rest: defined by Noah, Miriam and Friends

{rest}

What comes to mind when you think of the word rest?

Peace,

a tropical vacation,
what you do after a marathon,

sleeping on a great mattress and pillow or maybe

you think being wrapped up

in a thick warm fuzzy blanket

in the evening sitting by a fire.

It is something that we were designed

to need and enjoy

now and then,

and yet most of us have a difficult time 

finding true rest. 

I love my old Webster's Dictionary.

Words can be so... common.

So familiar and still we don't often understand

their full meaning.

Here in my old dictionary I find 

a little bit more input on words

that I have used my whole life. 

rest (rest), n.: 

peace, ease and refreshment as produced by sleep,

refreshing ease or inactivity after work or exertion,

relief from anything distressing, disturbing, 

annoying, tiring, etc.

peace of mind;

mental and emotional calm;

tranquility.

in music, 

an interval of silence between tones.

to be or seem to be supported,

to rely on or upon, depend,

to remain, stay, abide.

{and interestingly}

a support for the end of a lance

{a sword in medieval times}

found on the breastplate

of armor.

Rest as part of a military regimen?

The book I love

{even more than the dictionary}

has so much to say about rest.

And there's no need for me  to argue with

or challenge it

because the Author of this book

is the oldest and certainly the wisest

of all authors in any bookstore or library

that I have ever been in. 

"My soul finds rest in God alone"  Psalms 62:1

"In repentance and rest is your salvation,

in quietness and trust is your strength"  Isiah 30:15

images from the web

   Come to me all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

{it's a promise}

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, 

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

{I don't know about you but knowing that makes Him approachable to me}

and you will find rest for your souls.

{another promise}

For my yoke is easy

and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28~30

I think I'll rest on that.

 

{ A nest for a rest...}

{Shabby Chic Couture}

This is what rest can look like at our house...

Don't roll over Caleb!

Maggie is resting, too.

A picture 

of child-like trust

that all is well.

All is well.

Thank you for stopping by

and

Have a wonderful day!

xoxo deborah 

my mini vacations

Just wondering...

Have you gone to France yet?

I go there often

on my personal transportation:

{laptop}

I can take any seat I want.

And I have a full service kitchen

and chef to cook

if I'm hungry for more than peanuts.

{I'm my chef}

I am making the trip again today.

I would love 
for you to come along!
Let me introduce you
to a few favourites.

 

A very lovely place
to spend a day:


{Grange De Charme}
 grangedecharme.canalblog.com

I could live here.

The first time
that I peeked into the rooms
of this beautiful corner 
of the blogosphere
I was stunned at how 

{BREATHTAKING}

each photograph was.

 

You'll even see a little of 
Rachel Ashwell's 
inspiration, too.

The author is also a fan of
Sandy's
{My Shabby Streamside Studio}
An adorable little dreamworld

myshabbystreamsidestudio.blogspot.com 

 Why am I still writing?
I just lost most of you  by posting 
Sandy's link...
What a treat her little studio is.
Come back when you're finished 
with your visit there!



The icing on the cake
for visiting
Grange De Charme
in France
are all the stars
that follow the guests around
as they go on their tour...
so, so extravagant. 


If you've never been there
just take a seat,
grab a drink and a snack
and let me show you around.
It only takes a minute to get there
and you can stay as long as you'd like.

Bon Voyage!

XOXO deborah

grangedecharme.canalblog.com
grangedecharme.canalblog.com

do you have a dusty shelf dream?

devote 

yourself to

an idea.

go make it happen.

work through it.

overcome your fears.

smile.

don't forget

this is

your dream.

When you were a little one

{a long time ago for me}

what was it that you

DrEamed

that you would do

when you grew up?

Did you want to fly?

Be a doctor

and help people?

Or maybe you had

an invention idea?

Or maybe it was to

be a mommy?

When you had play time

what adventures did you go on?

I remember thinking I could 

FLY

if only I could get to 

the tree tops or 

to the top of the roof...

