Love, Joy and Peas

Beautiful Friends and Azaleas

2024-04-24T15:05:00.002-04:00

Mini and Joanna

Happy spring! I recently had the good fortune to meet Mini and Joanna at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. They were sitting on the bench (in the photo above) and just looked so lovely I thought they were part of a movie set or something. It turned out that they were super kind, friendly and fun. I greatly enjoyed meeting them and am thankful they let me take their photo to share here. And, in case they need it for printing purposes, they have my permission (as the photographer) to use the photos with them in it however they like.


Joanna, Mini and me

The azalea woods seem to have every color azalea I've ever seen blooming at one time or another. Whoever planned these azalea wooded gardens is brilliant. They mixed early, late and mid-season bloomers along with a lot of other woodland flowers. It's a glorious place to be right now.

A portion of the U.S. National Arboretum's Azalea Woods

Thank you again to Mini and Joanna! Here are links to some of the things I mentioned:

U.S. National Arboretum's main website: https://www.usna.usda.gov/

National Bonsai & Penjing Museum: https://www.usna.usda.gov/discover/gardens-collections/national-bonsai-penjing-museum

Longwood Gardens: https://longwoodgardens.org/

Thank you to everyone who visits! I know it's been a while since I've posted here. I hope this finds you well and pray that God blesses you and all you do!

My Black Bean Tailgate Chili Recipe

2022-02-08T14:40:00.001-05:00

(corn free, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, whole food plant based)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1-2 cups chopped onions (depending on how much you love onions)

1-3 cloves garlic, minced or diced (depending on how much you love garlic)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 28 oz box of diced tomatoes (this is flexible- you could use half as much), drained for a more traditional chili or with the liquid for more of a soupy version

2 cans (or equivalent cooked) black beans, rinsed and drained (or whatever beans you like)

1 cup fresh diced carrot (you can use frozen but I find fresh much nicer)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder (if you really love onions, which I do)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (if you really love garlic, which I do)

Optional: 1/2 cup pre-cooked quinoa (or grain of choice)

Optional: 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Instructions:
Thinly cover the bottom of the pot with water, heat it up on medium (max for my dutch oven), and water saute onions and garlic until almost soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots and green peppers and saute an additional 3-5 minutes, adding more water as needed to keep the veggies moist and bottom of the pan covered.

Stir in diced tomatoes, beans, carrots, and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add quinoa and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Let cool and serve. Garnish with the cilantro or parsley.

More options:

It works fine without the quinoa and I think it'd be nice served over cauliflower rice or whatever grains you like. To stretch it to more servings, serve with a salad. I think I get about six meals from it (original dinner, some lunches, and then some frozen dinners) but my husband would probably consider it two or three servings.

Notes:

This is inspired by Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Tailgate Chili with Black and Red Beans. I don't like red beans, prefer more onions and garlic, and have a bunch of food allergies, so I have made many changes to it and I therefore consider it my own recipe now but I do want to acknowledge the original source and highly recommend his books.

We usually make a batch of quinoa earlier in the week so can just scoop it in from the fridge.

I use a 3.5 quart dutch oven.

22 Ways I Make My Life Easier and Better By "Deciding Once"

2020-10-06T13:12:00.001-04:00

My version of Jeff Novick's Longevity soup

I joined The Minimal Mom's membership group because I love Dawn and her family and her videos make me happy. Today I realized that I could share some things I'm doing there and maybe it would help some of you and increase your happiness too.

Today we were to "decide once" on three things (a concept Dawn got from the "Lazy Genius Way" book and that I've been using for many years to make my life (with a host of health challenges) easier).

This list was just what came to mind when I brainstormed after watching Dawn's video this morning. I know there's more. If you want me to keep a running list and do a follow up post with the habits that aren't here, just let me know. They're just in the order that they came to mind, not in the order that they happen.

1) I have the same breakfast every day (kale berry shake in summer; hot blueberry bowl in winter)

2) I have leftovers for lunch (so dinner includes making enough for there to be leftovers)

3) I do my planned Bible reading before I let myself do anything else online

4) I walk outside every day that I'm able

5) I do goal reading before pleasure reading

6) Monday's dinner is usually a simple one-pot meal (soup, stew, chili, curry)

7) I only buy clothing made of natural fabric (except swimsuits, sports wear, etc. where it's not practical)

8) I stopped wearing makeup except for fancy pictures

9) I stopped highlighting my hair

10) My husband cuts my hair

11) I have specific morning and evening routines that I follow, resting as needed for my health

12) I go outside and watch the sunset each night that I'm able

13) I pray, listen to positive things or sing when doing housework (aka "home blessing", thank you FlyLady)

13) As a gift to the Lord, I call someone who is lonely every day that I'm able

14) I do a load of laundry every day that I'm able

15) We change the sheets on Saturdays

16) I write out Christmas cards (a few a day) starting the day after Thanksgiving

17) I spend the last week of the year closing it out and preparing for a great start to the next year.

