Category Archives: Jaymison Joshua

Summertime

Summer has been full of sunshine and some usual events and unusual events, too.

Fishing on the shore and throwing rocks is always fun.

Soccer camp is over but soccer teams have now formed and continue through August.

Our son Josh signed up for his first ever triathlon and his goal was to ‘not drown and to finish’. He achieved both and finished well. Laura was there to see it in person and document this epic achievement.

He was being cheered on from near and far!

We were all so impressed and happy that he could accomplish this goal. I was particularly happy he didn’t drown!

After all that excitement we were ready for a week of Vacation Bible School and that will be a separate post.

We are already at the middle of August and so many have started back to school already. It’s always hard for me to get my mind wrapped around that since I’m such a traditional school year kind of gal. Start up after Labor Day and end by or shortly after Father’s day! Happy days of summer to all of you.

 

Start the Day Just Right Hodgepodge

Swim lessons this week. Mom said, “JJ, look at me.” and JJ said, “I am”.

If it’s Wednesday it must be Hodgepodge. Thank you Joyce!

1. August 8th is National Cat Day. Do you own a cat? Are you a ‘cat person’? Your favorite ‘famous’ cat?

Never owned a cat and although I’m intrigued with cats and their antics I’m not a ‘cat person’. Our daughter and her hubby just got their second cat. The photo is of Willow and Ash. Willow is taking her time in accepting the ‘new cat’ into her territory. She does not look pleased that Ash is up on her perch!

I really don’t have a favorite famous cat. Garfield and the Cheshire Cat come to mind but they aren’t favorites. Katie reminded me of Crookshanks, Hermione’s cat in the Harry Potter series. I was just reminded of Felix the Cat, too.

2. Cat nap-copycat-scaredy cat-curiosity killed the cat-cat got your tongue-like herding cats…which cat phrase applies to your life in some way currently? Explain.

Herding Cats! I’m herding myself these days with a different schedule this week because of Vacation Bible School at our church. Our VBS is in the evenings. This throws my usual schedule out the window. The older I get the harder it is to change courses. 🙂

3. What’s your favorite or most- often-made one pot meal?

Chili of any kind using ground beef, turkey or chicken. So easy peasy.

 

Ground Chicken Chili

4. What do you wish you’d placed in a time capsule fifteen years ago?

My first little flip-phone.

5. Your favorite hour of the day? Tell us why.

Early morning with my Bible and a little Spurgeon or Alistair Begg, or John MacArthur, or John Piper or Martin Lloyd-Jones. God wrote the Bible and these men who followed (in Heaven now) and are following Him closely (on earth) have great insight to the world we are living in. God’s Word and my coffee early in the morning…divine. I’m amazed that Spurgeon writing over a hundred years ago is so relevant for today. His Biblical perspective is truth for today.  It’s because God’s Word stands forever as truth and is relevant.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Speaking of Vacation Bible School. Our theme this year is Keepers of the Kingdom. Our church is all decked out like a medieval castle and The Armor of God is the theme, standing strong in today’s battle for truth.

Around We Go Hodgepodge

It’s time to go around again with Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you Jo From This Side of the Pond! 

1. July 25th is National Merry-Go-Round Day. Do you call it a merry-go-round or a carousel?

I’ve called them both. The collage above was from a family trip to Arizona a couple years back.

When was the last time you rode one? Did you enjoy that?

We enjoyed riding on one with the Grands at Disneyland back in January of this year.

Metaphorically speaking, what’s something in your life right now that feels like a merry go round? 

Ugh, hate to even bring it up but the whole losing pounds and then gaining them back.

2. What word do you have a hard time pronouncing?

Fentanyl. It’s not fentanol it is fentanil. Dear is a retired pharmacist and he always corrects news people, etc., when they pronounce a drug wrong. Not only is it hard to pronounce correctly it is causing so many deaths and problems in our nation.

What word do you have a hard time spelling?

I used to have a problem spelling conscience but then I started pronouncing it con-science and it solved my problem with spelling. 🙂 License is another one that I have to always think about when writing it out.

What’s your favorite word in another language? 

Right now I’m practicing saying, Sláinte. Sláinte means “health” in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It is commonly used as a drinking toast in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.

I’m looking forward to using that word in September.

3. What’s a phrase or cliche you use pretty often and find to be true?

Lord willing is one that is always true. I know our plans are always subject to change because of what God wills in our lives.

