Renewal...

It is a beautiful Fall day... a little chilly, but bright sun & blue skies... what more can you ask for??? Today is WW weigh-in day... I started 7 weeks ago... I am still hanging in there... I did pretty good while on vacation last week. It was when I got home that I had a problem... so I was dreading weigh-in today... also I am blotted & crampy if you get what I mean... and a little no a lot hormonal... I felt like just staying in bed this morning, but I didn't. If it wasn't for my friend who is going too I probably wouldn't have gone. Now, for the bare truth... I was down 1.2 pounds! That is 8 pounds in 7 weeks... not quite like the "biggest loser" but my motto is "slow & steady wins the race".

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On to more interesting things... I am going to a scrapbooking retreat next Friday (23) thru Sunday. My sis, Renee, who is the SU demo, has attended it for years & it finally worked out for me to go too. I am not a real big scrapbooker, but I try... it should be a great time with Christian ladies & a good friend of ours is doing the devotions for the weekend. So, I said all that to get to this name tag I made... my sis asked me to help her out by coming up with a crafty name tag for the leaders at the retreat. I used my Cricut, along with SU Old Olive, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, and some stickles too! She hasn't seen it yet so don't know if it is what she had in mind... what do you think???

I have this other cool picture I took while we were hiking on vacation... I thought this tree looked like it was trying to hang in there... bare roots & all. I feel like that some days... over-stretched, over-exposed, losing my "grip", but through God's strength I am still hanging in there. Do you ever have those days?

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" II Corinthians 4:16-17

Thanks for stopping... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Strokes of Fall...

We got back yesterday from 5 days away... I can't even tell you how great it was... I am so thankful for the relaxing time God gave us. Was the weather the best??? No, but we didn't let that stop us... my BHF (best hubby forever) is the kind of guy who just pulls up his boot straps & keeps on going, which is so good for me, because I am not always that adaptable... hard to believe I know!

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The Fall colors here in northern Michigan are just gorgeous... God is really painting it up right this year. On Monday we hiked to the top of Avalanche Mountain in Boyne City... there are steps built into the side of the hill... 462 steps to be exact! The award for reaching the top is a beautiful over-look of the whole town, Lake Charlevoix & beyond.

Here are a couple of the choice pics Luke took from that vantage point... see gorgeous.... don't you think? Just in the few days we were there the colors really started changing. We wanted to take the hike again on Thursday, but I over-worked my calves on Monday & just couldn't do it... I could have climbed up there, but it was the downward motion that would have given me a problem... oh well maybe next time.

We saw our first snow this afternoon, so I felt it appropriate to share this snowflake card with you... this is the only snowflake I want to see for awhile.

Missed my blogging for the week... the place where we stay has computers in the clubhouse but just enough to check my emails... I told Luke we need a laptop since all the condos there have DSL service.

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Time to start supper... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

This & that...

Happy World Card Making Day! I have not gotten the things done today I had hoped to, but at least I finished the first challenge on SCS. The challenge was to create a card making a quote or saying the focal point. It is simple but my DH said it was pretty... even without me asking! My gallery on SCS is under the name Carin Melissa.

I have to update you on my WW weigh-in from Wednesday... remember I was visiting my family all last week & they are not the easiest people to be around when I am trying to behave myself! So my loss for the week was almost 2 pounds... to be exact 1.8 pounds... total is 7.8 pounds. Slow & steady wins the race! I am noticing my pants fitting looser around the waist... that is fabulous!

Luke & I are heading north tomorrow afternoon until Friday... I know we live in Michigan's "playland" but we have to go farther north to "play"... Boyne Mountain for quiet relaxing few days. Can't wait to go... not looking forward to the packing! Hopefully the weather will be a little nice & the Fall colors will be beautiful!

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Fall in Michigan...

Ok, I guess this is Fall in northern Michigan... but I am not liking it right now. It is cold, rainy & windy... 46º... almost that cold in the house too! Brrrrrr! This is me whining about the cold, but actually Fall is my favorite time of year... when it is nice & cool... not cold & rainy! I can give thanks that I am indoors & not outside today!

Had a beautiful weekend... went to a pig roast with our church family out in God's nature. The colors are not turned too much yet but it will be gorgeous soon... if this wind doesn't blow all the leaves off the trees! Luke & I did take a little hike into the woods & I had him take this picture of a leaf in "transition"... still a little green, but the beauty of Fall is starting to cover it.

That is kind of how I feel my spiritual life is sometimes... God is taking me in my natural state (green) & little by little He is helping me see His beauty all over me. Just like on the leaf there are those mars & imperfections, but overall you see the beauty God created.

