Black & White Plus Words

Yep! That's pretty much the make up of this post. I took these pictures recently on a very warm and sunny spring day but when turned black and white they looked more sentimental & contemplative which is how I'm feeling at the moment.... The picture below was not meaning to be taken but it turned out pretty well for being an accident....I thought.   It looks kinda like a storm. If I'm very honest I'll admit that recent situations in my life and the unknown of the near future have not been all song and dance. {Forgive me for speaking in a parable but I don't feel like now is the time to go into detail.} 

 

At the beginning of the year I felt like something good & exciting was going to happen. But at the same time I felt like it wasn't going to be all easy. Like somewhere along the line I was going to be stretched beyond my comfort zone more than ever. I wanted it. Really I did. I wanted to discover more of Jesus. More of His heart. I wanted to be changed. At the first signs of this happening I resisted it. I told my sister: "I was praying that God would stretch me & take me far away from my comfort zone and I was praying that I would experience times that taught me to rely only on Him for my strength and security, so why, when these situations arrive, do I want them to go away again?"     

I've sorta come to this realization: If these experiences were easy, then we wouldn't be changed. If they weren't hard, then we wouldn't learn that God is really, truly all our strength. That He is Sufficient. If we weren't stretched, our life would remain as it is. And that is definitely not what God wants for our lives. 

 

 

I don't know what the future will hold. I don't know where all God will lead me. It can be scary & exciting depending which way you look at it. But I do know that if God is with me here.... He will be with me there as well!  That thought is sure to make anyone glad!

Of late birthday gifts and days off

I came home from work Wednesday night to find that my sister Rhoda had locked herself in the bedroom and I was not allowed in. So I talked to her from the other side and made her laugh and I was helpful and sent her a scissors under the door..... Finally she comes out with a package wrapped up in snowman paper {'cause that's usually all we keep on hand :)} and gives it to me. She said it was a birthday present. My birthday was in October & I told her I thought she had already given me a present but she had forgotten... or something.... but who declines to two birthday presents? {note: we do normally wait about 5 months to give each other presents 'cause that's normally how long it takes to find that one thing that would be perfect. }  I felt the package like always and discovered it was a book. But first there was the most funny, delightful card with a Winnie the Pooh quote on the front that needed to be read first. {Seriously people. If you have never been privileged to read one of her cards than you're missing out on some really encouraging humor. -or humorous encouragement, however you want to say it! } I tore through the snowman paper to discover that it was what I thought it was. Run Baby Run. She knew I had wanted this book for ever so long but since I had 'thought' she already got me a present, I wasn't expecting it! I read the book for about an hour before washing the supper dishes. I like it. :)

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The next day was the only day this week that I could be home all day so we made cupcakes and decorated them. It was grand fun. We made 24 big cupcakes and 6 mini ones....

 I told Rhoda that I don't feel like I have good teaching skills when it comes to things like this.But a few of them did turn out looking like they came straight from a cup cake shoppe! Yay!

I find days off to be exciting and usually relaxing.... sometimes to the point where I don't feel like I get anything accomplished.. ? But that's just reason to look ahead to the next weeks day off and decide what you will do that day. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't! Sometimes it is a relaxing repeat of the previous week! :)

Have a wonderful weekend folks! 

I'm excited 'cause I get to see my brother & sis-in-law this weekend! Yay!

An accomplished surprise.

 You'll have to forgive the odd title. I say titles are the worst part of a blog post. Agreed? ----  I am a little behind in this post 'cause it was last weekend that my sister came and surprised us! It was grand! She came to the restaurant where we work & we had no idea she was coming, which is why I say it was an 'accomplished' surprise 'cause I have this thing for figuring out almost every time someone plans to surprise me.... it's awful I know.  It was great fun to have her here. We went on long walks & talked & talked....

Mom & us girls.

 If it weren't for her taking a few pictures I probably wouldn't have any because I'm not the picture taking sort like she is. :)

 Signs of spring growing beside the road...

Dorcas & Rhoda

 I just recently got myself a cake decorating set and was quite happy to use it for the first time. Dorcas had baked a cake so when I came home from work I decorated it. I learned that using part shortening instead of all butter when making a buttercream icing is important because when I went to make the roses the icing got really soft in my hand... 

 The finished product. I didn't feel like making a bunch of different colors so I just did green for the leaves & grass ('cause they wanted to see the grass :) ) It doesn't look like the most 'put-together' cake I have ever done but it was really good!

And because I have never posted a picture of Dorcas & her fine man Jacob I will post this one from the last time they were here... They make a great couple just sayin'...

Well folks this is all for today. Please have a lovely weekend!

It begins to feel like summer. Today....

....Was a beautiful day. The kind of day that makes everyone excited about summer. It was 80 degrees. Never mind that it's supposed to be in the 40's again on Wednesday.... We're talking about THIS day. It was the kind of day that brings invigorating spurts of motivation which is precisely why I went on 2 long walks up and down these hills. Once with the brother & once with the sister & both times with Sam & Lena! -the dogs- :)  Whats not to like about having a good workout right at the end of your drive? And I thought about a certain sister of mine who sometimes gets homesick for these hills and how that if she would come this summer we would go on long walks everyday...and talk... about things.... to the sister:  you know which one you are! 

 Rhoda & Sam.  She has a fonder liking of animals than me. Just sayin'.

 Rhoda & I. 

Today was also the day that the braces which were stuck to Rhoda's teeth for 2 years got to come off! Yay!! The first thing she did was eat popcorn & chocolate covered coffee beans.... I helped her. :)

 Buds on the maple tree in the front yard. I'm so excited for spring people!

 The beautiful night sky!  After supper Rhoda & I went out and did jumping jacks & jump roped... the latter didn't go so well for me but they say practice makes perfect! For which I am grateful!

This is the day that the Lord hath made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
Psalm 118:24