Here is my daughter Megan on her 21st birthday.  We had a family celebration at our home.  I love her so very much and it has been an honor to watch her grow up and grow in her love of Christ.  Truly being my children's mother is such a joy to my heart.

I am almost done reading Farmer Boy.  I love reading wholesome books about life when time was spent in a more real way, with simple pleasures and God centered days.

I like to keep a stock of the products that I use on hand.  This is a drawer where I keep these items.

I enjoy spending quiet time in prayer and just enjoying the peace of the Lord.  Now days quiet time is not something that many of us seek in our daily lives.  I truly believe that quiet time is essential for us and our spiritual and mental well being.

 We are living in a time where evil seems to be running wild.  It is so very important that we as Christians truly have a personal relationship with Jesus.  We must make Him the center of all of our life and pray throughout our day each and every day.  When we serve other's we should do it while keeping in the front of our minds, we are doing it for the Lord.  Our lives should be a living prayer.  Jesus is not to be put on a shelf and only thought of at church or when we need something.  He should be our everything.  When we truly belong to Him, our lives should be devoted to doing His will here on Earth.  We should not return evil with evil because that is the worlds way and true followers of the Lord should not act like those who are of this world, but rather live our lives in a way that is pleasing to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.  

I want to thank you for stopping by my blog.  May God keep you in His loving care.  Hugs to you.  ~Juli

~A Peek Into Our Week

I love art so very much and I love my gallery walls that are so uplifting to my heart.

It always makes me happy when I open my cupboard and all of our glasses are clean at all the same time.  The little things truly can make our hearts sing.

I have been sick, so I have been enjoying reading.  

I enjoy watching YouTube channels about books.  Technology can truly be a good thing when we are sure to choose to bring the wholesome things into our lives.  What we allow ourselves to watch or read is important because what we put into our minds shapes our lives.  Therefore it is good to choose wisely things that will nourish our spirits.

My daughter Megan sent me this photo of she and I helping little Leo get ready for Victor and Lauren's church wedding.  I just think he is so darling. He has dimples just like his beautiful mommy.

I want to thank you for taking time to stop by my little space.  I hope that you can find some moments in your day for a bit of cozy.  To me the word cozy evokes moments spent doing things that make my heart happy.  May God bless you and keep you in His care.  Hugs to you.  ~Juli

 

This is one of my favorite paintings of Jesus.  It reminds us to keep our gaze straight ahead and focused on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and not upon all of the many storms we see all around us in this world.  He is with us through it all.  It is never too late while we still have breath to ask Jesus to save us and to start having a personal relationship with Him.  His is love pure and beautiful.  

I do not usually share youtube video's on my blog, but I watched this one today that just touched my heart so deeply.  It is hard to listen to what this sweet woman had to endure, but it is worth watching to the end, because she died and met Jesus.  It is beautiful and very encouraging to know that one day when we take our last breath, we will stand in His presence and it will be so very wonderful for those of us who truly know Him and make Him our center.  I hope that you can take the time to watch this video.  I had to watch it in two parts because of the terrible things she endured during her kidnapping, but I am glad I did.  God bless you and keep you in His loving care.  Hugs to you.  ~Juli

 

~A Peek Into Our Weeks

The other day I made Justin some banana bread with cranberries.  I just love how wonderful it made our little house smell while it was baking.

A while ago, my husband Steven took me thrifting, and I saw some very neat things.  I love this figurine of mother Mary and baby Jesus.

This was so very cute that I had to snap a photo.  

My cousin Kim used to have a record player like this one.  We spent a lot of fun childhood times listening to music in her room.  Childhood memories are so dear to my heart.

Our kitty Hope thinks Megan's room is hers since Megan moved out.  

I had been wanting a powder set like I had as a child, but I could not find one.  I found this little dish while thrifting and purchased a powder puff on Amazon for just a few dollars and used my baby powder in the bottom.  

Here is a memorial of my husband's grandma.  She loved owls, so I thought it would be nice to have that little one by her picture.  Steven's mom got him the little heart picture of her.

 I hope that despite all of the worlds many storms that you can keep your focus on Jesus.  I heard it said that the enemy only needs us to take our focus off of Jesus to cause us to fall.  It brings to mind a Bible verse.  He is pruning and cleansing us now to make us more fruitful later.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ~John 15:5

I hope that despite all the trouble going on in our world, we can keep our eyes focused on our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.  He is with us through all of the turmoil.  When I am dealing with sickness, or concern for one of my children, things can seem pretty dark at times.  However when I spend time in prayer and reading my Bible, Jesus restores my peace.  We are on this Earth but for a brief moment compared to eternity.  When we are true believers in Jesus, we have every reason to feel joy because we know that Heaven is in our future.  We are called to be points of light in a dark world and do His holy will while we are here.  So be of good cheer despite the circumstances going on around us.  Joy is not based on circumstances, it is a gift given to us from Jesus himself.  Happiness is based on circumstance and is fleeting.  I pray that you will spend time drawing close to Jesus during these hard times in our world.  

