All Odds – Irene Hammon

When the Devil Whistles – Rick Acker

Living an Inspired Life and Living it to Inspire Others - Sherwood Seit

Fools Rush In - - Janice Thompson

* - this was a real book – not kindle; sometimes I just like to highlight and keep a book, ya know? TEN - wow.

The next list will be posted in May - [in case you're eagerly anticipating it - ha]

Favorite Photo Friday

So here's another one [okay...three] from my dad's slides -My sister feeding WILD bears on the roadside in Gatlinburg, TN [circa 1958 or so]
Significant because - Oh My Goodness! What were they thinking? If you knew my parents [two of the most over-cautious people ever!]
you'd be thinking the same thing.
But it's kind of fun to see they had an adventurous side...- take a look at the other people standing FAR - FAR away thinking who knows what about these young parents and their pre-school daughter.
[In their defense - I've always been told these were cubs, not grown bears...
but still... there was a mama bear somewhere -]

EDITED: My mom informs me that THIS IS the mama bear - they were feeding her crackers while the cubs played back behind her --- oh my.

Ten on Tuesday

1. So this was a short week [with a Monday holiday], but such a long one too –
2. I was in Montgomery a couple of days this week; work stuff, as always. After loving on my long-haired kitty when I got home I could hardly breathe 30 minutes later – could it be the cat[who DOES NOT live inside] might be the perpetrator of my sinus troubles? [I already take meds for my cat allergy, btw, but this is the first long-haired cat we’ve had in ages…]
3. I’m praising with a sweet friend about events that have brought reconciliation to her life. So good to have friends who share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Time with my Bible study group will be [extra] good this week.
4. Here is confirmation that you never really know your children: Oldest drove a couple of hours to pick up what hubby calls our new grand-puppy: who would’ve EVER thought he’d go for a long-haired Chihuahua?!? [NOT US. lol] She should grow to be between 3 and 5 pounds.
5. They sent the photo to me in Montgomery and all I could think about was JULIA – my childhood nemesis: a long-haired Chihuahua that belonged to a favorite friend and would bite me EVERY. Single. Time. I. Visited. [Julia, – not the friend.] I’d love to be in touch with Johanna if anyone knows how to contact her – this little puppy is actually the same color as Julia – it’s just hard to see in the photo.
6. Snow Report in the South: We woke up to our ground covered again on Friday morning. Roads were fine though – whew.
7. Had dinner with great friends Friday evening – veggie pizza is always a favorite for me. Leftover, cold, for breakfast is yummy too.
8. Crafting some more for my soul restoration class – it’s more art journaling with lots [and lots] of Mod Podge – so there’s lots of drying time between layers. Still, it’s fun and gives me time to think things through as each layer goes down.
9. Very different from scrapbooking. [Which I’ve set a aside a fun weekend for in a few weeks -] Missing my kits – I cancelled one to have the moolah for the class above and then the other one just kind of folded up – I’ve subscribed to a new one, but I’m on a waiting list – cannot wait to get it!
10. And lastly, we spent the weekend with Craig’s parents – it’s a tough time and I’m just so sad about it all. Please take the time to say a little prayer for each of us as the Lord brings us to your mind.

Winter Sideboard

I've really been enjoying putting a little seasonal decor out on my dresser / mirror / sideboard / entry table - ha. This is a dresser that we found on the side of the road several years ago and actually paid the scavenger who got there right before us to put it on his trunk and bring it ot our house - lol. I love it. A little retro and solid wood. It lived in youngest's bedroom until he got a real bedroom suite [our boys were given one for their 15th birthday - so it wouldn't be all worn out before they move out on their own...] The mirror, if I recall correctly, is from a dresser in my gr-father's house. Okay - so it all sits in my dining area, right inside the door / foyer [which isn't big enough for an entry table.]
It's fun to change out the decor a bit throughout the year. So after putting away all THE STUFF of Christmas [which I do love, btw] I was ready for a clean and simple 'feel.' I've had these rose topiaries and candles for many years [Target on sale, I think.] But they usually sit on the mantle with the wreath around a big hurricane glass / candle on the dining table. This year I'm enjoying them on the dresser - and I'm loving the wreath hanging over the mirror.

