Of Summer, salted caramel cupcakes, and my crazy life! :) | This is my random post
“Come and hear, all you that fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul.”
Psalm 66:16
He has redeemed my soul in peace{Psalm 55:18}, put gladness in my heart{Psalm 4:7}, He was wounded for my transgressions, He was bruised for my iniquities: the chastisement of my peace was upon him; and with his stripes I am healed! And if you have yet to partake in this gladness, if you have yet to receive forgiveness of your sins, He is willing to do the same for you! “Come and Hear, all you that fear God, and I will declare what HE had done for my soul!! :)
First things first. There is a new-old recipe on my blog! :) Salted Caramel Cupcakes {Here}!
Second up, IT’S SUMMER!! Yes, it’s true! Summer has arrived!! :) Is anyone else excited about that? Long summer days filled with warm weather, a sun that doesn’t set until nearly 9pm, crystal clear night skies arrayed with billions of stars, little people swimming, fresh fruit, and the list could go on. :) Summer just happens to be 1 of my 4 favorite seasons! ;) And the busiest time of my year! In the next two months there will be 7 birthdays in m house & 1 anniversary, I will photograph Fall 2013 for GraciousMay & Snugars, keep up with orders & customer service, shoot and edit a new GraciousMay video{if y’all ever wonder what in the world it is that I do click on the link ;)}, and somewhere in-between find time to have the wisdom tooth that wasn’t suppose to even be in my mouth taken out. :) It is summer! I am excited to see what The Lord has in store for this summer! He is good{ALWAYS} and I move forward in His strength alone! Trust in His unfailing love, friends! And enjoy your Saturday!! :)
“But I have trusted in your unfailing love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”
Psalm 13:5
My week filled to overflowing with blessings! A Dad who is healing, blessed by mail from a dear friend, sisters & brothers keeping things lively around the house, lots of baking, birthdays, and a healthy dose of work intermingled into the mix! ;)
As I forewarned in the title, this is my random post. Subject matter is extremely random and with my random posts come a million-and-one pictures, most from my iphone but tonight some from my camera. I am trying to catch-up on posting pictures so please bear with me! :) Hover for descriptions!!
She loves Dash!
And the chickens!!
She loves Dash!
And the chickens!!
Keeping Dad company! ;)
A new bookmark
made with love by Ruth! :)
Grace’s Icecream Cake! Delicious!!
Temted to lick ;)
Little Miss Grumpy :)
Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes
Dapper Fellows :)
Ruthie!! :)
Work, work, work!! :)
Nathanael facing the day with a smile! :)
birthday party! Thanks MIcah for the pic!!
Photography food! :)
Micah & Em
Creating cards!
Bekah Em & me <3
Micah’s Lemon Poppyseed donuts
Havin’ fun at the hospital
Father’s Day :)
THANK YOU!! Sweet letter from my Kansas Friend! :)
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
Psalm 28:7
Adventure Found! | Find beauty in your own back-yard
“My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.”
Psalm 62:5
World traveler? Adventure seeker? Globetrotter? Anxious to make it to the next season of life? Or perhaps jut want to be somewhere else? :) Encouraging you to take a lesson from the little girl in the piggy-tales{and pretty pink dress!} & her blue-eyed friend today! Finding adventure in their own back-yard, right where their planted. Adventure found! Contentment isn’t in a location or an accomplishment or a position in life. It’s all about finding your satisfaction & placing your expectation in the Perfect Savior. And being content with what He has given you! He alone will truly satisfy and in Him alone will you find contentment! :) So, the Little girl in the piggy-tales {and her blue-eyed friend} encourage you to find beauty in your own back-yard… and adventure right where your planted!! :)
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
1 Timothy 6:6
In honor of the little girl with the piggy-takes, her favorite song. ;)
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Hebrews 13:5
Happy Father’s Day ❥ | Video
My Dad & me 23ish years ago… pretty sure I inherited my dad’s sense of adventure! ;)
Bed Head ;)
“The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.”
