{ Count it all worship }

Good morning sweet friends. How are you all doing? 

 

First can we just talk about how cold it's been?  I am currently sitting on my bed, under a warm blanket, and listening to the wind blowing outside.  The temperature is 20 degrees, the real feel however?  5 degrees!!!

 

I can't complain too much because some of you have had some crazy snow storms, blow into your area.  Sure hope you're staying warm and cozy.

 

It's been a while.  The past 3 weeks I've just been posting the Happy Homemaker Monday and then nothing else.  It's what I've been able to do.  Thankfully, Curt and I are finally turning the corner, and are basically 90% better.  Still some lingering congestion, and some lingering coughs as the sickness works its way out.  For me, I have the added wind storms which kick up the asthma as you know, so it takes a little longer than usual.

 

Many of you asked if we had been tested for Covid, and yes we did and no we didn't have Covid, just a the flu that is going around.  Our sense of taste and smell has already returned, thank the good Lord.  For a girl that loves her coffee and her food, that is one of the most annoying symptoms right?

 

Thank you all for the prayers, they did help and I'm sure they played a big part in our recovery.

 

So what have I been up to the past 3 weeks?  

 

Well, reading, a lot of reading.  I finished my two books for the month of January, which I'm so proud of myself for doing.  I love reading but there are years I tend to get into a funk and not read as much, actually find it so hard to sit and read.  But, I seem to have that mojo back and I'm fully taking advantage of it.

I've read Sold on a Monday and Lilac Girls, both really good.  I am not on my third book which is March by Geraldine Brooks.

I just realized as well I never told you my list of books, which ones I am reading in what order, so I'm going to do that right now.

I promised myself I wouldn't change any of the books, but then I kind of broke that promise because I know myself, and I know that if I force a book that I really don't want to read, I will just set it aside and next thing I know, months will go by without reading.

So, what did I do, I simply removed the one non fiction book I had on the list, and replaced it with a fiction one.  I am not in a non fiction mood, and those are usually harder for me to get into, I have to really be in the mood.   My list is now, just fully fiction.

I just wrote down 24 numbers and then put them all in a bowl and pulled one at a time. I had written down the books I had in order on a piece of paper, and as I pulled the numbers, I pulled the corresponding book. 

 

Here's my 24 books for 2022.  Also keep in mind, again, that these are my own books, I'm not adding in any of the review books that will come in throughout the year.  Those will be separate.

 

#1  Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

#2  Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

#3  March by Geraldine Brooks 

#4  Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (I just realized two Geraldine Brooks one after the other lol)

#5  The Sugar Camp Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

#6  Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

#7  The Tale of Hilltop Farm by Susan Wittig Albert

#8  The Factory Girls of Lark Lane by Pam Howes

#9  One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus

#10  The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

#11  Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris

#12 Wideacre by Phillipa Gregory

#13  Prayers for sale by Sandra Dallas

#14  The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella

#15  October Song by Beverly Lewis

#16  Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

#17  Children of the Stars by Mario Escobar

#18  Tidelands by Phillipa Gregory

#19  The King's Witch by Tracy Borman

#20  The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks

#21  The Pioneers by David McCullough

#22  The Two Princesses of Bamarre Gail Carson Levine

#23  The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

#24  The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick

 

I've striked through the two I've already read.  You've read any of these yourself, let me know what you thought.

I've also been cooking a lot, especially meals from my childhood.  Even on those days that I was the sickest, I still made my way to the kitchen and got a meal on the table.  It wasn't easy, there was actually one day that I was in so much pain physically, that I cried my eyes through the dinner prep, but I thanked God all along that I still cooked for my family.

 

I always find that it's those special home cooked meals, that are most appreciated and also the ones that seem to make you feel better.

 

 

I haven't been watching as much TV as I used to, but I'm still squeezing in some favorite shows and youtube videos.  1883 has become my favorite at the moment, it's is beyond what I would expect it to be.  I've always been very vocal about how I feel that England seems to make all the good historical period series and movies, and I wish America would too.

When 1883 came out, I was hopeful but wasn't really expecting much.  I am so glad I was proved wrong.  It is a fantastic show and I'm learning quite a bit about the wagon trains and the things that happened during those difficult drives.  

 

Through these past 3 weeks, I have also learned to count everything I do as worship.  

It's easy to get caught in the moment, to feel so incredibly sick and to not think of anything that we do, as worship.  But it all counts.  If it's done to honor God, to think of Him, to praise Him, it is worship and He absolutely loves every minute of it.

The housework, the cooking and cleaning, the mountains of endless laundry.  Whether you are singing a praise song, saying a prayer, reading a devotional or the Bible, or cleaning a toilet, it is all worship, every part of it.  Now it may seem a bit strange to say that, but just remember that the work we are given as homemakers, is given to us by the Lord.

So I think of everything I do as giving it back to Him.  He charged me with being a homemaker, and that includes everything that is contained within these four walls.  So whatever we do, with do with joy and all for His glory.  Does that make sense?

Just wanted to share that with you all.  I love sharing what I learn or what I experience on this journey of life we're all on.

I don't have a lot planned for today, it is cold, dreary, windy which means I have to stay indoors as much as possible, so I don't aggravate my lungs.  I will however work on a book review that needs to go up today, plus one for tomorrow.  Actually made some licqueur which I'm quite excited to try and share with you all.

 

I have 3 books I need to get to the post office and mail off, they were requested from my paperbackswap, but I'll wait until tomorrow and then get all my errands done in one day.

Taking Jasmine to work (yes she's still practicing driving, but hasn't been able to much lately with my car constantly breaking down), grocery pick up at Walmart, and post office, is on the agenda for tomorrow morning.  

In the meantime, I am watching a show on Amazon Prime, called America's Hidden Stories.  It is quite good and each episode is about a certain period of time in the USA, or covering a well known iconic historic moments in this country.  

Episode 1 was about the Salem Witches, the second episode was about the target and attempted assassination of Jefferson Davis who was the President of the Confederate States between 1861 and 1865.

The current episode I'm watching, Episode 3 is about the Spanish Flu of 1918, which is quite interesting for the day and time we find ourselves in.  

And that my friends is basically what I've been up to the past 3 weeks.  I'm just thankful that I'm turning the corner and feeling much better.  I am definitely ready to get back to normal day to day life.

The rest of the day I will be reading my book....this one below:

For lunch, I have leftover chili from last night which I'm very much looking forward to.  Dinner will be Bacon Spaghetti, with some veggies and homemade garlic bread.

I still need to sit and read my Bible for today, I need to read Genesis 19 and 20, and also do my devotional for this morning as well.

I sure hope you're all doing well, staying warm and healthy.  Oh, I'll come by and visit the Happy Homemaker Mondays from this week, sometimes this afternoon.

For now, I am out of here, need to go fold some laundry and do a quick pick up in the living room and dining room.

Have a wonderful rest of Thursday.

xoxoxo