Author: RefreshHer

Family life

Enjoy the Dog Days of Summer

RefreshHer1 Comment

Does this picture put a chill in your spine? This was last winter – a snowy winter for East Tennessee. I thought summer would never get here! Well, we’re now experiencing mid-summer weather with temps in the 90’s, but I am not complaining!

I love going outside with no coat on, having flowers blooming in my yard, and the fact that it’s still light outside at 9:00! I love having local fresh vegetables and fruits that are sweet and tender. I love the sight of lightening bugs at night and the sound of the cicadas in the trees. I love swinging on my swing on the deck early in the morning or late in the evening. I just love summer! I hope you’re enjoying it too.

Psalm 74:17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

Just in case you’re a mom who might have run out of ideas to keep your children busy this summer, I thought I would post some great suggestions I found in a home and garden publication.

1. Make a summer scrapbook. Include everything–even the little stuff. The price tag from your fave sundress, amusement park ticket stubs, photo booth pics of you and the crew and vacation postcards are all awesome additions to your book. It’ll be a summer you’ll never forget.

2. Grow a green thumb! Purchase some packets of flower seeds–cosmo, poppy, sunflower (unsalted, of course!)–and plant them in your own garden patch. Tending to your sprouts will keep you super-busy, and it’s oh-so satisfying to watch as your blooms blossom.

3. Rent a tandem bike for a day. It’s a bicycle built for-two. Grab a pal, hop on and pedal off for some good laughs: Yeah, it’s goofy…. So what?

4. Head for the nearest gumball machine. Now, get four gumballs for a buck for you and each of your girls, and have a contest to see who blows the biggest bubble.

5. Hit the kiddie section of the dollar store, and buy a few bottles of soapy bubbles. You’re never too old to blow bubbles!

6. Buy some zany sunglasses, and wear them in public. They can be ultra-glam, ultra-goofy, ultra-big, ultra-anything! The trick is to find a pair that really attracts attention. You’re guaranteed to have an ultra-hilarious day!

7. Play the claw machine two times for a buck. You know–the one in which you try to pluck prizes with a mechanical crane. Yeah, it’s usually a waste of money… but it’s sooo irresistible!

8. Fly a kite on a windy day. Haven’t flown a kite since you were a tot? You’re missing out! It’s not easy to keep that thing gracefully floating up there–but that’s what makes it challenging! Fly your kite on the beach or in an open field, where the wind is often at its strongest mph.

9. Go backyard camping. Call your pals, pitch a tent, grab some sleeping bags, and head out your back door. OK, you’ll have to forget about the campfire, but that’s no reason to forgo the traditional campfire songs and tales. Have a blast sleeping under the stars-while enjoying the indoor plumbing just steps away!

10. Become a bookworm. Make it a goal to finish off a certain number of books this summer. Pick a genre you’ve never tried before–biographies or historical fiction–and then stake out a few reading spots. Climb a tree, stretch out on the porch swing, or even curl up on the couch on a rainy day.

11. Visit the library for the afternoon; it’s cool in there and you can occupy yourself with books, magazines, computers, story time, etc.

12. Have a water fight. Get all your pals together, and designate teams. Then grab your water guns, water balloons, buckets, hoses and whatever else you’ve got…and ATTACK!

13. Catch fireflies in a jar. Make yourself an all-natural lightning-bug strobe-light lantern for the evening. Don’t forget to throw in a few blades of grass and poke holes in the lid. Just be sure to let them go after a few hours!

14. Become a volunteer at your local nursing home. Your electric smile and enthusiastic personality will have folks at the local home uplifted in no time. Spending even an hour a week playing board games or just talking with residents whose families can’t (or don’t) visit makes a big difference in their lives. Oh, and the stories they tell!

15. Start a cool collection. It doesn’t matter what you collect–just pick something you like, and go for it! Sea glass, shells and bottle caps are popular summer collectibles. Or be a collector of something totally unique, like ceramic cats, cute bandannas or vintage buttons. To get into the collecting groove, visit a local museum and check out its collections for inspiration.

16. Play tag–in the rain. Why stay indoors just because the sun’s not shining? Nothing screams summer like a game of soggy tag. Running around in the rain (um, as long as there’s no thunder and lightning!!!) is a great way to cool down.

17. Set up a lemonade stand.

18. Make homemade play dough.

19. Get a cardboard appliance box and turn it into a playhouse.

20. Go bowling. Some lanes have special rates on certain days of the week.

What other things are you doing to have a great summer?
See you in church Sunday,

Christian growth

A Spiritual Quilt

RefreshHer6 Comments

After I graduated from high school I took a dress making course at a Singer store. I learned to really enjoy sewing, and made many garments for myself during my days of being a poor school teacher! It was great fun. Then when the Lord gave me daughters I also had the delight of making little outfits for them. But in all the sewing I’ve done over the years I had not learned to quilt…until this past week.