Ten on Tuesday

1. The great snow storm of 0-11 kept me out of work until Thursday morning – and I somehow need that time in my office to pull my life together into some semblance of organization. So I’m a little late with this post today [ha - it actually posted on Wednesday night-] – and it’s very random…
2. I was finally able to get down the hill to see my doctor on Wednesday a.m. – thank goodness he was able to open – I was relapsing FAST. But with a few more prescriptions, I’m back on the mend again. I’m afraid the time to look seriously at [nasal] polyp removal may indeed be sooner than later – I know! TMI!
3. We ate breakfast at Waffle House while waiting on my meds to be filled.
4. I haven’t lived with snow on the ground for this long since I was in Utah – but the rain TODAY is finally washing the rest of it away [9 days y’all!]
5. It was beautiful though. [Our house from the road on Thursday.]
6. There’ll be changes happening on the blog this year – some things will stay the same like these Ten on Tuesday posts and others are new [Favorite Photo Friday], but I’m also changing how I respond to comments [in the comments themselves] and draw for the Once a Month [old stuff] Giveaway [randomly from ALL comments within the last month.]
7. I’ve also been pulled into some home décor blogs lately and I hope those will inspire me to be a little more creative with my projects around the house – and on those rare occasions when that happens, I’ll be sure to share that with you as well; and I’ll continue to share my faith – because, really, that’s what keeps me going each day.
8. I’ve started a little Soul Restoration class [see Brave Girls Club link to the right] – and I love it. I love that they give you LOTS of tools to work with to create art-inspired reflection. I love that while the creators have definite religious beliefs they leave it open for each person to define their own relationship with God. I love that they give you lots of video to encourage creativity. And I love that I’ve given myself permission to just play with it all – I’ve even committed to using scissors only throughout this class! [No paper trimmer to assure perfectly straight lines.] Ha.
9. My hair has finally grown enough that I can tuck the front behind my ears again – man, it must have been SHORT. What was I thinking?!?
10. Okay - one last snow photo – I promise! [Well, we’ll see – since our forecast is calling for another flurry this weekend.] This is our house on Monday – before the rain came in – one week after the snow fell – in THE SOUTH – gotta love it.

Thanks so much for all of your comments throughout the month! It's so fun to share together and I love hearing your thoughts on some of things I put out there. I appreciate each of you taking the time to stop by and visit!

It's time for the

'Once a Month [old stuff] Giveaway!

Each month I will randomly draw a name from the comments throughout the month and send that person a little bag of [old stuff] goodies that hopefully they can use [new to them and all, you know...] It's a flat rate box so I can pack it FULL each month!

The Winner for January is:
Melissa from Michigan
- send your mailing address to me: Judy@faithbasedpages.com
and I'll get a little box of goodies out to you soon!

Favorite Photo Friday

This is new series on my blog that I hope will spur me on to scanning negatives for the past 20 or so years. I plan to share my favorite of a certain year / time period on Fridays. And while it may not make it in every Friday - the goal is at least a couple a month. Hold me accountable, okay?

So I'll start with one of my favorite photos from my dad's slides - you may have seen it on a layout already - I love it. My Mom and Dad about 1953 - While someone else took the shot, I'm sure my dad set it up - Of course the clear colors of the slide film from the '50s shows through beautifully across the years too, don't you think?

"He was With Me -

• while I attended college with students who believed so [very] differently from me and He used this experience to strengthen my own faith ...
• when I made the decision to marry after thinking I'd be single all of my life...
• when our car flipped end over end seven times and we had only minor injuries...
• when my best friend's baby was still-born two weeks after her mother died [and I was so mad at God that I didn't speak to Him for MONTHS - He was still there for me]...
• when our first baby was born as blue as the sky with the cord around his neck...
• when our 2nd child faced open heart surgery [and thankfully after several weeks was determined no to need it] ...
• when one or both of my parents was hospitalized for 12 weeks prior to my father's death...
• and He's been with me through all the anxiety filled days in between."

