Beautiful Friday- God Saved our Home!

No more fires in the fireplace until we get an insulated Elbow!!
























Non Insulated elbow pipe hooked into the Insulated pipe.. a NO NO

Thank the Lord for our Firehose in the living room!

Today is Beautiful Friday over at Melissa's Blog: http://www.theinspiredroom.net/

I have much to be thankful for on this "Beautiful Friday".. I'll explain.

DH had to go into town and I was home alone. He hadn't had the time before he left early to start the fires in the house. We have a wood furnace in the basement and a large fireplace in the living room, and they both have fans on them to disperse the heat throughout our large home here.

I have been dehydrating some fruits and veggies to take down to my mom and kids when we leave Next week for the states. I was anxious to get the Dehydrator unloaded and more fruit put into it, so with the sun shinning outside, I figured that I wouldn't mess with the fires yet and get that task done. I could handle a little cold in the house...

At about 2:30pm the power went off AGAIN.... I decided that I would atleast get the fireplace going, to take the chill off of the house. I did that and kept the glass doors open, so that we could get some heat into the room, for without power, the fans couldn't run.

I kept the fire going for the next 2 hours and it was nice to feel the warmth of the fire in the living room. I didn't start the downstairs furnace, for it can get hot without the fans to cool it.

DH came home about 4p.m and I was glad to see him, only to welcome him to "NO POWER" AGAIN. About 10 minutes after he got home, the power came on. I was so happy! The fan came on, on the fireplace and I went over and put a few more logs on the fire and closed the vent down. I then went to the basement to start a load of laundry. Then is when the firealarms went off. I wondered what in the world was sparking them to go off . I ran upstairs to see the orange color of flames at the edge of the fireplace shooting pretty high, behind the fireplace. I ran out and told DH we had a fire and he took our extingquishers and tried to spray them as he pryed the drywall and trim out from the back of the fireplace. He used two extingguishers and the fire still wasn't out. I ran downstairs and turned the valve on that DH had hooked up to a firehose that was in a folded up circle beside the recliner chair in the living room. (I hated the looks of the old hose sitting there. But It's the prettiest hose in the world, to me, NOW.) The hose that DH had put there for this very reason, was what put the 10-12 ft. flames out.

If DH hadn't have been there, I couldn't have put the fire out. I couldn't have pulled the drywall out far enough to have gotten the hose behind the fireplace. And... If I had started the fires earlier, it probably could have happend while DH was still gone.

The reason for the fire was that we had all insulated pipes going up about 25 ft., but the elbow pipe that John had hooked into the insulated pipe, was just a non insulated pipe and it was beat Red, John said. It got so hot behind there without the fan, that it was a combustion and it started the plastic on fire that covered the insulation and started the outside wall 2x4's on fire.

We have no fire department for 15 miles. So we are our own fire department here. I'm so thankful that DH had the firehoses in place.

Well, this 'Beautiful Friday" has me praising God for His protection, strength and care for us.

He gave us early wisdom, and strength to get the wall apart and he helped DH put out the fire.

This Friday, I could have been without our home. Because of Gods Mercy and Grace, I can go to sleep in my own bed and be at peace with God because I know that whatever is in my day, God is there to take me through it. What could be a more Beautiful peace to have in this world?

Ps. 91:15 "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble ; I will deliver him, and honour him." (The whole chapter of Pslams 91 is so beautiful!!)

Fireplace won't be lit until we get the proper insulated elbow..... I had a terrible mess to clean up. Fire extingguisher dust everywhere! John has the 2x4's scraped, insulation replaced and charred parts removed, and drywall back up and my foe rock back in place. (Now I know why we don't have real rock on there. We couldn't of gotten to the back of the fireplace, if there had been real rock on there.) My beautiful EcoQuest purifier is humming away and taking away all of the smell, and we are almost back to normal... Praise God!!

Hugs, Jan

Recipe Time: Warm Mexican Red Lentil Soup

Recipe Time:

As we are into the Fall cold weather, there's nothing like a warm Soups or Stew to warm our bodies.

This is a great Mexican Lentil Soup that is fast to make and OH SO GOOD. It would be a great fast way to have a nice tasting soup to share with friends and family and it doesn't take alot of time to make. But it tastes like you were a genious and slaved on it for a long time.

Here is the Recipe:

Mexican Red Lentil Soup

Place the Following into a large 2 Quart Pan:

4 Cups of Red Lentils

Water: Fill the pan up to within 2 inches of the top of the pan

Stir the lentils and make sure that they aren't sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then you are ok. Put on to boil and then turn down to med temperature and then cook for 25-30 minutes.

After they are soft and done add the following to the Lentils:

1 Can Stewed Mexican Tomatoes. (I like to take my kitchen scissors and put the points down into the can and then begin to cut the tomatoes into small pieces.)

