Truth for Today #184

Friday April 24th

On Fridays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during the week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s continue to dig deep into God’s truth.

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!

1 John 2:3-6

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

From Vera:

Psalm‬ ‭62‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” ‭‭

Victory in Jesus ~ Hymn

Victory in Jesus

I heard an old, old story,
How a Saviour came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me:
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood’s atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.

Chorus:
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him,
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.

I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing power revealing,
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit.”
And somehow Jesus came
And brought to me the victory.

I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory,
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing,
And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I’ll sing up there
The song of victory.

Words: Bartlett

We sang this hymn this past Monday at the Memorial Service for one of our friends at First Baptist Colville. He requested this hymn to be sung at his funeral. He is with his Lord and Savior. See you later, Peter.

Truth for Today #183

Friday April 17th

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!

Philippians 2:5-11

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking on the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed o him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

From Gail:

Job 28:12, 27-28

But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? …

Then He saw it and declared it. He established it, and also searched it out. And to man He said, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and in departing from evil is understanding.”

From Vera:

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV

“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” ‭

From Karen:

II Samuel 22:31

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

Taxes and Tulips Hodgepodge

Get your muck boots on and tiptoe through the tulips with me.

It’s not taxing to answer Wednesday Hodgepodge questions, thank you, Joyce!

1. Big week in the US of A…do you do your own taxes?

We don’t do our own taxes.

I am in charge of the books for our well that four properties share and I have to file an annual nonprofit tax form and I’m patting myself on the back for getting that done.

What’s something you’ve found ‘taxing’ lately?

Exercising.

2. When it comes to travel are you a last minute packer or a lay it all out a week in advance type?

I don’t lay it all out but I do think about it and make lists.

Do you struggle to pack light?

For our trip this past March we packed very light and proved we could do it so we will be packing light for any trips in the future unless it is a road trip.

Share a packing tip that has worked for you.

Pack your socks inside your spare pair of shoes that you are packing.

3. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Hmmm…who knew it got its own month? Do you like a grilled cheese sandwich? What ingredient do you add to take yours to the next level?

We do enjoy a good grilled cheese sandwich. A good slice of salami can take it to the next level.

4. There’s a well known quote that says-

‘A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” John A. Shedd

Is constant growth necessary or do you think it’s more important to prioritize stability and peace in your life?

As a Biblical Christian I am admonished to grow. Grow in my knowledge of the Word of God. Grow more like Christ. Grow in my love for God, my Savior. My peace and stability come from walking with God and knowing Him more and growing more and more like Jesus Christ. This does not happen overnight, it is a lifelong process of Sanctification.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:17-18

5. Let’s wrap this up with a fun spring this or that-

daffodils or tulips ~ first daffodils and then tulips!
lemonade or iced tea ~ lemonade
gardening or hiking ~how about walking
ladybugs or butterflies ~ butterflies
umbrella or raincoat ~raincoat
floral patterns or polka dots ~polka dots

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Speaking of tulips, you don’t have to travel all the way to Amsterdam to enjoy amazing tulip fields. When we lived in Kenmore, Washington we tried to make an annual trip to Mount Vernon, Washington for the tulip festival. That was just an hour to an hour and a half drive. It was worth the tulip traffic and dodging all the people like us who wanted to enjoy the glorious fields of tulips.

I could go on and on with the photos I have but this will give you a good taste of the variety and massive industry of tulips from this area of Washington State. Besides the fields there are several gardens to enjoy with many more unique varieties of tulips with gift shops, etc.

Jesus Lives! O Day of Days! ~ Hymn

Jesus Lives! O Day of Days!

Jesus lives! O day of days!
Glad we bring our grateful praise;
He is risen! Gone the gloom,
Angels sit within the tomb.
Vain the taunt of Jew denying,
Vain the vaunt o’er Jesus dying,
Heav’nly voices, from the grave,
Now proclaim His power to save.

Refrain

He is risen! Come and see,
How He triumphed mightily!
Conqueror thus o’er all His foes,
Jesus from the dead arose.

