Sunday, August 12, 2012

August 7th-12th


But you are a chosen people, a royal priest hood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9

BELONGING  House in Port Townsand. July 2o12

Tuesday 7th
1. Hope
2. Heritage
3 . Belonging
4. Sleeping in
5. Green everywhere; one of my favorite aspects of living in the Puget Sound!
6. A hard day; it reminds me how much my heart has grown and how far it has to go.
7. The boys and cousin Joy covered in Mud from head to toe!

 Taste of Heritage

The pungent vinegary aroma of my German heritage. German potato salad with memories of peeling large pots of hot potatoes with my grandma, my mother crying onion tears over her chopped onions and children munching gusto and exclamations of pleasure. 

Heritage isn't just something you eat, it isn't something you practice... it is part of who you are and where you come from!



Hot German Potato Salad
(Warmer Kartoffelsalat) Grandma Rose's Family Recipe

Wash and cut into halves

6 Medium Red Potatoes (about 2Lbs)
Cook (boil) about 2o min. or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes, dry potatoes by shaking pan over over heat. Peel and cut into 1/4" slices.
Meanwhile, dice and panbriol, reserve bacon dripping of 
12 slices of bacon. Set aside. 

Clean and chop
3 Medium-sized onions (about 1 1/2 chops, chopped).

Put 6 tablespoons of the bacon dripping into a saucepan. Add the onion and cook until it is tender, occasionally moving and turning with a spoon. Stir in:

3/4 cup vinegar
2 1/2 Tablespoons of sugar
2 teaspoon salt
optional 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat mixture until boiling. Add the diced bacon to the onion-vinegar mixture. Pour over the hot potato slices and toss lightly to coat evenly. 

Serve hot.

Wednesday 8th
1 Art work at the dining room table with the kiddos & Uncles
2 Little E's songs
3 Brothers working together to finish a project
4 Cool refreshing flow from my faucet pouring into cupped hands overflowing, splashing into the sink
5 Beads of water on the crisp cabbage I cut
6 Pot of red Potatoes boiling on the stove
7 Grandma Rose



 
Thursday 9th
1 The holes around the pilings teaming with sea life of crabs, star fish, sea anemone... an ocean world we get a glimpse at
2 A whole purple black plum, juices dripping red on my fingers
3 Half a day spent exercising patience and seeking joy
4 All the kiddos sitting with me on the dock feet in the cold water, sun freckled children's faces turned up in smiles.
5 Boys with Legos creating
6 Little E and his workers puzzle hammering away
7 Time alone to rest and rejuvenate


Friday 10th
1. JB’s and Alyssa’s farewell hugs
2. Hay pick up with Alyssa
3. Ice cream on the dock
4. Old barns withered with the years and perfumed with dust, hay, tractor grease and warm summer air
5. Hot feet in ocean cold water
6. Jelly fish
7.How we as women can so quickly understand each other, we just get it!

3 Hard Eucharisteo:
1 The imperfect relationships in my life that compel me to Christ’s feet and revel deeper purpose to pain and struggle and help me to love without contingency... love for who we are and not what we have done or can do.
2 Worrying converting to trust
3 Limitations ; health needed limitation.

Saturday 11th
1.Family cleaning the van together
2.The peppery earthy smell of lavender
3.Hinges creaking on a gate
4.Metal pounded against metal as Husband drives  fence posts into grass covered earth
5.Green suet cage swinging with the large majestic Pileated Woodpecker
6.W-Man’s serving heart glowing through his joyous smile
7.Dad in his garden

Sunday 12th
1.Daughter’s Colonial Queens Cakes
2. Little E’s water dripping hugs between slip and slide turns
3. Remembering,  being reminded and putting to memory God’s  lessons of the heart
4. Ted and Daughters voices lifted with praise
5. Brilliant red, small globes of sweet Huckleberries adorning the limbs of bushes hidden under evergreen trees peeking through Salal plumes
6. smile forming around tears
7. summer evenings 
8. Grandmothers of the heart Mrs. Whited and Mrs. Syre 





Tuesday, August 7, 2012

August 1-6th Bless The Lord

~*~*~*~*~*~
BLESS THE LORD
 
 These last few weeks have been busy with summer outings, family, chores and fun.  I've been keeping my Thankfulness list going (though I some how managed to loose Tuesday the 31st praises. Oh well, God, you know what it is). It's been challenging to find time for much reflection let alone blogging. Yet, even the few minutes I spend thinking of Joy Gifts my heart is lifted and my spirit encourage.   
 