I told my parents I wanted them to teach me, so I went to their home with a small stash of material to begin a Nine Patch Quilt. The first thing I was taught was how to cut with a rotary cutter. My dad, the engineer, has it down to an art. He demonstrated…

then gave instructions, and lastly handed the cutter to me. He stayed there giving little tips of things he knew would be helpful. After all, if you start out with lopsided squares, what will the quilt look like? Yep, a lopsided mistake!

With the material I had, and some my mom shared with me we were able to cut just over 900 squares to get me started. I love the way the pieces look stacked together. This is just part of them…


Then began the process of sewing rows of 3, handing them to my “iron er” (dad), then sewing the three rows together to make a block.


Before I left yesterday I had made 22 blocks. Now I only have 302 more to go! I’m not letting it overwhelm me. I figure if I make 32 blocks a week I’ll have it ready to quilt by mid September.
I laid out my blocks on a table and took this shot. Remember, the quilt isn’t sewn together…

A few thoughts while I was sewing…

  • Every quilt that’s made is unique with it’s fabric, colors and design. As a Christian, I am different than every other person the Lord has saved, and that is on purpose.
  • There are no perfect quilts, but each one is still cozy and warm on a winter night. I’m full of “mismatched corners”, if you will; many imperfections, but God can still use me.
  • My dad gave me instructions to help me, not to hurt me. God gives us instructions in His Word, not to be mean, but to help us.
  • My parents were right there to teach, watch and help. The Lord promises never to leave me or forsake me! He’s given the Holy Spirit to be my Teacher.
  • A quilt takes time, but it’s worth it to get the end result. Growing in my Christian life is one step at a time and it’s more than worth it.
  • Everyone wants a quilt, but not many are willing to put the work into making one. Lots of Christians want to be strong believers, but aren’t willing to discipline themselves to accomplish growth.
  • There’s no shortcut to making a beautiful quilt. There’s only one way to be what God wants me to be – obedience.
  • If I miss a day sewing some blocks together, I’ll get behind in my goal. If I lapse in my study of God’s Word and prayer, the goal of Christ likeness will be pushed farther and farther away.

I’m thankful for the lesson in quilting, and I’m also thankful for the lessons my Heavenly Father is teaching me.

How’s your spiritual quilt coming?

With love,

Uncategorized

Word to the Wise Wednesday

RefreshHer2 Comments
Get organized!
Okay, be honest – have you ever driven in a neighborhood at twilight and “peeked” into the windows of the beautiful homes as you pass? I confess that I certainly have. I’ve often said to my husband, “Please slow down! You’re going so fast I can’t see anything!” I guess that’s why we all enjoy home tours; we get to look without the guilt! 🙂
I’m going to give you a tour through a few areas of my parents’ home. It’s so lovely, so organized and so full of wonderful ideas that I knew you would love to see it. My mom is very creative and comes up with great ideas and my dad is gifted with his hands and able to do whatever idea my mom comes up with. You’ll see what I mean…

To add a decorative touch to a wide doorway they placed a small decorative curtain rod high on the wall, draped a curtain and tied it back to add a splash of color and interest.
Here’s the curtain from the other side…

These double doors are right off the eating area and kitchen. What could be behind them?

It’s the “laundry room.” Not only are the washer and dryer stored there, but also shelves for the storage of needed laundry detergents, spot removers, etc.

A pretty glass jar holds spools of thread for loose buttons or mending jobs.

Linen napkins sit ironed and ready to be placed on the table at mealtime.

There’s a spot for everything. A cute little wooden box on the wall holds the dryer sheets. Who says that the laundry room can’t be decorated with flower arrangements and prints?

A small cedar box holds a button collection.

The pretty baskets on the top shelf hold tablecloths and place mats.

A pretty tassel added to a cabinet door adds a lovely decorative touch.

Behind a decorative box and behind some greenery the computer’s router is well-hidden!

Everyone has a drawer full of gadgets. My dad added this sliding drawer in the pantry to hold all those things that are too big for a regular cabinet drawer.

Because the spices were out of reach and always toppling over, my dad made this spice rack in the door of the pantry. How convenient this is!

Everything’s within easy reach and much easier to find!

The food pantry has wire shelving in the door to hold lots of small items.


Clever, huh? Now you understand why whenever I get home after visiting I do a major overhaul on my house. I reorganized, straighten and decorate because they always inspire me. I hope they’ve inspired you too!

