A Spring in Our Steps

I recently saw a post by my blogger friend Elisa where she made the cutest t-shirts for kids with their handprints. (Make Your Own Handprint T-Shirts) We visited with each other about these cool t-shirts, and I also told her about the stepping stones my husband made of our JEMs handprints. I told her I would get a photo on my blog, and here it is...

We've had quite a bit of rain lately, so there are little puddles in Jack's handprints. Lauren made a wood frame, placed it on a piece of wood as a base, and mixed the cement from a bag. (He says that next time, he may use mortar instead, because the cement had little stones in it, making it hard to get smooth.) When he got it as smooth as he could and waited for it to set a little so that it wasn't too soupy, we helped the JEMs place their hands in it. We also had rags and water to wash their hands right away. The stepping stones are lined up in a small flower bed, surrounded by sweet woodruff. The JEMs love to put their hands in their prints to see how much they've grown.

Here is a vase of our lilacs on the dinning room table; I love the scent!

I recently potted these pansies in these pots that I spray painted blue.

 I love the wire baskets that came with the pots. I actually planted the pansies in

seperate pots that have drainage and tucked them inside.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. The "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to Taps. To learn more about the history of Memorial Day, go to U.S. Memorial Day.

                                               

(picture from U.S. Memorial Day)

Word Filled Wednesday ~ The Word became flesh...

(photo by Royce Bair)

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

The Word became flesh and

made His dwelling among us.

We have seen His glory,

the glory of the One and Only,

who came from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-2; 14

Join Susan at Forever His for Word-Filled Wednesday

Thoughtful Tuesday ~ My King of Glory

I love the song by Third Day, King of Glory. We sang it many years ago for an Easter production our church did. It was on my mind today and I was thinking about the words King of Glory...and I searched my heart as to what these words mean to me...

Lift up your heads, O you gates;

be lifted up, you ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

the Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates;

lift them up, you ancient doors.

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is He, this King of glory?

The Lord God Almighty -

He is the King of glory.

Psalm 24:7-10

Who is my King of glory? His name is Jesus, the One and Only. Does that make sense to you? It didn't used to make sense to me; in fact, it used to just be religious babble. Oh, I went to church most of my growing up years, and I did love Jesus, but it wasn't until I was a grown woman with children of my own that I began to realize that He was Someone I could have a real relationship with. He wasn't just a picture hanging on the church wall. He wasn't just a baby born in a manger. He was God in the flesh, and He came to have a relationship with me and anyone else who trusts in Him. Why? Because He died for our sins - who else do you know who has done that? And who else do you know that died, rose from the dead, and  is now alive and sits at the right hand of God? And intercedes for us?

Does all of this mean I am sinless? Just ask anyone who knows me, and they will tell you that I am far from sinless. But I am a new creation and there is far less of the old me than there is now of the new me.I didn't lose anything by coming to Him except the baggage I was glad to get rid of, but instead, I gained so much.  He has taught me what grace and mercy and God's love are all about. He is there for me when I hurt or feel alone. He has gotten me through some very difficult times and He has given me peace through it all. He has blessed me far more than I deserve. He is my King of Glory!

And then there are the words...King....Glory....what is that all about? This excerpt from an article I found says it so well...

"The conquering of sin and the defeat of death has revealed Jesus as the true King of glory. Jesus took on our battle, defeating sin and death, and now, we are people of his kingdom. Our hearts belong to the king who rightly won them. He is indeed praiseworthy, magnificent, splendid, and extraordinary! We lift our “gates” (hearts) to the true King of glory." (taken from New Living Translation website, by Gladys N.)

Those words, praiseworthy, magnificent, splendid and extraordinary, are not words we use every day to describe someone or something, but they can be used to describe Jesus; His Kingship can be indeed described with these words. He is my King of Glory, He's everything to me!

