🍔#whatif Prompt for 12.31.18

Today's prompt:

  🌭Weirdest Delicious Sandwich 🍔

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

#whatif Prompt for 12.30.18

Today's prompt:

        Throwback

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

Relationships can be Saved

KJVA Bible. Hebrews 10:24
[24]And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Looking back you may not see a perfect relationship, but looking forward with love and encouragement you can see hope, love, joy, faithfulness . . .

💔#whatif Prompt for 12.29.18

Today's prompt:

  Making up

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

💞#whatif Prompt fir 12.28.18

Today's prompt:

    💞 First date

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

"I'm considering things that beging with the letter Z

Zoo 🐒
  Zoink
     Zoologist
       Zen
        Zygote
      Zeel
    Zest 🍋
  Zillow 🏡
Zachary 👦
Zany 🙃
 

Matt and Rachel

They are just too cute!!

New Bible Case

This nice water-resistant case is something my Mom gave me a while back in a bundle with many other snazzy plastic cases. At the time I thought I'd probably use it to keep a quilt-in-progress clean and dry. This, however, is a much better use . . and it's exactly the perfect size!!
Thanks, Mom!!! 💞📖

💻New Internet Copyright Laws⚖️

Hmm . . So I was looking at these new laws and wanted to share this with you.  . .
Please, feel free to link back to my blog.
Please, unless otherwise noted, feel free to share any photos I post as long as you give me credit  . . (not allowing sharing would require me to get photos copyrighted and I have no idea how to do that). 
If we all are willing to allow what they don't we may have a shot at killing their new law.
I can say that, for me, rather than feel someone with less blog traffic is leeching off my traffic, I feel their link increases my audience. They will, undoubtedly, have some followers who've never heard of me and vice versa.  . . So, linking benefits us both.

🚗#whatif Prompt for 12.27.18 🏕️

Today's prompt:

Car camping or tent camping? 🌲

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

Double Laced Backstitch

Best De-Stresser

 Let's fly away  to a place of complete relaxation from worldly stress in the court of our Heavenly Father!
Cast all cares upon Him . .

Looking Forward . .

Yes, I'm changing direction . . point of the haircut was doing almost everything differently . . My way as long as lines up with God's word . . and ignore comments . . Also stop allowing others to abuse me (in any form) . . I have value to God as I am . . I do so much outreach for Him . . I do not need to become people's prefabbed view of what a 'good Christian woman' should act/sound like . . .
I am making changes . . HUGE changes

I am still working on consolidating the WordPress and Patreon blogs into this blog. I have decided, for the sake of saving time (and my sanity) to delete some posts (such as old word prompts)  . . and the video posts will be posted when I have time vs transferring those posts (sounds crazy but is way simpler to my overloaded brain).
I am planning to go back to school  . . I have 3 1/2 yrs college and need to quit being a quitter and finish my degree already. Major of choice is "Communications: English"  . . my initial goal is to simply finish and this degree could seriously improve my writing quality.✏️ But it could also be taken a step further and become a teaching certificate then a special education teachering certificate!!
But one step at a time . .
The classes to get my BA look like so much fun! Of course I love grammar . . and there's even a class on fairy tales!! How cool does this sound?!?!?!!!!?! 📕
So, yes, I'm making changes . . and don't want/need opinions/permission.
But and friends and those wishing to kindly join me on my journey are always welcome!!
On a side note, Matt graduated high school in 2 1/2 yrs and will start college  ..  . Will we remain in Toledo? Hard telling . . that's so so far away . . there are good universities all across the US!! 📚

Better Weather

New Plan~ 
      🌱Only spring and fall 🍁
      ❄️ Heavy snow Christmas Eve 🎄
           {melt day after Christmas}
       🏖️One week over 80°F each July 🎆

  

Manicotti's December

These people are exhausting! Let me tell you . . I went outside just to hang out and keep an eye on the little birdies. I was wandering around minding my own business when my Dad came out, scooped me up and brought me back inside . .  . . they had smelly stuff to spray, a long green handle with pokey things they kept rubbing on the floor and a weird thing that made noise and blew steam!! These two (2) can be so weird to live with. Humph.
But, they did give me a nice new mousie toy for Christmas and even filled it with the most delightful catnip. 🐭
Now I've passed out on her quilting. .  I love to lay on her scissors so she has to pet me instead. . .

