Before the Throne of God Above~ Hymn

Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I am
The King of glory and of grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God!
With Christ my Savior and my God!

One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God!
With Christ my Savior and my God!’

Words: Charitie Lees Smith (1841–1923)

She Flew the Coop…

…and is spending time with another flock.

Getting lots of hugs in and catching up with my brothers, sisters, pop and friends. Three states represented in the photo above, Washington, Texas, and California. Hope your weekend is going well.

Sorrow for a Blogger…

When I started blogging in 2007 I never dreamed of the community of bloggers I would grow to love and enjoy even though I might never see them in person. Since 2007 I have met some fellow bloggers in person and have never been disappointed in the meeting and the time spent together.

Last week our blogging community heard that Vee’s husband John was airlifted to a hospital with life threatening complications. We then heard that he lost his battle and was ushered into glory on Saturday May 28th. Our blogging community mourns with Vee. I mourn and pray that God will comfort Vee and her family and John’s family as they say their goodbyes. Even though I’ve never met you or John face to face I love you both with the love that God gives to us for each other.

Psalm 23 (KJV)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

If we’ve been saved and redeemed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we can look forward to a wonderful reunion at the marriage feast of the lamb in glory even if we never meet on this earth! What a wonderful day that will be.

Lord, please comfort our dear sister Vee as she walks through her grief and sorrow at the loss of her John.

Backing Up!

A few weeks ago we took a nice day trip north from our home. Our first stop early in the morning was in Edison where we had read about the Breadfarm. It was open and we bought some bread and pastries. We were amazed at the great variety of fresh baked bread! I was sorry about all the glare from the glass partitions that didn’t allow my photo to show off the artistry of their bread.

We asked here if they had a recommendation for breakfast and they told us about Tweets.

We ordered and had a seat with a wide open view to the street and the kitchen.

We were patient and waited for a conventional breakfast and an unconventional choice by Dear.

Eggs, bacon, and a salad and fruit for me and

a lamb burger for Dear. We were both pleased with our choices.

On the way back to our car to continue on in our journey we saw this store that wasn’t open, The Lucky Dumpster. I’m sure it would be fun to poke around in there. From this little one block town we headed back to Chuckanut Drive to continue north to Bellingham to visit Whatcom Falls.

If you live in the greater Seattle area and want to take a pleasant little drive to a destination with a good restaurant and bakery this is it.

I’m getting ready for my trip to Southern California wondering what to pack and making sure all the bills are paid before I take off. Looking forward to seeing friends and family. It sounds like it will be hotter in Seattle than it will be in Southern California. Glad I’ll be in the slightly cooler part of the U.S.A. Hope June is starting out well for you.

A Lovely End to May…

On Tuesday May 31st I headed out early driving north to Canada to meet up with four of the Mennonite Girls and one of our favorite bloggers from Ontario, Canada.

We met at a beautiful park and Kathy put together a lovely spread for us to enjoy.

Scones, fresh fruit, jams and clotted cream plus cookies.

Rosella from Rhubarb and Roses blog has been faithful with comments on the MGCC blog and our personal blogs, too.

How apropos to meet at a park with beautiful roses in bloom at Gwynne Vaughan Park in Chilliwack, B.C.

I came home with some yummy gifts from Rosella and another gift from Anneliese’s daughter who is home on furlough from mission in Indonesia. The trivet from Indonesia is perfect on my current tablecloth. Soon we’ll enjoy the Ontario pure maple syrup from Rosella on Dear’s Swedish pancakes. Thank you Rosella! Thank you Julene! Thank you Kathy for organizing this lovely visit. Thank you Lovella for driving from your place to the park.

My 2 hour drive north and 2 hour drive south was uneventful and easy because of free flow of traffic and great weather. The border crossings were quick with no waits at all. I even made it home in time for Dear and my regular Tequila Tuesday at our local Mexican Restaurant.

