There is a great give-away at my talented artist friend's blog!  Her talented artist daughter has made some BEAUTIFUL purses that you MUST go see.  Please visit and enter the drawing.
http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/

New Business - New Vision - New Websites

Our SendOutCards websites have changed slightly to reflect some new vision that Jeff and I have for our business. To watch a 3 minute video about SendOutCards and to send a free card (our gift), please visit www.sendoutcards.com/worldchangers  To watch 4 short videos about the business opportunity of SendOutCards, please visit www.sendoutcards.biz/worldchangers To hear more about the 30 Day Gratitude Challenge, please visitwww.socgratitude.com/worldchangers

Double Beauty and Courage

The Lord decided to encourage me twice in the same day (in reality, I was encouraged throughout the entire day yesterday!) But He gave me two visual reminders of courage and strength.
Here is the first...

a beautiful piece of artwork created by my friend Sheila to help raise funds for a mission trip our youth group is making this summer. The statement "In Christ Alone" gives me courage.
And here is a close-up...

The second bringer of beauty and courage came from the same friend (she may not like me telling you this publically...) The Lord knows I need courage right now, with so many things happening in my family and around me (but isn't that true of you all?)
Here is my second "bringer of courage" for today.

Beauty and the thoughtfulness of a friend - they bring me both courage and a deep satisfaction
Thank you, Lord!
And thank you, friend, for being a bringer of beauty and courage twice in one day!

A New Business For Me

Jeff and I have started a side business that we are convinced will be a blessing to his contracting business, our family, friends and other contacts.
In short - Sendoutcards is a creative, convenient, cost-efficient way to stay in touch with those we know and love as well as those we are constantly meeting for the first time.
What will God do with this business?
Whatever He wants.
We've already committed it to Him to do with as He pleases.
Here's a link (you can't access my page without a password, but you can do a bit of poking around).
If you're interested in hearing more about how this might bless you personally or your business, please let me know.
sendoutcards

This Day in History

In 1791
Vermont became the 14th state.

In 1861
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th president of the United States.
The U.S. Government Printing Office began operation.
The Confederate States of America adopted as its flag the original version of the stars and Bars.

Leap Year/Day Fun "Facts"

The earth turns 365.2422 (about 365 days and six hours) times on its axis by the time it completes a full year’s orbit around the sun, which means periodically the calendar has to catch up, thus leap years. A leap year contains one extra day (24 hours), Feb. 29, for a total of 366 days, and 2012 is a leap year

Julius Caesar is credited with creating the leap year in 45 B.C. Pope Gregory XIII refined the calendar in 1582 with the rule that leap days would only occur in years divisible by four and century years divisible by 400. The calculation is meant to accommodate the length of a year being just less than 365.25 days.

A leap year is any year whose date is exactly divisible by 4 except those which are divisible by 100 but not 400.

In a normal sequence of years, a calendar date that falls on a Monday one year will fall on Tuesday the next, Wednesday the year after that, Thursday the year after that, and so on. But every fourth year, thanks to the extra day in February, we “leap” over the expected day of the week — Friday, for example — and that same calendar date lands on Saturday instead.

People born on leap year get a special name, leaplings or leapers. In days gone by, people believed these little leaping babies were harder to raise and were more prone to sickness.

The likelihood of being born Feb. 29 is 1 in 1,461.

Most leap-day babies celebrate birthdays Feb. 28, rather than March 1, since the day falls in their birthday month.

There was also a belief that changing the calendar by adding an extra day wreaked all kinds of havoc in nature. Farmers thought it messed up the growth of crops and cattle. In the words of the Scots, “Leap year was never a good sheep year.”

Folks also had a saying that beans and peas planted during a leap year grew the wrong way. (Not sure what the “wrong way” is?)

Folklore claims that on leap day, it’s acceptable for women to propose to men. The legend may have originated out of fifth-century Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait too long for skittish men. What was St. Patrick’s solution? Once every four years, a woman could pop the question. If a man refused, he had to buy her lavish gifts — among them rumored to be 12 pairs of gloves so the woman could hide her embarrassment of having a diamond-less left hand. Another penalty for a man’s refusal – “Any man who refused such a proposal owed his spurned suitor a silk gown and a kiss — provided she was wearing a red petticoat at the moment she popped the question.”
This legend is also linked to Sadie Hawkins dances, where women traditionally ask men for dates.

Master Bedroom - the details

I've added a few more things to my bedroom that you really must see.
First is a picture done by my Grandmomma Wheeler in pastels...

(it's hanging to the right of the bay window)

Next is an estate sale find that I adore...

And finally, my new rug - this photo does not do the colors justice. It is GORGEOUS!

Makeover Complete!

It's been about a year and a half since we did our own remodel of our home - all except one room. The master bedroom. And I'm so excited to tell you that our "retreat" room is finally finished!!
Here are some "before" pictures...

Before I show you the "after" pictures, I have to tell you a little about the process. Katherine, Abigail and I emptied the room. Katherine scraped the "popcorn" off the ceiling - HATE that stuff! Then we had the ceiling texturing done professionally. We also had painters paint the ceiling and walls. We've done lots of our own painting, but this time it was nice to have the professionals do it!
Then I cleaned, and cleaned, and mopped. I installed the outlet covers, and reinstalled the Roman shades (after my Jeffy put the brackets back up for me).
Jeff and I worked together to assemble our new bed - after 20+ years of having to vault into a really high bed, we decided it was time for a new one. This one is a platform bed with an 11" memory foam mattress. It's so comfy!
Then Jeff purchased, stained, measured for, cut and installed our baseboards (1x6), while I put together our inexpensive TV stand (it looks nice, but it's not wood... those are too expensive).
We chased down a really good deal on a TV/DVD combo at KMart...
And I had already picked out pillows, glass containers, floral, etc.
And I sewed a new cover for my window seat cushion. I'm not sure how it turned out so well, except that I prayed for help and received grace in my time of need ;)
Without further ado - here are the "after" pics...

Please ignore the red stool on that last photo - it kind of ruins the "mood" of the room!
The walls are still a little bare, but I have several pieces here at the house that I can use to complete the look, including a landscape done in pastels that my Grandmomma Wheeler did.