March On

The month of February slipped by in my house and, quite honestly, I'm glad it's gone! Don't get me wrong, here, in the Pacific Northwest it was a beautiful, unseasonably warm, dry month. But there was that painful Seahawk loss and then flu hit our home and hit it hard. Might have had something to do with sharing those sticky Skittles at our Superbowl party. In fact, the whole neighborhood has been sick.

On the bright side, we celebrated my better half's birthday(and Valentines day) between bouts of flu with our sweet children and a great home-cooked meal, including an incredible chocolate blood orange tart made by my daughter. I also got to make my Cabbage Burgers which I make every year for my aunt on her birthday. Since we can only buy traditional 'Nebraska' cabbage burgers in Nebraska they are a real treat for her. They are a labor intensive treat!

Cabbage Burgers or Runza

I am grateful to have accomplished anything when, for the most part, I just wanted to sit and sleep! The 'tidying up' continues and I've begun listing my de-stash.

Crobots: 20 Amigurumi Robots to Make  in Cage Free Fibers

Yesterday, feeling rested and refreshed, we took a walk through the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Federal Way, Washington and discovered more blooms than usual for this time of year! 

Pacific Bonsai Museum

I'm grateful God is with us through the tough seasons. Really, if we didn't have hard times, how would we truly understand the wonder and depth of simple, joyful times?

Philippians 4:11B by GodsWordandWorld on etsy

Here's to a productive, joy-filled March!

Linda <><

And So It Grows

The pastor's message  was a simple one. All we have and all we are is God's and not our own. This made it a bit easier to continue the process of discarding 'my' belongings as the weeks progress. Other commitments have slowed things down a bit, but I have faith and I'm appreciating what I've accomplished. So far I'm not missing anything. 

The donate pile grows

This has been my main focus for the past few weeks. I thank God for brightening these days in ways to numerous to list. Here are some of the images. Hope they brighten your day as well.

Someone found a patch of sunshine

A walk with my daughter along Ruston Way

Morning walk as the fog burns off

First camellia blossom in my back yard on a frosty morning

And then there was that Seahawk comeback!

Have a great week and count your blessings!

Linda <><

I'm In

I admit it, I'm a football fan! Born in Lincoln, Nebraska and graduated for the University of Nebraska my blood runs Husker red. But after 15 years in the Pacific Northwest the Seahawks also have my heart. I can't begin to tell you how much fun the last few weeks have been here, especially Sunday!

Hubby & me snowshoeing Saturday
(Mount Olympus in the background)

This Seahawk team is a neat bunch of young men, each with their own story. They came together to create such a cohesive team that a relatively unknown teammate was the MVP of the super bowl. Most were late draft choices or even passed over. Russell Wilson was told he was too small,  Derrick Coleman told you can't play deaf. They were too loud, too quiet, too young. But Russell Wilson's dad gave him a bit of advice he passed on the this team, "Why not you?"

Great advice for each and every one of us. I've let self doubt and fear hold me back far to often. With my Heavenly Father behind me, beside me and before me, I don't have any excuses! Why can't we be as joyous about our own faith walk and cheer each other on in our wins and losses like those crazy Seahawk fans do?

Football fan or not, there is something to learn from these young men. Several members of the team are open about their personal faith. I can't help but consider this verse, "If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). I'm also currently reading Exodus. Moses was a reluctant leader, but with God....

Are you in?

Linda <><