Oh My, We've Been Tagged!

Sarah,
How sweet of you to tag us! Of course, you are our only follower, except for our daughter who periodically looks at our blog. The instructions are for us to write six random things about ourselves. I don't know how to link so I'll leave it here for future reference.

1-Frank-I had six bypasses after returning from Ecuador on a Mission trip. We climbed old volcanoes and hundreds of rickety steps to reach the native people there and minister the gospel of Jesus. Sort of out of breath on the equator, but so was everyone else.
Pamela-Had a massive brain aneurysm that resulted in surgery in 1997. Lost short-term memory but retained her love for her Lord. Sometimes she worries that I will leave her alone, but I assure her that she is 'stuck with me'.

2-Frank-Most content while working in the woodshop whittling or creating with wood.
Pamela-Happiest in the kitchen cooking a new 19th century receipt.

3-Frank & Pamela- Greatest accomplishment? Raising three beautiful children, loving three in-laws, nurturing 5 (soon to be 7) grandchildren, giving our hearts to 17 foster children and hundreds of kids in youth and children's ministries.

4-Frank & Pamela-We both sing in an acapella group, Civil Folks, and enjoy 19th century instruments and technique.

5-Frank-My specific hobby out of many interests is collecting 19th century hand glazed pottery.
Pamela-Creating dolls and collecting rare 18th & 19th century examples.

6-Frank-I love ministering to people with song. God's anointing is what makes the difference in every note I sing and I give Him the credit and the glory for all that I am.
Pamela-Is a gifted pianist. Her hands float ont he keyboard under God's anointing. There is not a song that she cannot play after she hears it once. Even after the aneurysm. This is one blessing God has given her that keeps her spirit going.

Okay, that's six, but there is so much left to write about us.

We have been blessed more than we deserve and God is not finished with us, yet.

Sarah, you've been re-tagged! (Can one do that? We love hearing about your beautiful family. Heck, I even wear your husband's pants from a CWR forum purchase!)
Hilary, you have been tagged! (Write a blog or at least reply in our comments section.)

With love,
Frank and Pamela

FALLing In Love!

Falling In Love, the perfect theme for the perfect wedding. On Saturday we had the honor of presiding over the wedding of two dear young friends. Pam and I inspired some of the decor for the event, mostly involved in making the florals.

It was held in a rural setting at the Bride's great-grandmothers farm. the barns were cleaned and freshened, months ago Cosmos flowers were planted in the fields, an arch was built over the altar area, but most importantly, God was especially invited and showed up as the guest of honor.

To me, it was the most spiritual wedding I have been involved with, and one of the most beautiful.

A harpist sat in the side cow shed of a barn and played I Exalt Thee as the bride entered on the carpet of grass, her bouquet a splash of orange and chocolate roses accented with Goldenrod that grew nearby. It was such a special moment. Pam joined me and we sang The King of Who I Am in acapella fashion. The rest of the ceremony was simple, but contained an element not found in most weddings, the visitation of the Holy Spirit.

Just thought this blog would like to know that there is some peace in this world of chaos in which we live. I just wish you could have experienced this peace.

Frank

My New Table Cloth

Well, you are looking at a project I have wanted to do for a couple of years now. I finally created what I call a 'table cloth'. It is a small version of a 'floor cloth' that was in fashion in the early 1800's up to about 1850 and then went completely out around the 1920's.

Floor cloths are made of thick cotton canvas that is cut to size (this one is 14" by 27") and primed twice. Then I add two coats of the gold background color (gold was the color most frequently used), several layers of stencils, two protective varnish coats and two coats of handrubbed Carnuba and beeswax that gives it a brown antique glazed appearance. Next I polish it to a beautiful sheen.

The one pictured is made for the center of the dining table, at the back door, or as a wall hanging. Many have been in use for years without dulling the sheen. It will be making its way to our website in the next few days.

It is so relaxing to make them. Each one will be different because in addition to stencils I use a lot of handpainting to make each unique. We've already been asked to do a Living History demonstration at the Cannonball House in Macon, Georgia.

My next project will be a 5x7 foot floor cloth for our Grand Hallway. I'll be using documented historic stencils for that one. Will take about two weeks to complete, but my bride is worth the effort.

Fall and Winter Means,...Soup!

I just posted this on a recipe forum and thought I would add it here, too.

Well, in the Fall and Winter we eat soups frequently. My faves are Cream of Potato and Vegetable Beef.

Cream of Potato
Peel white potatos and onions in equal amounts and dice. Boil them in chicken broth that comes up nearly halfway of the vegetables. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper. When done, leave broth in the pot and mash with a potato masher (I like ours chunky) and add about 1/2 to a pint of whipping cream.Your family will beg for more!

Vegetable Beef
Cut stew beef meat into spoon size chunks and brown in your pot with a little olive oil.
Add the cut up veggies of your choice. I use:potatos, tomatos, carrots, celery, onion, 2-3 ears of corn from the cob or 1 can of cream corn

The following are MUST HAVES to make the soup extra delicious:
2 cups of okra (A southern staple. If you don't have okra use File'. This is dried and powdered Sasafrass leaves.)
brown field peas (The little brown ones thicken the soup and give it a rich flavor and color.)minced garlic (About a heaping tablespoon.)Italian spices (I like the flavor that these herbs impart.)
fresh nutmeg (I grate about 1/2 teaspoon.)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the whole pot on slow heat. Several hours on a woodburning stovetop.
Serve with Southern Style Cornbread.
Don't worry about leftovers, there won't be any!

Pamela

Prescribed by the Great Physician

You know, just when you begin to feel sorry for yourself, God will send someone your way to brighten your day. A friend sent me this last year and I kept it in my archives, perhaps it will help you, too.

Frank

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The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer..AND
Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses! God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger. In the Circle of God's love, God's waiting to use your full potential.

1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's Me.
3. Growing old is inevitable ... growing UP is optional.
4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.
6. Do the math .. count your blessings.
7. Faith is the ability to not panic.
8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.
9. If you worry, you didn't pray . If you pray, don't worry.
10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.
11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.
12. The most important things in your house are the people.
13 When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15 He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

Be blessed on this beautiful day,
Frank