Searcher of Hearts, from Mine Erase ~ Hymn

 

Searcher of Hearts, from Mine Erase

Searcher of hearts, from mine erase
All thoughts that should not be,
And in its deep recesses trace
My gratitude to Thee.

Hearer of prayer, O guide aright
Each word and deed of mine;
Life’s battle teach me how to fight,
And be the vict’ry Thine.

Giver of all—for ev’ry good
In the Redeemer came—
For raiment, shelter, and for food,
I thank Thee in His name.

Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost,
Thou glorious Three in One,
Thou knowest best what I need most,
And let Thy will be done.

Words: George P. Morris, 1838.

Happy Saturday Daffodils!

 

I wander’d lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

~Wordsworth

This is just a portion of this Wordsworth poem. How wonderful it is to have some sweet little signs that Spring is coming. Today is Saturday and we are just messing about the house with no grand plans. Dear will do some sanding on some drywall in the new laundry room. I’ll make sure the doors are closed and the drywall dust is contained to that room. Tomorrow is Sunday and we do have some grand plans. We will be trying another church in the morning and then we are headed north to meet up with some special people for dinner. I’ll share later when I have photos to show.

FFF ~ Marching Along…

It’s that time of the week when we look back and choose our favorites. Susanne at Living to tell the Story is our hostess and you can click on the logo above to get to her site and join in this worthwhile exercise. Here are my 5 for this past week.

1. Dinner with our kids on Tuesday evening. I made a Russian favorite Golubtsi Голубцы (stuffed cabbage).

 

2. Elizabeth Goudge books. I re-read The Bird in the Tree and now I’m continuing on with the 2nd book in the series called Pilgrim’s Inn/Herb of Grace. The 3rd book is Heart of the Family. I also was able to check out one of her books I’ve not read yet called The Castle on the Hill.

 

3. More books including travel books for Washington D. C.  After checking out different travel guides from the library to determine which guides I liked best I ordered my own copy last week. I also ordered a box of 50 cards that spell out 50 different walks around D.C. The cards are great because they are easy to follow with a map and the route outlined on one side and a description of what you will see on the other. Groupon, an online site offers deals via email that alerts you to special deals in the many cities across the U.S.A. Besides Seattle I signed up to get Washington D.C. deals emailed to me. I’m concentrating on the dining deals since we’ll be eating all of our meals out. I’ve gotten 2 great half-price deals already.  Along with my travel books I ordered The Amish Cook’s Baking Book and I’m looking forward to trying some of the recipes.

4. Road Trip on Saturday with Dear to Cabela’s and the state capitol. It’s been a while since Dear and I took off on a Saturday. It was a good diversion from the regular. The weather was nice, too. We shopped, had a wonderful meal, and saw some great sights!

 

5. Whoohoo! My 2011 packet with my season tickets and new Sounders Season ticket member scarf was delivered by our son Josh. The season begins at Qwest field on Tuesday evening against the L.A. Galaxy. Happy Days are here again.

 

So how did your week go and what are some of your favorites?

I’m watching what’s going on in Japan and the countries affected by the Tsunami warnings this morning. Praying for the people of Japan and that the Hawaiian Islands stay safe.

Psalm 46: 1-3 (ESV)

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

From The Message

God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
the tremors that shift mountains.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Starting Early!

I’m one of those people that gets to places early and starts planning ahead. So we had our Fat Tuesday dinner on a St. Patrick’s Day table last night. I’m sharing that table for Tablescape Thursday with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch and also linking it up with Kathleen’s St. Patrick’s Day Party next Tuesday.

 

 

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, ’tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

 

 

 

 

 


 

Our Girls ~ Their eyes aren’t Irish but they were smiling last night. We had dinner together with Katie, Josh and Laura. We had an old Russian favorite for dinner and got caught up on what’s happening in our lives right now. Good times…

 

I’ll share the recipe soon on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook Blog.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

The Lenten Season

Today marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter. Sundays aren’t counted in the 40 days. This year lent begins on Wednesday March 9th and ends on April 23rd.

Helleborus Orientalis is the botanical name of the very popular, early blooming shade perennial more commonly known as the Lenten Rose. Lenten Roses grow hardy around the world in temperate zones 4-9. In the English speaking world they are known as the Lenten Rose but are not roses at all. They are actually of the Butter Cup family. Their flowers bloom during the Easter celebration of Lent.

Hebrews 12: 1-2 (ESV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!


A Morning at the Capitol ~

Dear and I took a little road trip on Saturday to the state capitol in Olympia, Washington. This was our first visit. We have driven by and seen the capitol just off I-5 on our way to California so many times over the last 20 years. It was good to finally get to see it up close.

The Dome and the Cupola.

The Temple of Justice.

The Temple of Justice was completed in 1920, the first building completed of the Capitol Complex.

Winged Victory Monument

In 1938, the monument was dedicated to the memory of World War I veterans.

Winged Victory includes a twelve-foot tall figure of a winged woman known as Nike, Greek goddess of victory, standing behind four life-sized figures of a soldier, a marine, a sailor, and a red-cross nurse. All of the figures are forward-moving and face a distant horizon. “Victory” or “Nike” stands with her wings outspread and her right hand, grasping an olive branch, extended protectively over the servicemen. She embodies strength, justice, and heavenly sanction for their human mission.

