9/11 Spirit of America

We are heartbroken that Charlie Kirk was assassinated on a college campus in Utah yesterday. Such a fine young man who loved free speech and loved his God, family and country. So senseless and evil. May God comfort and hold his wife, children and family. Praying this senseless act causes change in the political rhetoric of hate. I don’t know what else to say.

“All death can do to a believer is deliver him to Jesus.” ~ John MacArthur

Today is 9/11 and one of the most moving memorials we’ve seen was in Cashmere, Washington and I wanted to share it again on this anniversary.

God Bless America, Land that I love, Stand beside her and guide her thru the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam. God bless America, My home, sweet home.

This to date has been the most elaborate memorial we have seen in remembrance of all the lives lost on that tragic day in 2001, a day we all remember as 9/11. The Official County of Chelan Memorial of 9/11 called 9/11 Spirit of America Memorial and The Cashmere Veterans War Memorial are both on this site.

–

“We Must Never Forget”

Old and New History Hodgepodge

This photo was taken in Persia in the late 1940’s, after our mom and pop immigrated to the USA. My maternal grandparents are seated on the right lower side of the photo. Our cousin Alex is standing between them.

The photo above is of the paternal side of our family from the 1950’s. In the middle is our Babushka and Dzedushka. Our cousin Johnny is on our Babushka’s lap. I’m seated below our Dzedushka , just to the right.

Our Paternal and Maternal sides of the family are Russian.

It’s Wednesday and time for Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce!

1. Next Sunday is Grandparent’s Day. Share a favorite memory, photo, recipe, or something you learned from a grandparent.

Our maternal grandmother was widowed young while she and our grandfather were living in Persia so our maternal grandfather never made it to the USA. He died shortly after our mom and pop immigrated and that was very hard for our mom being so far away and getting the news that her father was killed. Our little Babushka lost her left hand and arm up to her elbow when she was a child. She only had one hand but her embroidering skills were amazing. She was very patient in trying to teach me that skill but it wasn’t something I could excel at. She was a praying grandmother and she prayed for all her grandchildren. One thing she would tell us young people, “Don’t got out when it’s dark, nothing good happens in the dark.”

The collage shows one of her wedding gifts to Greg and me. It is an embroidered table cloth and 8 napkins. I cherish this gift from her hand.

I had a closer relationship with my maternal grandmother.

2. What’s a quote from a book (besides The Bible) that has stayed with you?

‘It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to’ – Bilbo

by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is spoken by Bilbo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Truth be told, the quote I use more often is, “It comes in Pints?” (from the film)

3. What’s your number one food pet peeve?

I’m not a fan of someone chewing with their mouth open.

4. What’s one thing about you that is still the same as it was when you were young?

I’m still in the habit of smiling not to mention my hairdo!

5. September is National Preparedness Month…does your family have an emergency plan? Do you have some sort of preparedness kit you keep on hand? If so, tell us one thing that’s kept there.

Our sons are prepared but we aren’t. My emergency plan is to get to one of our son’s homes in case of a major emergency. We do have our important papers, etc. in a quick grab container.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

On Sunday our own Seattle Sounders made history by winning the Leagues Cup Final against Inter-Miami. Josh and Laura were there to be part of the history.

We live too far from Lumen Field to participate in these games anymore so I love to live vicariously through Josh and Laura and their love of the game of soccer!

The Seattle Sounders’ quest to their first-ever Leagues Cup trophy is complete.

With Sunday night’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami, the Sounders were crowned champions of the tournament, becoming the only team in MLS to capture every major North American soccer trophy to date.

The game was not televised on any English speaking channel that we get on Dish so I had to watch it on a Mexican station. I was happy to be able to see it in real time and thankful for the Mexican station! I just set the volume low. 🙂

Lumen Field delivered an electric atmosphere, with a record crowd of 69,314 – surpassing the old mark of 69,274. And, in a rare sight, most of that support was for the home side rather than the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Seattle fed off it from the start.

The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by French magazine France Football since 1956 to honour the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous season.

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times and he was playing on the Miami team.

Tea ~Daughter Tea Queen Mary

Welcome to Tea Time 2025. These posts will be about Tea Rooms we’ve been to, Teas we’ve given for friends and family, Church Tea events, and High Tea in restaurants from 2008 to the present. Tea in the U.S.A., Tea in England and Tea in Canada. Many of the Tea Rooms are no longer in business, which is sad.

This post is from December 27, 2015.

Our youngest turned thirty today. We started celebrating yesterday.

We, our daughters and me went to the Queen Mary Tea Room to celebrate birthdays on Boxing day.

Jamie was married into our family in June of 2015.

Laura and Katie have birthdays in December and Jamie, Dan, and Josh have birthdays in January.

“Such items, if properly prepared and portered, jingle and tinkle, twinkle and shine, as if to announce their approach, and all the cups and saucers, the silver spoons and the sugar bowl, the steaming hot water and the shining strainer, the teapot and the plate of delicate sandwiches – all seem to combine and say as one, “Let your worries cease for now; the world is aright again!” And in the welcome pouring of the tea and the delightful crunch of the cucumber and cress sandwiches, not to mention the promise of the coming cakes and the possible surprise of strawberries and cream to follow, all else is held at bay: the past is forgotten, the future does not exist, and all is peace. ”

Toad Triumphant ~ by William Horwood

It was Jamie’s first time to enjoy a formal tea. Pinkies up!

