New Pretties

Happy day, friends!

How are YOU?

I sincerely hope each one of you had a blessed Easter.

Ah, it's so good to sit down and write a post. . .

I feel as though I fell down the rabbit hole this last week

as I have been extremely absent from the blogging world.

Forgive me, sweet friends.

I have been busy taking care of my little one who got sick

and then "sweetly" passed it onto me.

We started feeling better, but alas,

the nasty little bug decided to strike again.

I think today is going to be much better as we both woke up

feeling somewhat "normal" again :)

I have also been a busy little bee in my craft room

and wanted to share some of the things that are now available at

Rose Petal Blessings.

And speaking of my Etsy shop

I would like to offer a little something to you, lovely friends.

You see. . .this weekend is my 30th birthday.

EEK!

The big 30!

So to celebrate I thought I would give away free gifts 

with your purchase of $25.00 or more at Rose Petal Blessings.

When you make an order that is $25.00 or more 

you will receive one of the following:

a pocket card,

a set of five shabby tags,

set of four note cards,

set of tea cup coasters,

set of tea bag wallets,

fabric basket,

or a mug rug.

After all, who doesn't love receiving gifts

and what could be more fun than giving gifts to my dear friends {{smiles}}

This offer is good until Saturday, April 2nd.

Now let's take a peek at some of the things listed on

Rose Petal Blessings.

Lovely journals

Sweet hand towels

Large Flea Market Tote Bags

Vintage Table Runner Tote Bags

The Tea Lover's Gift Set

Pretty little tags

Pocket Cards

Delightful tea cup coasters.

And tea cup coasters

and tea bag wallet sets

Plus so much more!

Stop by Rose Petal Blessings

and see if anything catches your eye :)

Remember, I am giving away free gifts 

with your purchase of $25.00 or more at Rose Petal Blessings.

Much love and sweet hugs to you!

Rejoice, For He Lives Today!

Jesus is not the "Great I WAS"

but rather the "Great I AM!"

Jesus Christ is not only a historical fact but a present-day, living reality.

All of Christianity rests upon the truth that Jesus rose from the grave victorious

 and is now seated at the Father's right hand as our personal Advocate.

"Fear not; I am the first and the last:

I am he that liveth, and was dead;

and behold, I am alive forevermore, 

Amen."

Revelation 1:17b, 18 {KJV}

Christ Arose

Written by

Robert Lowry, 1826 - 1899

Low in the grave He lay - Jesus, my Savior!

Waiting the coming day - Jesus, my Lord!

Vainly they watch His bed - Jesus, my Savior!

Vainly they seal the dead - Jesus, my Lord!

Death cannot keep his prey - Jesus, my Savior!

He tore the bars away - Jesus, my Lord!

Chorus

Up from the grave He arose,

with a mighty triumph o'er His foes;

He arose a Victor from the dark domain,

and He lives forever with His saints to reign,

He arose! He arose!

Hallelujah!

Christ arose!

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.

Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

Matthew 28:6

Weep No More

written by

Steve Pettit

Mary went to the tomb in the morning,

But the stone had been rolled away.

So she hurried to tell the disciples,

Christ was taken from where He lay!

As her tears flowed like rain in the garden,

A clear voice sweetly called her name,

Then she turned, for she knew it was Jesus;

He's alive just as He claimed!

Place your faith in the blood of the Savior,

And your sins will be washed away.

All the power of death will be broken,

Oh, rejoice, for He lives today!

Oh, weep no more in sorrow,

He has risen and conquered the grave!

He's alive!

It is true as He promised,

Oh, rejoice, for He lives today!

"Now if we be dead with Christ,

we believe that we shall also live with him:

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more;

death hath no more dominion over him."

Romans 6: 8 - 9

Look, Ye Saints! the Sight is Glorious

Written by

Thomas Kelly, 1769 - 1854

Look, ye saints! the sight is glorious:

See the Man of Sorrows now;

From the fight returned victorious,

Every knee to Him shall bow:

Crown Him! crown Him!

Crowns become the Victor's brow.

Crown the Savior! angels crown Him!

