My Gray Coat, A Gift from Mom! 2nd try!

I made a decision last year to stop coloring my hair…partly because I was just tired of spending the money and partly because I wanted to look like Emmy Lou Harris!  Ha!

As the story goes, I first started coloring my hair in my early 30’s…because a beloved beautiful boxed blonde friend pointed out a few of my gray hairs and told me I’d look stunning as a red head!  Much to my surprise, it looked pretty darn good and St. Philip just happened to fall in love with me that way.    Fast forward 20 years or so… And as you might have guessed, as many colors later, some out of a box and some at the hands of great and not so great stylists, I was just done!!!

And now my coat is just one color.  We’ll call it Natural Platinum or Soft Silver!  No gloves or harsh chemicals necessary, just something I happily inherited from my mother with the same coat.   Albeit a bit premature, I have to admit that in the past year I’ve been mistaken for her sister a few too many times.  I just chalk it up to the fact that my Mom looks VERY young for her age!

Sometimes I take it to my sensitive heart, but most of the time I am able to laugh and thank God because I have earned every single strand.  Believe me I know that my silver is not the only characteristic I take from my precious Mom.   In addition I received her strength, her stamina, her determination, her compassion and her love for her children.   That’s not to say that all our likenesses are desirable, no need to mention hardheadedness or perfectionism.   But she, as I, lived through some very difficult earlier days and made a few mistakes on her journey, so the lessons learned from those missteps lead her right where she stands today… 

Steadfastly, beautifully gray and graytful for God’s love and grayce! 

I joyfully call her my mother, my coat maker, my friend...and even my Sister!   B 

 

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)

Gray story to come.....

This little light of mine....

I had the pleasure of hosting my tiny Quinn’s 2^nd birthday party this weekend!

 Couldn’t wait to show you the fun we had.  I am an overflowingly proud Bebe!

She was the highness of the day, walking around seemingly more than just 2.  It is so interesting to watch a tiny girl growing in comparison to rough and tumble boys.  She was adorable to say the least.  Her beautiful Mom made her birthday frock and awesome food for all , then gave me decorating carte blanche.  Michelle was so sweet to let me gush and do, since I’ve never had the chance to pink it up before!

Dad procured a bouncy castle for all the little ones to burn off energy and God provided gorgeous weather for all to enjoy a January afternoon outside!

Love & Light  X 1000 

Children are just a reminder of God’s Love and Light.

Lately when Quinn walks in my door, she runs to me and calls my name. 

I have to admit sweeping her up in my arms is one of the best feelings ever. 

Makes me realize what God must feel when His children run to Him & call His name!  

 

The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10 NLT

 

Just think of it and remind yourself how much you are blessedly loved!

Shine in  His arms!

Joyfully shining, b

Christmas memories….wishing they took longer to create!

Even though I’ve been Chrismtasing since mid-November, what with the 7thJoy Trunk Show and all, I never get tired of the warmth that flows through the house and everywhere this time of year.

This year was no different than many years past.  The beautiful routine of family traditions…tree picking and decorating (our frazier fir is still thriving…can’t bear to take it down).

Christmas Eve church with family and the celebration of my beautiful Mom’s birthday.

One gift on Christmas Eve, holiday PJ’s!

Late to bed…then early Christmas morning wake-up

(teenagers can get up early when they want!).

And the best of all, newly created since the birth of grandbugs… breakfast after Santa, at Bebe’s house!!!  I love that my son and his little family live just a stone’s throw away, close enough to have time for this before we all retreat to clean up the paper and head to Nonny’s for Christmas Day festivities! 



Silly Boys....

It’s a blurry whirlwind by the time it’s all done, but a wondrous whirlwind none the less!

Again I am reminded of the blessings I hold.  A family full!  A home to warm, healthy children and family to share it with, and a God who makes it possible….it’s just too much to behold at times!

Thanking God for a blessed 2011 and wishing you all a joyfully abundant 2012!

Stepping into the new year, hoping for new thoughts worth a blog, looking for beautiful inspiration to share, celebrating my awesome graduating senior and the list just goes on and on...You see, there is always something to look forward to! 