This is the last in my series of Tea Time 2025 where I’ve gone back and reposted all the fun tea experiences from the past. If by chance or by will we end up in another tea room this year I’ll share the experience but until then I say toodle pip to our Tea Times.

John MacArthur (1939-2025)

Monday evening shortly after 6pm we received the news that one of our favorite pastors was ushered into heaven. We know he’s with his Savior and I can only imagine what that ‘faith becoming sight’ moment was like.

This message is from Grace to You:

Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior. This evening, his faith became sight. He faithfully endured until his race was run. More information will be available soon.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:1-8

He was Greg and my first pastor after we were married and living in West Los Angeles. God used him to disciple us through his sermons, books, commentaries and example. We trusted that he handled the Word of God well and didn’t compromise the Truth. We are forever grateful. When I mow our acres I listen to his archived sermons. When we drive to Spokane we pick one of his sermons to listen to. This morning while I watered I was listening, too. We knew he was ‘on his last lap’, his words from a couple months ago.

The last time we saw John MacArthur in person was in October of 2019 when we attended the Truth Matters Conference at Grace Community Church. The next photo and paragraph are from a post from 2019.

I’m holding a MacArthur Study Bible in the Russian language. We are enjoying so many great interactions with people from all over the world at this conference. Our heads are ready to explode from what we are learning.

Here is one of the quotes from MacArthur I wrote down in the last year.

“Jesus himself is the goal of human history. In Him all things are summed up. All human history will be resolved and united to the Father through the work of the Son.

Ultimately–everything will be made right in Christ.”

Christians around the world are grieving this earthly loss but rejoicing in Johnny Mac’s promotion to heaven and especially that he is seeing our Savior face to face.

An official post from the elders of Grace Community Church.

Our prayers are for his dear wife, Patricia, his family, his church family.

Thank you, Pastor Johnny Mac. Thank you, LORD, for this wonderful servant of yours!

A Prayer on the Fourth

A prayer from President George Washington’s Prayer Journal:

“O eternal and everlasting God, I presume to present myself this morning before thy Divine majesty, beseeching thee to accept of my humble and hearty thanks, that it hath pleased thy great goodness to keep and preserve me the night past from all the dangers poor mortals are subject to, and has given me sweet and pleasant sleep, whereby I find my body refreshed and comforted for performing the duties of this day, in which I beseech thee to defend me from all perils of body and soul.

Direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the lamb, and purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit, from the dross of my natural corruption, that I may with more freedom of mind and liberty of will serve thee, the ever lasting God, in righteousness and holiness this day, and all the days of my life.

Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the Gospel. Give me repentance from dead works. Pardon my wanderings, & direct my thoughts unto thyself, the God of my salvation. Teach me how to live in thy fear, labor in thy service, and ever to run in the ways of thy commandments. Make me always watchful over my heart, that neither the terrors of conscience, the loathing of holy duties, the love of sin, nor an unwillingness to depart this life, may cast me into a spiritual slumber. But daily frame me more and more into the likeness of thy son Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time attain the resurrection of the just unto eternal life. Bless my family, friends & kindred unite us all in praising & glorifying thee in all our works begun, continued, and ended, when we shall come to make our last account before thee blessed Saviour, who hath taught us thus to pray, our Father.”

I’m humbled by this prayer from the first president of the United States. I pray along with it as I ready this post.

The stained glass window with the sun streaming through casting it’s light and color onto the statue of George Washington was taken at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. in May of 2011. Dear had a conference in D.C. and I was able to tag along. The National Cathedral is a must see if you ever travel to D.C.

Here are some wise words from our first ‘first lady’;

“The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances. We carry the seeds of the one or the other about us in our minds wherever we go.” ~ Martha Washington

It is folly to say our nation was not founded on Christian principles. Some would like to blot out this part of our history and remove all evidence of our Founding Father’s faith in the one true God.

Have you ever seen or read the third verse of “The Star Spangled Banner”, our National Anthem?

O thus be it ever when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, “In God is our trust.”
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Praising God this morning for preserving our nation to this point in history.

Give me this day almighty God the Spirit filled mind to serve thee in the righteousness of your dear Son, Jesus my Lord, Christ’s sacrifice covers my sin repented of and gives me the strength to live in your holiness. God bless America and keep our land free to worship you in righteousness and truth.

Have a safe and sane 4th of July everyone! We are celebrating with gratefulness and joy!

Hello Summer Views and News

We’ve had a mix of blue skies and rain showers for the beginning of summer. It has been a banner year for our clematis varieties.

The yellow day lilies are always the first of the lilies to bloom.

Addy and JJ had fun at Golf Camp. We visited the camp on Wednesday held at the Chewelah Golf and Country Club.

On Thursday they were able to play nine holes of golf.

On the other side of the mountains, the Seattle Sounders had tournament games with international teams and Josh and Laura were able to attend.

Our kids had uninvited visitors on their mountain. The farmer/rancher was called to lead this girl back home…but she must have told her friends that the grass was greener here because later in the day this crew arrived. There are fencing repairs needed by the owner of these cows.

We finally decided to give this Mexican restaurant a try since the ownership and management changed. We gave it a thumbs up. For our small town with limited restaurants it’s interesting that we have three Mexican Restaurants.

We are still enjoying the many shades of green with pops of color on our property.

We had some rain on Saturday and on Sunday in the late afternoon we had thunderstorms and a real good soak.

This Monday morning would be a great time to do some weeding since the soil is very wet and softer than usual.

Quote of the week:

“Never start with your problems. Never! Never start with earth; never start with men. Always start in heaven; always start with God.”

(Martin Lloyd-Jones, Seeking the Face of God: Nine Reflections on the Psalms)

Psalm 71:1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge…

Flag Day 2025

Flag Day is a holiday celebrated on June 14 in the United States. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.

Thanks to Tom the Backroads Traveller I’m adding this information below.

Read about Sarah Hinson, a teacher and principal, who started Flag Day Exercises in 1891.

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress replaced the British symbols of the Grand Union flag with a new design featuring 13 white stars on a field of blue and 13 red and white stripes—one for each state.

The American flag, also nicknamed as “Old Glory” or “star-spangled banner”, has changed designs over the centuries. It consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars. Each of the 50 stars represents one of the 50 states in the United States and the 13 stripes represent the original 13 colonies that became the first states in the Union.

Off with your hat, as the flag goes by!
And let the heart have its say;
you’re man enough for a tear in your eye
that you will not wipe away.
~Henry Cuyler Bunner

I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty, and freedom. It is the history of our nation, and it’s marked by the blood of those who died defending it. ~ John Thune

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Officially adopted on Flag Day, June 14, 1924 (“Under God” Amendmant made by Congress in 1954)

I pledge allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America

and to the republic for which it stands;

one nation under God, indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all.

Happy 250th birthday to the U.S. Army

and

Happy 79th Birthday to the 45th and 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump.

Pend Oreille County

On Thursday June 12th, we hit the road early in the morning to explore a part of the state we’ve never been to before. We were on paved roads and primitive roads. We were in and out of ‘service’. I’m gathering my photos and thoughts and will post soon.

We are following world events right now and the tensions in the Middle East.

Yesterday Jan shared this verse for Truth for Today. It is a good encouragement.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

Psalms 4:8.

Memorial Day 2025

Blades of grass and pure white stones

Shelter those who’ve come and gone.

Just below the emerald sod

Are those who reached the arms of God.

Buried here with dignity

Endless rows for all to see,

Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,

‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.

Blades of grass and pure white stones

Cover those who left their homes

To rest in fields here, side by side,

Lest we forget their sacrifice.

Buried here with dignity

Endless rows for all to see,

Freedom’s seeds in sorrow sown,

‘Neath blades of grass and pure white stones.

This was written by Lowell Alexander, Orrin Hatch, and Philip Naish.

The Viet Nam Memorial in Sacramento, California.

Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C.

Memorial Day, a solemn day to remember those who died serving our country.

A Proverb a Day…

Here comes Memorial Day Weekend!

Time for Wednesday Hodgepodge with fresh questions from Joyce this week.

1. May 20th is World Bee Day…what’s something that’s kept you ‘busy as a bee’ lately?

I see weeds everywhere. I should be busy weeding.

2. Do you like honey? What’s something you make or enjoy that calls for honey?

My favorite honey treat is Peanut Butter and Honey and I like that combo on toast.

3. “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Proverbs 16:24

What’s a proverb you love, or one that speaks to you or has helped you in some way?

There were seasons of my life where I read through Proverbs in the Bible each day. There are 31 chapters of Proverbs and I’d read a chapter that corresponded with the day. There are those months without 31 days but that was okay. I think I’ll add that extra reading along with my scheduled reading through the Bible for the rest of this year. There are so many underlined verses from Proverbs in my Bibles.

How shall I narrow down my choices? Hodgepodge falls on the 21st of May. I will choose a verse from chapter 21 in the Book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 21:23 (NIV)

“He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”

Same verse in the ESV,

“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”

Another one from Chapter 21…

Proverbs 21:30

“There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.”

The Bible is full of Proverbs, a whole book in fact, if that helps with your answer. The word proverb is defined as ‘a short pithy saying in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice’.

4. Tell us about a ‘sweet’ moment in your life recently that filled you with joy, gratitude, or peace.

So many moments of feeling grateful for the peace of God in our relationship with our kids.

I’m also grateful to God that I can have the joy of sitting with our grandchildren each Sunday at church worshipping our great God together.

5. When you were a child, what did you want to ‘be’ when you grew up? How close did you come to that?

When I was a child I played school and wanted to be a teacher. I did get a teaching credential and I taught elementary school for a few years until we had our first child. I homeschooled our daughter for her 4th-6th grade years. Later when our kids were in junior high and high school I did some substitute teaching.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Proverbs 8:34-36

“Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: Quotes