A Young Womans Hope Chest ~

My plan was to write this post just after my knee surgery (4 months ago)
after being inspired from a magazine article written about hope chests
where women shared their testimonies related to their own hope chests.
 Lauren from My Wonderfully Made gifted me with
a lovely "thinking of you" package after my surgery and there were two
beautiful magazines that I had the joy of reading while I was laid up in bed.
This particular article was such a delight to read,
because I could relate to the days when I joyfully added beautiful treasures
to my own hope chest looking forward to the time when I would put them to use.

Being the eldest granddaughter, I was blessed to inherit 

my precious grandmother's cedar chest that was originally her mother's. 

Grandma Maxie was my dad's mom, born and raised in Taylorville Illinois 

who was an Irish spitfire through and through.

Grandma was full of life and vigor until the day she went home

to be with the Lord at the age of 96.
One characteristic that I saw and admired in Grandma,

was that you never heard her talk about anyone,

she was gracious even when she had opportunity not to be.

As a young teen I didn't see the importance of a hope chest,

but Grandma took the time and shared with me

of the importance in acquiring a hope chest and filling 

it with both practical and luxurious items that would serve me well

for many years to come.

Having that hope chest in my room with matching cedar furniture

was special, and through out my growing up years

I had the delight of carefully looking for, and placing special items away for the time

when I would make my own home with my husband.
My treasured trousseau began with Grandma Maxie's
fiesta dinnerware that was used for many years
from the time she began her own home and family of 4 children.
I too used that dinnerware for the first few years of our marriage,
now that beautiful dinnerware graces my hutch
and suits our country home perfectly.

Grandma Maxie gifted me with other items that were from her own kitchen cupboards,
and while I used them for years some of them now grace my home
as vintage decoration.

While Grandma Maxie wasn't a fu-fu frills and lace kinda gal
 my Granny on mom's side was, and because of her love for
crystal, fine china, lace and linens, some of her hand embroidered pillowslips
made their way into my chest.
Those of you who have come to know me a little know that
I love crystal, china and have a weakness for linens and lace.

It wasn't until later in my life that I was blessed to receive
some of Granny's pretty dishes.

 Some day I would like to write a post on my Granny,
because by the age of ten she had made quite an impact on my life
as a young  girl who wanted to be just like her when I grew up!
Granny went home to Heaven when I was at the age of ten.

My cedar chest has been through four generations
where it now resides in my youngest daughters home
along with all my cedar bedroom furniture that I grew up with.
My husband refinished each piece of furniture, including the chest
year's ago, and he did such a lovely job.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

Although a hope chest may not be of great importance to some of today's young women
 there was a time, not so long ago, when young women
 filled their hope chest with practical and luxurious items
in preparation for, and with the hope of one day
being ready and prepared for their wedded day in loving marriage,
and the hopes of one day having a family of her own.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

 ~ Faith and Hope ~

"And with your love put faith, calm-eyed and level-hearted.
And with that tie up a nosegay of hope,
sweet, gay, light-hearted hope. Throw that into your chest,
and for a good measure gather up a few herbs from the humble garden
of patience ~ throw them into the chest.

And when you are all done and the chest is full
and you put your hand into the hand of the man who loves you,
take the chest with you and go somewhere together,
and make in his harried, restless, worried world a haven and a shelter
and a snug harbor against all the kinds that blow
and all the storms that rage, and call it H-O-M-E"
~ Winifred Black ~

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

How about you ~ was a hope chest a part of your life?
Is a hope chest a part of your life now?

Blessings!
~ Debbie ~ 

Sending some Love ~

Isn't the Christian life beautiful, sweet friends?

God would have us to make a joyful noise, and praise His Holy Name
as we go through our day trusting that in all things, it is good.

I trust your days are pleasantly filled with the joy of the Lord?

~ My lovely tea cup was a special gift through Stephanie's Tea cup Exchange ~

Last week I received a precious e-mail from a dear friend

 here in our blogging community, and she was asking on behalf of another

blogging friend to send out a birthday card to a lady

who could use some encouragement through receiving and opening up

some birthday cards sent on her special day.

I didn't know this dear soul, but what a privilege to share in the joy of her special day.
Well...I wasn't about to miss out on an opportunity to send some love

and encouragement to this lady for her birthday.
I'm sure we can all attest to enjoying sweet sentiments from others
on our very own birthdays, there's just something special about our birthdays.

I wasn't going to town on the day I wanted the card mailed,

so I asked my husband if he could drop it in the mail box

as it needed to make its way sooner than later to arrive on time.

Not recognizing the name on the envelope
 my husband asked just who this lady was, and so,

 I began to explain what was asked of my blogging friend.

