The Liebster Award

Sweet AJ from One Part Joy One Part Circus (I love her blog's name) has awarded me with the "Liebster Award". This award is given by bloggers to other bloggers. It is a way to spread the "news" of other small blogs. It is also a fun way to get to know one another in this great big bloggy world. :) Here's how it works ~ 
1. Answer 11 questions from the nominating blog.
2. Tell 9 things about you.
3. Nominate 7 bloggers who have less than 200 followers and ask those bloggers 11 questions  {Don’t forget to tell the new bloggers you have nominated them!}
4. You must follow those 7 bloggers you nominate... just to share the bloggy love. 
5. If you are nominated and choose to play along, please let me know in the comments so that I can see your answers and get to know you! It's all about building community.
Questions from AJ for me ~

1. Do you have a favorite Bible verse or quote?  What is it?

Jermiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
   
 WOW! Thank you, Lord! Thank you for having my back. I know that I can count on you to get me through anything that comes my way. In you I have HOPE!


2. What was your favorite television show from your childhood?

Hmm...."Gilligan's Island", "Charlie's Angels"(I always wanted to be Farrah Fawcett. She had great hair!), or maybe "The Dukes of Hazard". Then there's "Little House on the Prairie", "Hogan's Heros" and "M*A*S*H".  I don't think I can pick just one. :)

3. If you had/have a daughter would you ever let her participate in a beauty contest?  Why or why not?

No. I believe that beauty contests gives a message that outer beauty is far more important than inner beauty. 

1 Peter 3:3-4  Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

4. What is one of your pet peeves?

Being corrected. Even when I'm wrong. I know, it's something I'm working on.

5. Favorite blog and/or link up??  
My favorite link up is Five Minute Friday at Lisa-Jo's
My favorite blog....oh, I have too many of them to list! However, Ann Voskamp's, A Holy Experience, always moves me.

6. What is one recipe you learned to make in the last year?

Today I FINALLY made my friend's recipe for shortbread cookies! I've been drooling over Sarah's cookies for years.....I don't know why I waited so long. 

7. What is one strange habit you have?

Let me ask my husband. 

He says I don't have any and since I'm working on not being right all the time (see #4) I better not disagree. 


8. Where is one place you would visit if cost was no object?

A trip around the WORLD! (is that one place?) It depends on who I can take with me. 
        Solo trip? I'm thinking a Bali vacation house much like the one in the movie "Eat, Pray, Love". Solitude with a stack of good books and a journal. Sounds wonderful! 

With my husband? Ireland
With my darling daughter? Definitely Paris!
With my dear boy? Somewhere adventurous such as Machu Picchu, African safari or the Amazon.

9. What is something you want to learn to make or do??

Quilt, speak a foreign language and knit something more complicated than a scarf.

10. Beach or Mountains?

Both. Really how can you choose? Majestic mountains or the sound of water hitting the sandy beach......both sound divine!

11. Coffee or tea?

Both. I LOVE coffee but I also like a good cup of tea (Good Harvest Sweet and Spicy or Chai Tea are my all time favorites). 

9 Things About Me

1. Music moves me and I love a huge range of music. Anything between Mozart and Metallica. Really. Worship music at church brings me to tears and if I wasn't worried about embarrassing my husband I would either be on my knees or raising my hands. 

2. I was a munchkin in my Jr./Sr. High School Musical of "The Wizard of Oz". The only performance I was ever in but I loved it. 

3. I hate public speaking. My hands shake, my voice shakes and my ears turn red. I'm sure that I sound like an idiot. I'd never be able to play Dorothy. 

4. Once I was interviewed on the radio. Same effect.  Again, I am sure that I sounded like an idiot.

5. I don't like the feeling of "losing control" therefore downhill skiing is out of the question. Besides, I hate being cold and yes, I do live in Minnesota.

6. Roller coasters are a whole different thrill. If I'm strapped in and feel secure then bring on the corkscrews!

7. When I was a young teenager my dream was to own a huge farm house which I would fill with "discarded" children. I would make those children feel so loved and we'd live happily ever after. 

8. My dream more recently was to buy a hobby farm and have an old pick up truck to haul my produce to the farmer's market but somewhere in the last year that dream has began to dissipate as I'm learning to follow God's calling. Now all I can think about is holding orphans.

9.  I like to have a plan. Several years ago (before I met hubs) I took my kids on a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I had a binder filled with an itinerary, confirmation numbers and the addresses of the campgrounds and hotels that we would be staying at, maps, as well as a list of sites and restaurants in each section of the U.P. (I intended to see ALL of it). Not having a plan leaves me feeling a bit like I'm on ski's careening down a slippery slope with no control of what I may run into. 

My never-plan-for-anything-husband is helping me find a balance. I am also learning to put my faith in HIS plan (which leads us back to my favorite verse in Jeremiah). I'm excited to see what God has in store for me!




I am pleased to announce my nominations for the Liebster Award in no particular order.........
1. Little Patch of Heaven Homestead
2. Abiding Love, Abounding Grace
3. Free Time is Overrated 
4. Repurpose My Life
5. Beautiful Rubbish
6. Knitting Girl 
7. Hoot and Holler

My questions for my nominees: 

1. What brings you joy?
2. What drives you nuts (pet peeves)?

3. If you had one day with no kids/spouse/responsibilities and could do anything you wished, how would you spend your day?

4. Favorite book?
5. Since I'm moved by music, I want to know your favorite song. :)

6. What is one word that others would use to describe you?

7. What are you good at?
8. What do you wish you knew how to do?

9. Favorite dessert (because I'm all about food)?

10. Who is your hero?

11. What is your favorite household chore? (I'm chuckling a little here. I'm going to bet that no one says, "toilets"! ;) )



Please go visit my blogging friends that I've nominated - you may learn something new. :)