X is for…

For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be. Disclaimer: this has been a lot more than a photo a day. It has been more like a theme for the day.

Today is Monday April 28th and we are on the letter X. For this letter I’m deferring to the Russian Alphabet.

X is for Христос, Christ, our Lord, Master, in Russian. During Easter we use the X and B on our Sweet Cheese that we make for a spread on our Easter Bread. The X is for Christ and the B is for Risen. Christ is Risen, Христос воскрес! XB is used on other Russian items at Easter.

Two more days and two more letters. Thanks for visiting these posts. We are in the last few days of April. We have had warm dry days here in our part of the state. People are cheerful as they are out and about in the sunshine. Lots of yard work getting done, too.

Last Friday and Saturday we participated in a flea market in town to try to sell off some X-tra stuff. It wasn’t as successful as we would have liked but we came out ahead and some stuff is gone.

Hope you have an X-cellent week ahead!

Truth for Today #141

Thursday April 24th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during 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 dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

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

1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, ²by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

³For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

From Vera:

‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.”

From Leonard:

2 Chronicles 14:11

“Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God, “O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!”

From Nikkipolani:

Psalm 19:1-4

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.

‭‭From Susanne:

Philippians 1:6 AMP

“And I am convinced, and sure of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return, developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you”

R is for…

For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be.

Today is Monday April 21st and we are on the letter R.

R is for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, our Risen Savior!

Our greater family and friends were celebrating Easter from Washington State, California, Texas, Utah, New York and North Carolina. We had such joyous, meaningful, epic celebrations in our church gatherings and in our homes.

There will be a ridiculous amount of photos to document Easter 2025.

I’m starting with First Baptist Colville and our Colville Kids. Our Pastor’s Easter sermon was exceptional, focusing on why the Resurrection is the keystone of Christianity. God is good. The whole service was wonderful.

We were in charge of our continental breakfast between the first and second service on Easter Day.

Canyon Hills in Bothell, Josh and Laura’s church, had an epic service renting Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett so their very large congregation would be able to worship together instead of having many services.

Laura’s family gathered at Josh and Laura’s for their Easter Meal.

We gathered at Dan and Jamie’s after our church services for our meal and for the Easter Egg Hunt!

JJ and Addy posed as bunnies.

We were able to dodge the rain showers for the hunt.

Our Texas Family attended services at Watermark Church and had their Easter meal of Shashlik (Lamb Shish-kebab) and other goodies at our sister’s home.

Lana got creative and formed her Kulich/Paska (Easter Bread) into a tomb with the stone rolled away.

One of the California gatherings with the more traditional Kulich/Paska (Russian Easter Bread) and the Seernaya Paska (sweet cheese spread).

I ~~stole~~ borrowed some of these photos off of the family texts. It was a full day of Rejoicing!

Today, Easter Monday, will be a rest and recuperation day for me.

Christ Arose! Hallelujah! Christ Arose!

Easter, the best day in the history of the world!

Christ Is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

Khristos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!

Христос воскрес!
воистину воскрес!

Blessings to all on this Glorious Easter Day!

One of my favorite Easter hymns growing up was Christ Arose! You just have to hear it sung in a church full of Russian Baptists! (In Russian of course) This song is sung with emotion and joy that can’t be missed.

Christ Arose!

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior;
Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain

Death cannot keep its Prey, Jesus my Savior;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

Words & Music: Robert Lowry, 1874.

Good Friday 2025

Today we remember Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified on a cross and when he breathed His last and was laid in a tomb.

Were the angels looking down from heaven to see all that would transpire?

We are so fortunate to be able to attend a Good Friday service this evening in Colville.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

From Matthew 27:45-66

The Death of Jesus

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilateand said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.”Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.”So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Is it not strange, the darkest hour

That ever dawned on sinful earth,

Should touch the heart with softer power,

For comfort, than an angel’s mirth?

That to the Cross the mourner’s eye should turn,

Sooner than where the stars of Bethlehem burn?

~Spurgeon

Truth for Today #140

Today is a special day on the Christian calendar and it is the day we consider the ‘last supper’ Christ had with his disciples and how He washed their feet and taught them, encouraging them for what was about to happen.

Thursday April 17th

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

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.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

From Vera:

Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭32‬-‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
‭‭

O is for…

For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be.

Today is Thursday April 17th and the letter is O. I’m manipulating this one since it is Easter Week.

O is for Old and Older photos of Easter celebrations.

Easter in the 50’s at 4635 Oak Street in Pico Rivera.

Joshua’s first Easter in 1979 in Huntington Beach, California.

Easter on Arroyo Drive at Dzedushka’s and Babushka’s in the early 80’s.

Easter in Ventura 1986.

Easter in Yorba Linda, 1987.

Ventura 1987.

Easter in Yorba Linda, 1988.

Easter in Bothell 1989ish

All the rest of these photos are from Easters in Kenmore after 2001.

Our Russian greeting at Easter; Christ is Risen, Truly He is Risen.

Russian Easter Bread that we call Kulich and our Mennonite Friends call Paska.

2010

Sweet Cheese Spread for the Kulich/Paska that we call Seernaya Paska.

2011

2012

2013

The year we were in Italy just before Easter we brought home the Italian version of Easter Panettone from Milan for our Easter treat. We didn’t bake our traditional Easter bread that year.

2014 was another Panettone Easter.

2015

We baked Kulich in 2015!

Easter preparation day in 2016.

2016 was the daffodil year.

It was also our first year with our newest daughter-in-law.

Easter celebrations are a priority in our heritage and in our present lives.

