More August Fun on Friday

Friday morning the 16th of August we had Greg’s famous Swedish Pancakes for breakfast at Our Country Bungalow.

Our daughters in law were twinsies without planning it.

The three of us took off to do a little shopping while the guys stayed at our country bungalow. We couldn’t resist trying on these beauties off the sale rack. They did not come home with us but gave us a chuckle.

While we were gone the guys and Addy did some clearing of fallen branches on our property for which I was very thankful.

They finished that task and decided it was time to scale the mountain behind our home. We own part of Rattlesnake mountain and it was fun to hear about this trek up the mountain using game trails to traverse the steepness. Here is the team of four who took the climb!

Here are the views looking back down on our home.

It was fun to see these views without having to make the climb!

Friday night we enjoyed hamburgers at the Colville kids’ home.

Earlier a couple chickens got loose and they were tracked down and put back where they belong.

A little basketball and more shenanigans before dinner.

I could have gotten my days mixed up with all these photos.

After dinner and on our way back to our home we couldn’t resist snapping these photos from their driveway.

We all wonder when that great old barn is going to collapse.

Good night, Colville.

Saturday was another good day in Colville filled with fun in the sun. That will be another post or two.

Happy last full weekend of August!

Truth for Today #114

Thursday August 22nd

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

1 John 2:1-6

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him, ” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

From Dianna:

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you have have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world. ” John 16:33 LSB

From Vera:

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭23‬-‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Summer Hodgepodge

Beautiful early summer morning getting our stair workout.

Wednesday Hodgepodge is here again. Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for the questions we answer!

1. What’s the last thing you completely overreacted to? 

I’m trying to drop some pounds…again. I tend to overreact when the scale does not show a loss equal to my sacrifice. The struggle is real.

2. Your top five snacks? 

This time of year I love a sweet nectarine for a snack. Snack sized Payday, mini dark chocolate, mixed nuts, Sunflower or Pumpkin seeds are some of my go-to snacks.

3. What smell always brings back some type of memory? Elaborate. 

When I make a big pot of borsch that can bring back many childhood memories. The overall aroma especially when I add the fresh dill can stir up memories of our mom in the kitchen or the big church meals. Cucumbers also are a memory trigger. Cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh slices of bread, that combination reminds my senses of times past.

4. What’s something you learned from the last book you read? 

I learned so much from the Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges that it still sits on my desk for a re-read. What I learned is that I still have a lot to learn before I die. I’ll add this quote from a Scottish Commentator John Brown that Bridges quoted in the book and a few from Bridges;

“The mind is renewed when, under the influence of the Spirit, the truth is understood and believed, so as to displace the ignorance and error that previously prevailed.”

and one from Bridges;

“We do not transform ourselves although we have a part in the process.” and…

“…we should pray for knowledge of truth that will change our lives rather than simply inform our minds.”

5. What’s the next thing on your to-buy list? Will you make that purchase before the end of the year? 

We do not have anything major on our to-buy list. We do wonder about our TV and whether it might need an upgrade, soon. Not a thing, but our septic is on the verge of needing to be pumped out. That will cost a few pennies!!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

How about this shot for a quintessential fun summer evening going up the driveway home with Auntie and Uncle.

Four Full Days in August!

Wednesday evening August 14th Uncle and Auntie arrived just at the end of soccer practice. We enjoyed dinner out at Rancho Chico before resting up for a full Thursday.

Bright and early Thursday morning the brothers had a tee time.

 

On Thursday after throwing some roasts in the slow cooker we headed to Bayles Mountain for lunch. The guys were there already after golfing 18 holes.

We had home made sourdough pita bread and tzatziki with steak and with the fresh veggies from the garden.

Everyone gathered back to our place in the afternoon after Addy’s dance practice.

We had dinner early and then some outdoor activities.

Mama deer was outside, too, and very interested in this little guy who got a kick out of seeing her so close. The Aronia Berries were ripe for the picking and everyone had a chance to get their hands stained purple.

While outside I got stung by one of these. The Yellow Jackets and hornets are in abundance this summer and they are aggressive. Our traps have been filling up quickly. Lots of chatter on our county sites about how to get rid of them!

Addy’s Soccer games are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30. Our son is coaching which makes it even more fun to watch. We piled into our vehicles and headed to the soccer fields.

Turned out that there was not a referee available so our son Josh stepped in for that role. Triple the fun watching Dan Coach, Addy play and Josh referee!

Go Addy!

Great job, Bobcats, Coach and Referee!!

I had to add a few more photos that I missed the first time around!

Thank you to Auntie Lolo for all the great photos!!

And that was Thursday. Friday and Saturday were two more full days that I’ll post about later this week.

