You an get your Fish Fry tickets ether by stopping by our house or ordering online. The tickets must be purchased by October 19th to reserve a plate. You can use one adult ticket or two children's plates. Thank you for your support.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Go, Go, Gomer
Hello Friends of Gomer, how are you? We are enjoying our two week old baby girl and doing some nesting since we did not get to do it all summer. I am cleaning along and removing some old paint when I can. Denbigh has been working on the kitchen floor. We have also been entertaining guests that come to visit our new born.
Here is the underlayment that is under the cork floor. You can't tell, but it is a thick piece of cushy foam. It's funny what excites you when you have been walking around on dingy plywood for a long time. This excited me. I stepped on it and thought I was living in the lap of luxury. It is cushy, friends. Come bounce around.
This is part of our yard after our neighbor lent us his John Deere lawnmower. I never cease to be amazed at how giving people are here. They find out we have a need and someone is at our house with in minutes to help us out. It truly is a community and not just a place you live. Kindness is such a powerful testimony.
We are having a fish fry at the end of the month to raise money to feed the people who come here. My man is also baking pies, gourmet cookies, and making candles for this fundraiser. We will post more information about it shortly.
Here is a mirror that has been hanging out on our third floor for three plus years. I had the idea that it would match the buffet perfectly. It's gorgeous. It's funny, all of our pre-restoration belongings are up on the third floor. It'll be like Christmas when we get to get them all down.
Looky, looky. It's a floor. This floor is going in our kitchen. Can you believe it? Waiting all of these years for God to restore this room has made us so grateful for this. We sometimes find ourselves just standing in the kitchen and marveling at what God has done for us. Only He could have done this for us.
We got our first piece of donated fence. Doesn't the glamour blow you away. Now, we only need a hundred or so more pieces to make this happen. At least it is a spot of humor for our family. Denbigh makes everyone go through the gate. Yes, they could easily walk around it. It's quite funny.
God has truly blessed us with good friends who have given us so much and come out of their way to bless us with food and gifts after having Chayah. It has been such and encouragement to see the outpouring of love.
Join us for the Fish Fry on October 20th.
Buy tickets.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Talk to me, Abba.
Press on in grace. Of course you don't want to condone sinful actions toward you or your family. You must stay calm and redirect it with honor and grace. Honor everyone around you regardless of their lack of kindness. Remind yourself of the man who was forgiven a great debt by a ruler and then went and imprisoned the man who owed him little. The ruler called the man who had been forgiven a huge debt the wicked one. In his wickedness, he refused to forgive as he had been forgiven. Extend your pardon to others.
"I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name."
1 John 2:12
For more on this segment, see this post.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Fish Fry, Y'all.
I have a favor to ask of you. Help us restore our house, feed our neighbors, and provide respite for pastors and missionaries. We are going to fry up some fish and all the sides. There will be tea brewing and a lemonade stand. Art will be for sale. Organic food will be available. Denbigh will be taking orders for pies and his other confections. Mark the date on your calendar. Our house will be open all day October 20th for visitors. Our local fall festival will be going on with live music, food booths, and antiques, parade, 5k, and more. There will also be an antique car show in front of Gomer's House. Mark your calendars and be on the look out for us to be asking you to help us see our vision of restoration to fruition.
*There are also kid's plates available for $5. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Thank you for your love and support.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Gomer's Beauty.
Well, Friends of Gomer, I'm holding a baby in my left hand and typing to you with my right. What a miracle it is to give birth. Every time I am blessed with the opportunity to have a child, I am simply in awe of this miracle that we get to be a part of. Last week, we didn't do any remodeling. We loved on a precious baby girl. Chayah Camille Cherry. She is a gift from God.
Here she is with our youngest, Yasha.
Love those fingers.
This is how she sleeps in my lap.
Our third day together.
Here is Denbigh holding her wearing the Cherry Heirloom Dress.
This week, my man has been working on the ceiling in the kitchen. He painted the beams and put them up.
Here are more of them up. I love that soft white against the pale blue. If you remember, I was drawn to these colors because of their names. Stillness and Pale Bloom. I think it worked out nice.
This is our new fan. I had picked it out in May and it was out of stock until a few weeks ago. It was only available online, so I waited and waited. Then, they called and joy of all joys we got to go pick it up at Lowe's. My man installed it. We kicked the ugly box fan to the curb and all of our dreams are coming true. Now, besides appliances, all I need is a few grand for some countertops. Let it be, Lord.
