"A Study of The Little Child"

I have an adorable little book that I found in an antique store a few years ago entitled, "A Study of The Little Child" by Mary Theodora Whitley.  It is a small book, like a little child and that is why it caught my eye!  It was published in 1921 but the wisdom in the book is both practical and current!  In 1976 when I earned my degree in Early Childhood Education at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, I had no idea what was ahead in my life.  My grandmother always told me that I had "grown my own classroom".  However it takes more than a mother to rear children, it takes a Heavenly Father that the mother can seek guidance from, a loving husband, and caring grandparents if available.  The home though, is where children really are guided in those first few years of their lives.  Dr. Burton White, in his book, "The First Three Years of Life", says that the first three years are the most important in a child's life.  Vocabulary development alone, is acquired in these precious years when children are learning to talk.    Ms. Whitley says "that a good way to take stock of the children is to find out all you can about their parents.  No child is exactly like either father or mother of course, but nearly nine tenths of his/her intellectual power and temperamental peculiarities comes from his/her ancestry."   She also says that environment affects behavior, but common sense tells us this.  Physical, mental, and spiritual nurturing all pay important roles in the life and development of a child.  Love is the key ingredient that helps a child grow and........ unconditional love offered to a child gives him or her the confidence to go out and conquer the world!

I love children, I love being around them, I love their noise, their attitude about life, their honesty, their talents, their laughter, their smiles, their joy, and most importantly their pure hearts~

Much of my sewing over the years, has been for children and I enjoy constructing a garment that a child can wear and feel special in.  This little dress is for Mary Isabel!  She is so precious and so sweet that I decided to place a little flower at the waist because of her delicate nature, only a little flower would do for the finishing touches.  I am also sharing the pattern that I used from The Children's Corner in Nashville, Tennessee.  They have a wonderful collection of patterns that are traditional and make a little girl or a little boy look their age.  I just love them........Proverbs 22:6 promises us great hope for the future of our children....."Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."  Training a child in the few short years we have them in our homes will help him or her in the long run of life when they have to make their own choices and decisions.  A promise, that if you lay a solid foundation  in their lives, theirs will be full of promise and possibilities! Enjoy the day!!!

A Happy Kitchen....and Home!

Marimekko Fabric was used to brighten and cheerfully welcome this family into their kitchen.  The fabric used is a classic Marimekko print that can be found on many items throughout their stores and in catalogs that carry Marimekko fabrics and products.  It's a company with corporate offices in Finland and was first made popular in our country when Jacqueline Kennedy was about to move into The White House.  She had been to Europe on a trip with her husband, the soon to be President, and purchased several Marimekko dresses and the rest was history!  Kara, our daughter, worked as the store manager on the Upper East Side in New York City until recently and I am including a few photos from that store.  When you enter the store, immediately,  you are greeted with the bright and cheerful colors in their fabrics.  It's a happy place and the longer you browse around, it's easy to forget your troubles (if you have any) by all the "bright" colors and fun products.  I could stretch it a bit and say it's sort of like being encouraged by a friend who brightens your day.  The friend that I made these curtains for, is a friend of Kacie's and their friendship brings strength and encouragement to each others lives by their kindnesses toward one another and their sharing of mothering tips.  I wanted to make these for Becky, Kacie's friend,  because she has been a true friend to Kacie sharing her love and her faith in the Lord.

Strength and Courage are used in the Bible in a way that is interestingly different from our human way of thinking.  We think of a man or woman who does something courageous for someone else when they use their physical strength, which is a good thing, but Christ speaks of using our lives to strengthen and encourage others in our faith.  The text I am referring to is found in I Thessalonians 3.  Timothy, who was a friend and brother in Christ to Paul was sent to missionaries  (those spreading the gospel of Christ) to strengthen and encourage those who were sharing their faith. He may have taken food or other supplies but his real presence in their life, and probably the words he spoke to them, were encouraging.  Giving out daily, whether it be to a family or a job, a Christian has to be refreshed in order to stay strong and courageous.  Love plays a big part in this refreshment.  The love of Christ is constant and full of encouragement for us.  God's love is compared to a father's love in the Scriptures....."encouraging, comforting and urging us to live lives worthy of God, who calls us into His kingdom and glory." I Thessalonians 2:12   Whatever you may face in your day, I hope that you can find strength in the Name of the Lord! Draw Near!  Search for ways that you can encourage another today.  Truly, when we encourage others we ourselves are encouraged!  Listen to someone today for really it's better to listen and ask some questions than to know all the answers!  Maybe, you will be strengthened and encouraged.  I hope so! Have a blessed day!

