Joyfull Living

I am so excited to participate in today’s blog hop to share some pictures Straight Out Of the Camera (before) and after some edits (after).  I seem to have been on a vintage/black and white editing kick, but these photos were taken from the Old Florida Museum and simply had to be edited in like fashion!  Photos were taken with my Kodak Easy Share and edited in Photoshop Elements.  I experimented a little bit with textures in these photos also. Before: After: Before: With Black and White edits: Then with some texture added: Same window with a different angle – Before After with Black and White: Then with frame and texture: Before: After with texture: Before – Old Time Corn Grinding: After: Before: After: Before: After with cropping and vintage edit: It was a great experience for a field trip and a fantastic photo editing challenge!

This week we found some joy on a field trip to an Old Florida Museum with our home school group.  There were guided tours with hands on activities to demonstrate how things were done many years ago. I’m not sure what this is, but my son loved it! Our tour guides dressed the part to fit the era: This was the archeological dig: You filled the bucket, then strained it to see the artifacts:   Here we are in the teepee, learning about the early Indians: This was his favorite activity ‘throw the corncob’ to help develop good hunting aim:   Sitting in the old schoolroom: Not sure what purpose this had in the old days: But it was a great field trip to learn to appreciate the days of old.  Even a little traffic jam on the way home didn’t dampen our joy!

This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel       after that time, declares the Lord.    I will put My laws in their minds       and write them on their hearts.    I will be their God,       and they will be My people.  Hebrews 8:10 On a recent field trip to a museum featuring the days gone by, we sat in an old schoolroom as the teacher introduced us to the quill pen and bottle of ink.  She cautioned us to use extreme caution using the ink and told us that if it got on our skin or clothes, it would not come off. This reminded me of this beautiful promise from Hebrews.  God told His people he would put His law in their minds and write it on their hearts.  This is a covenant which cannot be broken.  He loves us and wants us to know Him through His Word.  As we read more and more of His Word, it becomes written on our hearts.  And…it will not come off!! It cannot be erased.  His Word will guide us in times of trouble, provide

Although it is still very hot in the deep south, fall is here!  Fall is my favorite season and one of the things I enjoy doing is fall baking.  Right now there are some great coupons and recipes available so you can be inspired for fall baking! Betty Crocker has coupons for several products. Campbell's has some great coupons for a hearty fall dinner. Nestle is a staple for baking goods! Pillsbury is a dear friend in the fall! Kellogg's shares some coupons and great recipes. Go ahead and grab em!  When that first fall breeze comes through, you'll be ready to fill the home with a special treat.

There's a soft place in my heart for things of nostalgia and the warmth of sweet memories they bring into ones life.  Yesterday was a rare day when all of my family was present for Sunday lunch. Between shift work and two teenagers working, it is a treat to have everyone gathered around the table!  Sunday lunch wasn't one of those elaborate presentations of food.  Turkey breast, dressing, green beans and bread were on the menu.   Last night as I was preparing to brine the turkey, I undid the netting which was around it.  BIG MISTAKE!!  The turkey breast fell into many small pieces!  Wondering what to do, I put all the pieces back into the net and brined it all night!  Stove Top stuffing and canned green beans rounded out this meal of convenience.  On a whim, I pulled out some of my mother's bowls to serve the food in.  These bowls were used when I was a girl and they bring about nice memories of families eating together. They brought a touch of nostalgia and made an ordi

I recently received an email from a friend to share for today's Friday Funnies.  It contains a few things that only the girls will understand!  PREGNANCY Question and Answer: Q: Should I have a baby after 35? A: No, 35 children is enough. Q : I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move? A: With any luck, right after he finishes college. Q : What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex? A: Childbirth. Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational. A: So what's your question? Q : My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right? A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current. Q: When is the best time to get an epidural? A: Right after you find out you're pregnant. Q : Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor? A: Not unless the word "alimony" means any

Summer here in the deep south can be brutal!  The heat and oppressive humidity hardly make it inviting to be outside, even for an outdoor person such as myself.  This week, although it is still hot, has had very low humidity and a nice breeze blowing.  Our outdoor swing beckoned me and my book for some time to just…swing! Since the outdoor swing brought my some moments of joy, editing my photos also brought me some joy!  After some editing with sepia, here is our swing again: Before: With some edits to bring out an old fashioned look: Then of course to show the swing was put to good use: Before: Then with another vintage edit:

  As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6,7   I love the encouragement found in this verse for our walk with God.  Once we have received Christ Jesus as our Lord, we should walk with him, establish roots in His Word and be  continually built up and established in the faith.  Now, this is not something that happens overnight, but walking indicates a continual movement.  Rooted and built up takes day by day diligence which moves us toward being established in the faith.  Instead of being overwhelmed by what we lack in our Christian life, may we strive to WALK in Him, moment by moment and always abound with thanksgiving, that He is right beside us.