“WRITE IT IN YOUR HEART THAT EVERY DAY IS THE BEST DAY IN THE YEAR”
 Emerson

And to start the year off right, I'm cleaning house and the shop.....

Join us for our 7thJoy Sidedoor Sale this Saturday! 

Check out the Joy Shared Page for details as RSVP's are required!

7thJoy Girls are Home for Christmas...the fun begins!!

And so it is Christmas, Yesterday it was October 31st….

Thanks to so many who visited with us at our annual 7thJoy Trunk Show. You blessed us in so many ways.

It's all just a beautiful blur!!!

And now I’m HOME, finished at the 7thJoy workroom….finished decorating other’s homes…finished baking goodies for other’s gift baskets. And it feels OH so nice!

After a couple of days of much needed rest, a quick girls trip to Canton, awesome band concerts and a precious Day School Christmas program featuring Mr. Jackson Abbott and his little sis Quinn, with an impromptu performance in the isle…I’m looking forward to just enjoying the next 12 days of Christmas!!!

On the first day of B’s Christmas…God gave to me! Rest, beautiful rest!

And now I’m looking forward to spending time decorating my “real” frazier fur with the boys and St. Philip, wrapping packages so I can walk through my bedroom and listening to every last Christmas CD while counting the days!

May your families be blessed knowing the true meaning of this beautiful season and celebrate the love that was born to us all that first Noel!

Merry Joyful Christmas to everyone, b

Trunk Show Busyness...will blog next week! Joy postponed!

In the meantime....if you didn't get the memo!

7thJoy's 2011 Christmas Trunk Show

www.pingg.com

With great excitement and much gratitude, we are hosting our 4th Annual Christmas Trunk Show!
This year features...
7thJoy, Unique Upcycled Gifts &
         Christmas Dressings
Alisa Parks, Silpada Jewelry
Cami Boyett, Funky Found Items
         & Accessories
Michelle Abbott, Hissy Fit Bows
         & Clothes
and of course knitted creations
        & homemade goodies
by our beloved family & friends!!!

So hold on to your Christmas Hats,
    wear them if you please....
    Just grab a friend &
    join us for great shopping,
    sipping, snacking & sharing....
    as we welcome Christmas with Gratefulness!!
Sincerely, Belinda & Robin

Remember, cash & checks only!!

September & October 2011

Hello Seventhjoy Visitor…

Due to an update on our website, you are temporarily redirected to my 7thJoy Blog. Please browse the additional pages for new creations and information about our 2011 7thJoy Christmas Trunk Show, scheduled for November 18th~    

Thanks, Belinda & Robin

Everything Falls….

Well, September just dropped by and I didn’t stop to blog for several reasons…

I was busy, doing Lord knows what! What was I doing Lord? Well, He might say…nothing of significance, Belinda! And to that I would say, You are so completely right Father! Design and sewing are my passions, not Yours!

In my constant state of “busyness”, sometimes I neglect the most important things. One of those is my prayer time. If I don’t spend that precious and much needed time in the morning talking with Him, then I find myself at night, head on my pillow, waking only to realize that I fell asleep…again, before I finished our conversation. I didn’t even give Him a chance to respond. No wonder I can’t hear his voice!!


Can you imagine how many conversations with God end just this way in one given evening? Yet each time we pray, He is there ready to hear us, never too busy, never distracted, never exhausted. Exactly the way a perfect parent should be. Oh, if I could only be that kind of parent…and child! Today, I had plenty of time to converse with Him.


A much too long to do list + a soaking sink left running + a multi-tasking 54 year old = A slippery laundry room floor!  Results… A comfy chair, an ice packed knee & a slow day of reflection...


Funny, I know God knows I am too busy right now for a knee injury and had nothing to do with my fall! I am just thankful that he is always there to pick me up and listen when I need him; regardless of our last neglectful and one sided conversation. Constantly I am reminded that there are so many others with much more serious trials, daunting obstacles, extreme hurt and heartfelt pain, than myself!


Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians6:18 NIV)

When we obey God, even in small ways, “we find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.” (Romans 5:2 MSG)

Eyes joyfully wide open, praying for so many friends who need God so much today! b

Just Parched!

