Coffered Ceiling Project

After six months of sawdust, tools laying around, and general disarray in our office, our new coffered ceiling is FINISHED!!!  We are so happy with it!  It certainly was a lot of work for my husband, but he did a fantastic job with near perfection at every joint.  He is such a talented man!

Screwing the first board up committed us to this project!  You can see the chalk marks my husband put up to guide him where the boards would be going.

This ceiling is made of oak and we stained it to match the woodwork in our house.  

The recessed lighting was something we went back and forth on as to whether to put it in or not.  I am so glad we did, since it adds so much beauty to the ceiling, and gives so much better lighting in the room.

We all signed our names in the structural part which was later hidden by the oak.  Maybe someday someone will find it. We like to leave little hidden messages when possible in building projects.

My husband says there is about 500 pounds of wood hanging up on the ceiling now, so he had to secure it well.  

I love the way our office looks now.  It makes it a very cozy, inviting place to work.

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How to Print on Paper Lunch Bags

Twice a year, our church gives gift bags to those in our city's county jail.   At Christmas, it is called "Christmas Behind Bars", and since it was so rewarding and appreciated, we also do "Fourth of July Behind Bars".

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Kids' Make & Do: Popsicle Stick Cross Bow

Here's a fun project for kids to make.  My 11-yr. old son made this bow with the green thread, and my 17-yr. old made the one with the gold thread.  They finished these in just a couple of hours.

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Lentils

Brussels sprouts.

Yea - I know what you're thinking.

But before you write them off as one of those veggies that you aren't going to touch, let me tell you just a little bit about this ill-loved veggie.

If you are serious about having a healthy diet, this is one vegetable you should not overlook.

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What the Bible Says About the Resurrection

They say there are two things for certain in life: death and taxes, but I would add a third to the list: resurrection. Now I have never seen a real resurrection, and I doubt if you have either.  There are cases of near-death experiences, and even people who have been "brought back to life" after being medically dead for a very short time. However, I don't categorize those as true resurrections. Is it a certainty that those who die will be resurrected?  And if they are resurrected, when will this be?  And where are the dead before the resurrection?  And what happens after the resurrection?  Lots of questions.  Does the Bible have answers to all these questions that we as humans are interested in?  Absolutely.  Let's start with the basics and go from there.

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Fabric and Crayon Banner Tutorial

About every three months, I like to change the looks of the Juniors' Sabbath School room at church.
I had moved two pillars to the front and hung a large piece of felt to make a storage place behind it.
The blank spot above the felt was really in need of something.  So the idea of a banner was born!

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What the Bible Says about Death

My father-in-law passed away suddenly two weeks ago today.  He wasn't ill.  In fact, he appeared quite healthy.  He had just finished his daily 11-mile bike ride, but it all ended soon after.  My mother-in-law found him dead in his chair after she came back from shopping.  Heat stroke?  Heart attack?  Aneurysm? We don't know.  All we know is he is gone, and we are all going to miss him very much.

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Lentil Tofu Power Salad

I love lentils.

Not only are they mild-tasting and easy to work with.  They are a nutritional powerhouse with many health benefits including:  lower cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease, improve digestive health,  stabilize blood sugar, increases energy level.

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Vegan Orange Julius

Do you ever get in one of those moods?

You know - when you need something smooth, cool and refreshing.  Well, I was in one of those moods today.  As I rummaged around the kitchen trying to find something to satisfy that urge, I saw the frozen orange juice concentrate in the freezer.

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Irresistible, Nutritious Kale Chips

We love making kale chips, and they are so fast and easy to make.  They are a tasty way to get more dark leafy greens into our diet.  Even my picky eater loves these!

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