18) I aim to live in a "beautiful state" (thank you, Tony Robbins!), which is basically an empowered emotional state, zapping myself out of dis-empowering moods as soon as possible after recognizing that I'm in them (I did this before Tony Robbins' beautiful state training but without his 90-second time limit and nice title. The name "beautiful states" resonates with me and helps me get back to a positive place faster).

19) I tithe every month that I have income

20) Bible study and prayer time are my first sit-down activities of the day

21) God is my #1 priority for eternity

22) My husband is my #1 human priority

Thank you for visiting! I hope at least one of these helped or inspired you in some way.

May God bless you!

Organized linen closet: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/from-disaster-to-delight-organized.html

Decluttered cabinet: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/02/clearing-cabinet-clutter-clutter.html

Take back your time challenge: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/06/take-back-your-time-challenge.html

Note:

I am not an affiliate of anyone linked in this post, just a fan. All opinions are my own.

Clyde Kilby's 11 Resolutions for Mental Health

2020-10-04T19:55:00.001-04:00

I first read Clive Kilby's resolutions in John Piper's excellent book, The Pleasures of God. I thought they were so noteworthy that I not only wanted to remember them, but also desired to share them with you. I hope you find them helpful and uplifting.

1. "At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above and about me.

2. Instead of the accustomed idea of a mindless and endless evolutionary change to which we can neither add nor subtract, I shall suppose the universe guided by an Intelligence which, as Aristotle said of Greek drama, requires a beginning, a middle, and an end. I think this will save me from the cynicism expressed by Bertrand Russell before his death when he said: “There is darkness without, and when I die there will be darkness within. There is no splendor, no vastness anywhere, only triviality for a moment, and then nothing.”

3. I shall not fall into the falsehood that this day, or any day, is merely another ambiguous and plodding twenty-four hours, but rather a unique event, filled, if I so wish, with worthy potentialities. I shall not be fool enough to suppose that trouble and pain are wholly evil parentheses in my existence, but just as likely ladders to be climbed toward moral and spiritual manhood.

4. I shall not turn my life into a thin, straight line which prefers abstractions to reality. I shall know what I am doing when I abstract, which of course I shall often have to do.

5. I shall not demean my own uniqueness by envy of others. I shall stop boring into myself to discover what psychological or social categories I might belong to. Mostly I shall simply forget about myself and do my work.

6. I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, or a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their “divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic” existence.

7. I shall sometimes look back at the freshness of vision I had in childhood and try, at least for a little while, to be, in the words of Lewis Carroll, the “child of the pure unclouded brow, and dreaming eyes of wonder.”

8. I shall follow Darwin’s advice and turn frequently to imaginative things such as good literature and good music, preferably, as Lewis suggests, an old book and timeless music.

9. I shall not allow the devilish onrush of this century to usurp all my energies but will instead, as Charles Williams suggested, “fulfill the moment as the moment.” I shall try to live well just now because the only time that exists is now.

10. Even if I turn out to be wrong, I shall bet my life on the assumption that this world is not idiotic, neither run by an absentee landlord, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the cosmic canvas that in due course I shall understand with joy as a stroke made by the architect who calls himself Alpha and Omega.

11. I shall sometimes look back at the freshness of vision I had in childhood andtry, at least for a little while, to be, in the words of Lewis Carroll, the‘child of the pure unclouded brow, and dreaming eyes of wonder."

May God bless you!

https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/08/smile-for-love.html

https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2011/12/top-10-quotes-from-completely.html

https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/03/authentic-relationships-book-review-and.html

Sources:
1. The Pleasures of God by John Piper, pages 95-96

2. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/10-resolutions-for-mental-health

(Note: The article had the first 10 and the book had all eleven, but with the eleventh in the text of the book and the first ten in the notations)

Cherry Blossoms and Cheery Chaps

2020-03-14T16:17:00.003-04:00

Normally when people I don't know ask me to take their picture, I agree, take the picture with their phone or camera, and never see them again. But because I'm following the CDC's guidelines for protecting myself from the coronavirus (COVID-19), I am not currently able to handle other's phones or cameras. These easygoing fellows kindly agreed to let me photograph them with my camera and share their photos on my blog (and they have my permission as the photographer to use the photos, print them, share them etc.). They were very good natured about my hesitation and I thank them for their excellent attitudes.

These pictures were taken in front of the big weeping cherry trees near the Visitor's Center at the U.S. National Arboretum today.

The trees were just in the bud stage last week so it was a pleasant surprise to see them blooming this much already today.

I just love these trees. Seeing them bloom is always one of the highlights of my year.

Thank you for visiting! Thank you to the three young men for allowing me to take their photos! May God bless them and may He bless you too!

