tascha

in EVERYTHING

give thanks.

Giving thanks. This is a conscious effort that I am praying to make a way of life. He cannot take my thanks from me. I must give it to Him.

If I am trusting God, why would I not give thanks to Him? He has given me so many promises. And I am beyond unworthy.

this Life.

my own. my husband’s. children. friends. family.

give thanks.

eternal Life.

salvation. through Jesus only. There is nothing I could ever hope to try to do to gain Heaven. or His favor. ever.

give thanks.

family.

parents. brother. grandparents. cousins.

husband. children.

give thanks.

work.

the ability to do so. my husband’s job. income. the opportunity to teach my children.

give thanks.

friends.

near or far. just a phone call away.

health.

love.

possessions.

intelligence.

give thanks.

I will never give proper praise for all He has given me and done for me. Even the frustrations of life are for a purpose. To make me stronger. To show me just how much I need Him. To teach me to love the unloveable. To show me how I need to change to be more like Him. To remind me that life is not about me.

When I have a proper view of Who God is and who I am… giving thanks WILL BE a way of life.

These are just some thoughts I have had the past few days and have finally taken the time to write some of it out. Thankfulness is often a difficult sentiment to express beyond

thank you, God.

You love me and that is more than I could ever ask for.

And in learning and applying thankfulness, I pray I become just a little bit better at being that woman God created me to be for my man.

what am I leaving behind?

by tascha | 2 comments

what am I leaving behind?

This is a poem my Granny sent my mother long ago… and in turn, my mother gave it to me-written in my granny’s beautiful hand… though the ink has faded to nearly unreadable.

The gift is not in the paper but in the thought behind it. and the time taken to pen it. and the time taken to teach and pray. Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Granny.

A gentle reminder to each of us that the most important parts of our children’s lives are not gained by being able to buy everything we see but in taking the time to be a part of their childhood and SHOWING [not just verbally teaching] them about God and His love for them and their whole family.

Have a blessed day.

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what did you say?

by tascha

My husband sent me a link the other day for an article entitled ‘Christian Cussing?’

This topic is actually something that had been on my heart and mind for a couple of months now, as I listen to my children mimic my speech.

As crazy as it may seem [today], I want my children to be well-spoken, use proper grammar and even know what the words they use mean.

With that being said, it is difficult for my children NOT to be exposed to illiterate speech. We live in an illiterate society.

[I am in no way trying to imply that every single person we come into contact with is illiterate. This is a generalization made from simply listening to people around me and is not meant to offend, just make aware. Words are important.]

{Even more importantly} I also do not want my children uttering profanity.

BUT, what is profanity? What is unacceptable speech?

Is it just the ‘major’ cursings [the Lord’s name in any way other than speaking to or about Him, the 4-letter words, etc. I am not going to spell them out]?

Or are slang [replaced] words wrong, too?

The linked article at the beginning of this post has quite a list of slang-I will not try to delve into that. Please read what he has listed. Some of those expressions I had never heard of. But several I had, and seeing their origin made me question whether or not I should say them let alone my children!

In Psalms 19 the Bible says:

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

If I am expressing words simply to let my emotion have voice [as the majority of reasons for cursing, swearing, or whatever you call it] are these ‘words of my mouth being acceptable in the sight of the Lord’? They have no use other than expressing feelings. They often are not even used in proper context. [Is God going to bring damnation on an object just because you don’t like it?]

These are just some thoughts that have been in my heart for a while.

Ecclesiastes 3:14

I would love to read your opinions [kind words, please], but I must show one example that puts shame on my head.

I have often spoken the words ‘oh my goodness’ when I am at a loss of how to express shock or sadness. Each time, I would feel a prick in my spirit that those words were being used vainly, but I did not fully examine it until recently [not many days before I read that article].

One question I finally faced gave me my shame:

Who/what IS my goodness?

Do I even HAVE goodness apart from The Good One?

So is that not in essence saying…. Lord, I have no respect for your name or the simple fact that You are good.

As I said. Just a thought.

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{born of necessity} fruit cobbler

by tascha | 2 comments

This creation was born of a desire for peach cobbler and no fresh peaches and no way to get any right then. {smiles}

so –use what you have!

[great for mid-winter when fresh fruit is not readily available…or affordable.]

Preheat oven to 375*.

1 can of sliced peaches [in natural juices or light syrup], spread out in a 9×13 pan & cover with 1/2 [or so] cup of rolled oats [not the quick cook kind]

looking yum already!

2-3 very ripe apples sliced thinly [about 16 slices per apple for me]; layer over the peaches and oatmeal.

Sprinkle your own mixture of cinnamon and sugar… [I like to make my own mixture so it can be more cinnamony and less sugary than the store-bought].

And then for a extra special holiday flavor I sprinkle about 1 -1-1/2 tsp allspice on it.

For a topping I have used several different things:

Store bought cresent rolls: self-explanatory

My favorite was pie dough.

And have also used a streusel type dough, but that’s a LOT of oatmeal.

Cover with your desired [or available] dough

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes …or until juices are bubbly.

sorry it’s blurry

Allow to cool at least 20 min. [yeah right!]

blurry again -ugh.

and consume.

My latest addition was about 1 cup of frozen blueberries sprinkled on before the dough topping. If you have a child that is fond of brightly colored foods… it makes the WHOLE oatmeal part very purple. {smiles} It was VERY yum.

And if you like it more fruity-use 2 cans of peaches [but drain 1 of the juice] or 1 can of peaches and 1 can of apricots or pears.

