Joyfull Living

Fall has arrived! This is my favorite season where so many scents and sights bring to life a warmth and cozy season to our homes. One of my favorite things to do in fall is to do some baking. In the south where I live, the heat in summer can be brutal. There is not much baking going on, it is simply too hot! In the fall the air cools off some and offers some relief from the heat. Candles can be lit to create a warmth and inviting atmosphere in the home and some homemade cakes or breads baking in the oven emit a fragrance through the house that draws the family together with anticipation of a delicious treat. Fall baking brings me great joy!! This is my next baking creation: Aunt Jenny's Apple Bunt Cake: Now, I don't have an Aunt Jenny, but I recently found this recipe and knew it looked like a perfect fall baking dose of joy! Here is the recipe: 4-5 apples – peeled, cored & cut into thin wedges 5 Tablespoons white sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon A hint of nutmeg ...

This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear (timidity), but of power, love, and self-discipline. II Timothy 1 6,7 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. II Timothy 1:9 By nature I am a very timid person. New circumstances, new opportunities or new situations intimidate me and can cause me to fear. These verses remind me that God has gifted me and will fill me with His power, love and sound mind- self discipline to complete any task or embrace any situation. Was it because I deserve such wonderful gifts? Absolutely not! His plan is me to live a holy life and to show His grace. His grace is shown not through what I can do , but what He can do through me. What a powerful promise, what a wonderful Lord we serve!

Guys are Waffles, Girls are Spaghetti by Chad Eastham and Bill and Pam Farrel Retails for $12.99 For Ages 12- 17 Buy Read Book Synopsis from the back of the book In this hilarious, yet amazingly insightful book, discover the secrets behind why guys and girls think and act so differently. Guys' brains have little compartments like a waffle, and there they keep most aspects of their lives separated. Girls brains are like spaghetti, because they tend to keep everything in their lives connected. Learn how to talk so a "waffle" will listen, and how to understand the "spaghetti- ish " conversations that you will encounter your entire life. Learning about waffles and spaghetti will make a difference in real- life issues like dating, sex, friendships, body language, and communication skills of every kind. So dig in for the insights you've been craving. *Disclosure: This book was provided to the Mama Buzz site and M...

Making your home sing is more about "being" than "doing". Most all wives and mothers "do" the daily tasks that needs to be done. Making your home sing takes a little more planning and effort. It also takes some soul searching! At my home, I tend to be a busy bee. Buzzing around always doing the things that need to be done. As you know, there is always something to be done! I have no problem "doing" the tasks, but orchestrating a song for my home, requires me to dig a little deeper. Through the years the Lord has been trying to teach me how important the inward attitude is as well as the outward action. When I realize the rich blessings my husband, children and home are and that God has divinely called me to this specific service to Him, it turns into a joy to love and serve my family. I am currently reading "The Power of a Positive Mom" and it is speaking loud and clear to my heart! A positive mom is a genuine jewel to her fami...

Fels - Naptha is a soap bar that has been around for many years. It has proven itself as an effective stain remover and pre -treatment of laundry. It is powerful product to be used in cleaning and excels at removing grease and stubborn stains. Many people make their own laundry soap using Fels - Naptha : RECIPE. I recently found some other ideas for it's use that sounded worth trying: To clean your shower, rub a non-abrasive scouring sponge with a wet bar of Fels Naptha and start cleaning. It will take a little hard work the first time you use it but it will be a breeze after that. Fels Naptha Soap is a fantastic stain remover and pre - treater . It works especially well on oil-based stains. Just rub the stain with a wet bar of Fels Naptha Soap. Let it sit for a while and launder as usual. It works great on baby clothes which have formula stains. To clean white canvas tennis shoes , simply work the Fels Naptha Soap into a lather and use a soft brush to work into the c...

Today Sharon over at Good, True and Beautiful is kicking off a new blog feature called " Just For the Joy Of It". Sure sounds like a lot of fun doesn't it? It's purpose is consistent with focusing on lifes simple things, Sharon is inviting folks to link up a post on something that gives you Joy (Happiness, Gratitude, Laughter, Contentment, Excitement) you know, the good stuff). Just For the Joy Of It will highlight the simple pleasures of life, and remind us all to slow down and smell the roses. Although I am a morning person, evenings are also very special to me. In the mornings, I am getting charged up, filled with plans for the day, my energy level is high and it is Go, Go, Go to embrace the new day. In the evenings, all the tasks have been completed (that are going to get completed!) and there is nothing left to do except relax and unwind. Being outside in the evenings brings me great joy! I am an avid walker and take a walk most every night. Thi...

A Friend Loves At All Times It's easy to be carefree and share great times with our friends. Girlfriends are great fun, full of encouragement, understanding and always ready to share a smile or a good time of fellowship. However, it seems that true friendship is formed when things are tougher. When problems are faced and shared. It is sometimes when we are at our lowest and that friend comes by and picks us up that true bonds begin. We are called to be friends to one another and called also to be a friend who loves at all times. This may be during inconvenient times, difficult times or anytime in between. But is there any greater blessing than "a friend who loves at all times"?