Rich the trophies Jesus brings;

In the seat of power enthrone Him,

While the vault of heaven rings:

Crown Him! crown Him!

Crown the Savior King of kings.

Sinners in derision crowned Him,

Mocking thus the Savior's claim;

Saints and angels crowd around Him,

Own His title, praise His name:

Crown Him! crown Him!

Spread abroad the Victor's fame!

Hark! those bursts of acclamation!
Hark! those loud triumphant chords!

Jesus takes the highest station-

O what joy the sight affords!

Crown Him! crown Him!

King of kings and Lord of lords!

My dear friends,

allow the precious truth of Jesus Christ's resurrection to thrill your life anew.

Sing with great triumph, "Christ arose!"

We serve a living Savior-

He is the King of kings and Lord of lords!

God sent His Son - they called Him Jesus:
He came to love, heal, and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
because He lives all fear is gone;
because I know He holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because He lives.
- Bill Gaither -

Now let the heavens be joyful, let the earth her song begin,

let the round world keep triumph and  all that is therein;

let all things seen and unseen their notes in gladness blend,

for Christ the Lord hath risen, our joy that hath no end!

- From the early eighth century by John of Damascus -

Celebrate and rejoice this Easter season!

Allow your soul to vibrate with joy and "Alleluias"

for all that the risen Savior means to you!

Have a blessed Easter, my friends!

Sharing with:

Roses of Inspiration #54 - The Last Party

Happy day to you, sweet and faithful friends.

I hope each one of you are doing well

and I trust you are enjoying the first lovely days of spring.

We are supposed to get snow and rain this week - oh joy! :)

Before we start the party I have some news I would like to share. . .

I have prayerfully decided to stop hosting Roses of Inspiration.

This has been a hard decision to come to,

but I know this is what the Lord wants me to do right now.

My dear friends, I truly love hosting this party every week

and every week I am inspired by all of you.

You made me smile when I saw your delightful creations,

laugh at the antics of your children or grandchildren,
swoon over your stunning home decor,

and even cry when some of you bared your soul and shared your heart.

For the last year you have blessed me in more ways than one

by simply sharing your sweet self with Roses of Inpiration.

I am filled with gratitude for ALL OF YOU

that linked up with Roses of Inspiration.

You took the time to stop by

and it meant the world to me.

Dearest friends,

I find my blogging schedule is becoming too much for me to handle

and right now my best option is to say "goodbye" to Roses of Inspiration.

I will still share the beloved hymns on Sunday, 

a crafting, tea, or recipe post during the week,

and book reviews on the weekend.

I hope you understand my need for stepping away from this precious party.

I can't thank you enough for joining me on this adventure.

You made Roses of Inspiration 
memorable and beautiful.

May you have a blessed Easter!

Without further ado,
let's get the last party started
by beginning with some lovely Easter and Spring features.

Roses of Inspiration Features. . .

If you were featured than please feel free to take the "I was featured" button.

Simply copy the HTML code and paste it onto your blog.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com" title="The Enchanting Rose"><img src="http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t377/peaches525/6d8b180b-b3b8-4065-9986-dcccb5a9f70e_zpsc65070e5.jpg" alt="The Enchanting Rose" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Please do not pin from my site!

Go to the original source and pin from there IF it is okay with the blog owner!

. . . { Spring & Easter Inspiration } . . .

My 1929 Charmer

showed us her sweet Spring hutch.

Debbie - Dabble

shared her beautiful floral cross wreath.

Little Treasures

shared these darling crocheted egg baskets.

La Sportina

showed us her cute handmade chickens.

Living With Thanksgiving

shared a stunning post of spring flowers.

Blue Willow House

showed us how she made her fun Easter centerpiece.

Teach The Younger Women

shared a beautiful and inspiring post about the arrival of spring.

The Little White Cottage in the Woods

shared a charming post about what's going on around her neck of the woods.

The lovely photo she shared at the party caught my eye instantly.

If you are new to our party than here are the basics. . .

