On Sunday these two enjoyed a scoop of ice cream in an ice cream cone after our dinner.
Such a simple good dessert.
What is your favorite brand and flavor? We are partial to Häagen-Dazs. One of our favorite flavors is Vanilla Swiss Almond. We only buy it when it goes on a good sale.
The grands above are enjoying Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
It is unusual for us to see a dove at our birdbath. This one looks quite fluffy and stayed around long enough for some photos on Saturday.
On Sunday I was reading a devotional by John MacArthur called Drawing Near and on this day the title of the devotion was The Cushion of Peace.
I’ll share part of what I read and found so encouraging.
…”Christians can experience a cushion of peace in their souls regardless of their troubled surroundings. That’s because they belong to God, who is the source of peace; serve Christ, who is the Prince of Peace; and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who is the agent of peace. Galatians 5:22 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, [and] peace.” When you become a Christian, God grants you the gift of peace…
God is not only the source of perfect peace, but also its purest example…
God wants everyone to know that kind of peace. He created the world with peace and sent His Son to offer peace. Someday Christ will return to establish His kingdom and reign in peace for eternity…”
My prayer for you is that you have this cushion of peace.
John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
The Cross of My Redeemer
On Calvary’s distant mountain
The cross of faith I see,
Where once the Lord of glory
Was crucified for me.
Refrain
The cross of my Redeemer,
O may I still defend,
And through the grace He giveth
Be faithful to the end.
As on that cross extended,
He suffered, bled and died,
To sinful thoughts and pleasures
May I be crucified.
Refrain
He bore that cross with patience;
Through sorrow dark and sin,
He bids me now, believing,
Take up my cross for Him.
Refrain
Had I no foes to conquer
No cross on earth to bear,
A victor’s crown of triumph,
I could not hope to wear.
Refrain
Words: Fanny Crosby, (1820-1915)
My parents were born in the area of Southern Russia between the Black and Caspian Seas and then with their families escaped into Persia which is now Iran. Lamb was part of their regular diet. This is a wonderful way to cook lamb. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
You can ask your butcher to bone and butterfly your leg of lamb. If there is a lot of fat you can trim some of the fat.
Ingredients:
Seasoning Mixture:
If you use a 6 pound leg of lamb add more potatoes to serve more people.
On Saturday after JJ’s birthday party some time was spent on braiding and curling Addy’s hair for her dance recital. Addy, her mommy and Auntie Lolo left early and we followed later. We waited with anticipation to see Addy come on stage.
The lighting was difficult but I was able to get some photos to show some of the dance moves.
In this shot you can see the braids and curls that held well throughout the performance. Hats off to Auntie Lolo and her mommy.
She really danced her heart out and it was great to see her confidence on stage. I wish I could have gotten the video to load onto my computer but it just didn’t work for me.
Baba and Gramps thought you did a wonderful job. You worked hard at your practices and it showed on stage! Well done, Addy!
Home to have a good rest before her next performance on Sunday afternoon.
We found out after the show that there were a few of the young performers who had challenges to overcome and they did it brilliantly. There was one young dancer who was completely deaf. Another amazing young man with a cochlear implant from the same family who was one of the stars of the show. Another performer came to the Haran Dancers without being able to jump or hop. All of these challenges were overcome with practice and patience. We are pleased that our granddaughter can learn and perform in this wonderful school of Irish Dancers with gifted teachers.
Thursday April 18th
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!
Colossians 4:2-6
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
From Maristella:
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8.
From Dianna:
Psalm 16:11 ”You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
From Vera:
”Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.“
Psalm 143:8 ESV
From Susan:
“When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.” Jeremiah 15:16
Our grandson turned 5 this week and his new bike is already getting a workout. Riding a bicycle is a good skill to have! JJ at 5 already has many good life skills! We enjoyed a fun bowling party to celebrate JJ this past Saturday.
Thank you to Joyce From This Side of the Pond for skillfully posting questions each week for Wednesday Hodgepodge!
1. What’s a skill you think everyone should have?
Tying your shoes. Personal Hygiene. Use of basic tools. Cooking skills enough to be able to feed yourself. Basic Math. Reading. Writing. Following a Map. Driving. Putting gas in a vehicle. Earning money. Making a bed. Cleaning a toilet. Running a washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher. How to use a computer.
I could not stop at just one.
2. Do you have a special place or organizational system for gift wrapping?
I have a general bin with gift bags, wrapping paper and tissue and a separate Christmas bin with the same items. I also have a basic ribbon bin and a Christmas ribbon bin.
Do you still buy ‘real’ cards to send for birthdays, anniversaries, get-well, etc?