In this relentless heat, my designing friend Robin and I agree that we are just PARCHED!

Partly due to the 109 degree Texas weather and partly from the lack of life refreshment we seem to be experiencing of late. It's bad enough that today’s world seems to be handing out more lemons than usual; but making lemonade from those lemons certainly can prove difficult, especially in drought conditions.

So after a couple of months of just waiting for a breeze, much procrastination and lots of “we know we shoulds”; she and I pulled our wheels out of our extremely dry ditches and found a “very cool” way to begin our preparation for 7thJoy’s 2011 Christmas Trunk Show!

We turned the air down, to heck with limiting electrical use and we played in some snow…well kind of! What better way to remedy PARCHEDNESS than making parchment/paper snow people.

Finding a respite from the real world at my kitchen counter,

we quietly talked and prayed for winds of change, life rejuvenation,

cold hard rain (warm soft rain will do!)

and lots of lemonade (absolut.ly!)

Thought I’d share just a tiny preview of our “cool” diversion, urging thoughts of blessed Fall being just around the corner and even beautiful Winter, hopefully not too far behind.

May your day be refreshed with the “cool” spirit of God’s love and the thought that this “parchedness” too shall pass!!!!

Joyfully sipping lemonade sans the absolut, b

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25

“A woman is like a tea bag, you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water”
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away. Author unknown

Stand!

School begins and I'm left standing in the driveway wondering where time goes!

My prayer for these, my precious sons and for everyone I know, call friend and love...is that today and always you will stand in God's love and power!

In Christ alone, my hope is found


He is my light, my strength, my song


This cornerstone, this solid ground


Firm through the fiercest drought and storm


What heights of love, what depths of peace


When fears are stilled, when strivings cease


My comforter, my all-in-all


Here in the love of Christ I stand

There in the ground His body lay


Light of the world by darkness slain


Then bursting forth in glorious day


Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory


Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine


Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me


From life's first cry to final breath


Jesus commands my destiny


No power of hell, no scheme of man


Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home


Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Till He returns or calls me home


Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

(Owl City singing In Christ Alone)

        Be sure to listen and have a wonderful joy filled first day of school or whatever your Monday holds!!
                                                STANDING in his love...thank goodness, b

Protected nest!

Ask any Texan, and you will no doubt learn that the mockingbird has the prettiest song of any bird native to North America, making it the chief reason the "mocker" was adopted as the state bird of Texas in 1927. The mockingbird is also known as a fierce protector of its nest and environment. It is sometimes seen swooping down on a dog, cat or ME for venturing too close to the bird's protected territory.

I have spent the last month intrigued by a mockingbird couple who took up residence in a basket on my front door. One day their nest just appeared and sometime later I discovered beautiful blue speckled eggs. Then of course I anxiously snooped each morning until the eggs hatched! Baby birds…how adorably ugly!!! Little did I know the down side of having a nest at the front door, but a quick trip to the mailbox and back, taught me a lesson about a watchful mother and the lengths one will go to protect their young! My head still hurts a little!! Good thing she can sing!!!

Sweetly, St. Philip reminded me that I would do the same thing if I thought someone was going to hurt my babies….

just use the back door!!!

He was right, I would do the same thing…I pride myself in being a good mother, a loving mother, a protective mother…but sometimes these attributes don’t always work well together for the greater good! As a mother of a teenager in “love”, I realize that to be protective is not always seen as loving or good in their eyes. I also have to say that I must have missed this lesson with my oldest son…or maybe I was just too busy chasing toddlers to be protective of their handsome, “glad I was busy” 16 year old brother. I am learning, slowly, that my being protective can put me in the “enemy category”. The mockingbird swoop isn’t working! Instead of making things better, I’m making things worse. My attempts at making things clearer, just muddy the waters. Apparently, things are different now than they were in the “olden’ days! If only I could sing….someone might adopt me as the "State Mother". Maybe I should just busy myself with the grandkids…I’m better with toddlers ~ Or maybe I should just use the back door, it’s safer!

