Friday, April 3, 2026

Thankful Thursday




We have so many reasons to be thankful.  

This week I am thankful for...

~ being married to a wonderful man that loves me and takes care of me in big and small ways.

~ seeing our oldest cheer for his little brother at his baseball game.

~ our DIL helping with the dog while we went to the family retreat.  

~ when our youngest had a great hit at his baseball game.  It was fun to see him hit it and then watch him run so hard around to 3rd base.

~ that the bathtub installation has begun.  I'm being patient for them to get it finished!

~ rain we had this week and the pretty lightning.  Also the pretty moon we saw on the way to school!  

~ that my Dad was able to travel and come to the baseball game as well. 

Have a day of blessings! 

 Bethany

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Wednesday Hodgepodge





1. March is rolling on out of here. Sum up your March in ten words or less. 
Bathtub found, install started! Celebrating birthdays and enjoying spring break!

2. Are you afraid of heights? When was the last time you found yourself dealing with a height, and did it make you nervous? 
I don't particularly love heights.  I'm usually okay if I don't think about it or don't look down.  I don't remember the last time I was dealing with a height.

3. What's a word you struggle to spell on a regular basis, and sometimes need to double check before writing it down? Use the word in a sentence that tells us something about your April calendar. 
I always double check on restaurant and toilet.  I mix up the vowels. I doubt myself on the order of the vowels.  I don't know why!!

4. Love 'em or hate 'em, with Easter comes the sweet treat known as Peeps. So... do you love 'em or hate 'em? Speaking of peeps, what's your favorite way to have chicken? 

I do love 'em.  It's fun to see all the different colors and varieties they have now.  I don't go out of my way to buy them, but I do like one or two.  I've seen some cute ones to use for decorations too.

We had this chicken recipe for supper this week, and it was great!  Easy and delicious!

5. This week's Hodgepodge lands on the first day of April, which happens to be National Poetry Month. Do you like poetry?  Share a favorite line or two from one of your favorite poems. What makes this one a favorite? 

Poetry has never been a favorite for me.  


I do like the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling.  We memorized it our senior year of high school, and I still remember some of it.  There is a lot of good wisdom in the lines of that poem.  


If you can keep your head when all about you

   Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

   But make allowance for their doubting too;


6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Happy April!  School will be winding down soon.  It goes so fast after spring break.  We are excited that the work has started this week for the bathtub install.  Hooray! 


Have a day of blessings! 
 Bethany

Thursday, March 26, 2026

Thankful Thursday




This week I am thankful for....

~ my husband having my van tires checked out.

~ the things our oldest does and works on to promote the non-profit he started in 2022.  He had a TV interview this week.  

~ that our DIL will help with the dog in or out when I leave before the pest guy got here.  

~ that our youngest's sore throat was just an ulcer and not a sickness.

~ our little cat...It's fun to watch him play and pounce about in the yard.  And to see him do his job and catch mice!

~ being able to host our first youth devo for the church youth group on Sunday night.

~ visiting with a Mom from church and her new baby. 

Have a day of blessings! 

Bethany

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Wednesday Hodgepodge




1. It's officially spring in the northern hemisphere. Does it feel like spring in your part of the world? If you're in the southern hemisphere it's officially autumn where you live. Does the weather say autumn? Which do you prefer-spring or autumn? Why? 

It has felt like spring here lately; however, over the weekend we had some record-breaking high temperatures in the 90s! I don't know what the official high was.  But it felt like summer and not spring!  

I think I prefer both fall and spring equally...  after the heat of Texas summer I'm ready to see some cooler temperatures and I like the activities of fall.  After the darkness of winter I'm ready for the warmer days and light and flowers!

2. What's your favorite thing about spring? 
 The flowers I see, particularly the wildflowers along our highways, are my favorite part of spring.  

And of course our youngest boy being born in spring!

3. Spring into action, spring in your step, spring to life, spring to one's feet...which spring idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain.  

Spring into action.....regarding the house and the new things we are getting done and marked off the to do list.  We've been here almost a year now and it's nice to be getting some more things done.  Now that the windows are done I want to decide on the curtains or blinds for each spot. 

4. Which spring food from this list is your favorite? What's a dish you like that includes your favorite spring ingredient? 

asparagus, strawberries, salad greens like mesclun, artichokes, spinach, eggs, peas, spring onions

On this list of foods strawberries would be my favorite.  

5. What's one task on your spring cleaning list? Do you actually have a list? 

I do not have an actual list for spring cleaning but I do have a daily list I make most days.  One task I need to do in spring cleaning is our bedroom closet.  Which with the bathtub install I will probably have to do that anyway!  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We got to host our church youth group on Sunday night.  It was great.  When they got here it was still pretty hot out (see question #1!) with those high temps we were having.  But it was a beautiful evening to sit outside as the sun went down.  

