Laughter

It was a lovely day today, so we were all able to hang out in our backyard and enjoy the weather. While kids are playing, I sat under the tree and try to read a good book when a naughty bird drop something right into my head, a smelly gooey thingie..ew! It could have dropped anywhere around me, but no, it landed on my head. I did not get upset, but instead we all laughed. I laughed at myself and imagine God is laughing along with us. I love His sense of humour.

In study of gelatology, the way laughter affects the human body, and have discovered that laughter is a natural stress reliever. It improves circulation and muscle tone, and it increases your heart rate and certain hormones and endorphins so that you feel better. Laughing usually leads to a brighter outlook on life and is good for the body and soul.

Laughter is good for us. It is a gift from God! Proverbs 13:15 says " A Merry heart doeth good like a medicine..." It changes our mood and allows us to see the world through new eyes. We also need to laugh at ourselves as we tend to take ourselves too seriously at times. We should allow the laughter to bubble up from our depths and infect others with this amazing medicine. It may be hard to laugh when things aren't going well, but in those very moments something light and humorous little things may be just what you need to pick up your spirits and help you handle your stress. Find some bright spot to lift up your day. Take time to laugh.
I thank God that we have been given this gift of laughter. I thank God for giving me a family that loves to laugh.
Our God must have laughed a lot when I came into being as I have done, and will do, so many silly things in my life. I don't encouraged someone to go around and make fun of every situation and laughing at inappropriate times. There are so many times when we are overwhelmed with what each day offers and maybe the burden in this world weighs heavily on our shoulders and we find ourselves sulking all the time. It is at those times that we need the strength and the incredible unconditional love that only our God can give us to help us through, but there are also times if we can smile or laugh the situation will be so much clearer to see.
Did you know that smile and laughter is more contagious than colds and flu?
Did you laugh today?

Tis Season to Give Thanks

This month is  a reminder to have a thankful heart, although we should give thanks to the Lord each day and all throughout the year for what He had done to us. Reminder is a good thing because sometimes  in the busyness of our life, we forget to express how blessed we are. Giving thanks not only for the blessings but to every challenges along the way , good or bad. Our God is  always our strength. 


I love these verses,
" Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Jehovah, the Lord, is my strength; and he maketh my feet like hinds feet, and will make me to walk upon my high places..." Habakkuk 3:18-19.


As I pondered with it this morning, my heart is full of thanksgiving! His Word is full of promises that we can claim everyday. No words can express how thankful I am for the things He had done in my life. I rejoice in Him. I take joy in the God of my salvation. He is my strength and he makes me walk on the high places.
Our joy doesn't come from our blessings, our JOY is our blessing, His PROMISES is our blessings. As we enter into this season of thanksgiving and as we focus on the many blessings God has bestowed upon our lives, let us remember that even if there are things that we give thanks for were to be taken away, we still have cause and a reason to rejoice. He is the I AM and no matter what comes against us, God is able. He is our strength. 


Everyday is a season to give thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Kitchen update

Hi, just an update for our kitchen. I don't want you to keep wondering what happen to it, lol. But here it is...

Our kitchen... how do you like an open shelvings? I might want to do open shelvings in the future, who knows? :)

Just kidding... 

We finally installed granite top, and change all cabinet door handles and hinges only. The old ones looked outdated. These are the old ones, hinges are shown outside.

And here's the new one. We matched it with our appliances to make it look more updated I guess :) and sanded, re varnished all door cabinets, no more hinges shown.

 new sink and faucet

finally done...whew!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Again, I am attracted to open shelving :)

Make your House a Home

A house is a home when it shelters the body and comforts the soul. ~ Phillip Moffitt

Whether you live in a huge or small house, an apartment or a cottage style home with a white picket fences, in a city or small town, a Home is what you make it.

"A house is made of walls and beams, but a home is built with love and dreams".

Whether your walls are painted or decorated with fingerprints and crayon markings, the walls are are what would tell your story if they could talk. The walls hear the complaining and fussing as well as the laughter and giggles. The walls hear you crying out at night and   hear your rejoicing over accomplishments.

"Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, a grow old wanting to get back to ." ~ John Ed Pearce

Regardless of what house you live in, it can easily be made into a home where the love of God, peace, and joy are abounding. Let your home surround with the presence of the Lord . Let this be a house prayer, meditation and playing music that uplifts Him. Make it a home of exchanging smiles and laughter, making memories, keeping neat and organized to the best of your family's ability, limiting the ability of unnecessary noise like excessively loud children, bickering, too much technology etc.

A home is learning to be content with what you have and not so demand with others. We don't need to keep up with the Jones's whoever they are, but be thankful for what the Lord has blessed you with. Don't let your circumstances, how big is your house, financial status, material things define your joy or lack thereof. But rejoice! for God has blessed you abundantly!

Houses have atmospheres and smells too :). They radiate the mood and character of the family who dwells there. You can actually tell as soon as you enter someone's house if it feels warm, open, and inviting or stiff and uncomfortable. It doesn't matter how perfect and beautiful your furnitures are or how clean you keep your house. Furnishings and belongings never make up for love.

Here are Few Tips to make your house into warm and loving home you desire.

A. Maintain an open door policy.  Make your house inviting to family and friends by letting them know you value them as a part of your life. Make your home a house full of friends. Encourage them to stop by to say hello or visit with you for a few minutes. A closed home is a lonely home :(

B. Fill it with fresh aroma. Let the aroma of compassion, kindness, gentleness, love, joy, patience, etc permeate through your walls. A place where people can feel secure to be themselves.