Related posts:
DC tidal basin cherry blossoms: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/04/cherry-blossoms-washington-dc-monuments.html
DC monuments & cherry blossoms: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/04/cherry-blossoms-and-national-monuments.html
2012 monuments and blossoms: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/03/washington-dc-cherry-blossoms-and.html

Merry Christmas Wishes

2019-12-25T21:21:00.000-05:00

Longwood Gardens conservatory Christmas tree and flowers

Merriest Christmas and happiest holiday wishes to you and yours! May your heart be filled with Jesus' love, joy and peace! We enjoyed a little trip to Longwood Gardens, PA this month and, as usual, were amazed with their creative displays and beautiful flowers and holiday trees.

Watercolor Christmas tree by me

I've been dabbling in a bit of art and hope you will consider the Merry Merry tree above my holiday card to you! I've been simplifying my life and sending out fewer cards by mail but I like that almost everyone has access to my blog.

My art inspired by a Pinterest post

I think I used colored pencil for the image above and the reference photo was in Pinterest. I probably saved it to my "Christmas" board, which you can find here.

Watercolor by me, inspired by a YouTube video

This was a fun experiment. I wish I'd saved the reference video. If you're the artist, please post your link in the comments below or email me privately and I'll edit this post to include your link. The same video inspired the next watercolor painting too.

Another YouTube-inspired watercolor painting

"Merry" was clearly my theme for this Christmas. Loving Jesus definitely makes me more merry and joyful. May God bless you and all you do, this Christmas and always!

Related posts:
Christmas at Longwood: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-at-longwood-gardens.html
National Christmas tree: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/12/merry-christmas-national-tree-trip.html
Christmas cat cuteness: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-cat-santa-and-reindeer.html

My One Word for 2019

2019-01-21T17:22:00.001-05:00

Beaming light: photo by Pellini of MorgueFile

My guiding word for the year is "light." I'm aiming for a lightening up in spirit, mind, body and home and hopefully lighting a bit of our world with acts of kindness. I'm praying that God's light and love will shine through me to all those He puts in my path.

Traveling sunset with visible beams: photo by me

Do you have a guiding word for the year? Please share if you do!

May God bless you in this new year and always!

Related posts:
New Year prayer haiku poems: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-years-prayer-haikus.html
New Year blessing and poems: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/12/happy-new-year-blessing-update-and.html
New Year poems: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/01/two-new-year-haikus-inspired-by-god-and.html

Merry Christmas! National Tree Trip Photos

2018-12-25T18:00:00.002-05:00

2018 National Christmas Tree by the Capitol Building in DC

Merriest Christmas wishes to you! May God bless you and all you do this Christmas and always!

Oregon ornament looks hand painted

Today my husband and I went to Washington DC to see what we call the "National Christmas Tree." I think it's really called something else but the sign that's usually there wasn't present when we visited. The sign tells us where the tree is from (usually a different state each year) and what school(s) provided ornaments (mostly handmade) as well as the height of the tree. There was a definite "Oregon" theme to the ornaments so I think that's where the tree came from this year.

Jesus loves everyone wagon wheel ornament

This was my favorite ornament because it gets to the heart of Christmas. "Jesus loves everyone" is so true. He loves you! For more information on Jesus' love for you I recommend the site www.peacewithgod.net and they have volunteers available to chat 24/7.

Three-tiered wooden ornament

I saw a couple of these neat hand-painted and three-tiered wooden ornaments. Of course, the tree is so tall that I could only see the ones near the bottom so there may be more.

Cute Christmas doggies

Based on the languages I overheard, there were people from all over the world visiting our tree and some locals even brought their festively dressed canine friends.

National Tree zoom photo

After we left the tree area the sun came out and I took this photo through some trees. I know it's not technically a good photo but I like the sunshine on the ornaments and thought you might too.

Thank you for visiting! May all your Christmas dreams come true!

Related posts:
Funny caracal Christmas: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2011/12/funny-caracal-christmas-photos.html
Cute Christmas cats: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-cat-santa-and-reindeer.html
My favorite Longwood Christmas: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-at-longwood-gardens.html
National Christmas tree 2013: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/national-christmas-tree-with-childrens.html
Christmas blessings: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-blessings.html

Kindness Challenge Wrap Up ~ Days 23-31

2018-03-31T15:04:00.002-04:00

March passed so quickly I can hardly believe it. I completed 31 days of the 30 day kindness challenge and, for the vast majority of the time, enjoyed the process. The saying kind things to my husband and doing kind things for my husband were the easy parts. The challenging part was not saying anything negative to him (or about him, but that was easier than the to him part).

