I’m Yearning to Travel Someplace Far Away
;)
England ~ Scotland ~ Wales ~ Ireland ~ New England ~Montreal ~ New Zealand ~ The Shire ~ Russia
I’m such a comfort traveler, not the really high adventure type. Even though I’m Russian, Russia would be my last choice because of the comfort issues of traveling there. Where would you want to go?
Ht: Bridget for the collage she made for me a while back…
I nabbed this meme from Connie at Practicing Theology.
Here’s how it goes, grab ten coins out of your pocket, purse, couch cushion or wherever it is you keep your loose change. You have to have ten uniquely dated coins, so if you get a duplicate, pull out another until you have ten unique dates. Next, tell your readers a little about YOU the year that the coin was minted.
1978 ~ Married for 4 years, teaching 2nd grade in the Public School system and pregnant with our first child who was born in January of 1979. Josh was 10 lbs. and I had him naturally, ouch! Living in Huntington Beach, Ca. Dear has decided to work for someone else instead of being self-employed. He gets a job in the Rock and Sand Industry.
1983 ~ Married for 9 years. SAHM with two boys ages 4 and 2. Living in Huntington Beach, California with plans to move to Ventura to cut Dear’s commute time down from 2 hours each way to a wee 10 minutes. Dear worked the swing shift so I’m home alone with the boys from noon to midnight each weekday. Only had to go to emergency twice during this time with son #2. Thankfully my sister Vera lived around the corner so I could drop off son #1 on the way to the ER. At this time Dear is working in a quarry digging and loading trucks with sand and gravel with a front end loader. (We moved to Ventura in 1984)
1985 ~ Still living in Ventura, California with our boys in Kindergarten and 2nd grade. We’ve met some lifetime great friends at Bible Fellowship Church in Ventura, Dr. Dave and Jody. I’m pregnant with baby #3 and Dear’s father Rex passes away in October before Katie is born. She comes early on December 27th. Katie is delivered by our friend Dr. Dave who is doing his residency at the County Hospital in Ventura. We dropped our boys off at Dr. Dave and Jody’s and picked up Dr. Dave to go to the hospital so he could deliver Katie. It really was great having a good friend deliver our little girl.
1991 ~ Living in Bothell, Washington for 3 years. Verna my widowed MIL is living with us. I was very busy with a Cleaning Business helping to put Dear through school. Verna filled in the gaps watching the kids when I wasn’t there. We moved to Washington so Dear could complete his B.S. degree and attend Pharmacy School at the University of Washington. GO HUSKIES! Our friends Dave and Jody had moved back to Washington for Dave to start a Family practice so we had great friends already in Washington which made our transition easier moving so far from our families.
1994 ~ Dear has completed his schooling and a residency program and is finally getting a great income working full time for a Start Up Biotec Firm in Seattle. I’m looking forward to retiring from my house cleaning business. The kids and I take a trip to Los Angeles to be with family and attend as many World Cup games and activities we can. Dear joins us for part of this trip.
1996 ~ This was a year of many trials by fire for us. We had a major landslide behind our home up to the foundation of the house. We walked away from our 4600 square foot home and all of our equity because the landslide threatened the foundation and stability of the house and the price tag for sinking pilings and stabilizing the land around the home became more than we could ever afford. We had a mother in law apartment in the basement of this home where Dear’s mother lived. We had to find other arrangements for her, also. We started the life of moving yearly from one rental home to another. I began homeschooling Katie who was socially persecuted at school. She was in a gifted program and at recess the other girls in this program called her the germ and told anyone who played with her that they would get infected. Her persecution was very hurtful but the decision to homeschool her was a wonderful healing experience for all of us.
1997 ~ My MIL Verna died in May. Our oldest son graduated from high school in June and in the August headed off to Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Ca. It was a very emotional year of separations for me. In the fall we had to move to our second rental home.
1998 ~ Moved to our third rental home and within a month were informed the owner would be selling it out from under us. Not wanting to face moving all our stuff again we made an offer on the house and it was accepted. Then miracle of miracles the bank gave us a loan with no hassles. We were living in a home of our own again. We thought this would be impossible so soon because of defaulting on a loan and giving a previous home back to the bank. But for some reason (God) the bank chose not to ding us with that on our record. Nothing showed up about our default. 2nd son in his senior year of high school. Daughter in last year of junior high.