Serving options include: warm, ala mode [vanilla or REAL strawberry-YUM], whipped cream, with other fresh berries.

ENJOY!

blankets & pillows & castles

by tascha | 1 comment

upon first glance you must think

this is a haphazard mess!

and, in a way, you would be correct 🙂

but there is control in the chaos!

with EVERY. SINGLE. couch pillow forming walls

and the coffee table edging the ‘front’

with all their throw blankets spread out.

one on top of the other.

[cause no one’s blanket can be left out!]

my girls lounge in their CASTLE!

can you find them? LOL

and yes, they KNOW they are PRINCESSES!

My girls ask to play CASTLE- and I know that I will have, at the very least, 30 minutes of relative harmony and very few questions. Of course, there is the mess. But he who makes a mess… you know it! Cleans it up! Mostly it is just putting the pillows back on the couches and taking their blankets back to their room…

and they will sit in their CASTLE and read books, color, watch TV, and play general make-believe very nicely-so I help them get all those stuffed animals back to their basket when it’s all done.

works for me .2

by tascha | 4 comments

taming the hair bows

[inspired by]

a cork board with no home

[and extra ribbon]

lightly spray painted white

[craft glue]

a pack of magnets
[from the craft store or walmart]

add hair bows

lots & LOTS of hair bows!

[going to put on pegs]
[to hang head bands and elastics]

And hang on the wall. Ours is not permanently hung anywhere yet, but it is very helpful for the girls to have a place that their bows BELONG. The decorativeness of it is just a bonus-that makes it FUN to put them away. oh YES!

AND, as you can see, we have plenty of room for MORE bows

-guess I’d better get busy. {{smiles}}

for hanging hair bands

[inspiration from another project]

EDITED TO ADD:

[places to buy bows]

Rachel’s Ribbon Candy

Chic Made Cheap

COMPLETED

PROJECT

works for me .1

by tascha | 1 comment

How do you store your lids?

This is my ‘everything’ cupboard. It includes all plastic storage containers, baking dishes, plastic picnic plates, salad spinner, casserole dishes, hand mixer, and standing on the side are my cupcake pans and cookie sheets [hiding].

containers are stacked by shape
circle, square, rectangle

And then came the day when my lid drawer became a sippy cup/snack bowl drawer [when we had child # 3 on the way]. I tried to put all my lids in one container to sit in the cupboard-did not work. I may have tried some other ideas but really have no recollection of what they were-just that they didn’t work either.

the shelf is only half the cupboard
(normal, I think)

Enter:

$Tree ‘garment bags’

I had bought a couple packs since they were 2/$1,

and I was trying to get baby SOCKS under control [still working on that one]. And every time I opened this cupboard, I saw the door… and this wasted space above my bowls.

Something ‘clicked’ !

[in my head]

Some nails tapped in just enough to stay,

and I have lid holders. Attached to the doors. I can see into them, and crumbs can fall through [cuz who doesn’t have crumbs falling off the counter?]. And if they aren’t quite dry when they are put away… well, you know.

And they are sorted just as the stacks of bowls: one side is circles and the other side is square/rectangle.

the heart of her husband {1}

by tascha

the heart of her husband {1}

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her…

Proverbs 31:11a.

Safely trust means to be secure or have confidence in.

This one thought is the crux of her virtue and can only be achieved through daily diligence.

All the days of her married life,

her husband’s heart is safe in her hands.

yellow daisy2

There is so much that could be said here. Indeed, I have read several books on this subject.

But I will suffice it to say that if I, as a wife, must follow the instruction in Titus 2:

be sober [in control of my senses]

love my husband [be his friend, lover, confidant]

love our children [be affectionate and nurturing]

be discreet [in control of my desires]

be chaste [modest in all things: mind and body. other descriptive words: demure, undefiled, ladylike]

be a keeper at home [having a guarding spirit: guarding your home from worldliness- both for the sake of your children’s minds and for your husband’s reputation. also, the physical well being of those in your home: cooking, cleaning, creating a place of warmth]

be good [useful and pleasant to be around]

be obedient to my husband [this is my God-given RIGHT to be UNDER my husband’s authority]

that the word of God be not blasphemed.

[I would be terrified to know that the way I lived my role as a wife/mother caused someone to speak reproach on Christ].

Titus 2:4,5

then my husband’s heart can be safe in my care.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her…

Proverbs 31:11a.

Safely trust means to be secure or have confidence in.

This one thought is the crux of her virtue and can only be achieved through daily diligence.

All the days of her married life,

her husband’s heart is safe in her hands.

yellow daisy2

There is so much that could be said here. Indeed, I have read several books on this subject.

But I will suffice it to say that if I, as a wife, must follow the instruction in Titus 2:

be sober [in control of my senses]

love my husband [be his friend, lover, confidant]

love our children [be affectionate and nurturing]

be discreet [in control of my desires]

be chaste [modest in all things: mind and body. other descriptive words: demure, undefiled, ladylike]

be a keeper at home [having a guarding spirit: guarding your home from worldliness- both for the sake of your children’s minds and for your husband’s reputation. also, the physical well being of those in your home: cooking, cleaning, creating a place of warmth]

be good [useful and pleasant to be around]

be obedient to my husband [this is my God-given RIGHT to be UNDER my husband’s authority]

that the word of God be not blasphemed.

[I would be terrified to know that the way I lived my role as a wife/mother caused someone to speak reproach on Christ].

Titus 2:4,5

then my husband’s heart can be safe in my care.

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