The Stonybrook House

Sunday Drive - Are Problems Your Foe or Your Friend?

2026-05-31T19:34:49.967-04:00

Are Your Problems Your Foe or Your Friend?

We all go through struggles. Every single one of us. No one is immune. God allows problems to come our way. It's what we do with them. Even if life feels crazy and out of control. God is sovereign. There is no chaos in the nature of God.

His Word says that He causes EVERYTHING to work together for good... for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. So what are we do with these problems in our life?

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

What if we made friends with our problems instead of making them our enemy? What if we allowed God to do the work He wants to do in us through this struggle? It's going to take trust. Do you trust God to work everything for His purpose in your life?

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Each problem can fall into one of two categories... it can either teach you something or it can become a stumbling block. One category can transform us, the other can lead to defiance. It's really our choice.

If we let God transform us through a problem, we become more like Him, little by little. However, if we choose not to trust Him... the problem He allowed becomes our enemy and we fight it, which leads to distrust and defiance. We need to recognize that God understands and sees us far differently than we see ourselves. He sees what we CAN be!

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

How do we become friends with our problems? First, we thank Him for them. This begins a new path of possibilities. Possibilities of blessings, benefits and healings we could not see before. When we bring our problems to God, they then become His problems. He will show you the way to handle them.

Jesus said that we would have trials and struggles.... its just a part of life. But guess what, He also said that we would have peace! Peace is not the absence of difficulties. Peace is our strength through difficulties.

John 16:33 (NLT)
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Jesus is our peace.

Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)
14 For he himself is our peace,

Make your problems your friend. Trust in Jesus.

Blessings,
Lori

Goodbye Red Orange Oak - Part 1 Chairs - Gel Stain

2026-05-23T07:22:10.735-04:00

*This post contains some Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full Disclosure Statement.

First off, let me tell you staining red oak is a pain! It's not really red.... it's more of a burnt orange and personally I'm not a fan. That wood is dying to stay orange! The last red oak table I refinished, I ended up bleaching it. It turned out beautiful!!

Bleaching Red Oak Table

We loved it! I had bought some wing chairs later on, that I had intended to recover, but never happened. Then our family started to grow (with more grandbabies💗) and we needed something just a bit bigger. The search on Facebook Market started. (Wow, looking back at the photo... our home has gone through some significant changes.) 😍

Let me just add right here.... refinishing tables and chairs is a lot of work. Definitely worth it, but here comes a long post.... You can always scroll to the end to see the beautiful new table and chairs. 😁 That's why I split this post into 2 parts. Part 1 will be the chairs and Part 2 will be the table.

Here is the table and chairs I found on Facebook Market.

Okay... I wasn't too sure of the table, but I liked the small profile of the chairs... We ended up getting the whole thing for $200. Not bad for solid wood!

Now comes the work. Dear Lord, please let this be the last table I refinish!!

Let's start with a good scrubbing. Of course, we popped out the chair backs and removed the seats. Those will be recovered with new fabric.

The chairs take more tedious and detail work, plus recovering them. Here's the plan... scrub, lightly sand, then use a gel stain. Gel stain doesn't require the previous stain to be completely removed. I do not have the patience to sand every inch of stain off of these chairs, no thank you.

So, only a light sanding is required, just to rough up the finish.

Ready to stain! I love General Finishes Gel Stain. I used it years ago on some cabinets in our garage at Stonybrook. For those cabinets I use the color Java. They turned out beautiful!

Staining Cabinets - Gel Stain

This time we used the color Antique Walnut. This gel stain is amazing to work with! Seriously, it's so easy!

I applied two coats. The only issue I had with the chairs was a couple of the legs had some damage. I filled them in with some wood filler. Wood filler is supposed to accept stain. It does a bit, but its never the same depth of color...

I ended up painting some brown paint on that area to blend it in some more. You can hardly tell it was damaged.

Now that the chairs are stained... let's move on to the cushions. I removed all of the old fabric.

The backs and the seats each had their own set of problems... let's start with the backs. I chose some white vinyl that had a 'leather look' for the front and a 'antelope' print for the back. Here came the problem. The vinyl had NO stretch to it, so it wrinkled on the curve. Um... that's a no for me.

Then I thought, what if I cut the curve off?? So, I flipped the cushion upside down to get and idea of what it would look like.

I loved it! Plus it made it soooo much easier to cover! Time to cut all of the backs to square them up!

Making the seat back covers was going to get a bit tricky. I have to sew them together at the top because, the top seam will be exposed. So after all the fabric was cut out, I sewed the top seam.

Before I started to attach the fabric to the seat back, I had to cut the curve off of the foam padding. Then I had to add a thin fabric to the back, because the antelope fabric was too sheer.

So, here we are starting to staple the fabric onto the seat backs. I used an electric stapler, that made it so much easier.

Finished up the sides and corners. Corners are always fun... not!

Last step was to hot glue the antelope fabric down. Once I folded and ironed the seams, it was pretty easy to flip the fabric over and glue it all secure. I used glue to secure the seat backs into the frame of the chair.

Okay, here we have the seat back finished. I love how we now have a handle to pull out the chairs. Now it's time to start the seats.

I had the same problem with the slight curve on the front of the seats. So, to make it easier, I cut off the front edge just a bit. It's hardly noticeable.

I covered one of the seats and had hubby try it. It wasn't soft enough, which I figured. I thought I had some extra foam in the basement. Yes, I did! I found just enough for all six chairs!

Covering seats are pretty straight forward. I usually staple the front and backs, then work on the sides and lastly the corners.

We are in business!! Now the only issue I have right now is that when you sit in the chair.... it goes WHOOOSH! Hmmm... I've never had that problem before. But after a couple of weeks it hit me. The last time I recovered chairs, I was putting fabric over the old fabric. And yes, it was the same type of vinyl.

So, here's my theory... When chairs are covered with breathable fabric, you have the ability to pull the fabric even tighter. Then the foam has most of the air pushed out of it. Then when you add a vinyl, it's already super tight. I will be trying that in the near future on one of my chairs. Yes, it will be a pain, but I think it just might work.

