Happy Thanksgiving List!

Hello and Happy Friday... Just wanted to check in. What's happening in your Home and Heart? What are you celebrating? This morning, I found a list I had written a while ago, of "10 things that make me happy": Seeing my kids happy. Dancing. Waterviews. Havarti cheese. Traveling with my husband. Laughing with Ryan. Going to bed early. Feeling caught up with work. A clean car...and looking at my car. Receiving a beautiful gift. Thank you notes. I found it interesting that I listed 11. 🥰 Sometimes we lose count when we start thinking about what we are blessed with - or the things that delight us. What are 10 things that make you happy? I would love to hear!

I hope that sometime in the next week, you'll pour yourself a cup of your favorite tea, and reflect on what you're grateful for! I am thankful for you!💝 Wishing you a lovely weekend, and a very Happy Thanksgiving! With love, 🙏🍁🥧 Janene

The Harvest of the Heart

"These are the days to be grateful for the harvest of the heart, however humble it might be, and to prepare for the coming of the year's closure. Even now, the season of daylight diminishes, and the time of darkness increases. But the true Light is never extinguished in the natural world, and it is the same in your soul... for as night follows day, the Light will return..." The Gardener, Embracing the Ebb, Simple Abundance, Sarah Ban Breathnach

Hello and Happy Friday, What's happening in your home and heart? If you're free, please join me for my weekly virtual tea at 12:15 pm PT. You can find the link in our Tea Time Celebration facebook group. ~ If not, please take the time to pour yourself a cup of tea, and have a lovely weekend. With love, 🍁🍂🤎🧡 Janene

A Little Sugar & A Lot of Tea

Hello and Happy Friday! Somedays, "Life needs a little sugar and a lot of tea." Unknown What's happening in your Home and Heart? If you're a Tea Time Celebration member and you're free, please join me today for our weekly virtual tea at 12:15 pm PT You can find the link in our Tea Time Celebration facebook group. If not, please pour yourself the sweetest cup of tea, and have a wonderful weekend! With love, 🥧🧡 Janene

A Heartfelt Christmas Story - A Family for Freddie

Merry Christmas to all my Home and Heart friends, followers and family.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas 2020, in spite of the challenges of this year.

I wanted to read the following story to you, but unfortunately Reader's Digest said they would not permit this on social media. They suggested I use this link instead, so here it is:

https://www.readersdigest.com.au/podcasts/heart/family-freddie

May it warm your heart as much as it has mine.

Love, Janene

Love and the Seven Sacred Pools

On the island of Maui, where the highway ends is the 5 hour road to Hana.
The road snakes around for 30 miles. At the end of the road is a breathtaking view of the Seven Sacred Pools.

These pools were formed in the rocks and lava beds by rain rushing down the mountainside toward the Pacific Ocean.  Originating high above in altitudes unseen because of the ever present rain clouds, the fresh water fell to the ground, first filling the highest pool.

When the top pool was full, the still-falling rain caused its contents to overflow and cascade into another pool down the mountain.  As soon as that second pool filled up, it too overflowed into another one farther down the slope... and another ... and another... until the last and final pool poured its contents into the immensity of God's sea.

Think of the life you are seeking to live. These seven pools illustrate the fullness you and I can enjoy - and the far reaching impact we can have as we live according to our creator's plan.

Picture that top pool - high on the mountain, veiled in a cloudy mist, hidden from the sight of others.

Like that pool, we enjoy our hidden life with God, the private life we nurture in Him.  Unseen by others, we are filled by God's Spirit as we dwell in His presence and drink from His Word.
In the Holy mist, He replenishes our dry souls until we are filled with His goodness. Then that fullness overflows down into the next pool, the heart of the person nearest and dearest to us.

What are your seven pools?

Happy Valentine's Day! 2017

Greetings Homemakers! Happy 2017!💗

It's a bit cliché - but it's truly hard to know where 2016 went, isn’t it?

I find myself convinced that time is indeed speeding up - which makes each and every day exponentially precious.

This past year our youngest child graduated from college, started a new job, got his first apartment, and bought his first car...which means my husband and I, are truly empty-nesters. Of course, that brings with it some feelings of reminiscence in our home and heart spaces, but in reality it's a huge blessing.

I can imagine that for many of you the 2016 U.S. presidential election has had an impact on your Home and Heart. Maybe your family has been divided. Maybe you've lost friends. Maybe you are grieved beyond despair. Maybe you feel hopeful but struggle with guilt and misunderstanding.

And now here we are, well into February....

As I studied a groundhog news photo the other day, I observed how stunned and irritated the poor thing looked. "What am I doing here? I know nothing about the weather - or what's going to happen in the next six weeks. Seriously folks, I have absolutely no effect on the weather, whatsoever!"

As Homemakers (unlike groundhogs), so much does depend on what we see and how we react to the events and changes happening around us. Do we cast a shadow? Is spring ahead - or will there be six weeks (or more) of winter in our Home and/or Heart? 

The fact is - we can have a HUGE impact on the climate around us!

This Valentine's Day - and all year through, I challenge you (and myself) to FOCUS on bringing beauty, balance, serenity and celebration to any community you are part of, and to truly cherish those you love.

I believe that even though we struggle at times - we can make a difference. I hope you can believe that, too.

Happy Valentine's Day!

With Love

Janene

Happy Mother's Day - A Card from My Mom

These are the beautiful sentiments from a card given to me by my mother in my early college years. 

I remember memorizing and being encouraged by the poem by Helen Steiner Rice.

May it be an inspiration to you, as it is sent especially to wish you well, today.

Much love, Janene

This is Just a Resting Place

Sometimes the road of life seems long as we travel through the years,
And with a heart that's broken and eyes brimful of tears,
We falter in our weariness, and sink beside the way,
But, God leans down and whispers, "Child, there'll be another day..."

And the road will grow much smoother, and much easier to face, 
So do not be disheartened, this is just a resting place...