4. When it comes to grocery shopping what is your most dreaded chore-menu planning, the actual shopping and paying, or the unloading/putting away?

These days it is the actual menu planning that hasn’t come easily. When the meal is planned and agreed upon the rest of the tasks are pretty seamless. Might sound weird but sometimes an inspiration for a meal will pop into my head while I’m in the store and I find that fun to gather the ingredients and go for it.

How often do you shop? Do you use any of the pick up and/or delivery services?

Whenever I’m in town for other reasons I pop into the stores and do some shopping. I do not have a set day or times in the week to shop. I do not use pick up or delivery services.

5. Something you need or want to do before July comes to a close? 

Pack for our trip to Dallas. We will be celebrating our youngest siblings turning 60!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

These two were a wonderful caboose to our family. We are looking forward to celebrating them as they turn 60. I was 12 when they were born and what a surprise they were to our whole family including our Pop because our Mom did not tell him or the rest of us that she was having twins.

Caravan Guests

Thursday last, one of the Mennonite Girls Can Cook and her hubby arrived for an overnight stay on our property. Judy and her hubby were at the beginning of a road trip from B.C. to Manitoba via a highway in the U.S.A. We had dinner together and enjoyed dessert, too.

Blintzes with huckleberries ( a new taste treat for Judy and Elmer) and strawberries and raspberry syrup.

After dinner we braved the heat and mosquitoes for some conversation on the deck.

Friday morning we had some coffee together before it was time for them to hit the road to their next overnight destination in Idaho.

Till next time happy trails!

During this same time our kids were all together on the other side of the mountains enjoying some special time with each other.

Summer at it’s best.

 

Simple Pleasures Hodgepodge

Jo is back this week with some new questions for us to ponder for Hodgepodge Wednesday.

1. Is your life simple? Elaborate. 

For the most part my life is simple since I am retired and do not have every day responsibilities. The only set in stone activities in a given week are prayer meeting on Wednesday mornings and church services on Sunday. The rest of our schedule is free for us to fill in the blanks with weekly keep up of our home and property and any church activities that involve the church kitchen. We typically have our Colville kids over for an evening with dinner once a week. We will throw in a card night with two other couples maybe once a month. We always welcome overnight company that happen to travel our way. We just started up walking on the Rotary trail again with a 3x a week goal. We want to add in 3 days of strength training for our arms/shoulders.

2. What simple pleasure are you are currently enjoying?  

I enjoy summer fruit, especially nectarines.

3. Travel by…

Plane or go on a cruise? Plane

Walk or ride a bike? Walk

Swim or ski? Swim, although I’m not a fan of putting on a bathing suit these days.

Ocean or mountains? This is a tough one. I like to walk along the ocean and drive through the mountains.

4. What’s the last thing you bought online that you really loved? 

The latest is this ‘Sing’ Cd by Keith and Kristyn Getty which I’m enjoying but recently we ordered our new internet service totally online and installed everything to get it up and running. We are so happy with the purchase of Starlink and the improved quality of everything to do with the internet.

5. What’s your ‘back in my day we__________’ story? 

Back in my day girls had to wear a dress or skirt and blouse to school. Those dresses or skirts could not be shorter than knee length. If our girls vice principal thought a skirt or dress might be too short, she’d have us kneel and if the skirt or dress did not hit the floor we’d be in trouble! Photo is of some of my high school friends. I’m taking the photo.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

These two have super powers! Love the slippers they find when they come over for dinner with their parents! Super Heroes love slippers! It makes me smile and thank our Lord when I find those slippers under the dinner table.

Addyson May’s Baptism

On Sunday June 25th our granddaughter Addy was baptized at the end of our morning service at First Baptist Colville. Our whole family and Addy’s Granny and Granny Great were at the service to witness Addy’s step in her new found faith.

Aunties and Uncles and brother all in a row. Gramps and Baba were across the aisle to have a better view of the baptismal pool.

Pastor David going over how Addy got to the place where she wanted to be baptized. First she was born again and then she wanted to proclaim it publicly through baptism. I love this sweet photo. We could barely see her whole head when she stepped into the pool.

Pastor lifted her up so everyone could see her.

Mom and Dad were looking on as were the rest of us.

We are so grateful for God’s saving grace and mercy on our sweet Addy May and praise Him for what He has done and will continue to do in the life of His little lamb. Baba and Gramps love you dear granddaughter of ours!

