April Newsletter

FEATURED ITEMS:

shabby-chic skirt

Lovely feminine skirt with ribbon detailing. Perfect for spring/summer outings- from casual to dressy!  Gentle blue print with roses, vines, and stripes. Side zipper for tailored fit, flattering A-line style.

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WORTH REPEATING:

“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God you’ll be at rest.”

~Corie Ten Boom

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FROM MY DESK:

I confess: sometimes I worry.  I know it’s a sin.  I know it doesn’t do any good.  But sometimes, I fail to take my thoughts captive and do it anyway. Sometimes, I even borrow trouble and worry about someone else’s problems.

But then… I think about the ladies I’ve seen whose faces were more often distraught with intense anxiety than not.  Faces where it’s not God’s beautiful peace I see displayed, but instead fear, anxiety, uptightness, and all those out-of-control feelings that we all so often face.  Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror when you were on a ‘worry-binge’?  Maybe your eyebrows were knit together, your mouth twisted into an intense frown, or perhaps a hard straight line?  I have.  It’s not a pretty sight for my family or whoever else happens to be thus inimically exposed.

I’ve also seen ladies like my friend “Ms. Annie”.  Ms. Annie is in a local nursing home, but she has learned to cast her cares upon the Lord.  Her face glows with joy and peace and she constantly seeks to be a blessing to those around her.  She pats my hand and tells me not to worry because “when you give it up to the Lord, He works it all out,” she says, lifting her aged hands upward.   Through her many years, she has seen the faithfulness of the Lord, and His peace is upon her.  Her face, though wrinkled and worn, is beautiful.

When I catch myself in this destructive thought pattern of worrying, I remember that one, I am being disobedient.  What makes me think that the sin of worrying is a little “less bad” than another “worse” sin?  Secondly, I remember that it is a woeful witness to a watching world.  I am a daughter of the King- I’m supposed to be different- have the peace and joy that was promised.  It’s true that I was promised “in this world you will have tribulation”, but also Jesus promised “be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world!”   Thirdly, I remember beautiful women who trusted God.  Women like Mrs. Annie, women like *Corrie Ten Boom.  Corrie Ten boom has some of the best quotes on worrying… and her quotes come from someone who knows what it’s like to have a genuine reason to worry.

“Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear.”
- Corrie Ten Boom

“There is no panic in Heaven! God has no problems, only plans.”
- Corrie Ten Boom

“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.”
- Corrie Ten Boom

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
- Corrie Ten Boom

So, my encouragement for you today, and my reminder for myself, is to not let worrying empty today of it’s strength.  Instead, be clothed in His peace:

For His peace is,

“a rare treasure, dazzling in delicate beauty yet strong enough to withstand all onslaughts.  Wear My (Jesus’) Peace with regal dignity.  It will keep your heart and mind close to Mine.”**

Blessings and peace to you!

~Marianna

*If you’re unfamiliar with Corrie Ten Boom’s story, I highly recommend her book The Hiding Place- a story of the true kind of beauty that overcomes all obstacles.

** From the devotional Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.

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TIP OF THE MONTH:

Dry rough hands?  Make your own all-natural hand and
elbow scrub!  Easy to make with all-natural and on-hand ingredients. Fun and useful to use, and it makes a great gift!

Hand Scrub: Mix equal parts of sugar and canola oil. Rub to remove dead skin and rinse.

Elbow scrub: Mix 3 T. Olive oil, Juice of 1 Lemon, 1 T.
Honey. Rub into elbows and rinse after application.

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RECIPE OF THE MONTH:

Tempting Tea Loaf

1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Optional Topping:
1 t. grated lemon rind
2 to 3 T. lemon juice
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Combine cream cheese and butter, creaming well.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating mixture well after each addition.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Mix well after each addition.  Stir in nuts.  Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 3″ loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Combine lemon rind, lemon juice and powdered sugar, mixing until smooth; pour over hot loaves.  Cool.

Enjoy!

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