Photo Hunters ~ Important

So many choices for this theme. Family, Faith, Traditions, Learning, etc.

 

“For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.”

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

For more photos on this theme click here.

Show & Tell ~ Wedding Shower Favors?

Ellen b. is not known for being one to sit around making crafts. In fact I have a reputation for being not so crafty. That however does not mean I never get inspired to try to make something “cute”. I was inspired by Vicki at Windows to My Soul when she posted a great Christmas gift idea. A whisk stuffed with candy kisses wrapped in cellophane and tied with a pretty ribbon. On the card she wrote “Whisking you a Merry Christmas”. Here’s what the Christmas ones looked like.

I decided I wanted to do the same thing but with smaller whisks and for a New Year’s Gift for my Mom, Sisters and Nieces since we weren’t together on Christmas but we are having dinner together this week. These would also make great party favors for a wedding shower. Here’s the process I went through to make these.

 

I was making twelve so I got the big bag of Kisses. The pre-made bows I bought at Target at their after Christmas sale for 75% off. Yippee. The whisks were purchased at Business Costco in Washington State. They were very reasonable ($2.25) for the small ones.

You gently pull apart the whisk and gently stuff the head with Kisses.

You can use this food wrap to seal the head of the whisk or you can buy that fancy cellophane that you use for making gift baskets.

 

Tie the bow on with a gift card and you have a cute gift or party favor. And if you are me not only is it a gift that is cute but it is also a gift that causes a bit of a shock that I actually put them together. Fun all around…

Here’s how they looked at the place settings for our dinner.

For more Show and Tell head over to Kelli’s!

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Thankful Thursday ~ Grace

John 1: 16-17

“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

I am thankful today for God’s grace given to us because of Jesus Christ.

I am thankful for my 3 children who are all celebrating birthdays from December 27th to January 19th. God blessed us with 3 very unique individuals who are a gift to us and their friends.

I am thankful for my brother Tim who will be celebrating his 50th birthday with us this weekend.

I am thankful for a new niece or nephew who is due to my brother and his wife on January 19th! We’re excited to see when he/she actually arrives!

I am thankful for my family who I got to spend time with this week at my parents senior apartment. We laugh and enjoy each other till the neighbor bangs on the wall because we’re making too much noise at 7:30 PM. Some people grow old too fast, not my parents!

I am thankful that Iris is back. Welcome back Iris!

Blessings and may God’s grace be poured out on you…

For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at Sting My Heart.

Happy 27th Birthday Dan!

 

We thank God for you Dan! You are a delight to us. May God bless you with His mercy and grace all the days of your life. Sorry we aren’t with you this year to celebrate your day. Here are a few photos from some earlier years…

 

Your first Christmas just before you turned 1 with your big brother Josh at Gommy and PawPaw’s in Corona.

 

Your first birthday with all your cousins and friends, eating your birthday cake, in Huntington Beach.

 

Easter 1982 at Baba and Deda’s in La Mirada.

 

Ventura in 1985

 

Your 9th birthday in 1990 in Washington. The famous choo choo train cake. Jamie D., Gommy, Josh, Dad, Bridget, Dan , Katie, Jamie S. and Ryan.

We’re so thankful that the two of you brothers are such good friends. Two years apart, both born in January, both born on Friday. Praying that you always look out for each other and for your little sister!
Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Home Made Pizza

So I made my trip to Trader Joe’s last week and got inspired by their “Almost whole wheat pizza dough”. From the dough I made my way to the fresh mozzarella, then to the pizza sauce, next came fresh basil, fresh roma tomatoes, and mushrooms. Couldn’t leave without an onion and garlic. I love onion and garlic. Put it all together…

Throw it in the oven. I don’t own a pizza stone but if you have one use it. While it is baking toss together a fresh salad.

 

And Enjoy! Bon Appetit!

Taste and See ~ John Piper

I’m reading along in Taste and See (Savoring The Supremacy of God in All of Life) 140 meditations by Piper and I wanted to share these verses that he references in meditation #18 titled How to Pray For The Soul (Yours Or Another’s) Praying in sync with the way God works ~

How to pray for your soul and others…

1. Psalm 119:36 ~

“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not towards selfish gain.”

2. Psalm 119:18 ~

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

3. Ephesians 1:18 ~

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”

4. Psalm 86:11 ~

“Teach me your way, O lord and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”

5. Psalm 90:14 ~

“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

6. Ephesians 3:16 ~

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”

7. Colossians 1:10 ~

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”

8. Mathew 6:9 ~

“This then is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name”

Pray all this in Jesus’ name because of Romans 8:32 ~ “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things.”

Piper expounded on each of these but I’m just giving you the skeleton and letting you consider these verses in enriching your prayer life for yourself and others.

Blessings…

Ht: Lana G! for the photograph of my father praying.

Jesus Loves Me

 

 Jesus Loves Me

Traditional
Words By: Anna B. Warner
Music By: Wm. B. Bradbury
Copyright Unknown

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,
When I’m very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,
Close beside me all the way;
He’s prepared a home for me,
And some day His face I’ll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Surfers Point ~ Ventura, California

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST SUNDAY. SURF 6 TO 8 FEET WILL PERSIST ALONG EXPOSED WEST FACING SHORES.
62°F at 2:00 pm

We took a short drive up the 101 Fwy to Ventura on Saturday morning. We parked at Seaside Park and started our walk along the beach at Surfers Point.

 

We walked along the Promenade.

 

The Surf was exceptional today and there were tons of surfers and photographers waiting to catch the perfect wave.

 

 

The waves were so much more dramatic than my photos can show.

 

We were on the pier for these shots. The foam tells the story of the power of these waves.

 

Some of the waves were high enough to spray onto the pier.

 

The calm before the next set of waves. This is on the Ventura Pier looking back on Ventura.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

What color flower are you?

It’s Saturday and time for some Saturday fun. Dear and I are off for a walk along the beach this morning. Have a great day!

You Are a White Flower


A white flower tends to represent purity, simple beauty, and modesty.
At times, you are dignified like a magnolia.
And at other times, you represent great ecstasy, like a white orchid.
And more than you wish, you’re a little boastful, like a white hydrangea.

What Color Flower Are You?

Let me know if you take this quiz! I’d like to see some other flowers out there.