{ 1 }

You can link up anything that your heart desires. . .
{please keep it family friendly}

crafting - recipes - encouragement

Scripture - devotionals - photography

healthy living - gardening - home living

sewing - crochet/knitting - fashion

beauty - tea time - home decor 
and even giveaways.

{ 2 }

You can link up as many posts as you want

and they can be posts you have written today, last week, last month, or last year.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Below is a button available for your sidebar
to let others know about Roses of Inspiration.

<div align="center">
<a href="http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com" title="The Enchanting Rose"><img src="http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t377/peaches525/eca034cc-886a-4d9a-8e02-3a4f5bc60e74_zps45b994ad.jpg" alt="The Enchanting Rose" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Please take a few minutes to visit at least two blogs. . .
everyone loves a visit and comments.
I look forward to seeing what you share
and I will be around to visit throughout the week.
Have fun, sweet friends, and enjoy your day!

An InLinkz Link-up

He Died For You, He Died For me

For God so loved the world, 

that he gave his only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in him 

should not perish, 

but have everlasting life.

- John 3:16 -

O love divine, amazing love 

that brought to earth from Heav'n above

The Son of God for us to die,

that we might dwell on high.

For us a crown of thorns He bore,

for us a robe of scorn He wore.

He conquered death and rent the grave

and lives again our souls to save.

O wandr'er, come, on Him believe,

His grace by faith receive.

Awake, arise, and hear His call,

the feast is spread for all.

He died for you,

He died for me,

and shed His blood to make us free.

Upon the cross of Calvary,

the Savior died for me.

- Fanny Crosby -

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,

spread His praise from shore to shore,

How He came to pay our ransom 

through the saving cross He bore;

How He watches o'er His loved ones,

those He died to make His own;

How for them He's interceding,

pleading now before the throne.

O the deep, deep love,

all I need and trust

is the deep, deep love of Jesus.

- Samuel Trevor Francis and Bob Kauflin -

I will glory in my Redeemer,

Whose priceless blood has ransomed me.

Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails,

and hung Him on that judgment tree.

I will glory in my Redeemer,

Who crushed the pow'r of sin and death.

My only Savior before the Holy Judge;

The Lamb who is my righteousness,

- Steve and Vikki Cook -  

You were broken that I might be healed;

You were cast off that I might draw near;

You were thirsty that I might drink;

Cried out in anguish that I might sing.

You were darkness that I might know light;

Wept great tears that mine might be dried;

Stripped of glory that I might be clothed;

Crushed by Your Father to call me Your own.

How deep is Your love;

How high and how wide is Your mercy;

How deep is Your grace;

Our hearts overflow with praise to You!

- Stephen Altrogge -

May our hearts be tender to the working of our precious Lord

as we prepare for Easter.

Have a blessed Lord's Day, sweet friends!

The charming tea cup pictured in this post

was a very special gift from a very special blogging friend.

The Berenstain Bears Mother's Day Blessings - Book Review

Mama Bear is the best mama in all of Bear Country 

and Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear know just what to do for her on Mother’s Day. 

In this newest title in the Berenstain Bears Living Lights, 

The Berenstain Bears Mother’s Day Blessings, 

join the Bear family and all of Bear Country as they spend Mother’s Day together 

remembering just why our mothers are so special to all of us!

My Thoughts

I have always loved The Berenstain Bears

from the time I was a young girl.

Reading these books to my son is not only a delight,

but it brings back many fond memories from childhood.

I love the fact that I can give a Berenstain Bear book 

to my son to read on his own

and know he will be reading something wholesome,

something that will make him laugh 

and teach him the important truths about life.

The Berenstain Bears Mother's Day Blessings

is a sweet book that is perfect to read with your little ones around Mother's Day.

The cubs see what others do for his/her mother

and the book shows the reader that all kinds of women are mothers.

"Gee!" said Sister.

"I didn't even know Dr. Grizzly was a mother."

"Me, neither," said Brother.

"I just thought she was a doctor."

Mama laughed.

"Doctors, nurses, police officers, emergency crews-

and homemakers like me-

we can all be mothers."

{ Mother's Day Blessings }

I found the book to be enjoyable and sweet,

but it didn't seem to have a message.

