A Modern Nosegay

Am I enjoying the bounty of our yard? Yes, very much! This time I decided to go for a more modern look with bright and frosty greens and a mix of texture. The wrapped stems make it look like a miniature bridesmaid's bouquet!

I used violets of different shades, road weeds, mailbox weeds, and front-of-yard wild flowers. Thankfully those lovely, fuzzy leaves did not leave me full of tiny stickers, as I feared at first. Whew!


"If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?" - Matt 6:30

Easter Fun and Joy

It seems like over the years Easter has gathered a lot of fluff that can either serve as fun family-time or a way to hide from the significance of Jesus' death and return to life. I enjoy the fun of egg dying and hunting, making pretty treats, etc. as long as they don't obscure the real joy of Easter. (Although I have to say that my best Easter ever didn't have much of the fluff. It was spent at the graveside of Elizabeth Barton, my childhood best friend, and that day I understood and experienced the joy of Christ's work on the cross at a whole new level. I will never forget it.)

This happened to be a year when we made time for some of the fun activities and when I have taken more time meditating on the cross than normal, so here are some pictures of our fun, along with a quote that captures my meditations and my joy.

"Because Jesus was filled with horror and cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" we are filled with wonder and cry, "My God, my God, why have you accepted me?"

Because Jesus cried, "Father, forgive!" the taunts we hurled at Him at the cross are transformed into praise for His generous mercy.

Because Jesus said, "I thirst," we can drink from the fountain of living water and never thirst again.

Because Jesus said, "Woman, behold your son" and felt the pain of separation from His earthly family, we can experience the blessing of being united with a heavenly family.

Because Jesus cried, "It is finished!" our new life can begin.

Because Jesus committed His spirit into the Father’s hands, God commits His Spirit into our hearts." - Counterfeit Gospels by Trevin Wax

Happy Resurrection Day!

"Because He lives, all fear is gone!"

An Old Fashioned Nosegay

Since February I've been hankering after flowers in the worst sort of way. When Kyle thoughtfully brought me daffodils, I feasted my eyes on them down to the last bit of green. Now that yard flowers are here, I'm indulging myself in various table and windowsill displays.


Exhibit A is a nosegay of violets, framed in their own glossy leaves. We have an abundance of these little beauties, mostly growing in an area that is supposed to be Rocks Only. However, it's difficult to kill off something which is irresistible in of itself, aside from fond associations and practical value.


That's right, practical value. Did you know that violets are edible? That makes them perfect for Flowered Ice Cubes! Wash your violets, put them in half filled ice cube trays and freeze. When they are frozen, fill the trays the rest of the way, which will trap the flowers in the middle of the cube.


"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” Is 40:8

Meditations: A Divine Contrast

It's been interesting reading a biography along with a study of the life of Christ (see reading list below). Fanny Crosby, the blind author of Blessed Assurance and over 3,000 other hymns, was remarkable in many ways. Her steady faith in God, begun in childhood and renewed as an adult, and her cheerful acceptance of the difficulties of her life make her a role model in many respects. She worried her friends with her generosity, giving freely both of her money and her poetic talents. She had a passion for helping anyone in need and right up into old age when her writing days were over, she continued to be active, wherever she could give a hand.

Fanny Crosby also had some glaring flaws which mar the beauty of her life. As in any other honest biography, there are mistakes, controversies, wrong decisions or sins that make the reader cringe in reluctant sympathy with the faults we all share as humans.



What a glorious contrast to study the life of Christ! Jesus never asked for forgiveness, (something which would be a weakness in any other man) because he never wronged anyone. He had no need to retract or revise anything he said. There is no taint of self in anything he did (how different from me!). He shows perfect justice balanced with mercy, and mercy without weakness. The only sections of his life and words which make me cringe are those which expose my own sinfulness! The people who were closest to him, who watched him night and day, recorded his sinless perfection. Even his enemies couldn't dig up anything to accuse him of or use against him! The closer I look at his life and death, the more I love him and admire his beauty.

May we, "who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory" be transformed into his image!

85 degrees!

We got in on the midwestern heat wave yesterday by trying out our new (to us) deck furniture!


We also got in lots of walking/playing while it was so warm and inviting. We even have violets up. :-)


Sometimes it's nice just to hang out at home.

Spring Reading Lists

I made it to the library recently - yea!

I'm reading:
Fanny Crosby by Ruffin
The Incomparable Christ by J. O. Sanders

Alaina likes:
Corduroy by Don Freeman
How Big by Corinne Malvern

Stephen likes:
Any book he can get his hands on
Before his Mother sees him!

Re-fashion: Little Teapot Playdress (guest appearance by Little Boy Blue)

Editorial Note: This is take three with the pictures - I hope it works! Loading the same thing is getting a bit old.

Here is the other play dress I made recently, starting with a plain blue tee and some fabric from my stash.



This time I made the waist a little higher, a la Jane Austen. (In practical honesty, I must add that this makes it a little tricky to put on.)

I made the ruffles from the cut off bottom of the shirt - easy and fun!

After taking a few shots, I noticed that Stephen happened to be wearing the same color! So I plopped him in front of the camera for an extra dose of cuteness.

It seems like matching clothes always happen better by accident than if you try to plan them.

I thought I'd try to do the word-out-of-blocks thing again, but someone is now too old (ie, too active!) for us to do that anymore!

Just wook at dose widdle chubber cheekies!



Okay, okay, sorry. I'm over it.
I think I'll go kiss on the real thing. ;-)

Oh, how we love it when our man is home for lunch!