MY backdoor ~ Prayer… prayer that 17 year olds will open their eyes and see that God has a wonderful plan for them, that may or may not include each other, prayer that my loving concern and protectiveness will one day be accepted, and prayer that a few years from now we will all look back on this, understand and smile!

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father who is in heaven

give good things to those who ask Him
Matthew 7:11

Joyfully swooping from the backdoor, b

It’s been so dry around here lately, in more ways than one….

As I look out at my nearly departed grass and try to determine which section needs water more, I think why bother??? Let’s just pray it will come back next year; maybe we’ll be blessed with more rain…God willing!!!

I have to laugh at myself, my contradictory self! I pray for rain, just not in my life. Even though I remind myself quite often, after the storm comes the rainbow!

It’s funny how we depend on the rain to nourish our world, our crops and gardens, our surroundings, ourselves. Without it we would have no food for strength and growth, no water for cleansing and purifying. And as our bodies need the blessed rain, so do our hearts and souls. The not so welcomed rain or storms of life, give us reason to look upward, to depend on our heavenly Father for comfort, strength and rejuvenation. Confirmation of this is all around me!

My son said the other day, “Mom, you need to water the back yard…it is starting to crack and soon this “old house” is going to get swallowed up.” I was amazed at the thoughts that came to mind as I begin to look at the need for rain in more ways than one. You see, if we go too long without heavy rain in our lives, we too begin to harden, so much so that even when it sprinkles a little, it bounces off and we forget to look up and be grateful. After a while, we have no choice but to crack and get swallowed up. Swallowed up in the things of this world; keeping us from truly remembering the source of our blessings.

I for one have been feeling a little hard & dry skinned lately…honestly a little dry hearted.

That’s exactly why I haven’t blogged in a while; felt I really had nothing beautiful or creative to share!

But yesterday…it rained here. Not outside (sad to say), but in my “old house”.  In short, the heat of the Texas summer…teenage boys who have been a bit overindulged…and having to tag team in the parenting game of late, finally brought me to my knees. It has been sprinkling for a while, but yesterday the downpour came. And needless to say my St. Philip Umbrella was in Austin. Then I looked up! Through the rain I saw the rainbow! So the boys and I had a Come to Jesus “in the rain” Meeting.

I finally figured out what God had been trying to tell me for a while! I am happy to say that we are all rehydrated. Full of God’s grace, I am strengthened and rejuvenated, praying that from this day forward, me and these precious boys of mine will stand strong together and get through this season with our steadfast St. Philip working in another city!

 So let the rain fall in Tomball,
reminding us all to look upwards & be joyful, b

Happy Father's Day Philip!

My gift this year is strength on this end, never ending love and no more whining!

As I listen to this Mercy Me song, thanks to a sweet friend….it all becomes ever so clear!

Bring me joy, bring me peace

Bring the chance to be free

Bring me anything that brings You glory

And I know there'll be days

When this life brings me pain

But if that's what it takes to praise You

Jesus, bring the rain

Definition of MEMORIAL \mə-ˈmȯr-ē-əl\

1: serving to preserve remembrance : COMMEMORATIVE

2: of or relating to memory

                                           

Memorial Day, the day for remembering and honoring those who have died in service to our country! And we should not forget those who served and are still serving our country all over the world. Let us honor their sacrifices and the families left behind by lifting them up constantly in our prayers!

We must not take our freedom, every day blessings or each other for granted!

...and for us believers, remembering starts out by recalling God is the source of all good things, of every Joy! b

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously 2 Corinthians 9:6

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give Up. Galatians 6:9

Doing Floors...Extra Grace Required!

One of the best things I’ve ever experienced was studying “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren, with my old church. It just helped make so much of God’s plan and purpose for my life close to crystal clear!

However…once in a while the crystal still gets a little fogged up!! It seems to happen when I start steaming as I can do on occasion or maybe just breathing a little too hard in exasperation. But if I’m honest, most of the time it is caused by those out of control tears that I thought by now I’d be in control of, being 53 and all! If you know me, you know I’m a crier, happy, sad, commercials, kids, music, friends…you name it, I’m moved to droplets! Well anyway, you get the picture.


