I’m dreaming of…
image via pinterest
an organized classroom;
of a cool porch project;
of cheesecake in a jar, for obvious reasons;
of summer vacation;
Of these muffins, which have 58 calories each;
of these, which probably have 7,543 calories each;
of the Word written on my walls;
of the Word written on my heart.
Be blessed today,
Ginger
Let’s pretend, shall we?
Let’s pretend I didn’t begin this project, oh, say, three weeks ago.
Then we can pretend that it hasn’t rained almost every weekend since then.
While we’re at it, we can imagine that all the sunny days hadn’t featured the first normal (i.e. chilly) temperatures of the whole ding-dang winter/early spring.
No, we’re just going to pick up this post as though completion is imminent any day now.
One of my spring break goals was a back door beautification.
Isn’t it sad?
I would show you our double-ugly clay “wall” that faces the door, but that’s even sadder.
We were planning a lovely-yet-oh-so-traditional red door until I spotted this beauty.
(via Southern Living; can’t get it un-blurry)
Um…our house is gray, so the turquoise door might not work, but the yellow boots got me thinking.
(Insert many hours wandering around Lowe’s here.)
Here’s the door paint test. (All paints are Valspar.)
DD#1 voted for blue.
DD#2 voted for cowslip.
Big Red voted for (you know where this is going, don’t you?) dahlia.
Mom’s tie-breaker…
None of the above.
Well, sort of.
You’ll see when I (ever) finish.
I did stain the steps.
Epic fail.
Too blue.
Boo.
(You can’t see it so much in the picture, but this was “Back to the Future”, all-I-need-now-is-a-ceramic-goose, circa 1980’s blue.
Double boo.)
Big Red kindly stripped the stain off, and the nice Lowe’s man helped me chose again, so I hold out hope for the second attempt.
Yet untried.
Because the weather won’t cooperate.
*sigh*
What’s on your undone project list?
Be blessed,
Ginger
Join me, won’t you?
(image here)
State testing is OVER!
Four more Mondays in this school year—(which, frankly, hasn’t been one of the top-rated of all time.)
These jeans (horrible picture, I know)
are a whole size smaller than the ones I was wearing last year at this time.
So, I’m playing this song to move me past my grumpiness this week and toward an attitude of praise.
Happy Friday!
Be blessed,
Ginger
…that I have posts planned and ready in the recesses of my brain.
… that standardized testing week inhibits brain activity in middle-aged women,
.. that ,based on my after-test classes, it’s not helping things in the teenage noggin either,
.. that I am praying for a supernatural, only-God love for said teenagers over the next few weeks—because right now we’re a tad frustrated with one another;
..and that I appreciate your blog patience!
Be blessed,
Ginger
Listening to: White Flag, the newest Passion CD
Munching: Homemade hummus and pita chips
Painting in my head: Silvery spring rain, gray skies, tiny green leaves
Surfing for: Mattress reviews; 18 years + bad back = overdue investment
Reading: Ezekiel; discouraging/humbling all at the same time
Fretting over: high-stakes testing this week
Wondering: why teachers are worried about tests, but kids aren’t!
Helping: DD#1 study AP History
Realizing: History repeats itself.
Be blessed today,
Ginger
**I am reposting this because I need to tell you today that, if you are in the place I was last Easter, the lonely waiting, the place of faith-not-sight, Jesus is TRUSTWORTHY. He will NOT leave work undone. I can’t tell you the whole story—partly because it isn’t finished yet—but I can say He has brought us down a long road in a year, and it was worth believing Him for it. I am praying you will, too.**
Yesterday, we had a beautiful day:
glorious warm temperatures, blooming snapdragons,
and (my favorite) tiny, green flower-promises on the hydrangea.
At church, we heard the Word in song,
felt and watched the Holy Spirit move,
rejoiced in the Hope of Easter-- Christ, our Risen Redeemer.
A beautiful day.
A difficult day.
Though Easter dawned, the concerns that have shaped my prayers for months didn’t vanish like the grey clouds.
If anything, they seemed magnified when juxtaposed with joy.
It occurred to me this weekend that Saturday was the worst day for the disciples.
The trauma was over,
but they were no doubt shell-shocked, numb with fear and grief.
They didn’t know the end of the story.
I tend to minimize their suffering because I know the end of the story.
I don’t think God minimized it.
The God Who orchestrated all for His perfect will
saw their pain, their disappointment, their unbelief.
He loved them, silently.
And He loved them, loudly,
because He was finishing the work that would bring Sunday.
Maybe you are like me, and you are still waiting on your “Easter”, the hope reborn, the promise fulfilled.
Will you join me in believing Him for it?
Some days we believe tenuously, others tenaciously, but always—I pray-- faithfully.
Please, Lord, let me be found faithful in the waiting.
Easter’s coming.
Be blessed,
Ginger
Most of Blogland had their Easter tables on display last week.
I’m convinced that I am not the only procrastinator in the bunch (please tell me I’m not!), so here is my quick, easy, and lovely Easter table.
White china = versatility in a box.
The green chargers are from Michael’s.
White petunias in white pots
Thrifted white cloth napkins get dressed in twine bows and stamped tags.
Each tag has gift from Jesus stamped on it.
All because of Easter, I am:
and
Let’s add one more: grateful.
Be blessed,
Ginger
With all the drama that has characterized our lives the last few months, this mantel falls into the “better late than never” category.
I love the simplicity of it.
It’s spring break! (Cue the applause.)
In addition to Easter preparations, I’ve got a few other projects in the works. Stay tuned.
Be blessed,
Ginger
I heard this song again Sunday.
Behind the words was a graphic of blood drops.
As they fell and spread across the background, a name appeared in each one.
The name of one redeemed, blood-bought, forgiven.
He died for you.
What can take a dying man and raise him up to life again?
What can heal a wounded soul?
What can make us white as snow?
What can fill the emptiness?
What can mend our brokenness?
Brokenness
Mighty, awesome, wonderful
Is the holy cross
Where the Lamb laid down His life
To lift us from the fall
Mighty is the power of the cross
What restores our faith in God?
What reveals the Father's love?
What can lead the wayward home?
What can melt a heart of stone?
What can free the guilty ones
What can save and overcome?
Overcome
It's a miracle to me
And It's still a mystery
It's a miracle to me
The power of God
For those who believe
Mighty, awesome, wonderful
Is the holy cross
Where the Lamb laid down His life
To lift us from the fall
Mighty is .......
Mighty is.......
Mighty is the power of the cross
Thank You for the cross
Love the cross
What can take a dying man? Thank You Jesus for the Holy cross
And raise him up to life again?
Worship You Jesus
By your wounds we are healed
By your wounds we are saved
Mighty is the power of the cross