Lord and Prophet, spake He not?
Have ye His own words forgot,
Telling, while in Galilee,
Thus the victory should be?
How through scorn and dire affliction,
Thorny way and crucifixion,
Vanquished death, and rent the grave—
Christ the King should live to save.

Refrain

Tearful to the sepulcher
Mary comes in grief and fear;
Sees the stone now rolled away,
Hears the waiting angels say:
Why the dead among the living
Seek ye? Lo! The Lord life-giving
Rises, vain the watch, the grave:
Prince of Life, He lives to save!

Refrain

Welcome then, the day of days!
Lord, ’tis Thine our tuneful praise;
Thine, for us, the Tempted, Tried,
Thine, for us, the Crucified;
Thine for us the Resurrection,
Thine the Life, the Sure Protection.
Savior! Sovereign over the grave,
May we know Thy power to save.

He is risen! joyfully,
Lord! we raise our song to Thee,
Conqueror thus o’er all His foes,
Jesus from the dead arose.

Words: George D. Wildes, 1871.

Truth for Today #182

Friday April 10th

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!

Welcome back to Truth for Today.

Psalm 97:9-12

For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name.

From Vera:

“Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭107‬:‭4‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Jesus Prepares to Die…

On the Thursday of Easter week we remember the Passover supper Jesus had with his disciples and the washing of the disciples feet. Some of what Jesus shared with his disciples on this day in history is copied below.

Excerpts from John chapter 13…

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Artists have tried to depict the last supper and we’ve seen some of those attempts in person over the years in our travels.

While in England in 2014 year we saw two amazing paintings of the last supper, one in the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist in Windsor and one in the chapel of Magdalen College.

Above the stalls in the chapel hangs Giampetrino’s remarkable 15th copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, on permanent loan from the Royal Academy. In view of the bad condition of the original fresco in Milan, Magdalen’s copy on canvas is a piece of increasing historic and artistic significance.

This photo is a life sized artist’s depiction of the night Jesus had the Passover meal with his disciples, the event we call the Last Supper. This was taken at the Monumentale Cemetery in Milan Italy in 2013. “Do this in remembrance of me”

There seems to be only 11 of the 12 disciples which makes me wonder if the artist depicted the scene after Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, had left the meal.

The sculpture of Jesus washing Peter’s feet at the top of this post was taken in Thousand Oaks California at the Gardens of the World.

“Come, my heart, rejoice in the immunity that your Redeemer has secured for you, and bless His name all day and everyday.” C.H. Spurgeon

Easter week, remembering what was accomplished by Jesus on the Cross and in His resurrection, our redemption, is celebrated every week and every day for true believers!

Hero’s Temple and Jewish Museum ~ Budapest

We continued our tour of the Dohany Street Synagogue and other buildings on the grounds on Sunday, March 1st.

The Heroes’ Temple has become an inseparable part of the Dohány Street Synagogue.
The arcade and the Heroes’ Temple, designed by László Vágó, seats 186 people. It was built in 1931 and is used for religious services.
The Heroes’ Synagogue commemorates the 10.000 Hungarian Jewish soldiers who earned glory on the battlefields of World War I and died heroes’ deaths.

The museum was the last area we would visit.

The Stained glass windows featured Moses, David and Saul and the last one pictured also featured Daniel in the Lion’s Den.

Speaking of Moses…

We left the Dohany Synagogue property and walked back to the hotel.

On the way we saw a few interesting doors and buildings.

We stopped to exchange our dollars for some Forints, Hungary’s currency.

Hungary has not bought into euros.

The Hungarian forint (HUF) consists of six banknote denominations (500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 Ft) and six coin denominations (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Ft). Banknotes feature famous Hungarian historical figures, while coins are used for smaller transactions, with the 200 forint being the highest-value coin. A 200 forint coin is what you need for public restrooms.

2000 forints converts to about $5.94.

We wanted to leave a tip for our room housekeeper at the hotel. It was hard to wrap our heads around such large sounding currency actually being such a small amount in our own currency.

