A Shelter in the Time of Storm ~ Hymn

 

A Shelter in the Time of Storm

The Lord’s our rock, in Him we hide,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Refrain

Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land;
Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
A shelter in the time of storm.

A shade by day, defense by night,
A shelter in the time of storm;
No fears alarm, no foes afright,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Refrain

The raging storms may round us beat,
A shelter in the time of storm
We’ll never leave our safe retreat,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

Refrain

O rock divine, O refuge dear,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our helper ever near,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

Refrain

Words: Vernon J. Charlesworth, circa 1880.

I found this hymn in a small pa­per pub­lished in Lon­don, called The Post­man. It was said to be a fa­vo­rite song of the fish­er­men on the north coast of Eng­land, and they were of­ten heard singing it as they ap­proached their har­bors in the time of storm.

As the hymn was set to weird minor tune, I decided to com­pose one that would be more prac­ti­cal, one that could be more ea­si­ly sung by the peo­ple.

Sankey, pp. 106–07

Music: Ira D. Sankey, circa 1885.

The Color of Our World

We are in that time of year where our world is predominately brown and green with a little white here and there. We live in the evergreen state so we expect to see green all year round.

We call it our muddy season.

Our grands are blessed to have parents that aren’t afraid of a little mud.

Soon enough lots of pretty color will be added to our world.

Adieu to February. Looking forward to March.

Senior Workouts

Thank you to Denise from House at Forest Manor for adding a link to these great workouts for Seniors like me. I’m following along with these two on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’ve been so sedentary that even though these are easy my muscles are letting me know I’ve been using them. That’s a good thing. I’ll try adding something different for Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Happy last Friday in February to you all.

Truth from A to Z ~ V is for…

Verily, verily your search will not be in vain for a valuable verse to visit and unveil here! I vow to make it visible on this post when you add it in the comments! Have fun on your search and thank you in advance for the verses you add!

V is for Victory:

1 Corinthians 15: 54-57 (ESV)

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory, O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 5: 4-5 (ESV)

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 

From Cheryl: Verily, verily (Truly, truly)

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily [truly, truly], I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”

From Vera: V is for Value

“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭20:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Maristella: V is for VOICE :

“In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.”
Psalm 18:6
And:
“Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last”.
Luke 23:46

Click over to Bethany’s blog Raindrops and Rainbows to see her post.

V is for vast.
“How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:17

 

Check for Cobwebs Hodgepodge

Since Jo From This Side of the Pond brought up the subject of cleaning in this weeks Wednesday Hodgepodge I had to dig up this photo of me ready to clean the house sometime in the past. Thank you Jo for asking the questions!

When serious cleaning needs to be done including washing the floors on my hands and knees this would be a picture of readiness. LOL. Knee pads. Three pocket apron where I like to keep glass cleaning rags in one side and on the opposite side non glass cleaning rags. Never mix chlorine and ammonia as in bleach cleaners and window cleaners! Middle pocket I use for trash and other things I pick up along the way.

People have a wide range when defining clean.  When we rent a place to stay and someone says it’s clean and I can see dust bunnies and all other kinds of things that are not clean, I get miffed, especially when they add in a $200 cleaning deposit!

That said, I enjoy a cozy home, it does not have to be perfectly cleaned, unless I’m paying for it to be clean.

On to this weeks questions!

