Indian Givers

There are a couple of very dear women in the ladies' Bible study I participate in.  They are warm, enthusiastic, and devoted......but they worry.  Oh, how they worry!  They get hold of something and they are like pit bulls.  They do not let go for anything.  They turn it over and over.  They ask all of us a million questions....or just the same question a million times.

They give a problem to God, but then later, like the kid who has given his buddy his favorite toy in a moment of generosity and then decides he wants it back,  they will latch on to it and pull, screaming "It's mine! It's mine! I never meant for you to keep it.  I only said you could borrow it!" These are the kids we used to call Indian givers, though I'm sure that's seriously politically incorrect these days.

Thanks to Simone, I think I'm on to something that might help.  It's called a God Box and it's doing wonders for me, but I don't worry at quite the same levels these sisters in Christ do.

What's a God Box?

It's a box or any container that you designate to represent God.  When you have something on your mind that you just can't let go of, write it down and put it in the God Box.  It's a symbol of having given it over to God and we all know you don't pull Indian Giver with God.  No sir, what's put in his capable hands stays in his hands.  You don't keep taking it back to worry over....and you don't take those papers back out of the God Box, either.

Here's my handy work:

I found these two boxes at Michael's craft store.  They were
originally $7.99 each, but were on sale for 40% off.

I used scrapbooking stickers and papers to embellish the inside
with sweet little springtime birdies and nests.

An explanation of how it works is included because I know
these women.  They will ask me 1000 times otherwise.

A reminder that what goes in the box, STAYS in the box.

And finally, I included some cards with verses about trusting God.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Since I had a request.....

That's our sweet little tree with the lights on.  We've always had ginormous trees and going to this little one is a big change, but it takes up less room in our small house and I don't have to worry about Miss Daisy's puppy curiosity getting her into trouble or danger.

This is it in the dark....the best way to view a Christmas tree, don't you think?  Everything looks so cozy in the glow of Christmas lights.  I finally got Tim to hang the "curtain" of snowflake lights I bought at IKEA last night.  I think they're cute, but I know I'm going to hear about them from now until New Year's because I chose to hang them across the doorway between the kitchen and living room.  I forgot to take a picture of them last night.  I'll try to remember to take one tonight to show you.  In the meantime, here's a rerun of some of my Santa collection.

Treasures

Tuesdays are kind of a blogging bust around here and today's not really going to break that trend, but while I'm waiting for my hair to dry a little bit so I can straighten it before taking Megan to put in more job applications and the dogs to the vet for checkups and shots....I thought I'd share a few treasures that have come into my hands recently.

Tim's great (grand?) aunt lives alone and has no children, just a veritable army of nieces and nephews, is 88 and apparently moving into the same stage my own aunt went through a few years ago....that of ridding herself of the stuff of this life.  She even seems to have lost some of her enjoyment of auctions, which have always been a HUGE part of her and her late husband's life. She's been choosing to go to church with us on Saturdays rather than go to auctions and collect more stuff.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago Megan and I took her to lunch for her birthday and when we brought her home she decided to gift us with items from her attic....all things she's bought at auctions over the years.  She gave Megan two sets of dishes for when she gets her own place, two ceramic Christmas trees, and I forget what else....it pretty much filled my little Fusion up.

For me, she had:

A sweet little stool (modeled by Daisy) that's
just the right height to set your drink on in the living room.

Fenton milk glass....I put a jar candle in it and am
currently searching for seasonal florals to
put around it.

Crochet doilies, that may or may not have
been made by another aunt.

And this gorgeous cranberry glassware:
4 goblets, 4 cordials, and 4 dessert cups.

I also found a beautiful crochet rag rug like my grandmother used to make.  No picture of it, though, as it is currently hanging on the line in my mom's basement waiting for the day Miss Daisy grows out of chewing everything in site.  Rugs are a particular favorite.  She has destroyed one large area rug and all of my throw rugs have runs and threads pulled.  Sigh.  It's the worst part of having a puppy and she is the worst chewer I think I've ever had.  Nothing distracts her.  She has even pulled wallpaper off the wall!

Well, I'm off to get ready and do that running.  Enjoy this beautiful day!