Happy Homemaker - Monday 9/27

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Yesterday it was like 55 degrees and rainy when I drove to church - which is a little COLD to me after it being like 90 a few days before.  I refuse to turn the heater on, but it's a little chilly this morning too!   Instead, when Miriam woke up around 7:45 a.m., I cuddled with her in my warm bed while she had her "breakfast". 

Things that make me happy:
A second chance at being a SAHM.  Even after a long day or a sleepless night, I still think that a bad day at home is better than a good day working full-time.

 Book I'm reading:
I'm wading through this book:
















It is a secular book but full of fascinating insights on Lincoln's life.  He overcame some huge issues, most daunting probably was his own "melancholy" and depression (so severe that he contemplated suicide several times).   Currently in the book, Lincoln is about to get married (which he is doing mostly out of duty to Mary Todd because he'd actually been in love with another woman who refused him.  An interesting tidbit on Lincoln's view of his marriage:  after getting all dressed up for his wedding day, Lincoln encountered a friend who asked him where he was going, and Lincoln replid, "To hell, I suppose." !!). 
At this time, Lincoln had completely rejected his religious upbringing of his father's harsh version of the Baptist faith (which was more of a extreme Calvinist bent, "we are chosen-by-God-or-not" kind of faith with no free will to choose our eternal destiny) and was seeing himself as more of a fatalist.  He still believed in God, but more that God was up somewhere and people had no control over anything that He did to them.  I was talking to Dan about this, and he said one writer he read thinks that Lincoln didn't truly become a Christian until right before Gettyburg when his writings and speeches take on a whole new, spiritual aspect.  I guess I had always thought Lincoln was a Christian all his life; but apprently he wasn't a true believer until much later. 

What's on my TV today:
currently Rachael Ray.

 On the menu for dinner:
my son actually wants Tuna (Helper) Casserole.  I'm glad my kids have simple tastes!  :)
I am not sure exactly what I'll make, but dinner WILL include bread-machine bread tonight!!  Can't wait!


On my To Do List:

make an appointment to get a tune-up/oil chance for my husband's car
laundry & the "usual" around the house stuff
New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:

hmmmmmmmm, not sure yet.

Looking forward to this week:
Friday night!  :)  

Tips and Tricks:
Trick bag is EMPTY today!

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Don't have time to go thru my pics right now ...

 Lesson learned the past few days:
Being grumpy is a waste of time - but it sure feels good to be cranky for a little while as long as you get over yourself quickly!!  ;)

 On my mind:
wondering if I'm ever going to get ORGANIZED to my own satisfaction.  Wondering if one day I will actually be able to sit down & NOT look around and see all the things that are dusty or need a place or need to be given away...and thinking that thankfully in the light of eternity, the state of my house will not matter!!!  :)

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

In my read-thru-the-Bible-at-my-own-pace, I am in II Chronicles finally.  The lives of these kings and their people pretty much have a basic pattern:  serve God & be blessed OR serve idols & be destroyed.  The "good kings" didn't just do good - but they served God with their HEARTS.  That is said over & over.  It isn't just enough to put on a good show, but it isn't worth anything eternal if it isn't from the heart.

In the New Testament, Jesus said the 2 greatest commandments are:  (1) love the Lord with ALL YOUR HEART, soul & mind - and (2) love your neighbors as yourselves. (Matthew 22:35-39)