A beautiful thing happened through the Sugar Pie  Girl-Talk Forum not too long ago…A sweet Sugar Pie Sistah named Angela from the Retro Farm Wife became dear friends with another “Sistah”  named Carissa from Stella’s Apron Strings.  Carissa had a brother, Jeff. Through a series of providential events, Angela and Jeff met, fell in love and were married this past December, just before Christmas! Had it not been for these Sugar Pie sisters meeting via the Forum, Angela and Jeff never would have met! Wow! I love how the Lord used this little spot on the World Wide Web to bring two hearts together!

 

Angela

Read Angela’s story in her own words:

“My life had taken an unexpected turn before I moved back home to live with my parents in Illinois at the end of August 2007-thus the name of my blog, The Unexpected Return Home (now named the Retro Farm Wife). As unexpected as the circumstances were, I was happy and relieved to be back home and thankful that I had my parents’ home to return to.

 

On April 27, 2009 I joined the forums on Aunt Ruthie’s Sugar Pie Farmhouse after following her blog for some time. I wasn’t a regular poster, but I did keep up with the site and posted every once in a while. A fellow poster, who knew the reason behind my return home, contacted me one day to point out that a fellow Sugar Pie “Sistah” had posted about going through a similar trial. I felt compelled to encourage her. In my reply, I shared a little of what I had gone through. When I replied to the lady’s post, Carissa from Stella’s Apron Strings blog saw my reply and noticed that my circumstance was much like one she had experienced in her own life, many years ago. She contacted me on January 16. The next day, she invited me to view her blog. I invited her to view mine as well and we began communicating via blog comments.

 

 

 

 

Carissa’s family

“During this time, I was in my final semester of college at age 29. I had a full plate and didn’t imagine that I’d keep up with her blog for too long because I was so busy. We really connected though. I loved her photography and the layout of her blog and the way she decorated her home. It was all totally my style. The love that she had for the Lord and her family flowed right out of my computer screen each time I visited her blog. It was refreshing to see a lady treasure her husband, children, and extended family so much. The more we communicated, the more I realized just how much we shared in common. I’d never had so much in common with anybody!

 

It wasn’t long after that, when her mother began leaving comments on my blog and emailing me as well. I was having a hard time dealing with my divorce, but the emails that her mother sent me were filled with encouragement. I longed to be a wife and mother more than anything else. The fact that Carissa had been down the same road as me and yet now had a loving husband and two wonderful children gave me hope. Carissa was living my dream.”

 

 

 

Angela soon found out that Carissa had a brother. A “very handsome” one at that! She saw of picture of “Uncle Jeffrey” holding his niece on Carissa’s blog and began to inquire about him and even felt led to pray for him. He became a topic of conversation when Angela, Carrissa and their mothers planned to drive half way to meet each other in person (they lived three hours away)…

 

 

“Carissa and I, along with our mothers, were planning on meeting each other at Starved Rock during my spring break. We’d never met any fellow bloggers in person before, but were very excited because we all had so much in common. I posted on my blog about our upcoming trip and shared this quote:

The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway.

~Henry Boye

Was that appropriate or what? Of course I obviously had NO idea at the time! About two weeks before our meeting, I felt prompted to begin praying for this “Uncle Jeffrey.” I wasn’t sure why, but I knew that it wouldn’t hurt, so I mentioned him every time I prayed-that the Lord would ease his pain and perhaps give him, if it was His will, another opportunity to meet someone and have the family that he always longed for as well.”

 

Angela was delightfully surprised when she was given a bouquet of flowers sent to her from Carissa’s brother Jeff the day of their girls get-together…a sweet gesture of his interest in her. I’m sure joy-bells began ringing in her heart when she learned Jeff was thinking and inquiring about her! A thank you note via email to Jeff was the beginning of their love story:

 

 

 

“That began a daily flow of emails, which led to phone calls and a visit right off… April 2 to be exact. Our visits have been filled with LOTS of laughter; plenty of time spent with each other’s families; long hikes; fishing trips; endless games of Othello, Rummikub, Books and Runs; and him trying to teach me Pinochle (which I’m still not sure I’ll ever grasp!) I’ve grown to admire him, respect him, trust him, and love him dearly through this all. He exceeds anything I could have dreamed up myself. I’m still in shock that the Lord has brought this about because I fell oh-so-blessed!”

