I happily woke up this morning because it is Monday. Monday is perhaps my favorite day of the week. I dislike weekends because it means lots of things, like, oh, my baby is a week older, the months are going by way too fast and I didn't get everything done the prior week that I had wanted to/planned on doing.
A new week is so nice because you can have new goals to work towards, new recipes to plan to test out over the coming week, new sewing projects to think about and start, etc.
Today David started a new job. He got laid off a few months ago so this new job is a wonderful answer to prayer. It came just "in the nick of time". It seems God always answers our prayers in this specific sort of time frame. It is a time of readjustment because the boys and I got used to having him home. Yet, as I told David, I get so much more done with him gone.
Today the two main things I wanted to get done is to make blackberry jam and to bind off the edges on the boys new summer blankets. The jam is made. The blankets aren't done yet. But I should have time to finish them before David comes home.
The recipe I used made 5 pints of jam. Not a huge amount, to be sure, but quite adequate for our little family. We do not eat jam very often, just on the occasional peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich and sometimes with butter and biscuits, or toast and tea.
There are enough berries left for perhaps another picking or two. Quite a few are still pink or even pale whitey-green. David and I went on Saturday for about a half hour and got quite a few. I became quite intimate with the poison ivy that it seems the blackberries embrace with fond affection. But, clad in overalls and tall black rubber boots I plowed deep into the thickets, treating swarms of mosquitoes to a bloody feast and picking as fast as I could. I escaped with about thirty bites over my arms and face (David counted) and only a little poison ivy on my legs. (how it got to my legs, I will never know).
This week may perhaps bring another new beginning. We were told that someone is interested in buying the house we live in and if their financing comes through for them we will have to find a new home. This has left us with mixed feelings and has caused us to bow on our knees before God as we have no idea what to do or where to look. HE knows what we should do, as He has planned this out before the ages were formed and He will not leave us in want. Did he not just provide David a job? Is He not constantly assuring us that He is near and caring for us? It is difficult for me at times these past few days to remember that and at times I have succumbed to self pity and have even prayed, "Lord, Thy Will be done, as long as you provide with a house with x amount of features and x amount of bedrooms and in the country." etc. etc. And then I stop myself, half-through, and regard myself with horror. Who am *I* to tell God what to do?!
Oh, my own lack of faith and complete trust in God is so terrible to me! What if He wants us to move to a tiny apartment in a big city (the most undesirable dwelling to David and I) What then? Would I be willing to go where He wants, if He wanted us there?
Please pray for my complete trust in Him, and for us to know what His will is!
In the meantime, our landlord told us not to worry, or pack, or look for a new place until we know for sure if this person is going to buy the house or not.
I intend to listen to that advice.
And of course, the 4th of July is coming up quite soon and that is the perfect excuse for a new dress! With Davids new job, we won't be able to take the volunteer classes at Lincoln's New Salem so my 1820's and 1830's projects have been put on hold for the time being. I need to use up some of my fabric stash and I could use a few dresses and blouses for hot summer wear so I'm working on a dress to wear on the 4th. It is hard to find a style that is exactly "me" - I love historic fashions so much that really comes into play. I don't yet know what my dress will look like but I want it to look old-fashioned and historically inspired and very feminine. Here are some images that have inspired me. All are from Woodland Farms Antiques.
Love,
Sarah
14 comments:
Praise God, your husband has employment. I will be praying for your living situation.
Sarah Jane, The good Lord desires a personal relationship with Him, so I know it's quite alright to share with Him our desires and concerns. He delights in the prosperity of His children that deligently seek Him.
Bless you and know that as a child of God, you are the apple of God's eye. He wants what is best for us all. It's alright to ask Him for what we need. He wants us to come to Him. Isn't this wonderful? Yes.
God richly bless you,
~D~
Praise the Lord for the provision of a job! He surely does provide in the nick of time!
I will also pray in regards to the living situation. Feel free to email if you want to chat or whatever. I know how it feels to be uncertain. But God surely has a plan all laid out for you...I often have to remind myself of that as well.