I want to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.  I hope that you can have some cozy moments in your days this summer and will remember to always count your blessings instead of your hardships.  God bless you and keep you in His loving care.  Hugs to you.  ~Juli

 Today I am going to share a thought on my heart.  I have been thinking about offense and how it can affect our walk with Christ.  

In today's society, it seems that people get offended by just about everything and anything.  I believe as true followers of Jesus, we need to guard our hearts against this trend.  In my own personal life I have struggled on many occasions with this very thing.  For years I was not able to forgive a person in my life, even though I often prayed about it and had no relief to my feelings for them due to some things they had done to someone I loved dearly.  Thanks to God's intervention after years of praying God replaced the anger I felt for her with a love for her instead.  I am so thankful to have the Lords help in all areas of our lives.  This brings to mind a Bible verse.  He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 

                                    1 John 2:9

We are to love our neighbor as ourselves.  This does not mean that if the person is hurting us in any way that we have to spend time with them, but forgiveness is important as it is what God wants for us to do.  When we forgive someone, even if they are still being hurtful, it brings our hearts into the will of God and we receive the peace that only the Lord can provide.

There is also the kind of offense that can come about in our everyday lives from people we do not even know.  It seems many people are living in the darkness of the world with out God's light to bring them peace.  I believe that we need to pray for them, and show them kindness no matter how they are treating us.  We should never let someone's hateful words or actions cause us to become like them.   I often have told my children that we need to be like an airplane and fly above someone's storm, rather than fly right threw it.  

 

This was just a little thought on my heart that I wanted to share, in case it may be helpful to someone.  If there is a person in your life that you need to forgive, keep praying about it until true forgiveness in your heart, takes place. I thank you for coming to my blog.  Have a cozy day.  May God keep you in His loving care.  Hugs to you.  ~Juli

~A Peek Into Our Weeks

The other weekend my husband and I went on a little out and about.  Of course we had to stop by Hobby Lobby!  I just love all the cute decor they have to look at.

Here is a cute 4th of July display they had set up.  

Here is my grandson Leo with his uncle Tony.  Leo loves school buses and he got to go inside one the other day!  

Here are a couple of the books I am reading.  I always love to reread my Little House books, but I have decided to reread my Sugar Creek Amish Mystery books as well.

I have put out my no burn Yankee candle collection with summer candles front and center.  I do not have many shoes, so I use my shoe cubbies to store candle sticks and pouches and bits and bobs instead of shoes.  It always makes me happy to see this display.

I have been organizing my drawers.  This is where I keep my music CD's and some DVD's that I enjoy watching.

We switched from purchasing bottled water to using a filter and glass bottles instead.

This is my desk drawer.  

This is under our bathroom sink.  I like keeping our bath items on a vintage Avon trey.  I had one like this when I was a teen.

I found this vintage lamp at a thrift store for only a few dollars.  To make it safe my husband bought a little light kit for only $11 and installed it for me.  I just love the gentle glow it gives to our bathroom, especially in the evenings.

 I feel so blessed to have our cozy little house to shelter our spirits from some of the world's harshness.  We can choose to live how ever we please with in the walls of our homes, and that is such a blessing.  

I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by my little blog.  May God keep you in His loving care.  Hugs to you.  ~Juli

~ A Thought On My Heart

 Today I would like to share a thought that is on my heart.  In today's world, it seems that no matter what we do, someone will find fault with it.  I have finally come to the conclusion for myself that all though I do not wish to upset anyone on purpose, I will not try to bend over backwards to keep someone from being offended by my faith in Jesus.  There are people in our lives that will find fault in us no matter what we do.  We will never please people, so therefore we should not waste our energy in trying to do so.  I believe that as long as we live our lives to serve our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, and try to do His will while we are on this Earth, then we are pleasing to Him, and truly that is all that matters.  This brings to mind a Bible verse.  Your hearts therefore shall be wholly devoted to the Lord our God. 1 Kings 8:61  As long as I have breath, I will spend my days worshiping Jesus, no matter how unpopular our society deems it to be.  As true followers of Jesus we should devote each of our days in doing His will and making Him our center.  So keep in mind when someone is unkind, never let that make us unkind.  The Bible says If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.              Romans 12:18  When we give our hurt to the Lord and turn to Him when we are hurting we strengthen our faith and our relationship with Jesus.  

This is just a little thought that is on my heart today.  Thank you for stopping by my blog.  May God keep you in His loving care.  Hugs to you .  ~Juli