 

Angela wrote about this photo: “Me, SO HAPPY, on my way home from Indiana after the engagement.

Thank you, Aunt Ruthie!”

 

From Jeff’s mom:

 

“A love story indeed… God’s love and grace dripping down over the two of you. Orchestrated beautifully. Far beyond our hopes and dreams… middle of the night prayers, answered… specific words cried out over many years, now glisten in the abundance of your love, Jeff’s love… God’s love. Tears turned to joy…. ashes to beauty. Mothers’ hearts sighing, lifting hands to heaven and thanking Jesus daily. He didn’t have to …but He did…He did wonderfully, awesomely, perfectly, bring the two of you together. What a love story. It’s called AMAZING GRACE.♥

 

When Carissa called and told me to check out your blog, I knew…she knew. :) We had prayed specifically and here you were. :) What fun we had watching it come together… and then at Starved Rock, sitting next to you, patting your hand… speaking of Jeff…(praying as I was and feeling the Holy Spirit’s prompting) there were tears in my eyes, in your eyes…we both knew (for you had been praying too). :) Now here we all are…

 

So happy for you, so happy for my son. Sometimes words cannot express such joy, it’s a matter of the heart. All of us are thrilled for you both. HOPE has a name, JESUS!

A love story with many pages to fill… and we’re all waiting with much anticipation as the next page is about to be written…

 

I remember Jeff saying to me, “Mom, I’m not going to go out and look for someone…God will bring that special woman to me if He so chooses to do so”, and HE DID!!♥

 

Psalm 126:3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. “

 

The Wedding Day…

“Dear Aunt Ruthie,

I’m sending along some photos from our wedding day at Songbird Prairie Bed & Breakfast in Valparaiso, Indiana. The whole time was magical.  Our immediate families and some very close friends joined us in staying the night at the b and b before the wedding day.  We all came down in our pajamas and ate breakfast the morning of the wedding.  Then, everybody went back to their rooms to finish getting ready and the wedding guests began arriving.”

“The ceremony started about 12:30.  Just moments later, we were wed! “

“We took TONS of photos and then sat down to eat a multiple course meal that the chef had prepared for us.  People were so stuffed!  Then we served wedding cake.  We surprised the guests by having a mini individual cake made for each couple.  We dined in a sunroom with a lot of huge windows and bird feeders just outside of the windows.  It was definitely a bird watcher’s delight as we saw many different colorful breeds eating and flying among the trees.”

“People have not stopped talking about the day!  We love re-living it! Ultimately, I just wanted YOU to know how thankful I am that the Lord used you to bring us together.  I always wished to marry such a good Christian man and have a wonderful relationship where God is the center and the Lord has given me just that.  Jeff (my husband) is a very strong man but a very gentle man at the same time.  He loves the Lord and he loves me.  He always tries to put me first and shows concern for me no matter what the situation.  I feel so loved, secure, and cared for.  Every day is such a joy!

Happy New Year!!!

I shared on Facebook last week about my Heart Shaped Waffle Maker. After making some tummy-warming Chili, I whipped up a batch of Jiffy Cornbread mix. The fun part was, instead of using a pan or muffin tin for the cornbread, I poured the batter in my heart-shaped waffle iron. They turned out so cute and were easy to hold onto as we sat around the fire and gobbled them up along with the hot Chili! A perfect way to spend a wintry night by the way! I’ve also made Blueberry Muffin waffles this way too. They take just minutes to make!  It’s the little things we do that make life fun! This waffle maker beeps when it’s ready to pour the batter and beeps again when the waffle is done. How easy is that? I like easy!

Another Beautiful Thing  that I LOVE is this book Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey!

But the BEST BEAUTIFUL THING that’s happened to our family is…

Kimmy and Dusty are expecting their first baby!!! This will be my second grandbaby! Woo hooo!! As most of you know my son Dusty is the genius designer of my Web Site and my adorable daughter-in-law is amazing in her own right. I love the drawing that Dusty did on Kimmy’s t-shirt! This was their Baby announcement! How cute is that!

They are going to be fabulous parents and this sweet baby, who is going to be born in July, is going to be well loved!!

It’s good to take a look around at all of the Beautiful Things that God has blessed us with. A thankful heart is a happy heart.

Be thankful and happy!

May the good Lord bless you and keep you real good!

