And the winner is...

Morning all...
Thanks so much for celebrating my Blogaversary with me!
I was able to post all the entries including those that came in yesterday for the $10 dollar Blogaversary Starbucks Card Giveaway
and the winner is....

Conny at The Life of an Ordinary Hausfrau!

© Monika Hardy

Happy Thankgiving and Blogaversary Giveaway!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Hope your weekend was filled with love and family and most of all Jesus as ours was!I had some fun making painting some Thanksgiving cards (above) for family this year while I recovered from some surgery earlier in the month.

Just a reminder....the Blogaversary Starbucks Giveaway closes tonight at midnight PST.
(enter below on last post)
I know many of you have been busy with family and friends at this time of year, and there was not a lot of time to enter, but I didn't want to just let the chance slip away for someone out there!
Looking forward to posting a winner!





© Monika Hardy

Blogaversary Starbucks Giveaway!

My three year Blogaversary will be in seven days!
What a joy it has been to connect with so many of you!

I began this journey to...
Encourage others, and I myself have been encouraged.
Bring joy and hope to others and others have shared it with me.
To share God's word with others, and it has been shared with me.
To encourage other women to make Jesus in their Home the priority in their lives, and been so encouraged to hear of many of you doing just that!
So in honor of the third year...a giveaway.

Since it is so cold here right now, I would love to share a warm cup of coffee with all of you!
Alas, that will not work, so a $10.00 Starbucks Gift Card will have to do for one precious reader!

ONE entry point will be given to each of the following..
1. Leave a comment here about something you like about this blog.
2. Leave a comment on Facebook about something you like about this blog and leave that link here in the comments so I can read it.
3. Leave a comment on Twitter about something you like about this blog and leave that link here in the comments so I can read it.

THREE entry points will be given for the following...
4. Write a post on your blog about the giveaway and what you like about this blog and leave that link here in the comments for me to read.

All comment entries left on this site must be posted by midnight November 28th, 2010. The winner of the $10.00 Starbucks gift card will be posted on my third Blogaversary, Monday, November 29th, 2010.

Thank you so much for your encouragement over the past three years!



© Monika Hardy

Thankful Sunday

In the land of the Northwest God has given us a beautiful snowy day! It is beautiful to watch the snow flakes fall, and I love to get out into it and play and drive and shovel and just enjoy it! It reminds me of the blood that my Jesus shed for me to wash me clean and make me white as snow. At this time of year when we are all reminded to be thankful, it reminds me to be thankful at all times....not just on a day that the world has turned into a "turkey day".

Things to be thankful for....

Salvation from my sins through faith in Jesus!

Those in the military willing to fight for our freedoms!

Children and Grandchildren

A computer that works again so I can visit with you all again!

and so much more....like chili on the stove in a warm home and someone to share it with.

Whether your dinner is small fare or not, whether there be someone to share it with you or not...

always remember to invite the most important guest to spend time with you...Jesus!

Happy Sunday evening to you!



© Monika Hardy

New Link for ...Pumpkin Biscotti

Pumpkin Biscotti

Pre -heat oven to 350 F

(Soak 1 cup raisins in warm water for 5 minutes & drain)

Place in a large bowl:

½ cup melted (lightly browned) butter

1 cup brown sugar

4 beaten eggs

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

½ cup mashed canned pumpkin

STIR

Add

4-5 cups Flour

3 Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie spice

1 cup soaked raisins

2 Tablespoons Baking Powder

STIR

Coat hands with Oil and form three long flattened rolls

Place on cookie sheet

Bake 1/2 hour @ 350 F

Let cool 15 minutes

Slice each portion at an angle

Place sliced side down

Bake for 12 minutes to lightly brown

Flip and Bake another 12 minutes to lightly brown

Let cool

Glaze

Glaze

½ cup melted butter

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Mix and add a few tablespoons of regular OR evaporated milk

While mixing till desired consistency is achieved

Drizzle glaze on cooled Biscotti

Store in airtight container after glaze has dried.