Tuesday’s Treasures

Chuckanut Drive, is state highway 11, which begins at I-5 exit 231 in Burlington, Washington. Traveling north, this is a favorite and historic entry into Whatcom County. For many miles the road hugs the shoreline, offering incredible views of passing bays, with islands in the distance. Completed in 1896, Chuckanut Drive was the first land access to the Bellingham Bay community of Fairhaven from points further south. Previous to its completion, the common access into the region was by boat due to an impenetrable carpet of ancient cedars growing from the mountains to the sea. At milepost 14, Chuckanut Drive passes Larrabee State Park, with access to beach, tide pools and trails. Encompassing 2,000 acres, Larrabee was the first designated state park in the state of Washington.

On this day that we drove to Bellingham and back via Chuckanut drive we chose the Oyster Bar to stop for a bite. We decided on some treats from the sea for our meal, oysters and salmon gravlax.

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Chuckanut Drive culminates in the Historic Fairhaven District, known for its Victorian-era red-brick architecture, quaint shops and restaurants.

I’m linking up with Tom the Backroads Traveler for Tuesday’s Treasures.

Today I’m heading north again to British Columbia to meet up with some of the Mennonite Girls to meet one of our favorite bloggers face to face in Chilliwack. I’ll share soon about the meeting with photos. We also are having a very warm day in the Pacific Northwest with predictions in the 80’s. Nice driving weather.

We Remember the Fallen…

We take time to stop and remember the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. Some gave all.

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)

This weekend we remember those who served our country and died in combat. This is the Veterans Memorial at the Riverside National Cemetery in Southern California.

There were many sobering monuments at this National Cemetery. The Veterans Memorial was one of them. Another sobering monument was the POW/MIA monument.

We remember that this isn’t just a long weekend and a barbecue but a significant time that has been set aside on our calendars to acknowledge that sacrifices have been made for our nation and our well being.

Part of our family was able to spend some time at this cemetery in May of 2012. Dear’s father is buried here and we had never seen his grave marker. I took most of these photos then. On Veterans Day in 2015 we were at this cemetery again to bury our brother in law who served in the Viet Nam War. The next photos are from that day.

Memorial Day is the day we honor those who served their country and died in that service. For our Son-in-law who lost several of his fellow Marines in Afghanistan and in a training exercise in Nevada just within the last few years, the memories are too close and raw.

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These young men, warriors, that our son-in-law feels privileged to have served with, we remember and pray for their families who remember them everyday not just on Memorial Day.

Memorial Day and Veterans Day honor the sacrifices of innumerable individuals who sacrificed themselves to preserve the freedoms all Americans enjoy, with Memorial Day remembering those who gave their lives, and Veterans Day honoring all who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

We also plan to celebrate the living this weekend with a barbecue timed strategically between the rain showers! What are your plans?

Begone Unbelief ~ Hymn

Begone Unbelief

Begone unbelief, my Savior is near,
And for my relief will surely appear:
By prayer let me wrestle, and He wilt perform,
With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.

Though dark be my way, since He is my Guide,
’Tis mine to obey, ’tis His to provide;
Though cisterns be broken, and creatures all fail,
The Word He has spoken shall surely prevail.

His love in time past forbids me to think
He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink;
Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review,
Confirms His good pleasure to help me quite through.

Determined to save, He watched o’er my path,
When Satan’s blind slave, I sported with death;
And can He have taught me to trust in His name,
And thus far have brought me, to put me to shame?

Why should I complain of want or distress,
Temptation or pain? He told me no less:
The heirs of salvation, I know from His Word,
Through much tribulation must follow their Lord.

How bitter that cup, no heart can conceive,
Which He drank quite up, that sinners might live!
His way was much rougher, and darker than mine;
Did Jesus thus suffer, and shall I repine?

Since all that I meet shall work for my good,
The bitter is sweet, the medicine is food;
Though painful at present, wilt cease before long,
And then, O! how pleasant, the conqueror’s song!

Words: John Newton, Olney Hymns, (London: W. Oliver, 1779), number 37.

St. Joseph Church

The cornerstone for Saint Joseph Church was laid in 1868 by a group of San Antonio’s German Catholic Immigrants who wanted to worship and hear God’s Word proclaimed and celebrated in their own language.

