Happy Anniversary Stephen & Marianne

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary Stephen & Marianne

Happy Anniversary to you.

 

Twenty-three years ago you two said "I Do" and your love for each other has grown daily.  We love you two and wish you a day filled with love, joy, peace, laughter and sunshine as you celebrate your lives together.

 

Love,

Mom & Dad

Summer Vacation Part 1

 

In the early morning hours on July 27 my sweetie and I headed north to spend some time with the kids.  It was absolutely a beautiful drive up through the valley and into Northern California.  We had originally planned to stop and spend the afternoon and evening with Patty and drive on up to the kids place on the 28th but Patty had a couple of surprise visitors, her grandsons from Virginia.  Patty called to let me know that she and family were going to spend the weekend in the bay area which was perfectly fine with me as I know exactly how she was feeling, "You can never spend too much time with the grand kids."  I told her to go for it and we would catch her on the way back home.

Here are a couple of pictures of Mt Shasta area and the foothills around Yreka.

Whenever we are traveling through Yreka we always try to stop at Grandma's House for lunch or dinner.  We were heading there for dinner on our way home this past April but they were closed by the time we got there and we definitely wanted to stop this time.

Lunch was absolutely yummy and I spent some time in their wonderful gift shop.  The only thing I bought this time was a old time gospel CD by Jim Reeves.  When I was paying for it the owner came up and gave me another CD with some of the songs from the 50s and 60s that my sweetie and I grew up listening to.  We really enjoyed both  CDs as we continued to make our way north to Vancouver,WA.  Two very tired people arrived at the kids place around 6:30 PM.

 

Sunday morning we were up early so we could all attend church as a family.  My sweetie and I love the kids church and we feel like we are a part of their church family. 

 

Monday I pitched in and helped Awbrey get her things packed for Journalism Camp and then for our trip to Hawaii.  She agreed with me that it wasn't easy packing for two separate trips as I had just done the same thing.

 

Tuesday morning arrived and we packed up the car to take Awbrey to Journalism Camp.  Camp was at Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, so we had about a 4 - 5 hour drive ahead of us.  Traffic was heavy going through Seattle but then it always is, at least every time I have been there. 

 

 

We arrived at the university and Awbrey met with the counselors and checked into Nash Hall, her home around from home, for the next 4 days.

 

 

 

 

Once she was all checked in it was time for some lunch so we headed up to Viking Hall.  Had a really yummy lunch while sitting there looking out on the bay.

 

Here are a couple of shots I took while we were walking around the campus.

 

 It is now time for my sweetie and I to head back to Vancouver.  It was really hard to leave our sweet granddaughter there for the next 4 days.  I don't know who was having  hardest time leaving, me or Papa.  We knew we would be back to pick her up on Friday but that just didn't make it any easier.

 

Gary and I spent Wednesday relaxing and getting last minute things done for our trip Saturday.  Come Thursday morning, suitcase is packed and ready to head back to Bellingham, WA.  Neither one of us wanted to do a turn around trip Friday.

 

It is now Friday morning.  We have breakfast at the hotel and hang out while we wait for Awbrey's call.  Around 10:30 AM we head to the university, pick up Awbrey and head south.  Traffic is absolutely awful, it has started to rain and there are several accidents.  Hoping the rain and traffic will let up we stop for a bowl of hot soup, a cup of coffee and hit the road again.  It is still raining and the traffic is still awful and thinking it might be lighter I take the 405 around Seattle but it was not meant to be.  We finally reach Olympia and decide to stop, have dinner and fill the car up with gas.  Finally with tummy's full, a large Starbuck;s Hazelnut Latte, and a full tank of gas we head out again.  The rain has let up and for the first time since leaving Bellingham I can finally drive the speed limit.  The trip back to the kids place took us 10 hours, we averaged 27 miles per hour, the three of us are exhausted and we have to be at the airport Saturday morning at 5:00 AM.  Needless to say we decided to call it an early night and hit the hay.

 

 

 

Happy Anniversary Blake & Tami

 

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary Blake & Tami,

Happy Anniversary to you.

 

Thirteen years ago you two said "I Do" and your lives began as husband and wife.  May your day be filled with love, joy, peace, laughter and sunshine as you celebrate your love for each other,

 

Love you,

Uncle Gary & Aunt Shirley

Bless The Lord

 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, You are very great.  You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment.  Psalm 104:1-2

 

Dear Father as I go about my daily routine today may the light of your Son shine through me.  I thank you Father for the many blessings you have poured upon my sweetie and I.  I thank You for the way you have blessed Marianne, Stephen and Awbrey.  Father forgive me when I fall short and don't do the things I know I should.  I ask that you keep all our loved ones wrapped in your loving arms and protect them from harm.  I ask that you place someone in Kim and Ray's lives to tell them of Your Son's saving grace.  Father thank you for Your awesome unconditional love.  Amen

 

O Worship The King

by Robert Grant, 1833

 

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,

Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space,

His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,

And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

 

Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?

It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;

It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,

And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

 

 

God Will Take Care Of You

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming from this time forth, and even forevermore.  Psalm 121:8

 

 

Today is the Lord's Day, spend time with Him and your family of families on this day of rest.

 

God Will Take Care Of You

by Civilla D. Martin, 1904

 

No matter what may be the test,

God will take care of you;

Lean, weary one, upon His breast,

God will take care of you.

 

All you may need He will provide.

God will take care of you;

Nothing you ask will be denied,

God will take care of you.

