Vietnamese Iced Coffee

If you like strong coffee, this little number is for you! Delicious little pick me up that's quick and easy. 

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

God on the Mountain

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth."

I think of so many scriptures when I see things that stir me.  And songs float in my mind like a butterfly on the breeze.  "God of the Mountain" is always one that reminds me to ponder where my help comes from. It's so easy to praise Him when things are going our way.  But those days when we are down? When there are things we don't understand happening all around us?  How do we react?  Do we continue to trust in Him?  I have found that sometimes when something doesn't go as I thought it should, I get upset, I get stressed and worked up.  I don't always react in a way that shines the light of Christ to those around me.  Why do I do that? Why do I let things bring me down to a spot where I'm not trusting and praising Him in all of my circumstances? It's something I've been pondering a lot.  How we react in a difficult situation says a lot about where we place our trust. And no, it's not always easy! Our flesh often gets in the way and takes over our reaction. Next time, whether it's the little things ~ spilled coffee, cut off in traffic, toilet overflows?  Or the big things when we deal with sickness or loss or the hurts in life by ones we think shouldn't hurt us.   Place your trust in the one whom all of our help comes from and react in a way that shows He is the one in control. Trust Him fully and try to react with the grace and mercy that shows we actually BELIEVE that truth.

God on the Mountain by Lynda Randle

Life is easy, when you're up on the mountain
And you've got peace of mind, like you've never known
But things change, when you're down in the valley
Don't lose faith, for your never alone

For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, he'll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day, is still God in the night

We talk of faith way up on the mountain
But talk comes easy, when life's at its best
Now its down in the valley, trials and temptations
That's where your faith is really put into the test

For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley,
When things go wrong, he'll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day, is still God in the night

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

Green Mountain Getaway

We had a quick getaway to celebrate out 27th Anniversary.  Decided to head to The Green Mountain State.  Stayed at the beautiful Equinox Hotel, had a fun time touring the area.  Drove up Equinox Mountain, visited Hildene, hiked to a nearby watefall, had wonderful food and just a great time being together.  Oh, and maybe a little bit of outlet shopping!

Here is a view from spot at the top of Equinox Mountain.  

Hildene ~ was a beautiful day to tour the house and gardens.  Learned some history as well.  

My hubby scaling the falls. 

Just a little bit of our time together.  As long as we are together, the time is good. I am so thankful for the 27 years of marriage (30 years since we started dating!) that the Lord has blessed us with, and I pray for many more healthy, happy years ahead.  When you are married to your best friend, and have the Lord as the head of your marriage, it's the best thing ever.  Each day is a beautiful adventure, even in the day to day walk.   Look for love and beauty in the day to day mundane seeming aspects of life.   Look for the good points of each other, and seriously don't sweat the small stuff.  It really isn't worth it.  We could all nit pick and nag and where does that lead? When you start nag, stop for a minute and think about all the things that you do that could irritate someone else.  And then show some grace and mercy.  Count your blessings . . . name them one by one.  We truly have so much to be thankful for, and to God goes all the glory.   

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

Beach Day ~

On Tuesday I got to spend a wonderful day at the ocean.  This is one of my favorite places on earth! Anywhere by the ocean is always so relaxing and beautiful for me.  I am reminded in each sight and sound of the glory of God in all that He has created. Not sure how one could sit and take it in, and yet deny a Holy God ~ Creator of all.   And spending it with my daughter, daughter-in-law and granddaughter? Icing on the cake!

"The Love of God" is a favorite hymn of mine.  The visuals that it gives are so stirring and vivid.  I think of this and many other beautiful songs as I sit and watch the waves come and go. The intensity of each one is so strong, and yet there is also a time when it is calm and quiet.  Just like His all encompassing love for His own. He loves His children oh so much that the vastness of it can hardly be imagined.  There is no greater love than this ~ we should be diligent in sharing His love with others so that a hurting world can also feel the greatness of his tender mercies.

1. "Could we with ink the ocean fill,
   And were the skies of parchment made,
   Were every stalk on earth a quill,
   And every man a scribe by trade;
   To write the love of God above
   Would drain the ocean dry;
   Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
   Though stretched from sky to sky."

