Just. This. Day.

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow:
for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
Matthew 6:34


Ah yes ~
S.U.F.F.I.C.I.E.N.T.

How often do I try to solve ALL the coming day's
and even week's problems on this day?

Too often!

I am only called upon by the LORD
to accomplish the tasks of
Just. This. Day.

Relief!

THIS is the day I am living in, and it is in THIS day that
the LORD promises to give HIS grace!

HE doesn't promise us grace for the worry of the tomorrows.
How often I get trapped into the "what if's" of the days to come.

Worrying is a sin!
We NEVER will be given grace to sin.

The LORD gives grace and strength to take every thought captive.
HE gives the grace and enabling to
Do the Next Thing.

And HE enables us each to
Cast all our cares upon HIM.


May we each have wisdom from the LORD
to know what it is we are to accomplish
in THIS DAY...for HIS glory!

Blessings to you all ~
In His Love,
Camille

It's a Keeper!

Oh. Dear. Me.  Are you ready for this?
Absolutely the B.E.S.T. Cinnamon Rolls ever!

I came across this recipe one day awhile back.
I figured the day would eventually arrive when
Cinnamon Rolls would be *needed*.  So I saved the link.

Today was the day.  
There are a few happy people around here.
It's a "keeper"!

The dough before the first rise.

Punched down and rolled out with butter,

cinnamon and golden sugar spread on it.

Rolled up and sliced into individual buns.

Set for the second rise.

Risen and ready to pop into the oven.

Freshly baked!

And glazed...

Beware of the consequences if you bake these ~ they are SO difficult to resist!

Don't say I didn't warn you! :)

Perfectly Wonderful Cinnamon Rolls ~ from the Sisters Cafe Blog.

I altered the recipe just a bit as follows.

They required a little more flour than was listed in

the recipe ~ be sure that you knead the dough until it is

elastic and smooth...about 5 minutes of kneading.

The resulting dough will be slightly sticky,

but should make a nice, smooth ball.

The sugar I used to spread with the cinnamon was golden brown sugar ~

it wasn't clear which type of sugar was called for in the original recipe.

I found that mine took about 15 minutes to cook.

And they ended up touching each other during baking ~

even though I spaced them apart on the pan.

Please do let me know if you try them out!

Feel free to ask questions if you are unsure of anything...

I will try to be of help.

Have a lovely week!

Blessings, Camille

With a Little Advance Planning...

Does the thought that Christmas Day is just a little more than
EIGHT weeks away cause despair to rise within you?

It shouldn't.

What is the Christmas season all about, anyway?
Perhaps, before we go any further, we should
refocus on what really matters.

And then ~
make a little plan.
And stick to it!

This post is all about the gifts.
Ideas for those on a budget ~
Aren't we ALL on a budget?

Hopefully there is something here for everyone.
Enjoy the journey.
It is a joy to give.
And it really IS the thought that counts...
not the $$$ spent!
Give a little love this Christmas.

And be ready to share the
REAL Gift of Love with others.


Everyone loves a
personalized Gift Basket.
Tailor it to suit the one you are
planning to give it to,
and be prepared for a joyful response.

Gift baskets can be put together in a small bowl,
large basket, and everything in between.
I have even had one of these given to
me in a laundry basket ~ when our girl was born.
Use your imagination and have fun!

What you see in the basket above are some homemade
goodies from my kitchen.
Caramel Corn
and jam are two of the items included.
Give what your recipient wouldn't
normally make for themselves.


Begin a Library of Quality books
for a young person in your life.


Faith-Building Audio Drama
for kids (and their parents)
is a wonderful idea for a family with children
from age six to twelve (and beyond).


Focus on the Family Radio Theatre
is WONDERFUL for any family ~ for all ages!
There are, of course, certain stories that
the very young would be frightened by,
but you are quite safe with
titles such as "Little Women",
"Anne of Green Gables" and "Silas Marner".
I cannot tell you how much we have enjoyed these ~
over and over and over again!


