my blessed life

I love fresh starts and new beginnings~that's why I enjoy New Year's Day so much!  A whole new year ..."clean with no mistakes in it!"  It's as if God has an extra large dose of new mercies for us on this special day. Through the LORD’s  mercies  we  are  not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They  are   new   every  morning ; Great is Your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:21-24   (emphasis mine) I am excited about what God is going to do in our lives in 2013!  I have great expectations for this year! (click the button to get the code!) I am also excited to have some accountability for my daily Bible reading.  I told you the other day about the challenge my friend Nancy at There Is Grace has given and I can't wait to join in. The challenge is simply this: to read the Bible consistently, 30 minutes for 30 days in a row--January 2nd-31st.  This should help create a wo...

Don't miss anything at My Blessed Life!  Subscribe by email and "like" our Facebook page today! It's hard to believe that 2012 is nearly over and we begin a New Year next week!  I feel as though this year just started last month--I guess that's a sign of getting older, right? Not too long ago I blogged about how I am "cleaning off my plate" , "trimming the fat" from my schedule, so to speak.  That's definitely not something that happens overnight with a simple decision.  It's an on-going commitment and also a challenge. An important part of that commitment is continuing to make time daily to spend with my Lord and Savior.  It's a proven fact that starting my day in The Word makes a real difference.  Not being much of a morning person, I love to read at bedtime--and don't plan to stop doing that either--but disciplining myself to get up early and begin my day in The Word is worth the effort. I was excited that m...

Hello, Blogland Friends, Yes, I've been a bit scarce lately, but 'tis the season for family, friends, and making merry with them, right?  I'll be back regularly after the first of the year, but until then I'll pop in when I can. I hope and pray that you are enjoying a meaningful Christmas season with your loved ones.  I am trying to "be in the moment" and not worry about all the things on my holiday bucket list that didn't get crossed off. Today I've been having fun preparing for our big family dinner tomorrow.  We are having are traditional meal tomorrow afternoon, then on Christmas Day we'll have a big breakfast and then a smaller Mexican meal later in the day.  We've done it like this for a couple of years now and it works perfectly for us! Here's what's on the menu: Christmas Eve Dinner ***** Mandarin Orange Salad Copper Pennies Shoe Peg Corn and Pea Relish ***** Coca-Cola & Brown Sugar Baked Ham with ...

I just have to share this little remodeling project the hubby and I whipped out during the holidays.  I really hadn't planned to wait until I was in the middle of Christmas decorating to do it, but it just didn't happen before.  Plus we had the paint handy and with both of us working together we knocked it out in just a couple of hours (if that).   The fireplace in our house is made of brick with a nice wooden mantel and {ugly} brass/glass doors ; however, the brick seemed dated and dirty, the mantel was nondescript and sort of 70's looking--which makes sense because we live in a 70's house--and I just really hated that brass and glass front.  It just needed a fresh look.  My solution: remove the doors and paint it white.  Perfect, I thought since the trim and doors in our house are already white.  I can't tell you how pleased I am!!  I LOVE the way it turned out!!  One of these days I want to add a nice black screen, but for now the...

Welcome!   It's time for the annual holiday home tour.  Probably a little overdue, right?  I was a little late in finally getting it all done this year.  But now it is all up and we are so enjoying it!   So come right on it... the front room (our library) tree, full of all of my glass ornaments the Dickens Village is also in this room~here is the ice skating area touches of Christmas all around vintage holiday postcards a lovely garland that brings us into our learning room some festive touches in our learning room our Jesse tree, made from a branch from our backyard pine tree my elf~and, yes, he's on a shelf even though we don't keep that tradition:) vintage Santa mugs and more in the kitchen more Christmas in the kitchen my fruit and veggie tree~I love this little one! more Christmas garland the kiddos' photo ornaments garland heading into the family room our family room tree that ...

Today my thoughts and prayers are with the families of Newtown, CT.   For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.   II Timothy 1:7