Head on Over to Angel's Birthday Giveaway!

Angel's Birthday Giveaway

I'm Audi here!

Until Next Time,
Karen M. Roth

My Prayers and Yours Are slowly Being Answered......

Hey there, My Friends,

Just a quick post before the hubby takes over the bandwidth, lol

My Doctor called this morning and while she is not ready to put me on Fenatanyl (?sp.) patch, she is ready to bump me up to maybe the Lidocaine Patch provided that my new insurance will cover it. I have an appointment to discuss this with her the 17th. So pray really hard for me, please {{{hugz}}}

I have changed the look of my blog in hopes of looking a bit more professional until the someday I can afford to get my own setup.

I am also trying to talk our family into helping me get my glasses since my insurance will only pay for the eye exam.

I have finally broken down and ordered myself a nice set of  15 cubby hole unit for my crafts and it should be here the 17th as well. I am super stoked, I love to be organized! It improves so much including my emotional well-being.  I am setting my blog organization and time management up. I will be working on it some more.

Oh, how I long to be able to hold my own Giveaways.....It will come, just do not know when, but I will think of something even if at first it is nothing more than some of my own handmade greeting cards or maybe a needle book :o).

You guys and gals are the bestest! Love you all so much {{{hugz}}}

Well, I better get this posted so ....

Until Next Time,
Karen

P.S. Feel free to visit me at  My Pinterest Boards

What I have been up to lately.....

Hello Ya'll *waves*

Are ya asking what I have been up to lately since I have been so silent? Well, Here Ya go have a looksy....

Ben and Karen Roth

This is the best pic he has taken to date and he has taken numerous gorgeous ones, let me tell you! This was taken on my last hike I was able to do, Silver Falls up near Entitat, Washington.

What I have been into :o)

Let me walk ya through it.....

Top Left: Spray painted a paper bell from our wedding. Then I hot glued the ribbons in the middle after I tied the ornaments onto the end of the ribbon.

Top Middle: is moi wearing my Christmas Corsage I made. 

Top Right:  Is the Hair Barrette I made.

Middle Left: Is a Dollar Tree Picture Frame I painted. The artwork is actually one of a few cards I received as I gift for Christmas.

Left 3/4 and Left Bottom: Is one of two Keepsake boxes I made that are now holding my paper clips and my binder clips on my desk :o) I am rather proud of them as they turned out better than I expected :oD. 

Top Middle Bottom:  Was the sweetest gift I had gotten for  any Christmas ever! I just love them as they came from my Wonderful sweet hubby after we had a fight on Christmas Eve due to my physical pain overriding my sweet heart because he was able to go to the family dinner and I was not able to ....Stupid reason to fight but that is how Chronic Illness is sometimes... You feel like you are being left out of life while all your family and friends keep living life like you were never ill and hold expectations that you can never meet even on your best day. So this is a gift I hold most dear to my heart. My sweet hubby found my sweet spot and the verse holds true...."A soft answer turneth away wrath..." 

Middle Bottom:  Are a complete set of booties I made for my sweet companion, Pepper Paws....Oh, My, I do not think I have laughed so hard as I did when I first put them on her and she first tried to walk in them...Oh, My! I kept telling her I was laughing with her and not at her but I don't think she believed me, lol.  She would take a step then shake her leg, take a step then shake another leg, it was so funny! While actually taking the evening stroll she would take a few steps then immediately lay on the ground on her tummy and lick her paws from where she had kicked snow up into the booties.

Bottom Right:  Is my Butterfly wreath I am in the process of making for our Vow Renewal. I still have to make flowers out of embroidery floss to add to it in between my blue Butterflies. When I am finished with them I may try to write up a tut for them as it is my own pattern :o)

Sorry if the pics are a bit blurry, I have hands that shake and my dear hubby was still asleep when I took them...He is an amazing Photographer....but then I am a bit biased ^.^ I do love him so!

Get Your Craft on!

Until Next Time,
Karen

Oh, My ! Crochet Love.....

It does not get any better than this ya'll.......

