How heavy is the price of Freedom?

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

For many the price of freedom is heavy or unimaginable.  We here in the U.S. enjoy a freedom that just does not compare to other parts of the world.   So many of us truly do not understand the blessing and reality of our freedoms, though thankfully many still do.  We live in a country that was founded "under God" and yet we are so protective of our freedom that we constantly turn our backs on the one who has set us free.

Before you click away because you sense I am being too judgmental and pointing fingers please hear me out.  I too have turned away at times and am often at odds with the church.  I have always had many struggles with the church at times due to many events from childhood.  As an adult, I know now why I feel like I do at times.  I also know that a lot of what I struggle with is the standards by which many Christians put upon each other.  In other words what I struggle with is not of God, but humans.

It is heartbreaking to me that so many will not even recognize Christ because they only associate him with laws and  regulations.  It is very hard to explain this to some, whom like me have been attacked as not being a Christian or not being Christian enough in their behavior.  I absolutely boil every time I hear someone say, "Well, are they a Christian?"  I get very annoyed, because usually this means there is something that perhaps they are seeing or hearing from another that does not meet the standards by which they have adopted.  In my opinion a true Christian knows you can never know if another is truly a believer any more then you can know of the struggles in their hearts.  I know many Christians who at times do not act very Christ like, though I do not question their faith.  I do not carry that yoke.  That's not to say that there are not times when sometimes you really have to wonder about another.  But for me, it is not something I worry about because it is such a freedom to know that God has his eye on us all.

Since the children [are human], He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy Him who holds the power of death-- that is, the devil -- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
(Hebrews 2:14-15)

I often wonder if there are times when his eyes may be filled with tears though.  Tears, because he gave his only son to free us all and yet many still will not believe, and we wonder why? Tears because we often burden each other with heavy standards that we create.  Tears because instead of protecting the freedom and teachings we have received from Christ himself by loving others, we choose to handle it our own way.  We either create to many laws and standards that others simply cannot meet or we seem to think that by eliminating God from the picture all together, somehow there will be peace and freedom among men.  

It is not hard to see that the sins of this world are still so many!  But, we have an adversary! We have a rescuer and a redeemer in Christ.  He is still and always will be our Savior, and He was given for you, because he loves you that much to set you free!

I am posting this early today because I am about to begin a very busy holiday weekend.  I have not posted a "Sharing Jesus Sunday" with you in a while and really wanted to share this one with you.   I have had this heavy on my heart for some time and felt this was a great time to share it with you.

May God Bless You All and

God Bless America!

Mary

I'll Show you My Colors Martha!

OMG!  Sometimes I seriously amaze myself!  I wasn't even going to try and participate in Ms. Debbiedoo's Copycat Magazine Challenge until I saw the Today show this week.  Did anyone else see it?  It was the episode with Martha Stewart when she and Ann made some fabulous firecracker cookies.  Martha said, that magazine was flying off the shelves because ladies everywhere wanted to see the cover, and this was it!

Just look at those gorgeous pinwheel firecracker looking cookies!  After seeing Ann and Martha make them on TV I knew I wanted to make some too.  They looked so easy!   I already wanted to take some cookies with us on the boat to see the fireworks and thought these would be quite a hit!

So I whipped out my favorite Decorator Icing recipe that I have used (very successfully I might add) many times before.

I whipped up a batch...

then seperated some out to make the blue and red icing.

I didn't have any icing bags on hand so I improvised as I have done many times before using ziplocks.

I generously applied my white just like Martha instructed.  I then used my colored icing to make circles around the dot, just like Martha instructed.

And this is what I ended up on the first few cookies!  OMG!  What the.....???? 

But wait ladies, it get's better!

I'm not one to give up easily so I kept on going.  Lordy me!!!

Honestly the sugar I was licking off my fingertips must have been getting to my head because ya'll these things are so dang ridiculous looking I was laughing out loud!

I mean talk about a hot mess!  They look like I was trying to tye dye them or something!  

Or better yet, they look as if the firecrackers exploded on top of them.  OMG!  I just had to laugh about them and do plan to bring them out anyway.  I am just going to wait until it is very dark during the fireworks show and everyone has already had a few beers or something.  LOL! 