I think the first and third dresses look lovely..I bet they'd suit you :-)
Can't wait to see what you do!
Have a blessed week my friend!
Sommer
My husband is constantly reminding me that God always provides and things work out. Maybe not how "we" had forseen them, but always for the best.
How wonderful that your husband has a new job, what a great blessing.
And I'm sure the house matter will be fine too.
As for the dresses, the third one is by far my favorite. I can't wait to see finished pics of whatever dress you decide to make.
Ooooh!!! i absolutely adore the third dress!!!! Beautiful beautiful Beautiful!
I, too, cast my vote for the 3rd dress. It's lovely, and a universally flattering cut. The first one is interesting, but a little... hm, what's the word... funky.
I'm sorry New Salem's been postponed again. However, Employment is a good reason in the long run ;-) Best wishes in this transition time!
Praying for you, Sarah!
And, oh my, that third dress is an absolute dream! I would feel like such a princess wearing a dress like that.
I adore the fourth dress as well... those pinks and greens actually go quite charmingly well together.
I’ll be praying for you Sarah. Sometimes it seems hard to bow to God’s will, yet I try to remind myself that these are little things compared to what God asks in the lives of some people. No matter, our own burdens are always hard to us. You have my sympathies and prayers. As a friend of ours says, “Our Sovereign Lord still reigns.”
Sarah, I have children older than you, and I remember being on 'your' side of the fence. It's always hard when you are facing something unknown...yet when you have finally come beyond that unknown, it becomes so very clear why it happened.
I have had unimaginable things happen in my life, and they seemed so unfair at the time...yet now I see the blessing they actually were, for they led to the most fantastic things!
For instance, who would believe that a car plowing through your new dream house(that you just put your heart, soul and hard work into), destroying it....could be a lifesaver and blessing?
You wouldn't think it to be true...but God works in mysterious ways, oh yes, He certainly does. I won't go into the 'why' of it, but trust me, that car saved my life.
And God sends me money right before a calamity occurs in my life. Each and every time I have come across 'found' unexpected monies, something ALWAYS happens...that uses up that exact amount of money. I learned early on to hang onto these financial surprises because He is protecting me from a surprise of a different sort that He knows is headed my way. He has always provided and taken care of me. Even when I don't deserve it.
By the way, I like the third dress best!
I totally understand the fear and excitement of trusting in God. I will definately be praying for you guys as you go through this new transition and I do hope you can keep your house. Love ya :-)
Lauren
P.S. I really love those dresses.
Sarah your jam looks incredibly scrumptious!! I think I'm going to have to scare up some blackberries now to make me some. And those dresses you've shown today, so cute!! As if I'm not already torn between projects! ;)
I am so excited to hear about David's new job! As nice as it is to have them home, it's even nicer when you have prayers answered and some stability in life.
Your family will be in my prayers as you are working out what to do with the housing situation. Even though He ultimately knows what is best for us, I truly believe our Father in Heaven wants to know what we see as our wants and needs. He helps us to learn, grow and progress by our telling Him our concerns and wishes. He then guides us in the proper direction.
I forgot to add, I think you've picked some beautiful dresses and why don't they make such classy dresses now? Those are beautiful, feminine, and modest. See, it really isn't that hard. I am convinced there really is a fashion conspiracy going on! ;)
I'm so glad David has found employment - that has got to be a load off your minds and a great answer to prayer!
Praying for your housing situation. I know that's got to be stressful - but listen to your landlord and don't think about it yet! :)
I love all the dresses - but especially the full skirt of the third one and the collar and pockets (CUTE!) on the first!
Oh - and your blackberry jam looks delicious! I need to find someplace around here to pick berries...
Sarah,
I am adding you to my prayers tonight. Blessings to you and your family.
Nice to see someone else in the Central Illinos area.
It is wonderful that David found a new job. Maybe a new home would also be in the works but we will pray that everything will run smoothly.
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