HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Hello there blogger friend. Nice of you to stop by.
It's like a crisp Spring day today.  A few days ago while I was out driving and trying to relax, I remembered what the difference between a house and a home are.

I was about 35 years old when we moved from the Houston area to a small Kansas farming community after my husband went through a job lay-off.  This small community has roots for me because so many of my Dad's family lives and lived there for years.  I simply thought it would be a resting place for us until we upped and moved to where ever the next job would take us.  We ended up staying here for close to 3 and a half years.

It was at Church that I had heard about one of the elderly shut-ins that had an experience with an angel.  I was eager to talk to her and she was gracious to allow me to come to her home and visit.

It isn't a new thing for me to have a pity party.  I had plenty of material to use for a pity party.  I was upset coming from the Houston house that was a nice four bedroom brick house to the Kansas rental that was a two bedroom house with water damage that shook when our miniature dog pranced across the floor.

Now I will sound like a realtor... formal living room and dining room, 4 bedrooms each having walk in closets, master bedroom with private bath that had a over sized vanity, glassed in shower and separate deep jacuzzi tub, over sized family room with vaulted ceiling and bricked fireplace, kitchen with walk in pantry and eating area, detached over sized double car garage, fenced backyard on a third of an acre.  The small rental had two bedrooms for the five of us, so the family room would be converted into the boys bedroom.

When I visited with this sweet lady that had the experience with an angel, she listened to me as I shared about how we had ended up in this town.  I was telling her that we had sold our home and and and and and and...She politely intervened and said, "You didn't sell your home.  You sold your house.  Your home is where ever you hang your hat."

What she gently said spoke volumes to me.
A house can be blown away, swallowed by the earth, burnt to a crisp, washed apart, broken into, vandalized, foreclosed on, kicked out of, mildewed melt down, etc.  One's home is more personal and sacred.

Remember what Jesus said about going to prepare a place for us?

In the precious scriptures we can read about this in the Book of John
Chapter 14
verses 1-3

Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God;
believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me (Jesus).
In My Father's house there are many dwelling places (homes). 
If it were not so, I would have told you;
for I am going away to prepare a place for you.
And when I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.

The way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.  He's our redeemer.
verse 6 goes on to say:
Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life;
no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.

Earthly housing is necessary while we are here on planet earth.  But when the day comes that we take our last breath and pass into eternity we will no longer need the earthly house, building or body.  What we will need is a heavenly home that's in God.

Until that time, we have been given the opportunity to use God given talents to enhance and bless the lives of others.

Do you know the Master?
He can warm your heart.
He can warm your soul.
He can give you purpose and reason to live.
He can give you a place to call home.

Even though I was very upset  coming from a 4 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom rental, God had His hands all over us.  This rental property had a storage barn in the backyard to house the things we didn't have room for in the rental.  Though some of the stuff would get water damaged, it would further allow the fact to sink in that we can't take any of this stuff with us to the grave.  It all can be destroyed.  We need to have our priorities in order.
God first.

Who holds your heart in the palm of their hand?
Until next time, don't forget to pray.
Deanna

FABULOUS FOOD FOR FUN

Hello Blogland viewers! So glad you stopped by.

HALLELUJAH! It's HAPPENING.

Pictures posted on my Blog.

With the month of February honoring President's Day, I think of the George Washington story that I learned in school about him chopping down a cherry tree and saying he would not tell a lie...

To this day, I still don't know if this story is fact or fiction, myth or mystery.

I like cherry pie, don't you? Apple desserts are welcomed as well.

Fact is my fantastic daughter created this Apple Cake Dessert from apples she had actually hand picked earlier from a small country orchard. It not only looked tasty, it was!

With our kitchen slowly being remodeled, it's a miracle that she could produce something so good within a seriously challenging room to work in. This is fact and a mystery to me!