Without further ado......http://www.allfreecrochet.com/sweeps/Crochet-Love

Or How about.......http://www.allfreecrochet.com/sweeps/Crochet-Red-Jimmy-Beans-Wool-Yarn-Bouquet

OR......Maybe this one......http://www.allfreecrochet.com/sweeps/Lion-Brand-Hometown-USA?


Whaddya say, are ya game to get your game on?

Come on I dare ya to enter to win the chance to be the Champion! or Champette!

Well, whaddya still sitting here for? Go enter ya'll!

Booya!

Until Next Time,
Karen

Is Your Computer Protected.....

Hello Bloggy Friends,

In all seriousness, is your computer protected from the the "New Hackers on the Block 2014"?

I personally use +Avast Internet Security. I do not usually back a product, but this baby is one that I swear by and I back it 300%.

I have had many backdoor attempts from seemingly innocent beautiful pictures and +Avast has caught every single one. So I encourage you to get +Avast and scan every file before you open it.

The crooks are getting smarter by the day and most of them are really slick and might even be your best friend without you even knowing that they are living a double life. Most hackers are very intelligent and very bored and looking for excitement in their lives so....

Get +Avast and stop them cold in their tracks and bite the bug before it finds you!

tillie tulip - a handmade mishmosh: Photo tutorial of how to create the daisy

tillie tulip - a handmade mishmosh: Photo tutorial of how to create the daisy: To beg - chain (ch) 5 and join to form a circle Round 1: ch 2, 11 double crochet (dc) into ring Round 2: change to ...

This is such a lovely project..... I have yet to do it because I have been so busy working on my Keepsake boxes, Christmas Ornaments, a lace angel, a lovely butterfly and pearl wreath, Also trying to finish my Crochet hook case...I have also started a jean purse I am making out of a pair of shorts I can no longer fit into. I am hoping to get on it and finish it tomorrow. I want to add one of +Tillie Tulips gorgeous flowers but I am thinking of using embroidery floss for it that way I can maybe have 2 on it :o).

I also have a tree skirt I want to do but I am lacking the burlap :o(.  Anyone just happen to have some I can have? I will give you my address by email if you would be willing to mail it to moi *crosses fingers and prays real hard* Please, oh,  please?!

I have a plethora of Crocheting projects backed up to yang yang and now I have a bug to learn how to knit (needing size 8 & 10 aluminum needles and cannot afford them at the moment and .....a very big AND... I wanna learn how to Even Count Peyote Stitch......

Wooo! There I told you my New Years Resolutions :oD Whaddya think? I am trying desperately to keep attainable resolutions this year that is if my body would just stop fighting my spirit.....*sigh*

God please shine your face upon all of my followers and bless them richly and abundantly in this new year....

Until Next Time,
Love,

 Karen 

For now, I will leave you with my sweetest dream...... Renewing My Wedding Vows wearing this dress with tweaking of course ;o)

Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas To you and Yours from the Roths 

Moi in the Flesh

The wonderful blessing God blessed me with. My wonderful husband Ben. My Valiant Knight in Shining Armor. 

May you enjoy the Lord's Blessings this coming Year.

May your house be full and merry and may your laughter be your love's delight!

The Lord was very good to us this Christmas as He has chosen to work through my husband's family and our Church to buy us new beds...... So Praise the Lord! No more sleeping on the floor with 1 of the world's Top 10 most painful diseases....Ankylosing Spondylitis (and a Bone Tumor in my Left Femur head). God is so Good!

At the first of the year I will also have Health Insurance so guess what?! I'm getting new glasses! (This pair I am wearing are 20 years old frames with 4 year old lenses :o()

I scored a whole slew of new clothes and jackets, all so beautiful! 

I have made some crafts that I will show later on when I am feeling better. I ended up with a Intestinal Virus for Christmas....Yeah me....Bah Humbug.... and out of Pain meds to boot....

To my own family the Joneses, I wish you all well and I hope you had a Merry Christmas and I pray that next year with be a new beginning for all of us and Hopefully one that will come Full Circle .....Mom, Pops, Bro, Son and Daughter... I truly Love each of you with an unconditional Love and I pray that you all forgive me for taking off the way I had but I only was leaving to get the help I needed, not because I hated you all.

