Ministering Opportunities Abound

There are so many opportunities to bless and minister to people. Just look about you. Is there a neighbor or friend that is sick in the hospital? Is an elderly friend needed you to share tea with them to brighten their day? It gives great meaning to life when a person can look beyond his or her own needs and look after the needs of others. That is truly ministering.

My Aunt J. is on life support and may pass away leaving her husband and nine children. Betty Gram's husband is very ill in the hospital. Would very much appreciate your prayers for these loved ones. Thank you.

An Exhilerating Night!

My cello teacher gave me a voucher for a Cherish the Ladies concert at our community center this evening, with another concert just before, our own Bartlesville's, Kilkenny Road. Both concerts were amazing. I especially liked the two male dancers from Step Crew. Now my mind is humming Irish tunes galore. I have a desire to start playing my violin more. Yippee!

Leo Tolstoy Quote

My favorite quote on marriage from Leo Tolstoy is this, " The goal of our live should not be to find joy in marriage, but bring more joy into the world. We marry to assist each other in this task. The most selfish and hateful life of all is that of two beings who unite in order to enjoy life. The highest calling is that of the man who has dedicated his life to serving God and doing good, and who unites with a woman in order to further that purpose".

Painting by Edmund Blair Leighton from allposters.com

A Belated Homemaking Article

In 2004 interviewed Mrs. Lydia S. and her family in Oregon and had planned to publish a small article in my wee magazine, "Ladybug Home Companion". Since then, the article has been asleep in our computer and I just discovered it just yesterday in a file.
Thanks Lydia for great ideas!

As we are drinking tea in Lydia Sherman's dining room this March she begins to share these wonderful tips for decorating one's own home. I want to pass them along to you in hopes they will inspire you in the same way. Enjoy!

Eight Elements of a Beautiful Home:

Drama- Something black, or definite such as wrought iron

Sparkle- Metal candle holders, or a gold frame

Soft- fabric

Wood- End tables and doilies to soften the wood

Lighting-Lamps indirect lighting (creates soft light rather than a glare on guests)

Meaning - objects and pictures with meaning

Mirrors- for reflection and they also make the room appear larger

Books- books in a home add warmth also suggests varied interests

Quotes from Mrs. Sherman:
On the Home
"Your home is your virtual museum of the family. You can tell the interests, and history of the inhabitants by the furnishings. "

On Clutter
"If you have too much you don't have anything. You can have little shelves and candles sconces on the walls and if your home is cluttered, people's eyes are drawn upward away from the mess."

Antiques and Delicate Things
"If you were given candles and delicate things when you were first married and you have little children, just put them up on shelves."

Wholesome Movies

On the radar for quality films? Yes indeed. I am currently famished for wholesome movies like the 1981, Chariots of Fire. This week I discovered that a new movie of Billy Graham's life debuted October 10, Billy the Early Years. Also a movie called Fireproof came out on October 28. The trailers are on utube for anyone who needs a sneak peak of each film. I'll have to wait until they come out on DVD to share with my family at the holidays.

Confetti Potato Salad

I created this fun potato salad several days ago when we had some red potatoes and an abundance of celery. I'll leave the proportions out, because everyone has different taste buds and they might want more or less of something.

Confetti Potato Salad

Red Potatoes - boiled, pealed, and cubed
Red Onion - diced
Celery - diced
Red Bell Pepper - diced
Parsley flakes
Salt and Pepper
Mayonnaise - real!

I imagine black olives or diced eggs would be a nice contribution as well. Just think color and more color. We are done with the old mayonnaise and mustard mix, this is far creamier and looks great on any plate.

Shortcake Reading

In His Steps is currently on my nightstand and keeping my interest. Having read in our history since 1877 text book that this book by Charles Sheldon had a great impact on the Progressive movement, I determined that I must read it.