💰#whatif Prompt for 12.26.18

Today's prompt:

How far would you go to save money?

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

Holbien Stitch

Okay, so this puts me at about three (3) hours invested . . I am having so much fun with this new quilt!!
Stay tuned as I will be working on/finishing the other quilts also . .

1 Corinthians 14:1a

1¶Follow after charity

Charity . . love of others over self.    .. if we apply this to our spouse .  take one week as a trial and put their needs above our own.  .  quietly not boastfully.   . . humbly. . . meekly . . tending to them first in love.

Isaiah 2

1¶The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

5O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

6Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and aresoothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

7Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:

8Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:

9And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.

10Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.

11The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

12For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that islifted up; and he shall be brought low:

13And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,

14And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,

15And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,

16And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.

17And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

18And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

19And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

20In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;

21To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

22Cease ye from man, whose breath isin his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?


Be humble
Trust and faith in God alone

Ermine Stitch

Fancy name but very basic.

Pekingese Stitch

One more patch on my Selvage Strip Crazy Quilt!!
Okay, so far each patch really only takes about a half hour beginning to end. It will be relatively easy to calculate time spent when finished. 😀

Rambling on Thanksgiving ..

Hello, loves .  hoping your day is full of family and all that that brings ..
🐕 *please, whatever else, don't lock Aunt Mildred in the basement for feeding the turkey to the neighbor's dog* 🦃
As Matt and I sit comfortably munching round 1 of today's meal I can't help but thinking about those living on the streets . . today, though, is one of the days each year when they are spoiled by citizens with a guilty conscience . . it is so much easier to show up on a holiday with a flourish then to be there daily with a hug and a prayer . . or a cup of hot coffee and a simple listening ear IMHO (in my humble opinion)  .   .
Not everything or everyone is as they appear . . this simple fact escapes many people . . escapes them in that they believe others will fall for their charade . . and in that many only see what is on the surface or how they perceive things.
And us?
We cleaned the apartment and prepped supper till approx 4:30am . . then Matt scuttled off to bed . . I, on the other hand, was awake well past 6:30am . . Definitely not voluntarily . . fortunately we were able to sleep in today . . And Did ..  till approx 11am!! 💤 It was so nice to wake leisurely . . Ahh  .   . . 
This week I was blessed to have the opportunity to give out two (2) homeless survival bags  . . one very quickly as I sat in traffic at a red light, but knowing his heart was touched for Jesus! And one to a man I've spoken with twice before (this was actually the third bag he's received). . both encounters blessed my life in ways I can't express . .
You could easily make your own bags to share:
*Toothbrush and toothpaste
*Comb
*Tarp
* Socks
*Chapstick
*Deodorant
*Wipes (baby or sanitizing)
*Healthy snacks
There are obviously a multitude of options you could easily include . .
Even just keeping usable coats and hoodies your family has outgrown can be an amazing blessing!!
One day Matt and I washed his previous year's winter coat. We'd just left the laundromat and it was still toasty from the hot dryer. As we drove down Collins St in Joliet, IL we spotted a young man (+/-20yrs old) huddled in a shop doorway with his dog. He was shivering and poorly dressed for even walking on a cold day much less sleeping raw. I stopped the car and had Matt take him the jacket and a blanket both if which Matt draped around them.
He was blessed to be warmer.
I was blessed to see how this impacted my son.
At the time we were living in an old 1991 camper in a junkyard because the bank was about to repossess our home.
But .. 
We had a warm place to sleep.
We had doors we could lock while we slept.
We had more than ample fresh food.
Maybe our world was collapsing . .
  Or maybe God was providing opportunities and perspective to move forward for Him!!!

Could you/would you join me in outreach?
Give them the love of Jesus . .
Wouldn't Jesus stop to hug them?
Offer a cup of coffee and a chat?
Pray with them?
What if no one had listened to or prayed with you??!

Wrapped Outline Stitch

Haunted House at Detwiler Park

41.693173,-83.484656

Italian Knotted Border Stitch

Continuous French Knot

Model Trains at Wildwood Park

Selvage Strip Crazy Quilt

Planning a new crazy quilt ..  it's always fun to pull out my supplies and create something new!

