Happy Thanksgiving!

Every year, a custom carries on that was started by my dear Mother-in-Law years ago: we wake on Thanksgiving morning and flip on CBS to watch the Macy's Day parade
as we busy ourselves in the kitchen, preparing a family feast.
Several years ago, I was half watching The Morning Show with Harry Smith,
who narrated a segment with Anne Graham.

Anne read a prayer from her father, the Reverend Billy Graham.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing on television...
it moved me to the very core of everything I believe,
and I wanted to share it here with you again this year.

Each year, I come back to this post and each year,
it's as poignant and real for me as ever it was....  it goes like this:

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography
and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers
and called it enlightenment.

Search us, oh God, and know our hearts today;

cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Amen.”

As families gather for the holiday,
please remember there is no reason to have a holiday called Thanksgiving
unless there is Someone to thank.

Thanks be to God and Jesus Christ His Son for all the blessings on our fair land.

It's 3 Generations

of awesomeness!  :)

These boys are ready to come home with you.  

I love the graduation in size from the baby boy to big daddy!

All 3 are available for $60 + shipping.

Something exciting is coming to the Merc!

We hope you'll join us on TDIPT Mercantile
in celebrating the holiday season.

We'll kick it off with our annual Open House,
which means lovely holiday handmades
on the Merc and of course our fantastic
giveaway beginning November 1st!

Stay tuned to the Merc ...
you wont want to miss a chance of winning
one of the amazing donations from the talented

TDIPT Artisans!

New to the TDIPT Mercantile

It's time for an upload and I've got a couple of pieces I'm lovin... and just in time for the holidays too!

Come over to THE MERC and check it out ... there are photos galore with details on both!

REFLECTIONS....

As we take time to reflect on the 10th Anniversary of a day that none of us will ever forget, let us come together to grieve, to remember, to express our gratitude to those who demonstrated what it is to be a hero, and pledge ourselves to live in honor of their bravery.

WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

Aren't Ghosts supposed to be scary?

 We are fast approaching my favorite decorating time of year -

I love all of the sights and smells that come with Autumn. 

I've got a new creation just in time for the TDIPT Mercantile

and call this one "Lil Boo" 

She's a real gem that comes with interchangeable decor,

including a pumpkin, crow and ghost to hold in her hands for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Fall! 

I hope you will make plans to stop by the Merc on Wednesday night! 

I know Lil Boo will be looking for you,

along with some amazing creations from the other talented artists of TDIPT!

On the Mercantile...

For the August release on the TDIPT Mercantile, I have created an awesome Olde Tavern Owl. He is mounted on a perfectly grungy old wooden bobbin and stands 19" tall.  This is a perfect piece for any fall tabletop or sidebar and will beckon you to draw nigh  :)

Sometimes....

 A picture is worth a thousand words ... 

draw your own conclusions!

There is always hope....

On my way to work this morning, I noticed a lemonade stand that was being set up by 3 little girls in the neighborhood. 

As I returned home at noon, the girls were sitting in the sun offering refreshment to passer-bys.

I was taking my husband for a follow-up visit to the doctor and coming home, the girls were resting in the shade under their table from the heat of the afternoon.

Darrell and I stopped and although we didnt want a beverage, we wanted to support their efforts. We gave them a bit of money for their persistence and they politely  thanked us for the gift.

I asked them how much they'd made that day, and their faces beamed as they exclaimed "almost $15!" I asked what they were going to do with their loot (half expecting to hear about a trip to the toy store - a response you would expect from 8 yr olds) but no... they said they were donating all their money to the animal shelter to help prevent cruelty to animals.

Our hearts stopped beating for a second and at that, Darrell dug a little deeper in his wallet. 

Funny how things like that will leave a mark on your heart.  If those were my girls, I would be so proud of them! 

And if they are out there tomorrow, I'm asking if I can take their photo to remember this act of kindness ♥ . 

Camp Quality 2011

This summer, my company had an opportunity to volunteer our time for a day to serve at a camp about an hour from Kansas City called "Camp Quality".

The camp has been around for 26 years and has the express purpose of ministering to kids from 4 yrs old to 17 yrs old who are currently in treatment or remission for cancer. The vision of the camp is to enable all children with cancer and their families a way to find joy and hope through shared experiences and an ongoing support system.

It was such an amazing time - none of us could have ever imagined the impact one Sunday afternoon would have on our lives.

As the children arrive on Sunday afternoon for a week of fun, they are greeted by many companions and hundreds of volunteers whose goal is to make this one of the funnest times of their summer. It begins with a carnival on the common area of the grounds where they can play games, win prizes and earn tickets to be used for special awards later in the week.

"We" volunteers arrived ready to get cracking and busied ourselves, getting our booth ready for the arrival of the kids wanting to play ring toss and a glider plane toss through a hoola hoop.