Beautifully stated and found in the Bible's book of Proverbs

Chapter 24

Verses 3 and 4

you will find this written:

(3) By wisdom a house is built,

and through understanding it is established;

(4) through knowledge its rooms are filled

with rare and beautiful treasures.

May your home be a haven to share your God given talents that you cultivate so you can shower others with love, food and fellowship. Beautifully decorated rooms, delicious food and warm fellowship is a superb recipe for making sweet memories.

God richly BLESS you in the here and now,

Deanna from the Kansas Flinthills

WORTHY TO BE PRAISED

Hello from the Kansas Flinthills...
The sky is cloudy and overcast today. I have been under the weather and didn't sleep well last night at all. Sure hoping that this week-end goes better.

I just read a blog posting that caused me to weep. A young married woman that's pregnant has had her husband walk out on her. He doesn't want the baby. This alone stirs up sadness in me.

You alone Lord are worthy to be praised. You are what is solid and unchanging.

A point in time took me back to finishing a two year Associates of Art Degree which took me 14 years to complete. I had put off the math and chemistry classes to the last. I remember carrying in my math book a thank you note from my Grandma's family thanking me for flowers for the funeral. I had wrote on the card 'She had a third grade education.' When I was struggling with the math, I'd look at this card that was being used as a book mark. Looking at this card gave me encouragement to toughen up and tough it out.

Grandma did not have an easy life. She married her step father's brother that was on the rebound from being rejected by another woman. Even the ring was for the other woman. As a child, Grandma had worked her step dad's fields like a dog. At 16, she was proposed to and married. 11 children would be created from this union. Grandpa died before I was ever born, so I didn't know him. He would drink and beat on my Grandmother.

Though she had so many children and little education, there was a time in her life she left her husband due to his drinking and such. Journeying with her young children from Canada back to Kansas. I remember thinking if Grandma could leave an abusive husband, then I could do the right thing when I had to concerning a very troubled marriage that I was suddenly in back in the 90's. Grandma was a Christian. I'm not sure what she prayed, but she'd pray. Her husband would come to her and they remained married until his death. He would change. He had too.

My Dad said that she would go to a cave and pray out loud. When World War 2 was in high gear, she'd pray in that cave. Though she was German herself, 2 of her boys served in the US Army against the Nazis.  

On the same day both sons returned home from the service coming from opposite sides of the world within one hour apart of each other. Can you imagine the rejoicing in her heart she must have had?

With out God giving me strength, I'm not sure where I'd be today. A huge work has been done in my marriage, but not without a price. My husband would change. He had too. To God be the Glory, great things He has done.

With so many marriages folding, God is the one that will strengthen us. He alone is worthy to be praised. He alone is worthy. I am terribly saddened by the trend that is going on with so many people leaving their marriages for whatever reasons. Sometimes it's not your fault as to why a spouse walks away.

Abandoned, betrayed, left to figure out what to do now...
May God strengthen you and show you the way to go.  