Here's the finished chairs and table.

I'm really happy with how it all turned out! A far cry from the orangey red oak that it was. Let's just take a look at the before.

I'll be sharing all the things on the table next. 😊

Blessings, Lori

Sunday Drive - Let's Get Real

2026-05-17T21:16:38.849-04:00

Let's Get Real

We can be completely transparent and real with God. He is fully aware of all that you are, all that you do, all that you are going through today and all you will go through tomorrow. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Sometimes, its difficult to admit how weak and overwhelmed we are to God. Life can get really hard at times and for some reason, we try to carry it ourselves. We feel this responsibility to take care of everything and everyone. We were not designed to carry it ourselves.

Matthew 11:28-29 (NLT)
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

I love what it says in verse 29... Let me teach you. We need to be taught to give our burdens to God. We all want the "rest" He provides. Because again...for some reason, we all struggle and try to carry them ourselves.

I guess it's like anything we want to learn and get better at. It takes practice and patience. Lord, help me share my struggles with you and let you teach me!

It's funny... He already knows everything and yet, He wants to hear from us. He wants us to pour our heart out to Him. Not for His benefit, but for ours. Its our opportunity to practice.

Psalms 62:8 (NLT)
8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

What's incredible, is the peace that comes from being REAL with God. We can let our guard down and just be ourselves without any concern that He's going to judge us or look down on us. No, He's not going to do that... He's going to LOVE on us! We can rest in His presence and completely trust Him.

Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT)
3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

When we get real with God, He restores, refreshes and renews us! It might mean we just need to sit and be still in His Presence and let Him fill us up. There are so many ways God can teach us....

Psalms 46:10 (NLT)
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

You are never alone in life. He is always there... always waiting for you to pour your heart out and be real with Him.

Isaiah 41:13 (NLT)
13 For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.

Blessings,
Lori

A New Adventure

2026-04-26T20:36:00.000-04:00

A New Adventure

Each day is a new adventure and we have no idea what the outcome will be... Sure, we can 'make our plans', but in all reality we have no idea what lies ahead.

I look at my planner and make my list of this and that. Forging ahead with 'my plans', trying to set my mind on the tasks ahead. I'm realizing, more often than I'd like to admit, I might have just left God out of the picture....

Then I feel the nudge... The Holy Spirit saying... "Did you forget something?"

Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)
21 You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

Psalms 118:24 (NLT)
24 This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

The Lord doesn't just want to be at the top of your list for the day. He wants to be in every part of who you are and in everything you are doing throughout your day!

It's not just about giving a chunk of time to Him in the morning, before we go on with the rest of our day. He wants all of us, every part of us and every second of our day. He wants to be center of everything we are and the center of everything we do.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT)
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

When Christ LIVES in us, we are going through life together. Everything we do is with Him.

Even though we might not always 'feel' like Christ is with us, He is! Feelings are not always true. Don't let the enemy trick you with lies. God's Word says that He is ALWAYS with you!

Joshua 1:9 (NLT)
9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Trust that He is with you. Talk with Him about your day. Life with Christ is full of surprises and you have no idea what He has planned. Whether it includes good or bad from our perspective. It is all good from His perspective.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Because of God's great love for us, we can trust that no matter what happens in our day, His plans are for our good. We have to believe that!

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)
8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Are you ready for a new adventure?

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - Our Refuge, Our Strength and Our Shield

2026-04-19T19:46:00.000-04:00

Our Refuge, Our Strength and Our Shield

These are the definitions of Refuge, Strength and Shield.

Refuge - The condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble.

Strength - The state of being physically strong, the capacity to withstand great force or pressure.

Shield - Protect from danger, risk, or unpleasant experience.

This is what is available to you at all times! Long before you open your eyes in the morning The Lord has arranged your day. He has provided you with the strength you need for each moment. Instead of dreading the day, welcome it! Knowing you and Jesus can accomplish anything!

Psalms 28:7 (NLT)
7 The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

His power flows through us as we spend more time with Him, reading His Word and talking to Him. He wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives. He wants to shelter us and protect us. When we are walking with Him, it's like we have a protective force field around us.

This doesn't mean I won't get knocked down, or have the rug pulled from under me... But through all of life's difficulties, if I am clinging to Jesus, I WILL make it through. He is my strength!

Remember this life is a journey. There are ups and downs throughout it. However, The Lord is constant and steady. He is my refuge, my strength, my shield through every day.

Psalms 56:3-4 (NLT)
3 But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. 4 I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

When life hits you hard and you feel like you're losing your foothold, remember He is always with you. His strength is unmatched. He has the capacity to withstand all things. His strength is your strength.

His shield isn't a piece of literal armor. It's His presence in action, and He is hypervigilant, always watching over you. Jesus is the best bodyguard and security system out there!

Genesis 28:15 (NLT)
15 What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”

Psalms 62:8 (NLT)
8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

God is for you. He is true. Trust in Him and His Word. He will not fail you.

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - Being Still

2026-04-12T20:33:00.000-04:00

Being Still

Being still is not an easy thing to do in this day and age with ALL the distractions! Especially if you are in the season of raising children. Since I am an empty nester, that season has passed for me. But let me tell you there are still enough distractions...

We must protect and defend our quiet time with The Lord. Seriously, sometimes it feels like an all out war. Distractions come from all directions. Especially from a little rectangle device we hold in our hand almost all day.

I believe our phones have become the worst distraction. We pick it up the minute we wake and start looking at emails, messages, social media, or whatever, before our first sip of coffee....

The struggle is real...

Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

This verse resounds in my mind, every time. I WANT to put seeking the Kingdom first, everyday. Lord, help me!

So, let's put our phones away. Carve out time for The Word and Jesus every day. We need to sit and be still in His presence. We need this uninterrupted time with The Lord. It's worth fighting for!

Matthew 1:23 (NLG)
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

We need the reminder that God is always with us. To relax in His peaceful presence. That He will be with us throughout our day and can handle all the problems that come our way.

