Author Archives: Ellen

Full of Hope Hodgepodge

2016-04-13 pablano soup

Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for the Wednesday Hodgepodge Questions!

1. “Hope springs eternal”…discuss.

I’m taking the quote out of the realm it came from and putting God’s eternal twist on it.

From a mother’s perspective I always hope for our children to progress in their walk with the Lord, to be content, to stay faithful in their marriages and to look forward to their eternity with God.

From a grandmother’s perspective I ask the Lord continually to have mercy on and save our grandchildren and my hope is for their salvation.

This is my same prayer for any friends or family who are not born again.

For me personally, my hope is in eternity with my Lord and Savior.

2. Last time you needed to ‘spring into action’ or ‘spring to someone’s defense’…explain.

These days my springing into action generally happens around our grandchildren quickly diverting them from danger.

3. Tulips or daffodils? baby birds or baby bunnies? The cherry tree or the dogwood tree? Jelly beans or peeps? March madness or spring training? Peas or carrots?

Tulips, Baby birds, Dogwood Tree (see photo at the top of this post), Jelly Beans, Spring Cleaning no madness or training, Carrots.

4. I read an article here on the South’s best cities on the rise. They are-Baton Rouge Louisiana, Fayetteville Arkansas, Greenville South Carolina, Huntsville Alabama, Lexington Kentucky, Norfolk Virginia, Tulsa Oklahoma, Waco Texas, Wilmington North Carolina, and Winston-Salem North Carolina. Of the cities listed how many have you seen in person?

Katie and I drove to Airlie Gardens in Wilmington North Carolina when our Son-in-law was stationed at Camp LeJeune.

Which one on the list would you most like to see?

Waco Texas because of the Fixer Upper phenomena. Would be fun to visit Magnolia.

Have you spent much time in the southern states (USA)?

We’ve spent more time in the Southwest vs. Southeast being born and raised in Southern California. We’ve spent time in Arizona and New Mexico. We’ve visited family in Dallas, Texas. We’ve been to San Antonio (for a conference).We’ve spent time in North Carolina when our Andrew and Katie lived there during his Marine days. Katie and I traveled to Beaufort, S.C. for Andrew’s Marine Corps graduation. Dear and I spent a few days in Florida for a medical conference he attended. We’ve been to Atlanta, Georgia for another conference. On a road trip from Seattle to Jacksonville, North Carolina, Katie and I spent nights in Tennessee, Asheville N.C., Raleigh Durham.

Any spring road trips on your calendar?

Only a short one across the mountains to our kids home after Easter.

We are making plans for a longer road trip to North Carolina for a wedding in October. On the way we do plan a stop in Lexington, Kentucky after we visit The Ark. Our route home from North Carolina will take us through Dallas to visit my brother’s family. Looks like we could hit a few of those cities on the way to Dallas from North Carolina if we wanted to.

5. Tell us how your outdoor space needs sprucing up this spring?

We still have a lot of grassy bushes that need some work, pulling out the old to get ready for the new growth. Now our front acreage has a million small pine cones that the trees have shed. Those are a bear to clear.

Which do you enjoy more (or hate the least-ha!) yard work or house work?

I enjoy riding my lawn mower to cut the grass. Not a big fan of pulling weeds and less of a fan these days since it makes my back sore. The housework that I’m the least happy to do these days is to clean our shower. I’d love to have the unit replaced. There is calcium deposits that are impossible to remove that look like dirt. We are on well water here. So all that to say there are parts of outdoor work that I like and parts of indoor work that I like. Other parts are not pleasant both indoors and outdoors.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We are catching our breath after a celebration filled weekend with our kids from the ‘Coast’ here. A belated birthday dinner for me on Friday and then our granddaughter’s 4th birthday on Saturday. We were all in church together on Sunday morning. We had all our meals together from Friday dinner to Monday lunch except for Sunday morning. The ‘coast’ kids flew home on Monday evening.

Party Fun

At the party some outdoor activities required safety goggles and safety ear muffs.

Peek a boo fun and someone has mastered the pouty lips!

Presents!

Time to try out a birthday gift before cake!