1. Your favorite cleaning product?
*
Amway used to have a product called Zoom and it was a great all purpose cleaner. I have different favorites for different tasks today. Dawn for dishes, Comet for toilets, Tide for laundry, Windex for glass or Vinegar and water. Kitchens are a little more complicated now with the added granite surfaces that you need a special cleaner for, stainless surfaces with their own special cleaner, glass top ranges with special cleaner. OYE! 
*
Do you clean your own house or hire out?
*
I clean my own home.  We do hire out window cleaning since we moved to the country…twice a year. 
I used to have a housecleaning business, Fresh Start, back in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
*
Most disliked household chore?
*
Dusting has always been a bit tedious for me but at this country bungalow with hard well water our shower that has 10 years of deposits on the glass doors etc. is very frustrating to clean. I’m looking forward to replacing the whole thing. 
*
What one chore do you not mind so much? 
*
Believe it or not, I don’t mind toilets. They are small and straight forward. 
*
 2. It’s Canned Food Month…do you use a lot of canned goods?
*
We use a fair share of canned goods.
*
What are the three canned items you purchase most often?
*
Many varieties of beans, many varieties of tomatoes, and chilies.
*
Last thing you made using a canned ingredient? 
*
A pot of chicken chili with black beans and pinto beans and chilies. 
*
 3. Can of worms, anything can happen, can you imagine?, as best I can, kick the can down the road, more than one can take, no can do, not if I can help it…choose an idiom and tell us how you currently relate.
*
I’m going with ‘can you imagine’. Lately more and more I’ve been wondering about the Rapture and find myself saying, come Lord Jesus come;
*
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (ESV)
*
4.The last Tuesday in February is National Spa Day. Are you someone who enjoys a day at the spa?
*
I’m really not a spa kind of gal but I do like a good massage. I’m not comfortable being naked anywhere but home! 
*
Last time you visited a spa? Do you have a favorite spa?
*
May of 2014 in Orlando Florida was the last time I visited a Spa. Dear was at a conference and I tagged along. His company booked him at the Hyatt Regency and I scheduled myself a massage at the hotel spa which had a sauna, etc. I relaxed by the pool all by my lonesome after the massage. I do not have a favorite spa.
10407572_10203869646889863_8486215410183000260_n
Are salons open for business in your area?
*
Yes, salons are open.
*
Have you made changes to your hair and nail routine since Corona hit? In what way? 
*
I probably could count on one hand the number of times I’ve had a manicure or pedicure. That happened generally in relation to the weddings of our children. I’m the kind of person who messes up the polish before it dries without even trying. 
*
Since Corona hit I have gone back to single length of hair instead of layered. 
*
 5. Believe it or not this is the last Hodgepodge of the month. In one sentence sum up your February. 
*
February: A month of freezing and thawing, then in mid span some love thrown in with restaurants finally re-opening and ending with a sigh of relief. 
*
 6. Insert your own random thought here.
*
Here’s our latest ‘Corona’ puzzle and let me tell you it’s a dousy!
Thank you to everyone who came by here and took the time to read and an extra thank you to anyone who commented!

Border and Back

Uploading my photos was possible on Monday morning. The route that is highlighted in yellow was the road we took to get to the US/Canadian Border at Laurier. The following photos show some highlights along the way.

We are now on Highway 395 going north toward Kettle Falls and beyond.

The bridge across the Columbia River.

United States Post Office in Laurier, Washington. We made a u-turn here since the Border is still closed between the U.S.A. and Canada except for certain essential travel.

Dear spotted the burl on this tree as we passed and we turned around to get a closer look.

burl is a tree growth in which the grain has grown in a deformed manner. It is usually found on the trunk, at the base of the tree, and sometimes underground in the form of a rounded outgrowth. It is caused by some kind of stress, such as injury, virus, fungus, insect infestation or mold growth.

We pulled off the highway in Orient to get a closer look at this building.

The Kettle River.

Back to the bridge across the Columbia River towards home this time.

Back to views of the valleys of Colville. We enjoy knowing where the roads lead around our country bungalow.

Monday was a warm winter day and I was able to clear out several of the plant/flower beds getting them ready for Spring. My back keeps reminding me that I did that but I’m still happy for that progress.

Tuesday we are scheduled for our Heat Pump repair which is supposed to take all day. Here’s hoping all goes well.

Sunday Drivers

We took a drive on Sunday afternoon after church since it was a day with some sunshine and no rain or snow. I tried to upload my photos from the drive but our satellite service wasn’t cooperating.

We went north through Kettle Falls across the Mighty Columbia river on highway 395 and continued north on the west side of the Columbia all the way to the Canadian Border. The Border is still closed to run of the mill travelers so once we saw the crossing we turned around and came back home. It was a very nice scenic drive and I will share more of the photos when our internet cooperates. The sign above was at a gas station/store/post office in Laurier, Washington. Isn’t the sign clever, eh?