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"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." II Corinthians 3:18

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with a grateFUL HEART, carin

He's here...

I am still here... although my pictures are not uploading to blogger from my mom's computer... what is with that??? Anyway, I am at my parents' house for the week... everything is good. I am trying to help where I can with all that is going on with my sister's family and their fire restoration... mostly moral support on my part. Let me review the last 6 months of what has happened with my sister & her family:


- in late March they had a pile of wood catch fire in their yard... with high winds the fire department was called.

- in late April they had a fire in their basement... causing the whole house to have severe smoke damage. The fire chief said that 10 more minutes & the smoke would have made it impossible to get out.

- my sister & brother-in-law have been living with our parents. My 2 nieces have been living with my younger sister, along with their dog & 2 cats.

- the youngest daughter graduated from high school in June.

- BIL had thyroid surgery in July, which resulted in a cancer diagnosis for him & second surgery to remove all of his thyroid.

- August found sister & BIL in Detroit area for 5 days while he received cancer treatments.

- last Saturday my BIL's pickup motor blew... now they are without a vehicle for him to get to work.


I say all this to ask you the question... what would you do if you were dealing with all this? I realize there are so many worse things that could happen... no one died... no one got hurt, but when you have times like these in your life what do you do? When you cry out to God & He seems to be silent... I was trying to encourage my sis that this may be her time in the "wilderness." The wilderness makes us stronger & we know God is always there with us, but what do you do when He seems to be silent? This verse came to my mind:

"And he said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." II Corinthians 12:9

How powerful is that! Where would I be... where would my family be without God? I share all this with you to say that no matter the circumstances... God is still holding onto His children... that is my assurance. Oh & if you have an extra prayer or two say one for my family. Through it all I will praise Him. Praise Him in the good... praise Him in the bad... just praise Him.

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Good Measure...

Today has been a good Saturday! I am getting ready to go to the Thumb for a few days to be with my family, so I am trying to get things in order for Luke before I leave... not that he needs me to do that, but I want to... I don't like being gone from him, but I really want to be in the Thumb to be with my sister as they are getting closer to being back in their home... 5 months since the fire!

Had a great day yesterday with PFF girls (Pink Flip Flop girls... don't ask!)... I actually did a little, very little scrap booking. Yes, this 2 page layout is all I got done, but we did a lot of chatting & of course a little nibbling too... they are great friends! I am blessed with all kinds of great friends in my life.

I have been thinking lately about blessing people with my actions, words, service, financially... I was raised with the drive to bless others when possible, so that is fairly easy for me... I love to give! However, since I lost my job almost 1 1/2 years ago, the finances have really started to be low... which in turn makes it not as easy to do for others like I would like to. Now, for one of the many lessons God is teaching me through this whole thing is that sometimes I have to be the one to receive the blessing from others... that is a hard one for me! In the past when I have tried to bless someone & they were reluctant to receive, I said the same thing, "I am blessed by blessing you & sometimes you need to not deny me of that blessing"... easier to say than to live... for me anyway. I was talking with my sister earlier today & she just told me to stop being selfish & let someone bless me... she will be happy to know I actually listened to something she said to me. *Ü* I wonder what any of you think on this subject... in general... would you share your thoughts with me?

This verse came to mind today & knew it was what I needed to share with you:

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

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Thanks for stopping... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Walk in light...

Walkin' through Wednesday... first off today was WW weigh-in day... I did have a loss, but I am going to tell you my grand total (so far) at the end of my post today... I know... oh the suspense!

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We have a store in Cadillac called Merchandise Outlet... they have some really cool bargains, so I have to limit my visits, but the other day I was in there & came across this really neat yarn, which I used on this card... it was 115 yards for a buck! See what a bargain! Ok, I know I am easily excited by strange things... ah... I find joy in little things. *Ü* So I made this card with mega color... it reminds me of Summer & I am not quite ready to give it up yet... the layout came from a card I saw from Deann Oliver a long time ago. I know it is bright, but it also is happy!

As I was growing up I always had to have a night light on in the hall at night... in fact I still don't like the room to be totally dark... we have a night light in our bathroom just off our bedroom. That was something Luke had to get use to when we got married, but he just wants me to be comfy to sleep so he sacrificed... besides he is a sound sleeper... you could drop a bomb on his head & he wouldn't wake up! So when I came across this verse today... the idea of the light thrills me... I don't ever have to walk in darkness again... through the love of God in Christ He made that my reality... is it yours? I hope so.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" Ephesians 5:8

Ok, now the total weight loss after 3 weeks is... 5 pounds! May not seem like much to some but I am so happy... think I'll celebrate with a piece of cake! Just kidding!

with a grateFUL HEART, carin