How about something sweet for neighbours,
family and friends?
Caramel Corn
is something not many can refuse.
And packaged up pretty,
it is a welcome hostess or teacher gift.


Another neighbour or teacher gift is the
"Gift in a Mug".
Pretty and economical...
as long as it is hand-assembled, of course!


For little people on your list ~
I cannot recommend
these sweet books
highly enough!


An "Answers" Magazine Subscription
would be a great blessing for any family on your list.
The material presented is from a Biblical Worldview
and is a wonderful tool to fortify every member
within that home.
We ALL *love* to find the next installment
in our mailbox.

If you have NO MONEY to spend on gifts...
take heart!

There are MANY ways to show love and give of
what you DO have to loved ones.
Some of your TIME.

What about a coupon booklet?
Handmade by you?
Custom designed and hand-written.

Make coupons for things such as these ~

"I will clean your car one Saturday...name the date!"
"I will take you to..."
"Date night IN...leave all the details to me!"
"I will bake your favourite...anytime you ask!"
"I will read your favourite book to you one afternoon"
"We will go to the park and swing on the swings..."
"Good for one day of housecleaning!"
"Free babysitting one night while you go out."

Etc...

The possibilities are ENDLESS!

Then...make sure YOU keep track of what you've
promised to do and keep the recipient of your coupons
accountable to take you up on it!

Remember to take time to enjoy
this time of year.
The LORD is not honoured by
our overdoing it ~
Who are we aiming to please anyway?

May this Christmas Season be full
of love and joy and peace ~
And may the Lord Jesus Christ
be at the center of it all!

Blessings to each of you!
In His Love,
Camille

The Feast We All Need

We feast at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
We feast at weddings and celebrations.
We tend to think of feasting only
as it pertains to food.

Feasting does involve food.
But there are two types of food ~
Physical and Spiritual.

What is Spiritual food?
What does it mean to feast on God's Word?
HOW do we feast on the Bible?

After all, the Bible says ~
"...Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceedeth out
of the mouth of God."
Matthew 4:4


We will eventually die physically if we do not eat.
But more importantly, we will die spiritually
if we do not "eat" of the Word.

"And Jesus said unto them,
I am the bread of life:
he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
John 6:35

Only by taking the LORD at HIS Word
can we truly be saved.

And only when we are saved
can we truly FEAST.

How?

Daily.
Routinely.
Thoughtfully.
Prayerfully.
Often.

And only by the Holy Spirit is any of this possible.
We cannot *know* anything apart from HIM.
HE opens our eyes that we might see.


Feasting on the Word.

Reading it.
Memorizing it.
Meditating on it.
Praying through it.
Living it.

Until it becomes part of who we are.
Until we cannot help but share it.

May the LORD enable each of us
to truly FEAST.

Many Blessings,
Camille

He Shoots...He Scores!

We have THREE boys.
They all play hockey.
It's a Canadian tradition.

We are so thankful that it is
a Christian League they play in.
There is so much less pressure
in this league than boys experience in the minors.

We are not raising the next
Gretzky, Crosby, or Ovechkin.
Not even close!

What a blessing that our boys are
able to play hockey for FUN ~
the way the game should be played. :)

Austin ~ number six...playing with the "big" guys now!

Calvin (far left) and Fraser (centre) flying up the ice.

Calvin (#11) and Fraser (#15) are on the same team this year.
We were supposed to have three teams going,
but that would not logistically work with one vehicle and
scheduling...the league gave special permission for Fraser to
move up a year early.

The following three photos are of Fraser...

Calvin is in the next three...

Austin was at a practice on the night I was
taking these photos...hence the near-empty ice.
Here he is working at his game.

Thankful this Monday for the opportunities our boys
have been given since joining this league.
Continuing to number and count and practice thanks.

