A Time for Quiet

It's Summer.

The children are completing

their school requirements.

The pace and schedule have changed.

The time has come for quiet.

Quiet here on the blog is a necessary part of that.

So, I am taking a little time off.

During my time away, there will be no visiting of blogs

and no publishing of comments.

In light of this, please know that your comments

are important to me and will be published upon my return.

When I am back, it will be my plan to re-connect with all of you ~

both here in this space, as well as in yours.

Thank you for understanding!

I will likely be out of this loop

for a couple of weeks.

Perhaps even a little longer.

May the LORD bless each one of you with quiet too ~

Have a wonderful Summer!

To those of you who live on the other side of the globe ~

Happy Winter to you! :)

"To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven..."

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1 ~

With Love,

Camille

Truth Matters

Truth matters. It really does.

When the difficult things of life come across our path.
When the trying and heart-wrenching things happen.
Even in the times when all is well.
It makes all the difference to where we will
spend eternity ~ either in Heaven or Hell.
We must have our Theology firmly established.
Our moorings and footing must be firmly planted on the Rock.

The Solid Rock ~ Christ Jesus.

He alone is where all peace and lasting comfort are found.
He alone is the way to be made right with God.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  John 14:6

The LORD Jesus Christ.  Alone.

Not long ago, we traversed through such a trial.  Rough waters.
The deepest valley we have ever known.
And, for times such as these, we are so thankful that 
we know our God is Sovereign.  To know that HE does all things well.
For our good and for HIS glory.  In the depth of our souls.  Always.

How precious is HIS Word!  How precious is HIS Truth!
How wonderful it is to have access to it in the Bible.
And to have the Holy Spirit to seal it to our hearts.

The Bible is so deep and rich and full.  It alone is where absolute and
incorruptible Truth may be found.  The teachings of wise men are fallible.
They are prone to error.  They may even be known to change their minds.

But, God's Word cannot change.

It is infallible. Inerrant.  Within its pages, by God's mercy and grace,
the One and Only Living God of Heaven and Earth is revealed to us.
How Wonderful our Precious Saviour is!!
HE never leaves us.  Never forsakes.  Always Faithful.

Are you searching?  Do you desire to know God?
Do you yearn for Truth in the deepest part of your being?
Flee to the LORD Jesus Christ.
Run to Him with your sin and your corruption.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."  Romans 3:23

He alone is able to make you right with God.
He alone is able to free you from your sin.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Only after dealing with the problem of sin are we able to find peace with God.
And because of the Lord Jesus Christ, and his perfect work, we can confidently come.
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;
and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  John 6:37

Lasting peace. Eternal peace.
Comfort that only HE can give.
And rest. Rest for our souls.  In HIM.

May the Lord be found of you.
And may you know Him as He is meant to be known.
His ways are perfect. His ways are best. Always.
This I know because it's contained in His Word.
That's where Truth may be found.

"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me,
and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me,
and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
And I will be found of you, saith the LORD..."  Jeremiah 29:12-14a

If you are searching, simply ask the Lord to reveal
Himself to you as you read His Word.
Begin in the book of Genesis and read the first
three chapters ~ they show why we need a Saviour.
Then, skip to the New Testament, and read the book
of John to learn of all that the Lord Jesus Christ
did for His people while He was on the earth.

You may also click here for a simple explanation
of what it means to follow the LORD Jesus Christ.

"Bible Doctrines Simply Explained" is a wonderful little book that lays out the
Truths of God's Word in an easy to read fashion.
(Click on the book title to find used copies for purchase).
Be sure to measure everything you read against the inspired Word of God ~
The Bible is the only book of its kind.
It is the only inspired word of the Living God.

I will be praying for you.
If you would like to discuss these things
further, please feel free to email me ~ flowersinhisgarden@gmail.com

Many blessings, Camille

Chitter Chatter

Chitter Chatter.

Verses like the following provide wonderful

*food for thought* ~

"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:

but he that refraineth his lips is wise."

~ Proverbs 10:19 ~

Remember that little childhood song ~

"Oh Be Careful Little Eyes"?

Remember one of the other verses contained within it?

"Oh be careful little mouth what you say!"

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity:

so is the tongue among our members,

that it defileth the whole body,

and setteth on fire the course of nature;

and it is set on fire of hell."

~ James 3:6 ~

How much of my speech is edifying?

How much of it is uplifting?

Joy-filled? Encouraging?

Not everything I think needs to be said.

Not everything I think ought to be said!

"Let no corrupt communication proceed

out of your mouth,

but that which is good to the use of edifying,

that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

~ Ephesians 4:29 ~

May the LORD be glorified in all we do and say.

May we minister grace and Truth to

all those we meet along the way.

Many Blessings,

Camille

**Photo in this post courtesy of my precious Emma ~

Thank you my love! XO

Treasures of Now

So many things.  Day after day.  Week after week.

They all add up to make a life.

How do I preserve these moments?

The things that are so quickly forgotten?

Numbering the thanks.  Counting the moments.

Seeking to give praise to the LORD for each and every one.

That's how ~ By HIS Grace.  These are the Treasures of Now.

