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