King of Glory (Third Day)
Who is this King of Glory that pursues me with his love

And haunts me with each hearing of His softly spoken words
My conscience, a reminder of forgiveness that I need
Who is this King of Glory who offers it to me

Who is this King of angels, O blessed Prince of Peace
Revealing things of Heaven and all its mysteries
My spirit's ever longing for His grace in which to stand
Who's this King of glory, Son of God and son of man

His name is Jesus, precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty, the King of my heart
The King of glory

Who is this King of Glory with strength and majesty
And wisdom beyond measure, the graceous King of kings
the Lord of Earth and Heaven, the Creator of all things

Who is this King of Glory, He's everything to me

The Lord of Earth and Heaven, the Creator of all things

He is the King of glory, He's everything to me

Puddle Jumping, Potty Training & a PSA

We are having a wonderful rainy day here. Usually our rains do not last all day, but this must have started last night and has been falling all day, just a fine, gentle rain. Even though it is quite chilly (46 degrees) I am loving this rain and I know the farmers are loving this rain. Things are growing in our yard finally, and when the temperatures warm up later this week, we may, perhaps, see the peonies bloom along with the Lady's Mantle. They always look so good together!

Puddle Jumping by Lesruba Designs

There must have been a connection with the rain and the 2 toddlers in our lives. I stopped to visit Maya after an appointment, and she was running around with her big girl panties on with the hope that she would use the potty. She had used it before I got there and has used it successfully quite a few times before. After leaving her house, I stopped by for a visit with Eli and Jack on my way home, and Eli was running around in a diaper for the same reason. He, too, has had some success and so he was giving it a try today. He was also watching Sesame Street's Elmo's Potty Time...


Now, before you judge :) this is a fun video to watch and you will even see how toilet paper is made!


While we are on the subject, here is a favorite book of Maya's:

A Potty for Me! by Karen Katz

So, if you are not a mom trying to potty train your little one or a doting grandmother who writes about such things, you are probably bored or ready to move on to another blog. But just so you know that I am not just thinking about potty training, here is a public service announcement a blog friend recently shared that you might like...

Simple Joys Saturday - Pansy Eyes

Jan of Simple Joys in Our Life, has started a new meme for Saturdays called Simple Joys Saturdays, where "we can share the little joys and blessings that uplift our week." Please join Jan in sharing the simple joys you have been blessed with each week and read the posts from others who are participating.

One of my favorite joys is the arrival of spring, and when the last frost date finally passed this week in Montana, my first flower purchase was pansies. While there are many reasons to love pansies, my favorite reason goes back to when I was a little girl, when my grandmother called me Pansy Eyes because of my dark blue eyes. For a child who was number 4 of 5 kids, this made me feel very special; she had a way of making everyone feel special in some way, and this was one I never forgot.

My grandma loved purple, and she would have loved the color and scent of these lilacs now blooming in our yard. She sewed many things in purple: aprons, bookmarks, and her dresses, as well as decorating her bedroom in purple. She loved to garden, as did my mom, and I love passing this love of gardening down to our 3 grandchildren. We spent time digging in the dirt of the veggie garden this week, just enjoying the warm sunshine and the feel of the dirt. You can learn a lot from 2 two-year olds and a 6 year-old while digging, especially about worms. I didn't think to grab the camera, but there will be many more gardening sessions in the days ahead.

I recently found this book with my grandson Jack's name in the title. He is 6 and is quite a reader, so the next time he comes by for a visit, I hope we can swing in the hammock, read this together, and pot a few flowers for him to take home to nurture.

"I am the true vine and my father is the gardener."

John 15:1

Word-Filled Wednesday ~Walking with the Lord

We have been blessed with a lot of family visiting, but sometimes it is hard to keep up with my quiet time with the Lord when so much is going on and my routine is interrupted. For the past few days, the Lord has been putting this verse in my mind and heart, usually with the praise song that was written to go with it. Isn't that just like the Lord, to gently remind me that he desires to spend time with me in prayer and His Word? This verse helps keep me centered on Him, to focus on His Word, and to obey His Word as His child.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.

