Brimfield Treasures ~

Rolling Pins ~ A Brief History

Bought these gorgeous rolling pins on my Brimfield trip on Tuesday. I love them!
Started researching a little bit ~ the larger one is from England. The coin inside shows when it was made ~ but is too old and worn to read.
I found that rolling pins had significance other than baking or decorating.
Sailors at sea would often spend their long days carving beautiful, intricate rolling pins to give to their loves back home. They were often made with Lignum Vitae, a trade wood found in the Caribbean and northern coast of South America. It was used in many things, especially on ships due to its strength and density. The handles were often fashioned from whale bones. 

In the 18th century in England, companies began making glass rolling pins. They were hollow and sailors would give them to loved ones or to girls they hoped to marry. They were often filled with fine vinegars, cocoa, baking items or even bath salts. One end had a cork and when they were emptied, they could then be filled with cold water to help the ease of rolling out fine doughs and pastries.
They were often engraved with things like ~ "be true to me,” “for my mother,” and “may the eye of the Lord watch over you.”
There is much more in the way of history, but I loved the fact that they became an item that men put so much time into creating for the women they held so dear.

In His Love ~ Kim

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

Focus ~

"Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you." Proverbs 4:25

Rejection ~ Shake the Dust Off

I couldn't sleep last night, so turned on "Turning Point" with Dr. David Jeremiah.  Perfect.  It had a bit of perspective about rejection.   These are points that I got from his message.
He taught that Jesus was rejected His whole life.  The one who saved you from your sin has felt the sting of rejection.  What did He say about it? Shake the dust off your feet and go on.  Get on with life.  God's already prepared other people who will receive you.
You cannot get someone to be who they are not.  You cannot change someone.  We are not responsible for what other people do to us.  Rejecting a Child of God is a serious offense.  God says if you are a rejector it is more profitable for you than it was for Sodom and Gomorrah.  You can shake off being rejected, but you cannot shake off being the rejector, because it will come back.  God is the great avenger, and He will make all things right. Leave it up to Him.
While we can be rejected here by people who know us, and have grown up with us and supposedly love us,  we will never be rejected by the Lord.  We are accepted in the Beloved.  God is continually accepting people into His family.  We go though life always trying to find our way, bumping our noses into the wall, till one day somebody crosses our path and says "There is a God in Heaven who has put his hand on you, and He has said 'I want this one for me.'" Then it is that we intimately know what it means to be accepted.  That doesn't mean that all rejection in our human life goes away, but it means the ultimate form of acception has already taken place.   We have been accepted by God. He wants you for himself.

"Some of the most poisonous people come disguised as friends and family."

"Family isn't always blood.  It's the  people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what."

25th Anniversary ~ A Lovely Day, Well Spent!

After our hike, we did my favorite thing ~ sat by the pool.  Some lemon water, and some chips and salsa and guac for a light lunch before our evening out ~ 

Next we got all dressed up and had a photo session.  I was so nervous but so excited.  I wanted some special pictures to remember our 25th Anniversary.  So many marriages are falling apart, I feel blessed to be celebrating that many years with my love, and still LOVING each other.   I also wanted to have our pictures in the glorious setting where we were celebrating. There are many talented photographers here, but it meant more to us to have them taken in our beautiful dream setting.  We are so thankful to have each other and to be so happy.  God has blessed us tremendously and we are so very thankful and appreciative! "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken".

We finished off our evening with dinner in a lovely steakhouse.

And finally, a toast with our delicious fancy Ginger Ale.  Haha, yes it is really yummy!

25th Anniversary on The Mountaintop

On the morning of our 25th Anniversary, we woke up at 5:00 and prepared to climb Camelback Mountain.  It was a beautiful day, hot and blue skies.  We got our waters, and headed to the mountain.  I think it was about a 2 hour roundtrip hike, and worth the view.  A glorious start to our anniversary. 

"We've been to the mountaintop, we've seen the Glory of the Lord."

Canyon Suites ~ Oh My!

We stayed at the Canyon Suites at the Phoenician.  We absolutely cannot wait to go back here, and have nothing at all bad to say about our stay.  We were greeted upon arriving with a box of handcrafted dark chocolate bark with dried cranberries and pistachios.  After spending time at the pool, we arrived back to our room to find this yummy display for us.

24 hour room service? Coffee it is :)  (oh, and maybe creme brûlée)

Just part of the beautiful bathroom ~ It was a lovely suite with two bathrooms, office, dining area and a nice living room. Spacious, clean and beautifully decorated.

Our private patio overlooking the pool and Camelback Mountain.

Lovely, very private pool. Ben was wonderful, bringing around cooled, scented face towels, little cups of frozen grapes, frozen bon-bins, fruit skewers, and an endless supply of cucumber and lemon water. Glorious treatment!  Quiet, luxurious and the weather was just as I had hoped when I booked the trip ~ HOT and SUNNY! A dream trip.

And of course my favorite seat in the house ~~ 

  And a cupcake on our patio ~ with a funny face ;)

And that burger! Kobe beef ~ oh my.  I want one right NOW ;)