Finally Feeling at Home Again. . .
Susan, who formerly wrote at High Desert Home (If you haven’t read that blog, I urge you to stop by with a favorite beverage and really absorb Susan’s writings.), writes about embracing a home that is not permanent. It was an encouragement to me, because we lost the last 2 homes due to no fault of our own (one home was sold by our landlord), and sometimes I’m fearful of it happening again. Here are my favorite quotes that really touched my heart.

“I think I’ve subconsciously held off entirely embracing this little house as home, even though I like it so well, and even though I recognize it as a gift from the Lord, because I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay here. Maybe I haven’t wanted to start setting down roots only to have to pull them up again.

“But suddenly, I don’t feel that way. Rather, I feel certain that the Lord gave this home to me—even if for only six months or a year—and if He has put me here, it is where I belong. This is where He wants me to live, so I shouldn’t hold back, gun-shy about another possible uprooting. If the Lord sees fit to move me somewhere else tomorrow, that’s His business, and, really, it’s only another chance to press hard into Him, to know Him better, and to trust Him more.

“So, I’m ready to settle into this place.”

Not a Morning Person? Rise With the Sun!
I enjoyed this second post by Susan about rising with the sun. I have been a night owl for years, but am trying to break that pattern. I know my days go better the earlier I rise, especially if I rise as the sun is just peaking over the woodlands.

Are You Washed in the Blood?
Michele at A Quiet Gracious Life shares a beautiful arrangement of the hymn, “Are You Washed in the Blood?”

Five Bible Verse Bookmarks Digital Download by Karla Dornacher
Karla Dornacher is one of my favorite modern artists. She is a Christian and offers much encouragement with her artwork.

YOUR Fireworks Shots!
I love looking at photos and was just amazed at the firework shots featured at Pioneer Woman Photography.

Free ebook: Best of Betty Crocker 2011 Summer cookbook
I love my hardback Betty Crocker cookbook and just know these recipes will be wonderful, too!

National Blueberry Month
July is National Blueberry Month! Blissfully Domestic has a lot of great info on the nutritional value of blueberries, how to freeze them, etc. I wash my blueberries, but do not flash freeze them before bagging them up. I never have a major problem with them sticking together.

If Leonardo DiCaprio Got Saved
I love the movie Titanic, so this post caught my eye. “God doesn’t gravitate toward the people that the world gravitates toward. He gravitates toward the weak, the lowly, the ordinary, and the unimpressive. He calls those whom the world ignores. If God primarily saved rich, powerful, and beautiful people, those people might have some reason to boast before God. But God saves unimpressive, weak people, so that there might not be any boasting in his presence. And when God saves these people and uses them to spread the gospel, it demonstrates the power of God, not the power of the people.”

Are You Holding The Art Of Homemaking Sacred?
This new-to-me blog has been very encouraging to me, especially the post “Are You Holding The Art Of Homemaking Sacred?” As a single mother, there is no one to come home to me at the end of the day to show appreciation to me, and that can get really discouraging. This post has helped me to endeavor harder in my role as mother and homemaker. Here are some favorite quotes (emphasis by the author).

“We should approach every task as a blessing to be received, never as a chore to get done.”

“In homemaking there is no such thing as ‘small work‘. We are to find the sacred in the everyday, strive to see the goodness or usefulness in ALL things, taking nothing for granted.

“The housewife makes the home, and the home makes the family. This is a tremendous responsibility that God has called the woman to do. A responsibility that we can NOT accomplish by ourselves, we MUST rely on God to see us through our journey. So never let the world make small of what being a homemaker is all about.”

Give Them What They Really Need
This post reminds mothers what is most important as we rear our children. “We mamas tend to major on the minors. At least that is what this mama has done. We strive to make sure our children are well educated and well rounded. We push them to potty train by two, write cursive by four, and read by five. We are deceived into thinking more is better. More life experiences, more lessons. We fret over having not done enough for our children. Did they learn what they needed to be successful adults? Whose definition of success are we living by anyway?”