Matthew 28:20b (NLT)
And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Taking the time to be still, is so important. To sit and ponder the greatness of His Glory and Power.

Psalms 46:10 (NLT)
10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

He is our refuge and strength. The more we gaze upon Him, our perspective changes... our problems look smaller, because He is greater!

Psalms 46:1-2 (NLT)
1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. 2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.

John 16:33 (NLT)
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Take time to be still and fill up your tank with Jesus everyday!

Blessings,
Lori

Dollar Tree Tulip Wreath - 2026

2026-03-11T10:04:00.001-04:00

I have done my fair share of Dollar Tree tulip wreaths... But I'd have to say this is my best one yet!

Wwwaaaayyy back in the day, when I first started blogging, I created this little beauty in 2013.

Then back in the spring of 2020, I made this white tulip wreath.

Easy Dollar Tree Tulip Wreath

And would you believe, I still have them...

The grapevine form is from a wreath that was falling apart. I ripped out threw away all of the stems from it.

So, I was thinking... maybe I could layer 2 of the wreaths?

That actually worked better than I thought! So, I flipped it over and wired the two together. The second photo is a close up of wiring. I just used thin floral wire.

Now it was time to fill in the grapevine wreath. I tore off the white tulips from the little wreath. I had a few other tulips in my flower bin, but I definitely needed more. I want this wreath to be very full and full of tulips!

I went to the Dollar Tree to pick up some more tulips. This wreath is going to get beat down with sun, so I don't want to spend a ton of $$ on it. I purchased 7 more bunches. Each bunch has 5 tulips. I didn't end up using every single one, but it I only had a few left.

Of course, by now we all know that the Dollar Tree isn't a dollar any more. Each bunch was $1.75, but I felt that was still pretty cheap for this project.

Here are the tulips before.... They need some steaming.

I just used my clothes steamer and dragged the flowers across. Then held them for a few seconds in the shape I wanted them as they cooled.

Here are the tulips after. They are so much better!!

I definitely noticed the quality of the tulips I purchased in 2013 vs. today. They are much more flimsy and cheap now, but they'll work. If the tulip wouldn't hold the shape well, I used my glue gun to "help" the petals stay together.

The colors weren't all the same either. A simple solution... I switched out some of the tulips heads from the original wreath. It was super easy. You just pull the flower off and stick a new one back on the stem. That blended all the flowers.

I just LOVE how this came out. It looks full and looks like I spent way more $$ on it than I did. It's so colorful and springy!

This is what you see from the back. Not fantastic, but it doesn't bother me. 😊

Blessings,
Lori

Mudroom/Office Remodel Part 2

2026-03-04T11:23:00.003-05:00

*This post contains some Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full Disclosure Statement.

We have made some progress! If you want to see how far we've come, here are the links to check it out.

Mudroom/Office Plans (with mockup)
Mudroom/Office Part 1

First, we needed to determine where we wanted the closets. We have about a 20 inch utility closet and a 66 inch double door coat closet. Both closets are 28 inches deep. There is 4 feet from the front windows to the first wall. That space will have a floating bench and hooks. Hubby crunched all the numbers! Thank The Lord!!

Here he is framing the closets.😍

Adding the header to the closets.

Closets are framed. Electric is completed. You can see where Hubby cut out holes for the recessed lights. Now we are ready for drywall. That's my job... fun!!😎

This is where the room starts to take shape. It's wild how drywall makes such a difference! We bought 9 sheets, let's see how far we get!

My goal is to have as little seams as possible. Fingers crossed! Now this tool is awesome! It's call a RockRipper. You place your utility knife in the measurement hole you need, then drag it across the sheet of drywall. It just scores it, then you can snap the drywall, voile'!

Starting to look like a new room!

Whew! Drywall is finished! A few more seams than I wanted, but we hate to waste $. We used almost every bit of those 9 sheets. We still need one more...Oh well. Now for the mudding. I really don't mind this part... its the sanding. 😝

Did you notice the lights are on?? We used the same LED 4" Recessed Lights we have in the kitchen. They are SUPER easy to install! We have lights in each closet and on either side. Hubby did a great job!

We still need to finish the ceiling, fill all the little holes and paint. Little by little we'll get it done!

Blessings,
Lori

Mudroom/Office Plans (with mockup)
Mudroom/Office Part 1

Sunday Drive - The Sea of Life

2026-02-22T19:40:00.003-05:00

I took this photo when we were in California last year.

The Sea of Life

Throughout this life, we will encounter problems. Sometimes it will feel like we are getting hit wave after wave, barely able to stand. Other times the waves will be small and actually feel relaxing. Then other times you may see a treacherous tidal wave out in the distance... what will you do?

Cling to Jesus! He is our peace. I love this next verse.

Philippians 4:7 (NLT)
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

I love how it says, "His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you LIVE in Christ Jesus." We need need Jesus for every breath of this life. When we are living and breathing Christ, His peace protects us.

Where is our mind focused, on Christ or the tidal wave? Remember Peter, when he stepped out of the boat, when Jesus was walking on the water towards them? Peter began to sink when he got distracted by the waves.

Matthew 14:30 (NLT)
30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

If you start to sink, call out to Jesus! He is always there!

Keep your eyes on Jesus. He remains the same. He never changes. He is always there. He perfects our faith. He keeps us and sustains us through this life.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Here comes the tidal wave... you can see it... you're clinging to Jesus... bracing for the impact. But then He says, "Peace, be still". By the time the wave reaches you, it has shrunk to the design of His will for you.

Mark 4:39 (NKJV)
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

There will always be waves in this sea of life. He is right there with you facing the waves of today. The waves of tomorrow... leave them for tomorrow.

Blessings,
Lori

Mudroom/Office Remodel Part 1

2026-02-18T10:02:00.002-05:00

If you missed our plans... Here's the link for you to take a looksee. 😊

Mudroom/Office Plans

Here's what we've done so far.... We removed the water baseboard heat. This is the last room that had still had them.

Then we took off all of the brown paneling and started to rip out the indoor/outdoor carpet.