Another Happy Birthday for the books!

Our deer/dear Addy, we are so happy to be close enough to watch you grow. You are learning so many important things and we pray the things that are true will stay with you your whole life. We love you and Jesus loves you!

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

It’s been a whirlwind 4 days here in the country. Our ‘Coast’ kids are back home. We got a lot of quality time in and we look forward to the next time we can be together. The dishwasher has been working overtime.

I have had very few minutes online and hope to catch up with you all in a day or two!

Happy Birthday Addy!

Our dear little granddaughter turned 4 on the first day of Spring and family and friends gathered to celebrate her! Warning: This post will have lots of photos. It was a hunting party.

The guests were instructed to wear camo or orange clothing to go with the ‘Hunting’ theme. And…yes, Addy chose the theme.

Our little Deer…

One with Addy smiling.

One with JJ cooperating.

Baba, Addy and Gramps

Granny and Addy

Great Uncle Scott, Rhonda and Addy.

Uncle Josh, Aunt Lolo (Laura) and Addy.

Auntie Katie and Addy. Uncle Andrew was busy with work responsibilities.

Addy and her friend.

Long time friends of the family.

JJ and Auntie Lolo. Another post is coming with all the activities at the party.

Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy ~ Hymn

Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore,
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity joined with power.
He is able, He is able;
He is willing: doubt no more.

Ho! ye needy; come, and welcome;
God’s free bounty glorify.
True belief, and true repentance,
Every grace that brings us nigh,
Without money, without money,
Come to Jesus Christ, and buy.

Let not conscience make you linger:
Nor of fitness fondly dream.
All the fitness He requireth
Is, to feel your need of Him:
This He gives you, this He gives you;
’Tis the Spirit’s rising beam.

Come ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and mangled by the Fall;
If you tarry, till you’re better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, not the righteous,
Sinners, Jesus came to call.

View Him groveling in the Garden;
Lo! your Maker prostrate lies.
On the bloody tree behold Him;
Hear Him cry, before He dies,
It is finished, it is finished.
Sinner, will not this suffice?

Lo! th’incarnate God, ascended,
Heads the merit of His blood.
Venture on Him, venture wholly;
Let not other trust intrude.
None but Jesus, none but Jesus,
Can do helpless sinners good.

Saints and angels joined in concert,
Sing the praises of the Lamb;
While the blissful seats of Heaven
Sweetly echo with His name.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Sinners here may sing the same.

Welcome Spring!

A Prayer in Spring

by Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.

We are celebrating our little granddaughter today who turns 4. Happy Spring everyone! Photo overload will be coming soon.

Loose Ends

The struggle is real. Some progress on this puzzle. It’s a tough one. We congratulate ourselves when we find one or two pieces to fit!

When we finally get the owls done we will move on to this one which was a 70th Birthday gift from my friend Jeaneen.

Looks like a fun one from my favorite country to visit.

My sister Kathy made this for me for my birthday. I love it!

Josh and Laura sent this beautiful bouquet that arrived after we returned from our little getaway in Idaho.

Tonight the celebrations continue with a meal in Spokane with our family except for Andrew who has work obligations. Our newest toddler has not had many restaurant experiences and it will be interesting to see how a fancy restaurant and JJ get along. I’ll let you know how it goes.

We are moving into a busy weekend. If I’m scarce you will know why.

Truth from A to Z Bible Verse Challenge, Y is for…

We are winding down on our A to Z Bible Verse Challenge with 2 more letters to go. This weeks letter is Y. Please share your verse/verses in the comments and I will add them to this post.

I’m sharing a portion of scripture from 2 Corinthians this week.

Y is for Yes:

2 Corinthians 1:17-22 (ESV)

…Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

From Vera:

Y is for YOU AND YOUR

“And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37‬ ‭(NASB1995)‬‬

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭(NASB1995)

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9‬ ‭(NASB1995‬‬)

From Patricia

Y is for Yes:

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.
Philippians 3:10

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22:20

From Happyone:

Y is for YOUTH,

1 Timothy 4:12
Let no man despise thy YOUTH; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Click over to Bethany’s blog, Raindrops and Rainbows to see her verses with the word YET!

