all my heart

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my

heart;

I will tell of all Your wonders.

I will be glad and rejoice in You;

I will sing praise to Your name,

O Most High.

--Psalm 9: 1-2

A Poem From Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley has long been one of my heroes. I first heard of her several years ago on an episode of 'Liberty's Kids' ( do any of you remember that show? ), and I have loved and admired this beautiful woman of God ever since.
I thought I would share with you this powerful poem she wrote, it is a precious testimony to God's Providence.

On Being Brought from Africa to America

Twas mercy brought me from my

pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to

understand

That there's a God, that there's a

Savior too:

Once I redemption neither sought

nor knew.

Some view our sable race with

scornful eye,

"Their color is a diabolic die''.

Remember, Christians, Negroes,

black as Cain,

May be refin'd, and join th' angelic

train.

--Written By Phillis Wheatley, at the age of 13

I just had to share that with all of you. What a strong spirit for the Lord she had!

I pray that you were blessed by these lovely words...and she wrote them at 13!!!

Have a gorgeous day!

~Emily

P.S. Hey, I didn't get any mean comments when I didn't post once a week like I had said I would...where are you guys?!? tee-hee!

I have not posted since October 20th...of last year ( scary how time flies). My sabbatical was unintentional, I had every intention of posting often, but of course...as you can see, that didn't happen.  I had planned to post photographs and updates, especially when my baby sister Elizabeth was born, but, as is evident, that didn't happen either ( but the 'Ode to Elizabeth' post will hopefully be coming soon. ). 

Elizabeth ( or 'Lil Bit' as we often refer to her ) is, by the way, unarguably adorable, sweet, cute,  chubby, precious, charming, intelligent, hilarious...you get the picture. 

Speaking of little sister, I might as well add that my 'little' (well, he's nine, but he is still little to me. I'm sure all you big sisters understand) brother Henry is all the aforementioned adjectives, minus of course the chubby part= ]. I love him to bits, and cry when I think how quickly and how much he has grown in what feel like nine short years.  

I  geuss while we are on this subject of siblings, my older sister Hannah is my dearest and closest confidante, and I really should try to never irritate or irk her, when you consider it was I ( 3 years ago) who put that crack in her hopechest Dad made her (it was an accident...although you know as well as I do that 'accident' is an empty word ) and do you know what that sister of mine did? She told me not to worry and asked dad to not be upset. That is a good sister for ya! 

I can see that this post is slowly morphing away from what I had originally planned, and that is that one of my New Years resolutions was to post once a week if not more. And I am asking you all to keep me accountable if you see my resolve is weakening and more than a week has passed without out even a miniscule 'hello'...be hard on me if you see I 'm not posting, you won't hurt my feelings--and if you do it'll probably be good for me.[ =

 

I hope this year is blessed as together we forge through all our weaknesses and doubts and fears and pursue rightousness as pilgrims and strangers in a strange land. It is a strange land, but a beautiful land...and a beautiful life, thanks to God.

Happy New Year!!!

Emily

The Long Awaited 'Honest Scrap'

Well, I have finally gotten around to it...here is the 'Honest Scrap' tag! *applause*

The rules are 1)thank the person who tagged you...MANY THANKS  Cassie!!!

and 2) share 10 honest things about yourself.

Here goes...

1. I have lived in the same house for my entire life.

    As a matter of fact, I live in the house my Grampa grew up in. It was built in 1950 and it is a beautiful home... small, but beautiful, and a true blessing.

2. I have been drinking coffee ever since I was but a wee one. I turned out fine...I think. [ :

3. I have never been stung  by a bee. 

4. I love to paint with watercolor. I have made quite a killing selling Valentine's Day cards at our coffee shop.

I find it so beautiful that God gave each of us talents that we can use to provide for ourselves

and bring Him  Glory.

5. I love vintage fashions and costumes. I love most things vintage,retro or antique.

6. I am a dyed -in -the -wool doodler.

    I always find something to sketch on, be it a scrap of paper or ( ssshhhhhh) the margins in my     schoolbooks...just ask my mum.[ :

7. I am very fond of history. Very.

8. If you haven't noticed, I am not very proficient at blogging.

9. I am infamous for my scathing, witty critiques.

                   A blessing and a curse.

10. I love to make people laugh.

                           ~The End~

I hope this even ever so vaguely amused you. I certainly hope!

God Bless all of you!

Affectionately,

      Em  

Note from Florence Nightingale

" I would earnestly ask my sisters to keep clear  of both the jargons now current everywhere 

(for they are equally jargons) ; of the jargon, namely, about the ''rights'' of women, which urges women to do all that men do, including the medical  and other professions, merely because the men do it, and without regard to whether this is the the best that women can do;and of the jargon  that urges women to do nothing that men do, merely because they are women, and should be ''recalled to a sense of their duty as women'' and because ''this is women's work'',  and ''that is men's'' and ''these are the things which women should not do'' which is all assertion and nothing more. Surely woman should bring the best that she has, whatever that is to the work of God's world, without attending to either of these cries. for what are they, both of them, the one just as much as the other, but the listening to the ''what people will say'', to opinion, to the ''voices  from without?'' And as a wise man has said, no one has ever done anything great or useful by listening to the voices from without. You do not want the effect of your good things to be ''How wonderful for a woman!'' nor would you be deterred from good things , by hearing it said ''yes, but she ought not to have done this, because it is not suitable for a woman.''

But you want to do the thing that is good  whether it is ''suitable for a woman'' or not.It does not make a thing good, that it is remarkable  that a woman should have been able to do it. Neither does it make a thing bad, which would have been good had a man done it, that it has been done by a woman.

Oh, leave these jargons, and go your way straight to God's work, in simplicity and singleness of heart."

-Florence Nightingale