Scrap Yarn Fun

I had some red and green scrap yarn that needed to be used. A few Saturdays a group of women from church got together to make coasters, and I got the idea to make these ones :)

Super easy. Super fast. Super cute.

Next on the crochet coaster list is pears and owls... we'll see how the owls go ;)

If you would like to see more things I make crocheting, go to my Etsy Shop, Kirsty's Korner.

Have fun!

Yet I Sin...

A Prayer from the Valley of Vision: Yet I Sin.

Eternal Father,

Thou art good beyond all thought,

But I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind;

My lips are ready to confess,

but my heart is slow to feel,

... and my ways reluctant to amend.

I bring my soul to Thee;

break it, wound it,

bend it, mould it.

Unmask to me sin's deformity, that I may

hate it, abhor it, flee from it.

My faculties have been a weapon of revolt against Thee;

as a rebel I have misused my strength,

and served the foul adversary of Thy Kingdom.

Give me grace to bewail my insensate folly,

Grant me to know that the way of transgressors is hard,

that evil paths are wretched paths,

that to depart from Thee is to lose all good.

I have seen the purity and beauty of Thy perfect law,

the happiness of those in whose heart it reigns,

the calm dignity of the walk to which it calls,

... yet I daily violate and contemn its precepts.

Thy loving Spirit strives within me,

brings me Scripture warnings,

speaks in startling providences,

allures by secret whispers,

yet I choose devices and desires to my own hurt,

impiously resent,

grieve,

and provoke Him to abandon me.

All these sins I mourn, lament, and for them cry pardon.

Work in me more profound and abiding repentance;

Give me the fullness of a godly grief that trembles and fears,

yet ever trusts and loves,

which is ever powerful,

and ever confident;

Grant that through the tears of repentance I may see more clearly

the brightness and glories of the saving cross.

Coooooookieeeees!!!

I love being in the kitchen- in case you can't tell already- and when it comes to cookies, I almost never follow the recipe. A huge faux-pas, I know, but I like to experiment and jazz things up :)

While in the kitchen today, the cookies I made came out exceptional and I want to share them.

Best-Ever-Secret-Ingredient-Chocochip-Cookies

• Butter, softened- 1 cup
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Brown Sugar - 3/4 cup

Lightly cream in mixer.

• Eggs - 2
• Vanilla Extract- 1 Tbsp

Again, mix until creamy.

• Flour - 3 cups
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Baking Soda - 1 tsp
• Secret Ingredient- 1 Tbsp Chili Powder

Mix these four dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add slowly to the wet ingredients, mixing at intervals. Don't dump it all in at once or it'll snow flour in your kitchen!!! And trust me about the chili powder... just maybe don't tell it to the people you're feeding the cookies to until they try cookies and praise them to the skies ;)

Add a package of choco chips (approx 1 cup).

Drop the dough by tablespoons and 2 inches apart on a grease or foil covered cookie sheet.

Bake by 350 degrees for 10-12 mins or until slightly golden brown.

Cool off and enjoy... just don't tell your guests the secret ingredient until you're sure they can handle it ;)

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 60
• Amount Per Serving: 1 Cookie
• Calories: 79.9

• Total Fat: 4.2 g
• Cholesterol: 14.5 mg
• Sodium: 64.9 mg
• Total Carbs: 10.7 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
• Protein: 1.0 g

Climbing: Rosalind Goforth

This book has become one of my favorite missionary biographies.

Each page is filled with honest, genuine, human trials and temptations, how Rosalind Goforth succeeded and failed, and how God brought about His glory through it. She is most definitely one of my heros of the Faith because she knows her faults/weaknesses and is not afraid to discuss them- showing how God used them to manifest and magnify His strength.

Indeed, there are so many parts of this book that I would love to highlight for you, and it is almost impossible to choose one section, yet I think this story that Rosalind shares shows her heart for people and for the work of the Gospel.

May we all desire this heart.

My husband and I were on our way to a certain large center- and important outstation. It was Saturday, and we were due to begin a series of meetings the following day. When about half way, we had to stop at a village to water the animals. We women- myself and the Bible women- were perched on a larger farm cart loaded high with baggage. Dr. Goforth walked with the evanelists, taking his turn with them in an occasional lift by the cart.

