"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

I(Jemima)love finding the definition to a word I have used without much thought, and
discovering sometimes a wide and beautiful word with much more meaning than I'd imagined.

While doing a word study in the Strong's Concordance the other day, I stumbled across the rich Hebrew word that was translated "merry" in our English Bible. (KJV)

2896 towb tobe from 2895*;
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense;
used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women),
also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).

*2895 towb tobe a primitive root, to be (transitively, do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense:--be (do) better, cheer, be (do, seem) good, (make) goodly, X please, (be, do, go, play) well.

טוֹב

No wonder a heart like this will do good like a medicine!

Bookcases, fireplace...

Lots of books...really great books! There are two more large bookcases and a few more boxes of books that haven't found shelves yet. It's a happy thing to have more time than I've ever had on my hands, and more great unread books than ever before...it's just that...there never seems to be QUITE enough time. Hmmm...maybe somebody needs to schedule her days more efficiently...

The dear old sailboat at daybreak that my great great grandpa in Norway painted... Our living room is starting to be cozy, and I know it can look so much better, if I just put a bit of effort into it. This house is so fun to decorate!

A Tour of My Kitchen

It's been awhile since I put anything new up...but there's not much to post about two newlyweds. Just how many pics do y'all want to see of us sitting on the couch? Or eating breakfast at our little kitchen table? ;)

I know I posted a few pics of our house already...but that was before we moved in. But I've decided some pictures of the house being lived in are in order. So here is a tour of my kitchen...

When my sisters and I schemed up a new decor theme in the kitchen back home, it was to be two colors... Our dreams for kitchen renovation finally became a reality, and we were so happy with it. Now that I'm an old married woman with a house of my own, I'm in no mood to depart from the theme...it's BLUE AND WHITE FOREVER!
I could make a list of credits as I walk around the kitchen...
Almost everything is a gift, which is so awesome!
...Blue metal platter from Debbie, white completer set from Val, lead crystal glasses from Jessica, soup tureen from Lynn, silver napkin rings from Joanna, "Household Wisdom" book from Leslie, candle lantern from Juliana, white and blue china plate from Sherilyn, blue and white towels from Tracy, cutting mats from Kim, toaster from Genevieve, silver clock from Grandma Strasburger, "To-do list" tablet from Marcy, pitchers from Dawn, Grace and Cindy, blue plates from Amy and Lisa and Crystal, salt and pepper shakers from Mamaw, white roses from Josh... :-)
That's just what's in these pics...open my cupboards and...we'd be here all day!
I use almost everything that was given to us, and quite regularly already! We have lots of chances to entertain, which is great. I thought I would have long quiet days, but I hardly have enough time to myself to get things done! Busy little housewife already, and liking it very much!

More Honeymoon Pics...

We drove along the gulf coast on our way home...found a rocky beach to watch the sunset one evening

The most beautiful morning at Harrington House (Anna Maria Island) as the weather was starting to warm up and we could take our coats off finally!

Trying to do some sunbathing or something :-)

Josh on the beach just 100 ft from the back door of our room in the Harrington House bed and breakfast. We had our own little pathway down to the sand, and we were so close that we could watch the waves breaking on the shore from inside our room!

"Our love is like a little pool--

Thy love is like the sea!

O beautiful, O wonderful!

How noble love can be!"

-Amy Carmichael

Never got tired of watching these come in...but sometimes we got half frozen and had to go inside!

Tropical paradise!

Honeymoon Pics

We drove south and saw lots of spanish moss hanging in trees, and vines and creeping vegetation growing wild.

Wow.

At the "Holy Land Experience" in Orlando, there is an incredibly accurate scale model of the city of Jerusalem as it was in Jesus' time. The little people in this pic are only an inch or two high! This is the temple.
Little model of Bethlehem

In the background is the Scriptorium, where we got to see a large collection of real ancient manuscripts of the Bible, dating back as early as the 4th? century.

We also saw a martyr's Bible from the 15th? century that still had his bloodstains on the pages.

Pictures of our House...before we moved in

Our back porch...looking out into the back yard. There's enough room to put some raised beds in, which Josh hopes to do this spring, so we can do a bit of gardening even though we're in town :-)
Vickie and Jenny inspecting the house...to the left is the front door...through the wide doorway is the fireplace/livingroom. And to the right is the table Josh picked up at an auction, in the dining room.
Our kitchen...Jemima is decorating it with all the pretty blue and white things people gave us...so fun! It all goes together so nicelyWe also got a great selection of kitchen appliances and dishes...thank you everyone!!
The fireplace...a cozy little living room, separated from the dining room by old fashioned pocket doors that slide out of the walls! Josh says we will have to huddle in here with all the doors shut and use the fireplace if we get an ice storm that takes out our electricity. :-)

So many dear girls were there to celebrate with us...here's a picture with just a few of them

The head table servers...Christina, Clara, Jessica, Lydia, Laura and Leanna

Josh and Jemima with Papaw...Josh's grandpa who made the trip from Louisiana for the wedding just a week after he lost his bride of 64 years.

With our parents, Roy and Dorcas, & Don and Vickie

Our whole big wonderful wedding party!! Including the ushers: Jared, Aaron, Nate, Taylor, and Jay

And the honorary attendants: Jana, Joanna, Hannah and Ruth

And all the little people: Melinda, Jessa, Eden, Emily and Chloe (flower girls)

Devin, Owen, Carter, Miles, and Christian (Flower girl Escorts)

Jonathan and David (twin ringbearers)