Amazes He Still Amazes

Spring does come!

Good morning son! We're looking forward to a sunny and 52 degree day and then mid-60's to 70 the remainder of the week. The birds have been thick on the porch enjoying the bird feeder. Just about the time I think the squirrel has given up I look out and there he is again looking up and trying to figure out how he's going to reach it.  The wind is pretty breezy out there this morning but it doesn't seem to be effecting the birds at all.

It's been a busy week as usual; wouldn't have it any other way, but didn't get to spend enough time in the studio. I'm working on stocking up the fairy house inventory and want to begin on our next big project. We took a trip to Home Depot yesterday to pick up color swatches so I can decide what colors to use for the dresser I'm redoing. I think I'll be going with "shades of grey" believe it or not. LOL. I didn't even realize what I was saying until I put it on paper. Dad wanted to paint it the same shades of blue we have in the house but after the "chairs incident" I don't think that's a good idea. Remember the chairs I refinished and recovered a few weeks ago? Well, once I finished them dad "begged" to keep them. I can't say I was too disappointed to keep them so they are now in our kitchen and I'll be redoing the chairs we had in the kitchen. I just laughed when he said do the dresser in our shades of blue. If I keep redoing things in the colors we love NOTHING will leave this house!

Here's what I've started.

First thing on the agenda today though is to get my starter plants replanted. They are quickly outgrowing the egg cartons in which they began their journey. They're coming along really great and I'm very excited to see how they do throughout the season. I've always talked about pre-starting the seeds but have never done it. I find myself more and more into outdoors, the porch and deck, flowers and plants lately. Dad's going to help me move my Double Delight rose to the front porch. I really can't plant a lot in the small front yard we have because the deer will keep it eaten right down to the ground. I think I'm going to try planting some Creeping Jenny and see how that works. I don't know if the deer like it or not so guess I'll check before I plant.

Poor dad. He never quite knows where I'm going next when it comes to projects. The truth is, neither do I.  Right now I'm pretty much going with what I have. Dad is so good about just going where I point. Right now he's going to hang my old screen door, that use to be on the wall, in the entry to our laundry room. He laughed when I told him what I wanted but he'll do it. He said he's never thought about a screen door on a laundry room entrance. Why not? I have it so I can use what I already have. I'll add sheers instead of screen and voile' it hides the laundry room. I can't wait. Dad and Jamison have been great gatherers for the bark and moss for the fairy houses. They take "gathering bags" with them everywhere. I have to be careful what I ask for or dad will be stripping bark from trees rather than gathering from the ground. I was just texting with your Aunt Bonnie last night and found out she's a crafter too. She's made some cool wreaths and flower arrangement. We shared some pictures and will be sharing more.

Jamison received his first haircut of the season. He looks so cute. After having the "ball of fur" all winter it's so funny to see him clipped down, but it was time. I bet if we had weighed him before his haircut we would have found he lost 10 pounds in hair. Dad kept worrying that he was gaining weight but it's pretty evident once he got his hair cut that that is not the case.

Speaking of dogs, have you seen the newest addition to the household of the Troy 9. No. Oh my goodness, they are two of the cutest puppies ever. And they're so soft. They are a mixture of boxer, shepherd and lab. They are the coloring of a chocolate lab. They're two little girls named Biggie and Reba. They're about 7 weeks old now and believe or not, Biscuit plays with them fine and doesn't try to eat them. You never know, Biscuit is one of the most protective dogs I've ever seen, but one of the sweetest. 

But, of all the things in our lives this last week, we continue to trust the Lord in all things and He continues to amaze us. How can it be that after all these years God still amazes us. I mean really, we know what He can do so why are we surprised when it happens. I've never figured that one out. Here's an example, again. As you know, dad and I pretty much work from cash since we're both retired. It has really simplified our life and makes us extremely aware of what we have to work with at all times. But let's begin at the beginning.

As you know, but don't have to worry about any more, it's tax time. Dad and I talked earlier in the year and decided that from now on we could file our own because after all, we're on a fixed income and nothing really changes from year to year so the short form should work fine. So, I left it figuring I could just put in the income, add a couple of times and be done. Pfft! You'd think wouldn't you? How come then that there are 16 pages of instructions to a page and a half form? I spent an entire day trying to come up with percentages this and percentages of that and what did I get. Nada! So, I made an appointment with the tax person who completed ours last year. I had figured out that we wouldn't own anything. Last year was the first time in 42 years we had not owed. I know, I know, long story but no matter how much extra we had taken out of our paychecks we still ended up owing. Anyway, that's in the past and we're just glad it is no more. Anyway when we called  H & R to talk with Beverly she said to come in and she'd take a look and tell us how much it would cost to figure taxes before you did them and filed them. She gave us an estimate, filed our taxes, we owed nothing and when we left the office we had $21 in our pockets and we still had to get gas, we were on empty. We said thank you Lord, stopped and got $20 in gas and went home for lunch. We knew we'd be fine until payday and had plenty to keep us busy so other than just knowing things we're so close we'd make do with what we had. 

Jamison knows when the mail comes every day. We had left him home that morning and so by the time we got home he immediately began nagging dad to go check the mail. Dad come in and handed me the mail just like he always does and guess what. There, buried in a handful of junk mail, was a check from KJCG  for mileage that we had both forgotten about.  We both laughed and enjoyed the moment knowing that God cares for us more than the birds on our porch or the flowers that spring forth from the winter ground. And here, He proves it yet again.

The Birds of Heaven
& the Lilies of the Field

Scripture: Matthew 6:24-34 (Luke 12:24-27) 24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more  value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O  men of little  faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom