Memorial Day 2021

We take time to stop and remember the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. Some gave all. This is Memorial Day. This weekend we remember those who served our country and died in combat. The following photo was taken at the Arlington National Cemetery.

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.

Written by Lowell Alexander, Orrin Hatch, and Philip Naish.

Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Romans 13:7 (NRSV)

Here is Love ~ Hymn

Here is Love

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me all Thy love accepting,
Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only
And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory,
Nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,
Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting,
As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless,
Drawing out my heart to Thee.

Words: William Rees, (1802-1883)

From the Past…

1970ish

Memorial Day 2009

2010

2011

2013

In 2014 Andrew returned from Afghanistan on Memorial Day Weekend.

Memorial Day 2016 we remembered these fallen Marines…so young.

It was a busy week leading up to Memorial Day weekend and we still have some responsibilities through Saturday. I have a few of my Red/White/Blue decor sprinkled around the house but the majority of my ‘stuff’ will have to wait for the 4th of July to don our property. Our flag is flying. We will have a low key Monday. I have a Memorial Day tribute scheduled for Monday the 31st. And just like that May is gone…

For those of you in the U. S. of A. we hope you have a good long weekend with a time of reflection on what it meant to many for our country to be free.

Busy Days

We have some busy days behind us and in front of us that demand our undivided attention so I’m stepping away from my blog until things settle down.

Thursday Bible Verse Challenge won’t be happening this week but will be back next Thursday (Lord Willing) which will be June 3rd.

Speaking of the Psalms, I’ll leave you with this portion from Psalm 145…

“All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures to throughout all generations.”

Tuesdays With Moisi ~ Aunt Anna (Тетя Нура)

Our Pop’s sister Anna was called up to heaven last Wednesday May 20th at the age of 96. She was ready to go home. She was Moisi’s last surviving sibling. She outlived all her siblings and all her own children, too.

An earlier photo of Aunt Anna with her husband Pete. My Aunt Anna was always kind to me. I had my reservations even as a youngster with Uncle Pete. My reservations were substantiated through the years.

Uncle John, Aunt Anna, Our Pop, and Uncle Alex at our parents 60th wedding anniversary party.

Another photo from the 60th Anniversary party in Downey, California.

These photos aren’t in order. This Bogdanoff family photo is from the 1950’s. Aunt Anna has the white flower on her dress. I’m in the 2nd sitting row third from the right.

This is another photo from the 50’s. Aunt Anna is the right bookend of the upper row and our dear mom is the left bookend.

A great photo of Russian immigrants in the 50’s. Aunt Anna is at the top with a flower on her dress, again. She has glasses on. Our pop and mom are on the bottom row with Pop (Moisi) reclining and Nadia. I’m going to make the bold observation that Aunt Anna survived all the people in this photo.

Aunt Anna is sitting on the grass with all her brothers, sisters in law and mother in this photo. She survived all of them. I had my favorites of our Pop’s siblings. Aunt Anna and Uncle Alex earned my favor because of my experiences with them growing up.

Aunt Anna with her brothers.

Since today May 25th would have been our Pop’s 98th birthday I’m including this photo of him hitting the pinata at his great granddaughter’s birthday party a few years back.

Sister and brother. They were close friends.

Aunt Anna at Pop’s funeral.

She managed walking up the hill to sit for the graveside service. Her granddaughter and grandson in law cared for her in their home for several years before she died.

The last time I saw our Aunt Anna in person.

This will be the cemetery where she will be buried.

This is the plot where she should be buried. Her husbands information is on the headstone. He died February 2nd, 1978.

Looking forward to seeing you again in heaven.

This and That

It was a beautiful day on Friday and we did some mowing since the ground was still somewhat wet from rain we had into Thursday that means not as much dust kicked up. After mowing the front we worked on the back and we moved on to weeding and clearing some areas of rock. We didn’t hear the commotion on the road.

We had several law enforcement agencies show up after a car ended up in a ditch on our road.

I brought in the first of the peonies that are blooming. We have a total of 5 bushes of this deep blush variety.

The Columbines are opening up. We have at least three different color varieties.

The Hostas are filling out nicely.

Thankfully these visitors don’t like to eat Columbine.

We enjoyed leftovers for our main meals on Friday and Saturday and then cooked up these shrimp for something different. Delicious with sweet chili sauce.

Sunday was our oldest sister’s 75th birthday so us sisters sent her a bouquet of flowers delivered on Saturday.

We were so pleased that the bouquet was as advertised and shown on the website. Our sister was celebrated well and it was fun to see all the special things she was treated with.

This is a busy week coming up for us here in Colville. Hope you all had a good weekend and your new week goes well.

Children of the Heavenly Father ~ Hymn

Children of the Heavenly Father

Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish;
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers:
Your protector never slumbers;
At the will of your defender
Every foeman must surrender.

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

Words: Karolina W. Sandell-Berg, 1855.

This was my Mother-in-law’s favorite hymn sung in Swedish.

Hello Hawk

I was outside in our backyard when this hawk swooped in and landed on this tree house. My phone was in my pocket so I was able to get a couple photos before it flew away. We’ve seen it fly above the tall trees on the mountain behind our property. We think it has a nest up there.

 

Woe to the Internet…

Our kids and grands were over for dinner on Wednesday night and I took this blurry in motion photo of JJ riding in his Maserati with his car phone to match.

The country internets have been very unreliable the last couple of days which made Thursday a good time to pull out COVID-19 Puzzle #15. This is the busy London 1000 piece that my friend Jeanie sent me for my 70th birthday. I’ll try to get it done before I turn 71, grin!

I’m scheduling this post for Friday right now just in case the internet goes out again. This country internet issue is also the reason I will be late in keeping up with your blogs.

Happy Friday to y’all.

Thursday Bible Verse Challenge ~ The Psalms

If it’s Thursday it must be time for our Bible Verse Challenge. We are still in the Psalms. Share your verse/verses in the comments and I’ll add them below.

I’m sharing from Psalm 19 again. These verses cover God’s Word, Effectual Revelation.

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 the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

From Vera:

“For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭18:28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Maristella:

Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
Psalm 80:19

From HappyOne (Karen):

Psalm 100
1. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless is name.
5. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.