Blessed at Home #3: What I Love About My Home

Thank you for stopping by our 3rd week of Blessed At Home.  Thank you to everyone who has visited and shared our articles on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Please visit the Contributor Page to read more about this excellent ministry from some of your favorite homemaking bloggers.

Today's featured contributor is...me!

I’m Sarah Coller, just a regular girl saved from her sins by the Lord Jesus Christ.  Married to Jamie for 15 years and mother to nine sweet blessings, ages 13 down to newborn, I stay busy homemaking and homeschooling.  My passion is creating a comfortable and peaceful home for my husband and children.   From focusing on having the house clean and beautiful, to making sure the kitchen is stocked, to preparing yummy meals at mealtime, I know my role as a homemaker is very important.  More than all that, though, my main focus is cultivating a sweet spirit, a kind tone of voice, and a heart willing to bless.  In addition to creating fun and useful things with my endless stash of found items, I also enjoy reading classic novels, thrifting, tea, and all things British.  Thankful for God’s saving grace, I hope to leave a legacy that reflects His faithfulness.  I blog at Hope In EverySeason.

HopeIn Every Season started out as a cheeky response to friends who were harassing me to start a blog.  In fact, it’s original name was, I Don’t Wanna Blog. Over the last five years, it’s grown into a wonderful ministry and a springboard for many great friendships.  I feature Biblical devotions, vintage and antique finds, crafts and DIY, book reviews, and fun glimpses into the life of our happy family.

Today's topic is, "What I love about my home."

Christy


I do love my home. What I love about my home is the peace I feel here. If you feel peace in your home, others will feel it also. I have been in homes where, as soon as I walked in, I could feel the tension. This is not the atmosphere in my home.

What I love about my home is the smell of fresh brewed coffee, which my husband lovingly makes each morning.  I love how my children and grandchildren can come here and relax.  I love how my friends always want to come and visit.  I love the excitement I feel each time I hear my husband's car drive up when he gets home from work.

Thank you, God, for sharing our home with us and giving us the peace we feel.

Judith, WholeHearted Home

When I think about what I love about my home,  I am reminded of the song from The Sound of Music, '"These are a Few of My Favorite Things.'" There are so many things I love about my home, especially since there are so many ways God evidenced His provision in providing it just when it was needed.

We moved five years ago, at a time when the house market was totally dead. It was miraculous that our home sold which showed  God's guiding hand. When I think of the things I love about my home, I can't help to remember how clearly the Lord's direction, timing, and bountiful provision was for our new home.

When you stop by to visit, you'll have to drive through a "town" so small that you won't realize that you drove through a town at all. My home is situated off a dirt road on seven acres of woods. It is a quiet haven of rest. 

No one comes through our front door. The "back door" faces the slate slabs that line the walk from the gravel-less driveway. My kitchen welcomes you into my home as you step in off the deck. The big country kitchen has a long wooden table in front of a bay window with four big windows. The living room is divided from the kitchen by only a counter without a wall. It is like one big room with everyone feeling part of the action even while they are doing dishes. Three more windows are in the living room looking out at the fresh green on the trees surrounding our clearing in the woods. 

These are a few of my favorite things I love about my home.

What I love is to sit on one of the country rockers on the front porch reading my Bible on a warm summer morning. I love sitting on the swing with my husband in the evening.  

I love my bedroom with its homemade quilt and a border of hydrangeas on the wall. How come they are easier to grow indoors?! 

I could go on and on about what I love about my home but these are a few of my favorite things. The best is that moving brought us closer to a wonderful church (the reason we moved) and into a beautiful vacation area (no joke) with lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and hills.

God blessed us with our home and that is what I love most about our home.

I hope you stop by soon!!

Mrs. Smith, Just a Country Girl

I have had so many struggles with my home in the past few years.  And I know this is God's way of working in me.  I'm trying very hard to see the good things in my home and not focus on the bad.  But I will confess that I'm struggling with it.