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

Strawberry Moon

Summer Has Begun! With it, our longest day at 15 hours and 19 minutes of daylight.  And this year . . . . a delightful Strawberry Moon.  This will not happen again on the Summer Solstice for another 70 years. Enjoy this beautiful, warm evening and rejoice . . . summer has returned!

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

Mountain Laurel ~

The Mountain Laurel is absolutely stunning this year. Hard to even capture the beauty of it. 

Mountain--Laurel ~ by Louisa May Alcott

    My bonnie flower, with truest joy
    Thy welcome face I see,
    The world grows brighter to my eyes,
    And summer comes with thee.
    My solitude now finds a friend,
    And after each hard day,
    I in my mountain garden walk,
    To rest, or sing, or pray.

    All down the rocky slope is spread
    Thy veil of rosy snow,
    And in the valley by the brook,
    Thy deeper blossoms grow.
    The barren wilderness grows fair,
    Such beauty dost thou give;
    And human eyes and Nature's heart
    Rejoice that thou dost live.

    Each year I wait thy coming, dear,
    Each year I love thee more,
    For life grows hard, and much I need
    Thy honey for my store.
    So, like a hungry bee, I sip
    Sweet lessons from thy cup,
    And sitting at a flower's feet,
    My soul learns to look up.

    No laurels shall I ever win,
    No splendid blossoms bear,
    But gratefully receive and use
    God's blessed sun and air;
    And, blooming where my lot is cast,
    Grow happy and content,
    Making some barren spot more fair,
    For a humble life well spent.

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

These Are the Days ~

Glory Days

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

Ikea Hack Office Reveal!

And here is my finished office! Of course there are a few little things I need to finish up, but I am absolutely LOVING my space.  I think the customization of the shelving really is perfect, and hard to tell they are inexpensive  shelves from Ikea. My hubby rocks!  It's amazing what a little bit of lumber, paint and a creative thought can do.  Of course without my sweet hubby to put it into practice, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish this.

 I got this little cart at Ikea also.  It's perfect for papers and things that I use more often and need to keep closer to my desk.

I purchased this replica of an old map on Amazon.  I placed small wooden pins in the spot that my husband and I visit the mot frequently.  I love this little personal feature.  I think I will have my husband build a frame around it for me to give it a more finished look.

Thanks for checking our my office reveal! I'd love links to your Ikea Hacks!

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

Ikea Hack Office Project

I recently had the opportunity to create an office space for myself.  I really wanted shelving along one wall that was built in.  My husband was super busy with work and didn't have the time to tackle such a project.  I looked at bookshelves that would give me a built in look, but they would have cost me a small fortune and not quite give me the look I wanted in the end. That's when I decided to do an "Ikea Hack".  I took the truck and headed to Ikea, about an hour and a half away from where I live.  I was actually pretty proud that I did it by myself.  When you are determined, it's amazing what you can accomplish!
We first pulled out the old, nasty carpet from the room and put in hardwood.  Then a fresh coat of paint.  (This was going to be done even before I decided to make it an office space for myself.  My husband had his office here for years, and he was moving his office to a new space.)
Sorry for the picture quality.  I found it difficult any time of day to get the lighting right for pictures.

Once the room was complete, I put together my Billy's shelving units that I picked up at Ikea.  It took me a few hours to complete the task, but was very easy. (I have the same shelves in my closet for my shoes, so it's something I have done many times!)

My son helped me move the shelves into place, and then it was my husbands turn to help.  He added trim between each shelf and then some boards on top to bring the height to the ceiling.  Once he accomplished this, he added more trim and some crown moulding to help give it that built-in look.  I painted everything white, and was THRILLED with the outcome.

I moved my desk into the space from another room. It was black, and I used chalk paint to make it grey.

All in all, I think the project was easy and inexpensive.  I paid less than $70.00 for each book case.  I would say the whole construction aspect of the project, including the shelving, was under $400.00  The book cases that I had priced for the wall unit would have been a total of close to $4,000.00 and they would not have had the trim or moulding to make them look built in.

In my next post I will show you how I decorated the room, and the great storage options I purchased for it.  Thanks for checking out my project!

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup" 

Sunday is here!

