Picking Berries…

…and other things with my grand nephew and grand niece who are visiting with their mom, our very first niece and their grandmother, Dear’s SIL. I will be scarce on the webs these days. See you next week.

Not So Trifle Hodgepodge

1. When was the last time you chatted with a neighbor? About what? (sharing that last bit is optional)

This past week one of my neighbors rang the doorbell and asked if I would be willing to be used for a practice safety lesson for her autistic son. Her older son had a choking incident and she had to use the Heimlich maneuver on him and she wanted the younger autistic son to learn how to run and get help if she or anyone in the family needed help. I said of course and a while later the young neighbor rang my doorbell. He stood there when I opened the door, not looking me in the eye, with a shy sideways glance but said “my brother needs help”. I told him, “yes, I’d be happy to help and thank you for coming over and ringing my doorbell”.  He was happy to walk away, mission accomplished.

2. River, lake, ocean, or waterfall…which one are you most like and why?

My activity is like an ocean, it comes in waves.

My loyalty is like a river, it runs constantly.

3. July 13 is National Delaware Day. Ever been to Delaware? Delaware is called ‘the first state’ because it was the first to declare independence from the British. What’s your state’s nickname and does that moniker make sense to you? If you were in charge, what nickname would you give your home state?

I don’t think I’ve ever been to Delaware. There’s a possibility I was a passenger in a Volkswagon that drove through Delaware to get to Washington D.C. but since I wasn’t driving at the time I don’t recall the route taken.

My home state is Washington. Washington State’s nickname is The Evergreen State~ I don’t need to change it.

Washington is the second most populous state on the West Coast and in the Western United States, after California. … Washington is a leading lumber producer. Its rugged surface is rich in stands of Douglas fir, hemlock, ponderosa pine, white pine, spruce, larch, and cedar.

4. What dish did you contribute to the last pot luck meal you attended? Do you have a go-to recipe for pot luck suppers?

Trifle was my last contribution to a potluck meal. It was at a belated Father’s Day get together at our son’s home in Eastern Washington. I don’t have a go-to.

5. What is your number one tip for a brand new parent?

This, too, shall pass. Or a great Russian saying that gets a little lost in translation is “By the time they get married they will have forgotten this happened, or this will heal by the time they get married.”

6. Insert your own random thought here.

This week’s favorite expression from Addy May…

She’s a bit concerned that Baba is way across the mountains from her. Thankfully she’s going to brave a road trip and come visit us this coming weekend so she can meet a great auntie and cousins and the an uncle she has not met yet!

Thank you Jo for coming up with the questions for Wednesday Hodgepodge! Click over to join in the fun.

Our Little Warrior, David

This very special little guy had his 2nd birthday party on Saturday and we were happy to celebrate the miracle he is. He was born very premature and only weighed 1# 9oz. He spent well over 100 days in NICU with surgeries and emergencies along the way. The day he was able to come home was a huge milestone.

Family and friends gathered to celebrate. It was fun to see a few of our son’s high school friends with their fresh little ones, too.

We love this family and are thankful God brought us together in friendship 29 years ago.

If you’d like to pray for little David Daniel specifically, please pray that he gains weight. Thank You.

Mosaic Monday

A couple Saturdays ago I walked with the Wonder Walkers group from church at Evans Creek Preserve in Sammamish.

It was a good walk with several trails and some higher elevations to hike up, too.

Thankfully this was the only wildlife we saw. There are bear warnings here. We did hear lots of birds.

I’m linking up to Mosaic Monday with Maggie at Normandy Life.

We had a couple events this weekend, a very special birthday party and a baby shower. I’ll share photos from the birthday party soon.

What is Prayer ~ Hymn

James Montgomery, What is Prayer?

(1771-1854) Hymnwriter from Scotland. Montgomery wrote four hundred hymns, many which, like the following classic, are still sung today.

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of the eye,
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters heaven with prayer.

Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

O Thou by whom we come to God,
The life, the truth, the way,
The path of prayer Thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray.

Barns and Critters…

Summer view from son’s mile long driveway.

We want to start a pool on when this barn is going to collapse.

A different view from our son’s driveway and part of the driveway, too, headed down to the main road.

All these photos were taken from places that have a Colville address in late June 2017.  Colville is in Northeastern Washington in Steven’s County. The next time we visit our Colville kids will probably be in August. They are coming here next weekend, woohoo! Addy’s first visit to Baba and Gramp’s house. During that same time a grand nephew will be making his first visit to Great Uncle and Great Auntie’s with his big sister who was here once before for Katie and Andrew’s wedding in 2012.

It is definitely summer here with sunshine and warm temperatures. I’ll need to get out and water again soon. I’ve started to pick blueberries off our large bush. It’s a race between me and the birds on who gets to the ripe ones first.