Merry Christmas to all and to All a Good Night,

Karen

A Little Christmas Dreaming........A Mournful Remembering of a Christmas Past....

A Little Christmas Dreaming

"Peace I give to you,
My Peace I give to you;
Not as the world giveth,
Give I unto you.
Let not your heart
 Be troubled, Neither
 Let it be afraid."
John 14:27

As I sit here this night my first "real" night back to my computer since my power supply died in the middle of the night while I was sleeping fitfully, I am dreaming of a fresh Shabby Chic Victorian Christmas decorations and I must say that I have found a ton of inspiration on Hand Beaded Ornaments Which I am dying to start making. 

I bought small emerald green and pearl colored ornaments for a $1.99 each at my Bi-Mart right next door to me for my kitchen/dining tree I found in the dumpster. Let's get it straight, I am no dumpster diver but if something is on top where I can reach or {as we do here} is sitting on the ground beside the dumpster that no one wants any longer then I get it if I like it....Are we straight now :o)?  I snagged a $385.00 Italy Made Tapestry of the "Last Supper" that way ^.^. I am so longing to get it mounted professionally so it can hang in my Living Room. But cannot afford it.

I also have this Pinterest Board : Christmas

Christmas holds bittersweet memories for me, but I still love the spirit of the season with Christ being the Reason for the wonderful season we do enjoy. I had a family tragedy happen on Christmas of 2008.{It was horrid that is all I will say, if you truly want to know what happened just email me and I will answer you.  I am finding that even though I have no trouble talking about it that most folks are too stunned or feel too awkward about it to talk. But I will say that God is bringing good from it.  My broken heart still feels for the other family involved. I still pray for comfort and peace for them all nightly. Everyone involved suffered a great costly loss. I think I have suffered just as hard as the others involved, but it has struck a deep thread within my soul that just refuses to let it go. }

Christmas is still my favorite holiday and always will be but not without haunting memories ever so vivid. But with God's help I am able to still move forward although not perfectly. I am ever so grateful for God's Love and Grace. So with this being said I have made a vow to start making things that will outlast my life and leave a legacy behind for my children if they should forgive me and want it.. Life is too precious to waste a moment! 

Computer Died.......Trying Earnestly to bounce back

Well, this was an unexpected problem.... Both my power supply and hard drive bit the computer dust and both have gone to computer heaven..... I do believe though that my dear sweet hubby Ben has ordered the parts I need as surprise early Christmas gifts. Bless his dear little heart! Oy Vay! Well I just wanted to quickly let everyone know this and the fact that I have finally received my diagnosis. I have a disease that most people cannot even pronounce "Ankylosing Spondylitis" and more people than not do not even know what it even is. So let me give you the quick version:

About Ankylosing Spondylitis

If you love me as you say you do, then please use this link to look up all the information and even read the patient stories as that is the real truth about this disease. Unfortunately, I do not have the money for the membership fee. Joining this Association would be a tremendous benefit to me as I do care for a developmentally disabled husband.

I have also learned that I have a bone tumor (Enchondroma) in my left hip. They think I have had it since I was a child but I am not thinking so because this is a very new pain that started shortly after my Thyroid problems started. They have said that if it is found in an adult that it can grow to become Bone Cancer. We are praying desperately that it does not become cancer.  So to be honest I am really frightened.

 I am going to get a too real for a moment: We are so poverty stricken that I am sleeping on a couple of worn out foam pads on the floor and my hubby is on an air mattress on top of our broken bed. This is so troubling to my dear hubby because he knows enough to know it is his job to provide for us and he cannot due to his disabilities.My body is in severe pain but that pain does not compare to the pain in my heart and my soul when considering my poor hubby's dilemma.

 While I am pleased that people do have warm comfortable furniture during this Christmas Season and warm, safe houses, I would like to encourage those who do have more than enough to please help those who are less fortunate than you. Because, Folks, Loving your neighbor as yourself really needs improving upon in our society today. We have folks right here in (Anytown, USA) that are doing without every day basic necessities because like myself they are too ill to work and the state will not help out enough. As I am saying this I am going without most of my medications as we just do not have the money to buy them and most of them are not available through Patient Assistance Programs.

