At the Break of Day…

We left McPherson, Kansas heading north on our Land That We Love Tour on Friday before dawn and then we turned West heading for Colorado. The majority of our drive was heading west today.

We saw the sunrise through the rear window of our car and the rear view mirrors.

Some Kansas views speeding by at 75 miles per hour.

We found some color in Colorado.

We ended our travel day in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

We are so thankful for another safe day on the road.

On the road we listened to a couple of sermons from 1 Peter chapter 3 today and then listened to a book on CD by Louise Penny.

A small portion of the sermon we heard on 1 Peter 3:13-17 by John MacArthur in 2013;

“I can’t tell you precisely what’s going to come in the future against us, but it’s going to come and it’s going to escalate. For how long? I don’t know. And in what forms? I’m not sure. Persecution is going to come against you as an individual, if it doesn’t already come, because you’re an outspoken Christian. Here you are in the world, an alien and a stranger, and your task is not just to survive, your task is not somehow to defeat the enemy, your task is to win the enemy to your side. You do that by keeping your behavior honest and excellent. You do that by being a shining light in the world so that men can see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. You do that by proclaiming the gospel and loving your persecutors and showing kindness to them. You do that by doing good, having a passion for goodness, being willing to suffer, focusing on Christ, looking to eternal glory and keeping your conscience pure.”

On the road in Kansas…

On Saturday we travel from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Billings, Montana.

Early Morning Start

Tuesday September 28th we started early on our Land That We Love Tour south in Kentucky to Tennessee and then East to North Carolina.

We enjoyed a great sunrise.

We stopped at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast.

We had fog along the way. We had thought about stopping at the Cumberland Gap to see some views but the fog was heavy and we continued on without stopping.

Today was a shorter mileage day but we were in the Appalachians and the roads were windy so it took us a lot longer to travel those miles.

We reached our destination in Boone, North Carolina a little after 1 PM.

Boone is a college town home to Appalachian State University and it is full of young people.

We checked into our hotel found a restaurant to eat in and did a little shopping. We shopped at the Mast General Store and a few smaller shops, too.

Tomorrow we reach our wedding destination and our family will join us in our VRBO. Looking forward to seeing their faces and our extended family. We have wedding festivities on Thursday and Friday and family reunion times before, during and after. I will be very very busy and since my grands will be living in the same house I will be surprised if I have much computer time at all. Enjoy your last days of September y’all!

When Morning Gilds the Skies ~ Hymn

Sunrise january 003

When Morning Gilds the Skies

When morning gilds the skies
My heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer,
To Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Does sadness fill my mind?
A solace here I find,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss?
My comfort still is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

To God, the Word, on high,
The host of angels cry,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let mortals, too, upraise
Their voice in hymns of praise,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

The night becomes as day
When from the heart we say:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear
When this sweet chant they hear:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Sing, suns and stars of space,
Sing, ye that see His face,
Sing, Jesus Christ be praised!
God’s whole creation o’er,
For aye and evermore
Shall Jesus Christ be praised!

In Heav’n’s eternal bliss
The loveliest strain is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let earth, and sea and sky
From depth to height reply,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Be this, while life is mine,
My canticle divine:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Sing this eternal song
Through all the ages long:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Sunlit ~ InSPIREd Sunday!

Later today I’ll link up with Sunlit Sunday hosted by Karen at My Little Home and Garden and InSPIREd Sunday hosted by Beth and Sally. Here are more churches from San Francisco and some other sunlit inspirations.

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St. Agnes Catholic Church in the Haight Asbury neighborhood of San Francisco.

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Another church I saw on the upper deck bus tour I took. Wish I knew what church is is.

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The First Congregational Church in Downtown San Francisco that is now the Academy of Art.

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A recent sunrise out my stairwell window beyond my neighbors huge maple tree.

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A timely sunlit photo for this particular Sunday. This sculpture in Kirkland Washington always is decorated according to what’s happening in our world or for holidays.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Morning Has Broken…

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Morning has broken,
like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken,
like the first bird
Praise for the singing,
praise for the morning
Praise for the springing
fresh from the word

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Sweet the rain’s new fall,
sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall,
on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness
of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness
where his feet pass

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Mine is the sunlight,
mine is the morning
Born of the one light,
Eden saw play
Praise with elation,
praise every morning
God’s recreation
of the new day

Words: Eleanor Farjean, children’s author and poet, 1881-1965.