Yes, every now and then I still want to complain to my husband, but he's so much happier with me not complaining at all that I think I'll keep it going. I can't claim to be complaint free but I've narrowed my complaining audience to the Lord and a few close friends (though this has made me more aware of complaining and I 'm making efforts at complaining less with them too).

There's a difference between stating facts and complaining. I do have to sometimes state negative facts. But I try to do so compassionately. It takes effort but I think it's worth it.

I learned some surprising things about kindness (and unkindness) from Shaunti Feldhahn's The Kindness Challenge book and highly recommend both it and her challenge.

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you and all you do!

Related posts:
Kindness challenge intro: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/march-kindness-challenge-invitation.html
Kindness challenge week 1: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/kindness-challenge-days-1-6.html
Kindness challenge week 2: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/kindness-challenge-days-7-13.html
Kindness challenge week 3: https://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/kindness-challenge-days-14-22.html

Note / Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored or affiliate post. I was not asked or paid to write it or do the challenge. It was my own personal choice. All opinions are my own.

Kindness Challenge Days 14 - 22

2018-03-22T15:20:00.005-04:00

March is just flying by and as each day passes I feel like the kindness challenge activities become more ingrained and habitual. I think I'll continue this as a way of life with my husband after the challenge ends.

My favorite ongoing result of the challenge so far is that I think my husband is whistling more often. I think that means he's happier, at least a little. He's always been a whistler. It just seems more frequent.When I hear him whistling I know he's content and that makes me happy too.

Related posts:
Kindness challenge intro: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/march-kindness-challenge-invitation.html
Week 1: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/kindness-challenge-days-1-6.html
Week 2: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/kindness-challenge-days-7-13.html

Kindness Challenge Days 7-13

2018-03-13T18:14:00.003-04:00

Hello, friends! Thankfully this week wasn't as dramatic as last week. My husband loves being the recipient of my kindness challenge activities.... so much that he seems to see it as free reign to add to my to do list! I guess he figures that because I'm supposed to perform an act of kindness for him every day anyway, he gets to pick what the act will be. At first I thought... hey, it wasn't supposed to be on demand! But it is making him happy and he's not being unreasonable so I'm glad to help.

This means that I've doubled my activity commitment because I still feel like doing something to surprise him each day too. But he's worth the effort and I'm 100% glad I'm doing this challenge.

I hope you have a day filled with kindness!

May God bless you and all you do!

Related posts:
Overview: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/march-kindness-challenge-invitation.html
Week one: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/kindness-challenge-days-1-6.html
Creating a loving environment: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/01/creating-loving-atmosphere.html

Kindness Challenge Days 1-6

2018-03-06T14:36:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I mentioned that March started with a bang. It sure did! I had planned a nice calm morning to ease into the challenge. Unfortunately, my kindness intention was tested before I even got out of bed.

First I woke with a migraine headache. Pain is not conducive to kindness, but neither is it an excuse to be unkind. I determined to stick to my commitment to the kindness challenge despite the pain.

Then, as soon as I got out of bed, a cold breeze blew over me, leading me to quickly identify a major security violation. I wanted to reprimand the perpetrator but instead determined to pray first and discuss the issue in the kindest way possible.

A few minutes later, Braveheart the cat started getting sick. And she got sick all over the place, in at least three different rooms and nine different places. My poor cat clearly suffered as she made pitiful cries between heaves and I thought I'd have to take her to the emergency vet. Only I couldn't drive because my migraine also caused visual disturbances.

So I had to call my husband. And be kind. And not say anything unkind to him. The way I interpreted this challenge meant I could present the facts, but not complain. I guess there's a reason it's called a "challenge." My husband reacted compassionately and even offered to come right home, fix the security violation (I couldn't reach the source), determine whether Braveheart really needed an emergency veterinarian appointment and help clean up the cat messes (wow!).

By the time he got home, my migraine medicine had kicked in and Braveheart was drinking water, keeping it down and enjoying my attention. She got up and walked over to him with her tail up so we decided she was going to be ok. We both agreed to pay extra attention to her and be extra alert to her eating habits. He did everything he'd promised to do on the phone and went back to work. And as I type this, I am filled with gratitude and thankful to God for leading me to this Kindness Challenge.

If I had reacted differently, my husband probably would have too and the day might have kept spiraling downward. Instead, I felt like he really listened and cared and that reinforced my determination to reward him with kindness.

Days two through six were easy compared to day one but they weren't challenge free. I've been meditating on Bible verses about kindness and praying even more than usual. I haven't been perfect at this but when I slip I apologize and I think it's going very well.

I hope you have a day filled with kindness, love, joy and peace! May God bless you and all you do!