The Resurrection we celebrate at Easter is the climax of the story of Redemption God planned throughout all of history. We worship and serve a risen Savior in whom we have redemption. He provided the sacrifice we needed for our sins to be forgiven. Because of that forgiveness, we can live a new life in Him with hope for our future.

Colossians 1:13-14

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Today on this year’s calendar and in Easter week we think about the Last Supper and Jesus Christ’s humility in washing His Disciples Feet. We also consider His instruction and encouragement to His Disciples on this night for what was about to happen.

God bless you with a heart to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved!

Hodgepodge and N is for…

This is the latest puzzle I completed just in time for Easter week. It was a gift from Josh and Laura.

Another Wednesday Hodgepodge in the middle of this very special week.

1. Do you complete your own taxes?

No we let someone else complete the forms and shuffle through the details.

Besides actual taxes, what’s something you’ve found taxing lately?

Taxes don’t tax us at this time of life. Something that has been taxing me is my Plantar Fasciitis. It makes walking and standing a pain.

2. What are three values you treasure most in a friendship?

The kind of love that bears up with the good and bad, forgives and stays connected.

Love~Forgiveness~Loyalty

3. Do you meal plan or do you mostly wing it?

These days if there is any planning it happens the morning of and winging it is a fair description. There is planning if we are having company.

Share your dinner menus for this week.

We just had a big family weekend celebrating JJ’s 6th birthday and Andrew’s 36th birthday. We had Greg’s famous Tomato Rice Soup with Fresh Bread for a meal on Thursday evening which turned into lunch the next day. Swedish pancakes for breakfast on Friday morning. Hamburgers on Friday evening. Egg Scramble Saturday morning. Pizza fresh vegetables and fruit for JJ’s birthday party. Steak and Roasted Veggies plus salad for Andrew’s birthday dinner. Birthday Cake at JJ’s party. Birthday Pecan Pie for Andrew. Butterscotch Peanut butter Rice Krispy bars for snacks. Oatmeal Sunday morning before church.

After all of that this last weekend, there is nothing specific planned for this week.

4. Thomas Sowell is credited as saying, ‘‘There are no solutions, only trade-offs.’ Agree or disagree? Discuss.

Since this is the middle of Easter Week, I choose to respond to this question with this prayer from The Valley of Vision showing the amazing transfer (trade-offs) from God to me…

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy, cast off that I might be brought in, trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend, surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best, stripped that I might be clothed, wounded that I might be healed, athirst that I might drink, tormented that I might be comforted, made a shame that I might inherit glory, entered darkness that I might have eternal life.

My Savior wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes, groaned that I might have endless song, endured all pain that I might have unfading health, bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem, bowed his head that I might uplift min, experienced reproach that I might receive welcome, closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness, expired that I might for ever live.

O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mightest spare me, All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished; Help me to adore thee by lips and life.

5. What’s the best perk you’ve enjoyed at a job?

The jobs I had over the years never really had built in perks. I liked the fact that I had summers off and Easter and Christmas breaks when I was a teacher. I suppose you could count that as being a perk.

When it comes to Greg’s jobs, I enjoyed traveling with him on his conference trips to enjoy a free hotel room. Of course we had to pay for my flights and all the other expenses but a free room motivated me to travel with him on some great trips to Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., San Diego, and Milan, Italy.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be.

Today we are on the letter N and since JJ’s birthday is today and I’ve published his Birthday post besides this hodgepodge post, I’ll just add the letter N photo for my random thought here.

N is for Nature, specifically nature right here in my neighborhood in the here and now and very near.

The daffodils right now and…

…this neighborhood visitor craning it’s neck and then hopping up on the deck to nose around.

Happy Easter to all my Hodgepodge friends!

All Glory Laud and Honor ~ Hymn

All Glory, Laud and Hon0r

Refrain

All glory, laud and honor,
To Thee, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.

Thou art the King of Israel,
Thou David’s royal Son,
Who in the Lord’s Name comest,
The King and Blessèd One.

Refrain

The company of angels
Are praising Thee on High,
And mortal men and all things
Created make reply.

Refrain

The people of the Hebrews
With palms before Thee went;
Our prayer and praise and anthems
Before Thee we present.

Refrain

To Thee, before Thy passion,
They sang their hymns of praise;
To Thee, now high exalted,
Our melody we raise.

Refrain

Thou didst accept their praises;
Accept the prayers we bring,
Who in all good delightest,
Thou good and gracious King.

Refrain

Words: Theodulph of Orleans, circa 820 (Gloria, laus, et honor) translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale, 1851

K is for…

For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be.

Today is Saturday, April 12th, and we are on the letter K.

K is for our kitchen in Kenmore with Kulich (Paska as some know it) as the centerpiece for our Easter meal celebration and our Katie in the Kitchen. Here is a link to our family baking our mom’s Kulich (Paska~Russian Easter Bread) and the recipe.

Katie in our kitchen in Kenmore, above and below.

Our Kenmore kitchen when we listed our home for sale in 2018.

This post is landing on our Son-in-law Andrew’s birthday. Happy Birthday Andrew! We are so thankful to our God for bringing you into our family.

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: Easter

X is for…

Truth for Today #141

R is for…

Christ Arose! Hallelujah! Christ Arose!

Good Friday 2025

The Death of Jesus

Jesus Is Buried

The Guard at the Tomb

Truth for Today #140

O is for…

Hodgepodge and N is for…

All Glory Laud and Honor ~ Hymn

All Glory, Laud and Hon0r

K is for…