Hubby wired the wall with all the outlets and light switches. He also wired the two way switch for the overhead lighting. Once the closets are built, we'll finish the center outlets and add switches on the closet walls.

Before we start building closets, we needed to address the ceiling. It was pretty much falling down in areas. Where the air vents were placed the ceiling tiles were sagging. Hubby's leg came though the ceiling in another area. (Oops!) Let's just say it needed work!

As I began taking it down... it felt like it was cardboard, definitely not very sturdy. We are so glad to be replacing it!

We were looking at all the options for the ceiling. We considered drywall. I just did not want to do seams, mud and sand the ceiling. That is not fun.... We had even looked at doing a 'coffered ceiling' with beams, but no guarantee it would cover the drywall seams. The best best, and the most expensive, was installing shiplap. The real stuff, not the 'fake underlayment shiplap' that we usually do. We chose 12 foot boards that could span the entire width of the room. It was well worth it!!!

I thought taking down the "cardboard" ceiling was going to be a nightmare. I thought the insulation was all of the "fluff stuff". But it's not! It's mostly rolled insulation, so it isn't all falling on my face as I take down the tiles. It went surprisingly well.

When they installed the "cardboard" ceiling, they added firring strips to staple them to. Which worked our perfectly for the shiplap to be nailed to.

The new shiplap is looking sooooo good! We're about 2/3 finished. Lowe's ran out, so we'll finish later.

We are past where the closets will be, so we picked up some lumber and drywall to start building closets. Yay!

I'll keep you posted.

Blessings,
Lori

Mudroom/Office Remodel - Part 2

Sunday Drive - No More Negative Nellie

2026-02-01T21:09:00.001-05:00

No More Negative Nellie

Why does it seem so easy to focus on the negative than the positive? How about you? Do negative memories or conversations seem to stick out more than others? Then there's the Negative Nellies of the world. You know who I'm talking about...

The ones that always find something to complain about... or find something wrong. They usually don't have a solution either. Sigh....

As challenging it is to deal with Miss Nellie, Lord, help me not to be her! I'd much rather be a Positive Penny!

Matthew 15:11 (NLT)
11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.

It's important to consider what comes out of our mouths. How we say things, the tone we use, etc. In fact, as Christians, we are created in the image of God, we represent Him. Are we representing Him well?

Genesis 1:27 (NLT)
27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

I want to represent Christ as best I can. However, I know for a fact, that I've failed in that department many, many, many times. But that doesn't mean I should give up. That just means I'm still a work in progress, like the rest of you. We need to keep striving to be more like Christ.

Throughout the process of striving to be more like Christ, we need to be mindful of the direction of our thinking. Negative thoughts are going to pop into our minds. What are we going to do with them?

We have basically have one of two choices. One, dwell on them and let them grow, creating vain imaginations or make a change. Just a second... do you know what a vain imagination is? Let me share what Google says...

"A vain imagination refers to empty, unrealistic, or harmful thoughts, fantasies and mental, self-centered scenarios that lack truth and productivity."

Hmmm... vain imaginations sound like a big waste of time and energy...

Let's opt for the second choice...make a change! Ask God to help you think different, to find one good thing to think about. We can also change what we're doing or change our surroundings. Turn on worship music, sing a song, call a friend. We don't have to stay stuck. We can choose to think differently.

Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

This verse instructs us to think about things that are excellent and praiseworthy. It is possible. We can retrain our mind. We can turn into a Positive Penny!

Acts 2:28 (NLT)
28 You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.

When we begin to spend more time focusing on the positive, we become more thankful and grateful. We actually have more joy! We begin to look for the good God is doing in our lives and others.

Psalms 19:14 (NLT)
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Yes, Lord! No more Negative Nellie... be a Positive Penny!

Blessings,
Lori

New Project! - Mudroom/Office Plan

2026-01-21T14:32:00.007-05:00

New year, time for a new project! It's been awhile since we started a new BIG project... we are soooo ready!

We've been wanting to do this room for awhile! We are in the middle of winter here, so it seemed like the perfect time to get started on this room. As you can see it really needs some work!

Back in 2021, I kind of made over the front entry area of the room. Office Wall Makeover

It was a great start, but this is what the rest of the room looked like....

Not always with a bunch of boxes and such, but definitely in need of a makeover. Yet, if you've been around here for awhile you would know that we've been hard at work for the last 5 years renovating this entire house.

Our little brick house, has two front doors. We have a main front door that leads into the living room. However, the door we use the most is right next to the driveway, the mudroom/office door.

That door leads into a sort of 'breezeway'. We believe it was enclosed when they added on the garage, because there is brick on the house side. Plus there is a 'lovely Feastmaster' in the breezeway. We guess it was some sort of grill? We'll be dealing with that at some point.

For our purposes we have used this space as a mudroom/office. We had our HUGE 10' desk against the wall. We built that desk at our old house, where we had a HUGE office to fill. Farmhouse Office Start To Finish. It has worked fine for the last 5 years, but now we have even better plans for this space. First of all, we don't need a 10' desk. It has just become a catchall for stuff.

This is a pretty large room, with access to the kitchen, basement, back yard and garage.

What we need in this space is a place to hang coats, a utility closet, a place for guests to hang their coats and things. We also need a charging station area. Of course, we will have a place for a desk and computer.

Right now we are hanging our coats in a guest room closet. It will be so nice to have a coat closet handy, right when we leave or come in.

Here's a mock up of what we'd like to do.

You'll notice, on the right is a bench right next to the door with hooks for coats. That will be so handy for guests. We plan on adding a shelf near the top for baskets to hold mittens, hats and scarves.

To the left, you'll see a set of double doors. That will be our coat closet. Won't that be nice to have right there?

Next to the coat closet is a skinny door. That will be a utility closet. I need a place for mops, brooms and vacuums. We'll also put some shelves in there for storage.

Then we are going to add a base cabinet and wall cabinet. This is perfect for a charging station and to store office supplies and whatnot. It's going to be so awesome to have some organization in this room.

