Philippine Aprons

LongLong, our driver did carving of the pig for our farewell feast at the orphanage on Friday night. He borrowed the apron I'd presented one of our cooks. He is the big brother to LickLick, LinLin, and DipDip...I know, try to keep THOSE names straight!!!

Breaking spring

Great-grandson,Mason Adam True, now 4 lbs 9 oz and home. He's not suppose to be born for another two weeks! His Mama, Mandi is an awesome mother!

I'm posting this from my new IPod that my friend Margaret gave me and my daughter Kimber has set up for me and taught me to use.

I'm truly blessed!!

TearAlong, ----- the Dotted Lion---

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind there lives a memory of some program, perhaps on TV or radio about a Lion whose name is Tearalong...a play on words, of course. And today as I was praying for a more 'abiding' faith that produces fruit...rather than expecting fruit just by pressing in and pressing forward I was reminded of the dotted lion.

In meditating on the 'abiding' quality I saw myself connected to God, to Jesus, to the Holy Spirit by a dotted line rather than a thick and full connection line. I wax and wane in my faithfulness to prayer and being in the word. I'm ashamed to admit this, but it is the truth. And somehow I think I'm not that extraordinary in this pattern. I think we are all challenged in our walk by a waxing and waning.

So, today I imagine myself riding that Lion, that Dotted Lion, wanting more and realizing that to have more, to be more annointed, I must get off the Dotted Lion and fill in the blanks...again, and over and over. I want to ride the Lion, the complete and full Lion, that connects me fully to God. I want to fill in the blank as I go rather than looking back to see a dotted line. I want that full, filled in life that relies on prayer and the Word every day, all the time. No more ---------, but this instead____________________.

So, I'm back at it, in the Word, in a study, and in prayer that isn't merely popcorn prayer, thrown up to a God Who loves popcorn as much as I do, but Who prefers a full meal deal from me. May God bless you richly this day!

We Can Do It!

If I knew how to do it I'd put a picture of Rosie the Riveter on here to show my muscle and my 'can do' attitude.

I testified that on January 1st I felt God telling me that He was going to accomplish something BIG with/in me in the first 3 months of the new year.

Since January 1st I've not only been called to The Philippines, but I've been on the treadmill at least 6 days a week, going from 20 minutes the first month, and up to 30 minutes now. I can burn 256 calories at a pop too.

I raise my hands in praise to God Who is accomplishing this with/in me when I waver.

No one could have told me that I'd love the treadmill, or running for two minutes some mornings on it. No one could have told me that I'd look forward to the gruesome task of doing this in the O'Dark-Thirty hours of the morning.

I began on January 1 at 142 pounds, down some from when I'd first begun after Christmas doing Weight Watchers from home with all the old books and slide rule.

On February 5, a Sunday morning, I weighed in at 135, my first goal.

And it has taken 5 weeks to accomplish the next 1 pound loss!

Never, when getting on the scale, did I forsake the program of diet and exercise.

Only God could have accomplished this in me.

I admit, I was disappointed, and I whined about it to my beloved sister.

I complained to my husband too.

He assured me I was building muscle...which weighs more than fat.

I pressed on...only through the Strength that come from the LORD Himself.

Today, the scale showed the number 134...that one more pound!

I'm not in this for numbers. I'm in this for my health.

I'm so small...really I am!

4 feet 10.5 inches

It isn't big enough to carry the weight I've been carrying. There are three weeks left of the promise I felt from the LORD to do something BIG in/with me in the first 3 months of the year.

I've had help too.

I text my friend Margaret every morning when I finish on the treadmill.

I text my daughter with my 'points' or pounds.
It will be nice to be in a very hot climate carry less weight and wearing loose-fitting clothes.

I wonder what the Creator will do with me next!

I'm ready for the adventure whatever it is because He sustains me, He fulfills me.

He is Faithful!

Happy Birthday to Us!