I’ll be Linking up to Saturday’s Critters with Eileen and The Barn Collective with Tom the Backroads Traveller.

Prayer

As many of my regular blogging friends know I’ve been giving some time to the tedious task of cleaning up the mess Photobucket has inflicted on my blog by blacking out all my photos I stored with them starting in 2006. I’ve come across some quotes and gems along the way (so far I’m only up to July of 2007). The quote on prayer at the end of this post is one I don’t want to forget.

I’ve made so many dear friends by blogging. Some I’ve met, many I haven’t met face to face. bj is one of those bloggers who is a delight to visit. On her blog she calls her dear husband Mr. Sweet.

bj from Sweet Nothings is standing by the bedside of her dear husband, Mr. Sweet (Bill), as she and her family wait for God’s perfect timing in ushering him from this earth. She’s asking for prayer for her children as they stand by their father and bj. I’m praying for this dear family and when God brings to mind bj and her family please pray for them, too.

Update: Mr. Sweet, Bill, went to his heavenly home early on July 11th…

From Between Heaven and Earth (Prayers and Reflections that Celebrate an Intimate God, by Ken Gire

[Prayer], It Brings Down the Power of Heaven

Ray Stedman, Jesus Teaches on Prayer (1917 -1992) Gifted Bible expositor, pastor, and counselor.

“Prayer has already divided seas and rolled up flowing rivers, it has made flinty rocks gush into fountains, it has quenched flames of fire, it has muzzled lions, disarmed vipers and poisons, it has marshaled the stars against the wicked, it has stopped the course of the moon and arrested the sun in its race, it has burst open iron gates and recalled souls from eternity, it has conquered the strongest devils and commanded legions of angels down from heaven. Prayer has bridled and chained the raging passions of men and destroyed vast armies of proud, daring, blustering atheists. Prayer has brought one man from the bottom of the sea and carried another in a chariot of fire to heaven.” That is not mere hyberbole, that is historical fact. Prayer has done a great many other things as well. It is an awesome, mighty force in the world of men.”

I don’t want to neglect this awesome mighty force in the world of men. Help me Father…

 

She Can Move…

All of these photos are from our last couple days with our kids, June 26th and 27th. I’m catching up with my photos from our time in Eastern Washington. After we got home we got a video showing Addy roll over from her back to her tummy. She is a strong little one.

This week has really thrown me for a loop with a Tuesday holiday. I’m checking each day to see what day of the week it really is. I’m slowly going through my 4626 posts and cleaning up the blacked out photos that are the curse of Photobucket. In the process I am deleting some posts that I find aren’t a great loss to me. Hope your summer is going well.

Free to be Me Hodgepodge

1. When and where were the best fireworks you’ve ever seen? Speaking of fireworks…do you know your hot buttons? The things people can say and/do to set you off? When was the last time someone pushed one of your hot buttons?

The collage above is taken at Disneyland with Josh and Dan in the early 80’s before Katie was born.

Disneyland puts on a great fireworks show every night.

My hot buttons are pushed when someone who is outspoken speaks out including me in their opinion and then because it’s so against my principles I have to speak out. Those kinds of scenarios make me sweat uncomfortably. I could keep quiet generally and not make a scene but I can’t stay silent when someone includes me in their convictions that are totally against my own.

2. Have you hosted any outdoor summer parties this year? Attended any? What makes for a great outdoor party?

Just hosted our first summer party on the 4th of July with 14 people we love. Some family and some dear friends. The weather was right and the food was satisfying. For me an outdoor party is perfect when the weather, food and people align well. I like an outdoor party with a close home base where the food can be set out inside and people can gather outside with access to the food and facilities close by. Another key to a great party is when everyone who comes contributes to the food table.

3. What does freedom mean to you?

I am so grateful to have been raised in the Home of the brave and land of the free. I love the U.S.A. I am even more grateful for the freedom that I have in Christ.

Galatians 5:1  “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.”

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Galatians 2:4 “…our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus…”

John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

4. July is National Cell Phone Courtesy month…what annoys you most about people’s cell phone habits?

I don’t appreciate how loud people are when talking on the phone in public places. The worst thing is looking in your rear view mirror riding down the freeway at very high speeds and realizing the person behind you is texting! Yikes, if the traffic stops will they notice in time before crashing into me? I have changed lanes to get away from these scenarios.

5. What’s your current summer anthem?

God Bless America

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Can’t get enough of this little smiley face! She has rolled over from her tummy to her back and now she just rolled over from her back to her tummy! She will be 4 months on July 20th!

Thank you Jo From This Side of the Pond for coming up with the questions and prompts for us to react to on Hodgepodge Wednesday. Click over to read more responses.