Mountain Musings

A Call for Prayer & Fasting

If you're a reader of Scott Brown Online, you're already aware of the call for prayer and fasting--for the marriage of precious daughters for the glory of God--on Tuesday, April 3.

This is actually an excellent follow-up to the on-going discussion about daughters and their God-given roles alluded to in yesterday's post.

You might want to read all of Scott Brown's posts on this subject (just scroll down as there are no individual permalinks working):

• A Call for Prayer and Fasting for Daughters (which includes suggestions of what to pray for, wisdom from scripture, when to pray, and twelve examples of fathers who cried out for their children)
• Biblical Thoughts About Fasting
• A Most Unusual Generation of Young Women

Will you pray with us?

~Deb

Another New Blog is Born

Our friends, the Trent Family, have officially entered the blogging world! I think we are probably as excited as they are about their new venture!

Their blog is called The Gathering Place. Head over and visit Julie (mom) and Alli (daughter) as they give us a glimpse of their lives as they seek to glorify God in all they do.

~Deb

I Agree, It is Enough

In a recent post Carmon states, "Family life is not mundane." I wish I'd been able to articulate my thoughts on the same subject a little better when recently asked,

"Are Hannah and Sarah ever going to do anything...big?"

We think preparing to be a wife and mother is about as big as it gets.

~Deb

Tea Wallhanging

Here are some pictures of the fourth McKenna Ryan wallhanging which I finished last week while I was at my mom's--this time it's one of the prints in the Coffee Classics series--A Fresh Cup.

Earlier I posted a picture of all the fabrics I'm using but couldn't post my progress at that time because this was a surprise gift for my tea-loving friend's birthday. Now that the wallhanging has safely arrived at its destination, I can share some of the in-progress pictures.

In the first picture (above right) you get an idea of the pattern itself, and the individual fabric sections that I sewed together are laid out in their proper sequence.

The next picture to the left shows all the little pieces (flowers, stems, vase and highlights, steam, cup, and saucer) traced and ready to iron onto the appropriate fabric in the correct positions as shown on the pattern.

To the right the first fused pieces are: saucer, cup, tea in cup, highlights on cup, and the steam wafting up. Hannah redesigned the coffee cup pattern so it would look more like a teacup, and I think it turned out quite well.

I like this part when everything starts shaping up, and the real picture is emerging. The two steam patterns were especially fun to cut and iron on.

Finally comes the harder part for me--the actual quilting. I'm not a knowledgeable sewer, and the machine I use doesn't have free motion capability--only trial and error with lowering the feed dogs and trying to get the machine to turn and quilt around each of those little leaves and flowers--not a pretty sight!

The last picture is of the finished wallhanging--well, almost finished. The beads for the flower centers still need to be sewn on which is what I completed at my mom's.

I think this is the last of the quilting for awhile, especially with spring here; the flower beds that need cleaning are calling my name. Plus, scrapbooking has taken a backseat for a few months while I've been caught up in all these beautiful batiks. My next crafty project: scrapbooking our 25th anniversary trip which was 1-1/2 years ago--I'll have to post progress pictures!

~Deb

Polka Dots & Posies

This prize package arrived last week while I was away, so it was extra special to sift through all the accummulated mail and open these treasures from Beth over at Beth's Bountiful Blessings as she celebrated her 100th post.

Check out the delightful black and white polka dot bag which I'm assuming she made for this giveaway. It's wonderfully roomy and will get much use this summer. And the box of floral stationery Beth included is great because I love to write letters! Thank you, Beth! I'm glad I discovered your blog!

And, yes, I photographed the prizes on my new chair which, by the way, I'm enjoying very much! Sure felt nice to recline in a wonderfully comfy chair like this after much digging and getting all my freebie plants in the ground! Sweet.

~Deb

I'm Home!

Being home--it's a good thing!

I arrived home yesterday afternoon after a week away of visiting my mom and then my sister for a few days in South Carolina. I'm always so thankful to arrive safely from a journey with no mishaps. Praise the Lord!

The family came out to greet me and helped unload all the treasures I picked up along the way--including, of all things, a new bedroom chair! Quite a neat haul! And the family had already re-arranged the entire room to accommodate the new purchase--in the exact corner where I had envisioned!