Lastly, we have a mini fridge in this space. It's basically a beverage fridge. What can I say... I love my Coke Zero... Anyhoo... we are going to build a fridge enclosure (kind of like what we did in the kitchen), lifting it off the ground around 15".

So, that's the whole wall. We still have the other side to deal with. But this is enough for now.

Blessings, Lori

Mudroom/Office Remodel - Part 1
Mudroom/Office Remodel - Part 2

Sunday Drive - Comfort

2026-01-18T19:15:00.001-05:00

This photo was from 2018, I would wake up in the morning, get some coffee, sit with my Bible and sweet Arwen would come and get comfy in my lap. Good memories.

Comfort

God is the source of ALL comfort. No matter what you are facing, His Presence and His comfort is more than enough. He also wants us to comfort others with the same comfort you are receiving.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Unfortunately, we all go through suffering. However, there is growth in adversity. It builds our character and makes us stronger. It also makes us aware of others that struggle and gives us an opportunity to comfort them.

I believe that we all want relief from hardships, but remember there are also blessings hidden in them. Many times we've gone through difficulties, and when we come through on the other side, we can see how God worked. We can see how it made us stronger and closer to Him. In the struggles I've gone through, I have looked back and I know God was working. Even though it was hard and difficult, I'd go through it again, to be where I am today.

Hebrews 12:11 (NLT)
11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Psalms 73:26 (NLT)
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

It's often easier to have empathy for others, when you've gone through adversity yourself. It gives you a heart of compassion and a desire to comfort. I believe we are most effective at comforting others when we've gone through a similar hardship. God places people in our lives at the perfect time. We need to listen and be there for one another, and encourage each other in The Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Through all the difficulties in life, we grow and find peace, when we trust in The Lord. We realize that we are stronger than we thought, because Christ is our strength. Our foundation of faith becomes rock solid.

Turn to Jesus, find comfort in Him. He will get you through.

Philippians 4:19 (NLT)
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - God Never Sleeps

2026-01-11T18:57:00.003-05:00

God Never Sleeps

Psalms 121:2-3 (NLT)
2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.

Have you ever taken a moment to really think about the fact that God never sleeps? Because He never sleeps, He is able to CONSTANTLY watch over us. No matter where we are, no matter what we are going through, God sees you. God is there with you.

Psalms 23:4 (NIV)
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

There is no valley dark enough that He can't see you. His glorious Presence shines brightly in those dark places. He will comfort and strengthen you there.

God Almighty knows every valley and every pit we may find ourselves in. He can see to the very bottom. He will cradle you through every hard season of your life.

Psalms 40:1-2 (NLT)
1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

Even if you drift away from The Lord, and find yourself lost. He is able to rescue you. When you cry out to The Lord He WILL lift you up. He WILL set your feet on solid ground. Trust in Him. He will always be there for you and with you. He never leaves us!

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

It amazing how many times the Bible states how The Lord never leaves us. This is so encouraging! No matter where we are or what we are going through... He never sleeps and He never leaves us!

What encourages me even more is this next verse... He goes before us. He already knows what the future holds. He knows that there are going to be times in our lives that we will need to CLING hard to Him. He's always willing and ready.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)
8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

So, if you find yourself in a dark place or season of hardship, remember God is with you. God's presence is there. Even if you don't feel it, He IS there. Trust in The Word. Cling to Him. You will make it through. God never sleeps. God never leaves you. God never gives up.

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - He Calls You By Name

2026-01-04T18:17:00.003-05:00

He Calls You By Name

God knows every detail of you, inside and out. We are not a number to God. He not only knows your name, but also the number of hairs on your head! With all the billions of people in this world, He knows my name and your name and everything about us! Incredible!

Luke 12:7 (NLT)
7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

John 10:3 (NLT)
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

He is our shepherd, we are His sheep. He calls to us and leads us. He calls us by name. Have you ever inserted your name into certain Bible passages? It's quite powerful. Here's an example with my name.

Isaiah 43:1 (NIV)
43 But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you,(Lori) Jacob, he who formed you, (Lori) Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, (Lori); I have summoned you by name;(Lori) you are mine.

Here's another...

John 3:16 (NIV)
16 For God so loved (Lori)(the world) that he gave his one and only Son, that (if Lori)(whoever) believes in him (Lori) shall not perish but have eternal life.

This is so powerful! It makes the scriptures personal to you. You are personal to The Lord. He loves you so very deeply. He wants us to know His voice and follow Him.

John 10:27 (NLT)
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

After Jesus' resurrection, Mary thought Jesus was a gardener, until He spoke her name... "Mary". She immediately recognized Jesus!

John 20:16 (NLT)
16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

I pray that we all recognize His voice as He calls to us. He calls to us each day through the scriptures. He reassures us of His love, His grace and mercy.

1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

His love for you is unshakeable. It cannot be disputed or questioned. The scriptures are clear. This truth gives you a firm foundation to build your life on. It gives you strength to follow Him. Listen for His voice. Listen for The Savior who calls you by name. You are precious to Him.

Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT)
3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - The Greatest Gift Ever!

2025-12-21T19:58:00.000-05:00

The Greatest Gift Ever!

God in all His wisdom and love for us gave us the greatest gift of all time. He knew from the beginning of time we would need a savior. Jesus was there at the beginning and knew that He would be the gift.

John 1:1 (NLT)
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

It still amazes me how God wants to give us everything that we need.... and even some of our wants. Not only in this life but the one we look forward to in heaven.

Philippians 4:19 (NLT)
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

What more could we want? Well, we are a needy people... I want more of Him!

Can you imagine the day our Savior was born? I think about Mary... so young, about to give birth to the Messiah! No family nearby... were they able to find a midwife? Giving birth can be a scary but wonderful experience. My heart goes out to her, just thinking about what she went through.

That tiny little baby was our greatest gift. They would raise Him. Teach Him to eat, crawl, walk, play, etc. Can you imagine knowing that He was going to save the world?

To think that Jesus was there at the beginning, had all the glorious wonders of heaven with God, then was born into a poor family that held no royal position, so that He could eventually die to give us the wonderful free relationship with God.

