Wednesday, March 18, 2020

10 Things to Do While You Are Staying Home!


Hello, again!  
Recently, President Trump has asked that everyone stay home and not meet in groups larger than 10 to combat the spreading of the Coronavirus.  This may seem inconvenient to limit your comings and goings, but just think, people, why are we complaining when we are now being encouraged to cancel all those appointments? It's a blessing in disguise!! Just think of all the stuff we can get done!  Here's just a few ideas:


#10. Reading
If you are like me, you have a stack of new books awaiting to become your friend through their pages, as well as old friends calling to you to come re-visit their delectable volumes. Here is the time to re-read your entire collection as well as catch up with that growing TBR list!


#9. Sewing
This is a picture of my repair pile, which as you can see is overflowing and begging me to come lessen it's contents! I also want to make myself some more summer skirts and try my hand at a shirt or two. (Maybe a peasant blouse, that might be easiest!)


#8. Gardening
It's getting to be that time, people! Mamma just came in this morning with our first lettuce from the greenhouse! We've worked over a few of our raised beds and bought all our seeds, but there is still much planting and soil-building-up to do. Also the barn needs to be cleaned! (fantasizes about dancing with pitchforks and rakes with Katherine!)  


#7. Watch Movies
Have a long list of recommendations from all your friends that rivals the record of all the food stocked on the Titanic? You can become a couch potato and knock off a few, or you can be industrious and knit, crochet, piece a quilt, or put up that box of apples that is slowly rotting in your pantry while you watch!!


#6. Write, Write, Write
Fellow writers, "NaNoWriMo" (National Novel Writing Month) is coming upon us and what perfect timing! No reason to procrastinate..... right??? Do you remember when I mentioned that I was going to actually do something with that story idea of mine? Well, now I can.....putting aside that I said that two months ago and there is no reason I couldn't accomplish it before that!! Online research, here I come! Does anyone know a good place to learn about the French Postal Office during the World War II occupation of France?


#5. Learn a New Skill/Polish an Old One
It is always a good idea to add another shingle, so to speak, to your repertoire.
Pull out your tap shoes and give your neighbors in the apartment below you a headache with your vigorous practice! Then dust off your piano or violin and soothe away their headache, and then perfect the best chicken noodle soup to leave at their door as an apology for all the flats, sharps and squeaks that crept into the song!
I've been meaning to start those French books my beloved Mother gave me for my birthday and I may begin doing some research into my family ancestry which should be really interesting!


#4. Finish All Those Projects 
Spray WD40 on that squeaky hinge, get a new coat on that ugly coffee table you got for a steal at a yard sale and forgot to paint, and have you noticed all the clutter around this place?   Landscaping? You could create a garden that will be the envy of Pemberley!


#3. Spring Cleaning
Pretend you have been transported back into Victorian times and don your cap and feather duster and make Lord and Lady Grantham proud! Rearrange the house! Sweep! Dust! Mop! Polish!  Then smugly run your manicured finger along your bookshelf's edge and condescendingly tsk tsk over the speck dust clinging to your finger!


#2. Sleep
When you have exhausted yourself with all that cleaning, you can catch up on some much needed sleep! I've heard you should get 8-10 hours of sleep each night so... bonne nuit ma petite chou!


#1. Fill in the blank
I'm sure there is something else I can't think of right now, so comment below with more ideas!

The most important thing is not to give in to fear. Stay healthy, and Ac-Cent Tchu-Ate the Positive!

Have a great day, ya'll!

Grace 

Five Scriptures To Get You Through Any Hard Time


Good morning, everyone, how are you all faring?  Are you looking forward to Spring?  I (Grace) for one have already purchased flower seeds for a small plot of earth that I am claiming for the coming year!
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past month or so, you have surely been affected in some capacity by the news of the Coronavirus that's sweeping the nation!  Be it the bombardment of scary and negative news, the crazy lines at Walmart and Costco, or the latest quarantine memes, our peace of mind is being threatened!  It seems that all we've been talking about as a family or with friends is this dreaded Coronavirus!  And yes, I think this is serious, and yes, we should prepare by strengthening our immune systems, stocking our pantries, etc., but at the same time, we need to remember Who is in control over all of this, and keep Him first in our lives before our fear.  So, with this as the goal, I want to share a few verses to encourage you to place your trust in our Heavenly Father.

(All pictures are from beloved Pintrest!)


Philippians 4:6-7
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."


Ephesians 6: 10-19
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints..."


Philippians. 4:8
"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. " 


2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."


Luke 12:22-34
"Then He said to His disciples, 'Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest. Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'"


1 Peter 5:7
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."

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We hope these verses are helpful to you!  Do you have any verses to add?  Please comment below and share them!  We all could use the encouragement!

God bless you all,

Grace & Katherine