Author Archives: Ellen

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken ~ Hymn

 

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Formed thee for His own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

See! the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love;
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint while such a river
Ever flows their thirst t’assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the giver,
Never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear!
For a glory and a covering
Showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from our banner
Light by night and shade by day;
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which He gives them when they pray.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,
Washed in the Redeemer’s blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them kings and priests to God.
’Tis His love His people raises,
Over self to reign as kings,
And as priests, His solemn praises
Each for a thank offering brings.

Savior, if of Zion’s city,
I through grace a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy name:
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

Words: John Newton, 1779.

Crock Pot Carnitas

This easy recipe using inexpensive meat would be great to have cooking all day long before your New Year’s Eve festivities. Carnitas is Mexican slow cooked pork that is easily shredded for fillings in soft tacos or burritos or Chimichangas.

Ingredients:
3 lbs. pork ( I used a pork shoulder)
1 lb. pinto beans (dry)
6 cups water
1/2 Cup onion, chopped.
2 cloves garlic, minced.
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon Cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon salt
1 small can diced jalapenos
1/2 – 1 cup salsa of your choice

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until beans are soft and meat falls apart. Uncover and cook on high to thicken liquid to desired consistency. At this stage you can skim off any fat if you desire.You can also cook these ingredients in a dutch oven on the stove top for 5 or more hours.

Serve with flour or corn tortillas, shredded cheese, cilantro, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, green onions, limes, avocado, and salsa.

This recipe will serve 8-10 people generously.

Thoughts for 2024

 

It is Thursday, December 28th and my thoughts are moving forward to 2024. Our last carload of family left this morning for their trek across the state and over the mountains to their home. Things are quiet and ideas are swirling. Here are some of those ideas I’m thinking about for the new year.

  1. A different reading through the Bible Plan I’m settling on is from www.FiveDayBibleReading.com

 

2. I want to pick some verses from the Bible to memorize. I’ll be strategic in my choices to make it easy on my brain. Since our current sermon series at our church is in the book of Colossians, I’ll choose verses from that book to memorize. I got a head start with this one on December 21st. This is actually Colossians 1:13 and 14.

 

Picking some key words helped me to remember the sequence, delivered, transferred, redemption, forgiveness.

3. Starting a new daily devotional. In researching Liverpool for our travels last September I read about J.C. Ryle, the first Bishop of Liverpool appointed by Queen Victoria in 1880. I’ve been reading his writings on Holiness and I asked for this devotional for Christmas.

 

4. Reading some new to me good books that we have ordered and received as gifts.

5. Getting acquainted with a new coffee machine/system I ordered for our church kitchen.

6. Putting plans in motion on how we would like to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Our wedding was in December and the weather can be unpredictable so we are thinking about autumn or late Spring for whatever we land on to enjoy with our little family of 10. (Lord willing)

7. Always and it seems forever implementing something in the eating world to drop some pounds.

8. Adding a daily 30 minute physical activity to my schedule.

9. Intentional time with our Grands.

10. Birthday gifts for three of ours who have January birthdays!

I was just thinking how I don’t have to make sure I write 2024 on checks instead of 2023. So few personal checks are written these days. I was also thinking that I’m not a fan of election years with all the nonsense that goes on and is already going on. With that in mind maybe less TV and more reading will be the best of plans. Have you been thinking about 2024 and what you might want to do that is new?

A paragraph from daily readings by Spurgeon on the 28th of December;

“…Faith lays hold upon the Lord Jesus with a firm and determined grasp. It knows His excellence and worth, and no temptation can induce faith to place its trust elsewhere. And Christ Jesus is so delighted with this heavenly grace that He never ceases to strengthen and sustain that faith by the loving embrace and all-sufficient support of His everlasting arms…”

It Was Merry and Bright

On Christmas morning Katie, Andrew, Greg and I enjoyed Eggs Benedict for breakfast before the rest of our crew arrived for our Christmas Day festivities. Josh and Laura left the Seattle area 8ish in the morning for their trek across the mountains to our country bungalow. We were so thankful it was clear sailing for them all the way to our place. After they arrived our Colville kids packed up their truck and headed over.

Before we opened gifts, Greg (Gramps) read from from Hebrews 1 which speaks of who Jesus Christ is and Luke 2 in the Bible which speaks of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. Hebrews 1:1-3a


Addy and JJ made the wrapping paper for some of the gifts they gave.

 

This little guy was impersonating a Bah-bush-ka!

The Yorkshire pudding popped up well!

The meal (which I didn’t photo) was Prime Rib roasted to perfection, Yorkshire Pudding, Creamed Corn, roasted brussels sprouts and asparagus. After the meal was enjoyed we popped the poppers and enjoyed the crowns and gifts and jokes!

Since Andrew and Katie had to leave early on Boxing Day, Katie shared a cake with Jesus. Our Grands mommy made a two tiered cake that was chocolate and vanilla for Katie and Jesus. Addy requested both flavors. After we sang happy birthday to Katie and she blew out her candles, we closed our eyes while Addy and Jamie redecorated the top of the cake.

We all marveled at the wonderful cake topper for our celebration of the birth of Jesus. Great creativity Jamie and Addy!

 

What a wonderful treat to be able to be together on this special day to celebrate the birth of our Savior. We are thankful for the joy we can share with one another.