2 Corinthians 8:9 (NLT)
9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.

The same God that created this world is the same one that died to give us another of His greatest gifts. The gift of salvation. Then He removes our sins and chooses to never think of them again! It just doesn't end!

Psalms 103:12 (NLT)
12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

Isaiah 43:25 (NLT)
“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.

This is the greatest Christmas present ever! He's such a loving Father!

Take time this season to embrace the gift of Jesus. Rejoice! Let Him fill your heart with joy!

Merry Christmas!
Lori

Sunday Drive - The Present

2025-12-14T18:33:00.003-05:00

Today is a gift, that's why it's called The Present.

I love that saying... today truly is a gift. Are you spending most of your time in the present?

The future is basically our imagination of what it might be. Nothing is set in stone, we have no idea what could be around the corner. Only God really knows.

Ecclesiastes 8:7 (NIV)
7 Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?

God is not limited by time, like we are. We step into each day, moment by moment, we can't step into the future, only the present. God unfolds the future before us. It's quite mind boggling at times.

Revelation 1:8 (NLT)
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

Realizing we only have the power to change the present and leaving the future in God's hands, gives you the freedom to live more fully in the present.

It's hard, because our minds are used to planning ahead, which is fine to a certain point, but we can't get lost worrying about the future. God wants us to trust in Him, to be free. Allowing our minds to wander around in the future too much is keeping us in chains. We need to trust that God has our future. He is in control. He loves us with an unfailing love.

Psalms 32:10 (NLT)
10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.

Plus, God has good plans for us. He is perfectly and completely good.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Another thing that keeps us from being in the present, is our phones.... Phones are great, but they are also a great distraction and addiction. Yes, I said it. We are addicted to our phones.

We need to put our phones down more, spend time with people. I saw this great idea of families, putting their phones in a box, "phone jail", for a couple of hours in the evening, so that they could actually interact with each other. We used to spend way more time with each other before we all had phones.

Take time to enjoy the present. It's a gift that's only for today.

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - Are You Thirsty?

2025-12-07T18:48:00.005-05:00

Are You Thirsty?

There is nothing like a big drink of cool water on a hot day or after a workout. It refreshes and restores our body.

Why do we thirst? It's because our Creator designed our body to need water. It's a signal that we are dehydrated that our fluid levels are low and we must listen and replenish.

We are were also created to thirst for God. We can become dehydrated without communion with Him. When we get too busy, or put God on the back burner, we're going to start feeling parched.

But God has an unlimited amount of free refreshing water!

Revelation 21:6 (NLT)
6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.

We can drink deeply from the spring of the water of life! When we do that He fills us, refreshes us and renews us. We can have as much as we want!

Psalms 63:1 (NLT)
1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

We live in a dry parched land. It also loves to distract us from taking time to drink from the well of God. However, we NEED water to live! We need His water!

John 4:14 (NLT)
14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

When you start feeling thirsty, that's your sign. Drinking water is necessary. It sustains life even more than eating. Drinking spiritual water is crucial to our spiritual health. Jesus is the way to satisfy that thirst.

Isaiah 12:3 (NLT)
3 With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!

Drink deeply from the fountain of salvation. Drink daily! Fill your reservoir to overflowing.

Matthew 5:6 (NLT)
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessings,
Lori

A Little Change For Christmas

2025-12-04T16:31:00.004-05:00

*This post contains some Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full Disclosure Statement.

If you've followed me for any length of time... you may know that I've done a white and gold Christmas tree for YEARS..... White & Gold Christmas

A couple of years ago I tried to add some black ribbon, but that just looked like snakes slithering down our Christmas tree. 😳 Not a good look...

So, this year, I thought I'd try something different again... no snakes this time! I saw someone add burgundy ribbon and I immediately went on Amazon to find some. The ribbon arrived and it was more of a dark red.... not the color I was looking for. So, I ordered another one.

Dark red ribbon
Burgundy ribbon

This one was perfect! But I thought what if I did both of the ribbons?

Oh! Yes, most definitely! Recently, I had picked up some plaid ribbon at Sam's club. Hmmm, what would that look like with them?

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!! Let's go for it!

When I start my tree, I always start with one strand of twinkle lights. I purchased the ones from Target.

I zig zag those lights from top to bottom, towards the center of the tree. Then I add my super large Christmas ornament balls. Next, I put in all my berry stems. I purchased about 20 burgundy stems from Hobby Lobby this year. The green and beige ones are from a couple of years ago, but they are still available at Hobby Lobby as well.

Now, we're ready for the ribbon. I measured out about 52 inches for each bow. (It was the length of my coffee table.) I just tied a simple bow and placed it on the tree. For the plaid ribbon, I made one loop, twisted and cut tails. It isn't a full bow. I decided to swirl them around the tree draping the tails along, alternating the colors.

It looks so pretty! Then I added some gold and white ribbons and a few more stems. Ready for ornaments.

I am loving this look!! 💗💗💗

I had so much ribbon, I decided to add it all around. Those rolls were 25 and 50 yards!

Here's where I hung the stockings with some greens and ribbon.

I continued the theme into the entry area.

The front door...

And even our bedroom! Loving the Christmasy sheets I picked up at Target. 😍

Back to the living room... I absolutely love our antique manger scene. This year I purchased some of the 'Real Touch' Norfolk pine. I love it!! I put the nativity on little blocks to raise it enough for the pine to go under it. I love those taper candles, they flicker like the real deal.

Speaking of nativities... we purchased the Little People Nativity for the grandkids to play with. They love it!!

Do you see those little snowballs? OMG! They have sooo much fun throwing those around the house! I love seeing them have so much fun!

Little People Nativity
Snowballs

Lastly, I decorated the bookshelves. I didn't change too much from my regular decor. Just added a few touches of Christmas. Instead of adding the large words to my tree, this year I added them to the bookshelves.

A few more of the Christmas tree...

Merry Christmas! May Christ fill your hearts with joy as you celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus Christ was born to save the world!