My son Kelly and I celebrate our birthdays together...usually.

This year, before I take off for a mission trip to the Philippines, Kelly and I are celebrating together at the Oregon Coast. He is the master of final touches...like this one. He picked me up at PDX in this red convertible! I'm wearing the pashmina he picked out for me when serving in the military in Afghanistan last year.

He will be 42 on February 28, and I'll be 66 on February 27. He took me to my daugher's home for a quick visit and where my sister Margy met us, presenting me with this apron gift. I twirled and felt SO feminine! It is a darling apron!

And!

I got to have lunch with Dante, my grandson, Kimber and her hubby Chris.

Then we sped off to the coast.

The weather has cooperated beautifully with mild temperatures and sunny days.

We walked about four miles yesterday morning picking up shells, and inspecting dead Puffins before having lunch at The Crab Shack.
The sunset last evening was simply Divine!

The tide pools this morning were full of anemones like the green one below.

And Kelly found a Starfish before our lunch today...back at the Crab Shack where we had scallops, shrimp, and halibut.

We'll go for Clam Chowder tonight.

The weather has turned and is rainy and windy, so we are tucked up inside now as he works with his IPod and I write this. We are very happy, thank you very much!

Be End

Apron Mania Part 1

I'm selling aprons hand over fist in order to raise money for my misson trip to the Philippines, and one of the benefits in signing up for this mission is that I've learned how to spell the name of the country!

The ones below have not sold yet, so let me know if you want one (or more) and I'll take it out of the collection.

These are the 'twins' (on right and left) I believe I blogged earlier and have added another to the 'leafy' collection.

The reverse side is lavender with an intricate sage green stitching displayed on it.The reverse 'leafy' has some ribbon for the sake of interest which, unfortunatley cannot be seen well here.
Below is the Spring Flower Collection

Above, again, you cannot see the festive buttery embriodered tablecloth I used on one side of the apron on the left. The two on the right have a rosey pink watercolor batik pattern. Reverse sides are shown below.

Some of these have intricate stitching for embellishments along with unique buttons.

Be sure to look at the next blog for the other aprons. I'm not great at figuring out how to get more than five pictures on a blog. DUH!

Lady's aprons sell for $20 plus shipping, child's for $10 plus shipping.

The Latest Aprons Hot off the Press!

More Aprons! You cannot really tell the precious buttery yellow fabric with tiny blue dots all over. The reverse side is a buttery yellow/lavender plaid with a hint of green stitching shown above.

I love this watercolor batik red and black, Mother/Daughter set; it has distinctive stitching and black buttons. Mother's apron is reversible (same on both sides), and Daughter's apron is not.

This next one is a sage paisley pattern on one sied with vintage rose red flowery on the other. I gave you a close-up picture of the combination with the pocket showing.

You can see the softly scallopped edge of the feminizing statement in the picture below. Most of the latest aprons are this patternMore aprons are created almost every day because I just can't stop myself; they are so endearing and fun and flirty!

Write me if you're interested in buying something:

cathaybrown@yahoo.com

Happy Wife/Happy Life Survival Kit

This is the best Christmas gift I have given to my husband who wants NO gift at all!

So, I took a recipe box that I'd want sitting around all year long and put cards in it in two catagories: Free and It'll Cost You

Below you see the instructions. Our lives a pretty ordinary (for me) and I find it tiresome to do the SAME thing EVERY Saturday night (watch a movie and eat popcorn). So, I made cards to include some activities to spice up our lives.
Here is a list of the Free ones:
Make hash browns on Saturday or Sunday morning for your wife who thinks you make THE best ones!
Dance with your sweet wife before your movie date: slow, up-beat #9 on The Help CD.
Dance with your sweet wife before your movie date: slow dance #2 Joe Cocker CD.
Plan a picnic and take your wife on one. Be sure to ask for this date ahead of time; she LOVES "the old hwy pond" where she can observe birds.
Dance with your wife before your movie date: up-beat #5 The Help.
Suggest a discussion about a vacation together for next summer.
Slow dance to #5 on the Don Juan de Marco CD.
Suggest a time of deep prayer together before the movie on Saturday.
Dance with your wife before the movie: up-beat #8 The Help.
Ask Catherine to choose 2 hymns or praise songs to sing before you watch your Saturday night movie.
Dance with your wife the Samba #4 Putumayo Presents An Afro~.
Dance with your wife the cha-cha-cha #7 Armik Isla Del Sol