#whatif Prompt for 12.22.18

Today's prompt:

       Now, that's classy!

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

🎾 #whatif Prompt for 12.21.18

Today's prompt:

     hitting tennis balls against a wall

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

Praying and Quilting . .

Anytime I can pause to quilt is a good time to pray .  a time to reflect on what He has brought me out of . . where He is leading me . . and to ask His guidance on my next steps . . I am coming into a season of great change so my prayer life is needing to expand accordingly. Change can be beautiful if done within His Devine Will .   .  He knows best!! 🙏🙌💞📚👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

🙏🌎If All Nations Prayed Together🌍🙌

2 Chronicles 7:14
14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

What if all Christians in all nation's around the world took one month and really put this verse into practice?
If pastor's worldwide would call for followers to
*humble themselves
*repent sincerely
*change lifestyles
*pray fervently
🙏

We would, as a planet-wide body of Christ, see amazing drastic change. 🙌

🚶#whatif Prompt for 12.20.18

Today's prompt:

Where do you hike?

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

Yes, I've been quiet lately . .

Yes, I've been quiet lately . . honestly, I was down with a weird sinus thing (I think it was trying to melt my brain!!) . . then something happened . . sometimes God puts certain events in our lives to teach us and this event did just that! It taught me to sit back . . be very quiet publicly . . pray fervently . . I have kept to myself . . but have kept closer to God. I have prayed . . not more  . . but more profitably. I have laid out my heart before the Lord but have included almost no one else in hearing my pleas.  . .
Because of these changes my days have been so much more peaceful . . and I've found a new contentment in where I am as well as a closeness to the Holy Spirit as never before.  . . that long deep sad feeling of loneliness and longing for a close girlfriend has completely disappeared! I am so thankful for that!! 🙌
Slowly He is revealing things to me and shoring up my battered heart with renewed hope. He is loving me as I am . . encouraging me to be me .  .  building my future on my strengths . . working with me on my weaknesses.
Yes, I've been quiet these last two (2) weeks . . I've also been ultra-blessed!!

#whatif Prompt for 12.19.18

Today's prompt:

   Best places to play hooky

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

Please Come Home

Know that you are still loved here . . and will be welcomed with open arms.
Come home 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

🍧#whatif Prompt for 12.17.18

Today's prompt:

  How to make an ice cream sundae

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

Psalm 112

1¶Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

6Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

7He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

8His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

10The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

As I sat and did my Bible study tonight this is where the Lord led me. I love when He brings such crystal clear answers and instructions right to my fingertips!! That is the blessing of being one of His precious children 😇
~ continue to fear God and delight in pleasing Him
~ do not be afraid of evil  . . keep heart fixed on trusting Him
~ pray and fast for enemies . . desire of the wicked shall perish

What do I really want for Christmas?
My family restored  . . together again even though we are all a true hot mess . . and then to grow in Him and be led to serve Him together.
So, yes, just all come home . . you are welcome and loved here.

🎄#whatif Prompt for 12.15.18

Today's prompt:

       Christmas p.j.'s

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

👸#whatif Prompt for 12.14.18

Today's prompt:

  Princess Pumpkin-Face

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

☕🐇 Rambling from the Homestead . . 💻📚

Hey, sorry I haven't been around much lately . . just posting daily prompts . . and I'm not even participating in my own!! I must say that I am still slowly recovering from that weird sinus thing that hit me (a week ago??) so am going overly slow with everything . . 
And then . . Yes, and then . . a new series from a pastor I follow started  . .  How to Fight Your Own Battles  . . how to run to God with all your battles . . not run to man (people). . not post online . . it has changed my life.
Now, I follow several pastor's on YouTube, but Evans Francis really touches my life in ways that can only be from the heart of God. Every day that I watch another of his videos my day is changed . . I am way way more focused on what He wants from my life . . quieter . . introspective . . and looking around more at what I can do for Him to help those with less than me, who struggle even more than I do day to day . .