Oh yes, the floor came in! It arrived home the same day as the baby. Here we go on the next project. Much love to all of you. Love lavishly with a heart that reflects Christ.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The River by Michael Neale
This book is available today, September 18th.
Description from Publisher:
“The River is a story that will transform how you see yourself and the world.” —Andy Andrews, New York Times best-selling author of The Noticer, The Traveler’s Gift, and How Do You Kill 11 Million People?
“You were made for The River . . .”
Gabriel Clarke is mysteriously drawn to The River, a ribbon of frothy white water carving its way through steep canyons high in the Colorado Rockies. The rushing waters beckon him to experience freedom and adventure.
But something holds him back—the memory of the terrible event he witnessed on The River when he was just five years old—something no child should ever see.
Chains of fear and resentment imprison Gabriel, keeping him from discovering the treasures of The River. He remains trapped, afraid to take hold of the life awaiting him.
When he returns to The River after years away, his heart knows he is finally home. His destiny is within reach. Claiming that destiny will be the hardest—and bravest—thing he has ever done.
beckon him to experience freedom and adventure.
But something holds him back—the memory of the terrible event he witnessed on The River when he was just five years old—something no child should ever see.
Chains of fear and resentment imprison Gabriel, keeping him from discovering the treasures of The River. He remains trapped, afraid to take hold of the life awaiting him.
When he returns to The River after years away, his heart knows he is finally home. His destiny is within reach. Claiming that destiny will be the hardest—and bravest—thing he has ever done.
Stephanie"s Review:
I chose to review this book because I was intrigued by the simple title. Growing up on a ranch I often found solace and comfort in the river myself. Seeing God's power there has continually spoken to me throughout my life. This led me to want to know what the character in this novel discovered for himself in the water.
I enjoyed the twists and turns that were involved in this book. The story was simple and I was easily drawn into it. It just told a story. We follow Gabriel on a journey of forgiveness. It wasn't preachy or seeming to have a hidden agenda. It just told the story. I enjoyed the fact that it helped you know what step should come next in your own journey of faith. I got a little disconcerted halfway through when River dreams and a cheesy teen romance popped up. The story, however, redeemed itself with character and depth.
I think you could share this book with anyone. There are people in all of our lives that would feel bashed about the head by most Christian literature. This book is not one of those. It speaks and ministers without preaching. Great read.
This book was graciously provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Monday, September 10, 2012
The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack
Perhaps you remember the story of the fishermen from Mexico who were lost and floating across the ocean for 9 months. Two men died and they were eventually found around the coast of Australia. It went largely unnoticed in the American media because of the barrage of politics at the time. A friend of Joe Kissack's told him to look up the story at the time it happened. He was then drawn into the story as though he had lived it. In some ways, he had. He was a man fully adrift, his life as he knew it vanished, and the crashing waves and storms of drugs and alcohol were crashing down on him.
You follow this story, which is impeccably written through Joe's Hollywood defeats and the tragedies of these fishermen and deliverance of these fishermen. The thing that survives 9 months at sea is the same thing that helped Joe survive his self-destructive lifestyle. One guy with a Bible. It was a different man in each circumstance, but it was a life-preserver for both of them. Joe finds these men and persuades them to let him tell their story. He quickly realizes that they are all part of one great story that belongs to an unseen God. I enjoyed how it was not preachy or trying to riddle it's pages with cliches. It told a story and it was told well.
I must say, I enjoyed this book immensely. The author's writing and communication style truly draw you in. The story that unfolds before your eyes makes you feel as though it is happening to you. You find yourself wanting to reconnect with Christ in the desperate way many of us first come to Him. You want to do away with every ounce of self sufficiency and take up the deep yearning again. You want to sanctify your spouse and be sanctified in humility. Grab a copy. Revel in the testimonies of these four men.
This book was graciously provided for review by Waterbrook Multnomah.
Friday, September 07, 2012
You're a Day Late, Gomer.
Do you like my awesome cooling system in the kitchen. If you are on facebook, you may know that I put a cooler full of ice behind it the other day to make homemade air conditioning. I know it may be bittersweet, but I bid adieu to the box fan. As soon as the beams are on the ceiling, Denbigh will be installing the new kitchen fan. The bead board look of the blades matches the kitchen. Are you all beside yourselves with envy? I don't know about the light kit. We will see if we like it.
