Category Archives: Fall

Santa Ynez Trail ~ Saturday Day Trip…

 

Dear and I are heading North today to check out wine country north of Santa Barbara. Here are the wineries we’re going to try to visit. I hope to get some good photos along the way. We also have a great spot to stop for lunch in Los Olivos.

• Sunstone Winery – best picnic spot, Provencal setting
• Kalyra Winery – a touch of Australia in wine production
• Gainey Vineyards – beautiful setting, twenty-minute wine tour
• Buttonwood Farm Winery – small production winery, great Sauvignon Blanc
• Rideau Vineyard – historic tasting room, Creole touch, the gardens

Have a great Saturday and I’m posting a couple of fun quizes for Saturday. So scroll down and enjoy…

 

John 14:6 ~ Psalm 19: 7-11 ~ The Power of God’s Word

John 14:6 (ESV) , Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Psalm 19: 7-11 (ESV),

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

The Word of God brings us back to who we are supposed to be.

It restores our soul. It makes us wise. It brings joy to our heart and it enlightens our eyes. Those are just a few of the amazing benefits of spending time in and meditating on God’s word.

If you don’t have a regular Bible reading choice for today may I suggest you read Psalm 19 and meditate on it throughout this week. You will be blessed…

Ht: Steve Larson E.V.Free Conejo Valley

Josh and Laura ~

Some encouragement from the Bible and John Piper ~

God pledges to Carry Our Burdens ~

Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

The word for “burden” here is lot. What is your lot in life today? What has providence brought you? In the end, this is of the Lord. And He will carry it for you. It is not meant to crush you or carry you away. It is meant to test your trust in God to carry it for you.”

Psalm 16:5, “The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.”

Psalm 63:8, “My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”

God Pledges to Carry You – All Your Life

Isaiah 46: 3-4, “Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”

 

It was wonderful to spend an extra day with you this weekend. Blessings on both of you!

ht: Pierced by the Word ~ by John Piper

Another Tuesday Dinner at Moisi and Nadia’s

Conversation between Moisi and Ellen b.

Moisi: “Hi Elyena (Russian for Ellen) you know what mom and me do?” (said with wonderful Russian accent)

Ellen b: “No Pop what did you do?” (plain old western U.S. accent)

Moisi: “We go to Rose Hills and make funeral arrangements.”

Ellen b: “Really?”

Moisi: “We choose Memorial Chapel not Sunrise Chapel.”

Ellen b: “Good choice Pop…”

So there you have it Moisi and Nadia are all set now. I’m sure this is a typical conversation y’all have with your folks, too. My parents not only have taken care of many funeral arrangements for friends and family, they have made their own arrangements so we don’t have to. They are something else…

On a lighter note here are some photos from the evening in Brea…

The four sisters who are off the hook in making the funeral arrangements…

 

Jackson the Great Grandson. (Michelle, I like how you’re looking up at Jack in this photo of a photo…)

Jack again (Hope you see these M. Lou!)

Michelle and Debbee (my nieces)

Oh and the menu… Pineapple Chicken with Basmati Rice, Seven Layer Green Salad, Chocolate Blintzes with Fresh Fruit and a Creme Anglaise drizzled poured on top.

Photobucket is holding hundreds of my photos hostage and that’s why you don’t see the original photos on this post.

Welcome October!

 A Song in October

Clouds gather, treetops toss and sway;
But pour us wine, an old one!
That we may turn this dreary day
To golden, yes, to golden!

Autumn has come, but never fear,
Wait but a little while yet,
Spring will be here, the skies will clear,
And the fields stand deep in violets.

The heavenly blue of fresh new days
Oh, friend, you must employ them
Before they pass away. Be brave!
Enjoy them; oh, enjoy them!

~ Theodor Storm, A Song in October
 

October’s the month when the smallest breeze

Gives us a shower of Autumn leaves.

Bonfires and pumpkins,

Leaves sailing down

October is red and golden and brown.

~ Songs that teach

 

What Season Are You? ~ A Meme

Saw this fun little quiz at Lisa Writes and Hiraeth and needed something light hearted to do…

Play along too and let me know if you do.

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times…
You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings
Whether you’re carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

In Other Words Tuesday ~

 

 

“If we could understand everything God does, then He’d have to be a small god–small enough to fit in our little minds.”~ Randy Alcorn ~

This quote kept sending my mind back to Job. So I decided the best response and “other words” would be to quote from this book that confirms over and again that we do not understand and comprehend our God with our limitations on this earth.

Excerpts from Job:

Job 38: 1-2, 4-5

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

Job 40: 1-5

And the Lord said to Job:

Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.

Then Job answered the Lord and said: Behold I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed not further.

Job 42: 1-6

Then Job answered the Lord and said:

I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

The upside to this is that God teaches us how He wants us to behave even if we don’t understand Him fully or even partially, we do have His instructions to us about the way He wants us to behave. We need to respond in obedience to what He says and intructs us to do on this earth. We trust and hope in our future with Him where we will see Him as He is…

Romans 11: 33-36 ~

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”


 For more In Other Words head over to Finding Joy in the Morning…