2002 ~ Oldest son is married to his High School sweetheart for one year. Husbands company bought by Amgen. His department moved to Thousand Oaks, California. Dear decides not to move. He took some time off and then was called to work as a contractor for Amgen. During his time off Dear and I took a winter trip to London over Valentine’s day. What a wonderful time just tubing into London each day from So. Kensington. We also took a train to attend a Worship Conference at Tim Hughes’ church outside of London. Another day trip we took was out to Cambridge that was so beautiful and very cold. While staying in So. Kensington we discovered a great drink, a Kensington Dream, that Dear watched the bartender make and still makes for me once in a while here in the states. He’s threatening to post the recipe on my blog soon. Hopefully I won’t lose many readers cuz I enjoy a hearty drink here and there (in moderation if you please…) 🙂
2006 ~ Another year of big changes for us. Dear’s contracting days in Washington ended and he made the decision to finally take a full-time job with Amgen in Thousand Oaks. We decided not to sell our home in the Seattle area but to let our 2 adult children who aren’t married yet live in it and take care of it while Dear and I live in Southern California. We ended up buying a one bedroom condo in So. Cal. We had already planned a trip to Britain for a walking tour with our good friends Dave, Jody, Bob and Jan and when Greg accepted the company’s offer for employment he made sure they were ok with his leaving for 2 weeks just after starting his job. What a great tour of Britain it was and we’re so happy we stuck to the plan.
Change has really been the theme of life for us over the last couple of years. We are learning not to hang on to tight to whatever situation we are in today. We know who holds our future and we are working more and more on trusting Him with it!
Boy if you made it through all of this congratulations! If you feel like playing this meme let me know ….
Here are a couple of quotes I wanted to share today….
“I am not obsessed with holiness because I am holy. I love the holiness of God because it is my only hope. Without his mercy and holiness there would be no restraint to my wickedness.” R.C. Sproul
This is a quote from my archives that my pastor used in a sermon a while back. I thought it a good one to share also…
From For the Love of God by D.A. Carson;
“People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to scripture, faith and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slide toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”
I Peter 1:13-16 ~
“Preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
I Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Sanford F. Bennett (1836-1898)
Mr. Webster, like many musicians, was of an exceedingly nervous and sensitive nature, and subject to periods of depression, in which he looked upon the dark side of all things in life. I had learned his peculiarities so well that on meeting him I could tell at a glance if he was melancholy, and had found that I could rouse him up by giving him a new song to work on.
He came into my place of business [in Elkhorn, Wisconsin], walked down to the stove, and turned his back on me without speaking. I was at my desk. Turning to him, I said, “Webster, what is the matter now?” “It’s no matter,” he replied, “it will be all right by and by.” The idea of the hymn came me like a flash of sunlight, and I replied, “The Sweet By and By! Why would not that make a good hymn?” “Maybe it would,” he said indifferently. Turning to my desk I penned the words of the hymn as fast as I could write. I handed the words to Webster. As he read his eyes kindled, and stepping to the desk he began writing the notes. Taking his violin, he played the melody and then jotted down the notes of the chorus. It was not over thirty minutes from the time I took my pen to write the words before two friends with Webster and myself were singing the hymn.
Sanford Fillmore Bennett (1836-1898)
This song was sung in the Academy Award winning movie Sergeant York (1941).
There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
Refrain
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious songs of the blessed;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
Refrain
To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days.
I chose this song this week because of two funerals in our Russian Community and the fact that this song is one that this community likes to sing at funerals. Both women are in the sweet by and by. One of the ladies made peace with her heavenly Father just two days before she died.
I’m reading Pride and Prejudice right now and I am always struck at how important letters were. A different time when this was the best form of communicating when apart. No phones, no email, no instant messaging. Wouldn’t it be fun to receive a good old fashioned letter in the mail. Signed, sealed, and delivered! Here’s some interesting tips from Emily Post.
Emily Post (1873–1960). Etiquette. 1922.
