4 Rooms in 10 Days ...

It just so happens that I have time & motivation & $$ all at the same time :) There's so much to do but I don't want it to consume too much summer fun time w/ the kids sooo - I'm hoping to accomplish 4 major projects in 4 rooms in 10 days:

2 Bathrooms
Kitchen
Master Bedroom

With the exception of some finishing touches (which is why I'm waiting to post pics) one bathroom & the kitchen are done - & I just may finish the master bedroom today!

Have you seen God today?

I've been to church
I've read the book
I know He's here but I don't look
Near as often as I should...

His fingerprints are everywhere
I just slowed down to stop & stare
Opened my eyes & man I swear
I saw God today!

$$ Cold Hard Cash $$

¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. ¹¹ As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?

Ecclesiastes 5:10 - 11

When I see & feel the cold hard cash I'm spending (as opposed to swiping the plastic) I tend to be much more frugal. Toward that end, my husband & I have agreed not to use our debit card (& we rarely use a credit card) for daily non-essentials & instead set aside a certain amount of CASH each week to spend on "extras" - things we don't REALLY need ...eating out, home decor, entertainment, "toys", etc. Whatever we don't spend we can carry over to save up for something bigger/special/unexpected...etc. The bank/ATM will likely become our first stop after church on Sunday evenings - as it was last night - to get the cash for the week.

And - I've decided to save my loose change by collecting it in a Rainy Day Fund jar that Strike painted for me a while back ... in the past I've been amazed at how quickly it adds up!

Normally I rarely use cash - so this will be different for me...challenging - but already I'm kind of enjoying it & I do find myself thinking/feeling differently about spending & the way I feel (stingy!) means saving is likely to come more naturally :)

Please take a number....

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Three Cups of Tea

I just read:

With the first cup of tea you are a stranger.
With the second...a friend
With the third cup of tea, you are family

"That day, Haji Ali taught me the most important lesson I've ever learned in my life," Greg said. "We Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly. ...Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them."

- Greg Mortenson -
(my emphasis added)

Penpals!

While my brother was here from West Africa he arranged for Strike to be e-penpals w/ one of his students - a girl about her age - I'll call her Penny bc I don't like to use real names on my blog. I'm SO excited about this. At the very least I hope Strike makes a new friend in a faraway place & that the two girls learn things from each other about places & people so different from them & where they're at! At best....I hope to visit that new friend in that faraway place w/ Strike in the spring!

Before my brother heads back I want to take Strike shopping for a gift for Penny...something small & easy to pack - that my brother can take from our corner of the world to hers.

Kissing the War Goodbye

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I love WWII history & memorabilia ... not the war(!) but how our country united in a common cause & how God guided & preserved our nation during that time.

This pic was taken the day the Japanese surrendured - V-J Day, August 14, 1945 & was published in the New York Times & a repro now hangs in our home. It reminds me of my husband (who was in the Navy when we were first married) & I. Can't tell you how many times we kissed hello :) & goodbye :( on the pier in front of the USS Constellation.

This past weekend the 4th of July parade we attended in Bristol had a float & supposedly the two people in the pic were on it too (apparently several have laid claim to be them?!). There was an article in Bristol's local newspaper about them & the man is now in his 80's.



more info can be found here

Just tho't it was neat...ironic & iconic :)