{thank God I never tried it}

{French Charming~photo credits}

One of my dreams

is to write.

It is so small 

{It's still incubating...}

 

 I have a few book ideas

and their chapter titles

floating around in my head...

Sometimes it's hard 

to go for dreams.

Discernment is often required.

Some dreams are simply great ideas,

while others are part of our

destiny.

I am resolving that

FAITH

is also required

to just

start. 

Yes, 

I suppose that's it.

{just start}

And after I've started

keep going until I

{finish.}

   xoxo deborah

   

 

Counting My Blessings

Just thinking...

 so many things 

{in life}

change so quickly.

I am so surprised sometimes

at how fast things change

when I thought

they'd be that way forever...

I was just looking through

some old photographs

and I saw this precious picture 

of our dear Chloe.

She was 5 years old  when she

wore this pink dress on Easter Sunday

and twirled and twirled 

in our back yard.

She loved to chase bunny rabbits.

She would lift her dress 

like a pioneer woman walking through mud

and RUN as fast as she could

to catch a bunny...

Her long red hair would flow behind her

like a veil of warm silk

waving in the wind

that she created.

She was convinced that if she caught 

one of those furry "  snuggle"   creatures

it would LOVE to be her little pet

and live in her pink bedroom

with her... happily ever after.

That didn't happen. 

~~~~~~~~~

She and her lovely sister, Anna

even went as far as to

ask a local farmer

at one time if they could buy

a cute little pink pig

to keep in their room.
They even brought along their piggy banks!
The crazy and friendly farmer wasn't helping 
to settle the girls into a place of reality 
when he answered ...YES! 
Yes , you can purchase one for $100!
Can we?  Can we? 
Mom! Pleeeeaaassse?
We have enough...
{Sigh}

She never caught her bunny

but she gave her family the gift 

of the memories of 

a beautiful little girl

who believed that she could.

One of the greatest surprises in life

is how fast things change...

Chloe is now much taller than me,

she sings and dances beautifully

{still}

in her school's show choir,

she loves to run

but now she runs on a basketball court.

Her long red hair 

still follows after her

leaving behind a trail of kindness and beauty

that only God {by His design}

and Chloe {by her willingness}

can receive credits for.

I learn from my children:

Change is

unavoidable

so  I guess

I'll make it beautiful.

XOXO deborah

SWeet Christmas MemorieS

40 years ago!

Do you have a favorite

childhood Christmas photo? 

p.s.

I'm the one with the cheeks

and the big red bow. 

 ...Truly He taught us to love one another,

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

O Holy Night

lyrics 

 Wishing you love and peace today.

 

...Truly He taught us to love one another,

His law is love and His Gospel is peace...

O Holy Night

lyrics

   

Let It Shine

This little light of mine...

I'm gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine,

let it shine,

let it shine...

"God is light.  In Him there is no darkness at all."  1 John 1:5

Is there someone in your world

that needs a little light to see today?

Kind words and actions

are like crystals on a chandelier.

They reflect the source and

multiply it.

Go light your world...

or maybe better,

reflect His light to others.

Me defined.

If someone were to ask you "who are you?"

what would you say?

Would you tell of your education?

Would you tell the person where you are from 

or what family last name you have?

Or maybe you might list accomplishments

and awards such as listed on a resume'.

Do you ever hear "I'm just..."

when someone tells who they are,

as though insignificant?

I know many of us haven't seen the movie

"The Lion King"

but there is a profound line in that 

children's movie...

'REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE'

Whenever I see a tiara

I can't help but

see who God says I am.

Apart from all the labels, titles, and words

that I could use to describe myself, 

whether good or bad,

I see a tiara and know that it is made for a princess.

Not the 'spoiled brat~that gets everything~she wants

 princess'

 but the one that knows her position 

simply because she knows who her Father is.

A true princess is a daughter of the King.

Simple.

Position.

No arrogance.

No pity.

Just loved.

'May we know Him better...'

 last quote from A Christmas Carol