Search Me

 

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me the way everlasting.  Psalm 139:23-24

 

Dear Father I ask that you keep my thoughts pure as you guide and direct me on the path you want me to take.  Amen

 

Search Me, O God

by J. Edwin Orr, 1936

 

Search me, O God,

And know my heart today;

Try me, O Savior,

Know my thoughts, I pray.

See if there be

Some wicked way in me;

Cleanse me from every sin

And set me free.

Beautiful Day

It is a gorgeous day here in the city with the small town charm.  My sweetie, Ozzie and I started our day with a drive.  We then stopped at Starbucks for a hot mocha and a breakfast sandwich.  We then headed to the Lindsay City Park so we could have our breakfast while Ozzie ran in the grass.  We were also on a mission as I needed to find a pathway for today's photo challenge. 

 

 

 

After breakfast we then headed out to Yokohl Valley on the hunt for some pathways. Drove up over Rocky Hill, beautiful view of Exeter, but didn't really like the pathways so I used the one I had taken earlier in the park. When we got home I decided that the front flower bed needed to be weeded and a little dirt therapy never hurt anyone. Got the weeding done, transplanted a few plants and cleaned out the court yard too. So now it is time for a shower and then I am going to sit back, relax a bit and catch a movie. Hope all ya'll are having a very blessed Saturday. Stay safe out there!

Thru The Storm

 

“For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,

Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:13

 

I had something entirely differently planned for today but God had different plans.  You see as I was reading the posts on FaceBook there was a post that jumped right out to me.  It was a post from The Rusted Chain Jewelry about a necklace entitled, "Thru The Storm He Is Lord."   This spoke directly to my heart.  There have been so many storms in my life that God has brought me through.  I have lost loved ones that were way to young with young families of their own and I have often wondered why Lord?  Why did you take this young person home in the prime of their life?  Why did you leave their young children without a father or mother?  Why Lord?  Then I stop to remember that I have not lost them as they are alive in my heart.  Sure my heart aches for the families they left behind and my heart aches for the emptiness of not having them in my life but I know my God has a bigger plan.  He will get me through these times.  He will hold my hand and lift me up until the pain is easier to bear.  He will teach me how to dance in the rain and to look for the rainbows He places in my life.

 

 

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

By Thomas A. Dorsey, 1932

 

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:

 

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

 

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:

 

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:

 

Thanks Becki Hastings for this reminder that God will bring me through all the storms of my life.

Sharing a link to the necklace;

http://therustedchain.bigcartel.com/product/through-the-storm-necklace

Quiet Rest

 

He said to them, "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."  Mark 6:31

 

Have you ever been so tired that all you want to do is sit down by yourself?  Have you ever felt so over burdened that you don't know what you are going to do.  How you ever felt like the sun is not going to rise tomorrow?  If you are like me you have.  God's word tells us that He created the world in six days but on the seventh day He rested.  His word tells us to give all our worries and cares to Him but we don't listen.  His word tells us the He will take care of tomorrow but yet we still worry.  Why?  Because we think we know better and if we don't take care of things then no one will.  If we would only listen and take the time to rest in His word, meditate on it and listen to what God is speaking to us.  Will everything be perfect?  Absolutely not, but with God leading and directing our path things will be easier.

 

Near To The Heart Of God

by Cleland B. McAfee, 1903

 

There is a place of quiet rest,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where sin cannot molest,

Near to the heart of God.

 

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

Sent from the heart of God,

Hold us who wait before Thee

Near to the heart of God.

One Foundation

 

 

No one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 3:11

 

 

 

The Church's One Foundation

by Samuel J. Stone, Lyra Fidelium

 

The Church's one foundation

Is Jesus Christ her Lord,

She is His new creation

By water and the Word.

From heaven He came and sought her

To be His holy bride;

With His own blood He bought her

And for her life He died.

Happy Anniversary Momma & Daddy

The angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  Revelation 22:1

 

Today my Momma and Daddy are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in heaven.  I miss them everyday but I know that they are with our Heavenly Father and that one day I will see them again as they will be waiting to welcome me home.

 

Shall We Gather At The River

by Robert Lowry, 1864

 

Shall we gather at the river,

Where bright angel feet have trod,

With its crystal tide forever

Flowing by the throne of God?

 

Yes, we'll gather at the river,

The beautiful, the beautiful river;

Gather with the saints at the river

That flows by the throne of God.

Good Morning Girls - Loving Like Jesus

Nothing Is Impossible

 

Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Mark 10:27

 

When we look at our list of things we need to accomplish each day we wonder "how on earth will I get this all done."  So then we start to prioritize and usually the first thing to go is our time with God.  We put it on the back burner saying "I will have time later to spend time with you Father."  We also do the same thing with our family and put things ahead of that precious time we get to spend with our little ones.

 

What if God did the same thing to us by saying to us "I'm really busy right now but I will get back to you later.  You see there is this little war going on in some far off place that I need to take care of."  But you know what?  Our God is awesome and He will never put us on the back burner.  He can take care of the wars and our little problems at the same time.  All He asks of us is to spend time with Him, to build a relationship with Him, for with Him nothing is impossible. 

 

Trust Him and spend some time listening to our Heavenly Father today for He always has your best interest at heart.

 

Nothing Is Impossible

by Eugene L. Clark

 

Nothing is impossible when you put your trust in God;

Nothing is impossible when you're trusting in His Word.

Hearken to the voice of God to thee'

"Is there anything too hard for Me?"

Then put your trust in God alone and rest upon His Word;

For everything, O, everything, yes everything is possible with God.