He was awe struck, which led to our conversation of how beautiful

our blogging community is and how real the friendships are

here in cyber space.
I told my husband that blogging is a community of friends
 who are real, who care, who love,

who are there for you in your time of need, 

who have common attitudes, interests and goals, and there is

a feeling of sweet fellowship one with another.

My husband and I shared in the sweetest conversation over the beauty

of our blogging community.
 Dear friends, isn't blogging beautiful?!

In April of 2014 I began blogging after watching my Stephanie with her own blog. 

I was inspired by the friendships made and the love that 
was graced through the lives of those of you dear blogging souls.
Stephanie would share with me time and time again of the different
ladies she was becoming friends with, and those friendships were real.

Over the years as I too have connected with our circle of blogging friends
I have experienced the love and beauty that reaches out to others
as a community built around friendships.
You, dear friends, welcomed me so graciously when I wrote my first post
 and began this journey of blogging.
You have reached out to me with your love, care, concern, 
prayers, cards and even gifts of love when I was going through life circumstances.
You have been my friends, and you have been real!
Blogging is certainly a community built around friendships
and where lives are enriched through people of all walks of life
and in all parts of the world where I may never have the chance to travel to,
but through YOU, and your blogs I have had the joy of seeing God's marvelous world
and making some of the most wonderful and meaningful friendships.
And that my friends ~ is pure joy!
~ ♡ ~ ♡ ~
From deep within my heart, and sincerely with all my love,
 thank you for your precious friendship
found here in our blogging community,
where people are real!

Joy!
~Debbie ~

Our Dwelling Place ~

It was a wonderful two weeks with mom in Arizona.

Our days always seem packed with lots of activity

and looking after the many needs mom has while I'm there to help out.

The day after I arrived we enjoyed celebrating at a dear friends 95th birthday party

in the park on a beautiful day with the temperature hitting 95°

and I can tell you that I packed way to many long sleeve shirts

for those hot humid days, yes, I said "humid".

Though it was hot, we had some rainy days that brought the humidity in,

 but they were warm rains and quite pleasant.

It was the end of their monsoon season and I got to see just what it is like

when Arizona gets rain and flooding, wow!

Those dry river beds really do fill up and move at a rapid pace when it rains,

not to mention the flooding in those dips on the road.

It was a sight to behold for sure.

My mother looks beautiful, doesn't she? 

She is truly a walking miracle, and God gets the glory!

"Glory to God in the highest"

~Luke 2:14~

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

While I was away we received news that my Father-in-law had gone home

 to be with the Lord at the age of 91.

He had just celebrated his 91st birthday on the 20th of September.

Many of you may remember when I shared in a post this year about

my husband and his dad winning 1st place in the  

World Crokinole Championships held in Canada,

and the words of one dear crokinole friend were ~

" Your father was a great guy and loved crokinole. 

He even goes out a champion. Not many people can say that.

He will be missed in the crokinole world for sure."

God's goodness!

It was an amazing tournament to be at and see a father and son team

walk away with the trophy knowing that it may have been

Bill's last tournament with his son.

While Bill knew his dwelling place was waiting for him in heaven,

he was a remarkable man who loved and served the Lord

while living here as a pilgrim on this earth.

He honored his mother, was good to his sister, loved his wife, children, 
grandchildren, great grandchildren

and for myself, he was the best father-in-law I could have asked for.

He will be sorely missed.

This was the last photo taken of my father-in-law and myself ~ June 2018

" In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so,

I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

~John 14:2~

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, is in heaven preparing a place for His beloved children,

if that were not true, He would have told us so.

Our permanent heavenly home will be ready and waiting for us 

when it is God's time to call us home to glory.

God knows the hour of our homecoming, there are no surprises with God.

Bill is with his dear Betty, now both together, in their heavenly dwelling place.

~ ~ ☆ ☆ ♡ ♡ ♡ ☆ ☆ ~ ~

While I was away our home was surrounded with a glorious golden glow
from the colors still holding on with those aspen and cotton wood trees.
What a magnificent ending of our fall beauty!!

Snow capped mountains greeted me as I flew over the Rocky Mountains

and it's been snowing lightly ever since my arrival home.

While winter is my favorite season, I'm not real sure I'm ready for it yet,
or should I say, my new knee isn't quite ready.
I'm amazed at how cold my knee gets, so I've bought fleece lined leggings to wear under my pants to see me through those cold wintry days ahead.

As I flew over Arizona the cloud cover was gorgeous!

Looking down from the plane gives a small glimpse of what it must be like 

as God looks down on this big massive globe that belongs to Him,

 was created by Him and for His glory.

~ Genesis 1:1-31 ~

Did you know that the word "Genesis" comes from the Greek word meaning "Beginning"?

The book of Genesis lays the foundation of all the Scripture.

" I will praise the name of God with a song,

and will magnify him with thanksgiving."

~ Psalm 69:30 ~

Be Lovely!

~ Debbie ~

❤