A Thankful Heart

This year, I celebrated my second Thanksgiving. What can you say... it is a uniquely American holiday. :)

While I certainly had a blast making these Pecan Pie Bars, the highlight of our evening was visiting with family and singing Christmas carols around the piano. Combining the traditions of two separate holidays was wonderful!

• Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. Ps 30:4
• To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Ps 30:12
• Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. Ps 75:1
• IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH: Ps 92:1
• Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Ps 106:1
• Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. Ps 140:13

Verse Art

One morning after my husband had a very serious conversation with me, I began working on a Word Art that I hope to someday transfer to one of our bedroom walls. It will serve as a constant reminder to me of that late-night discussion. :)

However... I am quite clueless as to how I should proceed on this project. Would cut-out cardstock stuck on the wall appear tacky?

~ Mrs. Arcfide

From my bookshelf

Lethargy has been the rule of the day for the past couple of weeks as Aaron and I took turns coming down with different bouts of fever and colds. I suppose that in marriage, everything wonderful is shared... including the magical, and not-so-magical parts of life! ;)

This past week, if I weren't doing some work around our home, I was animatedly talking for hours on the phone with my girlfriends, miserably pegging away at thousands of product codes listed on a spreadsheet, or curled up reading a good book.

Reading. Ah, it is my new recently-revived, long-neglected hobby.

Books on relationships have always interested me. After reading Gretchen's review on Dr. Laura's The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, I decided to purchase the book for my own perusal. I loved it, and have had no regrets reading it!

I present you my list of other must-reads for all married couples.

1. His Needs, Her Needs by William F. Harley Jr.
2. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs
3. Romancing Your Husband and Romancing Your Wife by Debra and Daniel Smith
4. The Five Love Languages for Couples by Gary Chapman

Election Blues

Obama/Biden 2008

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Happy All Hallow's Eve

I grew up boycotting Halloween, sincerely believing that it was "Satan's holiday". This article that I read last year, together with this article, drastically changed my perspective and opened my mind to celebrating October 31st as All Hallow's Eve - the antecedent to a glorious All Saints Day.

As one of the authors clearly stated, the calendar of the Satanists is a perversion of Christian seasons - there would be no Satanists if Christians were not around. Until we cease to cower in fear and take dominion of what is God's and ours, the Evil One will continue to have his heyday.

What better way to repudiate him than to embrace this holiday with mirth and delight?

Yes, I'm looking forward to tomorrow. And to a marvelous time at Harvest Parties with both families and friends... because it's Hallow's Eve.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

October

What better thing to do, on a lovely afternoon, than to go for a walk and embrace the cool, crisp air of fall? Even more so when one resides in a small college town with gorgeous buildings to behold.

I loved Singapore with all its modern buildings and impressive infrastructures; that city will always hold a special place in my heart.

But maybe... just maybe, early 1900s architecture will grow on me. And I'll call this place my home.





"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn." - Elizabeth Lawrence

"October is nature's funeral month. Nature glories in death more than in life. The month of departure is more beautiful than the month of coming - October than May. Every green thing loves to die in bright colors."
- Henry Ward Beecher

~ Mrs. Arcfide

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

- Rudyard Kipling

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Happy Birthday, Aaron

Thanks to Scrapwow, I just completed my first digital scrapbook page.

It's another reason to celebrate. :-)

~ Mrs. Arcfide