Healthy eating and the awareness of preparing healthy foods is at an all time high. Facts and studies show how beneficial healthy eating is to ward off diseases and keep our bodies functioning with energy and vitality. But you also may have noticed that eating healthy can be more costly (a lot more). Organic foods are widely available, but are often much higher in price. Here are a few healthy foods to incorporate into your diet for better nutritional value at a more cost efficient price: 1. Oats: Oats are high in fiber and good for lowering cholesterol. Oatmeal is a filling and nutritious breakfast. Baked Oatmeal is a great recipe for beginners. Oatmeal cookies are a delicious treat also. 2. Eggs: Eggs are packed with protein and easy to prepare in a variety of ways. 3. Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene, which strengthens the immune system and promotes bone and eye health. 5. Apples. Apple season is here, so this fruit is plentiful and cheap. Apple...

Motherhood is a forever constant that is always changing! Once you are a mother, you will forever will have the heart of a mother. There is a love so strong and fierce ignited in the heart that commands our emotions and actions. There is a compassion, care and tenderness that may never have surfaced until the children came along. Motherhood is one of the greatest responsibilities and God given assignments we will ever have. But also, motherhood comes with abundant joy and unspeakable blessings. God's Word tells us that children are a blessing from the Lord. But just as the children grow so quickly and change, motherhood comes with it's own growth changes. For every mom, there are "seasons of motherhood" and they are always changing. SPRING: Spring is the season of new life. Beauty is everywhere and it is a time to bask in the new flower buds, blooms and pure beauty of this season. For a mother, spring may be the time when the babies arrive. Excitement abou...

So you think you are having a bad day??? There is always someone who is having it worse! Have a great weekend!!

This week I'm making a purposeful effort to slow down on my going, slow down on my doing and being busy and purposefully work on the attitude and atmosphere of myself and my home. It is so easy to fall into the rut of being busy all the time, working, going and doing the daily tasks, etc. That the important things of life slip by. This is a beautiful reminder that our lives don't have to be full and fancy to be blessed. Even the simplest things are blessed when we follow the Lord. In fact, from this verse, little is best if our focus is on the Lord. This reminds me of an old song which I recently heard but love the words to it: Little Is Much, When God Is In It Does the place you're called to labor Seem so small and little known? It is great if God is in it, And He'll not forget His own. Little is much when God is in it. Labor not for wealth or fame. There's a crown and you can win it, If you go in Jesus' name. May you take your little and let God mult...

Today I am over At the Well sharing about how to speak loudly in the home...in a good way!! Come on over for a visit!

Making Your Home Sing Monday is designed for ladies to share what plan they will put into action for their home this week to make them run productively, smoothly and to "sing" with joy. I recently looked around my home and realized it seems like I am running out of space. In some ways this is a great thing, my freezer is full, my pantry is full and my bathroom luxury basket is full! But looking deeper, there are some things that may go to waste which is not wise home management. There are lots of half eaten boxes of cereal in the pantry, half used bottles of scented lotions, half-burned candles laying around and food stuffed in the back of the freezer "just in case" it may be used. But instead of using these up first, I tend to go out and buy newer variations. Now I consider myself a bargain shopper. Coupons, yard sales, secondhand stores and a keen eye for bargains keeps spending down. But on the down side, I cannot resist a bargain! My pantry is ov...

I received the cutest email this morning and though it was perfect to share to bring a smile to you! Why Dogs Bite People At Halloween:

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4 I read this verse this morning in a devotion book where this verse ran parallel to our spiritual gift s. It was a very interesting way of seeing God's Word opened up. God has uniquely placed in each of our hearts, a desire to serve and He has also equipped us with gifts and abilities to fulfill this God given passion. The ultimate purpose of using our gifts is to glorify God and to share His love with others through words, teaching, service, mercy, giving and encouragement. When we recognize our gifts and the calling and passion of our hearts to serve the Lord in the way He has called us to, there is an abundance of joy and overflowing blessings into the lives of others. As we first worship the Lord, our Creator, our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God and King, we can delight ourselves in Him. He is all good and desires good for each of us. Let us be encouraged to seek Him and love Him mor...

Glade Fragrance Collection is a gallery of scented candles and other home fragrance products. Since I am have a bit of a candle obsession, I found this site where you can play a game for a chance to win free Glade products and also get a coupon for $3.50 off one candle. Click HERE to play for a chance for free Glade products. If you don't win the game, you still can get a $3.50 coupon for a candle. An extra bonus is that these candles are on sale for $3.99 at Walgreens , which will give you a nice candle for $.49! Great deal!

For my family's meals, we aim for a mix of chicken, beef and pork for our meals. We try to maintain a healthy diet and balance is a big factor in choosing meals. Pork today compares favorably for fat, calories and cholesterol with many other meats and poultry. While providing a greater amount of vitamins and minerals, many cuts of pork are as lean or leaner than chicken. Pork tenderloin, for example, is just as lean as skinless chicken breast HERE is a great variety of materials, information and recipes about pork. These are actual brochures that you can download or request a mailed copy. You will want to save these for the information they provide along with some fantastic recipes!

Do you find yourself taking part in godless living and sinful pleasures? How is that for a deep discussion topic for today's At the Well? If so....What steps are you going to take to gain strength in wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God? I personally enjoy more sharing about purity, self control, virtue and godliness and good things, but I also understand that each person is a sinner and Christians are simply sinners who have accepted God's forgiveness . As Christians we are living in an evil world. The world beckons for us to indulge in sinful pleasures and then offers excuses (if we were to feel guilty) such as "everyone does it", "you deserve some fun", "is this really wrong?" etc. Many Christians are tempted daily and at times fall into this temptation to do things not pleasing to the Lord. When I was raised as a child, there was not much supervision to what I saw or watched on television. Some of my earliest memories were watchi...