Katie and Andrew’s sleigh left on Tuesday, Boxing day. Josh and Laura are here for a few more days of fun and adventures.

Today is Katie’s actual birthday. Happy Birthday dear Katie. Dad and I love you and are so thankful for you and what you mean to our family.

 

Boxing Day

We had a very wonderful Christmas Day with all our Washington State Family. We didn’t get a White Christmas this year but when we woke up this Boxing day we had a light dusting of snow. If we measured it would be a short half inch of snow. It is all white and quiet.

I’ll be sharing all the things soon. When I woke up this morning Dear had the pots and pans washed from our Christmas evening meal. He’s a keeper!

Happy Boxing day to all of you and by the way, today is Tuesday, your welcome.

Merry Christmas to All!

Christmas Carol

Hallelujah! hark! from above
Angels come on their wings of love;
Loud hosannas welcome the morn;
Christ our Redeemer’s born.

Refrain

Glory to God the choral strain;
Glory to God the sweet refrain;
Glory, glory, glory to God!
Christ our Redeemer’s born.

Chiming, chiming, hark! ’tis the bells;
Joy to all now their music tells;
Floating onward, greeting the morn;
Christ our Redeemer’s born.

Refrain

Hallelujah! joyful we sing,
While we praise our exalted king;
Let our carol welcome the morn;
Christ our Redeemer’s born.

Refrain

Words: Fanny Crosby

Hallelujah tis done, I believe on the son, I’ve been saved by the blood of the crucified one.

Christmas Eve 2023

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying,

4

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those

with whom he is pleased!”

С Рождеством Христовым

(S Roždestvom Khristovym)

On the birth of Christ a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Christmas Recital

Tuesday the 19th of December was the Christmas Piano Recital that Addy is part of. She is still the youngest student and always starts off the program. She has grown so much and her piano skills are growing with her.

Keep up the good work of practicing dear Addy. It’s good you are having fun, too.

 

The next photos are the last of our Christmas Decor that I’ll share this year.

This next Nativity set was purchased this year in downtown Colville at a shop that sells vintage and second hand decor. It is Italian and I thought that it was a good buy at $15.

It was so good to hear from friends and family near and far this year. Some new addresses in new states, babies on the way, beautiful family photos, and sadly a death we weren’t aware of.

Today is Saturday and we are expecting our first car load of kids to arrive this afternoon.

Tomorrow will be a good and busy Christmas Eve Day and Eve. Blessings on all who visit here.

A Grand Day

Our grands came over for a few hours on Monday afternoon. We had some fun activities planned. First off, they both were ‘hungry’ so we sliced some of their mom’s homemade sourdough bread and they enjoyed it with some honey on top. They also enjoyed some hot chocolate with marshmallows in their special Christmas mugs.

Then it was time for the dollar store aprons and cookie baking. I had to take photos fast because JJ was already unwrapping the butter.

We got everything mixed in with their help leveling the sugar and flour with very minimum spillage. Then it was time to roll the dough into balls and lay them on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Poking a hole in each round with the end of a wooden spoon was fun.

Ready to go into the oven.

Once they were out with lots of warning not to touch the hot cookie sheet we carefully helped each other put some melted semi sweet chocolate into each hole.

We didn’t taste test till after their mom came back from some alone time and we enjoyed dinner together. We all agreed this was a good recipe. I’ll add the link to Charlotte’s German Hazelnut Cookies here. We did not have hazelnuts so we substituted pecans in this recipe.

After cookie baking, Addy and JJ were given the task to set up a Christmas village with these pop up cards we have received every year from my college roommate and her husband. I told the Grands to be extra careful with them since they are paper and won’t last forever. Over thirty of these pop up cards have survived over the years.

On the day the kids were setting up the village this year’s card arrived in the mail.

A cuckoo clock. We had a fun discussion about Cuckoo birds with Addy and JJ.

The vintage angels were my mother-in-law’s. They are sweet but when I think of angels and the verses in the Bible that speak of angels, I never think sweet as a description. They startled and caused fear and were powerful and not easily described. I prefer my wooden angel on the left.

The three mugs in the back are Josh, Dan and Katie’s mugs. The two in the front I purchased for Addy and JJ.

Today we will pick up our food items for our Christmas Eve and Christmas day meals. Tomorrow our daughter and hubby arrive from the west side of our state and celebrations will continue. Hope all is merry and bright in your corner of the world.

JOY!

 JOY

Joy is a recurring theme and response to Jesus and what he has done for us. Look at the joy in these verses from the Bible. Take a moment to read through them.

Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the LORD.
Zechariah 2:9-11
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
Matthew 2:9-11
You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Luke 1:13-15
For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
Luke 1:43-45
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Luke 2:9-11
Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.
Luke 6:22-24
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
Luke 10:20-22
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:9-11
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:10-12
“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
John 17:12-14
And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:51-52
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:11-13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:12-14
…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-3
and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
1 Peter 1:7-9

Remember this Christmas season when you see a star, man made or God made, pause to rejoice.
When you see a babe think of our Savior and rejoice.
When you see gifts beautifully wrapped think of the very best gift of all we have been given from God through Jesus and rejoice.
REJOICE with the angels.
REJOICE with the shepherds.
REJOICE with Mary and Joseph.
REJOICE and again I say REJOICE!
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This post is replacing Truth for Today this week. Truth for Today will resume next week. Praying you all will have reason to Rejoice this Christmas.