1721. The paper route and all its blessings

1722. Watching the three of them go up the street

1723. The hanging baskets at the front door

1724. Evidence of productivity and creative pursuits

1725. Fraser's project

1726. Right where she left them

1727. And this too!

1728. That Austin was able to ride

all the way to the next city...over an hour of cycling away!

(On June 11th ~ two and a half months after his

life-threatening heart condition was diagnosed!)

1729. Beauty shared ~ Thank you T and S! :)

1730. Fraser's project drying on the line

1731. Emma's rough draft

1732. Pizza for dinner while Howie was away ~ Thank you Sweetie! :)

1733. Handcrafted *Welcome Home* sign ~ more treasures!

1734. All the resources required for Emma's year-end

project (as well as *extras*) found in a very

short period of time at the library ~ what a blessing!

1735. That we can return the above mentioned resources

to the library closest to us because they are in

the same *system* ~ what a huge blessing!

1736. Another violin student for Austin ~ a Grandma! :)

1737. Watching Fraser as he started the lawnmower from the

kitchen window and him giving me the *thumb's up*!

1738. A sunny afternoon after many grey ones

1739. Homemade pop tarts...oh my!

1740. Another hour of driving practice for Austin in Betsy!

1741. Knowing without a doubt that the LORD truly

does all things well ~ What a comfort that is!!

1742. Coupons

1743. An accompanist for Austin's violin exam

1744. That the last bit of school is being completed

1745. That summer is coming...it IS coming, right? :)

My journal sits on my counter.

I list as events unfold.  Sometimes many all at once,

and other times in a trickle.  Would you like to begin?

Just grab a pen and a journal, set them out on the counter,

and list out your blessings.  Find the joy in the moments ~ as they arrive.

Enjoy the journey!

Many Blessings, Camille

**My disclaimer post may be found by clicking here.

Something Yummy

White flour.  White Sugar.

Icing Sugar.  Butter and Jam.

Not exactly in the category of *healthy* ~

But, they certainly are *fun* and *yummy*!

This one's for you Miss T. :)

And for your siblings ~ especially the older ones

who like to sabotage my blog ~ LOL!

Homemade Pop Tarts.

Originally posted here.  Thank you Jenn for allowing me to re-share!

Emma has requested these (nearly a year in advance)

for her birthday dessert in place of cake!

Yup, this recipe is a winner.  And, easy as pie! :)

~ Ingredients ~

2 1/2 cups Flour

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 cup Unsalted Butter, chilled

6 to 9 Tbsp Cold Water

Stir together all dry ingredients in bowl.

Cut in chilled butter until the size of peas.

Stir in water, beginning with smallest amount

and adding in enough to barely hold dough together.

Do not over handle dough.

Chill 1 hour.

(I skipped this step and they still turned out fabulous).

~ Method for Pop Tarts~

Roll out half the dough at a time until thin (an eighth of an inch)

on a floured surface.  Cut into 3 inch squares.

Lay half of the squares on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Into the center of each of the squares, drop a spoonful of jam ~ any type will do.

Wet the edges of the squares with water.  Put another square of dough over top.

Seal the edges with the tines of a fork.

Set a second pan up to repeat the above while the first batch are baking.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

They will be golden when done.  Cool 5 minutes on pan.

Transfer to a cooling rack.  Mix up a batch of frosting.

I used the following for butter icing ~

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

a little water and 1 tsp Vanilla.

Using a wire whisk, beat in enough icing sugar to make a

smooth, spreadable icing.

When the pop tarts are cooled a little,

spread with icing and sprinkle with coloured sugar.
This recipe makes 16 to 20 pop tarts.

Have Fun!

Blessings, Camille

Dishwasher Detergent Update

Do you remember when I posted about

home-made dishwasher detergent?

I quit using the recipe I shared

due to the fact that a mysterious film

continued to appear on my freshly washed dishes.

I was not willing to put up with it.

I threw in the towel.

The time has come to give it another try.

At the time of that post, my friend Trisha

left her recipe in the comment section ~

Thank you for sharing Trisha! :)

It's very simple.

One part Borax to one part Baking Soda.

That would be the cooking kind,

and not the washing kind of soda.

Mix together and store in a glass jar.

Use like you would your regular detergent.

(I use about 2 Tbsp per load ~

please ignore the photo above for dispensing amount)

So far, it has worked!

The only thing that I have noticed

is that this does not work as well as the

pre-packaged, store-bought stuff on pots.

When I want to wash pots in my machine, I don't use this.

Otherwise, it is a winner in my books.

I use white vinegar in the rinse dispenser.

We do not have hard water where we live.

I don't know if those things make a difference.

Overall, my initial findings are positive.

And, it is SO much cheaper!

And, healthier?

Let me know if you give it a go.

I hope it works for you too!

Blessings,

Camille

One by One

One by one I count.

Over time, it can become tempting to quit.

But, joy can be found in the numbering.

And perspective changes as I do.

Above all else...

we are commanded to give thanks.

The real reason why I ought to continue.

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will

of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

~ I Thessalonians 5:18 ~

How easy it is to complain.

