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Love It or List It? Let’s See!

by Cathy Baker @cathysbaker

A favorite HGTV show (after Fixer Upper, of course) is Love It or List It.

The premise of the show? One spouse wants to stay put in their current home {LOVE IT} and the other wants to sell it {LIST IT}.

One host, David Visentin, tries to help their decision making process by showing the couple new homes. The other host, Hilary Farr, does her part by fixing up their home to the point in which they can’t help but choose to LOVE their home by the end of the show.

In recent months, Brian and I have experienced a little reality ourselves, minus the co-hosts. Truth is, we love our old house. We remodeled it a bit and the location is certainly prime for city dwellers, but sometimes there’s a tug on the heart that simply can’t be denied.
It’s that undeniable tugging in the spirit that says maybe…just maybe, God has a bigger and better plan.
I’ll share more about this tugging and how it’s playing out in next month’s posts {beginning this Wednesday!} when we focus on the subject of change, and how it can be a beautiful thing, even for us creatures of habit.
Whatever is decided with our old house, neither of the two banter-loving co-hosts of Love It or List It will be involved. Only one Host will lead and guide in our decision making process. And one thing’s for sure⎯when God is leading, it’s always an adventure, right?
I hope you enjoyed this month of L-O-V-E as much as I have. I pray others were blessed as we loved with the kind of love that far surpasses one day on a calendar. 🙂
One more thing! This is the last day to enter the Herbal Rose Tea Giveaway {See below}.

 

If you’ve not tasted Herbal Rose Tea, you’re in for a treat!
Imagine sipping tea in a rose garden. {No fancy gloves required!} This is one of my all-time favorite teas, so I had to share a canister with my peeps in this month’s giveaway.
To enter, simply leave a comment on today’s post sharing your favorite flavor of tea, or ways I can pray for you, or both.
{I’m assuming you’re a tea drinker if you’ve read this far.} This
Wednesday, March 2, I’ll announce the winner of the random drawing done
via Random Name Picker.
Thank you and good luck!

Three Books I’m Loving Right Now and Why

by Cathy Baker @cathysbaker

My name is Cathy Baker and I am a book snob. 

Okay, perhaps snob is a little harsh, but I am a bit of a  persnickety reader.

I admit I’m not an avid reader of fiction, and when I do read it, the pages turn slower. I prefer the feel of a book in my hands over the strain on my eyes reading my e-books, but I still have plenty of those as well. I prefer new books over used ones. They smell better. Is that bad? I tend to buy books based on covers and Amazon reviews. And finally, I prefer to purchase books instead of borrowing from the library only because I love to mark up my books. Fiction or non-fiction, we never know when an idea will spark, or when we’ll run across a new word we want to add to our ever-growing notebook of words. {Okay, maybe snob isn’t such a stretch after all.}

Finally, I refuse to read (or finish) anything that doesn’t hold my attention. Life’s too short. For this reason, and many more, I’m especially excited to share what I’m reading these days, mainly due to the first one.

Finding Grace, by Allison Green Martin

Allison and her uber-talented mom, Jane, attended our local writer’s group a few years back {when this book was in the works}. They drove from NC (an hour) to attend so their dedication to doing the work was never in doubt. I was excited to be a part of her critique group for this book and you can only imagine my surprise when I discovered my name in her acknowledgements section! {Thank you again, Allison!} We never know what blessings will come from being a part of a critique group. 🙂

Finding Grace, Allison’s debut novel, is one of those books you can’t put down, which is saying something from a sparse fiction reader. Her attention to details and the fluidity of the story is superb. You are sure to fall in love with “Grace”. I especially love the fact that the novel is set in Shady Grove, NC. Bravo, Allison!


The Simple Living Handbook…Discover the Joy of a De-Cluttered Life, by Loriless Lippincott

With a tremendous decluttering effort on the horizon, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the book but it was the word “Simple” that initially caught my eye.

As a sentimental semi-hoarder {did I just admit that?} I found a few pointers especially convicting enlightening:
“You are not your stuff and your stuff does not define you. Your stuff is not your memories {Ouch!} Your stuff is not your friend–he or she may have been with you or given it to you, but your friend will not vanish as a person if you get rid of the stuffed poodle.” Nothing really new here, but it’s a good (and quick) read.


The Life Giving Home…Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming, by Sally and Sarah Clarkson

Okay, so this one just arrived in the mail last week, but I had to include it. I may not be able to share what I’ve read or learned, but I can give you the reasoning behind this purchase.

I love this line on the back cover: Secrets to making home the place your family longs to be. At first glance, I felt it may not be a good fit since our kids are now grown with kids of their own, but our season in life doesn’t diminish my desire to make my loved ones feel loved.

This introvert has much to learn so I was delighted to stumble across this find, especially one with such rave reviews (5 stars). 🙂

Okay, your turn! What are you reading these days? Do you think you’ll try one or more of the above books?

And don’t forget….

 

 

 

If you’ve never tried Herbal Rose Tea, you’re in for a treat!
Imagine sipping tea in a rose garden. {No fancy gloves required!} Because this is one of my all-time favorite teas, I had to share a canister with you in this month’s giveaway.
To enter, simply leave a comment on today’s post sharing your favorite flavor of tea, or ways I can pray for you, or both.
{I’m assuming you’re a tea drinker if you’ve read this far.} Next
Wednesday, March 2, I’ll announce the winner of the random drawing done
via Random Name Picker.
For each comment you leave between now and next Monday’s post, I will
add your name to the list for drawing. Thank you and good luck!