Sorry Debbie, I guess I sure failed this challenge.  Maybe you can save this post for one of your bloopers parties!  

Not even close...huh?  Hahaha!

Yep!  Sometimes I sure do amaze myself!

Please be sure and check out some of the more talented bloggers over at 

Debbiedoos Magazine Copycat Challenge.

I hope all of you have a very Happy 4th of July!

I still plan to!  If you can't laugh at yourself , then you are really missing out!

Life's to short to fret the small stuff!

Big smiles Everyone!

Mary

Celebrating with Stars and Stripes

Yay!  It's time to celebrate!  Are you ready?  I'm getting there!  I've got most of the trimmings done.   Now, I just need to get going on food planning and the baking.

We have several reasons to celebrate this weekend.

It's going to be a long weekend for sure.  On Saturday we will celebrate my husbands birthday and enjoy a cookout at our sailing club along with an evening raft up on the water to watch the fireworks.

I've combined a few things  for our 4th of July tablescape at home with a few items to take with us Saturday on the water.

Like this tic tac toe box set.  It might come in handy while were waiting for the fireworks to begin.

I'm really hoping to take this cute little centerpiece I made too, just not sure how I will display it on board yet.

The dishes will not make the boat trip but I am thrilled to finally bring them out.

  I can't believe I found these adorable place mats at  DT this year.

 I feel like I have been waiting forever to use these plates!  I got them late last summer after seeing so many of you with these.  I just loved them everytime I saw some of your tablescapes and was thrilled when I found them on clearance at TJ Maxx.  

I've combined them with my"free" salad plates that I won from Lenox last Christmas.

Then topped it off with red checked paper napkins.  Yes!  You heard me right, these adorable checked napkins were from the DT also.  They will definitely make it on the boat!

I have had my star napkin rings forever but they were brass.  The brass seemed a bit dated so I updated them with a few spray coats of white.

Thought you might enjoy a close up of my wedding stainless again.

My blue iridescent goblets never made it back in the cabinets from last week.

I've had this linen forever and have no clue where it came from.  I got this one and another I will show you soon when my oldest was younger and we decorated his room in red white and blue.  I used these for his dresser tops to keep them from getting scratched.

The red bucket was on clearance last week at Hobby Lobby and looks great with the flowers, sparkly stars and streamers from DT.  

I have always seen these wiry streamer thingys at DT and thought they were cute but a bit plain.  I don't know why I've never thought of adding them to arrangement before.  Duh!

However, I got the idea of using the daisy's from our fellow blogger, A Musing Popourri.  I had just purchased the pail last week when she posted her red pail with flowers and knew I had to be a copy cat.  Thanks La! 

I found these cute little salt and pepper shakers at Dollar General for only $1.50.  Seriously!

The apple pie candle was from the $1.00 bin at Michael's last year and the plastic tray from was from you guessed it, the Dollar Tree.

I've brought out my 4th of July painting and set the side table in the kitchen for dessert.

Here's the other linen that I used in my sons room years ago.  I think they might actually be dishtowels, but not sure because they are so large.

This is the Mr.s cake plate.  I've set it on top of a compote for height.

Then stacked some desert dishes on top.

Last year I made these anchor napkin rings for the fourth.  This year I've used them as accents.  It was a fun and easy project that really looks great on napkins.  Speaking of napkins, I just love these checked paper napkins so much I may have to go back and stock up.  They had matching paper plates too!

Well, this is what were up to this weekend!

How about you?  What plans do you have?

Please leave me a note I would really like to hear!

I am joining both Tablescape Thursday and

 Thrifty Tablescape Party today.

So here's the run down.

Dinner and desert plates, Calico? by Queens from TJ Maxx - $3.00 and $2.00 each

Salad Plates, Butlers Pantry by Lenox - free (prize)

Stainless Steel Flatware, Louisiana from Oneida - free (wedding)

Goblets, unknown from yardsale - $3.00 set

Placemats from Dollar Tree - $1.00 each

Checked paper napkins from Dollar Tree -$1.00

Serving tray from Dollar Tree - $1.00

Flowers, Stars Streamers from Dollar Tree - $1.00

Red Pail from Hobby Lobby - $1.06

Apple Pie candle from Michaels - $1.00

Wishing each of you a very happy fourth of July!

Mary