Proverbs 20:7
My Dad:
SURVIVED 140 months {11.7 years} of pregnancy
Successfully taught 4 of his 13 children how to drive{and is still alive!}
Maintained a stable level of sanity in a house that holds 7 females{which is a miracle! ;)}
Can catch an armadillo with his bare hands{shortly after we found out armadillos carry leprosy, DO not attempt at home ;)}
30 years ago!! It’s hard to fathom all the Lord has done in and through my Dad in the last 30 years. If you would have told him at 18 years-old that this would be his future, I highly doubt he would have believed you…. Actually, I think he would have run the opposite direction… as quickly as possible! He had other plans way back then. :) But here we are… !!! 30 years ago my Dad began his journey of fatherhood at 18 years-old with 1 baby boy and here he is today, 30 years later with 14 children… by the grace of God alone! :) Phew, I am so glad The Lord didn’t allow him to follow through with his original plans of remaining single and living out of the back of his car at the beach! ;) It is hard to really understand the amount of sacrifice made by my Dad over the last 30 years or to explain to y’all what a blessing & example our Dad has been to us! BUT we are so extremely thankful for him and ALL the sacrifices he has made for each of us. I am reminded of John 15:13,”Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” My Dad has truly laid down his life for each one of his children… from the oldest to the youngest! And most importantly, I am thankful for God’s grace and salvation in my Dad’s life. AND after last week’s scare, we are SO thankful for the fact that God has given him more time on this earth to spend with us. :) I think it is safe to say that being his daughter has made my 23 years of life extraordinarily exciting in some extremely unique ways! ;) To my father who is really like no other, in honor of your 30 years of fatherhood, a 7 minute video of the last 30 years{revised from last year ;)}!!!!!
Happy Father’s Day DAD! We ❥ YOU!
“Blessed is every one who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.
When you eat the labor of your hands,
You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.”
Psalm 128:1-4
Well, howdy Partner…. IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!
Can anybody guess what today is??? You guessed it! It’s Abel’s birthday{also known as Mr. Happy as he shines the Love of Christ that dwells within in his cheerful disposition}!! Yep, Abel, the handsomest, roughest, toughest 8 year-old this side of the Rio Grande… seriously! Well, actually I think he is the handsomest 8 year-old on the face of the earth but I’m a bit partial{yes, you heard it *8 years-old*}!! ;) But please don’t let his rough, tough exterior fool you. Beneath all that muscle is the happiest, friendliest, most lovable guy y’all will ever meet and he has the biggest brownest eyes that will melt the hardest of hearts{eeek! Sorry Abel, I just couldn’t help it!}
Abel’s favorite activity? Well, among many, protecting the women, children, & chickens from bandits with his handy BB gun, riding his bike, and making pb&j wraps{I have yet to have one but I hear they are quite tasty!} Future plans you ask? To ride west on his trusty mustang in search of gold, then settle down with a little lady on a llama ranch ;), and raise a dozen & a half little cowboys of his own. But that’s far far in the future!! ;) For now he will settle for having a fantastic birthday!! Sounds like a wonderful plan to me!! :)
Happy Happy Birthday, Abel! It is a blessing to be your sister!! May your belly never grumble, May your heart never ache. May your horse never stumble, May your cinch never break. ;)
“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26
Side note: Had too much fun taking his birthday pictures that I couldn’t narrow down my selection! :)
This picture was requested by the birthday boy. Doesn’t he look suave? ;)
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper….”
Psalm 1
Ponder anew {Praise to the Lord}
…Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging….
“Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.”