© Monika Hardy

Are both your oars in the water?

"It was Lord who put into my mind (I could feel His hand upon me) that fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies. All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because He comforted me with rays of marvelous inspiration from the Holy Scriptures."
.....from HIS journals
~Christopher Columbus

Been ridiculed for your faith lately?
Or do you just blend in and stop others from taking sail?
Start moving and let God direct the outcome.

© Monika Hardy

Romans 12:9-16
The professed love of Christians to each other should be sincere, free from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Depending on Divine grace, they must detest and dread all evil, and love and delight in whatever is kind and useful. We must not only do that which is good, but we must cleave to it. All our duty towards one another is summed up in one word, love. This denotes the love of parents to their children; which is more tender and natural than any other; unforced, unconstrained. And love to God and man, with zeal for the gospel, will make the wise Christian diligent in all his wordly business, and in gaining superior skill. God must be served with the spirit, under the influences of the Holy Spirit. He is honoured by our hope and trust in him, especially when we rejoice in that hope. He is served, not only by working for him, but by sitting still quietly, when he calls us to suffer. Patience for God's sake, is true piety. Those that rejoice in hope, are likely to be patient in tribulation. We should not be cold in the duty of prayer, nor soon weary of it. Not only must there be kindness to friends and brethren, but Christians must not harbour anger against enemies. It is but mock love, which rests in words of kindness, while our brethren need real supplies, and it is in our power to furnish them. Be ready to entertain those who do good: as there is occasion, we must welcome strangers. Bless, and curse not. It means thorough good will; not, bless them when at prayer, and curse them at other times; but bless them always, and curse not at all. True Christian love will make us take part in the sorrows and joys of each other. Labour as much as you can to agree in the same spiritual truths; and when you come short of that, yet agree in affection. Look upon worldly pomp and dignity with holy contempt. Do not mind it; be not in love with it. Be reconciled to the place God in his providence puts you in, whatever it be. Nothing is below us, but sin. We shall never find in our hearts to condescend to others, while we indulge conceit of ourselves; therefore that must be mortified.~ Matthew Henry

© Monika Hardy

There are few joys in life compared to having a grandchild.
Raising sons was wonderful, enjoying Grand daughters is delightful,
and now God has blessed us with a tiny little man child of a Grandson!
Ok, so maybe not so little at 9lbs 11ozs! All in all, the experience is so wonderful.
He brings pride and joy to the family, and it is so precious
to see his older sisters so gently pouring love out on him.
Nathanael Bradford Hardy,
named partly in honor of his Grandfather "Bradford"
is a little man who seems to have been here all along.
Wrapped in any blanket in the home that is NOT pink,
gently napping in the sunshine, and accepting all sorts of hugs and kisses.

Jesus loves you little one, sleep tight.

© Monika Hardy

What if God's People Prayed?

Jesus, I Believe

first published....Jan 31st, 2010

The third track on the New Release…Who Can Mind the Journey is, Jesus I Believe.

There is a time in each of our lives when darkness surrounds, the walls cave in, and we don’t think we can take another step or take another breath because the wind has been knocked out of us. We can wallow in the mire of self pity and waste precious moments of life, or we can believe what the Lord has told us and continue to walk in faith. Life is full of hurt and pain and misery, and misery sure loves company, but what if we trusted our healer to heal the broken heart, to mend the shattered soul? What if we turned to Jesus instead of the newest book, instead of picking up the phone, instead of talk shows? My Jesus wrote the manual for life, He wrote love letters to my soul, and within them are promises that He will keep!

He will never leave me or forsake me.

He is able to handle everything that concerns me.

He loves me with an everlasting love.

I am safe in His hands and always will be, and so are you!

God always keeps His promises!

Listen to the song...Jesus I Believe

© Monika Hardy