Related posts:
Kindness Challenge Invitation: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2018/03/march-kindness-challenge-invitation.html
Braveheart and the Sandman wrestling: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/08/cute-kittens-wrestle-and-surrender.html
Loving atmosphere: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/01/creating-loving-atmosphere.html

March Kindness Challenge Invitation

2018-03-01T13:21:00.001-05:00

Happy March! Today I signed up for Shaunti Feldhahn's Kindness Challenge. If you'd like to join me you can sign up here: https://www.jointhekindnesschallenge.com/ or just follow along with the basic three commitments of the challenge (outlined below). If you do join, I'd love to hear about your experience! Feel free to comment below or email me at lovejoypeas@gmail.com.

Kindness Challenge Summary
Choose a person to focus your kindness on this month and, every day, do each of these three things.

Say nothing unkind to or about your selected person
Say something kind to your selected person
Do something kind for your selected person

Her research shows that 89% of participants experienced improvement in their relationships!

I chose to do the challenge for my husband. Not because of any problem but because he's awesome and deserves even more kindness in his life. Depending on how it goes, I might repeat the challenge in future months, focusing on a different person each month.

I used January and February as informal practice months to get in the spirit of things and it's a good thing I did because March opened with a bang ... I'll tell you more in my next post so be sure to come back soon. I aim to post about my Kindness Challenge experiences at least once a week in March 2018.

May God bless you and every kind thing you do!

Related posts:
Create a loving atmosphere: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/01/creating-loving-atmosphere.html
Life Lessons for Women: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/04/life-lessons-for-women-7-essential.html
Authentic Relationships: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/03/authentic-relationships-book-review-and.html

Note: This isn't a paid or affiliate post of any kind. I'm just a fan of Shaunti Feldhahn's and personally wanted to do the challenge. All opinions are my own.

Happy Valentine's Day with Cute Bird Card

2018-02-14T16:11:00.002-05:00

Photo of one of the Valentines we sent to core family members

Happy Valentine's Day! You are loved by our Lord! More than words could ever say but the story is in the Bible and there are wonderful volunteers working 24/7 to answer questions and pray with people at www.peacewithgod.net

Today, on this day we celebrate love, I just wanted to take moment and say I love you too! Thank you to my dear, patient readers. I'm still not 100% sure where God is leading me with my writing but unless I feel led otherwise, I'm aiming to share more frequently here.

My heart goes out to all for whom this is a tough, sad holiday. May God comfort those who mourn and those who feel lonely or need comfort in any form.

I am supremely thankful for God's love, for my husband's love, for the love of my family, friends and readers. I am blessed. God is good!

May God bless you and those you love!

Related posts:
Our 2012 cute valentine cats: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-valentines-day-funny-monkey-cat.html
2013 valentine cats: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/02/happy-valentines-day-funny-cat-photos.html
Valentine crafts from my mom plus cats: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/02/cute-valentine-cats.html

Overtaken by Grace by Debbie Milam - Book Review

2017-12-29T16:14:00.000-05:00

Of all the books available on Bookcrash, this was the one I most wanted to read, and the main reason I signed up for the program. More grace is always a good thing.

As the saying goes, God works in mysterious ways. Little did I know that by the time the book arrived, a core family member would be in the intensive care unit (ICU) and I would be too sick to be able to travel, even though there was a good chance my beloved family member might not survive. Debbie Milam's Overtaken by Grace: How Intimacy with God Brings Hope, Healing, and Miracles provided exactly the support I needed during that difficult time. I loved her liberal use of scripture and her heartfelt prayers.

It's a very slim book, totaling 115 pages, and it didn't have any big original thoughts that I noticed. But what it did deliver is Debbie's beautiful way of speaking about core Biblical truths and life lessons in touching, heartfelt ways. Debbie's love for the Lord and her readers was evident and I felt like she was a friend helping me through this difficult time.

Some of the sections, such as coping with teenagers, didn't apply to my life but I read the whole book and do feel like I got something out of each part.

God did grant a miracle and my family member, while not completely healed, is still alive and able to live independently, something some of his doctors did not think would be possible. I'm still not up for travel but the need is less urgent.

Normally, once I finish a Christian book, I pass it on to my mother, who runs an informal free Christian lending library. But I'm going to keep Overtaken by Grace. I love the personal inscription she so kindly wrote for me and I know I'm going to want to reference it in the future, especially for the prayers.

My only criticism of the book is that Debbie only vaguely alludes to her challenges and doesn't get deeply personal and specific until more than halfway through the book (if I remember correctly, around page 65). I would have liked to know what kind of things she had dealt with much earlier in the book. But, even before she got specific, I could tell that she was someone I'd certainly like to get to know. I love her heart for God and her unique way of expressing His truths.

I would definitely recommend this book for any Christian or anyone open to Christianity.

May God continue to bless Debbie Milam, and may He bless you too!

