Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. Psalm 84:5

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

I Love Trash!

 Oh, I love trash!
Anything dirty or dingy or dusty
Anything ragged or rotten or rusty
Yes, I love trash!



I have recently come to realize that I have a lot in common with Oscar the Grouch!!
 

I have here a sneaker that's tattered and worn
It's all full of holes and the laces are torn
A gift from my mother the day I was born
I love it because it's trash 


While going through my attic, I filled 4 bags of "trash". Tattered and worn items that apparently seemed good enough to save at the time.
                                                        


Walking through my basement you might think I am trying to get on the show "Hoarders"
                                    

I have here some newspaper thirteen months old
I wrapped fish inside it; it's smelly and cold
But I wouldn't trade it for a big pot o' gold!
I love it because it's trash


In the back of my refrigerator something smells a lot like 13 month old fish wrapped in newspaper!
                                                
I've a clock that won't work
And an old telephone
A broken umbrella, a rusty trombone
And I am delighted to call them my own!
I love them because they're trash 



Why is it that when something breaks it is easier to throw it away if it has been sitting in a box in a closet for at least a 
year or two first???
                                                               
Anything dirty or dingy or dusty
Anything ragged or rotten or rusty
Yes, I love, I love, I love trash!

Yes, I am sorry to say that while cleaning and cleaning and cleaning (and hoping for Spring!) that I have to admit I must love trash! But..I also discovered what I love even more than saving trash....


THROWING IT AWAY!!!!  

I am on a purging marathon and am enjoying each and every filled up bag that is leaving my home never to return! Some are temporarily finding respite in my basement while we wait for a good yard sale day-but then-even if not sold-they are not allowed back in!!!!! As I toss a full bag over the railing into the bin I feel a bit lighter...a bit free-er...a bit, well, a little bit less "trashy". 

Sorry Oscar...there's only so much I want to have in common with a green, dirty, grouchy monster!!!
 Have you started your spring cleaning???
sung by Oscar the Grouch (Carroll Spinney)
Written by Jeff Moss
1970 Festival Attractions, Inc. (ASCAP)
 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Lucky Winner is...

And the "lucky" winner is 
#24
I like the plumera flexi clip
aunteegem@yahoo.com

Winner was chosen using Random.org

Congratulations Julie!!!! I will try to contact you, but if you see this first, please email me your mailing address and I will ship out your prize right away!!!!

Thank you to all who shared and entered!!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Feelin' Lucky????

Here's Your Chance to Win a Bit 'O Green!


I am excited to wear my little bit 'O green this St. Patrick's day! 

And want to share a bit of Irish Beauty with one of you!!

Not that you have to be Irish to appreciate this lovely flexi of the month!

It's A Blessing will be giving away one free, size small (the most popular size), of this month's flexi!!


Here is how you can earn entries:

1.  Like myLilla Rose Face Book Page
(you must come back to this post and comment that you did it or that you already do)

2.  Visit my Lilla Rose Web Site and check out some clips!
(you must come back to this post and comment that you did it)

3. Sign up as a customer on my Lilla Rose Web Site
(if you are already someone else's Lilla Rose customer, sorry, but you can't do this one. There is no obligation to buy-and then come back to this post and comment you did it)

4. Share the facebook post or this blog post on your facebook-blog or both!
(then come back to this post and comment that you did it)

5. Purchase something from my Lilla Rose web site
(it must be my site-Shannon Ferraby-and please come back and leave a comment here).
This contest will end in 5 days!!! (On March 13th)  If I get a hold of the winner right away-I'll mail the clip out immediately and hopefully you'll get it in time to wear on the 17th!

  If you are looking for a great way to earn extra income from your home...Lilla Rose might be just what you were looking for!!! When you visit my
Lilla Rose Web Site 
you can click on become a consultant and for as little as $49 and in about 5 minutes you can have your very own Lilla Rose Web Site and business! If you have any questions-I'd be happy to share my success story and....if you sign up as a consultant on my page I'll send you a free clip just to welcome you!!!
PS...I am still trying to find the winner of our last contest...If she doesn't reply to my emails and messages by the end of this contest...I will choose another winner from that list. (winner's name: Christa Kenyon)

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Why God is Like A Garbage Disposal

As I walked through my dining room and into the kitchen a disgusting smell invaded my nose!

"Ugh! What in the world could smell so horrible first thing in the morning!!??? I put the dishwasher on last night....no dirty pots in the sink....the dog is gone, so it's not a pet mess.....what is it???!!!"

It only took my detective nose a minute to find the culprit! A container we keep on the counter, for scraps of food to feed the chickens, was practically smoking as it filled the air with it's rotten stench! My son had dumped the majority of it's contents in the chicken coop this morning, but the bottom-oh the sludgy, slimy, smelly mess that he left behind! It didn't smell one bit yesterday! Even though it was overflowing with leftovers, it didn't have any odor at all!


It wasn't until the "not as rotten" stuff on the top was dumped, exposing the REALLY rotten stuff underneath that the putrid stink started filling the kitchen! If left alone...I bet it would have started to stink up my whole house!!

Do you think I should have just left it alone? Allowed it to contaminate the house even further??? No way!!! Every one of you would have done the same...all other important duties put on hold...to take care of the offense!

Aaaaahhhhh! What could have been a really gross job turned out to be a cinch! Dump-dump-shake- bang.-push-shove-down the garbage disposal it all went!!! Grind, crunch, smoosh, smash, swoosh some water and soapy  bubbles down the drain and voila! It's gone!!! Destroyed! Smashed to bits...crushed beyond recognition....washed clean and NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!!! I couldn't bring it back if I tried!! And my nose...as good as it is...can not remember the smell!

God is like a garbage disposal.
He can't even smell the stench of our sin once we are forgiven!

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." Hebrews 8:12

It is gone gone gone!

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 113:12

Swoosh! He washes us clean again!

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7

And...if we keep torturing ourselves by bringing that slop back up and making ourselves feel bad about the mess we made he reminds us:

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2

And...if we fall to temptation and let the rotten stench from deep within come to surface again???

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 
1 John 1:9

Praise be to God!!! The bucket (my self) is empty of all filth! Sometimes what's on the top of the bucket (the surface) needs to be removed first so we can really get to the stinky stuff! And then....just give it over to the great garbage disposal...swoosh...crunch... the stench of sin is gone!! 
Don't wait until the stench of your sin contaminates your entire house (family). 
Make it your priority to get rid of it as soon as God allows you to smell it!




PS...God is great...and holy...and the ground that his shadow casts upon should not be even tread upon with shoes...therefore..please know that I realize garbage disposals sometimes come with a yuckiness that is in no way what I am attributing to being like God. It really just struck me as I cleaned up one mess how much it is easily gone and forgotten, like when God cleans up our mess. So, I hope this post in no way offended anyone.

Linked up at:  http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/

Linked up at: 
  http://www.aboverubies.net/2012/03/domestically-divine-tuesday-homemaking_13.html

Linked up at:  http://www.growinghomeblog.com/