Motivate Me Monday- A Prayer

Today I  want to pray some things that are on my heart.

Father
Thank You that we have the privilege of calling you Father.
Thank You for Your protection and provision.
Thank You that You speak to Your children here on earth.

I come to You and ask that You would open the eyes of Your children today.
May we have discernment to know what is the truth and what is a lie.
May we choose to rebuke the lies of satan and break any agreements we have made with him.

Thank You for the authority given to us, through Jesus, over the devil and his fallen demons.
May we use it and give You the glory.

In Jesus Name
Amen

Link up your motivational and inspirational posts below.

Please Follow Me!

This looks like a really fun way to meet some new bloggers and gain some followers. Plus I am stumped for something to write today.
Click the graphic above and join the party!

Fun Fabric and Ribbon Blocks

I followed a cloth block tutorial over at Make It and Love It and added a little twist.

Ribbon!!

See how fun these are?

(I did not make the doll or the quilt).

Here's the how to:

Before heading over to Make It and Love It to follow her tutorial follow my few steps to attach the ribbon.

Cut 6 5x5 squares of fabric.

Cut 8-10 pieces of various ribbon 5inches long

Make a ribbon loop.

Pin 4-5 ribbon loops between 2 squares of fabric (right sides together for the fabric).

Make sure the tails of the ribbon are facing out. Do this with 2 sets of 2 squares.

Sew a straight seam along the fabric and ribbon ends. Press.

Now head over to Make It and Love It to put your cube together.

Happy Haggis Day!

Ok so most of you probably didn't know that on Monday it was Robbie Burns day. It's a fair bet for me to say that even less of you celebrated with a haggis supper. Here at the Palace we feasted!

Mmm Makes your mouth water doesn't it?

(I will spare you the details of what a haggis actually is.)

Ode to a Haggis was read with great respect and giggling.

Our dear friends were man enough to wear the kilts we provided

.

We Scotts sure know how to throw a party.

Bloggy Day Off

Have a great Tuesday!

Motivate Me Monday-Mercy

Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7

Some of you know that Craig and I own a few rental properties in a not so good part of the big city an hour away.
The people who live there are often very low income, disabled, or have addictions of some sort.  Often all three and more.
In the last couple of months I had taken it upon myself to give our tenants some tough love.  You know make them step up and take some responsibility for their actions.
Let me tell you a story:

We had a man named Bob (name changed) living in one of our basement suites. He wasn't happy with the other folks living in the building.  So I offered to let him rent the small house we have across the street.  He accepted.
Well let me tell you this man's appartment was a really big mess. (I will spare you the details to protect your gag reflex).  I gave him a week to have it showable.  By showable that meant that the floors, walls, bathroom, kitchen (fridge stove and cupboards) needed to be cleaned and there could be no dirty dishes left for weeks.  The deadline was Wednesday.  Monday I get a phone call complaining that he could not have the place cleaned by Wednesday.  Bob claimed that he didn't have any cleaners or money to buy them. Well that is not my responsibility.  Use dish soap to wash the walls, Use vinegar to mop the floor.  Find a solution.  I threatened him with keeping his damage deposit and hung up the phone.  (Tough love with a small side of bullying to get my way).

My dear husband Craig came home and I lamented about the terrible time I was having with Bob and how the guy is almost 50 years old and needs to take some responsibility for his life.

Do you know what Craig said to me?
Let me tell you!

He said "How can we help?"

Well smack me silly.  Help?  I hadn't even thought of helping.

When we bought properties in this neighborhood one of our reasons was to minister to the people living there. 

I was not ministering or showing love or being merciful in the least.

Mercy:  compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence.


Craig's words changed the way I handle my tenants now.  I am learning to ask "How can I help?" when a problem arises.


Now it's your turn.  Link up below with your motivational and inspirational stories.

I Have Become Lazy...

... in teaching my children to be disciples. If you hop over to my home preschool blog The Fifth Street Academy (yes i do actually live on Fifth Street)and read Reasons I Teach My Children you will see that#4 on the list is this:

One day I will have to give an account to God of what I did with what he has given me. I want to be able to show Him how I lovingly taught His children.

So here I sit inspired (after reading Kristi's post on Raising Timothy) to get back on the path less traveled.  To endure the hardship and receive the blessings I have been commissioned to.  

I will be praying for God to use me.  To open my eyes to how my children see me living.  To speak to me about teaching my children who He is and what He requires of us.  