You may be wondering why we are enamored with beachy things around here. It all started with the gigantic palm trees out front. Then I thought the colors of water would be perfect for a respite.
Besides, if His grace is an ocean, I'm headed to the beach.
I was all set to blog about Gomer yesterday and then tragedy of all tragedies struck. My one year old couldn't find her woobie to go to bed. For those of you who don't know, a woobie is the fluffly little blankie kids carry around with them. Some people call them loveys or minkys. My first born could not have cared less about hers. This one, however, can't live without hers. So, I searched for hours. I kept praying to not go into labor as I was looking under everything on my hands and knees. Then, God illuminated it for me. Found, at last. Then, I passed out. My beloved husband was off leading worship at a retreat. I am so thankful for him and his help with our girls.
The Costa Cork I have been wanting from Lumber Liquidaters has been out of stock for some time, but I looked recently and it said it would arrive for shipping next week. I'm taking some painting money and I'm buying it. Thanks, Jesus! I know that you will miss the plywood look we have going now, but console yourselves. A large portion of the downstairs is still a mess. Baby steps.
We have been waiting on the Lord for some new countertops. Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't. The great part is that we would rather have the countertops that God wants us to have than any others. So, we release the desire and the how to God and we await. Out of curiosity, I did an estimate at Home Depot for white quartz. It was about $2,500. Not bad. I thought it would be much higher, but the kitchen isn't gigantic, so that's a plus. You can hang on to your love of the plywood countertop for now. We can all pretend we love the rustic look.
Here is one of the latest little blocks I have done. I love it so much that I am keeping the original. All the bright colors make me so happy. I did however tuck it away in my Etsy store. Wouldn't it be a cute gift for a friend?
You can buy one here and support my kitchen:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/108790219/cultivate-inner-beauty
This is where I have it at my house.
Here are the boards that will be the cross beams over the bead board ceiling. Denbigh put the 3rd coat of "Stillness" on and it is gorgeous. Next the beams. Then the fan. Then the crown moulding. Do you feel the excitement?
Here's my man. He was sanding down the rough edges of the board and painting them. I could lose my mind with anticipation.
Here is my current youngest imitating Daddy. Come next week, by the grace of God alone, I will have a baby and this will be our middle child. Would you please say a prayer for us? We covet prayers for health and smooth delivery. Isn't God gracious to us that He lets us cultivate life even though we constantly fail Him?
Tuesday, September 04, 2012
Talk to me, Abba.
Release to me the days gone by. Let go of the fears of yesterday repeating itself. Trust Me to begin and do a new thing today. I want to do a new thing. I want to do it. I have no need of your help in this situation. All I require is your trust that I will speak, I will convict, I will move. Rest.
"Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert." -Isaiah 43:18-19
For more on this segment, see this post.
Monday, September 03, 2012
The Last Temple by Hank Hanegraaf & Sigmund Brouwer
Description from Tyndale House:
Set in the turbulent years just before one of the most horrendous events in Jewish history, The Last Temple concludes the trilogy of The Last Disciple and The Last Sacrifice. Vitas is reunited with his wife and retires to Alexandria, determined to live a quiet, domestic life. But he can’t avoid the debts that he owes to the men who saved him, and he becomes a key figure in the plot to rid the empire of Nero. It sweeps him into the “year of four emperors,” when the Roman Empire is nearly destroyed, and takes him back to Jerusalem as Titus lays siege to the great city. Only then, as the prophecy of Jesus begins to unfold, does Vitas discover the true mission set before him and the astounding conspiracy behind it.
My Review:
This is the last book of a trilogy series. It took me a while to get into due to the fact that there seemed to be quite a bit of info given and the conversation flow seemed choppy. On occasion, it felt like they were trying to force in some random information about Jesus that made it seem out of place. About a third of the way into it, I was hooked, however. The historical research and storytelling method were great. I have such a greater understanding of the fall of Jerusalem after Christ's death. There was a large amount of detail about Nero, the death of his successors, and those that would follow. This book has an interesting perspective on how Revelation could be interpreted to be prophetic of the fall of Jerusalem. Inside the pages are historical facts about how the Romans in charge of bringing down the great city saw God's hand in the destruction. Several of them were trying to help the Jews, but the Jewish Zealots refused their help and turned on their fellow Jews. It's a fascinating look at the inner workings of this story. This is a good work of historical fiction that illuminates the events.
This book was graciously provided for review by Tyndale House Publishers.
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