After the service we all gathered on Bayles Mountain for tacos.

Addy’s Mommy and Daddy bought her a sweet necklace with a cross, her initial and her birthstone. On the back of the cross the date of her baptism was engraved. I didn’t get a good close-up of the necklace. Auntie LoLo and Uncle Joshie got her a child’s version of Pilgrim’s Progress beautifully illustrated. Baba and Gramps also got her a cross necklace.

I’m trying out a new collage program and until I master it in my organization you’ll see some duplicate photos.

Addy and I were looking at her Pilgrim’s Progress Child version.

The kids stayed on at the Mountain but Gramps and Baba had one more event on this day to attend at church for our Pastor Candidate meet and greet. We were also in charge of the Ice Cream Social after the formal question and answer time Sunday Evening.

After the sunset walk the adults were able to get some card playing in while Addy and JJ crashed for the night. It was a long full day of excitement and celebration. Baba and Gramps crashed, too.

Katie and Andrew left on Monday morning to get back over the mountains and home.

On Monday before Uncle Joshie and Auntie LoLo hit the road for home at noon there was one more get together at a local park.

Another wonderful Family weekend that we do not take for granted.

I’ll leave you with this quote from a larger poem by Jean Ingelow, 1879. It was put to music by John Chadwick.

“I sought the Lord,
And afterwards I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him,
seeking me!
It was not that I found,
O Saviour true;
No, I was found by Thee.”

 

Hot on the Trail

Before all ten of us were together, the seven of us hit the Rotary Trail for a walk on Saturday mid morning.

 

 

 

 

 

JJ’s sunglasses were hung from his t-shirt just like Uncle had his.

 

Back at our cars we went our separate ways until gathering together for a belated Father’s day meal on Saturday evening. One vehicle went to the grand opening of a creamery in Chewelah while Dear and I went to Kettle Falls for a graduation open house. Katie and Andrew were traveling from the westside and arrived at our home three-ish. At five the ten of us prepared a meal. Dan cooking the meat on the grill outside, caramelized onions, beans, macaroni salad and toppings prepped inside.

Dinner was delicious and dessert was good, too. After dinner we used Nikkipolani’s idea for a conversation starter and each of us shared 3 objects that remind us of our fathers. It was a fun interaction. Addy and JJ had some fun responses, too.

The Fragrance of Summer Hodgepodge

Summer is upon us and Joyce has come up with questions to get us ready for this season. Thank you, Joyce From This Side of the Pond.

1. Hello Summer! In the northern hemisphere anyway. What’s something on your summer bucket list? Do you have an actual summer bucket list? If not, use your hypothetical list.

I don’t have a summer bucket list but since we are traveling to Dallas for our youngest siblings birthday party (twins), I’ll be checking off going to Waco and walking about the Chip and Joanna dynasty. That’s been something on my radar to experience. My hypothetical list would include keeping cool.

2. What for you is the defining scent of summer?

Fresh mowed grass and throw in a campfire!

3. What’s a (music, food, wine, or flower) festival happening in your part of the country that you would like to attend if tickets/travel/timing was no object? 

Hands down the Lavender Festival in Sequim. We’ve gone in years past and it is worth the effort.

4. Apparently a military whistle blower claims the US has a UFO retrieval program. What say you? Do you believe aliens are out there? 

Only if you count Angels and Satan’s minions.

5. Besides your wedding day and the birthdays of any children you may have, what are three of your top experiences in life? 

  1. Summer Camps in my teens. God was drawing me/calling me to himself and this time the Gospel became clearer to me and with the help of the Holy Spirit, I repented and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Hume Lake Christian Camp in King’s Canyon, Sierra Nevada mountains.

2. Singing on tour, bringing the Gospel to schools and churches across Great Britain the summer of 1973 and 1974. Not only did these tours add growth in our walk with Jesus but we got the UK travel bug. Dear and I are the singers on the right.

3. Grandchildren!! So thankful to God for letting us be close to our two, Addy and JJ. What a sweet cherry on top of our lives they are.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Speaking of lavender, when we were in England in July of 2014 we came across these lavender fields in Broadway (Cotswolds).

This coming up weekend all our kids will be here because our granddaughter is getting baptized on Sunday (that will deserve a whole post next week). We also have a candidate for our pastorate coming to preach. There are other events going on for us to get to know him and his wife and see if he will be the one who God has chosen to be our Shepherd. Exciting times and a very full weekend!