Fave Things

I really can't believe how quickly this week flew by.
There are several of us who do this "Five Favorite Things from the Past Week" meme via Susanne over at Living to Tell the Story.
So...if you wanna play along, visit her and leave a comment. I'll come and visit you! IT is fun to review the week and see what some of my fave moments or things were. It also helps to remind me to be thankful for the blessings that God gives us every day, whether it is the hug of a young child or a steaming cup of coffee in your favorite flavor!

This carriage lantern lamp! I had ordered this from Country Curtain Home Accents. It arrived yesterday. I LOVE this lamp. I had been wanting a new country style lamp for our family room.
I've looked for several years now and finally found one that goes well in the room
and that I just LOVE! If you've been here before, you know that my house is decorated with Shaker-style furniture and country cottage stuff. I think it is because I really wanna live in the woods and we can't afford to live in the woods. At least the area of the woods that we love! So....to make up for it, I decorate my suburban home in country. These lamps are supposed to replicate the old carriage lanterns from horse and buggy days. There is a nite-light in bottom of lamp with a swing-out glass door for easy changing of the bulb. The lamp part takes a 60 watt bulb and the switch is a 3 way: nite light only, both lit, or just top lit. I love it.
AND: the price was right.
You can check out details at Country Curtain website.
But...be prepared....if you like country stuff, get your credit card handy! :)

My youngest daughter, Claire, and her hugs! These were one of my fave things this week. She couldn't hug me alot over last weekend while I was contagious. We missed our hugs! She certainly made up for it once the antibiotic kicked in, tho! Here she is almost 2 years ago, giving her cousin, Emma, a hug. My youngest has always been a physical touch kind of person. But she is selective in whom she hugs. For the longest time we thought she was "rebelling"when she would get up in the middle of night. After reviewing The 5 Love Languages book, we were convinced that she is the type of child who needs lots of hugs during the day to feel emotionally connected to us.
There is nothing like a hug from a child. Thank you, Claire!

Forsythia! I was so happy to feel warmer temps and see full sun this week. The other day, after the antibiotic kicked in, I was in my garage and found branches of silk forsythia that I had forgotten about! I made an arrangement of pussy willows and forsythia and stuck them in a large, blue old-fashioned milk jug and set it on my front stoop. Looks cute there as it welcomes spring.

This drawing.
My oldest, Courtney, age 15, drew this free hand!
She is taking a "university in the high school" Drawing class.
We are not sure where she gets the art gifting, but Dave's oldest sis was an artist so.....must be in the genes!
Her assignment a couple of weeks ago was to draw a celebrity.
She had TONS to choose from.
I suggested Hilary Duff, a pop singer whom she used to enjoy.
I think she captured Hilary very well!
She ended up getting a 100% on the sketch.
If she maintains an average of 90% or more, she will receive 3 college credits. And we only had to pay $100 for the class!
Since she has a 98% average thus far in the class, she has no worries!
It is one of her fave classes at school this year and this pic is definitely one of my faves this week!
Excellent job, Courtney!

The following Scriptures:
Matthew 6: 19-24
My fave parts:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also..... No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

In light of the message of the musical that the HizKidzPraise! ministry is putting on next weekend, these Scriptures are making their way into conversation with me and my daughters.
We like our stuff.
We really do. We LOVE retail therapy.
I just love buying new things for my home and making home improvements, decorating, buying the latest trendy clothes and shoes for my children.
But....the Lord reminded me this week that storing up treasure here on earth
is a temporary thing. It is fleeting.
Storing up true treasure in heaven is eternal.
There is nothing wrong in having "treasures" here on this earth.
It is not a sin to buy nice things.
How much you spend on your home, self, children, etcis definitely in that "conviction" area.
If you are "frugal" like I am on, you love sales!
But...our real treasure...the things we should be most consumed with... is our eternal life and where it will be spent. If we are caught up in just acquiring "stuff" here on earth, we are missing out on the joys and peace of the eternal "stuff".


Those are just some of my fave moments this week.
I also enjoyed my time with my hair dresser friend, Tina and her little girl Tori. Tina treated me to a delish bakery item from a new bakery near us. And of course a great mug of steaming french vanilla coffee. Her color and cut she gave me was just what I needed to perk up my hair for spring. I also liked that my hubby made sure I rested last Sunday and he was the one who managed both children and their crazy church and ministry duties schedules. He is an awesome hubby.....
What about you?
What have been some of your fave moments or things this week?
Do you have plans for the weekend?