With love,

Uncategorized

A Special Kind of Reunion

RefreshHer3 Comments

When a person is a teenager – adulthood is in the far distance, people in their 50’s are ancient, and 35 years seems like an eternity away. I was a teen who had those very thoughts – didn’t you? But 35 years have indeed passed, I am in the thick of adulthood and also in my 50’s, and I’m here to tell you it came quicker than anyone could have ever told me it would!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to gather with peers that were shoulder-to-shoulder with me while I was in those tough teen years. We all went to George Rogers Clark High School – the only high school in our city (Winchester, Kentucky), and most of us at this reunion were members of Central Baptist Church.

A couple of men in Central Baptist were asked by some youth if they would start a Sharing Group – a regular meeting for the teens, allowing them the privilege to gather to share testimonies and burdens with one another. They did. What started out with about eight teens in the living room of one of the men’s homes blossomed to a group of 50 that moved to an annex of our church building. We met in the upstairs, and so it was named, “The Upper Room.”

Every Wednesday evening after the regular prayer meeting at church the teens would head over the The Upper Room. Often that room was so packed with teens in chairs all the way around the room and filling every space on the floor, that the late-comers would sit on the steps headed down to the door.

We had a leader – “Dr. Bill” as we affectionately called him. I clearly remember him sitting in his folding chair, leaning on the back two legs of the chair, arms folded across his chest while he got things going. “Does anyone have anything they want to share?” Some would share a blessing from the previous week; a chance to witness or a trial they were experiencing. Dr. Bill was always sensitive to the needs that were being mentioned. If there was a need, he would say, “Let’s stop right now and pray about that” and we would. Each of us took on the other’s burdens as they were shared. The evening was interspersed with songs, accompanied often by a single guitar. The sharing time concluded with conversational praying; each person saying a sentence or two. We would then stand in a circle, hold hands and sing a final song. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out…Matthew 26:30

Sharing group was an anticipated time in my week. Reading over the diary I kept during those years I often wrote about being thankful my work schedule allowed me to attend. I also remarked about how good the meeting was that night. I never forgot how much I loved attending and what a blessing it was to me during my teen years. It kept me connected with those in my youth group, it gave me a place to share my burdens, it encouraged me to share my faith as I heard my friends talking about witnessing, and it taught me how to pray.

Another huge blessing was the dear friends it brought into my life. It’s not often that you can be away from people for 35 years and be able to reconnect with them as though you’d only be apart a short time. However, when this reunion took place last weekend, that’s exactly what happened. We picked right back up. We shared. We prayed. We cried. We sang. That’s what Christian friends can do.

I’m sure Dr. Bill had no idea what an impact he was having on those teenagers. He had no clue what a difference the sacrifice of his time every Wednesday evening meant to us. He didn’t know that he was influencing many that were headed to full-time ministry. Only eternity will reveal what an impact Sharing Group had on all of us.

If you are ministering to youth, be it children or teens, take heart. You are making a difference in their lives. You may not see the fruit now, but the investment you’re making will be a blessing to them now as well as in the years to come. They will eventually say to you what I’m saying now to Dr. Bill – Thank you for investing your time in me!

With a grateful heart,

Uncategorized

What’s Cookin’ in the Parsonage?

RefreshHer2 Comments

I am enjoying some time away in my parent’s lovely and quiet home in Kentucky. I’ve come to visit, have a rest, and learn to quilt! I’ve really wanted to learn to quilt for some time. This seems to be a great time for a lesson, and who better than the quilting pros (my parents) to teach me? I’ve come with a small stash of fabrics to get me started on a nine patch quilt. If it takes me a year, that will be okay. “Little by little” so they say!

Dinner at my mom’s table is always a treat. When I told her I was going to feature her meal on my blog post, she said, “This is no fancy dinner; no recipes – it’s just home cooking.” Um, I think that’s the whole point! It was wonderful.

The first part of the meal being enjoyable comes from the setting. Who wouldn’t love to eat out in this sunroom…

Southern iced tea – sweet and strong. Perfect on a summer day! My mom got me started adding Black Current Tea bags to my iced tea. It adds great flavor to the tea. Use three regular family-sized tea bags and two black current for a half a gallon of tea.

The meal was perfect summer foods – ribs, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh baked biscuits.


The ribs were seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika and then baked at 325 for an hour and a half in a pan with a little water. Then the temperature was brought up to 400 degrees for 25 minutes to brown. They were tender and so tasty!

The biscuits were cut with a tiny little cutter – so cute.


Here’s me and my dear Mom – she’s a wonderfully talented lady and the best cook!

My dad…the man who taught me to love ice cream!


Dessert was homemade jam cake with homemade peach ice cream. This was the best ice cream recipe I’ve ever had. All the cream and sugar was worth it. It was smooth and delicious! If you like homemade ice cream you must try this recipe! It came from Country Living.

I guess you can see how I’m suffering here this week. 🙂 God is good to allow me this privilege, and I’m so thankful!

What memories do you have of eating in your mother’s kitchen?