878. A Christian League to be a part of

879. Kind coaching staff who encourage the boys to enjoy the game

880. Friendships that develop amongst the boys

881. Ice times that coincide (sometimes)

882. Offer of car-pool help on occasion when the ice times clash

883. Grandparents that have come out to cheer the boys on

884. Daddy could coach each of the boys at some point over
their time in this league

885. Opportunities to learn to referee ~ for Austin and Howie

886. Second-hand gear

887. Sports Replay ~ local second-hand store for sports equipment

888. Passing gear down from one boy to the next

889. Ability to trade in gear that is too small for all three

890. A room to air out the gear in!

891. And thankful that I can close the door! :)

892. SLR camera that can capture some action shots without too much blur

893. A Dad who teaches the boys to shower before they come home!

894. The special permission we received for Fraser to
join Calvin's team this year

895. Wonderful ice times...no 6 am!

896. No Sunday games/practices

897. Heaters in the bleachers

898. The thank yous from the boys when I take them without Dad

899. Thankful for the protection the gear offers
and that the boys must wear cages ~
a good thing when braces are involved

900. Thankful too that there have been no major injuries to date

God is Our Refuge

How precious to REST in the fact
that the LORD is our refuge!

We are HIS.
HE is our kind Shepherd.
We have NOTHING to fear.

Continue to look to HIM
in all the storms of life.

TRUST.
REST.

HE really is with you.
HE is FAITHFUL.

~ Psalm 62:5-8 ~

"My soul, wait thou only upon God;
for my expectation is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation:
he is my defense; I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory:
the rock of my strength,
and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in him at all times; ye people,
pour out your heart before him:
God is a refuge for us."

~ Holy Bible ~

Isn't God's Word AMAZING??
If you belong to HIM,
these promises are for YOU!

Blessings to you all this weekend!
In His Love,
Camille

I'm Thrilled!

Tears over English lessons?
Difficulties getting through all those pages
and pages of workbook work?
Struggles and sad faces?

Look no further.
This may be just the solution you
are looking for.

These are WONDERFUL resources!
We have homeschooled our children for four years now.
But this is the first year I have used this set of books ~
and both Emma and I are LOVING them!

Real.
Old-Fashioned.
Honest-to-goodness.
Wonderful!

Primary and Intermediate Language Lessons
along with the teacher's guides are a
wonderful addition to any homeschool
that has little people in it!

I wish I had known about them sooner.
I am so glad I know about them now.
We are having fun!
Want to have fun too? :)

Simply Thanks

On this Canadian Thanksgiving Day,
I give thanks ~
S.I.M.P.L.Y.

For things not simple ~
P.R.O.F.O.U.N.D.

The children join in and we
R.E.J.O.I.C.E.

855. For my Wonderful Saviour Who continually forgives

856. For children to train up and nurture for HIS glory

857. For a godly husband to walk the path of life with

858. For family to love

859. For friends

860. For shelter

861. For furniture

862. For food

863. For clothes

864. For transportation

865. For God's Word and how it changes my heart

866. For good sermons in abundance

867. For ears to hear

868. For eyes to see

869. For working arms and legs

870. For health and strength

871. For music

872. For quiet and peace

873. For rest

874. For patience extended

875. For grace and mercy

876. For joy in the midst of the trials of life

877. For HIS enduring promises and blessings that never fail!

When the Unexpected Happens

** WARNING **
This post contains photos of Austin
as a baby just after his surgery.
(Just in case there are little eyes that may see your screen)

Our first baby was born healthy and strong.
At 8 lbs 13 oz, he was robust.
All was well.
He would thrive.
Or so it appeared.

All was not well.
He did not thrive.
All things were not as they at first appeared.

He did not gain weight.
I was nursing.
Maybe if I fed him more?
Regular visits to the doctor confirmed...
he would not gain.

He was six weeks old.
Yet another doctor's visit.
This time she sent us for chest x-ray as I was
worried about his cry
(he had tracheomalacia),
but she thought it was nothing.
THAT turned out to be the least of our worries.

The x-ray showed a heart abnormality.
Further testing showed he had a very large VSD.
In layman's terms...a hole in the heart.
Practically no septum between the lower two chambers.
He would need open heart surgery.