Related posts:
Refocus book review: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/08/refocus-living-life-that-reflects-gods.html
Life Lessons book review: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/04/life-lessons-for-women-7-essential.html
Disciplines of a godly woman: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/disciplines-of-godly-woman-book-review.html
Authentic relationships: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/07/disciplines-of-godly-woman-book-review.html

Disclosure:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am not currently nor have I been in the past, an Amazon affiliate. I am considering applying to be an affiliate in the future and will post a notice when/if that happens. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Merry Christmas! Includes Update and Blessings.

2017-12-25T19:57:00.002-05:00

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

Merry Christmas to you and yours! I wanted to share my Instagram photo but couldn't get the link to work here. It did work on my relatively new Facebook "writer" page. So if you follow me on either of those places you can see our 2018 Christmas card. But I do like the Christmas-y camellia flower featured in this post and hope you do to.

May this Christmas bring you renewed faith, pure joy, and the sure knowledge that Jesus loves you! If this is a painful time of the year for you, I pray that you will draw near to God and He will comfort you with His peace that passes understanding.

I haven't been blogging much this year but I have been praying a lot. I feel like God is leading me to start my own webpage but until I'm sure of what He wants me to do there I'll keep posting here. In the New Year I plan to share some of the things I'm considering and I will welcome your input.

May God's peace be upon you, light fill your soul and blessings be with you!

Related posts:
Christmas blessings: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-blessings.html
Longwood Christmas: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-at-longwood-gardens.html
Cute Christmas cat: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-cat-santa-and-reindeer.html

First Chicken Soup for the Soul Story Published!

2017-08-04T15:23:00.001-04:00

Exciting news! Chicken Soup for the Soul bought one of my stories and it is in the book pictured above (The Dog Really Did That?)! The book officially launches on August 8, 2017 but is available for pre-order now on Amazon.

I haven't used Twitter in ages but if I can figure out how to get in to the launch party mentioned in the photo above, I hope to see you there!

May God bless you!

Related posts:
Our kittens when tiny: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/05/braveheart-and-sandman-our-new-kittens.html
Cute wrestling kittens: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/08/cute-kittens-wrestle-and-surrender.html
Our elderly cat: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/black-cat-pink-tongue-cuteness-photos.html

Direct link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Soup-Soul-Miracles-Mischief/dp/1611599695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501874271&sr=8-1&keywords=the+dog+really+did+that

Disclaimer: I am one of the authors in the book and will be paid a flat fee for my story. I don't get any additional monies for books sold. The Amazon link in this article is not an affiliate link.

Blog Break - Spring 2017

2017-03-28T17:51:00.002-04:00

Happy tidy Tuesday! The Great Clutter Purge of 2017 continues, albeit slowly. I had before and after photos for you of a little clutter busting progress but my husband doesn't want me to share household photos anymore. As much as I love sharing here, I love him more so must respect his wishes.

Unfortunately, my health has been especially challenging lately so I've decided to take the rest of spring off from the blog... and maybe longer. But as I'm able I'll still keep my Facebook page updated with archive posts and other blogger's interesting posts.

May God bless you and those you love!

Quick and Easy Tea Nook Clutter Busting

2017-03-21T16:22:00.000-04:00

Happy tidy Tuesday and Spring! The Great Clutter Purge of 2017 continues with a quick flat surface area / kitchen counter clutter busting project.

We have tea almost every day but this little tea nook to the left of our range is a clutter magnet. The above photo is an "after" clutter busting image. It includes one thing that wasn't in the "before" photo below. Can you spot it?

This "before" photo shows a much messier tea nook. Most of this stuff isn't clutter in the sense that we don't use it but it is clutter in the sense that it doesn't belong there.

So I removed everything from the area, cleaned the empty space, put the out of place things where they belonged and then returned the things that did belong.

Then I noticed the cup hook with nothing on it. I searched for and found the missing oven mitt and hung it back up (see the topmost image - that was the extra item not present in the "before" photo). I like the tidied tea nook much better this way.

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you!

Related posts:
Quick Kitchen Counter Organizing: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/03/14-minute-kitchen-counter-clutter.html
Microwave Area Clutter Busting: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/03/8-minute-microwave-and-cut-flower.html
Organized Utensil Drawer: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/07/my-simplifying-home-8-week-journey-week_21.html

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Green Orchid Photos and Haiku Poems

2017-03-17T16:42:00.003-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day and floral Friday! The plaque in the photo above has this Irish blessing:

"May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

The rains fall gently upon your fields

And until we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of His hand"

This plaque hangs, year round, in our bedroom. I am a wee bit Irish, after all.

I thought green orchids would be perfect for this St. Patrick's day post. The photos were taken at the U.S. National Arboretum in their Bonsai Museum. It's a great place to visit, any time of the year.

Back to St. Patrick's day. While praying and walking today, God gave me these two haiku poems.

St. Patrick's Day Haiku Poem I:

Saint Patrick was real!

He spread the gospel message

and loved our Lord God!