I did this layout for one of our classes over on the Yahoo group last year - and I've been thinking about it alot lately - maybe because I've passed this cross on the highway so many times these last few weeks while traveling for work, whatever, the reason, I felt God wanted me to share it here. [Edited - and with our recent news, I now know why.] That's just a short list of times I can recall feeling the peace that only God can give us in tough times - I'm sure there are many - many more - but it helps to remember that HE cares.

Ten on Tuesday

1. My internal thermometer has gone hAyWiRe – I’m so tired of waking up sweating like I’ve just run three miles [not that I would know, really] and then being so cold I have to get under four layers of covers…and my sinus infection has returned with a vengeance - but that’s small stuff…
2. 2011 is going to be a tough year for us. It’s not our story to tell – but please be in prayer for us and people we know as we walk a journey we had no idea we’d be on.
3. I hold on to this – GOD IS WITH US. A family member and I were talking at Thanksgiving about remembering when God has walked with us in the past and how this helps us hold fast to the belief that He will walk with us through current hard times…and I had no idea hard times would come this quickly. Even before we got this news, God was urging me to share a layout here on the blog that I created for a class last year – it’ll go up on Thursday. [This one is also a favorite of mine-]
4. This I know for sure – God knew before I was even born that we’d journey down this path – and He wants to walk with us if we will allow Him too. He wants us to lean on Him…and I know He can give us the strength we need. We cherish your prayers.
   
5. For now the house is quiet – youngest and all the college boys are gone. It was so good to have him home even if he did stay over at his brother’s a few nights…
6. Speaking of oldest, he went camping with friends in the cold COLD temps this weekend – but they came to their senses when they realized it was going to be 5* - so glad they came on home. [Motherhood never ends, ya know.]
7. I scrapbooked with friends for a few hours on Saturday – mostly sorted through the holiday photos; finished up my Daily December album. And I did a couple of pages too.
8. In case you haven’t heard – it snowed in the south, y’all! Seven lovely inches at our house. Of course we thought it was lovely before we realized the weight of it had CRUSHED our patio cover to smithereens and torn the gutters off our house as it slid off our metal roof…but other than that – quite nice.
9. And of course it shut down our city – no work on Monday or Tuesday – am not sure about the rest of the week.
10. So it was nice to know we didn’t have to get up and head into work after staying up late to watch the game – War Eagle. Hey.
    

New Years Blog Hop!

Welcome to our New Year - Use your Stash Blog Hop -

Much thanks to Kathy for putting it all together for us!
Today I pulled out some old tools and ideas to share with you:


if you started archival scrapping 'back-in-the-day,' like I did, then I know you remember our patterned scissors from fiskars - they were on the cutting edge [haHAha] and we all had to use them. As the scrapbooking industry continued to grow we had more and more supplies to choose from - including LOTS of papers and alphabets, and metal charms. After a few years, crafters started re-purposing tools from other areas of the paper and crafting world including charms, sewing trinkets, and even label makers from the office supply store!
And then the industry really got out of hand [my opinion] and went over the top trying to invent supplies and tools for scrapbookers, which included, among other things, the FASTENATER - how many of you bought this? More importantly, how many of you used it for more than a few pages?
Honestly - I'm not a HUGE shopper so I didn't get this until they were almost giving it away and [truthfully] this may be only the second page I've ever used it on - lol.
[Remember, I'm a pretty simple scrapper.]
So here we go -


[Tip: I cut the center out of the back of my patterned paper so I can use it on another layout.] The fastenater was used to put two decorative staples [that say 'precious'] in the top left corner - I used one to thread my binding tape [yet another crafty thing we've brought into scrapbooking] that holds metal charms - one has the word 'dream' printed on a clear label and the other has a bitsy flower glued down from patterned paper. [Tip: I glued down the charms with adhesive and a pop dot so they wouldn't be moving all over the page; I have to have everything in its place - lol.] I used the patterned scissors to cut out the photo mat [deckled edge, I believe] and tore the bottom edge of my journaling block [a technique many of us used back in the day, and I actually still like on occasion.]

Paper is Basic Grey and Crate Paper [not old since most of my older paper has gone the way of the Once a Month [old stuff] Giveaway -] and alphabets are American Crafts [tip: the large alphabets were off-white so I used markers to color them in - since they are slick I used a tissue to wipe off the excess and had a nice soft color remain on the letters] - all from my monthly kits from Paper Posies.