Most Berenstain Bears books have a core message
that makes the reader think

and this book seemed to lack in that area.

This would be my one and only complaint.

As with all Berenstain books

the illustrations are wonderful

and the characters always leave you with a smile.

My son read the book

and asked that I give it 5 stars because he loved it :)

The book is written for his age 

so maybe you had better take his word over mine {{smiles}}

I am giving Mother's Day Blessings 4 stars.

 ** I was given a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers

for an honest review. 

All thoughts are my own and no other compensation was received. **

An Unbroken Heart - Book Review

An argument. A crash. 

In an instant, Joanna’s world is changed forever.

One minute, Joanna Schrock was arguing with her parents, 

and the next, her parents’ lives were claimed in a hit-and-run buggy accident. 

Her body is broken, but her heart is in even deeper pain— 

after all, how do you cope with your parents’ deaths 

when your last words were spoken in anger?

After an extended stint in a physical rehabilitation center, 

Joanna re-enters her Amish life. 

But nothing is the same—not even her feelings for Andrew Beiler.

 Joanna has loved Andrew since the age of twelve, 

and her feelings have not changed throughout the years. 

She is thrilled when Andrew wants to get married, 

but she wonders whether it’s love he’s feeling, or pity. 

As the couple’s wedding date approaches, 

Joanna isn’t overcome with the deep joy she was hoping to feel; 

instead, she’s wracked with anxiety and guilt.

Joanna hears God whispering to her, Be strong and courageous, 

but she’s afraid that courage looks a lot like walking away from her dreams 

and into the plan of her Heavenly Father.

If Joanna takes the first step toward healing, 

will it cost her everything she’s ever wanted? 

Or could God be changing the desires of her heart?

My Thoughts

An Unbroken Heart is the second book

in the Amish of Birch Creek series.

The series is about three sisters.

Each sister suffered significantly during the tragedy of their parents death

and they each tell their story from a different perspective.

We all deal with things differently which is shown in the lives of these young ladies. . .

the healing process is unique for each one.

An Unbroken Heart was an easy read and fairly enjoyable.

I must confess that it did not capture my attention like the first book in the series

and I found myself wanting to skip to the end 

because the story seemed to drag on.

The characters were mediocre and in a way I never really connected with them.

Maybe that is why I found the story somewhat tiresome.

If the characters are not well-loved and appreciated 

it's difficult to absorb and understand their story.

I will say that I cannot imagine the pain Joanna suffered 

not just physically, but also mentally.

Losing ones parents while arguing will leave scars on the heart

and Joanna's road to recovery is a long one,

but one that she takes with determination.

Her strength comes from the Lord as does forgiveness and the joy for living.

She must simply learn to lean upon Him and trust His ways.

I applaud her resoluteness and admire her zeal.

While this book did not leave a deep impression on me

I appreciate the author and her talent for writing.

I enjoyed the first book and while An Unbroken Heart was not my favorite

I am looking forward to the third book in the series.

You can read my review for A Reluctant Bride by clicking here.

I am giving this book 3 stars.

 ** I was given a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers

for an honest review. 

All thoughts are my own and no other compensation was received. **

About the Author

Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, 

including A Man of His Word and Treasuring Emma, 

as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield. 

Visit her online at www.kathleenfuller.com

The Newsmakers - Book Review

TV reporter Erica Sparks has become a superstar overnight. 

Is it due to her hard work and talent, 

or is she at the center of a spiraling conspiracy? 

Erica Sparks is a beautiful and ambitious reporter 

who has just landed her dream job at Global News Network in New York. 

And while it was hard to leave Jenny, 

her cherished eight-year-old daughter, in the custody of her ex-husband, 

Erica is determined to succeed in the cutthroat world of big-time broadcasting. 

She can only hope her troubled past won’t come back to sabotage her dreams.

Although the wounds from her divorce are still fresh, 

Erica can’t deny the chemistry between her and her new producer, 

the handsome and empathic Greg Underwood. 

But a relationship is the last thing she wants right now. 

