Random Contemplations

Give food to the hungry while improving your vocabulary. What could be better than that?

Love one another!~Yvonne

Always Sail, Never Drift by Oliver Wendall Homes

“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where
we stand
as in what direction we are moving;
To reach the port of heaven, we must sail
sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it,
but we must sail,
and not drift, nor lie at anchor.”

It Is Well with My Soul by Horatio G. Spafford

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well with my soul.”

It is well
It is well
with my soul;
with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet
though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed his own blood for my soul.

It is well
It is well
with my soul;
with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.

My sin O the bliss of this glorious thought!
my sin, not in part, but the whole
is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well
It is well
with my soul;
with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.

O Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
the trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
“Even so” it is well with my soul.

It is well
It is well
with my soul;
with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.

This is my very favorite hymn! I have found peace and solace in it countless times, in my walk with God, through this life.

Love one another!~Yvonne

A neat poem that I came accross while reading a new book called An Unlit Path: One Family’s Journey Toward the Light of Truth by Deborah L. Hannah. I will let you know how I like it later, but this poem was in the very first chapter and really caught my heart.

Eclecic Domestic and Bohemian Housewife!

What some have said about Samantha’s previous publications of Eclectic Domestic and Bohemian Housewife:

“Samantha’s writing style is very appealing…open without being morbidly introspective.” ………Carmon at Buried Treasure

“Eclectic Domestic appears to be devoted to encouraging godly womanhood, and… it does just that…What you WILL find in them is great artwork, thoughtful articles, and much more. “
………..Molly of Choosing Home

“It was a gem. I learned some things, was encouraged, it had some yummy sounding recipes, and was just a delight!”
………..Kim at Large Family Logistics

I have read and re-read my last zines from Samantha. Samantha is so open and encouraging, her words echo in my own heart. I am lucky enough to know Samantha personally, but even if I didn’t I would buy and read these zines, seriously.

I had just met Samantha, a couple of years ago now, when I first read the rough copy of her previous zine. We were sitting in the kitchen of a mutual friend, and I was perusing it, and asked if I could take it and read more at home, she agreed. I remember lying in bed that night, reading and during one article even crying…I was so surprised at how much of what she had to say spoke to me.

I barely knew Samantha at that time, but since then we’ve built a lovely friendship that I treasure…it all started with her zines.

You may never have the chance to personally know Samantha, as I have, but if you get her zines you will be blessed by her writings. Click HERE to find out how to order. You can visit her blog, The Home Realm, she is currently on an indefinite bloggeing break, but there are a ton of archives to go through! Happy reading!

Go over to Boo Mama’s and read this to learn more about Kelli and why she needs our help TODAY. Then go here to find out HOW to help.

Love one another!~Yvonne

UPDATE: Boo Mama has posted the total amount that was raised for Kelli and I have to say WOW! She has also included a link to read something Kelli wrote over at her own blog to thank everyone. I just was amazed, watching the total grow. Amazed, what God nudging one person to do something to help turned into!

Great ideas abound, at the following links, to help us moms keep ourselves and our children focused on the real “reason for the season”!

Keeping Christ in Christmas
Advent for Evangelicals
An e-book by Ann Voskamp: The Glorious Coming: A Jesse Tree Advent Celebration a cool thing about this e-book is that all **Author royalties are being donated to
Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child.**

We are using a little of everything here for our Advent celebrations. Another big part of it for us will be our nightly reading from the book Jotham’s Journey and the nightly lighting of our Advent wreath. If you don’t have the book Jotham’s Journey already, it is out of print right now while the author is looking for a new publisher, keep on the lookout for it for next year. Last year we read Bartholomew’s Passage, by the same author, and it was wonderful. Christine and I both really liked it a lot.

Admission: I did get lazy about it (our Advent readings) at the end, Joshua was still very new around here and sick a lot, and I think I was just exhausted. So….we actually just finished it! :-) Christine has been joking all year that we are still “waiting for the Messiah” because we had not yet completed the book. Little stinker! So, don’t think I am Miss Perfect Mom over here, always smiling, baking muffins, and reading our daily Advent readings…Ha,ha! I have my days where all seems right in the world and here at home, but more often than not it’s a struggle to stay focused and on Him and our daily tasks. I am a sinner in need of the grace that the Lord provided through His Perfect Son, whose coming we celebrate during Advent. Praise God for the one and only Perfect Gift!

Love one another!~Yvonne

I have posted about this father and son team before, but this video really tells so much more of the story, and best of all; it’s in their own words. They inspire me more than I can ever express…

You can also click HERE to read a great article that was done in Sport Illistrated on the Team Hoyt.