Beloved, may He heal you.
Deanna

Santa, The Tooth Fairy and Where Babies Come From

Thank you for taking time out from your busy day to take a peek at my blog and see what's happening here in Flint Hills.
We just finished celebrating Valentine's Day over the week-end with Valentine Cards, Chocolates and a Steak Dinner,  as I was reminiscing about days gone by.
In grade school or as some would call it elementary school, every year we'd have a Valentine Party where we'd exchange homemade or store bought cards with one another.
At home, I'd write the names on the back of the cards, place the cards in the envelopes and then address them.  Then place the sealed cards in each others card holders that we had carefully made the week before during Art.  It was always a contest to see who could create the most bee-u-ta-full card holder weither it be a decorated shoe box or a construction paper envelope with a heart shaped papered doily on the front of it. Anxiously waiting for the oohs and awes.  Peer pressure and acceptance was different then.
Sweet memories.  During the party, we were allowed to open each valentine, play games and have refreshments.  At the end of the school day, we'd take all the treasures home.  These were the days when Public Schools were into teaching the 3 r's of readin', ritin' and 'rithmetic.  We didn't have to worry about guns, knifes and drugs being brought in by students, no gangs and we could walk home for lunch.  Pleasant thoughts.  Ahhhh the innocence of youth.Now for Santa, the Tooth Fairy and Where Babies Come From.
During my childhood, I would learn that there was no Santa Claus. My oldest brother would tell me it was actually Mom and Dad placing the toys under the Christmas tree that we would discover on Christmas morning.  I remember being shocked when I heard this aweful truth!  I suspected that it was true when we went to a movie theatre for an afternoon matinee.  As we left the show, a petite woman dressed in a santa suit was handing out candy canes to the kids.  She almost fooled me until I saw her well groomed painted fingernails.  They were lovely to say the least, but when she said, "Ho.  Ho.  Ho." in a saprano voice through the white beard, it cinched the deal and santa was a fraud.  When I first heard that Santa wasn't real, I was concerned that next Christmas there wouldn't be any toys.  Man, was I delighted to see that the toys were there the next year.  Pleasant thoughts.

The Tooth Fairy was welcomed right along with Santa.  The first tooth I lost was when I was five.  Pretty neat placing the tooth under my bed pillow and wake up to a coin in its place.  When the Tooth Fairy stopped visiting it wasn't quite the shock as Santa not being real.
BUT THE BIGGEST SHOCK OF ALL was when my sister told me how babies were made.  She had gotten upset with two of her friends that were sisters that told her the truth about THAT.  She defended her stance on this by saying, "Huh uw...my mom told me that when she wanted a baby all she had to do was pray to God and He gave them to her!!!"  Then my sister broke the news to me..."Preachers do it, too!!!"  I don't know where we got the idea that the actual act was a dirty thing that only bad people did, but none the less when I heard Preachers do this, I was mortified.
I learned all of this out in the front yard beside the car that was parked by the curb.  Gutter trash?  No, I laugh now at how innocent we were.  I forgot to mention the Easter Bunny.

Of course by the fifth grade, we had that famous talk about the female body and what was going to happen to it.  My mother attended the movie that explained this biological event.  I remember sitting in the front seat of the car as we went home.  She asked me if I had any questions.  I couldn't think of any at the time.  That would come later and that's a whole different story.

There has been other shocking news through the years that greatly out did these childhood stories.  Only God has helped me process and deal with the ones that stunned me so badly I couldn't speak or pray.  I learned the hard way that He is the one that will comfort when you hurt beyond words.  No one else can quite do this.
Though we are fearfully and wonderfully made, so much is still a mystery.  Santa, the Tooth Fairy and how babies are made are all pleasant things to me.  I was so innocent and that's a good thing.  Sweet memories.

Now I know that Santa doesn't answer prayers.  The Tooth Fairy disappears after Grade School and the Stork drops babies off in the Cabbage Patch!

Til next time,
May the Good Lord Bless you real good.
Deanna from the Kansas Flint Hills

Too Much Conditioner

I washed and conditioned my hair today and it jogged my memory about excess hair conditioner. What do you do with all that hair conditioner that's not used up before the shampoo? I have often had a stash of it in the closet taking up much needed space.

I have a really bad habit of wanting to try new shampoos and of course I want the matching conditioner, but so many times I have gone through the entire bottle of shampoo and still have at least a half of bottle of conditioner. I don't necessarily buy another bottle of the same type of shampoo and I don't want to use the one type of conditioner with a different scented shampoo. So what's a woman to do?

Give the left over away.
Sell it at a garage sale.
Give it to a local thrift shop.
Put the left over in smaller bottles and give to some ministries.
Throw it away.
Or use for a different task.

A email friend of mine sent me a list of helpful hints and one of the tips was using the left over conditioner for shaving gel! Haven't tried this yet, but I will.

Have a great week-end.

God richly bless you.
May your home be a restful place that comforts your family
and restores your weary body.