Hugs, Y’all!

Aunt Ruthie

PS. Sugar Pie Farmhouse is on Facebook! Come join us!!

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Howdy and Happy 2011 Sugar Pie Darlin’s! My oh my! I sure do love the beginning of a New Year!! It’s so refreshing! The slate is scrubbed clean like clothes washed with homemade soap on an old washboard! It’s our chance for a fresh start…new adventures…new opportunities to pursue the things that have been dancing in our heart!

My Planner is from Franklin-Covey.

It’s always like a breath of fresh air after I’ve taken down and put away all of the glittery Christmas goodness. I actually welcome the “plain Jane”  look. It’s uncluttered, simple and farm fresh. When my home is clutter-free  neat and tidy, I can actually think clearer. To the contrary, when my house is in a jumble I’m faced with a long list of things waiting impatiently for my attention and it’s hard to think of anything else!  I so look forward to the moment that I can sit down in a calm and serene atmosphere to take an intentional look at the new year ahead. This is where I think about my goals and dreams and what I’m going to do to achieve them. It’s where I  plan for a harvest of goodness in the year to come.

Here are my tips for getting the year off to a fruitful start :

~ Gather: your calendar, a favorite pen, and a notebook.

~ Create a happy thinking spot. This could be at the kitchen table or in a comfy chair or even at your computer. Fix  something yummy to drink in a pretty cup (I like to bring yummy-ness and  beauty into everything that I do…even down to lighting a votive candle in a jelly jar and sipping from my pink and brown polka-dot cup that I got from Starbucks at half price a few years ago. It doesn’t cost anything to make your everyday moments lovelier.)

~ Add music: something instrumental…classical, bluegrass…or whatever makes you feel perky and happy.

~Pray. In everything I do I want to seek God first. It’s crucial that we pray and ask God for His wisdom and direction.  His plans for us are so much better than our own, better than we can even imagine!  He created us so He knows us best!  I have found that whatever I feel passionate about it’s usually something He has put in my heart to pursue.  But to make sure I always pray first. Whatever it is that I decide to invest my time in, I have to be careful that it doesn’t take away from my time with God nor my time taking care of my home and family.  For example, I get a lot of requests to post more often on my blog (which I am truly grateful for, thanks sugar darlin’s!). You see, as much as I LOVE  writing my blog I just wouldn’t have the time that I need to nurture my family and home if I posted more often. I think it’s mainly due  to the fact that my posts are long (they take me a couple days to write) and there are so many images to download (my computer is slow). I could make them shorter but the thing is I have so much to say! What’s a gal to do?;)

“…seek (aim at and strive after), first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right),and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” Matthew 6:33

~Write: with pen in hand or on the computer, make a list of things you want to strive for physically, spiritually, at home, in your relationships and any other area (such as your blog, creative projects and ideas).  Write down your dreams and ideas. It’s the writing of your ideas and dreams that is so important. They are more likely to become a reality if you write them down. If we don’t write an idea down I find that it becomes more of a good intention rather than an attainable goal, and we run the risk of forgetting it altogether (oopsie daisy, that’s happened to me!)  When we see our ideas, goals and dreams on paper it gets our creative juices bubbling like a fizzy glass of soda pop. Then more ideas start to bubble up! It’s also important to keep that list visible so you can review it at least once a week. (Remember that old saying “out of sight, out of mind” !)

Writing down our goals and dreams is like planting a seed.

A good farmgirl sits down and plots her field or garden. She draws a map of her land and decides what she wants to harvest at the end of the season.  Then in view of that, she buys the seeds needed to meet that goal. It’s good to look at the end result of what you want to accomplish. This will inspire you to do what it takes to get it done. Also, imagine the joy of completing it and the blessing it may bring to others.

What do you want to harvest this year? What ideas do you want to plant and see grow?

~ Maybe you have a book you want to write: Start writing! Commit to 15 to 30 minutes a day, or pick one day a week to devote to writing. Make a date and write it on your calendar/planner. Gather research into a binder and start growing that book. Find related images on the internet or magazines to inspire you and put them in your binder. Get educated; read books on how to write fiction or non-fiction. Search the internet for useful information. The main thing is to get started.