THE ART of general letter-writing in the present day is shrinking until the letter threatens to become a telegram, a telephone message, a post-card. Since the events of the day are transmitted in newspapers with far greater accuracy, detail, and dispatch than they could be by the single effort of even Voltaire himself, the circulation of general news, which formed the chief reason for letters of the stage-coach and sailing-vessel days, has no part in the correspondence of to-day.
THE LETTER EVERYONE LOVES TO RECEIVE
The letter we all love to receive is one that carries so much of the writer’s personality that she seems to be sitting beside us, looking at us directly and talking just as she really would, could she have come on a magic carpet, instead of sending her proxy in ink-made characters on mere paper.
Let us suppose we have received one of those perfect letters from Mary, one of those letters that seem almost to have written themselves, so easily do the words flow, so bubbling and effortless is their spontaneity. There is a great deal in the letter about Mary, not only about what she has been doing, but what she has been thinking, or perhaps, feeling. And there is a lot about us in the letter—nice things, that make us feel rather pleased about something that we have done, or are likely to do, or that some one has said about us. We know that all things of concern to us are of equal concern to Mary, and though there will be nothing of it in actual words, we are made to feel that we are just as secure in our corner of Mary’s heart as ever we were. And we finish the letter with a very vivid remembrance of Mary’s sympathy, and a sense of loss in her absence, and a longing for the time when Mary herself may again be sitting on the sofa beside us and telling us all the details her letter can not but leave out.”
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, …”
One of the miracles that the Lord has done in my life is leading my Father and Mother out of Iran (Persia back then) to the U.S.A. This was before my Father was a believer but God’s hand was on him in a mighty way leading my Father to himself. My Mother was a believer when she married my Father. I am so thankful to God for His hand of mercy that gave my parents the desire to immigrate to the U.S. In 1963, fifteen years after immigrating to the states, my Father became a believer at the Billy Graham Crusade in Los Angeles. I am remembering and thanking God for His amazing grace in my Fathers life and the benefits of that grace to me…
Thank you Lord for all you’ve done. I will sing praises to you and rejoice. I will look to you for strength and seek your face always. I will remember the wonderful things you have done. Glory to your holy name. Amen.
To read more Thankful Thursday Posts or to participate head over to Sting My Heart…
My family is not normal. This is a good thing. Today I had brunch with my sister her 2 daughters and another sister’s daughter. We are friends. We are different from each other. We love each other. We like to get together and be together. We aren’t checking to see if we had our daily devotions today. We are loving on each other, caring for each other, accepting each other, praying for each other and waiting on God to do His sanctifying work in our lives. If we fall, we love each other and help each other get up. If we have an emotional melt down we wait for that to pass and see what God taught us through that. We don’t panic and wonder if we’ve lost our salvation. We’ve seen a lot in my family. There are plenty of people to watch after all. We trust God that He will bring us all through the ups and downs of our lives here on earth. What we do and need to do is to love each other dearly. Above all else, love each other dearly… That’s what I want to do. That’s what I want to encourage you to do.
I Peter 4:8 (ESV) ~
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
(NIV) ~
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
(NASB)
Above all keep fervent in your love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins.
The Message ~
Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.
We’re not normal. We are certainly not perfect. But, we love each other and that covers a lot of kasha! (Russian for oatmeal, or messy issues….)
If you homeschool anywhere in Southern California this is a book that you should add to your resources. This is a comprehensive guide (793 Pages) to any educational, recreational, fun place you’d want to experience. I went to a presentation that Susan gave to our transitions group. The company my husband works for hires a group to help transition new employees and their families into this new part of the world they find themselves employed in. Susan Peterson has done her research well and she homeschools her 3 sons and has been to most of the places she recommends in her book. Even if you don’t live in Southern California you can benefit from some tips from her. She says…
Never Leave Home Without These Essentials
1. Snacks –always carry snacks and a water bottle. Listening to a child whine because he is hungry or thirsty can drive any parent over the edge.
2. Map –
3. Tissues and/or Wipes
4. Quarters (metered parking)
5. Toys/books/games
6. CD’s (Music or Books on CD)
7. First Aid Kit – bandaids, ointment, adhesive tape, scissors, an ice pack, Benedryl, disposable gloves, a sewing kit, and and Tylenol for kids and adults.