Blessings

I love this picture......my sweet girls!(Shelly has on very high platforms :)

Another Pretty Room

This room says....calmness, serenity,quiet, still...... a really beautiful place. It is beautiful and it's one of those pictures that look like the furniture has been acquired over several years, here and there. I like this kind of room found in the March issue of House Beautiful (my favorite).  Just sit down, have a cup of tea, read a book, think, dream, read my Bible and pray............just wait for directions!  I especially like the window treatments!  Natural colors are appealing this time of year!

  Most homes are lived in with toys on the floor, here and there, a book on the table with a book mark in it, a piece of thread on the carpet waiting for someone to see it and pick it up.  You know, the houses that say real people live here!  "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it;  Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for He gives to His beloved even in His sleep!"  Psalm 127:1-2  Oh yes, He does!!!  It's a promise!  Our homes can and with grace and humbleness are able to honor God!  We can enjoy pretty pictures without expecting perfection in ourselves or others.  We'll  be a lot happier and have a whole lot more fun in life........

My Heart

I post this because it captures my HEART!  The dresses that Olivia and Isabel are wearing were designed and hand sewn over a three month period.  I made them over the course of  three months as I had time,  hand stitching the laces together on the bodice of each dress.  The sleeves and body of the dresses are organza.  I didn't use a pattern, I just knew how I wanted the girls to look and so I began.  To quote from Dr. Zivago....."then it's a gift!"   God has blessed me with many blessings of which I am grateful and when time is something He's allowed, we can turn it into nothing or we can turn it into something lasting!  Invest in others and you'll be rewarded.....example......someone sent me this adorable picture. They took the time to snap it, print it, and send it to me.....how it blessed to receive it!  Victoria, my niece, is the little girl to the left of Kara.  We found her dress in New Orleans and it was beautiful on her.  Ava's dress was worn in Kristen and Brian's wedding almost twelve years ago by Brian's niece.  We just made a few alterations.  Clay's suit came from Dillards (thank you Dillards) and Luke's outfit, I had planned to make but found this one and he looked so sweet in it!  Perfect color for his beautiful skin coloring!  It just all worked out for this lovely picture!  I am planning to use it as a postcard for my Children's Wedding Clothes brochure.
Stay tuned!  Off to sew...........

A New Entry

A Beautiful Entry Foyer

Such a beautiful home!  The elements and colors of this entry are well balanced and the gray/blue color scheme is calming and soothing!  Love it!!!  I love colors and styles that are calming, a fountain in the background with water trickling down......just saying all is well!  Peacefulness.  Isn't that what we all hope for in our lives?  Peace does come...... but often times it's after a storm or an event that we would gladly wish away.  The Bible says, "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.  You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways."  Isaiah 64:4-5  There are other Scriptures that remind us of those times when things are difficult in the life of someone we love.  Trust me, I know, I've been there too. Romans 8:28 encourages us that God truly is working all things together for good!  Even the not so calm places in life's path.  When I was young, at church we sang a song THE LORD KNOWS THE WAY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS......all we have to do is follow. Wilderness experiences are not that pleasant.  They are tough places where ones feels lost and without clear direction. Websters defines it as a waste land or overgrown land with no settlers.  Honestly, I do not believe that God waste any wilderness experience but I do believe that He doesn't want us to settle there.  He wants us to learn the lessons of those times of waiting and trusting on Him to guide us through safely to the promised land!  Looking ahead is good when we know the One who is guiding our journey and making us whole in the process.  Often He takes away the rough places within our hearts and makes them smooth and calm.  I don't know what is going on in your life today but I can pray if you read this,  that you will allow God to guide you to a place that He has already entered.  His Entry Foyer is open and He is inviting you to come in and share and fellowship with Him.  In Luke 1:46-47 Mary said,  " My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."  Amen to her words!!!  Have a blessed day and ENTER IN!!!

Virtues.......

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control...." Galatians 5:22-23  What beautiful virtues.......fill us Holy Spirit!!!

The Well-Lived Life.......How Beautiful!!!