We caught our AmaWaterways shuttle to take us to the boat for our embarkation. I took a video of us walking on to the boat instead of taking photos and never took photos of our room. I took a video of our room. Sad but true I cannot add those videos here.

We had a warm welcome when we arrived and made it to our room where we found our luggage waiting for us with welcome notes and other items.

Our room was one of the least expensive rooms and on the lower deck but we were impressed with the size and the conveniences it afforded. The bed was very comfortable and it was larger than a queen. Another notable thing is how quiet our room was. We never heard any noise from the rooms next to ours. We never heard load engine noises and anything of that kind while in bed for the night.

Our windows were at water level.

The journey would commence on the Danube as we were enjoying our first dinner aboard. We sat at a round table for eight and enjoyed getting to know total strangers that would become more familiar by the end of our seven day journey. We were told that the Captain would tell us when we were passing the Parliament Building in Budapest so we could go up on the upper deck and get some nice photos. I’ll share those photos in my next River Cruise post. This was more of an off season time and there were only 130 passengers on this cruise. The boat could have 190 if full.

Back to the present:

It is the last day of March and we are going full speed ahead to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I finally brought our Easter Bin in. I started a new puzzle this week that Josh and Laura brought last weekend and I don’t think I’ll be able to complete it by Easter. It is a tough one because of the coloring. I’ve done the easiest parts, ha! I’m using my new puzzle mat that Andrew and Katie gifted me for my birthday. It is one of those that you can roll up with the puzzle intact if you need to move it before finishing.

The Empty Tomb!

Thanks for stopping by. Goodbye March and thank you, LORD, for a wonderful month filled with blessings galore!

Spring Firsts

On our trip to Spokane on Tuesday we saw the new roadside sign from Williams Valley Mennonite Church as we drove through the little town of Clayton. Such a great verse for Spring!

Speaking of Spring we have a few signs on our property that Spring is springing before our eyes.

The birds have been very busy. Two nests in two of our roadside shrubs.

Greg spotted this mud lined nests on his way to our mailbox.

I wonder which birds made these nests.

Hooray for these sweet daffodils that are finally opening up. They make me smile. We’ve been dropping below freezing the mornings this week but the daffodils don’t seem to mind.

What signs of Spring are you enjoying as we head into Easter week?

Panorama Look-Out, St. Stephens Basilica

To get to the panorama views of St. Stephen’s Basilica and Budapest, there was an elevator option and stairs. We took the elevator up but when it was time to go down again we chose the stairs. Thankfully there were good railings and it was an open airy space so we didn’t get claustrophobic.

Saturday February 28th was a beautiful sunny day. We were so thankful.

This view is of the square in front of the Basilica with the pedestrian street beyond that takes you to the Danube. Looking beyond small slice of the Danube you can see the Buda side of Budapest.

On our way down to exit the Basilica we stopped at the Treasury. This painting of Peter and the Rooster caught my eye, “the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times“. This experience of Peter makes me emotionally as I consider times that I’ve denied or not stood up for my Lord and Savior.

The “Holy Family” was painted by Murillo (1682).

An artistic depiction of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the well.

Not quite busts but these circular heads of all the apostles were on an arched ceiling as we left the Treasury.

It was a narrower exit and walkway and I wasn’t able to get photos of all the apostles because of other people pressing in.

We exited the Basilica and found our way to the Jewish District for our lunch meal at Mazel-Tov. I wrote about our eating experience in Budapest and this restaurant in an earlier post.

This was a day that we were up on our feet and walking for the majority of the day. I was thankful that my Plantar Fasciitis was not an issue for me during this trip. I thanked the LORD several times. I did manage to get a nasty blister on my baby toe, though, that I had to doctor and pamper the next few days!

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: Bible

Truth for Today #184

Victory in Jesus ~ Hymn

Truth for Today #183

Taxes and Tulips Hodgepodge

Jesus Lives! O Day of Days! ~ Hymn

Truth for Today #182

Jesus Prepares to Die…

Hero’s Temple and Jewish Museum ~ Budapest

Spring Firsts

Panorama Look-Out, St. Stephens Basilica