8. Roadside emergency kit – jumper cables, flares, a flashlight, batteries, extra drinking water, tools, matches.
9. Jacket – pack a light jacket or sweater for unexpected change in weather or plans. Throw in a change of clothes for little ones just in case they get muddy or wet.
10. Blanket – For picnics or if someone gets cold or for other emergencies.
11. Fanny Pack
12. Sunscreen
13. Camera – ya don’t have to tell a blogger to remember their camera!
14. Grocery Bag: It holds trash, excuse me, I mean treasures, that kids collect…
15. Container (for motion sickness)
16. A Sense of Humor
So this is my Works For Me Wednesday tip for y’all. Head on over to Rocks in my Dryer and get more educated!
Ht: Fun Places to Go with Kids and Adults by Susan Peterson ~ Fun Places Publishing, California, copyright 2006 by Susan Peterson. www.funplaces.com
This Tuesday Sting My Heart is hosting “In Other Words”, a meme that originated on Christian Women Online. A quote is chosen by the host to consider and we are invited to write our “take” on the quote. Here is the quote that was chosen for Tuesday August 14th.
“Blessed Be Your name
When I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name…”
~ Matt Redman ~
Psalm 34:19 ~
Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Isaiah 43:1-3
But now, this is what the Lord says-
he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel;
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior….”
Isaiah 43:18-19~
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
So God promises to bring us through the wilderness. He does not abandon us. We can cling to these next great promises for our future…
Isaiah 35: 9,10 ~
But only the redeemed will walk there,
and the ransomed of the Lord will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Romans 15: 4~
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
So I hope these verses encourage you to know that in the midst of our wilderness times, our times in the desert, and times of affliction (which are inevitable here on this earth), our hope, the promise that sustains us and lets us say “blessed be the Lord” is that Jesus has gone before us on this wilderness road and He promises because of his saving grace to bring us through our wilderness to our amazing gift in the future in heaven with Him. We have a future with Him without “sorrow and sighing.”
Romans 15:13 ~
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Blessed be His Name!
If you’d like to read more thoughts on this quote go over to Sting my Heart…
Farmers Market (no apostrophe!) was created in July 1934.
In July 1934 a contingent of farmers pulled their trucks onto an expanse of empty land at the property known as Gilmore Island at the corner of Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles. They displayed their produce on the tailgates of their vehicles, to their delight, customers quickly arrived and parked their cars on a hastily created dirt parking lot in spaces designated with chalk. They strolled among the trucks purchasing fruit, vegetables and flowers.
The atmosphere was casual, the open air commerce enticing, the goods fresh, and the result remarkable. Farmers Market became an instant institution.
We met our friends from Seattle at the Original Los Angeles Farmers Market for dinner and a stroll. Luke, (one of our former pastors in Seattle), Terri and their two daughters Sophie and Greta are in L.A. for some sight seeing that will include the ultimate first time visit to Disneyland for the girls on Monday and Tuesday!
A very upscale outdoor shopping center, The Grove, has been built right next to the Old Farmers Market. We ended our visit with an elevator ride to the 8th floor of the parking garage at “The Grove” to get an aerial view of this Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles and Hollywood. We were hoping to see the famous Hollywood sign but sad but true it was too “L.A. smoggy hazy” to see it clearly! We were able to see the Griffith Park Observatory.
On our way home after our visit we were driving through a couple multi-million dollar neighborhoods and were shocked to see this eyesore on one of the street corners. We were amazed and decided to turn back to take some digital shots of this monstrocity. My photos will not give this gaudy display of bad taste justice.
There were over 14 of these statues…
Yikes! This is a beautiful neighborhood of amazingly landscaped and manicured lawns. House after house displays beautiful architecture and upkeep. I can only imagine what the immediate neighbors think. We found out later that there was a lot of TV coverage over this property and a lawsuit that the neighbors brought to try to get these statues removed. They lost their suit. The bright white wrought iron fence was added after some of the statues were defaced.
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My weekend ended with a 250 mile round-trip out to Nuevo, California for dinner and a church service that my nephews Levi and Caleb were leading worship for (Levi in the red, Caleb in the orange). A nice ending to a busy weekend. Blessings on your week ahead…
Photobucket has blacked out all my photos from their site that I used on my blog since 2007 and I’m working to update my thousands of posts.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 