Blessings!
Lori

Sunday Drive - A Grateful Heart

2025-11-23T20:13:00.000-05:00

A Grateful Heart

Since this is thanksgiving week, of course I feel compelled to write about being thankful. Why should we be thankful? I believe the core reason is because He loved us first. When we were dead in our sins, completely uncapable of loving Him, He loved us regardless. Until the day our spirit came alive and woke up to see how desperately we needed the miraculous gift of salvation. The day we turned our lives around, turning our back on our sin, and receiving His everlasting love with an eternal destination of heaven.

Would we even be capable of love if He hadn't loved us first? Once we were dead with no hope, now we are alive!

1 John 4:19 (NIV)
19 We love because he first loved us.

Ephesians 2:1 (NLT)
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV)
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

This alone is a reason for me to have a grateful heart. Take time during this week and think about the loving gift of salvation. Let your heart be full of gratitude and fill you with joy!

I was curious if there was a difference between the word thankful and grateful. It was interesting.

Thankfulness is an outward expression of appreciation for something someone has done. Gratefulness is a deeper appreciation for life and not dependent on circumstances. That's something to ponder...

Being grateful is very important to our walk with Jesus and our growth in grace. It opens our heart to His love, His Word and to people in general.

A grateful heart cultivates an attitude that helps you discover the many many blessings of The Lord!

Ephesians 3:16-19 (NLT)
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

A grateful heart also protects you from feeling discouraged or falling into self-pity. It lifts your awareness of God's presence in your life and His overwhelming love for you.

Psalms 136:1 (NLT)
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

We have so much to be thankful and grateful for. Count your blessings. Tell The Lord how much you are thankful and grateful to Him. Nurture a grateful heart.

Blessings,
Lori

A Simple Swing Set

2025-11-18T14:02:00.001-05:00

*This post contains some Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full Disclosure Statement.

This swing set was one of those spur of the moment projects that we just decided to do. We were so excited for it! Especially since all of our grandkids love to swing!

One of the things we love most about this swing set is the small footprint. It hardly takes any room from our yard. We positioned it under one of our trees, so it will provide some shade during the summer months.

It really isn't a difficult swing set to build. Here's what we did....

First, we determined where the posts were going to go. We used shovels to give us an idea of the space.

The posts and holes will be 6 feet apart, measuring from the center of each post/hole. We felt 12 inch holes would be good, leaving plenty of room for concrete for 6x6 posts. We started digging out the holes, but quickly realized we needed to rent an auger. These holes need to be 3 feet deep. These are going to be some mighty big holes!

We rented an auger from Home Depot for a couple of hours. That made quick work of those holes!

We purchased 3 - 6x6x12 treated posts. Plus the hardware to attach the posts together. Lowes had everything we needed.

We place the posts into the holes. The next step is pretty important. You want your posts to be level in all directions. We used scrap lumber to attach to the posts to keep it level. We pounded stakes into the ground and attached them the supports to keep it stable. Adding 2x4's to the top and bottom of the posts also helped keep it all level and together.

Time for concrete! We ended up using 4 bags of concrete for each post. Those babies aren't going anywhere! We used both methods, adding in dry concrete and then wetting it in the hole and mixing the concrete in a wheel barrel first, then pouring it in. We felt mixing it first insured that the concrete was getting completely wet and mixed before adding it to the hole.

The concrete needs to set and dry overnight. The next day Hubby started by measuring each post and cut off the excess to make them both level for the top post.

We weren't sure how we were going to lift that top post on.... It is heavy and big... God always helps us find creative solutions! We created a 'ladder' system to lift it on. The next photo points out our 'ladder steps'. We lifted one end up, then the other and kept going until we reached the top. It worked perfect!

We did have one slight issue.... We really didn't want to cut branches off our tree. We had already cut one branch that was in the way and didn't want to cut more, but one of them was a bit low to fit the top post on.

Well, hubby found a perfect size board and pushed up on the branch with it and wedged it in. It lifted it just enough to add the top post!

It gave just enough room! And yes, once we removed the board, the branch was resting on the swing set, but we think it will be just fine.

Now time for hardware! This is the hardware we purchased at Lowes. Black T-Strap Plate front, Black plate for back and special screws. We always pre-drill the holes before we add the screws.

Now that the swing set structure is finished, it's time to make it pretty. We have a TON of work to do in our backyard.... all that stone we need to clean up... So, for now I just made a brick border to keep the stone out and define the line for grass.

I put bricks around the posts to make mowing easier and that way the trimmer wont tear up the posts.

I added some top soil and smoothed it all out. Then threw down some grass seed and spread some hay.

As you can see we added some swings to test it out. We purchased these on Amazon and really like them! We also purchased a bench swing and cushion. I picked up a baby swing on Facebook Market.

Here's the list of what we purchased to hang the swings and bench swing.

Swings
Hardware for swings & Bench swing
Bench Swing
Cushion for bench swing
Baby Swing

We are loving this space! And there you have it a Simple Swing Set for all of us!

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - Love Is Patient

2025-11-16T20:07:00.000-05:00

And just like that fall is practically over....

Love Is Patient

Now, I know what you may be thinking... Ugh patience... that means I'm going to be tested by problems, or a slow driver, or have to wait in line, or deal with difficult people or yada yada yada. Well, there's some truth to all of that. In this life, we will deal with all these things. My question to you is how well are you going to deal with them.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

This is quite the list Paul put together in 1 Corinthians. It's not an easy list to live by. But we are called to strive towards being Christ like. This list is Christ like. It still amazes me that He loves us and is patient with us even when we are behaving unkind or rude or irritable. I've found myself behaving like that more times than I'd like to admit. Actually, that's what spurred this devotional...

It's definitely hard to live up to those qualities in 1 Corinthians. We need to keep reminding ourselves of this verse.

Dealing with people can often test our patience. People get angry and impatient and become rude or hurtful. Some people are just having a bad day. We've all been there. We need to show love even when we don't want to.