Don't forget to pray,
Deanna from the Kansas Flinthills

ISN'T GOD GOOD

Dear Ones,
Hello from the Kansas Flinthills! If you were here today, you'd experience first hand the strong winds. They are really making themselves noticed. As a child I use to stand with my face facing the wind allowing the breeze to touch my skin. Today, you'd be hard pressed to catch your breath as the windy forces blast at your posture and tugs at your hair-in-place.

Such freedom the wind has.

What is it that the Bible says about the Holy Spirit in comparision with the wind, it blows as it wills?

John 3:8 The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Hallelujah...the Holy Spirit of God blows as it wills.
There are alot of Bible scripture references in the concordance about wind and winds.

Matthew 8:27, Mark 4:41, Luke 8:25
...even the winds and the sea obey Him (Jesus)!??

Isn't God good? You may be going through a terrible storm in your life and suddenly Jesus can say PEACE, BE STILL. This storm of life is lifted. Hush, you can hear the sound of a pin dropping.

There was a time in my young married life that I was in such pain and I wanted so badly to turn the hand of time backwards so as to stop what was going to happen. It isn't humanly possible to turn the human hand of time backwards. No matter how much you want to. No matter how hard you try.

Things happen and it may not be what you wanted to happen or what you asked to happen. The things can molest your soul and hurt very deeply.

But isn't God good? Yes, He is. Though you cannot change the fact that these horrible things have happened, it will be God that changes the meaning of what happened to you.

Til next time,
God Bless you real good.

Deanna

Since I Started Blogging

Hello out there in blogville.

I have been blogging close to 2 months as I inch along learning how to do this.

Today, my site grew a picture for the header.

Thanx to my sweet husband that set this up for me.

Even a picture popped up on one of my earlier post about wearing high heels.

This blogging thing is fun.

Like it alot.

Hope to continue placing pics on this blog.

One thing I have encountered while commenting on others blogs, is that there are those that are ready to take me on no matter how tastefully I have commented. 

There are plenty that are ready for a fight.

Ready to misunderstand the simplest and purest comment.

Touche.

I welcome the challenge.  It's mentally stimulating.

Also gets me back into the word of God.  Not a bad place to be.

If nothing else...I continue to learn about various personalities and how they tick.

Also, this is a great training ground on how to be more diplomatic. 

My daughter has said to me that I am like a strong cup of coffee.

Perhaps I should ask, "Do you want cream or sugar with that?"

"Regular or decaff?"

One of my dear elderly friends that I have had the blessing to get to know, often asked me during our long intimate female conversations, "Have you ever considered...?"

Worked like a charm.

Her gentle approach to stimulating thought was well received and entertained.

So to you dear ones that are ready to bite my head off and make whatever I gently commented about or asked questions about take on a different light than intended, seem threatening or offensive, I ask you this, 

"Have you ever considered?"

To God be the Glory great things He has done.

God richly bless you.

Deanna

I Love You, LORD

Blessings to you that are visiting this blog!Appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to check this out...

When the phone rang yesterday afternoon, I knew it was not going to be a pleasant call from my husband. He doesn't call in the middle of the afternoon to chit chat, so when I saw the caller ID with his name on it, I knew something wasn't right. I don't like these types of calls.

He had received an email from a dear friend of his that simply said ANNOUNCEMENT.
It announced the obituary of the friend's wife...
He was stunned and by this time I was as well.
He forwarded the obituary onto me.

It is one of the most beautifully written obituaries that I have ever read.

It starts out like this: On (DATE), (NAME) completed the course of her preparation for eternity and transistioned into the heavenly presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The obituary continues to share about her life and finishes with what a card said on it that she would give to people.

JESUS LOVES YOU
How to make Heaven Your Home

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who ever believes in Him will not parish, but have eternal life. -John 3:16

For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. -Romans 3:23

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. -Romans 10:9

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, except through Me." -John 14:6


PRAY THIS PRAYER
Dear Jesus,
I am a sinner.
I believe that You are God's only begotten SON,
You died and rose from the dead to save me from my sins.
I want to be with You forever.
Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.
I give my life to You.
Thank you for saving me today!
In Jesus Name ,
AMEN

We will be attending her funeral this week-end.