Have a day of blessings!

 Bethany

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Thankful Thursday




Well it's back to school this week after a nice spring break!  

This week I am thankful for...

~ to celebrate my husband on his birthday on Friday (two weeks after me!)

~ food our oldest made to eat together Sunday night.  He made fajitas, it was so good! 

~ when I have fabric my DIL can borrow.  

~ hearing our youngest sing in the shower while I'm folding clothes.

~  finding a bathtub!  I'm excited to get it put in.  Not sure when that will be yet.  

~ safe travel on our trip.  We had a flat.  I'm thankful my husband could get the spare on in a safe place off the interstate, and we got safely back to the shop to get it replaced.  

~ my Mom, today is her birthday and I'm thankful for her.  

Have a day of blessings! 

 Bethany


Wednesday, March 18, 2026

NLT Wide Margin Filament Bible review





Today I am sharing with you the NLT Wide Margin Filament-enabled Bible. I was not at all familiar with this and am happy to share with you.  Maybe you will be able to find something new to try in your Bible study time!  


About the Bible:


Discover more ways to interact with God’s Word with the Filament Bible Collection

·         What is a Filament-enabled Bible? Filament-enabled Bibles offer a seamless fusion of traditional reading and cutting-edge technology. The Filament Bible app is your gateway to a deeper, more enriching Bible-study experience. Seamlessly connect every page of your Bible to a treasure trove of resources, including:

o   25,000+ study notes for understanding

o   350+ videos for insight

o   40+ maps and infographics for context

o   400+ profiles and articles for enrichment

o   1,500+ devotions for daily inspiration 

o   audio Bibles for immersion

o   a library of worship music for personal reflection

·         Why you’ll love it

o   Deepen Your Understanding: The Study window contains everything you would expect to find in an excellent study Bible: book introductions, study notes, in-depth articles on key topics, and profiles of key people from the Bible.

o   Reflect on God’s Word: The Reflect window is less about in-depth study and more about connecting the ideas of the Bible to your everyday life. Here you’ll find devotional articles and thoughts that are curated from some of Tyndale’s favorite resources

o   Interactive experience: The See window is where you’ll find all things visual. Interactive maps and visuals allow you to zoom in or out and tap key locations to learn more and see photos of the sites. Videos that are relevant to the page you are reading are provided by The Bible Project

o   Convenient and Easy to Use: You get a stunning Bible that is easy to read and carry equipped with the Filament Bible app to bring you study notes, articles, reflections, videos, interactive maps, and even worship music—all curated for the page you’re reading—when you scan the page number with your phone or tablet.



My thoughts:


I have used and reviewed a variety of Bibles for women and children.  This one is different in that it is Filament-enabled.  What does that mean?  You get an app using the QR code at the front of the Bible.  Then whatever page you are on you can scan the page number, and the app will take you to numerous resources related to that page or passage.  

This is a screen shot of what that looks like.  


You can click on the maps or infographics for more information. 

Also there is a section of songs which is a nice addition in my opinion.  You click to listen to the music.  

Besides the study notes and helpful additional information, you can also click at the bottom to listen to a reading of the Scriptures. 

I appreciate the size of this Bible.  It isn't too big or bulky.  It is a plus for me that it lays flat.  I tested this out while reading before bed.  

There are multiple cover choices.  I really like this one.  There is a verse on the back as well.



I wasn't sure if the font would be too small for me.  I recently got a Bible with larger print.  This one seems to be okay.  It's not large print but the spacing and wide margins help I believe.  The wide margins are super nice if you are a note taker.  


Watch the trailer about this Bible!
 

You can go here to purchase your own copy. I hope you will consider this beautiful Bible.  It would make a nice gift or to keep for yourself.

I received a copy of this from FrontGate Media and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.


#studybible #biblejournaling

 Have a day of blessings! 
 Bethany

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Thankful Thursday


It is spring break for us, something I'm always thankful for....sleeping late, no schedule, less driving, quilting time, being home.  What are you thankful for this week?

Here is my list:

~ my husband working to get my car in the garage before the storm.  

~ when our son comes over and talks for a little bit.  

~ time with our DIL. I like to see the connections she's made with Titus too.   

~ having Titus at home during spring break! 

~ the beautiful rainbows we saw after the big storm. Puddles everywhere and cooler weather!

~ going together to our niece's 3rd birthday over the weekend and having a safe trip.

~ fun working on quilting projects!


Have a day of blessings!
 Bethany