A devoted parent has to develop patience. The demands of babies and young children will test anyone's level of patience. Yet, as a parent we easily put aside our own needs to focus and care for the needs of our children. We don't even have to think about it. We just do it.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

One of the fruits of the spirit is patience. The Holy Spirit can help us grow in our patience. We can't just claim, " I have no patience." That really isn't an option as a believer. We might not have much, but we can grow and learn to become more patient.

It's all apart of the journey as a Christ follower. Sometimes, The Lord is working on our joy, sometimes we need help with our kindness or self-control, or maybe we need help in the area of patience. We're all on this journey, but at different stops along the way. We don't give up. We keep going and striving for excellence in Christ.

Romans 12:12 (NLT)
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

We are getting ready to hit the 'busy' time of the year. People are rushing here and there, with lots to do on their lists. We may be challenged a bit more than usual. This is a great time to memorize 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Also to remember how patient our Lord is and has been with us. I am so very grateful for His patience with me!

Psalms 147:11 (NIV)
11 the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - Where Is Your Security?

2025-11-02T19:56:00.000-05:00

Where Is Your Security?

There is so much information out in this world. If you have a question or concern you can Google it and find tons of different answers and opinions. I remember, (back in the day before the world wide web) we had to find information in books, or listen to 'experts' in a topic. Sure, there is so much more information now, but sometimes it's just too much.

If you are researching a topic, you can find so many different views. They can be opposite, contradict or agree. I find myself not knowing what to believe! What information is true? This seems to be happening more and more to me. It's so frustrating and confusing... It makes me feel like I don't know which way to turn... who do I listen to... it can be paralyzing.

When I find myself that confused, I have to stop. I need to remember who to listen to. Who to put my trust and security in. Jesus. He can sort out the chaos.

John 14:20 (NLT)
20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

He is the only One that can give me peace. He is the only One I can trust. I believe that He is living in me. I do not feel confused when I turn to Him. I believe that He will guide me. There is no stress or anxiety in Him. There is no fear or worry. He is the King of Glory!

Psalms 24:7 (NIV)
7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Lord, flood my mind with Your peace, when the world is bombarding me and overloading me. Let me be reminded of my future and my hope that is in You. Holy Spirit show me truth and shut out anything false. I do not need to fear. I choose to make you Lord and King over every part of my life, my mind, my heart, my strength... all of me. Help me remember that You are my security.

Proverbs 23:18
18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Psalms 139:16 (NLT)
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Isn't that amazing? He recorded every day of my life, the past, present and future. It is good to remind yourself of this. He knows all about us. He knew us before we were born, He knows us as we live our lives and He knows the moment we will step into eternity.

When I get overwhelmed, I try to go back to that last verse (Psalms 139:16). It gives me such perfect security. He knows all about me. He's got me. I don't have any reason to fear. He will help me navigate this life, if I will just listen to Him.

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - Does God Care About You Washing the Dishes?

2025-10-26T18:55:00.000-04:00

(I found this little fella in the grass while I was mowing... I set him on a butterfly bush flower.)

Does God Care About You Washing The Dishes?

A better question would be what doesn't God care about? Because God cares about everything!

Hubby and I were talking about all the projects we've done in our home for the past 5 years. (Yes! We've lived here 5 years already!) God has worked out sooooo many difficulties we've had and made this place perfect for us!

So, the question we asked was, does God really care that we wanted to reuse a pocket door from the original house? And how He showed us exactly where to use it. What about how He popped the idea in our head to move a door, so that we would have more room in our bathroom. Or how we put our kitchen island in the right spot, so we could open a cabinet without hitting the dishwasher door when it's being unloaded.

God cares about every single little detail of your life! It's unbelievable!

Matthew 10:30 (NLT)
29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

He knows when a single sparrow falls to the ground? He knows the number of hairs on your head? If He knows all of these things all at the same time for all the animals and people of the WORLD, there is no way you could convince me that He doesn't care about me washing the dishes. Or care about how I want a project to turn out. Or care about mowing the lawn or digging in the garden. Or changing your baby's diaper.

He wants us living our life in such close communication with Him that we can sing praises while we cook dinner, or pour our struggles out to Him while we are driving to work. Let Jesus be part of every minute of your day.

He keeps track of your entire life... There isn't anything He's forgotten about.

Psalms 56:8 (NLT)
8 You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

He is mighty! He watches over us, protects us, and guides us all day, everyday!

Psalms 37:23 (NLT)
23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

So, when the mundane of life is getting to you... remember God is there, He sees you. He cares about all of you and all that you do.

Blessings,
Lori

Sunday Drive - Expectations For Your Day

2025-10-19T16:22:00.000-04:00

Expectations For Your Day

What are your expectations for the day when you wake up? Are you expecting the day to be filled with joy? Are you expecting to be disappointed? Are you looking for something to go wrong?

What are you looking for? Each day has prospects of greatness!

Proverbs 10:28 (NLT)
28 The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.

Our prospects for each day are unlimited! We are draped in a robe of righteousness! Let's begin our day eager and excited for what God has in store.

Isaiah 61:10 (NLT)
10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.

Often we miss some of the wonderful things God has prepared for us. We are too focused on the problems and troubles that plague us. Then we start living too cautiously, expecting something terrible around the corner.

Instead of living life to the fullest, we become more consumed with minimizing our pain or risk of being disappointed or hurt. There is always risk in life... Instead of shrinking from life, I choose to jump into it. Sure, there is a risk that your day could be difficult, but what if you're wrong? Your day could be FULL of joy and unexpected blessings! How much are we missing out on?

The enemy wants to destroy any sort of walk you have with Jesus. Don't let him. God has MUCH more instore for you!!

John 10:10 (NLT)
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

I encourage you to wake up tomorrow eager with hopeful anticipation of what God has for you. Ask Him to join you in each day, seek His face and read His Word. Ask Him to help you with the difficulties of the day, but also ask Him to show you the beautiful blessings He's planted along the path of your day.

Romans 15:13 (NIV)
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Share the day with Jesus, and may the expectations of your day be better than you ever dreamed!

Blessings,
Lori