Dear Reader: Following Tommy and Kaitlyn on their magical tour of Ireland was like re-living my own experience touring it with Anne in 2014. Has it really been that long? As Kaitlyn and Tommy talked with their travel agent about different locations…one particular place and name caught Kaitlyn’s eye. It was called Ard Na Sidhe […]

via The Magic and Mystery of Life… — Chapel of Hope Stories

What’s the point of prayer, and how do we get it right? Here are 8 things to know.

via Basic Training: 8 Things You Need to Know about Prayer — Michelle Lesley

Can you recommend a good women’s/teen’s/children’s Bible study?

via The Mailbag: Can you recommend a good Bible study for women/teens/kids? — Michelle Lesley

It’s that time again. Mothers everywhere deserve a special day. Raising a bunch of kids ,even one, is a full-time job and some mothers don’t have the privilege of being an at  home mom and work an outside job too.  Mothering is hard work.  Does it stop once they are out of the nest? Nope! In some ways it is even harder because we aren’t in control any longer. We have to trust that our raising was good and that our babes  are ready to take on the world. We have to trust that the choices they make are a good fit and that they will be able to raise their babes ready to take on the world.  How others handle all of this without Gods help is something I just find impossible. He alone carries those of us who trust in him through all the trials of being a mother. So this weekend when you are saying thank you to your mom  for being there for you say a special prayer of thanks to the God who made life possible.

Here is the happy gift I put together for my mom.

Happy Mothers’ Day to every “MOM” out there.

A review of Justin Peters’ new book “Do Not Hinder Them.”

via A Review of Justin Peters’ “Do Not Hinder Them” — Michelle Lesley

This is one of those days the grief counselors say we need to keep up traditions. It is my late husbands birthday ….he would have been 71 years old . Italian Cream cake was his favorite ….as well as chocolate cake , carrot cake ,German sweet, Mississippi Mud , plum and any other he could talk me into baking. Yes he loved his cake and could eat it to.  Now since I’m trying not to eat to many sweets there wasn’t a plan to do this , but my cousins from Texas, the same ones who were angels last fall, made a pass through here yesterday afternoon and it would not have been proper Southern not to have a meal , simple , but with dessert. It is a little lop-sided and looks like Babe took a lick but she didn’t.  It was good and so was the company.. Always nice when your family is also a friend. They are welcome any time and hope he brings his tools next time.  LOL  She always brings something….this time cookies.

Recipe:

1 cup real butter..unsalted; add 5 eggs..one at a time; 1 tsp. vanilla ext.; 1/2 tsp baking soda sifted with 2 cups flour: add this alternately with 1 cup buttermilk: add 2 cups coconut flakes ( I think 1 is enough) and 1 cup chopped pecans ( not pee-cans).   3 cake pans bake at 350 degrees for 25 min.  Icing:  1 stick of butter ; 1 large. pkg  cream cheese;1 box of conf. sugar and 1 tsp vanilla ext.   It just doesn’t get any better than this.

Have a blessed day and remember…This is the day that the Lord has made…Rejoice!

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Hello, friends. Hopefully our recent April showers will bring us the promised May flowers. I don’t plant flowers anymore (sometimes I declare I am all nurtured out), but oh how I enjoy the yards and gardens of my neighbors who do. My hat is off to all of you who plant flowers for the rest […]

via Runs with Scissors — The Penny Black Blog

Hello, friends. Hopefully our recent April showers will bring us the promised May flowers. I don’t plant flowers anymore (sometimes I declare I am all nurtured out), but oh how I enjoy the yards and gardens of my neighbors who do. My hat is off to all of you who plant flowers for the rest […]

via Runs with Scissors — The Penny Black Blog