To grumble.

To be ungrateful.

How disagreeable it is!

What a long-suffering and

merciful God we serve!

HE would be fully justified to

strip all goodness from my life.

But, HE doesn't.

That's mercy. That's grace.

And I am thankful that HE extends

them both in generous amounts to me!

1691. Colourful jelly beans and enjoying a *few*

1692. *Old* (read: from my childhood) music books for

Emma to learn from ~

See the happy face stamp? My teacher put it there! :)

1693. *Old* (read: from my childhood...again) "Little House"

set of books to share with my own children

1694. *Dress-up* shoes worn and cast off...

time and time and time again!

(Thank you Auntie L ~

You would not believe how MUCH these get worn!)

1695. Sunny days and schoolwork outdoors!

1696. Joining in

1697. How school migrates up to the kitchen table

1698. The wind chimes installed for another season ~

Thanks again K and J! :)

1699. Getting these inside...

1700. ...Before this happens!

And, just for the record, it happens a lot around here. :)

1701. That Austin wants to learn how to do a back flip ~

And that Emma takes the part of *coach*!

1702. Decorating her room with the outdoors...so pretty

1703. Decorating her door in similar fashion

1704. And finding her like this in the morning...

1705. That Howie replaced my line when the old one broke

1706. That both lines were put up before one

was even in service last year

1707. Taking advantage of the

neighbourhood swimming pool ~ It's free! :)

1708. Austin has gained 30 lbs since December!

1709. He even has begun wrestling with Howie again!

1710. My Lawn mower boy

1711. My Bathroom Cleaner boy

1712. My Laundry helpers

1713. My Vacuum operator

1714. My Dishwashing helpers

1715. Easy meals

1716. School is nearing completion

1717. Projects are getting done

1718. A wonderful support teacher

1719. A terrific school to be a part of

1720. And that we *get to* do this at home...

Together! :)

My journal sits on my counter.

I list as events unfold.

Sometimes many all at once,

and other times in a trickle.

But, always by HIS Grace!

Would you like to begin?

Just grab a pen and a journal,

set them out on the counter,

and list out your blessings.

Find the joy in the moments ~

As they arrive.

Enjoy the journey!

Many Blessings,

Camille

**My disclaimer post may be found by

clicking here.

Setting the Record Straight

Setting the record straight ~
It's long been on my heart to do so.

Recently, Trisha wrote a post on a book,
which I read upon its release, and was troubled by.
"One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp is the book.
I used to be one of Ann's regular blog readers.
Faithfully, I would link to her "Multitude Monday" posts.
Her words often blessed and challenged my heart.

Because of all this, I read her book.

Very quickly, uneasiness set in.
There was error contained within its pages.
Unfortunately, I could not endorse it.
But, by association, was I?

Click here to read a thoughtful post
addressing similar concerns.
Thank you, Trisha, for doing so in such
a gracious and loving way.

At the time, my actions included removing
the link to Ann's blog from my sidebar,
as well as the link from the bottom of each of my
"Thankfulness Journal" Posts.

It grieved my heart to do so.

It was a silent statement, but a necessary one.
My husband advised me against launching into
a thorough critique of the book at the time.
He continues to oppose that course of
action due to time constraints.
He does, however, endorse
the content of this post.

It is not my intention to open up a debate.

Since so much time has passed,
it may seem a little *out of place* to address it now.
But, I am aware of the fact that I have been associated
with "One Thousand Gifts" since my numbered list
of thanks is still being published here.

Because of this, I cannot remain silent.

My thankfulness journal had its beginnings
long before the book ever came out.
It was a direct result of Ann's posts about being thankful.
For that influence (as well as for other things), I am grateful.
Without a doubt, it has been a great blessing to
keep my own journal of thanks.

I plan to continue.

My concern is that it seems, perhaps by default,
that I am persistently linked to Ann's book.
And, through my silence, I may actually
end up being mistaken as a promoter.

That is not the case.

There were many lovely things about
Ann's blog which I enjoyed.
Her beautiful stories, thought-provoking articles,
and lovely photography were all greatly appreciated.
Friendships were made as a result of linking up on Mondays.
Articles which were written by Ann
have been referenced in some of my posts.
Those particular articles continue to be a blessing to me.
It would appear that she is a lovely lady who also loves the LORD.

The intent of this post is not to judge
her heart or her motives.

However, it is imperative that the record be set straight.
I am unwilling to promote something that contains error,
no matter how seemingly *small* or *insignificant*.
There is nothing *small* or *insignificant*
about error in any way, shape, or form.

"Sanctify them through thy truth:
thy word is truth."
~ John 17:17 ~


Truth matters.

And no matter what the cost,
I must proclaim it and live by it.
By God's Grace.
For HIS Glory.

"Thy word is true from the beginning:
and every one of thy righteous
judgments endureth forever."
~ Psalm 119:160 ~

May the LORD grant us each wisdom and discernment
as we walk this path with Him.
If you are not a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ,
please Click Here and prayerfully
consider what your future is without Him.

Nothing else really matters.

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,
'If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' "
~ John 8:31-32 ~

In HIS Love,
Camille