Psalm 150:1-2
Luck? I don’t think so…
{forgive the 2 posts in 1 day. Keeping everyone updated is keeping my blog very very active! ;) Posts should slow down a bit :)}
“Lucky to be alive” is what the doctor told my dad for the 3rd time today{the doctor didn’t expect him to be alive today seeing the shape he was in when he came into the hospital 48hrs ago!} Luck? I don’t think so…. God’s mercy and grace? Definitely! And the faithful prayers of so many. The cardiologist arrived today shortly after my siblings & I left to grab some things from home. Since we had a 45 minute drive, my mom thought it would be a good time for my Dad to get some rest{13 people in 1 hospital room can be quite tight.} So we said goodbye and expected to go back to the hospital after a few hours at home. Then my Dad called. The cardiologist came in and, to all of our surprise, first told him he was “one lucky man” and then told him there was no damage to his heart!!!!! Then she also told him he was free to go home!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, imagine our shock when he told us. :) He is home safe and sound, resting! Wow, didn’t think I would be able to say that so soon! Shocked? Yes!!! Thank you all for your prayers! God is good, even if this had ended as the doctors and several others told us it usually does and should have, God is still good and His mercy truly does endures forever! Though very tired, we are so thankful to the Lord and giving Him praise! I laugh because a few posts back{here} I mentioned “I am always faced with hurdles/small trials {sometimes big} in every week”. Well, this week held a big hurdle and I praise God that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”! He gave the strength to overcome and yes, His grace & goodness continue on!
My father{and family} sincerely thanks you all for your outpouring of prayers and encouragement! You all have been such a blessing to us. :)
“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”
Isaiah 54:10
My Dad thought a family picture was in order. :)
Update
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
It’s time for an update. :) First off, thank you all for praying for my Dad! We all appreciate your prayers so so much! It is a blessing to be able to send out a need for prayer and have so many brothers & sisters in Christ from around the world lifting you and your family up in prayer! It can be quite a shock to have your father at the track jogging one day and the next day your visiting him in the ICU. But God has been so good and gracious to us!
I wanted to update you all sooner but I also wanted to wait for the cardiologist to give us the news on tests. The cardiologist still hasn’t come but will I go ahead and update. From what we understand, my Dad had traveled 1600 miles a few weeks back which left him sitting for hours which caused the clot. When he returned home he began feeling the pain in his calf. He had a slight feeling it may have been a clot but dismissed it for a pulled muscle. The clot started in his calf and broke off, making its way up through the heart and then “spit” into the lungs. We are all so thankful to the Lord because the doctors were surprised he hadn’t suffered a serious heart-attack because of the stress on the heart. Day 1 in the ICU he was pretty bad with pain in his lungs and back and very low long capacity. He had a really hard time getting a full sentence out. He had to lay flat for 24 hours to keep any clots from breaking up. Thankfully, day 2 he was finally able to sit up and by the evening he was standing up! Today, day 3 in the ICU, he is doing really really well. Most of the cords/needles that were going in and out of him yesterday are out and he looks fantastic! And he even snuck his regular clothing on this morning. ;) I know the prayers you all have offered up on his behalf are being answered. THANK YOU! :) For now we are waiting for the cardiologist to come in and let us know if the medication is doing it’s job. Also to give us the results to the tests they ran to see if he will need any type of surgery due to the stress placed on his heart from the clots being pumped through. We are all hoping there won’t be any need for surgery and his recovery will be speedy and 100%! And that he will be able to return home but until then we are all enjoying the view from a hospital room, the kids are doing school around a hospital bed, and a few of them are getting their first taste of hospital food. ;) Please keep praying!!
For those of you who may not know the Lord I want to encourage you to seek the Him diligently… RIGHT NOW! Don’t put it off until tomorrow because tomorrow may not be yours. Don’t rely on your health or youth. Today is the day of Salvation! For those who have been saved by the grace of God, live out this day to your fullest for His glory!
“Seek you the LORD while he may be found, call you upon him while he is near”
Isaiah 55:6
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13
A few random iphone photos{from the hospital} :)
Please Pray….
To all my brothers and sisters in Christ,
Please pray for my Dad. He went into the doctor for what was shortness of breath and pain in his calf. He was sent to the hospital this evening and after tests and ultrasounds they have found blood clots in his leg and both lungs. This is a complete shock that none of us expected. I am left really speechless… Please join with us in praying for the healing of my father and that we all would continue looking to the Lord no matter what may happen.