C.  Hold a consistent family dinner hour. Make sure your family sits together at the table for dinner each night (or at least regularly) so that you can share together, laugh, and bond. It doesn't matter what else is going on in the world if you can all connect as one family unit each day.

D. Keep your home clean, but let it be a "lived in". It's a great thing to be organized, and to take pride of your home. But it's just as important to not let that organization run your life. If a home is super clean and immaculate that everyone is afraid to relax, what good does that do anyone?  What you would do if you opened your door and find Jesus there after He'd walked for miles on a dusty road. Would you allow Him to enter in His dirty sandals?

E. Most importantly, Let God be the centre of your home. Let your home radiates the love of God all over.

I want my children to remember a home that was a refuge for them and somewhere that they  could be themselves. I want something "real" to be felt in my home.

Don't you?

Harvest Time

Don't you just love September? Changing colours of trees, kids are back to school. Cool air!  I'm loving the season! This morning I had a really nice long walk.  
This is the time also where we need to finish all outdoor projects and be ready for winter season to come.
We had a great summer. Although this year, we didn't get to go anywhere out of town as what we do every year but that doesn't bother me at all. I am enjoying myself at home with my kids and enjoyed our church family. It was so nice to be visited by our dearest friends from Washington as well. It's their turn to come :)
I had a chance also to take care of my flower gardens and was able to plant lots of vegetables too which by the way I harvested a week ago.

green peas

green chillis

Tomatoes and a red pepper

more red chillis 

squash. I made soup with this.

I stir fry green peas with fried tofu, shitake mushroom with ginger  and it was so good!

Here's the recipe if you want to try it in your home.

 

• Ingredients
• 
  
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 12-ounce package extra-firm tofu drained, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, patted dry with paper towels (can buy it in any asian store)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
•  vegetable oil, divided
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered
• 8 ounces green peas , trimmed
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 4 green onions, sliced on diagonal
• 
  

Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add tofu and stir to coat. Let marinate 30 minutes. 

• Drain. Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch into marinade.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 
  Add tofu and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to plate. 
  Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes. 
  Add green peas, stir-fry 2 minutes. 
  Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry 30 seconds. 
  Return tofu to skillet, drizzle reserved marinade mixture over. Stir-fry until marinade thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with green onions and serve then enjoy!

Hope you all had a great summer! 

God's Protection

This is one thing our family used to do every time we ride on our vehicles, we ask God to protect us each day as we go about in our daily business, either going to stores, schools or how far and long we could go.

Yesterday, after church, I drove all kids home and had lunch. Jessica, my 12 yo daughter wanted to get some stuff for school in superstore and  sweet lady from our church gave me a gift card and thought it is a time to get some things that we needed at home, for the next day will be labor day and stores will be close.

As we usually do, say a prayer of protection as my daughter and I left home that day. On our way there, not far from our place, I saw that prayer answered in a very real way. As I'm about to turn right on a busy street, I pressed the brake but no resistant, our vehicle speed up and our steering wheel become loose. Instead of turning it right our van passed straight two busy lanes  and hit the tree.  Both airbags inflated and smoke coming out from somewhere. God must have clear the way for us because that time there are no coming cars both ways and If I turn right in a busy street I might collide other cars, no doubt we would have ended up in the hospital or other people get seriously injured or might cause death.

Kind hearted bystanders rushed and helped us. My husband came, there were firetrucks and police came and the lane was closed momentarily.

I was so thankful that God had spared me and my daughter from a serious accident. This morning as I woke up I would think of what could have happened, and my heart is full of thanksgiving that God's protection and mercy follows us each day. 

Thank you Lord for sparing our lives! what a privilege it is to serve a God who looks after us each day and delivers us from dangers that we may not even know about.

This verse means more to me today. I had no idea of the danger that would  confront us that day, but God knew well in advance and He protected us in our time of need. What peace there is in knowing that God is always looking after us! If He sees the dangers that we are not aware of, then surely He also sees the ones that concerns us, and He will help with those too. 

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." Psalm 34:7" 

This verse is a promise that brings rest and assurance to the hearts of God-fearing people.God notices the little sparrow’s fall, and He says in His Word, “Ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).

God not only notices us, but He watches over us each day and delivers us from harm and danger. Trust in His promise and remember to thank Him for the protection we may not always see!

DIY Kitchen Cafe Curtain with Grommets

 I'm in a sewing mood lately! I discovered that I am not that bad when it comes to sewing lol. I made fancy pillow cases for Jessica's room and  window treatments for both babies and foster boys room, but I'll post that next time :)
I also made a curtain for my kitchen window, just kind of exploring  a little bit and see what kind of style that fits in there. I want something that is not totally covered but gives a little privacy as well. I hardly find something that I like in the store, so why not try to do it on my own :). 
  

I found this fabric @ Mitchells Fabrics, it's on sale, it's $ 15 per meter but I got it half price $ 22 for 3 meters and  12 pieces grommets which is a little bit pricy. One grommet cost $2. So, a total of $44 dollars.  

I think it will look nice on my Sahara Brown granite countertop when it's done :)

This is my kitchen window looked like before. No more blinds for me.

I might try the roman shades as well, something like this:

How about you? what kind of window treatment you like the best in your kitchen?  


Have a great day!