A Sheltering Tree: 2/27/11

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Shelter -- Just Like Jesus

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. ~Ganhdi

Sweet Sarah Morgan -- sitting with legs crossed, skirt pulled neatly over her knees, just like her mama. In her arms she craddled her baby -- a boy. Morgan carefully placed her hand over the pacifier, to hold it in place -- again, just like Mama did when holding her brother. Such a sweet imitator.

Watching Morgan made me smile -- and when my heart caught up with my eyes, I thought, "Oh, how I want to be an imitator of Jesus."

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, admonished them to "Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that."

Thomas Obadiah Chisholm, was born in 1866 in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky. Without even attending high school, he began teaching school at the age of sixteen. Later on after his conversion, Chisholm was ordained as a Methodist, but had to resign his pastorate because of poor health. During his lifetime, he wrote over 1200 poems, including Great is Thy Faithfulness. “O to be Like Thee," published in 1897, is another of my “Chisholm favorites:”

O to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

O to be like Thee, full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.

O to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.

O to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.

O to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above

Chorus:

O to be like Thee, O to be like Thee,

Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

That's my prayer, to imitate Jesus. Because only then can I truly shelter others.

I want to touch lepers

Eat at the tax collector's home
    Weep when my friend loses a loved one
      Wash the disciples feet
         Give my life in serving others
            Love my enemies

Shelter -- Just like Jesus.

* * * * *

My Baby's Sleeping Bag

I made Morgan a sleeping bag while she was caring for her baby. It took about 15 minutes. Morgan loves to sleep in a sleeping bag so was happy when she found out her baby had one, too.

I found the pattern at Clean Mama: Midwest Mom on a Quest for Clean. Whip one up for a tiny girl you know. Wouldn't it be fun to make them for a sleepover?

Morgan's Sleeping Bag for Baby

This post linked to

Spiritual Sundays

Meet and Follow Sunday

Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Sugar and Spice

Sugar and spice and all things nice; that's what little girls are made of.

In a previous post by my mother, she asked you wonderful followers who and what you would like to read at A Sheltering Tree. (Isn't she precious?) So, like the dutiful, obedient daughter you all just know I am (!) I am bringing you some decor ideas...fun, easy and some extremely cheap, and well, free!

I used to love to paint. Notice used to. The more kids I have seems to have faded this into I love the paint - not the to paint. Our mobile home walls had so many different colors gracing them and kept changing as I decided to change decor, etc. Lots of fun! My husband couldn't find the same high level of delight in it as I, but was patient and usually happy with the finished product. I still have the quote my Grandmother once sent me that ended with "...it's only paint."

Morgan's room is what I am featuring today. Her old room was embellished with various sizes of painted circles along one wall, two painted cardboard circles with her initials on them hanging from coordinating ribbon on another wall and a big area rug that Mawmaw purchased to complete the room.

Morgan's room now is full of spray-painted items. So cheap. So easy (especially if you buy the cans with the super easy sprayer. Finger isn't nearly as sore the next day...smiles...)

Morgan's room has a scattering of new, old and sentimental pieces. (I was actually going with the look of old and new and the pieces I had to use or that were given to me worked great.)

I'm not an expert on decorating. Occasionally, I will worry about what the decor looks like in my home. My mom reassures me with, "As long as it makes you happy." So true.

Enjoy the ride. Get excited in your findings for your home. Examine your finished look with your own eyes or maybe ask a friend to help. If you're happy with your home, then everyone around you is happy (..."If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy...!")

Warning: Beware of PINK, PINK, PINK everywhere.

Just click on the pictures to view bigger if you have trouble reading the print.

Just some tips:
1. Paint is inexpensive. Try stripes, bold, bright colors or maybe a soft shade

for a backdrop so your decor can, as they say, 'pop'.

2. Spray paint is faster and cheaper for smaller pieces. Don't spray too heavily with one coat.
Do a few lighter coats and be patient - let it dry. (I am extremely bad at waiting!)

3. Wait for 'the perfect thing'. You can save money by catching deals and using your creative mind and then you might be able to spend extra on something you really would like to enjoy in your home.