I do still have real cards that I send for these events. TIP: Buy your cards at the Dollar stores where many cards are 2 for a dollar or a dollar each!
3. It’s National Banana Day…are you a fan? What’s your favorite thing to make with bananas or, if you’re not a cook, your favorite thing to eat that contains banana?
We don’t keep bananas around here typically but when we do have bananas that have fully ripened we enjoy our favorite, Banana Bread.
4. Do you believe in second chances? Elaborate.
Where would any of us be without second chances? We all fall, fail, make mistakes. We need to be forgiven and we need to forgive. We need reconciliation in this world.
Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
5. What is your idea of fun?
Fun for me is any event that makes me smile at the end of the day. The feeling of satisfaction that comes from time together, good conversations, worthwhile projects completed. Good things and good interactions that satisfy and improve your heart and mind. Time well spent.
Something specific that I enjoy is planning a trip. I like to research areas and consider all the choices of things to see and do. This is a fun exercise for me.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Besides all the birthday fun for JJ, Addy had her first Irish Dance Recital with the Haran Dancers.
Full post coming soon.
Happy Birthday to our favorite 5 year old!
Warning: This post is loaded with photos and could have been even more loaded!
Great Uncle and Auntie came prepared.
Granny and Granny Great watched all the shenanigans.
Auntie Katie pulled out the overall win with the best score and enjoyed beating out her brother with the most flamboyant of shirts.
She does own her own bowling ball and shoes!
I came in with the lowest score…too bad this isn’t golf.
Some of us have really good form!
And style…
The oldest bowlers.
One of the youngest first time bowlers!
The youngest first time bowler and birthday boy!
Sometimes he used the dino helper to roll the ball.
JJ waited patiently for Cake and Gifts!
Finally…time for cake!
It was worth the wait to see his new bicycle!
He ripped through the rest of the presents with ease.
His great uncle Scott made this holster and belt for him!
What a great keepsake!
JJ jumped up from opening all his presents and gave a thank you hug to us all.
We gathered up all our belongings and headed up to JJ’s house to spend a few hours before Addy’s Irish Dance Recital!
JJ ran into the house to change clothes and get his helmet on so he could ride his new bike! When he entered the house he exclaimed, “home at last”! What a character!
Happy birthday dear grandson of ours. Baba and Gramps love you so much. You are full of life and have an adventurous spirit. You are great at building things and coming up with ideas to hold things together. You give the best hugs. We love your vocabulary. You have the best laugh! We look forward to seeing the new things you learn while you are 5! God bless you and keep you all the days of your life!
We all gathered on Friday afternoon and evening when all our family arrived from Colville and across the mountains for the beginning of a big weekend to celebrate JJ’s 5th birthday and Addy’s first Irish dance recital. We were able to celebrate Andrew’s birthday, too!
I will post the photos from JJ”s Bowling party tomorrow. Addy’s recital photos will come later in the week. A full happy weekend.
On Friday evening we enjoyed Thai food and desserts which included Andrew’s favorite Pecan birthday pie!
Happy Birthday, Andrew!
The rest of these photos are from Saturday and Sunday between the other major happenings. Thank you so much to Laura for all these wonderful captures!
Addy was very excited to show Auntie Lolo the frog or whatever they are called when they are this small. They may be small but they fill the night air with their songs in Spring. It can be deafening.
Addy and JJ are also excited to show us all their small chicks that they hatched from an incubator.
The weather was amazing with sunshine and temps up into the 70’s.
What is that and where are you going with it?
All too soon the weekend was over and our ‘coast’ kids headed home.
We again have happy thoughts and full hearts as we recuperate from all the fun!
Happy U.S. tax day to all of my friends in the USA. Happy Monday to my friends from other parts of the world!
AT the Breaking of the Day
Oh, how oft amid our labor
Do we think of what will be
When the boat shall drop its anchor
In the haven o’er the sea!
And our hearts, with joy expanding,
From our trials look away,
When we all shall meet together,
At the breaking of the day!
Refrain
At the breaking of the day,
When we anchor on the shore,
At the breaking of the day,
When the storms of life are o’er,
When our sorrow and our sighing,
Like a dream will pass away,
When we all shall meet together,
At the breaking of the day!
Oh, how oft amid the conflict
And the battle raging high,
With a faith as clear as noonday
We behold the victory nigh,
And we know that with the righteous
We shall stand in bright array,
When we all shall meet together,
At the breaking of the day!
Refrain
Endless praise to our Redeemer
For His all atoning love,
That prepares for us a mansion
And a crown of life above,
Where our eyes shall see the beauty
Of the flow’rs that ne’er decay,
When we all shall meet together,
At the breaking of the day!
Refrain
Words: Fanny Crosby, 1891.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 