One of the most inspirational things I remember about the study was that we can worship God in anything we do…even something as simple as doing the dishes. My understanding or the way I see it, is I should feel His presence even next to my sink, thanking him for the dirty dishes that were moments before filled with food, the fresh water to clean them and working hands to do so…not everyone is so blessed. Doing so with Joy in my heart is a form of worship!

And no, I don’t always wash dishes with JOY….but it’s something to aspire to do!

  Today I’m doing floors…finding the Joy in cleaning hardwoods…again, not so easy!

Extra Grace Required!

But one of the most important things I learned from the study was that there will always be people in our lives who require an extra amount of grace…myself totally included. Each of us have those people in our lives at some time or another; someone who makes your life crazy (St. Philip knows), someone that you try and try to make peace with, but fail and feel guilty…We must learn not to feel guilty, some people are just flat out difficult. I remind myself of this often with my teenage boys. Thankful I am that our issues are minor, still they are challenging! You see, 15 and 17 year old boys, excuse me “young men” don’t dance well with a 53+year old hormonal mother! Lots of unclear crystal & extra grace required on both parts.

So whether it be a spouse, a child, parents, siblings, friends or not…

Give them to God and focus on pleasing Him!

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

Jesus said, "I only seek to please Him who sent me." John 5:30

“Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” Matthew 6:6

Everyone needs It!!

Can’t think of a more secluded place than down on my knees, with sponge in hand, cleaning the old oak…Praying with every circular motion and rinsing with the droplets!

Asking for grace, joyful grace! b

Springtime...Eastertime...God's Face Shining Upon Us!

This Sunday our tiny Quinn will be baptized, a precious moment in the time of her life when her parents, family and friends join together in a promise to love her, teach her and keep her with God’s face shining upon her; so that one day she will understand and know His redeeming love!

People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.' " Luke 18:15-16

I love being reminded of God's rejuvenating love each Spring!!!

May the glory and promise

of this joyous time of year

bring peace and happiness to you

and those you hold most dear,

And may Christ,

Our Risen Saviour,

always be there by your side

to bless you most abundantly

and be your loving guide.

Joyfully hoping for a shiny hopping Easter for all of you!! b

Choice, Purpose, Life Encompassed

I have some choices to be made of late and lately I dread making choices!!

I’ve been offered a position in a great decorative shop in Tomball, I have some wonderful clients I’m working with right now and I have been asked to be a part of a wonderful holiday show that will take an enormous amount of time to prepare for …..Hhmmm????

Not to mention, the boys, the grandbugs, Gracie (the sweet pee dog) and the "ever needing attention" Charlton House!!! Oh, and the two upcoming weddings I’m working on; I just love weddings!!!

It’s true, I love being busy, work better under pressure, and all that good stuff, but as I get older, I have a harder time focusing and doing it all without “stressing” too much! And these days just making a decision is stressful, what’s with that?

Add to all this...I spent the weekend thinking about purpose, what is mine?

(A question we should all ask ourselves from time to time!)

Am I using my God given talents? Yes, I think so!

Does what I do help others? Yes, I think so!

But is it what God wants me to do, does it glorify Him?

That I’m not so sure of!

When I took these pictures of the old house on our family farm, a house that used to be a home to someone, a home that was painstakingly built, simply but thoughtfully decorated, cared for and lived in for decades…it reminded me of many things.

It reminded me of how time and things pass so quickly.

It reminded me of how without care, things deteriorate.

And it reminded me of how in an instance, or years, things are gone!

Leaving just memories to reflect on…

But it also reminded me that our homes are where those memories are born, the experiences, the laughter, the love, the warmth, all the joy along with the tears, the tragedy and the sadness; life encompassed.

So for now, I think I am doing what God wants me to do…helping make houses into homes that will encompass lives full of wonderful memories. And I pray that with each home I enter, I will warm it with God’s love, shade it with God’s grace, and leave it with God’s blessing, plus a few beautiful accessories to boot!

Did I make a decision about what I will focus on this year…no not yet, but it is just March after all! Joyfully considering my options, b

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
Proverbs 19:21