Dear sweet Ruthi, We so love you so much because even though you have the least money in the family you have helped us the most. The others in our large family could learn a most needed lesson from you and we pray that they do. Thank you for showing us both that you truly do treasure our lives enough to be what we need you to be when we need you to be it.You have shown to us that life is more precious than things and vacations.That the human life is a very precious gift and should not be wasted. That it should be spent showing God's love to those who are with, for us, and around us. You have given out of your need and not out of your excess and God will truly bless you for it all. Thank You Dear Sis {{{hugz}}}

All this to say this, Family should be willing to aid the members of their families who are not doing well no matter how much it costs because that is what being a family means. You all stick together through the thick and thin of life.The Good, Bad and the Ugly. That is what being a family means. You love, treasure, support, comfort, and aid those you say you love. Because Folks that is what God's True Love is all about. If you are not doing this then God's Love does not reside within your heart. Because if you can help complete strangers but not your own flesh and blood (this includes through marriage), then God's Word states that all your giving amounts to nothing in His eyes. Because  true Charity begins at home in the family unit.

Beautilicious Craft Giveaway

Hey there y'all,

 There is a most Beautilicious Craft Supplies giveaway going on so I will keep this short so y'all can run on over there and enter! Hosted by  Katherines Corner and Art by Karena, BeBetsy, Cropped Stories, Deliciously Inspired, My Turn for Us, Mamas Little Treasures, Ruby For Women, Practically Functional and Sew Crafty Angel.

Best of luck to ya!

Sorry For the Lack of My Presence Online Lately

I want to apologize to those who do follow me for my lack of presence lately. I have really been in a lot of physical pain.

I have also received the worst medical report from my doctor and well,  to be completely honest, I have been grieving the loss of my life as others continue to move forward as though my life does not or has never existed. But even though I feel this way, I want to respond as God would have me to respond..

While it is true that I have not had any encouragement for most of my life in any area of my life, I realize that humans can never be what I need them to be because we live in a Fallen World still ruled by the enemy. So I will be my own Encourager.

But I can come right out and ask for what we need, and then trust all the consequences to God.

1. I need handwritten encouragement in the form of cards as I am trying to build myself an Encouragement file.

2. I need those who are able in our lives to come forward and to meet the needs we have that they are able to meet.
          1. A Comfortable bed. Maybe you cannot do this for us but you may know someone who can. So just getting the word out would help us.
          2. Encouragement for my husband and myself as we are, in reality, facing this alone with the Exception of God being for us. A Daily visit or an email would be really nice.
          3. A minivan as ours is no longer truly reliable to get us from point A to point B. This is where we have had to trust God for our safety. I need reliable transportation to get me to my doctor's appointments.
          4. Prayer for numerous Breakthroughs in our lives. Finances, Medical Insurance for myself, For our Marriage to be strengthened, For My Healing, For God to place people in our lives who will truly be there for us and who are truly for us and not just with us, For my Major Depression and PTSD,
       

These just to name a few of our most urgent needs.

I know that God has a good plan for my future!
Regardless of how dark and dank it feels right now.

Until Next Time,
Karen

Today has been really hard

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Hello, My Friends *waves*

Well, so far every door I have tried to open to get me my proper treatment for my medical condition has been slammed shut so please pray for Jehovah Nisi to show up on the scene. I truly need a Miracle and breakthrough.

This is a reminder to myself so pardon me for a moment.....

"I have a dream and I will push through the darkest of nights to embrace the beautiful rays of the coming dawn." ~by Karen M. Roth 

My deepest desire is to just be an inspiration to some one else that reflects a 360 degree turn in their life and thought processes, but at the moment I am having to encourage myself.

It is truly hard to not feel sorry for myself when everything has trumped itself against me. But I know that Whatever weapon has set itself up against me shall not stand. That whatever has been meant for my harm God means for my good.

BUT:
 I know that it is when it is darkest that your miracle is right at hand . So I must keep pressing forward for my true  God-given Destiny is at hand. This is just the Test.

I am not what I have become and my circumstances do not make me who I am.

I am beautiful, smart,loving,compassionate, and creative......

I am just having a bad day, but I know this bad day will not last forever. I will have my victory.