Because my dear friends I can tell you that I am making a change and that I will be more vigilant in making my children disciples.  The truth is I won't.  God in me will.  God in me will overcome my flesh that wants to play on the computer too much God in me will help me choose to read a book to increase my knowledge and wisdom instead of a novel.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  

Find out about others Fresh Year Fresh Starts at Run the Earth Watch The Sky.

Showing Off My Stuff :)

Just wanted to show off a couple of projects I completed recently.
First up is an adorable hat I made for Hudson.

I got the pattern from You Can Make This.

The second is a bag I made for my Grandma for her birthday.

 

Isn't it cute!  I got the pattern (FOR FREE!) Over at Made By Rae.

Wordless Wednesday- First (little) Ponytail

For More WW head over to 5m4m

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday-Easy Refried Beans

Easy Refried Beans

1 can of kidney beans

1/4 cup canola oil

1-2 cloves of garlic

2tbsp chilies (the green kind from a can)

ground sea salt to taste.

Drain kidney beans reserving 1/2 cup of liquid. Pour the beans into a bowl and mash with a potato masher.
Heat oil in a large frying pan.  Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute.  Pour in mashed beans and turn down the heat to low.  Stir frequently.  Add the chilies and continue to cook until the beans have reached the desired consistency.  You may need to add some of the reserved liquid if the mixture gets too thick.
Add sea salt and remove from heat.  Serve warm:)

Motivate Me Monday - Undignified Worship

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might,while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart. 2 Samuel 6:14-16

Do you hold back when worshiping the Lord in public (i.e. at church)?  I do. 
My husband spoke in our worship service this week.  He talked about David dancing before the Lord, wearing a linen ephod as the ark of the covenant As the ark of the Lord was entering the city.

What is an ephod you might ask?  Well I didn't really know so let me fill you in;

ephod (noun)
a richly embroidered, apronlike vestment having two shoulder straps and ornamental attachments for securing the breastplate, worn with a waistband by the high priest. Ex. 28:6, 7, 25–28.(Dictionary.com)

So king David removed his royal clothes and dawned the garments of a high priest.  He put on the costume of a servant of God.

When we worship we need to humble ourselves before the Lord.  We need to remember that this is for Him and not for ourselves.  We need to leave behind our royal (selfish) attitudes.

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!"
 David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor." 2 Samuel 6:20-22

Oh how I want to worship with abandon.  To pour out my love for God and express my joy at being His.
Truthfully I look around and think who is watching me?  As I lift my arms I wonder do I have sweat stains in my pits?  I need to throw off my fear of human opinion and become undignified. 

I hope you will join me in making worshiping our Lord and King an honoring and praising time with Jesus and not a parade of how composed we can be.

Now it's your turn.  Link up below with your motivational and inspiration posts.

Tofu "Chicken" Strips

1 block of extra firm tofu

1/3 cup of soy sauce

Juice squeezed from 1/4 of a lemon

Dash of cinnamon

1/4 Tsp ginger

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

dash of dill

dash of paprika

salt and pepper

Drain tofu and slice the block in 1/2. Then slice tofu into strips.

Combine soy sauce, lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger in a shallow bowl.

Combine ww flour, dill, paprika and salt and pepper in a separate bowl or plate.

Dip the tofu strips into the soy sauce mixture and then into the flour mixture to coat. Fry in an oiled skillet (or your favorite frying pan) until golden brown.

When You Blow It

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, James 1:19

I blew it today.

I was so quick to speak and quick to become angery with someone that I should be shining Jesus light to.

Someone who is one of "the least of these".

Jesus forgives.    He works all things for good.  He tells us to forgive and love.

So when you blow it (and you will) remember that you do not need to hide in shame. 

You have a heavenly Father who loves you and wants you to come to Him with your burdens, your troubles, your repentance...

You are not your sin!

Wordless Wednesday- A rare glimpse at me.

For more WW head over to 5m4m

What I Want to Learn This Week

Yes that's right! I am reversing this post to ask you what you know about what I want to know. (Mwahahaha I feel so rebellious).

So here is what I want to know:

How do you sit at the feet of Jesus and listen? What do you do in that silence? Are you able to take your thoughts captive and really focus on hearing what the Holy Spirit is telling you?

Please let me glean your wisdom and leave me a comment answering these questions. Thank you.

Find out what oher people are learning over at Musings of a Housewife.