Magnuson Part II

For this day in between the remembrance of the crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus I decided to post Katie and my second walk at Magnuson Park that we took on Tuesday April 4th. I wonder what agony the followers of Jesus had during the time in-between.

Katie was hoping that we would see the blue heron her and Andrew had seen on their walks through the wetlands. We were excited to have that hope realized on this day.

Bufflehead Ducks

Red Winged Black Bird

I love having walks with our girl.

The lake was calm on this day and there was no rain during our walk.

You can just barely see Mt. Rainier in this photo.

Looking forward to tomorrow and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Such a great time of rejoicing.

We are having rain, rain and more rain. Here in Northeastern Washington more roads have washed away and traveling is getting more complicated for a lot of people. Everyone is looking forward to a good dry spell and for all this water to recede. We still have good access to town and everything we need.

Here is a collage of our smiley granddaughter next to her smiley daddy when he was a wee one.

Baby equipment has really come a long way since 1981!

Are you preparing for an Easter service and Easter meal at your home?

Good Friday 2017

Behold Your King!

From C. J. Mahaney’s, Living the Cross Centered Life

Knowing the hour for His death is fast approaching, Jesus has come here in need as never before of His Father’s comfort and strength. Instead, hell – utter separation from God – is thrust in His face.

We hear Him cry out: Father – is there an alternative? Is there any way to avoid this? If there’s a way this cup could pass from Me, would You please provide that to Me?

Silence. We can see it in His face – Jesus receives no answer to this desperate entreaty.

A second time He pleads for an alternative to that horror of abandonment by His Father. If such an alternative existed, the Father would most surely provide it. But the obedient Son’s plea to his loving Father is met with silence. Why?

Listen to this verse again for the very first time: For God so loved the world…that He is silent to His Son’s agonizing appeal.

This is what bearing our sin means to Him – utter distress of soul as He confronts total abandonment and absolute wrath from His Father on the cross, a distress and an abandonment and a rejection we cannot begin to grasp.