This song comes to mind:

I Love You, Lord

I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You
Oh, my soul rejoice!
TAKE JOY my KING
In what You hear
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.

Tis true, this earthly life is short.
Though it may be full of trials and challenges...it will not compare to when we enter into our eternal home with the LORD.

May your earthly Home be a Haven to minister God's love to your family, friends and visitors.
May they feel the presence of God and know this place is different than what the world has to offer me.

And let's not forget that our own lives are in need of HIS nourishment, HIS peace.
God be with you.
Deanna

Focus on the Blessings

Hello,I am exhausted.
It's only one in the afternoon and I am ready for a nap.
Where do I even begin with the housework.Laundry is in.
Lunch over.Grand baby down for a nap.
Toys out.Dishes to do.
Bills to write out.Need a bath.
Major tidying to do, due to redecorating going on.With my age, my health challenges slow me down.I know the importance of taking care of myself and yet...I am where I'm at in life still discovering what I thought was truth isn't.
Ignorance is bliss? Not hardly.Doesn't the Bible say that My people parish for lack of knowledge?
Focus on the blessings.
Focus.Meditate on the blessings.
God help me today. I am tired.
Please change the meaning of what I am going through from this to what you call wonderful.Deanna

Eternal Values For Eternal Beings

Greetings Beloved!Years ago I lived in the Houston, Texas area. Seems odd to think how long ago that was. In my head it is a fresh memory, but according to actual years...it's been over 20 years ago.

It would be during this time that I would learn that I HAD HAD A PART IN CREATING ETERNAL BEINGS that will spend an eternity somewhere. Either Heaven or Hell. To think that I had a part in creating eternal beings was a new concept to me.

Back then I found myself involved in a Bible Study that required so much reading that I couldn't stay caught up and still get the dishes done along with everything else. So I plugged away the best that I could and called it good. If I didn't get all the reading assignments completed and my weekly lesson's questions answered than that had to be alright. The very fact that I had worked on it and was attending the weekly meetings was a VICTORY. This is a far cry from being a High School perfectionist that had to ace every class I took.

The Godly values I would be instilling into my children was extremely important...not in vain. The little munchkins (my children) that were entrusted to me were eternal beings. What I had the priviledge to teach my children was of eternal value.

All the things I had worked so hard at to raise a family was a part of ministering to eternal beings.

Far above everyday chores and activities is the importance of a Christian upbringing where there's respect toward Father God, Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the word of God and is Truth. A personal relationship with a personal God. Salvation.

As Children of the Most High God, we are royalty. Not in an arrogant way, but in a cherished way. It isn't correct to call ourselves children of God because we are a human being that's been created by God...we have to be adopted into the family of God to be called a Child of God. This adoption takes place after we accept God's perfect plan of redemption for mankind through accepting Jesus as our Personal Saviour.

Would all the day to day doings be in vain?
Would all the times I shopped, prepared meals, did dishes, cleaned the house, picked up toys, did laundry, taught grooming habits, taught right from wrong, taught proper manners, helped with homework, wiped runny noses, bedtime curfews, etc. be in vain?

No, all of this wasn't in vain. All the things I had worked so hard at to raise a family was important because by doing all of this I was ministering to eternal beings.

All this activity was needed to develope life long behaviors that contribute to being a decent person, but none of this makes a person a child of God that will be eternally present in God's presence.

Please don't forget while you are so busy with the day to day activity to include the eternal values that have an everlasting effect on one's soul by leading one's precious children to the Lord. Don't forget that the way you live your life will have a profound impact on your children.