~ Maybe you want to re-decorate a room in your home: gather pictures from the internet or magazines with the look that makes your heart leap. Keep these inspiring images in a notebook. Collect paint chips from Home Depot. Keep your eye out for good deals on home accessories. Think of new uses and placement for things you already have.  When the funds become available you’ll be ready!

~ Maybe you’re interested in photography and would like a better camera: even if the funds for a new camera aren’t available now, start doing some research for the kind you want to get. (cameratips.com is a good place to start). Then begin saving your money!  You can even start a savings account for just that, so you’re not tempted to spend it on something else. Collect all of the loose coins at the bottom of your handbags, you’d be surprised how much change adds up. If you’re asked what you want for your birthday, request money to go toward a new camera. Little by little it will add up and soon you’ll be capturing moments of beauty with your new camera.

~ Maybe you just want to get your house in order. You want to simplify (that’s on my list!!). Start with one drawer, or one closet. Small achievements will spur you on to do more! Oh how I love the feeling of a freshly organized closet! I go out of my way to peek in a cupboard or closet that I’ve tidied up!

~Maybe you want to raise chickens: this is something that I want to do, but don’t have the funds yet to build a chicken coop. But I can start gathering information and reading up on owning and caring for mama hens. I can even design my chicken house and pick out the kinds of cute chickies that I want to eventually get. I can also start thinking up their darlin’ names too! (Let’s see…Minnie Pearl…Beulah…Bessie Mae…Daisy…Dolly….)

~Roll up your sleeves: take action. Do a little something each day toward your goal or idea.

If  a good farmgirl wants a fruitful harvest she’s got to prepare the soil, plant the seed, water it,  nurture the sprout, tend the garden, feed the stocks as they grow,   remove weeds and pests, and before long she will reap the fruit of her labor. It’s called good old fashioned hard work.  If we want something enough then we’ll do what it takes to get it done. We can do it!

Maybe you’ve had a hard year in 2010, well now darlin’, today is a new day, it’s a new year, God’s mercies are new every mornin’ and He is right at your side to help you get back on that horse!  Don’t give up, and don’t park your pony!  Instead Sugar, brush yourself off, pull yourself up by your AdOrAbLe cowgirl bootstraps! Farmgirl up!   Life is short, you’ve got a purpose to fulfil, seeds to plant and people to bless! Now Giddy-up!

Philippians 3:13 (Amplified Bible)

~ Be Faithful! A good farmgirl must be faithful in tending to her farm in order to reap a good harvest. She knows what needs to be done and does it…no matter how she feels. Oh boy, some days I don’t feel like doing what I’ve got to do…but that’s where being faithful steps in.

Let’s be faithful in our relationship with God. Keeping Him first. Seeking Him through reading the Word, prayer, praise and worship.

Let’s be faithful in caring for our family and home. Being a blessing to our loved ones. Serving them with a servants heart.

Let’s be faithful to raise our children to be honorable, kind, helpful and loving. A good Nation starts with a good home.

Let’s be faithful in carrying out the Golden Rule: “Do unto others what you would have them do for you.”  Matthew 7:12

Let’s be faithful to take real good care of ourselves so we can take care of others. Eat healthier yes! But also take care of your emotional self.  I can’t even tell you how crucial it is to have a good attitude and to speak positively to others, about situations and to ourselves. The Word of God says that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,  And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21. Sugar Pies be a good friend to yourself, guard your darlin’ heart! Do you even know how precious you are? Be your own Mama Hen and don’t allow negative self-talk. Put up a sign on your heart that says “Sweet-as-Pie Words Only! (Aunt Ruthie says so!)”. In fact make it a rule in your home!

A good farmgirl knows that if she wants to harvest corn she had better not leave the corn seed in the barn! There won’t be any corn cobs on the supper table come summertime! We harvest what we plant in life.

Galations 6:7  What a person plants, he will harvest. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good.

Galations 6: 9  At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.

Be a Sugar Pie Farmgirl …sow seeds of goodness…and just watch joy grow in your life!

It starts right now! I would love to hear what you would like to plant and harvest this year (in terms of your ideas, dreams or garden!)

I would like to thank you so much for your comments. They keep me inspired! I do apologize that I’ve been unable to get back to many of your questions. So I want to try answering your questions in the comment section. If you leave me a question I will leave a comment back with the answer. So check back! Let’s see if this works!

May God bless you darlin’s and keep you real good!

Aunt Ruthie

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