We serve the God of hope, with Him there are no mistakes, and whatever may happen He is in control! Praising The Lord for my father and praying the great Physician will miraculously heal his body. For there is nothing impossible with God!
“As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”
Psalms 18:30
Behold, I tell you a mystery…
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality….”
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me,“Write, for these words are true and faithful.””
Revelations 21:4-5
{Saved?}
More Value than many sparrows | My week in pictures {from the phone}
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
Matthew 10:29-31
Though I had other plans this afternoon{computer work, exercise, etc} I sit here watching my 18 month old sister eating the lunch I prepared for her and prepare myself to clean the kitchen & the ketchup I just spotted on the wall. ;) Yes, I had other things I wanted to do at this moment but her big smile and “fank you”{thank you} made it completely worth it! :) Life is full of unexpected changes and this afternoon is proving that fact to be true. ;) So, as I sit here I will put together my random “from the phone” post{posting may be delayed as she has just asked me to read her a book}!
Another week has come and gone and a new one is about to begin. :) God’s grace has been sufficient this last week as always and though I am always faced with hurdles/small trials {sometimes big} in every week, His grace & goodness continue on! And when those hurdles seem too tall and the temptation to become discouraged or fear sets in I am reminded of the sparrows. :) Fear not! For you are of much more value than MANY sparrows. :) It is true! “Be anxious for nothing”, “rejoice always”, “trust in the Lord with all your heart”, and remember His eye is on the sparrow and He watches you! He knows your every desire, weakness{Hebrews 4:15}, all your hopes, and even your fears. He “works all things according to the counsel of His will” and He promises not to withhold “any good thing from those who fear Him”{Psalm 84:11!} If you feel the temptation to become discouraged remember, God’s ways are perfect{Psalm 18:30} and if He who has every hair on your head numbered knows when even a sparrow falls, will He not care for you? :) May the Lord fill you this new week with a peace that passes all understanding as you trust in Him!
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Randomness in pictures from my iphone this week! Sorry for all the 20 some-odd photos. :) Lots goes on in a week around here!! Hover for descriptions. :)
Emmi & her Lunch
And now it’s story time :)
Abel, Protecing the chickens from the stray cats. ;)
Something happened to his homework and it wasn’t the dog. ;)
Micah, Emmi & me
Love Never Fails! Graphic I worked on this week.
Smoothie break
2 hard working sisters!
a beautiful sunset
Bekah at our local Lavender festival
Spring 2014 Fabric collection arrived!
Most of my family at the Lavender festival
Coffee :)
GMAY Photoshoot!
Take time to smell the roses! ;)
Making Spaghetti Sauce
Bekah & Ruth! :)
Work!
All the girls and their eclectic shoe choices!
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free, for his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.
{Saved?}
Orange Scones {recipe}
You all can come join me for an americano & Orange Scones or you can find the recipe on my blog and make your own! ;)
My Orange Scone recipe on my cooking blog this afternoon!!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Galations 5:22-23
I found in Him a resting place…
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
lay down, thou weary one, lay down
thy head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
and he has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one,
stoop down and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
and all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my Star, my Sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk
till traveling days are done.
“Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
Cheesecake anyone? {recipe}
Completely forgot to mention this earlier so I am taking a 60 second break from work to let you know. ;) There is a new recipe on my cooking blog, GranolaGirlBakes.com! :)
{Fresh fruit cheesecake}
“The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
Psalm 19:9-10
{Saved?}
The Coop :)
Do y’all remember this post? Well, the men finished the chicken coop!! And no, I haven’t gone chicken crazy{just noticed i had 2 chicken posts in a row ;)}! Just couldn’t help but post a picture of the new coop. I think it might just be the classiest chicken coop on the block ;)… okay, so we have the only chicken coop on the block but I must say the guys{and 1 girl} did a fantastic job! Thankful for all the hard work & muscle you guys put into this job! ;)
“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings;
he will not stand before unknown men.”
Proverbs 22:29 