From Oceanmist:

Y is for Yoke
Matthew 11: 29-30

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Springing Ahead Hodgepodge

Hodgepodge lands on St. Patrick’s Day this week so Jo From This Side of the Pond has come up with questions surrounding that theme. Thank you Jo for your creative questions!

1. This week’s Hodgepodge lands on St. Patrick’s Day.

Will you wear green?

Yes! (If I remember)

Eat corned beef and cabbage?

We enjoyed corned beef and cabbage last evening at our son and DIL’s home.

Drink green beer?

No to drinking green beer but I have used a Guinness pint glass as a flower vase coloring the water green.

Have you ever been to Ireland? Is it on your travel ‘bucket list’? 

No never been but would love to!

2. Something you think is ‘worth its weight in gold’? 

My riding lawn mower. And very soon it will be time to start riding it again.

3. Something that makes you ‘green around the gills’? 

When someone else ‘tosses their cookies’.

4. What puts a ‘spring in your step’ these days? 

Whenever I know our family will be gathering like this coming weekend!

5. Write a limerick using one of the following as your theme….March, St. Patrick’s Day, Covid, 2020 and/or 2021, the color green, or life lately. Yes, you can do it. 

I’ll admit up front that hubby helped came up with this.

There was a nice gal from Seattle

Who rarely engaged verbal battle

She blogged with her friends

Entertained to no end

And tried to avoid empty prattle!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My kids have planned the following for this Friday. Our DIL Laura created this gif. It will be good to be together! My actual birthday was March 14th but our kids are flying over to celebrate two birthdays in one trip. My family dinner party is Friday night and Addy’s 4th birthday will be celebrated on her day, March 20th.

St. Patrick’s Prayer

May the Strength of God pilot us.
May the Power of God preserve us.
May the Wisdom of God instruct us.
May the Hand of God protect us.

May the Way of God direct us.
May the Shield of God defend us.

May the Host of God guard us
Against the snares of the evil ones,
Against temptations of the world.

May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us,
Christ be over all!

May Thy Salvation, Lord,
Always be ours,
This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen.

The Roosevelt Inn

For my birthday getaway we chose to stay at The Roosevelt Inn which is a Bed and Breakfast in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Welcome to The Roosevelt Inn,  a stunning Coeur d’Alene inn.  This grand brick building was the first permanent schoolhouse established in 1905. Now, experience historic elegance at The Roosevelt Inn a romantic and relaxing bed and breakfast located in the heart of beautiful downtown Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

We chose The Principal’s Suite for this stay. When we checked in they delivered a welcome small portion of a very tasty bread pudding along with a fresh rose and water.

This elegant executive suite offers the best of both worlds; beautiful stylish accommodations with a separate sitting room.

We enjoyed our breakfast. Once upon a time they would have a large breakfast buffet along with choices for you to choose from the kitchen. Now because of you know what everything comes from the kitchen with no buffet service.

After we made our reservations we found out that the owners have sold the Inn and new ownership takes over in April. I don’t know what the new owners are like and how they will continue or modify the Inn so I’ll hold back on our recommendations. We did enjoy our stay.

Celebrating

We enjoyed my birthday meal at the Wolf Lodge Steak House in Coeur d’Alene.

If you are a fan of meat this is the place for you!

The restaurant was dark inside so the photos taken with our phones are a bit muddled.

My birthday started out earlier than usual since it was Spring Forward time of year! First thing in the morning I was greeted with the sweetest video of our grands singing happy birthday to me on a video. A wonderful way to start the day. On the way to church our daughter called with her sweet wishes. Our church service was so good with lots of laughter and then a more solemn time of Communion. After church we drove to Idaho and the texts and phone calls continued. Both our sons called with their wishes. Another call from my brother with his family singing happy birthday to me. Another dear friend called and then my college roommate from the University of Redlands called out of the blue. I’ve been overwhelmed with the many wonderful birthday greetings I have received through phone calls, texts, and Facebook messages. And now that I’m in this new decade I need to document all these things so I can remember.

Thank you to all my blogging friends, too, who have left such encouraging words on my birthday posts!