If we could cross the border and keep traveling north we would reach Christina Lake and the Gladstone Provincial Park in British Columbia. If we make a left after the border crossing we would get to Grand Forks.

We were alone on the road all the way to the border. On our way home as we moseyed along one vehicle passed us on the road. If the border was open I’m sure we would have encountered many more vehicles.

Here we are in the last week of February. Last February 28th I was flying to Orange County for our sister’s Leap Year Birthday Party. That was just before things changed for all of us in regards to travel and many other things.

Today will be the warmest day this week and it is supposed to possibly reach 50 degrees! We are excited. Maybe I’ll be able to do some more pruning that I should have done last Fall! Hope you all have a good week ahead.

 

Let Every Lamp Be Burning Bright ~ Hymn

Let Every Lamp Be Burning Bright

Let every lamp be burning bright,
The darkest hour is nearing;
The darkest hour of earth’s long night,
Before the Lord’s appearing.

Refrain

Then trim your lamps, my brethren dear,
Then trim your lamps with godly fear;
The Master’s coming draweth near,
Let every lamp be burning.

Though thousands calmly slumber on,
The last great message spurning,
We’ll rest our living faith upon
His promise of returning.

Refrain

His Word our lamp, His truth our guide,
We cannot be mistaken;
Though dangers rise on every side,
We shall not be forsaken.

Refrain

Then let good works with faith appear,
To help the world around us;
Obedience brings the blessing near
When faith has firmly bound us.

Words: Franklin E. Belden, 1886.

Chicken Quesadillas

I’m re-visiting my chicken quesadilla recipe/method and adding it here. This is a great quick meal when you have a few key ingredients on hand.

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1-7oz. can of chopped green chiles
  • 1-4oz. can of chopped jalapenos (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 8 oz. bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • Chopped Roma tomatoes (optional)
  • Chopped Avocado (optional)
  • Chopped Cilantro (optional)
  • Salsa of your choice
  • Sour cream

Method:
Saute onion in heated vegetable oil until translucent.
Add the ground chicken, chilies, and seasonings.
Cook until chicken is no longer pink.
Photo 1, Prepare 2 large pans by sprinkling shredded cheese on the bottom over medium heat.

Photo 2, Add tortillas of your choice on top of the melting cheese.
With a spatula turner shift the tortilla a little in the pan making sure the cheese is sticking to the bottom of the tortilla.
Photo 3, When the tortilla moves easily add a small layer of cheese on top of only one of the tortillas and then the cooked chicken mixture and other ingredients you desire to the same tortilla in the pan.
Now add cheese as the final layer.

Photo 4, Flip the 2nd tortilla over in the second pan to warm it a little.
Photo 5, Now place that tortilla on top of the tortilla with the all the ingredients.
Photo 6, Slide the tortilla onto a cutting board or plate and slice into serving sized pieces with a knife or pizza cutter.
Top with some avocado, sour cream and salsa and enjoy.
We had a Southwest salad to go along side, too.

The melted cheese in the pan that adheres to the tortillas gives the tortillas a nice crispy layer of goodness.

Sunny Snow Day

We had a sunny day on Wednesday. It was a good day to venture out and enjoy some vitamin D! Temperatures were going to reach 40 degrees on this day which was a treat from the below freezing temps we’ve been experiencing. Our daughter in law sent us the photo above via text on Wednesday.

After working in the shop and running some errands we decided to drive to Chewelah which is 27.5 miles south of us. A beautiful day for the drive and worth the gas and time to get to our favorite Mexican Restaurant this side of the Cascade mountain range. It’s been three and a half months since we were able to sit down and enjoy a meal here. Some restrictions were lifted as of Monday and they could open at 25% capacity. We gave our favorite server a hug and had our own mini celebration.

Do you have a favorite restaurant that you miss being able to enjoy a meal in?

We are supposed to get another inch or two of snow Thursday evening into Friday morning here.