Living the New Year ..day by day ...

Happy New Year ..

2012

It's been a wonderful Year here at Sweet Magnolias Farm ... Full of Many Wonderful Ups and some Very Hard Downs.

When life is full ..there will be a mix of both. Both of which can be Very Good if you have the right perspective.

The Ups and the Downs ..well I call them seasons of life...it seems things come in seasons in our lives ..and I've learned to look at them all as Blessings.

That's not an easy thing to learn to do.. when the Down's in life come along.

It seems this time of year, every year comes down to people making resolutions about what they plan to do ..dream to do ..want to become, want to change, or want to achieve.

It all seems a bit overwhelming to me. I guess because I don't take a once a year outlook on what I plan, dream, desire to become, change or achieve

To me every day when I wake up there are choices to be made for that day, to make plans for the days and weeks ahead .. to dream about who I continually want to grow and become, what I want to create, where I want to live and how I want to live and so on ..Each day is a resolution in and of itself if you desire to constantly grow and better yourself. Even in the hard times.

There are days that are so Good you resolve you will rejoice in the good ..and there are day's you try to resolve you won't cry and your heart won't hurt and you fail miserably .."or so we think."

You see the hurt, the pain that comes in a year can be turned into Good if we so desire to let it. If we are truly honest with ourselves ..there can be alot of Good that can even come out of trying and painful times in our life.

So My Resolve this year is to keep on keeping on ..to " Run the Race at a Tortoises Pace".. because in the end he Succeded.

My Resolve is to remember ...

Meet today’s problems with today’s strength. Don’t start tackling tomorrow’s problems until tomorrow.

- Max Lucado

For the New Year of 2012 .. I take these few passages from my Dear Sweet Bible that leave me with Hope and Joy for the New Year to come and I Hope they too will stir within you the desire to live each day One day at a time. 

Matthew 6: 25- 34

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

26"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31"So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

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Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

¹ There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

⁹ What do workers gain from their toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet^[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. ¹³ That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.

Wishing each and every friend .. a New Year of Blessings !

Antique Showcase Available for Pick-Up at Sweet Magnolias Farm

 Hey There Gals ... I just wanted to do a quick shout out ...

I just listed this Beautiful Showcase on Craigslist if any of you local girls are interested.

  It's a Great Size .. Measures: 39.5 inches tall x 28 inches wide x 17.5 inches deep

It's absolutely perfect for home or shop  If you have space in an antique Mall this is great because it doesn' take a ton of space up.

I Love it and hate to part with it because you don't stumble on these pieces very often ..but I haven't used it and I am not going back into a shop right now so I decided it needs a good home with someone who will put it to use !

It would be really cute painted white too !

If you are interested just give me a convo. at our business name at luckymail dot com.

OR

Convo. me through my Etsy shop ...

Oh and it is $275- ..Available for pick up only.

I live just outside of Temecula 11 miles

Merry Christmas from Sara And Abbey

Wishing you

A Very Merry Christmas !!!

From the Sweet Magnolias Farm Gals .. Sara and Abbey

Luke 2:9-12
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Tis the Season to Give

The Story of the Christmas Guest
by Helen Steiner Rice

It happened one day at December's end
Some neighbors called on an old-time friend.

And they found his shop so meager and mean,
Made gay with a thousand boughs of green.

And old Conrad was sitting with face ashine.
When he suddenly stopped as he stitched the twine.

And he said "My friends at dawn today,
When the cock was crowing the night away,

The Lord appeared in a dream to me.
And He said, 'I'm coming your guest to be"

So I've been busy with feet astir,
Strewing my shop with branches of fir.

The table is spread and the kettle is shined,
And over the rafters the holly is twined.

And now I'll wait for my Lord to appear;
And listen closely so I will hear,

His steps as he nears my humble place.
And I'll open the door and I'll look on his face."

Then his friends went home and left Conrad alone,
For this was the happiest day he had known.

For long since his family had passed away.
And Conrad had spent many a sad Christmas Day.

But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas guest,
This Christmas would be the dearest and best.

So he listened with only joy in his heart,
And with every sound he would rise with a start,

And looked for the Lord to be at his door.
Like the vision that he had had a few hours before.

So he ran to the window after hearing a sound,
But all he could see on the snow covered ground

Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn.
And all his clothes were ragged and worn.

But old Conrad was touched and he went to the door
And he said, "Your feet must be cold and sore.

I have some shoes in my shop for you.
And I have a coat to keep you warmer, too."

So with grateful heart the man went away.
But Conrad notice the time of day

And he wondered what made the dear Lord so late,
And how much longer he'd have to wait.

Then he heard another knock, and he ran to the door,
But it was only a stranger once more.

A bent old lady with a shawl of black,
And a bundle of kindling piled on her back.

But she asked only for a place to rest,
a place that was reserved, for Conrad's great guest.

But her voice seemed to plead, "Don't send me away,
Let me rest for awhile this Christmas Day."

So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup
And told her to sit at the table and sup.

After she had left, he was filled with dismay
For he saw that the hours were slipping away

The Lord had not come as He said He would
And Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.

When out of the stillness he heard a cry.
"Please help, me and tell me - Where am I?"

So again he opened his friendly door.
And stood disappointed as twice before.

It was a child who had wandered away,
And was lost from her family on Christmas Day.

Again Conrad's heart was heavy and sad,
But he knew he could make this little girl glad.

So he called her in and he wiped her tears,
And he quieted all her childish fears.