Medal of Honor Memorial

The Medal of Honor Monument
This monument was dedicated on Nov. 7, 1976, to honor those Washington citizens who have received the nation’s highest military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor. The 11½-foot tall granite obelisk is affixed with the Seal of the State of Washington and is inscribed with the names of those Washington citizens who were bestowed this supreme honor. The monument is a full scale replica of the national Medal of Honor monument that is in the Medal of Honor Grove in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

We visited too early in the morning for the indoor tour of the Capitol. The next time we go we’ll plan on the tour.

We really enjoyed our nice weather on the weekend. Tuesday night we are going to enjoy a meal with our kids. Our daughter Katie leaves on Wednesday for a trip to see her Marine in North Carolina since he will have a few days off and there are some family events planned on base. Hope your week is going well.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Mosaic Monday ~ Saturday Road Trip

Dear wanted to head down to Lacey, Washington because that’s where Cabela’s is and I went along for the ride with an understanding that a little side trip would be acceptable, too. We got to the Cabela’s parking lot right before 8 A.M. and people were already coming out the doors with their brand new digital food dehydrators. I took an unscientific look see poll and saw that the dehydrators were definitely the hot ticket item of the morning!

While I was counting dehydrators for my unscientific poll I also got to see animals from Africa, North America including Alaska! That Steller Sea Lion was from the Smithsonian of all places. They even had an huge aquarium filled with some great looking fish. Dear was off looking at guns and ammo and other fun stuff like that.

We finished up our time at Cabela’s with our appetites ready for a nice breakfast. Doing some research on the computer before we left home I came across a restaurant in Olympia called Sage Brunch House. We trusted the computers directions and headed south of Lacey to Olympia to try and find the restaurant. After a few wrong ways we managed to put two and two together and found this little out of the way spot in West Olympia.

I think the chef was related to Julia Child because she was not shy with butter! The food was really tasty and that Blueberry Walnut pancake with real maple syrup was amazing!

The real reason we ended up in Olympia was to see this…

Our Washington State Capitol. This was the first time Dear and I had ever been to our state capitol. I’ll show more pictures of our stop here later in the week. I hope you noticed that we had some fine weather for our little road trip.

I’m looking forward to a wonderful week with family and friends. Hope life is treating you all well.

I’m linking up to Mosaic Monday with Mary at Little Red House.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

I Have a Friend, so Patient, Kind, Forbearing ~ Hymn

I Have a Friend, so Patient, Kind, Forbearing

I have a friend, so patient, kind, forbearing,
Of all my friends this friend doth love me best;
Though I am weak and sinful, yet when sharing
His love and mercy I am ever blest.

He is my Lord, my friend, yea, He’s my brother;
And Jesus Christ is His most blessèd name.
He loves more tenderly than any mother;
To rest in Him is more than wealth and fame.

My poor and wretched soul He bought so dearly,
And freed from condemnation, death, and hell;
The old and bitter foe He crushed completely;
My soul, rejoice and sing, for all is well!

Thus I’m redeemed; no more the law prevaileth,
For Christ, the Lord, is my redeemer’s name;
His precious blood more than my sins availeth;
And cleanseth me from all my guilt and shame.

With hallelujahs here I’d tell the story,
My Lord to praise, to laud and magnify;
And praise His name forevermore in glory,
Before His throne with all the saints on high.

Words: Gustaf Palmqvist, 1851, & Carl O. Rosinius, (1816-1868) Translated from Swedish to English by John Jesperson, (1858-1943)

FFF ~ Finally!

It’s time once again to look back over the last week and come up with 5 favorites to share. Susanne at Living to Tell the Story is the hostess for this event each week.

Finally someone is selling a Chocolate Chip Ice Cream that is as good as I remember the Chocolate Chip scoop I’d get at 31 Flavors growing up.

 

The key to the great flavor I was missing must be the semi-sweet chocolate. Thank you Private Selection for taking me back to the good ole days of stopping in at 31 flavors and being able to choose 2 scoops.

2. These new place card holders that I’m looking forward to filling in names for a meal soon.

 

3. New shoes for Zumba! These shoes should make the moves easier on my knees. The great thing is that I get to try them at a Zumba class and if they aren’t good I can take them back. See the round pivot point on the bottom. Should be good for twisting and turning.

 

4. Time spent with my daughter Katie this week.

5. March is one of my favorite months and I’m happy that March 2011 is here. March favorites include MLS soccer season starting up, my birthday, the start of the season of lent, beginning of Spring, and daffodils. If I was in Southern California I’d add fresh strawberries from the local strawberry stands to the list!

What were your favorites this week?

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

The Wind Blows Cold…

 

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

~Charles Dickens

That really describes Wednesday. It was extreme in contrasts. We will see what Thursday holds for us.

I need to get a smog check on one of our cars and I hope to get some laundry done now that the washer and dryer is in it’s new location and all hooked up and vented. What does your day hold?

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.