Over the course of years the German Community constantly improved their Parish of St. Joseph and its buildings. In 1891, four bells with matched tones were purchased and consecrated. They were given the names of Joseph, Mary, Henry and Joseph, by their donors as was the German custom. The Gothic style building was without a steeple until 1898 when the now existing spire was erected to crown and complete the structure as it is today.

This was the second copy of Michelangelo’s Pieta I saw in San Antonio.

Then in 1902, the beautiful stained glass windows were purchased for the unbelievable sum of $3,000, from the Emil Frei Art Glass Factory in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.

Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as Way of Sorrows or Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers.

The Stations of the Cross are commonly found in Catholic churches as a series of 14 small icons or images. They can also appear in church yards arranged along paths. The stations are most commonly prayed during Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially on Good Friday, the day of the year upon which the events actually took place.

In 1945, a crisis arose when the Joske’s Department Store wanted to purchase the Church and Rectory and grounds and use the land for its expansion program. The parishioners, however, voted unanimously not to sell their cherished Church, allowing it to remain as a strong sign of their Faith in the midst of a secularized, historic and cultural environment. As a result, St. Joseph Church stands today and is known as the “Jewel in the heart of San Antonio” close to the famed Alamo, and encircled as it is by the new RiverCenter Mall, Residencies and Hotels.

The Church is the home of the world renowned San Antonio Liederkranz. On the fourth-Sunday of the month, the San Antonio Liederkranz (founded in 1892) donate their stewardship of time and extraordinary talent to express their Faith through liturgical song; a variety of hymns are sung in Latin, German and English, at the 11:00 a.m. celebration of the Eucharist!

When I visited this church on Saturday morning April 30th there were more people and activity than I usually find when visiting during my travels and site seeing. I didn’t feel comfortable taking as many photos as I usually do in beautiful churches like this. It sure would have been a great experience to be at the 11:00 a.m. service on Sunday of this weekend since the San Antonio Liederkranz would have been worshiping in song. We flew out on Saturday.

In Seattle style we are having a rainy Memorial Day weekend so far! I guess I’ll do indoor stuff like cleaning my dusty, cluttered dwelling! What are you doing?

I’m linking later to InSPIREd Sunday with Beth and Sally.

End of May Five!

This is the last Friday in May and the beginning of the Memorial Day Weekend in the U.S.A. Monday is the day set aside as Memorial Day. We honor those men and women who have made the greatest sacrifice for our country. I will have more to say about that on Monday. Here are my Five on Friday for Amy’s meme and Friday’s Fave Five for Susanne’s meme.

1. Our old walkway out the front door of this old house was deteriorating so Dear broke it out with a sledgehammer and replaced it with pavers, making the path wider. We still have an edging to do and when all the phases of this project are done I’ll share the full before and after. I thank God for my hard working husband who has do it yourself talent.

2. A new pair of lamps in the living room of our house has helped to bring things up to date in that room. I bought the lamps at Homegoods for a very good price. We are enjoying the fresh look. I thank God for the little things in life.

3. A new wreath in a perfect spot that our son and daughter in love bought me for Mother’s Day. We share enjoyment of Chip and Joanna’s show Fixer Upper and this wreath came all the way from their store called Magnolia. Fun. I thank God for the thoughtfulness of our children.

4. My dear old pop turned 93 on May 25th. The photo is of him blowing out the candle on his Cherry Pie. Cherry Pie is his favorite. I thank God for my dear Pop who loves Jesus and who prays for us every night.

5. A new Traeger Grill for my Dear as an early Father’s Day gift. He’s been eyeing these for a while and when I was in Costco this week they had a display of them so we took the plunge and bought one. I thank God for my Dear who is a good father to his children and enjoys cooking.

Next Friday I will be traveling to Southern California to spend some time with my extended family. I’ll get to see my dear old pop in person. Hopefully I’ll be able to take him out for his favorite breakfast at Denny’s. He likes sunny side up eggs, hash browns, sausage, white toast and coffee. He’s a cheap date! Hope you all have a good weekend and for those of you who live in the U.S.A. hope you have a meaningful Memorial Day with some thoughts about all we’ve been given because of those who sacrificed for us.

Blessings!

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage