Bruised Apples and Black Bananas = Deliciousness

Hello, Friends! 

You know how they say if you do something for 21 days in a row it turns into a habit? Well, I thought it might work that way for me with blogging, but it didn't. Funny. Guess I'm going to have to put blogging into some sort of order along with most everything else in my life. 

It's like when you draw a spatula through thick batter and the batter separates to make room for the spatula, but as soon as you remove the spatula the space fills right back up again. That's how it was with me and blogging every day in October. On November 1 the space filled right back up again!

We haven't been doing nothing over here at A House and Yard, though. Brian has been working on the sunroom and I will have an update in a day or two.

I've been collecting pieces to finish the little reading space in my room, and hope to have an update for you sometime next week.

And now for the big news! The project that has consumed a fair amount of my time recently is planning a baby shower for my oldest daughter, Sarah, who is expecting their 5th (yes, I said 5th) child. Only this time around, it's a boy!

One afternoon this summer they showed up at our house wearing these t-shirts to make their new baby announcement. Aren't they all so cute? Anyone care to guess how many pictures I took in order to get this good one? 

We are going to have an amazing party and I simply can not wait to share with you the details, but I'm saving it. So far as I know, we've been able to keep our shower theme a secret from Sarah. You will have to wait until Monday!

Are you wondering about those bruised apples and black bananas? Well, I had some Jonathans in the fridge that needed attention before they went bad and the bananas were turning into a syrupy mess on my counter. Out came my trusty old cookbook - Pillsbury Kitchens' Family Cookbook. Copyrighted in 1979, this book was a wedding gift to us in 1980. It has seen a lot of love and guided me through a lot of cooking.

The bruised apples turned into apple crisp. 

I may or may not have used extra brown sugar and cinnamon.

Oh, all right, I definitely used extra brown sugar and cinnamon!

This needed to be eaten right away.

The black bananas were perfect for banana bread.

Again, extra cinnamon....

TaDa!

No, I didn't eat this tonight. Well, okay, one small bite to make sure it was good enough.

Banana bread for breakfast on Friday!

There are few things better than apple crisp and banana bread in autumn.

Hurray for fall baking!

What is your favorite fall baking treat?

Get Out of Your Pit!

31 Days of Order - Day 31

I missed yesterday. It was in the back of my mind all day, but there was nothing new. There wasn't time or money to finish the small projects I had started. Any thoughts lead to a dead end. I hit a wall; looked at the screen and thought, "I have nothing of importance to say."

Oh well, thirty out of thirty-one isn't so bad! Right? Besides, I have something to say tonight and I hope it encourages you like it encouraged me.

Yesterday evening I was broadsided with a load of negative attitude. No rhyme or reason, just blah and phooey to the world. I suppose I could blame it on a rush of hormones or disappointment over missing a day of writing, but honestly, there was no explanation. Consequently, I started in on one of those "woe is me" prayers. Ever talk to God like that? Yeah, that's where I was. I dug a little pit and made myself comfy in the dirt. What a way to fall asleep! As a result, I was still in that pit when I woke up. It was past time to brush the dirt off my soul, so I grabbed my coffee and the Word, heading for a quiet spot.

My Bible reading this morning had me in Exodus, chapter 3 - Moses, the burning bush, and God's call. I was stopped in my tracks by verses 6 - 8. God introduces Himself to Moses in the most remarkable way. Here's the outline:

1. God. I Am...
2. I have seen...
3. I have heard...
4. I am concerned...
5. I have come...
1. ...to rescue
2. ...and to bring you out of oppression...
1. ...and into a good land.

Oh.oh.oh. These words drenched me, washing away every bit of soil. All the bad thoughts and feelings ran off into the ditch and on down the street. I was clean.

Of all the things in the whole world I could share with you, this is absolutely the most important. God is. He sees and hears you. God is concerned. And He has come to rescue you and bring you out of your pit and into a good place. Jesus, the Son of God, is the Savior of the world. Healer. Shepherd. Deliverer. Friend. Believe it.

This is the beginning of order. The schedule may be whacked. The projects may be halfway done and there may be dirty dishes in the sink. However, as long as Jesus is first in your life the stuff of life finds it's place. 

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, 

and all these things will be added to you. 

Matthew 6:33 NASB

I appreciate you, Readers, more than I can say. Thank you for checking in during the 31 Days series. I hope you have enjoyed it and will continue to hang around, joining in the conversation. You are a blessing to me. Good night and see you again soon.

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This post is part of my 31 Days of Order series. See the rest of the posts here. 

To find other bloggers also writing for 31 Days this month on a variety of topics, click here.

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Did You See the Moon?

31 Days of Order - Day 29

Tonight I took a walk in the dark.

Source

The moon was high. The sky clear and the air crisp. The scent of burning wood told me someone in the nearby neighborhood was warm and cozy in their home.

I'd like to say I took this walk on purpose, but I can't because I didn't. My car broke down and I left my cell phone at home. Sigh - I was only driving a mile to mail some letters!

Well, I'm glad I forgot my phone and I'm glad I had to walk. I'm not glad I was wearing my slippers, though. Truthfully, it was less than half a mile right down the street from my house. Yes, I did have to walk past the cemetery, but that doesn't bother me. (Not even two days before Halloween. :-)) 

The moon was amazing tonight. Did you see it? If not, that's too bad. Check again tomorrow night. You won't be sorry.

What does this have to do with order? It was a reminder to me to take a break. My day was busy. This forced breather gave me time to look at God's creation; to drink in the mellow autumn and only then realize how thirsty I had been. 

Thanks be to God for His love and for filling me again. Gently reminding me of His presence and how much I need to be in that place. My hiding place.

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This post is part of my 31 Days of Order series. See the rest of the posts here. 

To find other bloggers also writing for 31 Days this month on a variety of topics, click here.

One Formula Doesn't Fit All

31 Days of Order - Day 28

Funny thing about order. There is rarely one formula-fits-all for any given situation. Although your situation may be similar to someone else's, it is different simply because the people involved are different.

Be brave in your personal quest for order and remember to respect you and your family's individual needs. What works in my house, might not work in yours.

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This post is part of my 31 Days of Order series. See the rest of the posts here. 

To find other bloggers also writing for 31 Days this month on a variety of topics, click here.

Finishing

31 Days of Order - Day 27

Not quite sure where to start today. Our family activities were of rather a personal nature. Let me back up a little bit.

I am the oldest of three children and have two brothers. Mid-January this year, my brother just younger than me gave up in his struggle with alcoholism. We did all the things you do back in January and my mom kept his remains until we were ready for the next step.

She made arrangements at the cemetery where her folks are buried. Our state and the cemetery allows family to bury their loved one's remains with very little intervention. We were able to do this as a family - me, my brother, mom, dad, and step-mom. It was a precious gift.

The passing of time made this a relaxed event. The chitchat was mostly family memories.

After replacing the sod, we headed back to my house for lunch with the rest of the family.

I know our way of handling this wasn't typical, but it was good for us. Very good. It was time to finish. Time for closure.

In the natural order of things, there is always a finish, or there should be. A project half done. An unfulfilled promise. A deed thought yet not carried out. These little nags nip away leaving regret, guilt, condemnation.

The only way to fight back is to finish something! Pick one and get it done. Then, make a plan for the rest of the list. The energizing boost in confidence spurs you on to greater success.

Have a wonderfully blessed Lord's Day!

What will you finish this week? Share your list....

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This post is part of my 31 Days of Order series. See the rest of the posts here. 

To find other bloggers also writing for 31 Days this month on a variety of topics, click here.

Painted Nightstand

31 Days of Order - Day 26

I am happy to show you the little nightstand I painted. Here is what it looked like before.

