Top 16 Blog Posts of 2016

Top 16 Blog Posts from 2016


For quite some time I have made it a yearly practice to look over the past 12 months in order to reminisce and to learn.  I do this both in my real life and in my digital life - so below you will find my digital review through the top 16 blog posts from godsgrowinggarden.com


Please click on each title below to view the entire post - ENJOY!


VERSE by VERSE - 1 Corinthians 13:5



Gourdon Our Great Pyrenees 2005 to 2016



2 Hearts Beat As One Cookies



Homemade Blackberry Applesauce RECIPE



Tithonia Torch - a.k.a. Mexican Sunflower


Photo by Angie Ouellette-Tower

Caramel (in the middle) Apple Muffins



The Art of Accepting an Apology



Friskie the Cat Organizes the Pots & Pans Cupboard



Homemade Seedless Raspberry Ice Cream



Turning Electric Company Trimmings into a New Raised Potato Patch



Pie Crust Cookies - RECIPE



Obedience Series#8 - What Happens When Those in Authority Ask You To Go Against God's Law?



Cartoon Potato Crop



Mulberry Syrup - Homemade & Homegrown



Green Bean Fortress - Protecting Against Rabbit Monsters



Crock-Pot Bacon Baked Beans RECIPE

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Linked to:
You're the STAR
Happiness is Homemade
Tuesdays With a Twist
Pin Junkie Pin Party #197
Home Matters Linky Party
Together on Tuesdays

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"Prayer Warriors United" is a google+ Community where Christians come together in prayer. 

Click HERE to view or join this community

If you need prayer please fill out this

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Weekly Thankfulness & Growth Report #46

#46 - Weekly Thankfulness & Growth Report

If you were following this blog in 2015 then you will be familiar with my "365 Days of Being Thankful" challenge.  I have missed reporting on my thankfulness since I finished my challenge last year, so I decided to at least give a weekly Thankfulness Report & include a Growth Report also.  Growth in our Christian walk, growth in the garden & growth on this blog.  Finally, I am also including a "Posts From the Past" feature - ENJOY!


This week I have been thankful for Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior - He came to earth, was born in a manger, died on a cross and rose again all for the forgiveness of my sins and eternity for all who accept this gift!  I am also thankful for my husband, parents, sister, nieces and for my brother-in-law - thankful for a precious Christmas celebration.




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
2017 is just a few days away.  Sometimes the "new year" can be an anxious time:  the unknown is terrifying to many.  As Christians however, we have no reason to worry.
Read: Plans To Prosper


I am searching through seed catalogs daily - garden 2017 planning is underway.

- Here are my Follower stats:

GFC (Google Friends Connect) - 2,272
Bloglovin - 4,233
Twitter - 6,489

Pinterest - 5,761
Google+ - 2,303
Facebook - 4,428
Linky Followers - 108
Networked Blog - 1,232
Activate - 574
That's a grand total of 27,400 followers in some form or another (that's up 8 from last week!).

(click on the title to view the entire post)
Five years ago I shared with you one of my sweet potato creations:
Sweet Potato Pancakes with Orange Syrup




YES that top left pancake did get a little dark (still tasted delicious though)!  And I think oval pancakes taste better than round ones   ;-)

This week is HOME feature week - click HERE to LINK UP & you might just be featured next month!


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Linked to:
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Take Up The THANKFULNESS Challenge!

I challenge you to thank God for something everyday for one year!  Either write it down in a diary OR share with us on a blog.  If you have a blog & would like to share your THANKFULNESS posts with us, then please fill out this form: 365 Days of Being THANKFUL form - click HERE and you will be added to the THANKFULNESS page.

<a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/p/thankfulness-challenge-365-days-of.html" rel="”nofollow”" target="_blank"><img alt="THANKFULNESS Challenge" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/AngieOuelletteTower/Title%20Pages%20or%20Buttons/THANKFULNESSchallengeButton_zpsievqkttd.jpg" /></a>

Time To Link Up! Tuesdays with a Twist #193

Welcome to Tuesdays with a Twist #193!
Checkout the many great giveaways going on right now!

Click the button below to enter each Giveaway!!:

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Good Morning and Welcome to another No Rules Party!