In this, our Savior’s darkest hour…do you recognize His love for you?

~~~~~~~~

The following song by Stuart Townend is so fitting in describing what God has accomplished for us through His beautiful Son, Jesus. May God fill all of us full and fresh with these truths this Easter weekend and let us “recognize His love for us”. Blessings on your thoughts of Him!

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

by Stuart Townend

How deep the father’s love for us,
how vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son,
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns his face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold a man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no powers, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Maundy Thursday ~ The Last Supper

I took this photo a few years ago at the Monumentale Cemetery in Milan, Italy. Today and this whole week Christians around the world remember the events that led up to the crucifixion of Christ and Christ’s resurrection over 2000 years ago. I always look forward to Easter week which is also called Holy week. Celebrating our risen Savior and what he accomplished for us tops my list!

The Last Supper and the Washing of the Disciples Feet are both remarkable events. While in Milan I was also able to see Leonardo da Vinci’s mural of the Last Supper. The original mural is on a wall of the refectory (dining hall) in the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. No photos allowed.

While in England in 2014 year we saw two amazing paintings of the last supper, one in the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist in Windsor and one in the chapel of Magdalen College.

From the Lectern, look down the centre aisle and observe in the West Gallery a painting of The Last Supper. This is a national treasure. The picture was originally presented to the Royal Chapel c. 1660 by Brian Duppa, Bishop of Winchester, Prelate of the Order of the Garter. It was “bought by him beyond the sea”. Another tradition ascribes it to Franz de Cleyn (1588-1658), Rostock, Mecklenburg, Court painter to James I. It was rolled up and buried “in the plumery” (plumbers workshop?) in the Great Rebellion. It hung over the altar at St George’s, Windsor in 1702, and can be seen there in Sandby’s drawing dated 1786.

Above the stalls in the chapel hangs Giampetrino’s remarkable 15th copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, on permanent loan from the Royal Academy. In view of the bad condition of the original fresco in Milan, Magdalen’s copy on canvas is a piece of increasing historic and artistic significance.

This next sculpture of Jesus washing Peter’s feet is at the Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks, California.

Excerpts from John chapter 13…

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Easter Greetings

These antique postcards are all from the early 1900’s. They were sent to Dear’s Great Great Aunt Emma from friends and family.

This one was hard to read so I added the wording.

Getting ready to think on and celebrate Resurrection Sunday and the days leading up to it like Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

May He who rose on Easter morn descend in love and keep and bless all who visit here.

Grandpapa or Gramps?

Maybe even grandfather or grandpa.

Time will tell what Addy decides to call him but in the meantime they are having some nice conversations.

I’m reading many of your posts because that is easy to do while holding an infant but I cannot leave a comment easily because that involves two hands and my hands and lap are occupied several hours during the day. Here in Eastern Washington we’re making plans for Easter day and when Dear and I return home we’ll have a belated Easter celebration with our other kids.

For now I’ll leave you with an Easter postcard from Dear’s Great Great Aunt Emma’s stash from the early 1900’s.

A Peaceful Walk

Rayna ran out ahead of us excited for a walk down the drive. We took advantage to the sunshine on this day.

Our walk photos were all taken from our son and dil’s driveway.

A different view without snow.

Horses were having a walk, too.

After the fresh air Addy had a peaceful sleep, too.

I drove Katie to the Spokane airport today (Monday April 10th) and we had snow, rain, and hail on our way. She got home to Seattle before I made it back to Colville. The flight from Spokane to Seattle is about 50 minutes! I’m sure her hubby appreciates having her back home.

Auntie Meets Her Niece

Addyson May is Katie’s first niece. The photo on the right is at their initial meeting right after we made our drive from Seattle to Northeastern Washington. We made a stop in Spokane to pick up some food for dinner for us all to share from Costco. Our next stop was at the Home Depot to pick up a new toilet which is one of the projects that were planned for Dear and Dan while we are staying with them. You should have seen us rearranging the back of the RAV4 to fit the toilet in and then to use our Tetris skills to get all our belongings and gifts and other project goods back in the car! We did it and Katie wasn’t too squished in the back seat!

On Friday we got to have lots of chillin and cuddling time while the guys worked in the wood shop installing more lights and then they installed the new toilet. Uncle Andrew is still waiting to meet his niece. The University is keeping him too busy for trips across the mountains.

Infant hands and infant feet are the best.

The winds were howling and thunderstorms blew through on Friday. When things cleared up in the afternoon we took a nice walk. I’ll show some photos from the walk soon. I’ve been taking a morning shift holding Addy while mommy and daddy sleep for a good couple of hours. It’s very quiet during that time and nice to see the dawning of a new day and good to thank God and say some prayers for family and friends near and far.

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.

On this Palm Sunday my heart goes out to the people of Egypt and the senseless bombings that killed so many who were gathered to remember our Lord’s Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. Such sorrow for the police officers who died stopping the suicide bomber from entering another church. They were doing their job heroically. May God comfort all who lost loved ones. Maranatha…

Come Ye That Seek the Lord~ Hymn

Come Ye That Seek the Lord

Come ye that seek the Lord,
Him that was crucified,
Come listen to the Gospel word,
And feel it now applied;
To every soul of man
The joyful news we show,
Jesus for every sinner slain,
Is risen again for you.

The Lord is risen indeed,
And did to us appear,
He hath been seen, our living head,
By many a Peter here:
We, who so oft denied
Our master and our God,
Have thrust our hand into His side,
And felt the streaming blood.

Raised from the dead we are
The members with their Lord,
And boldly in His name declare
The soul reviving word;
Salvation we proclaim
Which every soul may find,
Pardon and peace in Jesus’ name,
And life for all mankind.

O might they all receive
The bleeding Prince of Peace!
Sinners, the glad report believe,
Of Jesus’ witnesses;
He lives, who spilt His blood;
Believe our record true,
The arm, the power, the Son of God
Shall be revealed in you.

Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Gargoyles on the Quad

The University of Washington in Seattle was established in 1861. The gargoyles I zoomed in on are located on buildings in the Liberal Arts Quadrangle, commonly known as the Quad.

While we were admiring the Cherry blossoms and the Magnolia blossoms at the University of Washington I enjoyed zooming in to get a closer look at the gargoyles on the different buildings on the quad. I also took some close ups of the School of Art and Music buildings.

Gargoyles are figures often carved into the architecture of old churches, usually in the form of a grotesque animal or human. Many times gargoyles in Gothic churches were attached to the gutter system of the roof, with the mouth of the gargoyle acting as a spout for rainwater, helping keep the masonry from being destroyed.

The University of Washington is a real treasure for the state and city of Seattle. We have two graduates of the University in our family and one more who will graduate in 2018.

Enjoying lots of cuddle time with our new granddaughter. We had an exciting wind and thunderstorm event today. Haven’t had time to upload new photos but will soon. Saturday we are headed to a junk show. We have some items we are on the lookout for. I’ll let you know how it goes. Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and we enter Holy Week. I’m so glad Jesus came to earth to save us. Have a wonderful weekend.