I picked up an oops quart at Lowe's in a lovely berry knowing at the time I could certainly use it for something! This is the first time I tried painting furniture, so I kept it simple. It seems that practically everyone is using chalk paint, which I had never heard of before I started blogging. Awhile back I wrote down a chalk paint recipe from somebody's blog. My apologies to whoever it belongs to; I honestly can't remember where I found it. The recipe is as follows:

1 part dry plaster of paris + 1 part water and mix together, then stir into 3 parts paint of your choice and mix well. It blended like a dream. My paint was a semi-gloss latex.

I removed the hardware. After cleaning all the surfaces, I lightly sanded the entire piece.

I used a good angle brush for the corners and curvy parts, and a foam roller for the flat areas. The first coat was very light, so I went over it again for full coverage. The paint went on excellently, covered well, and dried quickly. I let it sit over night, then the next day I used Johnson's paste wax for a nice sheen.

Now - I know that practically every chalk paint project I have seen gets a light sanding after all this for a distressed look. Well, please don't stone me, but I don't really like how that looks. So, I didn't distress.

Without further ado, here's my redone piece....

The little knobs I picked up at Pier One on clearance. $0.98 each! Oh yeah!!

So, there you have it! I have moved it into my room and will continue putting together 

the pieces for my own little study nook in my room.

Thanks for visiting today!

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This post is part of my 31 Days of Order series. See the rest of the posts here. 

To find other bloggers also writing for 31 Days this month on a variety of topics, click here.

Linking to....

    

     

Do the Next Thing

31 Days of Order - Day 25

Day 25! Only 6 more days left for this series. Only 6 more days of posting every day.

This has been a challenge for me. At the same time, it has been encouraging because I found I could accomplish more if I made myself accountable and set a few goals. It has been fun choosing projects and working on them.

In the weeks and months to come I don't see myself posting every day. It's a lot. However, this month's challenge has shown me I can and do have time for writing more often than I did before.

I have something else to show you, but it's been extremely cloudy in my neck of the woods. Not conducive to taking nice pictures. I'll give you a hint, though. I repainted the little cabinet for my own space, and it is berry pretty! This is my first attempt at painted furniture. It's not fancy, but I love the transformation.

The remaining days of this month I will finish up and report on the projects I started. I'm already compiling a list of projects to take me through the rest of the year.

This evening I will leave you with a couple thoughts that help keep me focused when I am tripped up by one of two of my main downfalls.

The first is my tendency towards procrastination, which can also be labeled as laziness. Yes, I know - ouch. But for myself, I have to call it what it is in all it's ugliness if I'm to have any victory over it. This quote comes from Proverbs 31. I know - some of you are rolling your eyes or running for cover. "Oh no, not the Proverbs 31 woman again!" I used to feel that way about her, but she and I have comes to terms.

Her shining example is something I can aspire to with the help of the Holy Spirit as long as I know I don't have accomplish everything she did all at once. Hers is a list of lifetime achievements, not necessarily every one every day. Okay - here's the verse:

My second regular downfall is not being able to decide what to do (another form of procrastination, really). The quote that keeps my brain going in the right direction also comes from the writings of the wise king, Solomon, but from Ecclesiastes; one of my favorite reads. This helps me remember it's okay to simply put one foot in front of the other. Some days are like that, you know. Like the treadmill. It just keeps turning and I just keep walking. (Well, if I actually walked on the treadmill it would be that way. You get the analogy, right?) This is for the day that seems to be running me. Forget about choices. The assignments of the day are dictated by the schedule, the situation, the urgent need before me at any given moment.

I love this because it lets me know that it's absolutely fine to do the thing that is before me whether it was on my original schedule or not. It frees me from having to make any choice beyond what is right in front of my face. Somehow that helps me with the part that says "do it with all your might." The whatever might be cleaning the toilets or it might be grabbing the camera to capture the last rays of tonight's brilliant sunset. We can lean into the whatever and know it's okay.

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This post is part of my 31 Days of Order series. See the rest of the posts here. 

To find other bloggers also writing for 31 Days this month on a variety of topics, click here.