Read about this wonderful hymn and it’s interesting history here. You might find the words familiar because of it’s international fame brought about by Cat Stevens’ recording in 1971.

Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised!

Psalm 113: 2-3

This particular sunrise greeted me on January 7th. I took the screen off our upper bedroom window to capture it in all it’s glory. Screens have a way of muddling the view. Hanging out the window in the cool of the morning to get some different angles before the beauty was gone in a flash was a wonderful way to become fully awake. Do you take screens off of windows to get a good shot?

Cheers from England/Wales ~ Day #9

Our sunrise view from the upstairs bedroom in what we have decided to call the Spiral Cottage. We were up with the birds this morning as they serenaded daybreak for us. We have a large push out sky window above our heads while we sleep and we decided to keep it open and enjoy the breeze. We were hoping that no bats would decide to fly in and our hopes were realized! I’m also happy to report that there have been no mishaps on the spiral staircase!Hay on Wye 002Today, Saturday, our sight seeing took us on a drive to Southern Wales, Hay on Wye. Hay on Wye is known for their second hand book shops. Hay hosts an annual literary festival that thousands flock to.

Hay on Wye 039“Hay” is a small town with narrow streets and lots of options for eating and shopping. There is a castle that was destroyed during the 15th century but parts of it remain to this day.

We shopped about and only bought one book, a Dorothy Sayers paperback. Our other purchases were mostly from the town flea market and some antique stores. We enjoyed a very good cup of coffee along with a scone served with clotted cream and strawberry jam while we were in town.

2014-07-12 Hay on WyeThe views were lovely wherever we looked. Thankfully the lanes driving to Hay-on-Wye were manageable and I only felt like screaming once or maybe twice.

Hay on Wye 018We stopped at the supermarket after our day of sight seeing and shopping and bought some take away food to prepare at the cottage. I so enjoy the descriptions of the ready to warm up food.

“Succulent British lamb on the bone, smothered in a rich italian red wine and redcurrrant gravy, served on a bed of sweet red onions, tender carrots and parsnips.  Minted green brocolli, savoy cabbage, sweet leeks, and tender green beans with a melting fragrant mint butter glaze to cook up in the oven and microwave. Here’s the description of the potatoes…silky smooth mashed British Maris Piper potato blended with double cream and plenty of butter for a creamy melt in the mouth texture.

2014-07-12 take away dinne Filling and delicious!

I’m hearing from back home that things are sizzling. We had some humidity today in the Welsh Marshes and it is suppose to rain some tonight but they are promising barbecuing weather for tomorrow. Hope all is well with you…

 

Father of Mercies! God of Love! ~ Hymn

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Father of Mercies! God of Love!

Father of mercies! God of love!
Whose kind compassion still we prove,
Our praise accept, and bless us here,
As brought to this—another year.

We sing Thy goodness all divine,
Whose radiant beams around us shine,
’Tis through Thy goodness we appear
Preserved to this—another year.

Our souls, our all we here resign;
Make us, and keep us ever Thine;
And grant that in Thy love and fear
We may begin—another year.

Be this our sweet experience still,
To know and do Thy holy will;
Then shall our souls, with joy sincere,
Bless Thee for this—another year.

Still, Lord, through life Thy love display,
And then in death’s approaching day,
We’ll joyful part with all that’s here,
Nor wish on earth—another year.

Words: Samuel Medley, 1789.

As the Sun Doth Daily Rise ~ Hymn

As the Sun Doth Daily Rise

As the sun doth daily rise,
Brightening all the morning skies,
So to Thee with one accord
Lift we up our hearts, O Lord.

Day by day provide us food,
For from Thee come all things good;
Strength unto our souls afford
From Thy living bread, O Lord.

Be our guard in sin and strife;
Be the leader of our life;
Lest from Thee we stray abroad,
Stay our wayward feet, O Lord.

Quickened by the Spirit’s grace
All Thy holy will to trace
While we daily search Thy Word,
Wisdom true impart, O Lord.

Praise we, with the heavenly host,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost;
Thee would we with one accord
Praise and magnify, O Lord.

Words: Unknown