Saturday, March 31, 2012

Springs Celebrated Artist ~ Lucy Maud Montgomery

"Hark, I hear a robin calling!
List, the wind is from the south!
And the orchard-bloom is falling
Sweet as kisses on the mouth.

In the dreamy vale of beeches
Fair and faint is woven mist,
And the river's orient reaches
Are the palest amethyst.

Every limpid brook is singing
Of the lure of April days;
Every piney glen is ringing
With the maddest roundelays.

Come and let us seek together
Springtime lore of daffodils,
Giving to the golden weather
Greeting on the sun-warm hills."
- Lucy Maud Montgomery, Spring Song

Lucy Maud Montgomery (Nov. 1874 - 1942)

The author of the famous Canadian novel Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery, was born at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 30, 1874. She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge Ontario, in 1911 after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911 in Prince Edward Island. Her three children were born at Leaskdale, and she wrote close to a dozen books while she was living in the Leaskdale Manse before the Macdonald family moved to Norval, Ontario in 1926. Maud died in Toronto April 24, 1942 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.

Maud's husband Rev. Ewen Macdonald was in charge of 2 churches:
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Leaskdale, and St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Zephyr. Rev. Ewen Macdonald died in Toronto December 1943 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.


Maud's mother, Clara Woolner MacNeil died when Maud was 21 months old. Maud's father, Hugh Montgomery, married Maud's step-mother, Mary Anne McCrae in 1887. Mary Anne had attended high school in Uxbridge. Sir William Mackenzie of railroad fame was her uncle, and thus he became Maud's step-grand uncle.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Thanksgiving In All Seasons

 We have so many reasons to be thankful, be thankful first for the Lord, that you are chosen, a preferred people. Without God we are unable to draw our very next breath.Be thankful for your spouse, your children, family and friends they each and everyone are a gift from God. Picture for a moment your life without them then be sure to make your feelings of love and appreciation known everyday.
Tomorrow holds no guarantee~ 
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV  
ESV Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 5:20
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 107:1 ESV  
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  James 1:17 ESV  
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. ...  Psalm 118:1-18 ESV
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!  2 Corinthians 9:15 ESV  
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!  Psalm 105:1 ESV
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:15-17 ESV
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 106:1 ESV  
May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!  Psalm 20:4 ESV  
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.  Colossians 4:2 ESV  
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15 ESV  
Let thanksgiving live in your heart throughout the seasons, 
May God richly bless you.
 Cherie

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Beautiful Beautiful - Francesca Battistelli

Beautiful Beautiful - Lyrics
 Listen Now

Album: My Paper Heart
Artist: Francesca Battistelli

Don’t know how it is You looked at me
And saw the person that I could be
Awakening my heart
Breaking through the dark
Suddenly Your grace

(Chorus)
Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so
Beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me
All that I need
You are so
Beautiful, beautiful

Now there’s a joy inside I can’t contain
But even perfect days can end in rain
And though it’s pouring down
I see You through the clouds
Shining on my face

(Chorus)

I have come undone
But I have just begun
Changing by Your grace

(Chorus)

Learn more about Francesca

Sunday, November 7, 2010

A Season of Thanksgiving

I think that no matter how difficult a day can be we can find something in the day to be thankful for!

I am thankful for this season, I have vowed to find something to be thankful for everyday of this month. I believe I could get carried away with this same attitude next month as well. Are you with me?

Whether this Thanksgiving Holiday finds you alone, or in a crowd or all alone in a crowd my Thanksgiving prayer is that you make it a BIG DAY! Somebody needs LOVE! Holidays can be a difficult time for some; we were meant to be together and no one should be alone. This Holiday season expand your circle, reach outside of yourself and love someone new.  Make this season about someone else this year and you will be amazed at how it comes back to you. I love to be with family and friends. I long for the noisy, messy Holidays of days gone by. I am waiting for the next generation of girls in my family to bring forth the little ones so this year I have decided to invite my friends family over with their little ones.  

One of my all time favorite foods at Thanksgiving is Stuffing, I am trying this recipe "Sausage, Apple, Walnut Stuffing" this year. It has all my favorite ingredients in it.
Oh wait.... is that selfish? 

                                                           Sausage, Apple Walnut Stuffing


                    P.S.  I still put black olives on every finger, then eat them one at a time.

I look forward to reading your comments please drop a note to let me know you've been by.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Fall,... I Love this season!

 I love, absolutely LOVE the Fall season. I love the color, I love the smells, I love the promise of cooler temperatures. I love the opportunities to make/try a new soup, bake and try new dessert recipes.

Early November is the best time to Shop Michaels and Joanne’s for Fall foliage and crafts on discount. I wait until after Halloween and then set out my scarecrows and wood crafted pumpkins. 


I purchased Mr. & Mrs. Scarecrow a few years ago and then added some embellishments.


                   They are great just outside the door greeting your guests with a fabulous smile.


                                 Gourds, aren't they fun, and there is so much you can do with them. 

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

MercyMe | from the album The Generous Mr. Lovewell

Days will come when you don't have the strength
And all you hear is you're not worth anything
Wondering if you ever could be loved
And if they truly saw your heart
They'd see too much

You're beautiful, You're beautiful
You are made for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful, You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful

Praying that you have the heart to fight
Cuz you are more than what is hurting you tonight
For all the lies you've held inside so long
But they are nothing in the shadow of the cross

You're beautiful, You're beautiful
You are made for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful, You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful

Before you ever took a breath
Long before the world began
Of all the wonders He possessed
There was one more precious
Of all the earth and skies above
You're the one He madly loves
Enough to die!

You're beautiful, You're beautiful
In His eyes

You're beautiful!
You are made for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful!
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You're beautiful!
You are made for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful!
You are treasured
You are sacred
You are His
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hth7GzAoXos

Sunday, October 17, 2010

So much pressure in this the first post for "This Is How We Do It".

I have walked through some really difficult times and quite often alone or at least "I thought so". I gave my life to Christ at age 16 and didn't have a clue as to what that meant till my 30's. I was tired of seeing my mistakes repeatedly again and again and I had gotten good at washing my hands (stuffing my feelings) of the difficulties of it all and picking myself up by my boot straps (hardening my heart) and forging ahead to my next fall. That is until by the grace of God, I began to figure out there was a better way; I literally pulled my car over one morning on my way to work sobbing and told God that I was tired of driving (running). I needed to be a passenger (acquiesce, repent). With yet another failed relationship the heartache was unbearable but this time I began to see my participation in all my shortcomings. God met me right there on the side of the road and the journey of restoration began.  God is a God of restoration, For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16, 17.  He desires to walk (journey) with us. 
My vision for this blog is to share more about God's restoration. My journey has never been about me as God has placed others in my path that needed the word, lesson, or encouragement that I had just experienced. Still today my journey continues, my consolation is that "if it benefits another then it's worth it" forgiving others and ourselves and making better choices is like connecting the dots this "renewing of the mind" drawing new lines behind me all along the way and refusing to return. Now 19 years later I follow my Lord, with every step I take, continuously and without regret. My motto "LIVE LOUD" When your living right you can without regret. I have found myself most recently and quite often saying when counseling others,... "This Is How We Do It". Encouraging one another along the way. God Bless.