1 Cup of chopped Fresh Celantro

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Sea Salt

1 Can green Chilies (mild)

That's it: Your done and your ready to serve it with your favorite Corn Chips, or lighly fried Corn Tortillas, or your favorite bread. Baked Potatoes and a nice Tossed salad is good to have with the soup as well.

Enjoy!

Hugs, Jan

End of the Week-Contentment

Love this picture!! It's on a card from Leanin Tree. It's called, "Too Pooped to Participate"

by, Charles Wysocki.

Haven't figured out wether this is Contentment or 'Too Pooped to Participate". But which ever it is, perhaps you can identify with the picture.

Is this how you feel at the end of this week?? Hope you have a good rest and can take the time to fellowship with the Lord, and your friends and family. Maybe we can turn the Pooped into contentment and find some joy this week-end.

Find contentment in the present and take each day at a time.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Tim. 6:6

"Here is the secret of Contentment, and Peace, and Happiness: Obedience to the laws of nature and of God." EGW

"May the Lord help you to understand His will and then do it cheerfully. He will give you peace and contentment if you are faithful where you are." EGW

Hugs, Jan

Inspirational Themes Througout Your Home

Ten Commandments
Old Antique Bible
Old Specks
Cole Oil Lantern
Placed on a shelf in our living room.

Eloquent thought placed onto a painting.

Eloquent Thought cards put on the

back of the toilet, for people to take at will.

Eloquent Thought put into a Frame for all to see.

Spiritual Painting throughout the house.

Today is "Beautiful Friday" over at Melissa's Blog "The Inspired Home"

I would like to inspire you to begin adding some Beautiful inspirations to your home that will add to the atmosphere around you.

As you may know from my web page http://www.asonginmyheart.com/ and those who are "My Friends" on Facebook; I love Eloquent Thoughts. And it just doesn't end there. I love to put them into Picture Frames and have them in the bathroom where my guests can take a card with them if they so desire. With the software that is out there, one can make up unique type business sized cards made from the CardStock that you can buy at Walmart or your local Stationery store.

These cards are nice to hand to someone who may be feeling low, or great to hand to your friendly grocery clerk.

I have a thought that I framed and put in my bathroom and I have memorized it because I love it so much. Mind you memorization is hard for me, but with God's grace I was able to memorize this one. Even DH has this one memorized! Just read it when he would use my bathroom.

Here's what it says:

"All the way up the steep road leading to eternal life, there are wellsprings of joy to refresh the weary. Those who walk in wisdoms ways are even in tribulation, exceedingly joyful. For He whom their soul loves , walks invisible beside them. At each upward step they discern more distinctly the touch of His hand. At every step, brighter gleamings of glory from the unseen fall upon their path, and their songs of praise reaching ever a higher note, ascend to reach the songs of Angels before the throne." Gods Amazing Grace, 264

I also have some pictures that are antique of Jesus as our Shepherd and Jesus kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane. These pictures were given to my Step Father's Mother when He was born, by one of the Nun's in the Hospital, who delivered him. He would have been in his mid 80's by now. I have those hung in various places in our home. Also have a picture of an open bible with a candle to it's side, that hangs above our fireplace in the living room, that you may have seen in one of my posts.

Have a small 10 commandment's "Stand-up" card on a shelf with an antique bible and old speck's on top of it, next to a Cole oil lantern.

As people enter our home they know that we love the Lord and His word. And hopefully they can also tell by our actions too.....

Sayings; Thoughts; Plaques; Pictures; can keep your mind close to the Lord as you are living in your home. They can change your thoughts to think on Heavenly things and keep you close to Jesus. See what you can do to add to the Inspirational Theme of your Home. What you have in your home, says allot about who you are and your personality.

Hugs, Jan

Happy Reminders Throughout Your Home

My Wedding dress:
March 23, 1969

I mentioned on my last post, that I would post some more ways of putting "Happy Reminders" of past events in your home. Now most of these "Reminders", are in the personal area's of our home. ie. our bedroom, my office etc. Places where most people who come to our home, don't even go. lthough it is nice to place nice "Plaque thoughts" throughout your home, to share with those who come to see you.

This one "Happy Reminder" is in our bedroom. It's my Wedding Dress, with a picture of both John's and my parents standing beside us on that happy day. It's nice to look on it and remember the joys of that day and also to remind me at times of my commitment to John.

I thought I would share with your a few paragraphs from the book " The Ministry of Healing".

They say it all. I love especially the part that says that we need to continue the "Early Attentions" that we had, in our marriage.Those encouragements are so good. Even with a marriage that is going on from 40 years. Just because we are older doesn't mean that we don't have to practice those things. Life is always changing and we enter into new experiences together. One doesn't always handle the change in the same as as the other. Oh how we need the grace of God at each state of marriage.