I know that God has not brought me to this without the tools and skills I need to overcome this ....I am just facing my test....How well will I do ? I am forcing myself to look past my condition to see my future and the Blessings God has in store for me.

One Lesson to be learned in this and it is this.....Now I know exactly what people with Traumatic illnesses have to deal with so in the running of my non profit "Gentle Whispers of Love" I will know just how to tailor my reach and outreach.

Thank you, Lord for this Lesson and I pray that you will help me keep focused on the fun things and not on my excruciating physical pain which has debilitated me so much so that I am barely able to walk. Lord I am crawling to the beautiful feet of Jesus please water my desert. Let the springs pour forth and renew me with the Strength and grace of the Eagle I am flying in the shadow of your wings. Raise me to such heights that I can never reach on my own. In Jesus' Name, Amen

My Favorite Charities...

Today you will find a list of my most favorite Charities to support either by prayer or with the donations I am able to make....

These are people I feel are truly trying to heal the brokenness in our world and raising warriors for the next generation by their own example. 

#1. Sewing Miles of Smiles --> I truly appreciate this lady for doing what is so hard for many to do. +Dona Reynolds . Thank you for being a Warrior and a Superhero yourself!

#2. World Vision --> My husband and I both sponsor children. I have a beautiful little girl from Romania and my husband's new little baby boy is from is from Colombia. They are so very precious to us even so much more than our own needs. As some may not truly understand what the word Charity really means. The word Charity means that you give cheerfully out of your need trusting in and knowing without a doubt that God will meets your needs and more abundantly.  This is how our needs get met each month...We lean on , trust in, and rely on God to meet our needs. But the one thing we will never do is stop our support of these precious priceless gifts that the Lord has blessed us with! Because the day we do , then our own support will end because then we would have stepped out of God's Will for our lives.

+World Vision USA I want to thank every single person involved with World Vision , even the volunteers who help with the music concerts that are held. You guys are not only making a difference in the children's lives and communities around the world,  but also back home in the United States.

 I can honestly say that I have been dramatically changed especially after attending a a +Casting Crowns
 concert that was a surprise birthday gift from my wonderful hubby, Ben.

 To Mark Hall and Casting Crowns crew:  I pray that you will continue to make songs as you are for real and you, even if you have not seen it, have made a huge difference in my own life that not only brought me back to God, but also brought me through the most tragic time in my life. I will not go into the details here but I'm almost sure you'll remember the email in 2008-2009 I sent you asking for you to pray for my brother during this time and the three small children involved. I have a praise report regarding  this that has been 6 years in the making. But I can see God definitely moving in a Positive Direction for all involved.  I am still praying for the lost years that the Locust ate to be replenished but I know this,  they will be replenished even if I do not know the exact when.

#3.  Charity Crafter -->  Making a Positive Difference. She is truly Blooming where she has been planted.  +CHARITY CRAFTER Leigh, keep bloomin',  Beautiful!

#4. Charity Wings --> Part of the Healing process. Does require a Membership, but they have different levels to match your budget. +Charity Wings Art Center  Keep up the great works Y'all!

#5. All God's Children --> They help children in Honduras that was started by a very young nun named Carmen. There are other wonderful ministries involved with them. +Allen Heerema  I just want to say that you guys are the best and I pray that all of you will be blessed for your servitude {{{hugz}}}

Well, this is such a short list for now,  but I have to listen to my body and rest now.

So Until Next Time,
Karen

When Life Rains Down Persimmons.

Hey there Y'all! *waves and {{{hugz}}}*

So how to decide what to do when Life rains Down Persimmons....

Well, My Friends , You have one of 2 choices.....

Choice # 1 Milk it---> You can curl up in a ball ,weep, and isolate yourself from people period and let your health continue to get worse and worse because life has never been fair to you.