Then he led her back to her home once more.
Then as he entered his own darkened door,

He knew that the Lord was not coming today,
For the hours of Christmas, had all passed away.

So he went to his room, and he knelt down to pray.
He said, "Lord, why did you delay?

What kept You from coming to call on me?
I wanted so much Your face to see."

Then softly, in the silence, a voice he heard.
"Lift up your head - I have kept My word.

Three times my shadow crossed your floor.
Three times I came to your lowly door.

I was the beggar with bruised cold feet;
I was the woman you gave something to eat;
I was the child on the homeless street.

Three times I knocked, three times I came in,
And each time I found the warmth of a friend.


Of all the gifts, love is the best.
I was honored to be your Christmas guest.



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Christmas is a time to give.

Have you ever considered that if each person in the word would be concerned about giving a gift at Christmas time and not receiving a gift  they would never need be concerened with receiving as there would be a gift for everyone to go around.

To me Christmas is about giving and not getting. The giving is a joy to my heart as it was Gods' when he sent Jesus his son to us.

There are so many worthy places to give and so many families and people in need that could use your giving heart and hands this season.

Rather you donate to

 your Church

a local food pantry

a shelter

Or

Even to larger organizations such as

Franklin Grahams Samaritan's Purse

of

Dr. Jeremiah's Turning Point

both of which are highly reputable places who have outreaches to share the news of Christ and to give help to those in need, who are hurting and even help with natural disaster within our own country and others spanning the globe

.

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 14:21

Jesus ...the Reason for the Season.. Happy Birthday Jesus !

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Scout and her Feathered Friend

It's been 4 weeks tomorrow (Friday) Since my Sweet Maggie left this earth bound for heaven ..with a new and healthy doggie body. I miss her more than words can even describe. I still look for her, I still here sounds and think she needs my help getting up, I still look for her face when I bound down the stairs in the morning .. and these things shall fade in strength over time ..but my Love and Memories of her will be forever.

Since Maggies passing .. Our Sweet Scout has gathered a new friend. It was only a week or so after Maggie passed that I first saw this little feathered friend .. hopping on Scouts hip with scout staring strait at her and looking as though it was just an every day occurence that she let a bird hop upon her.

A few days later ... I saw this little wren ..fly onto the porch near scouts dog house ..and hop inside it .. About 20 minutes passed and I stepped outside for some reason which I cannot now recall and out from inside Scouts Dog House ..the little bird flew ..it had been sitting in their the whole time.

A day or so later as I sat at my desk just next to our sliding glass doors which pier onto the back porch and yard ... Early in the morning .. I noticed scouts pink blanket in the yard which got there because scout was up and somehow dragged it out of her bed and onto the back lawn with her.

A few seconds later I saw the little bird flitter right down to the yard and hop around on the grass and eventually made it onto the blanket as you see above and just nestled there for at least 5 minutes before Scout returned from her early morning routine. I yelled for Abbey to come , grabbed my camera this time and we watched in amazement....

Normally Scout comes back and if their is a blanket in the yard she will lay on it and begin sun bathing ..

However ... as she rounded the corner as you can see below she immediately noticed her feathered friend .. she stared at it for a few minutes as if to say move on little feathered friend so I can lay on  my blanket ... but the bird would not budge...

Scout rarely gives in to anything she is a VERY determined old dog ..(104 yrs old) or (almost 17 yrs old) we all say at her age she has a right to do what she pleases. Well anyhow she actually gave in and turned around to head back out in the yard and the little bird hopped along beside her before flying up onto the back of one of our Motel Chairs and sitting their for quite some time.

It's funny you see videos and pictures of dogs and cats and birds befriending one another but you never think it will happen in your own back yard.

It's been absolutely delightful to see Scout and this little bird take to one another. Scout is such a sweet old dog. She's not the beauty she once was ..her body is thin and she walks just like a frail old person .. She needs a sweatshirt to keep warm for lack of a thick coat of fur at her age .. But she's all their mentally. She doesn't miss a thing and she still knows at what time she wants dinner even if we don't ..LOL ! Every night she puts her head literally against the sliding door and peers in to tell us it's time to eat.  And Eat does she ever ..Each night she downs about 3 to 4lbs of fresh food.  Our veterinarian is just amazed that she has lived so long for a Golden Retriever as are we !

We miss having Scout inside as she was an inside dog all her life until the last year. Although she always preferred the outdoors. But about a year ago she returned to puppyhood where going potty is concerned and wants to get up and tinkle 5, 6 , 7 times a night and well that was more than Abbey could bare. We took her to the vet and she's fine ..it's just old age. So we created a wonderful heated dog house for her to stay in throughout the day and night ..She is still allowed in when she asks, which isn't often as she loves, loves, loves to just lay in the sun all day long. And when she does come in she doesn't stay long and asks to right back out. I think maybe she would have liked to be outdoors all her life  ???

Scout has been with us since she was 6 weeks old ..She had a tough life starting out as she was a sick little girl for a long time... but she beat that ..and here she is 17 years later still going.

We are so blessed to have had her for so many years as we were Maggie as well they both beat the odds of aging for their breed . "Especially Scout"

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And after the loss of Maggie my arms were empty .. my hands were aching to touch and pet ... my heart has been overflowing with love to give ..and Abbey, I and Papa Fred all agree our house is so empty of the sweet spirit Maggie brought to it ..

So a new addition will be arriving in mid January to our home ..

I'll be sharing more about that very soon ...

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Wishing everyone a Beautiful and Merry Christmas ..