I {LOVE} Fall

Fall Colors Crochet Cowl

This is one of my favorite things to wear during the fall!!! The colors are amazing, and go with just about everything!! It's soo soft and warm and snuggly, it's the perfect accessory!! 

 Caramel Apples 

From Just Get up and Bake

This recipe is AMAZING and is one of my favorite things about fall!!! I love the taste... now if my bootie and the calories would just get along... hmmmmm. Either way this is the best recipe!! 

 Crochet Pumpkin Pattern

Isn't this sooo cute?? Imagine this on a cake platter in the middle of the table? I keep finding all these fun things to make, and do this fall... I hope I have the time to do them!!! 

Have you found some fun things to do or buy this fall??? Please please share!!! 

{Caged} Faith vs Fear

 


Fear: noun
 a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

 I have lots of fears.. one of them people laugh at all the time.. I am TERRIFIED of bees. 

 

Yes those little yellow and black flying creators of honey scare me to death!! I've been known to hurt myself running from them. Silly I know, but a very real fear to me. I can't help it!! 

{but} this isn't the type of fear we are talking about today.

There are many types of fears that cage us in, and prevent us from doing the things that the Lord has asked of us, and really it comes down to this... HE has chosen US to do HIS work, HE belives in us, so why are we afraid to do HIS work with HIM by our side?? 

Here are some of the reasons I've found.. and some of the ways the Lord has shown us that we don't need to live in fear. 

{inadequacy} who hasn't felt that they aren't enough to take on the task at hand??  It's when we think we can do it by ourselves that we feel inadequate and not good enough, because we can't do it alone. 
When I was a teenager I had no desire to be a parent ever. Not just at that time but ever. I was so afraid that because of all the hurts, anger, depression, and emptiness I would be a seriously inadequate parent, completely lacking in all a child would need from me. The Lord had His own plan... as he always does, and I got pregnant at 18... I had Drew my oldest at 19, and man oh man talk about a serious feeling of fear!!! I came back to the Lord at 25, and since then my feelings about my parenting aren't lacking, because I'm not doing it alone, I parent with the Lord on my side and now we have 4 kids and I love it. However I'm always a work in progress for many other things I can feel not good enough for.  Alone we can't do it all But with Christ we can do ALL things. 

 {Rejection} Man this is a hard pill to swallow isn't it. This is one of the biggest things I struggle with. I'm always so afraid when I share a bit of me I'm going to be rejected, or when I share and idea that I'm going to be laughed out of the room. This blog right here is beyond scary for me... because of my fear of rejection. I have learned to take comfort in the FACT that Jesus will NEVER reject me, and will NEVER reject you either. 

{Failure} This is a HUGE one for me. I mean this one will tie me up in knots.. I will lose sleep and lose hair over this. You know the saying you never know if you don't try... well my thought is you'll never fail if you don't try. 
When Tim and I went to get married I was soooo scared. Not because we were getting married... but because I had failed once before. Yes I was divorced, and I was so scared about failing again. It was so hard to face my family the first time to say that the marriage didn't work, and that we were getting divorced, even though he had broken our marriage vows, I still like a failure because we had 2 sons who were now the products of divorce, and in that divorce he had abandoned them. What if I picked the wrong guy to marry this time around?? What if he leaves?? What if he cheats?? what if?? what if?? 
The fear of failure leads you down the rocky path of what ifs.. at some point we need to stop and say {WHAT IF IT'S ALL OK??} What if it's all in God's plan?? What if failing is in God's plan to make us stronger?? What if failing is to teach us how to persevere?? What if we succeed? 
Jonah was afraid to fail... once he was released from the whale, he went into Ninevah and did what was asked of him, and he succeeded in sharing the Lord with the city, and showing them the error of their ways and saving them from the wrath of the Lord. {by the way... he did it all with the Lord by his side.. not alone} 

That verse right there is one I live by always... it's one that my family recites often, because so often our lives are dictated by our fears.. 
It's time for us to break free. 

have a great week!! 
If you need any prayers, or have any thoughts please post a comment here. I would love to read them and get to know who is reading this!! 