The next time you sigh because it's been the millionth time you told the little one to stop hitting their sibling and to stop picking their nose in public, try really hard to recall that you have an eternal being that you love and are teaching. This has importance. When you've picked up the room for the millionth time and will have to do this all over again tomorrow, remember that you are creating a safe place for your children to call home and be loved in. This has importance.

You my beloved are an eternal being that will spend an eternity somewhere. Do you know where?

May your Home be a Haven that ministers God's love to your husband, your children and others that come for a visit.

Til next time...don't forget to pray.
~Deanna~

CHILDHOOD PRAYERS

Blessings to you!
Three prayers come to mind that I learned and said as a child.

Meal Time Prayer
The Lord's Prayer
Bedtime Prayer


Meal Time:
Come Lord Jesus, be our guest.
Let this food to us be blessed.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen


The Lord's Prayer:
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done
on Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom,
and the power
and the glory FOREVER.
Amen


Bedtime:
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen


What do these prayers have in common?
All prayed by a child.
All asking God for something.

Mealtime Prayer is asking Jesus to be our guest and bless the food.
Lord's Prayer is addressing our Heavenly Father with respect as we admit that His name is honored and sacred. Then our desires. Ending with confessing once again who He is.
Bedtime Prayer is asking the Lord to keep us and take us.

I'm way too tired today to do a long blog on this. I won't get too philosophical right now about the breaking down of each prayer. Perhaps later.


The main thing is that my parents cared enough to introduce me to praying to the most high God and helped me to be respectful toward Him. I would learn to pray.


As my prayers would go from GIM ME, GIM ME, GIM ME to
PROTECT ME, PROTECT ME, PROTECT ME to
HELP ME, HELP ME, HELP ME, (Still good prayers, because I'm admitting that I need God)
The Spirit of God got ahold of me, my prayer life grew into more personal words and very lengthy prayers to a personal God.


I could list all the things that I wished my parents had taught me or had done more of in our Christian Home, but right now I won't. Right now I just want to say I am so very thankful I was taught those 3 simple prayers that are still said at 53 years of age. And when I can't seem to pray english words at all, the Spirit of God still helps me all the way.


May your home be a haven that you minister God's love in toward your family.

May you bless your children with 3 simple prayers that can be said a lifetime while living in this complex world.


To God be the Glory GREAT THINGS HE has done.


Simply said,
~Deanna from the Kansas Flint Hills~

Went Junkin'

Dear Ones,Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog.
Had some free time today, so I went JUNKIN'. Had such fun. Wish we could have had a cup of coffee and visited today about "the best junk we ever did buy."






Went to a near by thrift shoppe that has a used-book section in it.Made it home with:*16 hard back books at $1.50 each from TIME LIFE The Art of Sewing circa 1974/75.
Carrying these to the car was like lifting weights. I'm sure I will feel it in my body tomorrow. No need for a membership to a Health Club when I can get away with this kind of exercise.
(Just think how much money I save. Do you feel the burn? No pain no gain!)

*A pressed glass punch tray for $14. Pictured above.
Twas beautiful. I just had to have it. Awe Martha Stewart eat your heart out!
(please know this about me...I have a sense of humor.)
I have several punch bowls with cups that this
* A Sesame Street Big Bird stuffed toy for $3.50 to go with the Sesame Street stuffed toy Elmo recently bought at our City Wide Garage Sale.
Looked like new.
Machine washed it anyways.Play it safe and sound.

* A porcelain musical figurine of little Bow Peep
from the ONCE UPON A RHYME COLLECTION
by Brenda Thomas
that plays "TRY TO REMEMBER" for $4.50.


















* Eight miniature white with gold trim
OVEN TO TABLE TO TABLE COOKWARE glazed dishes
for 60 cents a piece.

Not only are these pretty, but a economical find.
What a day I had! Know that God led me to these bargains and stretched my money...
I had a great time looking and shopping in the Kansas Flinthills.
May your home be a haven that you minister God's love to your family in.

Til next time, don't forget to pray,
Deanna
P.S. and yes, I do take prayer request seriously!