"That's what I love about Sunday . . . . . " ~ What do you love about Sunday? My list could go on ~ But always excited to worship together with our church family. ~ It may be a brief amount of time in our week, but oh so precious and important. ~ "Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God." Have a Blessed day of rest! 
Don't take this opportunity lightly, friend.   We hustle around and tarry all week. Sometimes going in circles, not accomplishing much.  Is it not too much to ask, to go into the House of the Lord for a couple of hours once a week and give your time and attention and praise to Him?  
"For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in her heart and coffee in her cup"

The View for a Friday ~

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” 

In His Love ~ Kim
"With Jesus in her heart and coffee in her cup"

Contentment ~

You only have one life, so live it! Create a life you can love.  I truly enjoy my vacation time ~ I love the ocean, it calms my spirit. Just the sound and the smell of it makes me relax.  The awe of it makes me praise God with each glimpse of it's beauty. But you know what makes it even better? Being there are enjoying it with my husband. And that, I can do anywhere.
More and more I think about creating a life you love.  So many around me hate their daily lives.  They dream of their vacation days in a way that makes their daily lives sound like misery.  They need to escape and when they come home, they are more discontent and miserable than before they left. They dislike their jobs, their bodies, their neighbors, their homes.  So much discontentment.  What if we worked to create a life we are satisfied and content with?
As much as I love to travel, I'm finding more and more joy and peace in my home. I love my husband and my children and grand babies.  I love my puppies and my chickens! Nothing like running out to the coop to get a few fresh eggs for breakfast.  I love my little herb garden and my veggies.  I love the sound of the wind chimes hanging out back, and the feel of the breeze on the hill coming through my bedroom windows.  I love waking to the sound of the birds, and watching the mama deer and her twins out the window.  Sitting in front of the warm fireplace with a cup of coffee and my Bible or greeting my hubby at the door after a long day. I love when the house is filled with fellowship and laughter and the smell of coffee and fresh bakery. Perfect? Never.  I groan about the mud that I sweep up, the leaves that the dogs bring in on their fur, the long winters and short summers, the mosquitos.  But you know what? I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Count it all joy! Life is beautiful and messy and joyful and sad and there are days that we are just waiting to lay our heads down on that pillow and see that joy that does come in the morning.  A new day, a fresh outlook.
But seriously, how can you create a life you don't need to "get away" from? It's not all about the material things.  I admit, I find joy and a certain sense of purpose in creating a space that is warm and welcoming.  I love trying to be a Godly, Proverbs 31 woman.  I love beautiful things just as much as the next person.  I love to decorate and oddly enough, organize! I add things around my rooms that have memories associated with them.  Something from a special day, a special person or a special trip.  I try to create a space that my hubby loves to come home to at night. That my kids are comfortable being in, and like to spend time here.  One that we can invite people in and share a bit of warmth and love and Jesus with them. But that isn't where my fulfillment and joy comes from.  My contentment is not in the next room I redecorate or the new shoes I buy.  It is in the One who dwells in us, who is invited into our home and who is Lord over our home. He is the one that brings that peace, love, joy, contentment.
Are you content? It is said we all have a God~shaped hole in our hearts that only He can fill.  Through Him, and his strength we are made whole and that is the only way true contentment can begin.  We can weary ourselves in creating the home of our dreams, but until our hearts are set on Him, it is all in vain. We will strive and never get the satisfaction we are looking for.
Our hearts will always deceive us, but the Word of God will always point us in the right direction. Focus on Him and doing His will for our lives.  Find your joy in Him.
Where our treasure is our heart is also. Does this mean we can't have nice things? No, it certainly doesn't.  But at the end of life is it that new car that mattered most? What did you do for Him? How did you live for Him? How did you share His love with a hurting world?  Did you share that beautiful home that you have created?
Go and plant your garden and your flowers and your herb garden, but don't forget to cultivate that heart of gratitude.  When we show gratitude, we are automatically thankful to the One who provides so lavishly for us.  Remember what your greatest treasures as followers of Jesus Christ are to be.  Focus on those things that are eternal, for this is where our true contentment will come.  "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:   For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

1. When I survey the wondrous cross
   On which the Prince of glory died,
   My richest gain I count but loss,
   And pour contempt on all my pride.
2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
   Save in the death of Christ my God!
   All the vain things that charm me most,
   I sacrifice them to His blood.
3. See from His head, His hands, His feet,
   Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
   Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
   Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
4. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
   That were a present far too small;
   Love so amazing, so divine,
   Demands my soul, my life, my all.

In His Love ~ Kim

"With Jesus in Her Heart, and Coffee in Her Cup"