Just as we stopped, a woman came running up to the side of the cart. Taking hold of my hand, and peering closely into my face, she cried: "Is it Miss Pyke? No, oh no it is not! I was in the hospital at Changte for several months and Miss Pyke taught me how to pray. I've tried to tell my neighbors (by this time quite a crowd had gathered about us) but I don't know how. All I can do is put my hands together and say 'Jesus, Savior, forgive my sins; pity me; cleanse my heart and save me!' Oh, do tell my neighbors quickly!"

I tried to tell, but my voice broke so I had to sign to Mrs. Wang, my Bible woman, to speak. I had recovered just enough to say only a few words when the call came for us to go on. The poor woman tried, almost frantically, to persuade out men to stop 'just one night'. The villagers joined in pleading, 'We want to hear!'

But we had to go on... we never saw those dear people again, for we left the Changte field soon after.

Truly, a moving story. Rosalind talks about the 'what if' question haunting her for the rest of her life. 'What if' they did stop? 'What if' they were the only Christians those people would ever meet?... 'What if'? I believe those people came to know the Lord- through Rosalind or someone else- but it does leave me to wonder... 'What if' I were in the position- what would I do?

Or more like 'When I'm in that position- what do I do?'

Continuation of Crocheted Purse Project

The inspiring pictures I saw on FutureGirl:

The purses my mind and hands shaped:

The first two pictures are a small tote-like purse. I just made a whole bunch of different kinds of flowers and sewed them on... to me it's too cluttered; so the second purse (third picture) was birthed. Simple design of flowers on one side and brown on the other, large enough for your computer, lined with cloth inside... I prefer it at least ;)

In a couple of days I'll get the pattern up for you all, if you would like... once I figure what I did ;) I loved doing it- if I could do this and read and teach for the rest of my life, I would be quite content! Thank God that I have extra time to do it right now, He's blessed me with that :)

Patience Eliminates _____

I was reading my Streams in the Desert (click for daily reading) by missionary wife L.B. Cowman (click for short biography), and thought today's reading was very applicable - well, all of them are, but this one hit me pretty hard.

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7

Have you ever prayed and prayed, and waited and wait, and still see no evidence of an answer? Are you tired of seeing no movement? Are you at the point of giving up? Then perhaps you have not waited in the right way, which removes you from the right place-- the place where the Lord can meet you.

"Wait for it patiently" (Romans 8:25). Patience eliminates worry. The Lord said He would come, and His promise is equal to His presence. Patience eliminates weeping. Why feel sad and discouraged? He knows your needs better than you do, and His purpose in waiting is to receive more glory through it. Patience eliminates self-works. "The work of God is this: to believe" (John 6:29), and once you believe, you may know all is well. Patience eliminates want. Perhaps your desire to receive what you want is stranger than your desire for the will of God to be fulfilled.

Patience eliminates all weakness. Instead of thinking of waiting as being wasted time, realize that God is preparing His resources and strengthening you as well. Patience eliminates all wobbling. "He touched me and raised me to my feet" (Daniel 8:18). God's foundations are steady, and when we have His patience within, we are steady while we wait. Patience yields worship. Sometimes the nest part of praiseful waiting is experiencing "great endurance and patience... joyfully" (Colossians 1:11). While you wait, "let [all these aspects of] patience have her perfect work" (James 1:4), and you will be greatly enriched.

Upper Body Workout

Want to tone your triceps, strengthen your biceps, and develop your shoulders??? Make Creme Brulee... honest! You try whipping 1 quart of stove-warmed heavy cream with 1 tsp of vanilla, 3/4 cup of superfine sugar, and 10 egg yolks for 5-8 mins or until light yellow!!! Granted, the desired results are marvelous- the crisp, golden topping, the creamy, silky inside, the muscles aching in your arms- but what calories you burned in the making of the custard you gain back (that and probably double) in the eating of it!

Thanks to my lovely cousin, Kylee, for the wonderful Christmas present of a torch and ramekins! I think I want to start a collection of ramekins, they're so cute!!! *heart*

For the delicious and super easy recipe, check out Pioneer Woman

Love at First Sound

I grew up on music like this- my grandparents are from El Salvador- and when I heard this man... I melted.

Consider this your cultural experience for the day :)

My Weekend Project

I decided I needed an indoor, weekend project. It's been rainy- which means that I can't work outside in my garden- and I'm sick, so I'm 'stuck' inside all day. So I pulled out some yarn I have. Some. Yes, this picture is just SOME... maybe a 1/4 of what I own...