St. Patrick's Day Haiku Poem II:
He used shamrock leaves

to explain the Trinity:

Father, Son, Spirit.

Saint Patrick was a devoted Christian and I'm glad to celebrate his life by wearing green but I think loving God and serving others honor him best.

The photo above is an overview of the green "cymbodium goeringii" orchids in their pretty pot. When I first saw the pot, I thought it was a pot of grass! But when I looked more closely I could see the orchid flowers.

Just in case you wondered what our kittens were doing on St. Patrick's day - they were relaxing. Every time I went to make the bed, a cat was on it. It's late afternoon and I still haven't made the bed, but the day isn't over. But their kittenhood almost is - they will be a year old a week from today!

May God bless you and all you love!

How do you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day?

Related posts:
My Favorite Funny Cat St. Patrick's Post: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/03/hilarious-happy-st-patricks-day-cat.html
More funny Irish cat photos: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/03/funny-st-patricks-day-photos-of-moose.html
Cute cats wearing the green: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2012/03/funny-st-patricks-day-cat-photos.html

Note:
This is not a sponsored or paid post. All opinions are my own.

First Day of Spring Home Blessing Prayer Party (Online)

2017-03-15T17:33:00.000-04:00

Photo source: Facebook theme

It's almost officially spring! You are cordially invited to celebrate with me via my online First Day of Spring Home Blessing Prayer Party! It will be held on Facebook on Monday, March 20th from 11 am to 7 pm Eastern time.

I envision us celebrating the first day of spring together with lots of praying for each other and our homes, and actual home blessing activities. This means not just sitting at the computer but getting up and doing some good in our homes (acts of kindness, cleaning, organizing, clutter busting, tidying etc.)! Home blessing prayers, prayer requests, home blessing tips and before / after photos are welcome!

I pray this will be an event that uplifts, encourages and blesses all who participate.

May God bless you and all who join!

Related posts:
12 Spring Celebration Ideas: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/03/happy-spring-haiku-poems-and-12.html
Daffodils, Pansies and Cyclamen: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/03/daffodil-pansy-and-cyclamen-flower.html
Spring Flowers: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/02/first-flowers-of-spring-2016.html

Notes:
Full event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1830213920577559/
Not a sponsored or affiliate post; all opinions are my own.

Tidy Tuesday Tip: Consolidate and Containerize

2017-03-14T17:17:00.002-04:00

Happy tidy Tuesday! I think I took the rose photo above on March 9th and in the photos below you can see that they've held up pretty well. But that has nothing to do with Tidy Tuesday. The main point of this post is that if you don't have time to do a real clutter busting session, consolidating and containerizing works really well.

On weekends that I'm too busy or health challenged, things pile up on our table. Yesterday, when I was walking by after getting the mail, the gloves were in a stack on top of the scarf which was on top of the pile of hats. It didn't look that bad because it was all stacked together (consolidated). But I thought it was a great opportunity to demonstrate consolidation and containerization. So I spread everything out and added the mail that I hadn't already recycled (I like to recycle what we don't need as soon as I bring it in).

Yes, I wore all that stuff since last Friday. No, I am not a minimalist.

You can barely see one of them but there are three jackets hanging off chairs around the table. I prefer to put my jacket away right after coming inside but if the kittens are eager to play they'll jump in the closet and I have a hard time getting them out. So I just wait until they're asleep.

Everything that was in the first photo ("before") is still represented here in this first "after" photo! Although the bag got cut off so you can just see just the edge of it on the left. All I did to get to this point was to stack all 3 jackets on one chair (consolidate) and put everything that was spread all over the table and didn't belong there in the brown paper bag (containerize). Then I put the brown paper bag on one of the chairs. Instant improvement!

Fastest tidying tip - just dump everything in a container and get it out of the way. Now, don't get me wrong, that's not true organizing. But if you just want things to look better fast, it works.

I then put the jackets and everything that was in the brown paper bag away. This is what I prefer my table to look like. Streamlined with a few accents on the far end. I could do without the accents but there's space and the plants like it there. The table is in a central part of our home so it's a nice place to see flowers regularly.

Although I didn't recycle anything except the paper bag in this post, the Great Clutter Purge of 2017 continues. I have been releasing clutter. It just hasn't been very photogenic. Hopefully next week will lead to some great photo ops. Only God knows!

Hope this quick tip was interesting or useful for you! If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you!

Related posts:
Refrigerator front organizing: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2017/03/quick-refrigerator-front-clutter.html
Great Clutter Purge 2017 Intro: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2017/02/great-clutter-purge-of-2017-january.html
Linen closet organizing: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/from-disaster-to-delight-organized.html

Quick Refrigerator Front Clutter Busting for Tidy Tuesday

2017-03-07T16:04:00.001-05:00

Photo by me; Magnet by https://www.opendoorsusa.org/

Happy tidy Tuesday! My Great Clutter Purge of 2017 continues. Until this week I'd been operating on a spontaneous method but yesterday I started a clockwise organization of the kitchen surfaces. I feel like these surfaces are clutter magnets so my current plan is to go from room to room and deal with all the visible surfaces. Today I tidied the front of my refrigerator.