The house itself (which is actually different than a "home" to me) is just...uhh.  Frustration.  And I truly feel badly for typing this--maybe the Lord is making me confess my horrible thoughts to the world, heh.  It's a tiny, rundown place--about 825 square feet, but the upstairs is very small (2 rooms, facing each other with  no

hallway or anything, and an adult can only stand up in the very center...more like a cabin, really), and it just needs a lot of work.  The baby sleeps with his crib right next to our bed (literally touching) and the other boys sleep in the other room--can't have bunkbeds because of the ceiling, so 2 beds is all that will fit.  I am a neat freak, so cleaning a house that has no storage is a nightmare! It frustrates me EVERY SINGLE day.  I confess to you all.  I have terrible, angry thoughts of this house.

That being said, my HOME is a nice place.  In the midst of the frustrations, God is showing me there is much to be thankful for here.  (Besides the fact that the gas bill isn't insane in the middle of

winter because there isn't much to heat!  ha!)  What I love about my home is that it is the place where we teach our children values, morals and just good character in general.  The world certainly isn't going to!  We can do our devotions during school, we can discuss why something is wrong or right...it's just where good character building happens.

Home is where Daddy comes home from work and plays with the kids and the dog.  As he backs his truck up the driveway, they all start yelling, "Daddy's home!", the dog runs around barking, the baby looks at the door, waiting impatiently...that is home.

Home is where little hands help to prepare meals or desserts in the kitchen; made with love and preparing these boys in case they live as bachelors for a while one day.

Home is where we come to get away from the harshness of the world. When evil is around us, we can know that we are home, at least for now, and that all is well.  Does God care what my house looks like or that it is stuffed to it's capacity with people and a dog?  (And 2 hermit crabs, of course!)  No, He doesn't.  What He does care about is what happens within that home.  This place is temporary and it won't go with us when we go.  So what's the big deal?  Did God want me to share my frustrations with everyone and realize that a "house" and a "home" are two different things?  I suppose so.  I love my home because it's where we find our Lord.  It's where we raise our children for Him and it's where we live as a family.  The packaging might not be much; but the inside is full of goodness.

Mrs. Sarah Coller, Hope In Every Season

Like Mrs. Smith, I struggle with liking the house we live in---from clogging pipes to leaking floors, to noisy neighbors---this is definitely not the Barbie Dream House!  However, it takes love to make a home and we've got a lot of that here!

My favorite thing about our home is that it's a place where we all learn from one another and can feel safe stepping out in a new thing without fear of judgment.    We are a family who is loyal to one another and sticks up for each other---we take care of one another.

My favorite part of the house is my sunroom.  That's where I have all my crafting supplies arranged, as well as my collection of antique books.  Sometimes I'll take my laptop back there and write.  Everyone, even the dog, knows not to come in without permission!

What is your favorite part of your home?

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Linking with:

Craft-o-Maniac Monday  
Motivate Me Monday 
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 
Matrimonial Monday @ A Proverbs 31 Wife 
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill 
Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 
Masterpiece Monday @ BoogieBoard Cottage 
A Round Tuit @ Creating My Way to Success 
Monday Funday @ C.R.A.F.T. 
Better Mom Mondays
Manic Monday @ Cupcake-n-Bake
Mommy Mondays
Making Your Home Sing Monday
Mommie Mondays @ Sew Crafty Angel
Monday's Musings
Monday Meetup
A Return to Loveliness @ A Delightsome Life
Cottage Style Party @ Lavender Garden Cottage 
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home
Tutorial Tuesdays with Hope Studios
Courtship Connection
Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 
Domestically Divine @ Far Above Rubies
(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife
Tending the Home Tuesday 
Wisdom Wednesdays @Simply Helping Him
Winsome Wednesday @ My Daily Walk in His Grace
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers
Home @ Rose Chintz Cottage  
Inspire Me Wednesday @ MamaBuzz
Watcha Work-Up Wednesday 
What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants 
Simple Living Wednesdays @ Our Simple Farm
Shoe Lace Linkup @ Living In the Shoe
Home Link Up at Raising Arrows
Homemaking Party @ Hope In Every Season
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Pearls and Lace Thursday @ Faith, Grace and Crafts
Thriving Thursday @ Serving Joyfully
Homeacre Hop 
Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits @ Stone Gable  
Desire to Inspire @ A Royal Daughter
Think Tank Thursday @ Saving4Six 
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home 
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Inspiration Friday @ Dear Creatives
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Farm Girl Friday @ Let This Mind Be In You
Fit & Frugal Family Friday

Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Or So She Says...
Finding the Pretty & Delicious @ Your Homebased Mom
30 Min. Linkup @ 30 Days
Sharing Creative Ideas @ Made By Joey  
Show Me Saturday

Mom's Picnic Macaroni Salad

Good evening!  You didn't think I'd forget, did you?

Here's #3 in my Mother's Day Week series:  Mom's Favorite Recipes.  One of my Mom's favorite foods is what I call, Loaded Macaroni Salad!  You've heard of Loaded Baked Potato Soup?  Well, this is the picnic salad equivalent!

Here's how Mom makes her macaroni salad:

Boil 1/2 lb. salad macaroni, drain and rinse in cold water. 

Add:

• 6 chopped, hard-boiled eggs
• 4 diced green onions
• 8 chopped sweet pickles 
• 1 cup black olives, sliced 
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 
• salt, pepper, onion powder, mayo and mustard to taste.

Easy, right?  Thanks Mom!

It's a week of Mom's Favorite Recipes.  Here are more in the series:  

Bulk Taco Seasoning
Perfectly Fried Chicken

Hunt for the Devil’s Dragon by Marianne Hering and Wayne Thomas Batson -- Book Review

A few months ago, I read a review on another blog for a new children's book series put out by Tyndale House, The Imagination Station.  I was so excited to see a series similar to The Magic Tree House series that incorporated Biblical principles with the time-travel, historical stories my kids love.  I immediately made a note to look for the books for Christmas presents.

How thrilled I was to see that Tyndale House was offering one for review last month! Woo Hoo!  I jumped right on it.  I was sent a complimentary copy of Hunt for the Devil's Dragon.  Thanks, Tyndale House.

Book Description from Tyndale House:  "If you’re brave, follow cousins Beth and Patrick to Libya in the 13th century. The town of Silene is being terrorized by a vicious animal that is eating livestock. The townspeople believe it’s a dragon sent by the devil. In order to appease the beast, the people believe they must offer a human sacrifice—a young girl named Sabra. When Beth tries to help Sabra escape, she too is tied up as an offering for the dragon. Meanwhile, Patrick and a new friend named Hazi join Georgius, a Roman knight who is serving in Africa to keep peace. Georgius decides to find the dragon and kill it. Georgius’s plans go awry when Beth and Sabra beg him not to kill the dragon. The girls know the true secret of Silene—the dragon isn’t its worst enemy."

So far, my 13, 11 and 8 year olds have read it and my 10 year old is reading it now.  All of them have drawn parallels between these and the Magic Tree House books.  From the green themes on the covers, to the boy and girl adventurers, to the time-travelling elevator, the kids are getting the elements they loved in MTH, along with a dose of Biblical wisdom and good character modeling.

In fact, my kids say they like this series even better than MTH.  My 12 year old son said he liked it better because the books were longer and that the main character shows love, even to his enemies, and gives glory to God throughout the book.  He, along with my 13 year old daughter, were already fans of Wayne Thomas Batson's The Door Within series, so they enjoyed reading more from him.

My 13 year old daughter said she enjoyed the "facts and fun" in the back of the book and really liked reading the biographical information.  All three of the kids who've finished it also made the connection between the story of Georgius and the legend of King George and the Dragon, a story they've all read in our homeschool.

Since they all loved this one so much, I'm excited to find more in this awesome series.

Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.  All opinions are honest and are my own.