So here's another week began with challenges, struggles and fun. Another week in life's  JOY Adventures! I like the quote by Corrie Ten Boom:

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.”




So Bless the Lord oh My Soul in him there is joy and rest! 










~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Wednesday August 1st
 1) Marriage: living as an imperfect wife loving an imperfect man.
2.) Parenting: The reality that my children don't need a perfect mom, they need an imperfect mom who points to the Heavenly Father in her weakness.
3.) My heart: It's fickle, willful and forgetful even after the daily reminders that I am loved, secure and significant in Jesus!
4.) Farm land with fields, gardens, barns and animals. I love the smell, the feeling and the look of it all!  
5.) Alyssa and Jeremiah
6.) That Jesus’s desire for my heart is never ending!
7.) Horseback riding with the kiddos! :)


Thursday August 2nd

1 Coconut oil, milk, fresh, dry
2 Peanut-butter from a spoon
3 Ice cubes dripping down little muddy hands
4 Soap bubbles
5 Putting together a shelf with my Mom
6 Text from Hubby
7 JB-Man riding his bike down the well road

FRIDAY August 3rd
1. Sun shine coming through the kitchen window
2. Puget Sound waters and Mountains
3. Daughters beautiful green eyes
4. Little Niece’s happy laughter
5. End of the week
6. The struggle between my head and heart because in the struggle I see God!
7. Once a Month Cooking with my Mom

 


Saturday August 4th
1.  Sun kissed faces
2. Sand sprinkled children
3. Sharp knives Garrett sharpened just for me
4. Sea Salt Chocolate
5. Sitting snuggled up with Little E in a comfy chair
6. White dishes sitting in a dark wood cabinet
7. American Goldfinches sitting perched on top of the porch railing

 
Sunday August 5th

1. Sounder’s Game with Jeremiah, Alyssa and Hubby!  
2. Ferry ride in the sunset
3. Refreshing shower with gallons of hot water!






4. How an argument that leads to forgiveness and sharing of our hearts knits our marriage together (it’s kind of upside down :)
 5. I am thankful there is no one quite like me. I am unique from my finger prints quarks, strengths and failings to how God shares a part of himself through me; I get to be special every day!  
6. A Nana who loves on the children and cared for them so Hubby and I could get some time away.
7. Summer evenings







 Monday August 6th
1. Daughters anticipation and excitement for a dance audition
2. The new shelves in the dining room for school and art supplies! It’s such a happy spot!
3. A room full of Brothers laughing loudly
4.  Tall glasses of cool water from our well
5. Uncles playing Soccer with W-Man
6.  A thirst that is quenched by God’s life-giving water... his Spirit!

7.  Warm wet washcloth that wipes away the mess to reveal Little JB’s smiling face :) 

~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

I will betroth you to me forever;

Monday July 31st

I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. Hosea 2:19

1. Daughters beautiful dancing in the living room
2.  Wes-Mans helpfulness
3.  Being married to Hubby long enough to laugh at our early years of marriage
4. HUGS HUGS HUGS
5. Brothers working together
6.  Gods natural sugars, watermelon, grapes, orange
7. The smell of Little E’s and JB-man’s skin after a bath

 

Monday, July 30, 2012


 Give Thanks to the Lord for He is good his love endures forever!
 

 

Sunday 

1. Old friends
2. Music that pours out praise
3. Jeremiah and Alyssa
4. Wes-man and his tent fun
5. A much needed nap zzz zzz
6. Eyelashes :)
7. Knee slapping laughter 



Joshua and Madalynn Toddler Toes

Saturday

1 Hair cut 
2 Refreshing time to myself
3 My sweet friend Jennifer!
4 Sharing joys and struggles with a kindred spirit
5 Sun so warm it makes me sweat :)
6 The smell of fresh cut grass
  

 


 Friday 
 
1. Monica and her kiddos
2. Green lushes garden produce from a friend
3. Bananas
4. Books
5. The kiddos playing with gentle ponies for hours
6. Little E’s twinkling eyes
7. Being known and loved




 
Thursday 

1. A bad day comes to an end
2. Tomorrow is new and fresh
3. Chocolate ice-cream
4. Messes that are cleaned … eggs on the floor and the bitter thoughts in my spirit
5. Dark clouds making light brighter
6. Thankfulness coming from longing unfulfilled
7. Blessings… each so undeserved but yet lavished abundantly on me