 And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

Join Amydeanne @  The 160 Acre Woods for Word-Filled Wednesday

Mosiac Monday - Family Moments

 

We've been enjoying a full house lately, with Erin and her family staying with us until their house was ready, and soon after they left, a visit from my husband's father, brother and nephew. We are back to being empty-nesters now, but we really enjoyed the family fun we had together. (Eli will not be happy with me someday when he is older and sees the photo of him in Cousin Maya's boots! Oh, and in his diaper!) The snow is for real; the guys took a drive to the mountains.

Just a quick post...

Anne, my delightful and always generous friend at Fiona and Twig, is having a giveaway of a wonderful book, and it ends May 19th! Go, go, go if you like French countryside interiors!

They're Back!

Our daughter Erin and her family drove to MT on Saturday, getting here that evening, tired and ready to be out of their cars after 14 plus hours on the road. John's mom, Mary Beth, came along with them and was a much-appreciated travel companion for the boys as well as Erin & John. Mother's Day was one of mixed emotions for us all; while we were so grateful to the Lord for bringing them all safely here, Mary Beth had to say good-bye to them and  fly back to her home in the midwest, a difficult time that we have also been through in the past. But she knows they are in the Father's hands and that this is His timing and His provision for them. It was so nice to see her even for such a very short visit, and my heart knows what she felt as she said good-bye.

Our daughter Sara, her husband Mark, and our granddaughter Maya came to our house for Mother's Day, and the cousins had a wonderful day playing in the backyard and around the house. Unfortunately, I was not on the ball to take pictures yesterday, but I know I will have the opportunity to get the 3 of them together soon. I did, however, snap a few quick shots today when Jack lost his second tooth!!

I've got a loose tooth

A wiggledy giggledy loose tooth

I've got a loose tooth

Hanging by a thread!

I pulled my loose tooth,

My wiggledy giggledy loose tooth

And now I have a quarter and a hole in my head!!

(The little chant we would sing at school whenever a student lost a tooth!)

Eli and a moment with our golden retriever, Lucy

A Boy and His Dog
by Edgar Guest

A boy and his dog make a glorious pair:

No better friendship is found anywhere,

For they talk and they walk and they run and they play,

And they have their deep secrets for many a day;

And that boy has a comrade who thinks and who feels,

Who walks down the road with a dog at his heels.

He may go where he will and his dog will be there,

May revel in mud and his dog will not care;

Faithful he'll stay for the slightest command

And bark with delight at the touch of his hand;

Oh, he owns a treasure which nobody steals,

Who walks down the road with a dog at his heels.

No other can lure him away from his side;

He's proof against riches and station and pride;

Fine dress does not charm him, and flattery's breath

Is lost on the dog, for he's faithful to death;

He sees the great soul which the body conceals--

Oh, it's great to be young with a dog at your heels!

In Honor of Our Mothers

How thankful my husband Lauren and I are for our mothers. My mom, Doris, lives in Wisconsin and is coming for a visit in June. This visit will be especially sweet, because both of our daughters and their husbands will be living here now and all 3 of our grandchildren, so she will have the opportunity to be with them, something that wasn't possible when she lived in Arizona.

This will be the first Mother's Day since Lauren's mom, Gert, passed away last fall. She lived in Iowa her entire life, and she so loved the time spent with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is greatly missed by each of us.

My mom and I, June 2009                                    

My husband Lauren's mom with Eli in 2008

A Mother's Love

A Mother's love is something that no on can explain,

It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain,

It is endless and unselfish and enduring come what may

For nothing can destroy it or take that love away . . .

It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking,

And it never fails or falter seven though the heart is breaking . . .

It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems . . .

It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation,

And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation . . .

A many splendoured miracle man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence of God's tender guiding hand.

~Helen Steiner Rice~

Happy Mother's Day to our 2 daughters, Erin and Sara! How wonderful it will be to celebrate together! You are such wonderful mommies to our JEMS, Jack, Eli and Maya. We look forward to celebrating with you!