We had a ball getting to know the campers and it was great fun watching my husband get bamboozled into giving each player more than his fair share of play! The company donated some trucks that had been used for advertising in the past and we loaded the back end with bracelets, rings and toys of all kinds.

Ryan is a now part of the staff at Camp Quality. He originally started out as a camper, then graduated to a companion, pairing up with a camper - and finally made it to a role of Camp Staff. It was great to see him again this year but with a heavy heart, Ryan shared that his brain cancer had returned last December. He was quick to state that he's determined to beat it and I believe him!

One of my dear friends volunteered to be a cabin mom for the entire week and before we left camp that day, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting the boys in "Peace Haven South". Each young boy managed to capture my heart in that short span of time on Sunday afternoon and I know Donna's life is changed forever. Special activities were planned each day from horseback riding, swimming, archery, Goop Wars and Bubble Pools to variety shows, costume parties and even Prom for the graduating campers!

I will share some pictures that have touched my heart and I sure hope they touch yours as well.

Working with these kids and this camp made such a major impression on my husband and myself that next year, we have decided that we are going to volunteer to work at the camp for the entire week. I want to be a cabin mom and Darrell wants to assist the camp "handyman" Dennis, who does everything from unplugging toilets to making sure every aspect of the camp runs as it should behind the scenes.

Sounds perfect, and I know neither of us can wait!

Thank you for Serving and Sacrificing -

Their silent wounds have speech
More eloquent than men;
Their tones can deeper reach
Than human voice or pen.
~William Woodman


Remembering all who have given so much for our freedoms

- we give great honor to you today!

We held a memorial service for my aunt this past weekend - she is pictured here (L) shopping with her girlfriend arounnd 1941.

She was always such a fun loving person who lived life to the fullest - I looked up to her so much and she was my lifeline after my mom passed away.

And oh... could we all laugh together at family gatherings! There were many photo's and scrapbooks that she had compiled when she was a teenager and as I was looking through them, I stumbled upon the following poem:

He gripped me by my slender neck

I could not call or scream

He dragged me to his dirty room

Where he could not be seen

He tore away my flimsy wraps

And gazed upon my form

I was cold and damp and scared

And he was hot and warm

He pressed his lips against mine

I gave him every drop

He drained me of myself

I could not make him stop

He made me what I am today

that is why you find me here

Just an empty bottle

That once was full of BEER

thank you Lord....

My Pastor read the following in service this morning and it hit me right between the eyes:

We are world Christians.
We put God's love for all people first.
No race is superior to another; no government is more loved than another; no country dearer than another.
We don't put our nation's economy before God's economy. He tells us to seek first His Kingdom. He will meet our needs.
We are driven to action daily with the knowledge that three billion people do not know our Savior. Our passion in life, our unquenchable desire, is to take God's love to them.
No task is too small for us. All that limits us is our unwillingness to believe that God can enable us to do it.
We are sold out to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Nothing less. We understand following Him means absolute death to ourselves.
It costs everything to be His disciple.

Don't give us blessings-give us grace to be unquestionably obedient to Your every last command and desire.
Don't give us status-give us a place to serve.
Don't give us things for our use-use us.
Don't give us good jobs-put us to work.
Don't give us comfort-command us.
Don't give us pleasure-give us perspective.
Don't give us satisfaction-teach us sacrifice.
Don't give us entertainment-enable us.
Don't give us good salaries-give us strength to do your will.

Our great joy in life is in pleasing our Lord-and there is no other joy comparable.
We are tired of playing religion, tired of seminaries and Bible schools that pump out thinkers who don't act, tired of a church life that consists of a few regular functions and sermons that sound good-as if they were being rated as speeches-but have no consequence except complacency.
Life is not some 70-year stretch we endure until Christ returns or takes us home, nor is it a time to seek personal fulfillment.
We don't seek self-actualization-rather, we pursue the actualization of God's love in all hearts.
We don't seek our personal rights-we seek to see all people set free.
We make no plans-we take orders.
We have no complaints-except our thankless hearts.
We have no excuses-they limit God.
We don't ask for reasons-we ask for responsibilities.
We don't give ten percent of our income to God-we give it all.
We don't work for Him from 8 to 5-we are His 24 hours of each day.
We are not stoics-we hurt and cry when loved ones leave us. But we hurt all the more for people who pass into eternity without making Jesus Christ their Lord.
We are not drop outs because we don't hold "respectable, secure" jobs-we're "sold outs."
We are not cynics. Although there are unanswered questions, we know Christ has all the answers.
We are not bitter. Although we have been hurt, Christ is our healer.
We are not disillusioned. Although we sin constantly, Christ forgives us and makes us strong in our weakness.
We don't spend endless hours squabbling over sideline issues such as pre-, mid- or post-tribulation or charismatic gifts. We don't take pride in acquiring things-no, hoarding shames us.
We say it's senseless to talk of availability or willingness. We would rather obey and do the job, not talk about it.

by Gordon Aescliman