OR

Choice # 2 Juice it ----> You can buck up and put on your big kids undies, lose the Binky, the Blanky and lay all the garbage going on in your life at the precious feet of Jesus and His redeeming work on the Cross and pick up a much lighter burden of just resting in the Peace of God knowing that no matter what evil has befallen you  ( Every person has had one at one time or another in their life) that we have the (to quote my favorite song by @Chris Tomlin +) "King of Angel Armies by my side...I know who goes before and I know who goes behind....He is a Friend of mine" Just to quote my favorite parts of my all time Get-out-of-the-Funky-Pit song!  (Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)  from the Burning Lights CD). Thank you so much +Chris Tomlin The Christian Music Artist, +1 Fan here in lil Ol Ellensburg WA!

 While you may have more of an burden than the person beside you, but know something to now quote @Joel and Victoria Osteen +lakewood church , "Hurting people hurt people." ( This was such an invaluable lesson for me to learn myself ,  I thank you, Joel,  for your wonderful Insight and for just being Real {{{hugz}}} to you and your lovely wife Victoria! AND Your wonderful Mama!) 

So,  Peeps, before you get mad and take offense at people for dumping on you when you already have more than your share of wounds and hurts please take a moment to remember:

1. Every person has a Story to tell about their own Journey through this thing we call "Life".

2. The person hurting you is hurting themselves and are in need of help as well.

3. That not every person on the Earth is going to like you no matter how you may sacrifice and change for this person.  

Start looking for the Lesson (s) to be learned in amongst your pain, suffering, and sorrow and believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that God truly means only good for you...that while He may not remove you from your situation He can bring the whole thing about for your good and in the process blessing you doubly. God will replenish all the years that the Locusts have eaten. You may have to wait quite a while for it but know this IT WILL HAPPEN!!!!

I do not know which choice you will choose to make,  but I can assure you that I choose to JUICE IT!!!!

I choose to LIVE Abundantly and FREE. Life is Glorious and Beautiful when you clean off the Windshield of all the bug guts!

So until next time,

Karen

P.S. If ya would like to say a prayer for me,  these are the things:

1. Health for both the hubby and myself. Multiple major things going on all at once.

2.a comfortable mini-van (CV joints are getting ready to break and the van is too old to repair but we seriously do not have the money to replace the things we need to replace.

3. A bed-  our Box Springs are broken. 

Joel and Victoria Osteen say that God Holds Our Victory ... (+playlist)

For most who truly know me, know that I have always tried to live my life according to God's Word, yes, I have made poor choices in my life that even to this day I am experiencing the ill effects of, but I will not live a defeated life. Because God has been so good to me even in the midst of the harshest things that life and Satan could throw my way. I am still alive and still treasuring God so much more than my own physical life.

Because I always remember that God's Mercy is new and fresh every morning. We are given a new beginning every morning we wake up. So I am choosing to receive the blessings God has in store for me by faith and that I know that even though it looks like everything is coming against me all at once and having such tribulations and trials God has a good plan for my life and I am believing that. I know I have God's favor and approval even if the people in my life turn against me.  I know that it is time to tell them I love them but they do not control me I belong to God and God alone. If anyone stands against me and does not support me then I know that they were only "with me" and not "for me",  I am waiting for my divine relationships in my future......I also know that when it is the darkest....that is the very moment I will get my Victory! So I will continue to press forward.

So far I have overcome being a Sex slave, Pornography, Alcoholism, Smoking, Fear of Abandonment, my "stinking thinking" as my Pastor Dave Saltzman calls it ;o) , Being in a Victim cycle that led me from one bad abusive relationship to another, Domestic Abuse,
I have overcome the very Messenger of Satan Himself with the Lord's help....So I know there are Victories to be had and it has pushed me beyond myself and to grow in ways I never even thought possible and ,Friends, it can happen for you as well, just turn to God for your daily or even moment to moment strength as he has promised to give us "Strength for the Day".  And we also find in Philippians 4:13 that "We can do ALL things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us".


So I want to encourage you to step out of Defeat and into the Good life with Faith (Remember that all it takes is a Mustard Seed size Faith and you do not have to come clean to come to Jesus just meet Him where you are at this very moment) and you will receive the Victories that you need in your life...Just Hold On to Jesus. He will never forsake you or leave you even when everyone else in your life has.  Just remember that God is bringing better people into your life to help strengthen you and to help you grow to maturity.

May You Be Richly and Abundantly Blessed......

Until Next Time,
Karen