 

5 Ways to Love a Warrior and My February Giveaway! (Hint: Herbal Rose Tea)

By Cathy Baker @cathysbaker

I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light. -Helen Keller

A handful of women gathered around the planked table in the back corner of the local coffee shop. Teas, lattes, and hearts, were stirred.

Some asking God to answer specific prayers, some seeing God answer prayers in spectacular ways, and others patiently waiting for heart-wrenching prayers to surface⎯yet, all are joyfully confident that their God is mightily at work in their lives.

It’s a powerful moment when we realize we’re surrounded by warriors.

As I drove home that morning, I thanked God for these friends but somehow, I felt as if God was calling me to action. To be thankful for someone is great, but to act on that gratitude can be a game changer.

So what do we do in those moments when imperfect, tenacious lovers of God cross our path?

1. {Thank God for her} “I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3

2. {Ask, “What can I learn from her example?”} Desiring to have a teachable spirit enables us to resist the comparison trap, and instead, embrace the truth that we are to spur one another on! It’s biblical, it’s beautiful, and it is gospel-driven. Iron sharpens iron, sisters.

3. {Keep her off a pedestal of our own making} Sometimes we don’t realize we’ve put a person on a pedestal until they trip up…and we’re surprised.

4. {Pray for her, as well as her family} The prayer of a righteous {not perfect} person is powerful and effective. We know that’s the last thing the enemy desires so it’s only supernatural that prayer warriors are often under attack, as well as their families.

5. {Love her} Be present when needed. Send a card, sharing specific ways God has used her to bless our lives. Offer to pray specifically for her/family.

Is there some way I can pray for you today, my warrior friend? Are you feeling more like a weary warrior these days? It’s okay. You’re not alone. I welcome the opportunity to pray for you. 

Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up… 1 Thessalonians 5:11
If you’ve never tried Herbal Rose Tea, you’re in for a treat!
Imagine sipping tea in a rose garden. {No fancy gloves required!} Because this is one of my all-time favorite teas, I had to share a canister with you in this month’s giveaway.
To enter, simply leave a comment on today’s post sharing your favorite flavor of tea, or ways I can pray for you, or both. {I’m assuming you’re a tea drinker if you’ve read this far.} Next Wednesday, March 2, I’ll announce the winner of the random drawing done via Random Name Picker. For each comment you leave between now and next Monday’s post, I will add your name to the list for drawing. Thank you and good luck!

When Love Lands in Unexpected Places

by Cathy Baker @cathysbaker
 
“Trying to figure out God is like trying to catch a fish in the Pacific Ocean with an inch of dental floss.” -Matt Chandler, The Explicit Gospel

I thought I had it all figured out.

As I assembled my Valentine Promise Jars last week, I sensed I should leave one tag without a name. This didn’t make sense. I’d made “the” list and now the only thing left to do was to assemble the gifts and fill out a tag for each recipient. But on the morning before Valentine’s Day, there sat one lone jar of promises on my farm table. I prayed that God would lay on my heart the name of the person He intended it for.

Valentine Promise Jar

Almost immediately, a dear friend in our church came to mind. Because I’d made the jars with singles in mind, I was surprised. This friend is married with four beautiful {inside and out} children. However, when I handed it to her on Sunday morning there was no denying it was meant for her.

When we’re willing to release our intended outcomes, we are inviting God to do what only He can do.
On that same Sunday, our church learned that a business we had planned to bless with gift bags filled with goodies could not be accepted. Of course, that simply means God wants His love to land elsewhere. Praise God! On a human level, it was a little frustrating, but when we focus on God’s sovereignty instead of our best intentions, He is glorified in ways we could never imagine.
Has there been a time in your life when You’ve seen love land in unexpected places thanks to God’s sovereignty? Please share in the comment section!
“Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, ‘What are you doing?'” Job 9:12

When Photography and Poetry Mingle

Poetry by Mary Oliver + Photography + Snow = Love.

Okay, not the real kind, but it is a type of joy that causes me to look upwards and thank God for the little things in life.

When snow fell ever so lightly a couple weeks ago I grabbed my camera and headed outdoors to savor my favorite weather event.

{Camera + snow = loving!}

Without a doubt, Mary Oliver is my favorite contemporary poet. Her love of nature is evident in most everything she writes. The fluidity of her words smooths even the most ruffled of feathers.

 

First Snow
 
The snow
began here
this morning and all day
continued, its white
rhetoric everywhere
calling us back to why, how,

whence such beauty and what
the meaning; such
an oracular fever! flowing
past windows, an energy it seemed
would never ebb, never settle
less than lovely! and only now,
deep into night,
it has finally ended.
The silence
is immense,
and the heavens still hold
a million candles, nowhere
the familiar things:
stars, the moon,
the darkness we expect
and nightly turn from. Trees
glitter like castles
of ribbons, the broad fields
smolder with light, a passing
creek bed lies
heaped with shining hills;
and though the questions
that have assailed us all day
remain — not a single
answer has been found –
walking out now
into the silence and the light
under the trees,
and through the fields,
feels like one.


–Mary Oliver ©

Wouldn’t you agree that it’s often the simple things in life that brings us tidbits of joy throughout our days? What’s one simple thing you’re thankful for today? 



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