Kelly@CCCC Hodgepodge Wednesday

1. The NFL playoffs were held this past weekend and this year's Superbowl lineup will feature The New York Giants versus The New England Patriots. How do you define 'patriot'?  Someone who will stand up for their beliefs, religion, family, friends, and country.

2. What's something in your life right now that feels like a 'giant'?  Waiting to be able to organize and put my very first craft room together and make it functional.  At the moment, the room that was supposed to be my craft room has current tenants.....

3. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think back to being 18?  Flying through the air at about 35mph headfirst into a telephone pole. =P

4. Coconut-mashed potatoes-vanilla ice cream-mayonnaise...which white food would be the hardest to give up?  Would definitely be the mashed potatoes.  I'm not big on any of the others.

5. Describe an incident or a day you remember as the coldest you've ever experienced?  Just before Halloween one year, I rode on the back of a motorcycle from Albuquerque to Colorado Springs (about a 9-10 hour drive).  By the time we got to the border, at Raton Pass, we stopped at McDonalds to warm up.  I was so frozen that I needed assistance to get off the bike.

6. You're hosting a brunch...what's your favorite dish to prepare and serve?  My favorite dish to prepare is French Toast.  I add vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the mix and I use only Texas Toast.  Then just before serving, I sprinkle with powdered sugar.  yummmm, making me hungry now....

7. How do you combat negative thinking?  I look at all the hate, violence, wars, divorce, hunger, homelessness, and neglect that goes on in the world, and it reminds me that my life isn't that bad, that it could always get worse.

8. Insert your own random thought here.   "To know that life is endless, puts new purpose in our days, and fills our hearts with joyous songs of hope and love and praise."  Helen Steiner Rice.

I learned something new!

The Spirit of the Lord was in the house tonight!! Goosebumps all up and down my arms and back!  The music was incredible and made you just want to jump up and start dancing in front of the Lord, as King David did. The message was equally so!

Well, did you know that the same mountain (Mt. Moriah) that Abraham was called to sacrifice his son, Isaac, is the same mountain that Jesus Christ hung on the cross when He died for me?  I didn't, until tonight, that is.  God doesn't condone human sacrifice, EVER.  When He asked Abraham to kill his son and sacrifice him, it was to test Abraham's faith and trust in the Lord.  The Lord spared Isaac from that horrific death and yet sent His own Son, Jesus, to bear all the sins of the world, past, present, and future, as He hung dying on Calvary.  It's amazing to look at the big picture and see how in control God has been since the beginning when He created this world.

One of our missionaries from Quebec, Canada, French speaking Brother Michel Poirier, visited us tonight and preached the gospel.  He is one of the missionaries that we sponsor who goes to Port au Prince, Haiti, to start churches, give donations he receives from the churches in our association, and provides medical aid to those victims who are still trying to recover from that awful earthquake that devastated them not too long ago.  Some of the stories he told us tonight were sad and some were inspirational.

All of the missionaries, across the globe, need our prayer.  Their ministries, to save a lost and dying world, are needed so desperately.  The aid, the love, and the support they show to those who wouldn't otherwise receive is the only light that many of these folks will ever see.

aVintage Green: Organization - Tool Drawers in Kitchen

aVintage Green: Organization - Tool Drawers in Kitchen

Out of the mouths of babes

My ex-husband kidnapped my two youngest children, my daughter was four and my son was almost two. It took almost three years to get them back. So I missed a lot of milestones. When they were returned, there was much damage control that needed to be accomplished. One of our first trips was camping on Current River, in Doniphan, MO. We got to the campsite late, I was beyond stressed trying to make everything perfect, the two youngest were arguing with the two oldest, and by 11:00pm I still didn't have the tent up.
I lost my temper and yelled at them and threatened that if they didn't knock it off, they would be sleeping in the woods!! Although they calmed down and waited for me to finish, I felt horrible.
The next morning, my youngest, my son came out of the tent as I was preparing breakfast for them and came over to me and gave me a big hug. He told me, "Mom, you seemed to be having a hard time last night so I prayed for you."
It was a simple statement and yet so profound at the same time. He was just four years old and in one sentence, had me on my knees, hugging him and crying.

The Lord blesses through hardships and diversity and my son reminded me of that on that one June morning.  This is my son, Stephen at the age of nineteen. 

Coffee Funnies

I love this!!

Coloradolady: Vintage Thingies Thursday: Information

Coloradolady: Vintage Thingies Thursday: Information

Vintage Thingie Thursday

 Recycled Garage/shed done in Vintage style! Isn't this beautiful?

Fox Hollow Cottage: Valentine Mantle & Felt Flower Tutorial

Fox Hollow Cottage: Valentine Mantle & Felt Flower Tutorial

aVintage Green: Organization - Storage Sheds/Units

aVintage Green: Organization - Storage Sheds/Units

From This Side of the Pond: Hodgepodge Questions-Vol 62

From This Side of the Pond: Hodgepodge Questions-Vol 62

Tell Me Tuesday

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2012/01/tell-me-tuesday-week-three-question.html

Week Three Question:  What is the most important lesson you learned in the past year?

I think that the most important lesson I've learned is that regardless of where you are at, it depends on your state of mind as to where "home" is.

I grew up just outside of Detroit, MI.  That will always be Home (capital "H").  The place that sank into the very fabric of my being from the day I was born.  Motown, Greektown, Cranbrook University, Boblo Island, (which is, from what I understand, now a gated community: no longer a carnival/theme park.), Coney dogs, and Dunkin' Donuts.  These are just a few of the things that I loved so much growing up. One of my best friends posted this on Facebook and it fits so well that I'll re-post here. There is a certain amount of pride when discussing the place where you were raised and that pride, I have in abundance.

"I was raised in Michigan, where we use our hand as a map, the number one industry is tourism, and automobiles came from. More varieties of trees than all of Europe, more water front property than the entire Atlantic coast. Hitsville USA - Motown. Where Tim Allen, Alice Cooper, Madonna, Bob Seger, Diana Ross, Eminem, Stevie Wonder, Robin Williams, and Kid Rock are from. A vacation was to Cedar Point, Lake Michigan, Up North, or a drive across the bridge or tunnel to Canada. We love Faygo, Better Made Chips, Vernors, and Mackinaw Island Fudge. We know that the UP is a place not a direction. We know that Kalamazoo not only exists, but you drive through it to get to Climax and Hell. We play Euchre, swim in lakes, fish, and camp. We bake with "soda" and drink "pop". We measure distance in hours. We can drive 65 mph in a foot of snow or a blizzard and not even flinch." 

 I think I missed the question but this blog site is wonderful!

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2012/01/tell-me-tuesday-week-two.html

Yay!

First post on my first, ever blog!  I would like to take a minute to tell you how excited I am to begin this journey of exploration and fun!  I hope to get to know new people, learn new things, share old things, and have a great time doing it!  See you soon!