Everything we did was fun and memorable: a delicious birthday luncheon at our friend Rhonda's new house (my sister writes more about it with pictures on her blog), a trip to Country Boys greenhouse (always a must stop), pet-sitting my doggie-nephew Barney (believe me, he wasn't always this calm!), attending the services on campus and delighting in all the beautiful trees and flowers in bloom, and of course, all the galavanting around town shopping (have I already said I love Hobby Lobby?).

I also came home with lots of plants given to me by a friend of my sister's. I still don't know how I managed to fit them all into that little Subaru with the chair taking up most of the space. Where there's a freebie, there's definitely a way to make it fit!

So in case I'm scarce on the blog for the next couple of days, you can probably find me outside playing in the dirt--after I recuperate just a bit! :)

~Deb

This and that...

Just an update from the home front. :) We haven't been doing anything big here.

Let's see...earlier this week was the BBN Spring Shareathon. I always like to listen to it, so Monday through Wednesday it was playing on radios all over the house. My favorite part is calling in the answers to the riddles during the special Captain's Club time. You get your name read on the air if you get the right answer. So if anyone heard "Sarah from Virginia," that was me. :)

Thursday was very nice temperature-wise, even though it was rather cloudy, so Hannah was out in the garden in the morning. I scrubbed the floor and did some other odds and ends of "spring cleaning." Since it was so nice, we grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for supper.

Last night we celebrated Jonathan's spiritual birthday by going out to Arby's and getting Blizzards from Dairy Queen. Yummy!

So - that's a little update on what we've been up to this week. :)

~Sarah

365 Miles Away From Home

Just in case you're wondering where I've been and why I've not been visiting your blogs or writing posts here...

I left home on Monday morning headed to my mom's in South Boston to be with her for a few days--no computer there for sure!

Then yesterday I continued south to Greenville, South Carolina, to visit my sister and not only to help celebrate her birthday but also to attend a portion of the annual Bible Conference on campus.

We've had an enjoyable time so far--she lives 3 minutes from Hobby Lobby so you can guess where I've visited already!

Today's schedule: Morning services start at 10. Lunch is Mexican today--yay for El Rancho Grande! Services continue at 1:30 and then tonight at 7.

Saturday's schedule: shopping, browsing, shopping, eating out, shopping, crashing.

Sunday's schedule: I'll drive the six hours home to my family who have managed just fine without me I'm sure! But it will be good to see them again and catch up on all that's happened while I've been away.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

~Deb

Jennie B. and The Pilot

While on the road traveling recently, Mom, Sarah, and I had the opportunity to listen to this CD about Jennie Chancey and her relationship with her dad. It was the first time we had heard Mrs. Chancey speak, although I have read and been blessed by her testimony and other writings shared on the Ladies Against Feminism website.

In this message she spoke to young ladies and their fathers, urging the girls to live out the gospel by portraying a faithful picture of the bride of Christ as they joyfully submit to their parents. She told the story of her growing up years and her father's background as a writer and a pilot, detailing her dad's character and expressing gratefulness for the way her parents raised her up in the ways of the Lord. Jennie also explained God's work in her life that brought her to repentance from the feministic outlook she had developed while attending a Christian college. Her vision of what a godly woman is like was gradually renewed. She also relates the story of God's gracious hand in how she met and married her husband.

After the birth of Jennie's first son, her dad was tragically killed in a plane crash. His godly legacy is now being carried on in the lives of his children and grandchildren. A few months ago our family was unexpectedly introduced to Jennie's "Proverbs 31 on steroids" mother (who has since remarried) and her husband and daughter. A special family! Mrs. Bettie Need and her daughter have a sewing business in their home, and Mr. Need writes on Biblical topics as well as sells WW2 photos from the collection of Jennie's father.

I'd recommend this CD for anyone who would like to be encouraged as a daughter because it very clearly proclaims God's plan for us as women to live out "His story," but also it shows how a father, even imperfect ones, can have a great impact on future generations.

~Hannah

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Updated to add explanation of how the cake was made.

~Sarah