Do you like luxury, do you enjoy comfort, is there anything you obsess over, do you enjoy walking into a room and feeling loved and comfortable?  Interesting questions, but the last one to me, is the only one important.  Do you enjoy walking into a room and feeling loved and comfortable?  I know that I do, and the moment you walk into a home, you can sense something about the ones living there.  This room I redecorated to suit my taste for a few hours a couple of weeks ago.......Kara and Phil's big day.  With just a little thought and a few luxurious accessories to suit our taste, we made it nicer than we had found it!  We started with the sofas and faced them, one to another, leaving ample space so the guest could sit comfortably and enjoy conversation.  We placed a few candles to make the room more welcoming and placed pillows we found inexpensively, and a few that I made, in the bare window seat.  BLISS!  COMFORT!  and hopefully all our guest felt the LOVE of the families!!! Imagine this room filled with people, relaxing, enjoying conversation, and just feeling welcome and at home.  The way we live, can be recreated anywhere we go.  I can't resist books, so you might add a few of your favorite books also, even if you are just having guests for the weekend in your home.  You might begin by placing a couple of books about the area you live in or that you live near.  Several of our guest were from England, so I wanted them to feel at home and we decided upon a lovely little green teapot that we had found in an antique shop!  PERFECT!!!

What does a guest remember when they visit your home?  You can shop the world over for "things" but what one remembers truly, is the love felt when they are in and when they leave your home.  In the Bible, John 12 tells the story of Jesus coming to Bethany, to visit the sisters, Mary and Martha, because their brother Lazarus had died and Jesus had raised him from the dead! Talk about celebration and great conversation!!!  There, in their home,  they made Jesus a supper, and Martha served dinner or so the Bible says, but Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.  The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Wow....can you imagine!  Spikenard was a valuable and fragrant ointment derived from the dried roots of the herbal plant called nard.  It was costly and only used for special occasions.  Mary understood that being in the PRESENCE of the LORD was the most special of occasions.  You see, when Jesus is invited into our homes and His Presence fills our spirits and our homes........we don't have to worry about the pillows, the sofas, or even the beautiful flowers for a fragrance.   All the invited guests will know that true love is there!  Enjoy decorating your home............and, most importantly,  fill it with the love of Jesus!  How Beautiful it will be!

Unfailing Love........

Our Bride.........

"O God, you are my God; Early will I seek You;  My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.  So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.  Because Your loving kindness is better than life.  My lips shall PRAISE you!"  Psalm 63: 1-4

I wonder if you've ever been  truly thirsty?  Thirst is something that can only be quenched by something pure.  When we anticipate something to fill that thirst, and finally receive it........we are rewarded with a sense of unfailing and unfamiliar joy!  That is the only way that I know to express how I felt on Saturday, May 22, 2010 as the Lord's Presence filled, with a fresh pureness, The Faith Chapel as our precious daughter, Kara, encircled by pure love, entered the chapel on the arm of her Dad to meet her bridegroom, Philip! Blessings were quickly released as those present rose in her honor and the Harpist played the Bridal March as she walked to her waiting bridegroom!  The children were precious as ring bearers and flower girls and the Bridemaids were beautiful in their colorful dresses!  The words spoken by the minister were perfect for Kara and Phil as they made their commitment of love to one another before their families and their friends. Beautiful music from a Harpist, the Holy Scripture, Poetry, and clapping and OH YEAH'S!!!! Kara's gown was simply elegant and her bridesmaids wore pretty dresses in a style and color that was beautiful on each one.  The flowers were peonies and roses and other mixes of fresh spring flowers!  The Reception was casual and relaxed and inspiring as Kara and Phil began a life to spent in love!

Their journey ahead, I pray, will be touched and guided by an angel to show them their way........God reveals His plans a day at a time and with the dawning of a new day, we have only to look for Him in the sanctuary of our soul for Him to fill and guide us in His power and His Glory! At their wedding, the chapel was filled with Believers who I trust and believe our God drew to that special place on a beautiful Jekyll Island!  The Lord meets our needs and the Lord sends those who help to keep us focused on what is truly important in life.  It is never the material things of life~it is always the people of ones family and friends.  Those are the true treasures in life.  I will always treasure the wedding day of Kara and Philip!  I have hidden it in my heart to take out time and time again to reflect upon the goodness of God.  Thank you Lord........for every blessing!