THANKS SO MUCH for stopping by!
The fastenater is up for grabs [if anyone wants it -] along with this lovely photo album that the devil-eyed tiny-dog is helping me show.
Just leave a comment and let me know which one you prefer -
and remember to check back on Once a Month [old stuff] Giveaway day for another chance to win some new to you stuff for your crafting enjoyment!Came from -blahblah blah

Now continue to the hop as you go to blah blah blah

Ten on Tuesday

And so we start another year of Ten on Tuesday posts - love how these help us recognize the little things that add up to a happy life - Glad to share with you again throughout the year, but also want to encourage you to stop and look for the good things in your life -

1. Our Christmas celebrating with family continued throughout the week – first we had a great meal with Craig’s family and gift-giving around the tree. It was a little hard to hide the glider until we brought it into the room but we accomplished it and we think it turned out beautifully.
2. And then it was back to work for me as I traveled to Montgomery and back one day for some meetings - but it was a short work week so that was nice.
3. We had a two-stage “party” for New Year’s Eve with the youngsters [the 20 somethings] gathering for an early dinner of Craig’s delicious fried fish [before heading out to other things] and then our crowd and the teens coming a bit later for a shrimp boil – yum! They enjoyed fish too, of course. We spent the evening visiting and playing games together. Good times with good friends. – Celebrating with sparkly grape juice…[I didn't get a group shot - lol]
4. When I was getting sheets out of the downstairs hall closet for our overnight guest [Matt’s friend] I once again said a prayer of thanks for this house we live in – it’s just so nice to have ROOM for our stuff. [The house we lived in for 13 years had only bedroom closets – so I still, after 7 years, am so thankful for closets.]
5. I’ve read three books in as many weeks! So good to take the time to read for pleasure once again. And I’m loving the little Kindle ap that’s on my [new] phone. Books: Beatitude [talked about in a previous post]. Stuck in the Middle [Virginia Smith – a Christian fiction free kindle I found at www.faithcreativiyilife.blogspot.com ] and Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope [Mary Beth Chapman - $2.99 kindle – wife of Stephen Curtis Chapman tells the story of losing their 5 year old daughter.] I have a few others downloaded and ready to read whenever I have a free moment. Love it.
6. I’m loving this new phone that the oldest said was WAY too much phone for me – and I agree - it is since I was using one that had NO extras at all. Don’t’ faint, but I’m considering using the calendar on it as my daily “to-do” – but it is awfully hard for me to give up my color-coded system that I’ve used for the past 20 years!
7. Family time continued as we met a nephew and wife and precious little one for breakfast on the 1^st. So fun to finally meet the wife and just visit together over biscuits and bacon.
8. And we sure enjoyed our family-style meal at Maggiano’s with my side of the family [thanks Mom!] It’s such a beautiful place and we called the menu in ahead so the service was quick and just really – really nice. Of course the food was delicious! And there was plenty to divide up as leftovers.
9. Later we visited The Opryland Hotel [beautiful - I'm not sure we cold tell there'd been a flood at all] and then opened gifts with little MK and discussed our donations – the four people whose names we had were honored with a portion of four chickens and a goat through World Vision.
10. Sunday was a day of rest for us – I took naps and read most of the day. Craig and I ran a couple of errands and had Thai for a late lunch and just relaxed since we know this will be a long – no holiday – week. Praying for good test results for a loved one - and hoping you have a good week!

It's not sometimes realistic
to think that something magical can happen,
but I think I look for the magic.
- Sherilyn Fenn

Happy New Year!
A 2010 re-cap in photos -

1 - Skiing and snowmobiling in Colorado; 2 - The Gulf Coast in Winter; 3 - A new roof!; 4 - Matt's home for his birthday; 5- Drew's first real job; 6 - A deserted Gulf Coast; 7 - Panama City fun; 8- Canning, canning, canning; 9 - Celebrating Drew's birthday with sushi; 10 - Just the two of us; 11- Craig's big birthday; and 12 - closing out the year with a little magic.