National Day of Prayer

Today is the National Day of Prayer, but I must confess I have been too achy to think about it as I should. But I do want to direct you to my blog friend Lisa's blog, Sharing Life with Lisa, where she has a wonderful post with scripture and areas of prayer for our nation. Perhaps there is an event near you to go to and join with others to pray for our nation.

If my people, who are called by my name,

will humble themselves and pray

 and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,

then will I hear from heaven

and will forgive their sin

and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

Word-Filled Wednesday ~ The Spirit of God

We have had a lot of high winds lately, and I cannot help but think of the power of the breath of God as I hear the wind roar. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

The Spirit of God has made me;

the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

                                  Job 33:4

Please join Penny @ Penny Raine for Word-Filled Wednesday.

Living Water

We live near the Yellowstone River, the last free-flowing river in the lower 48 states. There are no dams to stem its flow, and it is the main source of drinking water for communities like ours, as well as recreational activities.

                        

It is not unusual for rivers, streams and creeks to overflow in the spring, when winter snows melt and spring rains fall in abundance. I have been seeing the news reports of flooding in Nashville, TN and other places. Not only can this flooding destroy or damage homes, businesses and farmland, but it also is not drinkable, full of mud and debris, and drinking it may cause disease and suffering. My heart and prayers go out to those who may have been displaced because of flooding, or, sadly, lost loved ones.

Perhaps you remember a time when you thirsted for water, or maybe you know someone whose life is flooded by water that does not satisfy. The good news is that there is One who gives us Living Water, the gift of God, eternal life.

                                                

                                                                  (photo if Yellowstone Falls, Yellowstone Park)

                                    

Jesus spoke of Himself as Living Water several times in the Word, as in John 7:37:

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me,

as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

Jesus spoke of this "living water" as the Holy Spirit, but He also spoke of it as the gift of God of eternal life, in John 4:13: 

"...whoever drinks this water I give him will never thirst.

Indeed, the water I give him will become in him

a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

God promises this eternal life with Him for all who ask. In Revelation 22:17, we are promised:

Whoever is thirsty, let him come, and whoever wishes,

 let him take the free gift of the water of life.

Are you thirsty for something more in life, or do you know someone who is? Do  you know someone going through a "flood" in their life but cannot find any relief? Jesus is ready to give the kind of living water that will never dry up and will always provide relief, comfort, and especially eternal life. All we have to do is ask and it is ours, free and refreshing.

Rev. 21:6

"I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.

To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost

from the spring of the water of life."

                         

Mosaic Monday ~ Minneapolis House Tour

 On my last visit to Minneapolis, my daughter, grandson and I took a walk along Lake Harriet. These are a few of the beautiful homes in the area.

Please join Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

A~Tisket, A~Tasket...

(photo by KILEY CRUSE/THE WORLD-HERALD)

Happy May Day!

I have fond memories of May Days past, especially as a mother and a teacher. I mostly remember when, as a young girl, our daughter Erin made a little holder for a few flowers from our yard and hung them on our neighbor's door, rang the doorbell and ran for home. I watched from the kitchen window as my friend Julie chased Erin and caught her up in a hug with plenty of giggles included.

(photo: Skip to My Lou)

I found this little tidbit from Old Fashioned Living , about how Louisa May Alcott wrote about May Day baskets  in "Jack and Jill" (Chapter 18):

"The job now in hand was May baskets, for it was the custom of the children to hang them on the doors of their friends the night before May-day; and the girls had agreed to supply baskets if the boys would hunt for flowers, much the harder task of the two. Jill had more leisure as well as taste and skill than the other girls, so she amused herself with making a goodly store of pretty baskets of all shapes, sizes, and colors, quite confident that they would be filled, though not a flower had shown its head except a few hardy dandelions, and here and there a small cluster of saxifrage."

(photo: Old Fashioned Living)

A-tisket, A-tasket

A-tisket, a-tasket,

A green and yellow basket.
I wrote a letter to my love,

But on the way I dropped it.

I dropped it, I dropped it,

And, on the way I dropped it.

A little boy picked it up,

And put it in his pocket.

(photo: mmoratta)