So, I've been thinking, plotting my takeover of the world 😉
I need to get back on my prayer jug project. . I have been quietly accumulating plastic jugs of various sizes for this project . .
So here's my plan so far:
Set aside clear plastic jugs designated for specific people/situations.
Label each jug . . some with a specific name .. others with a simple colored ribbon . . but each labeled so I can keep them straight 😊
So far I want one for:
~ each of my children
~ daughter's husband
~ 4 grandchildren
~ Mom
~ husband
~ Toledo Restoration Church
~ Akron Restoration Home

. . .and my mind rambles along ticking off ideas of more jugs/people/situations to pray for . .

🐔 I am longing for a tiny homestead . . a few chickens 🐔 ducks 🦆 rabbits 🐇 .. . a nice garden . . veggies everywhere . . need to pray about it . . I know full well I can give God my all and still have all this too . . as I sit in a very very restrictive apartment setting I long for a place to plant some herbs, peppers, etc . . 🍓🥕🌶️🍅 really strongly feeling led to find a place to live where I can have it all . .

Okay, then there is college . . like a BIG dummy I quit college in 1984 after 3 1/2 years of studies so I could get married. . . in all actuality, although my first husband and I were good friends, we were not in love . . I don't recall love being much a part of it all or those words spoken between us . . how sad is that??! "But, I digrees . "
So I was initially an Architectural Engineering major at Fairmont State College in 1981. . didn't know that college was not accredited in my field of study . . smh . . when we moved to Toledo and I tried to transfer my credits to the University of Toledo I was informed all credits in my major could not be applied as core classes and would have to be repeated. My father refused to allow me to retake those classes and demanded that I change my major . . I LOVE to write so I chose Communications/Print Media (journalism). I did okay, well, I survived it ..  even wrote for the Collegian, as the college newspaper was called at that time.
But my heart wasn't in it . .
So I got married so I'd be allowed to quit school and move out.
smh
Wish I'd known I could seek assistance at the school advisor's office!!
And, I digress yet again . . 😉
I've been toying with the idea of returning to school for years and years but it always seemed just out of my grasp . . until now!!
I did talk to both U.T. and University of Phoenix advisor's and realized I needed to first sit down and thoroughly go through the lists of majors available to firmly decide for myself what I want. Yes, first priority is to simply finish college, aka have a degree, aka not be a quitter . .
"Quitters never win, winners never quit." "Joyce's  are not quitters."
Thanks Mom for all the years you repeated those phrases ad infinitum!!
Well, I looked at class listings for both universities and kept coming back to Communication!! LOL . .
At this point I found my schedule had changed and wouldn't accommodate me being in class on campus 12-16 hours/week much less the 24-32 hours of study time needed additionally ..  just wasn't going to happen. This clinched it~> University of Phoenix was the obvious answer.  . . there students take one class at a time and all online!!
So I looked through the majors under Communications . . one was for ex-military. . one was for those wanting to work more in, what looked like to me from the description, a downtown office . . Nope, well, probably not anyway.
But  . .
Communications/English . . Oooooo! The core classes (pretty much all I still need to take) looked like too too much fun!!!! 🤣 And, should I choose to add the necessary classes, I could get a teaching certificate for primary/secondary schools . . and maybe add a couple classes in special education teachering as communication can be such a huge hurdle there (first hand knowledge having raised an autistic son).
My first step is to see if my current laptop, a Toshiba Air is able to be updated to Microsoft 10 (and one other update) . . Then I need to apply to University of Phoenix and get my FAFSA done . .
Sooooo exciting!!

🎄#whatif Prompt for 12.13.18

Today's prompt:

Post a photo of your childhood Christmas🎄

Feel free to respond in your favorite way whether it be a poem, short story, photo, video . . however you best relate to the prompt. Simply post your ideas, create a ping-back and use the hashtag #whatif.

Latest News from Popton

The date for the  trip  to the old haunted  lollipop  factory, Pop's Lollipops, was cancelled because the ghost of old Mr. Pop threw pop rocks and  vanilla Coke in the  fountain used for mixing chocolate creating a citywide exploding shower!!
Stay tuned for further details. .

Christmas at Wildwood Manor House

Hmm . . Yeti's spending Christmas in Toledo!!

Santa's getting ready!! 🎅

Tea time . .
     maybe with the Mad Hatter?!! 🎩

Supper is served . .

Hanging out with friends and family . .

Stop by again soon!!