My Dear Husband doesn't dance, but I have suggested we go to the kitchen and pretend he is dancing while I dance around him, especially on the more active ones. He CAN slow dance.
Hey! If you have more ideas, tell me!!!

Here are the ones that will cost him:
Drive to Riggins for sight-seeing, hiking, and dinner or lunch with Ernie and his wife.
Suggest (ahead of time) going to Super 8 to swim and hot tub before your movie date.
Ask your wife on a coffee date at her favorite coffee shop. You could have a hot chocolate!
Ask Catherine out for lunch sometime this week.
Buy your wife her favorite candy bar; you KNOW the one she loves!
Ask your wife out on a BIG date: dinner and a movie (in a theater) in town or LWS.

Again, tell me if you think of more because there are plenty of blank cards in the box!

We have had GREAT success with this. We have NEVER had a discussion about a vacation, and last year we got one day together. We have already planned in August to go to the Oregon Coast. I call that Spicey!!!!

Don't Waste Your Life!

My Dear Husband and I visited in The Dalles for Thanksgiving.

That may seem like old news to some, but Jay had never done that, and I love him for stepping out of his comfort zone to travel. He is a 'stay-at-home' kind of guy.

We've since celebrated Christmas and New Year's Eve, and I confess to y'all that I've been in a struggle all this time. Remember when Jacob wrestled with God in Genesis 32? Well I didn't want my hip to be injured like Jacob's, so today I relented. Every time I questioned God about this He deflected my reasoning. So...

I'm going to the Philippines on a mission trip to an orphanage called Nehemiah House.

I've wanted to make a difference, which I DO!...already, but the Lord has something more for me. I'm reading a book by John Piper called Don't Waste Your Life, and it backs up the call for me to go. I teach and present workshops on Living Like You Mean It, so why I've been so reluctant is curious.

My excuses this morning:

*this morning at the crack of dawn after my prayer time I felt compelled to give all my money away to someone in GREAT need

* there's a wedding in April that my grandson will expect me to attend

*When I asked about the team (hoping they were full), I was told 3 people had just dropped out

God's responses this morning and this afternoon:

**The sermon this morning was about 'embracing the call'!

**The team needs someone to present a Bible study to women, and the one Monique (the leader) has been praying about is one I've been leading for several months! She needs me to present this.

**The team needs someone to lead morning songs for the girls in the orphanage, and I sing!

**I'd been afraid to bring up 'the call' to my husband because he is not a 'go-er', and when I confessed my struggle and perceived 'call' he told me that if I'm called I'd better go AND he'd help with finances!

**Last year if felt a need to renew my passport!

My life is not a waste unless I don't answer the calls on it! I want to live big this year. One of the women I coach told me that in her prayer time she was given that God was going to do something big in the next three months. Since He will do for all what he does for one, I took that and ran with it. My Resolution Chart is made, but it is all about the physical (food, weight, exercise). Now I have even more reason to believe He is calling me for more, for something BIG.

Has He called you for more? Are you reluctant too? Get on the train!

Let's go somewhere BIG for God.

I'll be making aprons madly to raise money for the trip. Also I'll take four with me as gifts to the women who cook for us...lots of white rice, fruits, veggies.

I covet your prayers, your warriors out there.

Answer my call for prayers; answer God's call to live a bigger life for Him this year.

He may not be calling to an overseas mission, but He IS calling you to something!

Don't waste your life!