On her very first assignment, Erica inadvertently witnesses—and films—

a horrific tragedy, scooping all the other networks. 

Mere weeks later, another tragedy strikes—again, right in front of Erica and her cameras. 

Her career skyrockets overnight, but Erica is troubled. 

Deeply. 

This can’t just be coincidence. 

But what is it?

Erica will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. 

But she has to make sure disaster—and her troubled past—don’t catch up with her first.

My Thoughts

I am going to get straight to the point. . .

I was very disappointed with this book

and I will tell you why.

The Newsmakers is considered to be Christian suspense,

but I found nothing in this book Christ-like.

The only reference to faith was when Erica said the Serenity Prayer.

Now this is not my issue -

my issue is with the crude language, pure evilness, and suggestive scenes

which are things I don't personally appreciate.

I have said this before and I will say it again

when I pick up a book that is considered to be Christian

I hold it to higher standards than non-Christian.

I trust that the author will write a book that is clean and honoring to God,

When I pick up a book that is non-Christian

I know I may get language or suggestive scenes

which is why I don't typically read these kinds of books. 

It truly bothers me to see Christians lowering their standards

and writing books that are no different than secular fiction.
Why do we think lowering our standards will draw a bigger crowd? 

Don't we, believers of the one true God, have a higher calling?

A calling to be a shining light and testimony for Him,
a calling to glorify Him in all areas of our life
including what we do, say, think, and read.

I was not comfortable reading this book

and often thought to myself that the Lord would not be pleased 

with what I am putting in my mind.

I must say that I was very disgusted with this book

as well as with the Publisher.
I have lost all faith in Thomas Nelson Publishers
and unfortunately I don't trust their books.

I would not recommend this book to anyone.

 ** I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the 
TNZ Fiction Guild Team for an honest review. 

All thoughts are my own and no other compensation was received. **

Shamrock Brooch

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow,

And may trouble avoid you

Wherever you go.

- Irish Blessing -

Happy St. Patrick's Day, my friends!

I hope your day is a delightful one :)

In honor of this day

I made a simple little shamrock brooch.

While whipping up this sweet brooch

I couldn't help but think of my dear Great-Grandma Maxie

for she was an Irish lass :)

She would always make corned beef and cabbage on this day. . .

Of course my family and I will be enjoying this delicious feast come evening.

Let me show you how I made this easy peasy brooch.

I started with some scrap fabric. . .

green tones, of course :)

For the bottom layer 

I used a strip that was about 3-inches wide and maybe 17-inches long.

I'm sorry I did not measure it.

The longer the strip is the fuller the bottom layer will be.

Fold the strip in half 

and sew a gathering stitch along the raw edges.

You will also do this with the second layer,

but do a smaller strip.

For the shamrock you will need to cut out three circles.

I used this sweet little dish as my template

and it is about four-inches in size.

Fold the circle in half.

Sew a gathering stitch along the outside of the fold.

Do this with all three.

You will use the same length of thread 

and simply add the next circle.

Attach the ends together

to create a shamrock.

I glued each layer together.

On the backside I attached pearls, ribbon, and seam binding.

Then I covered the back with a pretty shabby rose

with a clip attached to it.

You could sew on a pin,

but I prefer a clip because this way my brooch
can easily clip onto a jacket or in my hair.

On the front side you will see I added more decorative pearls

along with a pretty button and a shabby rose under the button.

And the finishing touch was the "Imagine" button.

O, the red rose may be fair,

And the lily statelier;

But my shamrock, one in three

Takes the very heart of me!

- Katherine Tynan -

For 'tis green, green, green, 

where the ruined towers are gray,

And it's green, green, green, 

all the happy night and day;

Green of leaf and green of sod, 

green of ivy on the wall,

And the blessed Irish shamrock 

with the fairest green of all.

- Mary Elizabeth Blake -

Thank you for visiting, sweet friends.

The last week has been rather busy 

which explains my absence in the blogging community.

I truly hope each and every one of you are well.

Take care, lovelies!

Love and hugs!

Never iron a four-leaf clover, 

because you don't want to press your luck.  

- Author Unknown -

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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