THE LAST WORD:  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1

"All I Ask of You"

The months, days, and moments have clicked away much too quickly as my heart has been wrapped up in the attention to details at every level for Kara and Phil's WEDDING next Saturday, May 22! While the ceremony with be an expression of their love and commitment and their hope for the future, the Reception will be an opportunity to express Kara's style and personality.  She's had a VISION!  It's not often, a family is honored to host eleven people at once from England.  We will become family with them next weekend as Kara and Phil tie the knot!  The blessings are too numerous and would probably be too personal to share on this page, but God has been faithful to us in every circumstance and turn.  When we began our planning, the Lord gave me four verses and I have faithfully claimed them over and over again.  Let me share them with you.......because one day, you might find yourself in need of a WEDDING PLANNER!  HE's the best!!!!

Philippians 3:6  " Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God."  That is where we began.

Luke 18:27 "But He said, 'the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.'"

Jeremiah 32:17  "Ah, Lord God!  Behold, YOU made the heavens and the earth by your GREAT POWER and outstretched arm.  There is nothing too hard for you."

Matthew 6:21  "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Everyone who knows me well, knows that my family and my sisters and brothers in God's family are the treasures of my heart.  We are praying for the GLORY of the Lord to be present throughout the weekend!  Kara and Phil have both worked so hard to make this dream come true for their marriage and their families. As the song from Phantom of the Opera is played, "All I Ask of You", now they just want to be together.  We just want them to relax, have fun, and enjoy their special day!  It seems like only yesterday, she was born........where the Girl goes now........I trust God is too at the helm of the ship!  Two countries united across the ocean, by two separate lives who met one day and now they will become ONE!  Pray for them on May 22, 2010 at 5:00 PM!  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

A Mother's Legacy

Happy Mother's Day!  As a mother, a lasting legacy is left with children!  There are all types of mothers and we can become one naturally by giving birth to our children or they can be given to us in a completely God designed way!  When we are young, we recieve this wonderful gift of children with no training, no resume, and no interview but wow what fun and joy comes as we learn this wonderful profession, on the job!  I have loved being a mother and I still do!  I just love my children so much and I love their children too.......a joyous blessing comes after your children have children!!!

Mothers are resourceful and as the years go by, most Mothers will go to the ends of the earth for their child.  In my life, I have always hoped that I make each one of my children feel that they are the only one when I am with them.  In essence, time is the main ingredient about instilling and developing the virtues and values that you want for your child.  I do not care what the books say about quality or quantity, I know,  because I have lived it, it is quantity first but a good mother develops over time.  Often she is mentored by someone special in her life.  It should be her own mother, but if that doesn't happen, God will send someone your way who will model to you the important virtues of love, patience, and kindness that are so important to be a mother.  He did that for me, over and over again in my early years as a mother.  He placed people in my pathway who pointed me to Him!  Real people, who to this day, I can picture as someone who took an interest in me and my family.

In the Bible, Moses mother, Jochebed, stands as a monument to his mother's courage against staggering opposition of the time she lived in.  She had meager means, but desired to raise her Hebrew son in the ways and customs of her faith.  God carried out her desires to raise her son in ways that only He could design.  You see, the King, sent out a decree that all the boy babies under two were to die.  In a desperate situation, Jochebed took her dilemma and resources that were available and set about her work of saving her son's life.  She took the reeds from the edges of the river nearby and constructed a woven basket with a lid and placed her baby into the water, said a prayer, and pushed him away with hope and faith in the everlasting goodness of God.  Little did she know that the King's very own daughter would find the baby and raise Moses as a Prince!  Jochebed was hired for wages to be a nurse maid to her very own child, without anyone knowing she was the child's true mother!  God had saved his life for a mighty purpose. Her example encourages me as I keep coming back to the Lord, morning after morning.  And He is there, available to me and to any mother who seeks the Lord's guidance.  He performs what He promises, and that assurance can overcome any fear you may have about mothering or the job you are doing.  Mothers are valuable!   You can read Jochobed's story in Exdous 1:1 through 2:10!

Blessings to you today!  Remember that you are uniquely designed to be the most influential person in your child's life. Wow......that is remarkable and I hope you sense God's love for you and your children. Happy Mother's Day!  Enjoy your day.......

Sunrise on a Beautiful Porch

There's the wonder of morning, as seen in the beautiful picture from House Beautiful, and the wonder of sunset at evening.  The wonder of sunrise and morning is my favorite time of day which this picture seems to convey, but the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul is the wonder that God loves me.