We're your hosts & co-hosts 

Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Joyce @ Heavenly Bodies

Checkout my amazing "Featured" Pinterest Board

(click HERE to view & follow)

Features!

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured! 

My Features this Week are:

1. "Evergreen Vintage Tablescape - Just Add Rosemary" by My Thrift Store Addiction

2. "How to Make Christmas Orange Slice Ornaments" by Simple Life of a Frugal Wife

3.  "Citrus Kitchen Cleaning Spray"  by Alba Rosa

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

<a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/" rel="”nofollow”" target="_blank"><img alt="Tuesdays with a Twist Featured" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/AngieOuelletteTower/Title%20Pages%20or%20Buttons/TWTfeatured_zpsxgfhxhtk.jpg" /></a> 

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Saturday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features.   And now for the party!

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You're the STAR - Week#4 HOME (December 2016)

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas!
Now I am wishing you all a fantastic New Year!

Thank you again for joining us this week for "You're the STAR" blog hop!
There are many ways to follow me:

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

blog  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  twitter  |  bloglovin  |  google+  |  etsy

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WELCOME to Week#4 of the December
"You're the STAR" blog hop!
This is a month long Linky party featuring YOU!
There will be 4 different features each week and 4 different feature categories. 
(Just to be clear - this is NOT a themed party - you may link up ANY family-friendly blog posts any day of each month.) 
The "theme" only occurs during our weekly features:
WEEK#1 GARDEN - gardening, homesteading, recycling &/or preserving (this can include any type of green living,  while remaining family friendly),
WEEK#2 CREATIVE - arts & crafts, music, writing &/or dramatic arts (this can include sewing, dance, art history, handmade jewelry, computer art, fashion etc - anything creative while remaining family friendly)
WEEK#3 FAMILY - parenting, fitness, finances & inspirational (this can include anything about children like: education ideas for children, also self help etc -  anything family friendly)
WEEK#4 HOME - recipes, home décor, antique/DIY &/or travel (this can include anything about your home - even history posts - all while remaining family friendly)
Below is a graphic showing our weekly feature categories:



This week is HOME feature week
Swing by the Home Cohosting Team's blogs to see who is being featured:
Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn
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We are in need of more Cohosts (click HERE to view a list of our current hosts/cohosts)
If you are interested in joining us as a Cohost then please click HERE & fill out the form.

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All Hosts/CoHosts will post this blog hop on every Monday of each week.
Please link up your family friendly blog posts below!
It wouldn't be a linky party with YOU!
(IMPORTANT NOTE: by linking up you understand that you might be featured next month and if so, we will use some of your photos from your post - rest assured - we will always link back to your lovely blog.  We might also share your fantastic posts on social media.  Also, you may link up as many family-friendly posts as you like & YES - other blog hops &/or giveaways are welcome {giveaways and blog hops will NOT be featured though}  Thank You & ENJOY! )

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Christmas Day - "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" & "Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant"

Christmas Day - "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" & "Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant"

It is Christmas Day and Jesus is born today!  Jesus is Lord!
 We are continuing our study in "not so familiar" Christmas Hymns.

In years past we have studied the meaning of different details of Advent:
(click on each title to view)
NATIVITY - The Basics
The Lowly Life of the Shepherd
Wealthy Wise Men Traveling Far
Angels Hovering 'Round
It's Because God Loved Us So Much

This year I decided to feature some of the lesser Christmas hymns - by "lesser" I mean those that I am not familiar with but are listed in my church's old Hymnal.

Today we are featuring 2 precious songs: "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" & a French song "Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant" (which literally means "He is Born the Divine Child")
(please listen to all YouTube videos below - the first version of Good Christian Men, Rejoice is traditional and the second version I absolutely love - it's sung by 5 siblings!  And, I did not include the typed lyrics for the French song.)

Good Christian Men, Rejoice

Mediaeval Latin Carol       14th century German melody
translated by: John M. Neale 1818-1866

   

1.  Good Christian men, rejoice With heart and soul and voice!  Give ye heed to what we say:  News!  News!  Jesus Christ is born today.  Ox and ass before Him bow, And He is in the manger now:  Christ is born today, Christ is born today!