We sought the LORD in prayer.
We asked for others to pray.
We even called for the elders to pray over
our little boy.
We had faith that he may be healed.
Every hospital visit and tests revealed
that he had not been healed.

BUT...the LORD sustained him.

It was expected that he would require surgery
by the time he was about 3 or 4 months old.

AGAIN...the LORD sustained him.

The surgery was not necessary
until a week after his first birthday.

We had to literally sign his life away.
The forms we signed said things like ~
we would not hold the surgeon accountable for a
brain damage, other complications,
even death.


Oh those days were
VERY
DIFFICULT.

BUT...the LORD sustained us!

HE carried us through.
The provisions to us at that time were many.
The prayers of God's people literally carried us through.
How could I hand my baby over to the nurse I did not know?
Watch her carry him through the doors?
Knowing what was to come next?
Our precious son's little chest was to be cut open.
His sternum bone was to be severed.
His little heart was to be stopped so work could be done.
He woul have to be "jump started" when surgery was over.
He was to face all this without us by his side.

But God was with him ~
God was with us.

I cannot exactly explain how.
But HE WAS!
And we KNEW it!

The strength was there.

The ability to go on was there.
And our boy was made whole.
The LORD used means,
but HE did the knitting together.
HE did the healing.


Do you face a trial that you know you cannot bear alone?
Do you need the grace of the LORD?
Where do you turn for help in times like these?

Is it to the ONE Who is able to
heal the brokenhearted?
To the ONE Who is able to set all things straight?
To the ONE Who is able to
deliver you from eternal destruction?

We NEED the LORD!
May HE guide you to Himself
and give you HIS grace.
All the promises in the Bible are
for YOU if you are HIS!

If you need special prayer,
I would gladly add your request to our
family's Prayer Basket.
Leave a comment here or email me privately ~
we will bring you before our Saviour as a family.

In His Love,
Camille

Sweet Potato Casserole

Here's a YUMMY casserole to make for
Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner.
You could also make it "just because" ~
Your family will feel SO loved!

Click on this link to find the recipe.

Enjoy!

These "Ordinary" Days

My sister-in-law, many years ago,
said something that has stayed with me.
On one occasion when I asked her how she was doing,
her reply was simply ~
"I am enjoying the blessings of routine".
What does that mean...really?
Thinking about it more over the years,
I have begun to recognize some of the deeper truths hidden there.

It is a blessing to be in routine.
It is a blessing to have our days pass without incident.

We know when something "out of the ordinary" happens,
it is not always pleasant and sometimes even horrible.
The blessings of routine ~
health, comforts, full tummy, warm shelter,
and the love of family and friends.
These are the everyday and even ordinary happenings ~
these are the BLESSINGS of routine!

Thankful this Monday for "routine" and for friends and family.
May the LORD help us each to see HIS hand in the "ordinary" things
and give HIM thanks for everything HE sends our way.

837. Friendships developing and little secrets shared...
thank you to R and her Mummy for treating us to lunch at a
favourite little tea shop! :)

838. Thankful for boys that help out and even do it with a smile!

839. Thankful for the Thomas Track that we collected over the years.

840. Thankful that Dad took it upon himself to gift much of it to
the boys many years ago. :)

841. Thankful for music in the home and the noise of children ~
did I just write that? ;-)

842. Thankful for the Lego supply we have and the creating that
has taken place with it time and time and time again

843. Thankful for the precious friendship with
sweet little E's Mummy!

844. Thankful too that she allows Emma some up close and personal visiting ~
precious memories!

845. Creative things to do

846. That the boys launched this project on their own

847. Thankful that they did it together

848. Sunday evening popcorn

849. The satisfied customers! :)



850. Mini pizzas


851. Evidence that a boy was here...


852. The cutest boots ever ~
Thank you Auntie Fran!

853. Thankful for the kindness and generosity of
Auntie Fran and Auntie Beverley over the years


854. Outdoor "evidence" ~ a little girl lives here
who imagines and creates with recycling bottles and artificial flowers.



Many Blessings,
Camille