Here are the paragraphs:

Forbearing One Another in Love

Though difficulties, perplexities, and discouragements may arise, let neither husband nor wife harbor the thought that their union is a mistake or a disappointment. Determine to be all that it is possible to be to each other. Continue the early attentions. In every way encourage each other in fighting the battles of life. Study to advance the happiness of each other. Let there be mutual love, mutual forbearance. Then marriage , instead of being the end of love, will be as it were the very beginning of love. The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven. Ministry of Healing, page 257

You may want to go and take your wedding dress out of your closet/ box or? and make a little area in your bedroom as I have, to help you to keep the vows vivid in your mind and heart.

Another idea that you may want to do with your wedding dress for 'Happy Reminder's". Make beautiful pillows for your room. Give them to your daughters, grand-daughters or? There's a web page that tells about how this lady made some pillows out of a wedding dress. http://www.theartfulcrafter.com/pillows.html Another company will recreate your dress into a beautiful Christening or baby dedication gown for your baby. See: http://www.christeningbaby.com/weddress.htm

Happy Reminders make your home unique and special to you. Start thinking out of the box and make your home a unique place to live.

Hugs,

Jan

Nostalgia Corner-" FuFu Moment" It's Great being 60

Nostalgia Corner

Remember these "Bisque Black Babies" I loved mine! Next to it is my nursery baby bracelet that says "Erick 1" because I was the first twin born.

Nostalgia Dressing Table with All of my fun memories

Wedding Picture and the Dress that my sister and I wore in a wedding.

Nostalgia Dressing Table - Pictures of my sisters and me

Nostalgia Shelf- 25th Anniversary
(Now 40 years)

In a few posts back, I talked about things that we can do at 60 that we can get away with now. Today's post includes one of those things. I have a little nook in the corner of my bathroom that is mine.... I mean, John doesn't have much to say about what I put into that space. You know all of those things that you have been saving for years and years in boxes? Things that your mom saved for you from when you were a baby... Those things... ie. my baby shoes and socks; bracelet that was on me in the nursery when I was born...; my records that were taken while I was in the hospital at birth; 25th anniversary creamer and pitcher and a picture of John and I during that 25th year; A dress I wore when my twin and I were in a wedding; A picture of my two Sissie's and I...; a woolen scarf that I wore when out playing in the snow as a little girl... the list goes on.

Well, my DH put up a shelf for me and on them I have placed these items on, along with a little make-up table and chair to hold some of these fun things as well. It's my Nostalgia wall and corner. Every time I'm in there, it brings a smile to my heart and brings back allot of memories. It keeps me close to my family and gives me happiness on how God has led me and given me so many happy times in my life. I remember houses that I used to visit that used to have little nick-knack shelves in them. Grandma houses. I have taken on an area in my home that is a "Grandma House"... ( Mind you, Only in a corner of my room) and it's finally ok to do these things. Yeah

I remember one time I was watching Regis and Kathy Lee and they were doing a makeover for a ladies bedroom. They went in and redid her whole room. Showed the before's and after's. One was a Grandma room and the other an elegant new gorgious room. I wander how long it took her to start bringing back in her the special items? It wouldn't have taken me long....

I don't have to make excuses any more. It's me and my life and it's fun being there in this time and place.

I'll post next....A few items that have spilled over into the bedroom.(Oh Dear!) We'll I guess it has gone a little over my Nostalgia area. LOL But that's ok, I just turned 60......

Oh if you're not 60 plus... it's still ok to have a Nostalgia wall. I won't make fun of you....I think it's a great thing to have!

Hugs, Jan

FIRST SNOW! NO ELECTRICITY! LAZY DAY!

Well, we knew we were close to the first snow coming. It happened over night. But... during the night there was heavy trees with wet snow on them and a tree must have fallen across the electrical line.. So about 3am this morning the power went off. They said that there would be power by 11 am. But it didn't come on until 1:30pm. I then fixed lunch and shortly afterwards, the power went off again. Didn't get it until around 6:30 pm or so.

So what do you do without electricity, no water, and no fans on the wood furnace and fireplace? You curl up on the couch and enjoy a lazy day close to the fireplace. Sometimes you need those kind of days. It can be a "Good Thing". So the above pictures will show you the BLACK and WHITE'S of the day outside.

The, sad to see, Beautiful Asters are now covered over with white snow.

They did have their highlight for the year in the post last Friday. So happy I got their pictures before the snow.

No more picnics on the table in the yard for another year and the garden has had it's last carrot and potatoes dug. (Yesterday!) Time for the garden to go to sleep.

I was reminded of a beautiful lesson from the bright whiteness of the snow. God used the lesson in his word. "Though your sins be of scarlett, they shall be as white as snow.... (Isa. 1:18, and Psalms 51:7) Can't get any whiter than that. Praise God for His promises, and the lessons we can glean from the First snow of winter. The ground is covered with pure whiteness and it looks fresh and clean.

I never take for granted my electricity. Something so simple as that; can throw your whole world off.... Sure glad it's back on. And I know that getting our generator fixed, has to be a priority. LOL

Hugs,

Jan