J. I. Packer says....."What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it--the fact that He knows me.  I am graven on the palms of His hands; I am never out of His mind.  All my knowledge of Him depends on His sustained initiative in knowing me.  I know Him because He first knew me and continues to know me."

 Amazing love that God has for people.....all people.  It doesn't matter who you are,  what you've accomplished or still hoping to accomplish, nor where you live,......God loves you.   His desire for you is uniquely expressed in the Psalms and throughout His Word.  His desire is to have a relationship with you and lead you into paths of righteousness.
God is righteous and righteousness involves goodness, uprightness, integrity, morality, and purity.  In the world, it's hard to live that way......but remember, every morning there is the wonder of a new day and a choice to live for Him and for His glory!  May you sense His love and His grace in your life this week!

Showered With Much Love.......

As most of you know by now.......Kara is getting married in May and a couple of weeks ago, she was showered with love, kindness, good wishes, prayers, and laughter plus gifts at an English Tea at the Belle Meade Plantation by family and friends!  Kristen, Kacie, and B'Donna worked so hard to make it a lovely and special day for Kara! The details of everything were perfect! We loved these precious little gift bags, filled with messages about how afternoon tea began in England and delicious teas to enjoy.  "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above....." James 1:17

Restoration

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name sake." Psalm 23:1~3

Daily restoration of the anxious, weary soul is a  basic human need.  We wander from God and from the paths of righteousness~from following Him beside the still waters~till we lose the way, lose  our joy, and we lose the sound of His Voice.  It happens to everyone, now and then...... But as we take the time to be quiet before Him and listen for His Voice, He has an amazing way of bringing us back into His way as He restores us and brings us back from wandering, just like straying sheep and He leads us and refreshes us in the light of His presence!

Once, we restored a home that had originally been built in 1877.  The first time we saw it, we thought it had been frozen in time and only minor changes would be needed to restore it and to bring it back into all its original glory.  But once we purchased it and began the work of restoration, it took more money and time than we had anticipated.  It's because the outside looked so much better than the inside.  Day after day, we worked on projects eventually bringing it back as a place of beauty.  We loved it there, AFTER THE RESTORATION!!!  When God knit us together in our mother's womb, He had an original design and  so often,  we  have wandered from that path and plan and we don't always act or look the way He intended. He doesn't shame us though....... His grace calls us to trust Him fully  and completely as He begins the process of making us into a vessel that He is more than able to SHINE through.  His love is all about  restoring us daily and eternally to live with Him right now and forever and forever!

It is my prayer that you are able to find time in your day to spend with the Lord.  Your day will be a better day and you will find it amazing that a few minutes of quietness with Him will transform your life and I promise, because He promises in the Scriptures, that He will shine in your heart The Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ! 

The photograph above is of a little teapot that I found at an antique shop!  Tea time is meant to relax us and slow us down a bit from the cares of the day........and hopefully, with God's blessing, restoring us to a path of joy!

Happy Birthday........Kristen

"Behold, children are a gift (to be treasured) of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.  How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them...."  Psalm 127:3-5

In the Bible, God's Words speak to us of His goodness in allowing us to be given the gift of children and He shares His wonderful promise that they are from Him.  On a beautiful Sunday morning, around 8:28 a.m., April 20, 1975 in Chattanooga, Tennessee God did indeed bless Steve and I with a beautiful gift we named Kristen.  She was beautiful from the beginning and good and she still is.  Her heart is so full of love for those dearest to her.  She is blessed with a loving husband, three precious children, and a family she grew up in who hold her in the highest esteem.  She sees the good in everything, everyone and in every situation.  She is cut out of the mold of her Dad.  She has leadership qualities, she is bright, articulate, dilligent, fun loving, creative, kind and a continual student of knowledge.  She loves the Lord and it radiates from within her heart.  Yes, I am a mother speaking but these things are true about her.  God has called her to be a woman after His own heart and I believe that the best is yet to develop in her life.  Happy Birthday, Kristen......we love you!!!

When I think of her home and how the way she decorates it, I see her love of beauty in every detail.  She has developed into a wonderful artist and her paintings are beautiful. Her favorite color is blue and I understand why......Blue is a calming color and gives a sense of peace.  It dissolves tension and promotes tranquility.  Light blue (her favorite) especially brings ease into the home and harmony into relationships.  Wearing or surrounding yourself with it helps calm aggressive tendencies and eliminates discord.  That is Kristen.......calm, fun, gracious, and lovely in every way!  I hope she enjoys a special day........