{Caged} Why Bird Cages Inspire Me

I'm asked often what bird cages have to do with crochet. Or why I love bird cages so much. So I'm going to give you my story. Then my goal once a week is to talk about the things that cage us in, and how with the Lord we are set free from our cages.

Let me start here... my name is Becky and I have bouts of depression. There I said it... it's not something I like to talk about at all... {EVER} Many who know me think of me as a happy person who is filled with joy. Most of the time I am. {BUT} I have some horrible days too. The peace in those is that the Lord is there with me in those too.

 

So you might be wondering what has caused this girl to be depressed?? I will go into all of my story as {Caged} goes on... but I will give some insight now as to why I am inspired by bird cages, and why the word caged means so much to me.  

I've found the best way to share this part of my life is to do it like a band aid... so please forgive me.

From the time I was 10-13 I was sexually abused by my stepfather and  oldest stepbrother. When given the choice, my mother chose to stay living with my stepfather, and allow the state to take her parental rights from her. I was VERY blessed to live with my grandparents, though at the time I didn't see that. During this time, I tried to commit suicide.. well tried as well as a scared 13 yr old girl could.. once I took a steak knife and tried to slit my wrist... I didn't get very deep it hurt too much but it left a scar. The next time I took some pills...my Papa looked at me and said "Don't I love you enough?" that was it for me... I have {NEVER} had the desire to do that ever again. During that time, my cousin gave me a copy of "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" by  Maya Angelou  I read it and at once I identified with her. There my love of bird cages began. Fast Forward many years.. I went to a women's event where the speaker was talking about the pain of our past. If we let it, it can cage us like birds. We are beautifully and wonderfully made, and yet we allow ourselves to be caged by our hurts, and scars, instead of living our life in the freedom of the spirit. Which is when I realized I've been looking at this all wrong... I'm not in the cage. I'm not meant to be singing from my cage, I'm meant to be free. There are so many things that cage us, and prevent us from living the life of complete freedom that the Lord has given us.. and my hope in this journey is to set us all free!

 I leave you today with this verse: 

Philippians 4:6-7

Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.

Purdy Things {Chic} Fiber Necklace

Today I am rocking the Ivory Fiber Necklace with Mustard Flower.... It made me feel purely fantastic to have the perfect necklace to go with this beautiful weather, and a simple tank top and jeans. But it doesn't end there.. you can wear these with anything!!! And they are GREAT for kids, because they do NOT break!! 

With www.purdythings.com you can customize your necklace to match any outfit you would like, I can make this in ANY color combination you would like!!

You can get your own fiber necklace here:

Purdy Things Fiber Necklaces

The {Purdy} Girl Story

Have you heard about the new Purdy girl in town? Everyone is talking about her.A little girl named Rose was always crafting. She needed a friend so she crafted a friend she named her Lilly. Lilly was her best friend she had cute little button eyes a perfect little smile that never turns into a frown. Soon everyone wanted a doll just like the one that Rose had and they said they would pay anything to have one. Rose made more of course but before she gave dolls to the people who wanted it the most she gave it to the ones that had nothing. She met orphan girls that had nothing and made a doll to match each of their personalities. She made each doll with love and care. Then of course there are the girls who had families and toys... and these girls wanted a Purdy Girl Doll too, because what girl doesn't want a doll that was made just for them, with love, and prayers?? So of course Rose went back to her cottage to make more of these special dolls and said special prayers for each of the girls who were going to receive these dolls.

She went home that night and thanked God for letting her put smiles on the girls faces and she hoped that they would never turn into a frown just like Lillys' never would, and wondered what names these new Purdy Girl Dolls would have?? Did you know you can even get your very own Purdy Girl Doll??? She will be made with lots of love and prayers just for you!

http://purdythings.com/item_125/Purdy-Girl-Doll.htm