2. Good Christian men, rejoice With heart and soul and voice!  Now ye hear of endless bliss;  Joy!  Joy!  Jesus Christ was born for this, He hath oped the heavenly door, And man is blessed for evermore.  Christ was born for this, Christ was born for this!

3. Good Christian men, rejoice With heart and soul and voice!  Now ye need not fear the grave:  Peace! Peace!  Jesus Christ was born to save;  Calls you one, and calls you all, To gain His everlasting hall.  Christ was born to save, Christ was born to save!

A special thanks to "Servabo_Fidem" for sharing this with us on YouTube

A special thanks to "Wissmann Family" for sharing this with us on YouTube

A special thanks to "Stairwell Carollers" for sharing this with us on YouTube

Other Rare Christmas Hymns:

The Advent of Our King

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come
As With Gladness Men of Old
Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night

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Linked to:
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"Prayer Warriors United" is a google+ Community where Christians come together in prayer. 

Click HERE to view or join this community

If you need prayer please fill out this

Prayer Request form

Christmas Eve - "All My Heart This Night Rejoices"

Christmas Eve - "All My Heart This Night Rejoices"

It is Christmas Eve and we are continuing our study in "not so familiar" Christmas Hymns.

In years past we have studied the meaning of different details of Advent:
(click on each title to view)
NATIVITY - The Basics
The Lowly Life of the Shepherd
Wealthy Wise Men Traveling Far
Angels Hovering 'Round
It's Because God Loved Us So Much

This year I decided to feature some of the lesser Christmas hymns - by "lesser" I mean those that I am not familiar with but are listed in my church's old Hymnal.

Today we are featuring: "All My Heart This Night Rejoices"
(please listen to both YouTube videos below - the first version is true to the lyrics and the second has a different but beautiful twist to the original)

All My Heart This Night Rejoices

written by: Paul Gerhardt 1607-1676       composed by: Johann G. Ebeling 1620-1676
translated by: Catherine Winkworth 1829-1878

   

1.  All my heart this night rejoices, As I hear, Far and near, Sweetest angel voices, "Christ is born," the choirs are singing, Till the air, Everywhere, Now with joy is ringing.

2. Hark! a voice from yonder manger, Soft and sweet, Doth entreat, "Flee from woe and danger;  Brethren come;  from all that grieves you You are freed;  All you need I will surely give you."

3. Come, then let us hasten yonder;  Here let all, Great and small, Kneel in awe and wonder, Love Him who with love is yearning;  Hail the Star That from far Bright with hope is burning.

A special thanks to "Stairwell Carollers" for sharing this with us on YouTube

A special thanks to "College52101'schannel" for sharing this with us on YouTube

Other Rare Christmas Hymns:

The Advent of Our King

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come
As With Gladness Men of Old
Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night

Copyright, Permissions & Disclaimer

Linked to:
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"Prayer Warriors United" is a google+ Community where Christians come together in prayer. 

Click HERE to view or join this community

If you need prayer please fill out this

Prayer Request form

Turning Simple, Cheap Ornaments Into Stunning Flower Decorations

Turning Simple, Cheap Ornaments into Stunning Flower Decorations

Every year I enjoy adding to my Christmas ornament collection by making a few more.  This year I found these tiny ball ornaments at a garage sale for 50 cents!  Using a hot glue gun, some fabric, some paper and string I created a Christmas Flower Ornament.

The collage pictures are self explanatory.  There are 2 versions: the "Five Petal Version" (this one uses 5 round ornaments on the outside and a 6th one for the flower center) & the "Holly Version" (which uses 6 round ornaments on the ouside and a 7th one for the middle).




Instead of hanging on the tree I hung them on my window to dress up the single strand of lights I had hanging there (please keep in mind that these windows look horrible - they are the original from when the house was built in 1964.  Yes, we need new windows).

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This post was featured on:

A Themed Linkup #171




Linked to:
You're the STAR
Christmas in July Linky Party
Winter Holiday Link Party
Pretty Pintastic Party #184
Over the Moon #101
Happiness is Homemade #198
LouLou Girls

A Themed Linkup #170

________________________________________________________________

"Prayer Warriors United" is a google+ Community where Christians come together in prayer. 

Click HERE to view or join this community

If you need prayer please fill out this

Prayer Request form