"Before" clutter busting photo of refrigerator

I liked everything on the freezer section but it was just too much. The stuff on the refrigerator section was just to remind me of things to do and could definitely go somewhere else.

Totally clear refrigerator front

So I removed everything and gave the front of the refrigerator a quick cleaning. Truly, I don't need anything on it at all. If I were a minimalist, I'd probably leave it like this.

"After" clutter busting photo of refrigerator

But I decided it was reasonable and not untidy to keep one row of things that inspire me.

This is my favorite photo of my husband and I just before getting married, along with a little poem and a magnet of a cheerful sunflower. I call it my refrigerator's love corner.

Psalm 118:24 art by Linda Grayson; Photo by me

This is a Bible verse I like to recite every morning. I don't remember who gave it to me but I've had it for at least 10 years and it makes me smile. Thank you, mystery family member or friend!

The whole time I worked on the refrigerator I had to be careful not to step on my most curious cat, the Sandman. Technically he's still a kitten but he weighs almost 14 pounds. He and his sister, Braveheart, will be one year old on March 27th. I'm not sure how we'll celebrate yet but would love to hear your suggestions.

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you!

Related posts:
Linen closet organization: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/from-disaster-to-delight-organized.html
Mystery corner clutter busting: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/01/mystery-corner-in-master-bedroom.html
8 minute microwave area clutter bust: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2013/03/8-minute-microwave-and-cut-flower.html

Note: Not a sponsored/paid post. All opinions are my own

First Daffodils, Periwinkle and Forsythia Flowers of the Year

2017-03-03T16:01:00.002-05:00

Happy March, floral Friday and welcome to "this week in my Maryland garden!" The spring flowers started extra early this year. But it's not truly spring yet and God reminded me of this by sprinkling snowflakes on my camera as I took these photos earlier today.

We only have one remaining forsythia bush but its sunny yellow flowers brighten up a shady corner of the yard.

The purplish blue periwinkle flowers (also called vinca) are popping up all over. I think periwinkle is my favorite ground cover. It spreads nicely and squelches weeds but still lets my larger perennials grow through. Last year I planted some under one of our rose bushes and I'm looking forward to seeing how that works out later this year.

This daffodil has an unusual shape but I thought it was still pretty.

It'll be a while before it flowers but I was happy to see tulip foliage popping up through the mulch this week too.

Although I didn't get any photos this week, the hellebores are blooming too and you can see them here.

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you!

Related posts:
Daffodils, pansies and cyclamen: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2014/03/daffodil-pansy-and-cyclamen-flower.html
Primroses, daffodils & quince: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/03/primroses-daffodils-and-flowering-quince.html
Funky daffodil and more flowers: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/04/pretty-pansies-periwinkle-forsythia-and.html

Great Clutter Purge of 2017: January & February Results

2017-02-28T16:43:00.000-05:00

Happy tidy Tuesday! As I mentioned in last week's post, I'm working on my Great Clutter Purge of 2017, inspired by ClutterBug Cas's similarly named endeavor. So far, my results sound great, especially since I didn't start until around January 20th but I'll tell you the rest of the story after sharing the numbers.

January - 448 pieces of clutter released

February - 1,578 pieces of clutter released

Total so far for my Great Clutter Purge of 2017 - 2026 pieces of clutter released

The actual numbers seem impressive, but when I look around my home... there's hardly a visible dent in the clutter situation. My progress has been slow due to health issues. When I don't feel well I tend to work on paper clutter (of which I have an unseemly amount). Busting paper clutter makes for nice numbers but doesn't actually free up much space. There are still huge piles to go.

On the plus side, if I hadn't kept track of the numbers I might be feeling like I hadn't made any progress at all. And it wasn't all just paper. I think I made two charitable donation trips (bags and bags of household items, books and clothes) and did clear out a substantial pile to the right of my desk. I really enjoy seeing that empty space now. It is a reminder that, God willing, when I get to feeling better, I can make more visible progress.

Want to join me in the Great Clutter Purge of 2017? Feel free to share your successes, challenges and/or ideas in the comments. I'd love to hear from you!

Thank you for visiting! May God bless you!

Related posts:
ClutterBug's Great Purge: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2017/02/cas-clutterbugs-great-purge-of-2017.html
Organized Linen Closet: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2015/07/from-disaster-to-delight-organized.html
Tidy Dresser Top: http://lovejoyandpeas.blogspot.com/2016/01/clutter-clean-in-2016-first-project-top.html