Let Us Love, and Sing, and Wonder ~ Hymn

Let Us Love, and Sing, and Wonder
~
Let us love, and sing, and wonder,
Let us praise the Savior’s name!
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder,
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame.
~
Let us love the Lord, who bought us,
Pitied us when enemies;
Called us by his grace, and taught us,
Gave us ears, and gave us eyes.
~
Let us sing, though fierce temptations
Threaten hard to bear us down!
For the Lord, our strong salvation,
Holds in view the conqueror’s crown,
~
Let us wonder, grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store;
When we trust in Christ our fortress,
Justice smiles, and asks no more.
~
Let us praise and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high;
Here they trusted him before us,
Now their praises fill the sky.
~
Hark! the name of Jesus, sounded
Loud, from golden harps above!
Lord we blush, and are confounded,
Faint our praise, and cold our love!
~
Words: John Newton, 1774.

Night and Day

I’ll share one more photo of the Northern Light show we had on Monday night.

This past Monday we also started a new routine for getting in shape. We are going up and down the stairs at our high school in town. We were pleased with all the hand rails so that we could do the workout more safely.

We don’t have any stairs in our current home so this is a good alternative for us. It takes a lot less time for us to get our heart rate up doing this than it does walking on the trail.

Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo are visiting so our days and evenings and mealtimes have been full and good. I’m sure I’ll be sharing some of the fun soon.

Have a good Friday everyone!

Truth for Today #113

Thursday August 15th

On Thursdays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you! 

Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV)

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

From Dianna:

So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Romans 14:19

From Vera;

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭23‬-‭30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Maria:

Flee from the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith love and peace along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don´t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.

2 Timothy 2:22-23

From Cindy:

Psalm 44:3 – It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm Lord, and the light of your face, for you loved them.

 

Lemony Hodgepodge

Addy’s first lemonade stand in August of 2020.

It’s time again for Wednesday Hodgepodge with thanks to Jo From This Side of the Pond.

1.What was the best (or one of the best) summers of your life? Tell us why. 

The best summer of my life was in 1963. The summer of that year I responded to God’s call on my life. I repented of my sins and believed and put my faith on the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for my sins and began following my LORD and Savior. Why is this the best? Jesus is my guarantor of a future with the Triune God in heaven. I have been saved from the wrath of God, saved from Hell. Now I am a child of God and His love is over me. I was given eternal life and everything I need on this earth to grow in obedience and the knowledge of the one who saved me. Jesus is way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Him.

Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin and pursue Christ and obedience to Him. It isn’t enough to believe facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God, but they don’t love and obey Him. True saving faith always responds in obedience.

2. When you have a trip coming up do you make a list and check it twice to ensure you don’t forget anything? Or are you a ‘throw whatever you can think of into the suitcase at the last minute’ kind of packer?nd 

Lists, lists, and more lists. Sometimes I do throw in some last minute items!

When returning from a trip do you unpack immediately or leave the suitcase right where it lands? 

It depends. If I’m suffering from jet-lag it could take a day or two for the unpacking and laundering.

3. What’s your favorite food or beverage made with lemons? Is that a flavor you enjoy? 

Lemon curd is a favorite on a scone or in a pastry.

A Kensington Dream for a drink. It has a half a lemon squeezed in it.

I do enjoy lemon flavor.

4. When was the last time you had to make lemonade out of lemons, figuratively speaking I mean? 

This was a tough one for my memory bank. When we were in the condo for a couple years in Southern California, I wanted to make a calzone for the first time. I did not have a rolling pin as they were both back in our home in Washington State. We did have a muddler and I ended up being able to use that to roll out the dough!

5. Did you like school growing up? Why or why not? 

I did like school growing up. I remember that ‘feeling’ in September when school was just about to start. I can remember holding a book early on and loving the fact that I could read the words on the page. I had some wonderful teachers who encouraged me in their kindness to enjoy school. Mrs. Nicklaus, Mr. Demar, Mrs. Sawyer, My senior American Government teachers, Henke, Simon and Sciandra. Mr. Sciandra signed my annual with this sentiment; “I certainly have enjoyed having a swell Christian in class. Best wishes for your future. “

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I captured a few shots of the northern light show on Monday night but it wasn’t nearly as dramatic as this one I captured back in May of 2024. The cool thing I saw on Monday night was a shooting star! It’s been ages since I’ve seen one of those.

Have a good end of the week everyone!

Weekend Wrap-Up

On Friday afternoon there was an advertised Birthday Party for Smokey The Bear at the Colville Museum but Smokey never showed. It was still a fun experience to walk around the museum and the museum grounds.

On Saturday we took a early morning trip to Spokane to make purchases to re-stock the kitchen cupboards at church since our VBS week depleted all the stock. The sunflower fields were not in their glory but it was fun to whiz by the fields of yellow and green.

 

 

Sunday morning was a wonderful church service with our VBS kids starting us off with one of their VBS Songs, God made the Manatee. From beginning to end it was good to worship God together.

On Sunday evening we celebrated our Grands’ Granny’s birthday at our Colville kids and this was the sunset we enjoyed driving down their driveway for home.

It was a good full weekend. Looking forward to Mid-week when Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo are planning a drive over the mountains for a short visit to enjoy some summer activities with us.

Have a good week everyone.

My Hope is Built ~ Hymn

This song is titled My Hope is Built and sometimes The Solid Rock

My Hope is Built

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

Words: Edward Mote, cir­ca 1834; first ap­peared in Mote’s Hymns of Praise, 1836.