With all this multi-color yarn I have- scraps, bits and pieces everywhere- I thought it would be a good idea to work on a project that could use up all those little pieces. As I searched Google Images- Crochet Purse, I found this. Beautiful. It's on a crafter's dream site called FutureGirl. She's got lots of fun stuff if you're into crocheting, knitting, embroidery and the like.

So, this is my project for the weekend. It may take a while figuring out the pattern, but it will be sooo worth it in the end!

~*~ Proverbs 31 ~*~

The Acceptable Sacrifice

When I was in North Carolina, visiting some friends before I began my Wycliffe training, we went to this little corner bookstore called The Waxhaw Reading Room- Used Bookstore. The books are donated to them, and whatever money they make from selling them goes to help out the Public Library with various activities that they do. For me, as a Librarian, it was heaven :)

Anyway, as we were there, I found this little treasure of a book- The Acceptable Sacrifice by John Bunyan (that link takes you to Amazon). This was Bunyan's last book- an exposition of Psalm 51:17. He shows from Scripture why a broken heart is so acceptable to God, characterizing the unbroken heart of man, showing why it must be made contrite, and explaining the nature of the change which is involved. He also guides the reader in discerning whether this change has taken place, and shows how the heart, once broken, can be kept tender.

It's a beautiful book. Here's an excerpt:

God, as I may say, is forced to break men's hearts before He can make them willing to cry to Him or be willing that He should have any concerns with them; the rest shut their eyes, stop their ears, withdraw their hearts, or say unto God 'Be gone (Job 21:14)!' But now the broken in heart can tend it. He has leisure, yea, leisure and will and understanding and all, and therefore is a fit man to have to do with God. There is room also in this man's house, in this man's heart, in this man's spirit, for God to dwell. For God to walk.

For God to set up a kingdom.

~ John Bunyan

Oh, and did I mention I bought this book for a dollar?

That's right- $1.00

It was love at first sight :)

A Treasured Chest

I had been eying this chest up in the back corner of the garage, thinking, "I would love take that down, dust it off, and make it my Hope Chest!"

So the other day, I decided to do just that.

Dad helped me pull it down off the shelf, and as I was standing under it I looked up and noticed that there was a bottom panel missing. "Dad, did you know..." but I didn't get to finish my sentence because a handful of rat dropping fell in my face (though thankfully not in my mouth!).

For a quick history of the company- ROOS MFG Chicago Co Est 1871- and the chests they make, click here.

Needless to say, getting the chest fixed up took a lot more than some dusting! Here are the before pictures, what I did to fix it up, and the after pictures:

Things Needed:

1. Hammer or Flathead Screwdriver
2. Vacuum with brush tip
3. Baking Soda
4. Sandpaper- 60, 100, and 150 grit... 220 if you can get it.
5. Sanding Machine
6. Rags
7. Polyurethane

Steps Taken:

• Took the nails out of the cloth so I could remove the cloth... ew... and vacuumed the inside and outside with the brush-tip (helps to not leave scratches).
• Set an open Baking Soda box inside the Chest, closed it, and let it set for a day to help rid whatever smell of animals and dust there might be left.
• Inside: sanded with the 100 grit sandpaper, wiped out the dust with a dry cloth and vacuum.
• DON'T APPLY COAT!!! If you apply varnish, wax, or
  anything on the inside, it will cover up the natural cedar smell and bugs will then be more attracted to it!!!
• DON'T EVER USE STEEL WOOL!!! On the inside or the outside. The inside doesn't need it, and on the outside it will react chemically with the Polyurethane.
• Outside: sanded down the outside with 60, 100, then 150 grit paper, wiped the dust COMPLETELY OFF with a dry rag and then a damp rag. Let dry before applying the Polyurethane with a clean rag. Let sit for 2 hrs.
• Sanded lightly with 150, preferably use a 220grit if you have it, applied Polyurethane again and let it sit 24 hrs.
• Show it off, you're done :D

Cloths of Heaven

I heard this today and fell in love with this man. Sadly, he is 72 years dead; but luckily he has left a legacy behind him :)

"Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,

Enwrought with golden and silver light,

The blue and the dim and the dark cloths

Of night and light and the half-light,

I would spread the cloths under your feet:

But I, being poor, have only my dreams;

I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams."

~William Butler Yeats