15 Words or Less Poem

Life's fragile resilience in the face of trials by fire and ice;
God amazes!



More 15 Words or Less Poems here.

Its Raining Today...

...and Charlie's not happy about it!

Mini-Golfing

Emily and I went mini-golfing yesterday. Its an annual outing for us and we always go to the same course, located at one of Crystal Lake's parks. Neither of us is very good at mini-golf (probably because we only play it one time a year) so we always go early in the morning, hoping to finish our game before anyone else comes to play. But I'll bet there is no one who has a better time playing than we do! We laugh and have a great time together while we're coercing our balls along the course.

I am so thankful that Emily and I are playing the same course in life as well. Besides our mother-daughter relationship, we are sisters in Christ. And its such a joy and a privilege to encourage each other along, often with a gentle sense of humor, as we pursue our Christian walks. I thank God for the blessing that my precious daughter is to me in so many ways!

Sunday's Hymn: From Out of the Depths I Cry, O Lord

From out the depths I cry, O Lord, to thee;
Lord, hear my call.
I love thee, Lord, for thou dost heed my plea,
Forgiving all.
If thou dost mark our sins, who then shall stand?
But grace and mercy dwell at thy right hand.

I wait for God, the Lord, and on his Word
My hope relies;
My soul still waits and looks unto the Lord
Till light arise.
I look for him to drive away my night,
Yea, more than watchmen look for morning light.

Hope in the Lord, ye waiting saints, and he
Will well provide;
For mercy and redemption full and free
With him abide.
From sin and evil, mighty though they seem,
His arm almighty will his saints redeem.

From Psalm 130
The Psalter, 1912

Tune: Sandon
Charles H. Purday, 1799-1885

An Orchid of My Own!

As mentioned, I recently had a birthday. (I'm not saying which one.) I also mentioned in another post, the guests on my porch and how I might like to have an orchid of my very own. Well, a dear friend of mine was listening! Isn't this an elegant beauty! I love the pale pink, don't you? This one I'm keeping in the kitchen so I can see it for most of my day. Its been in my care for exactly one week tomorrow and so far so good.

Birthday Indulgence

The fact that Andy, Emily and I all have our birthdays within three weeks makes for some interesting celebrating. I haven't had cake for my birthday since Emily was born. After two cakes in two weeks, who wants a third the next week? Usually, I've opted for a pie. Last year, when Emily was living five hours away, we just scheduled one big "birthday bash." Okay, that one did include cake for me too! This year, we had three separate birthday meals again and the requisite desserts as well. Emily made this for my dessert and it was so very delicious!

Peach Raspberry Crisp

10-12 ripe peaches
zest of one orange
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups plus 2-3 tablespoons flour
1/2 pint raspberries
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 pound cold, unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter inside of a large oval baking dish.

Immerse peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, turning once or twice. Then place in ice water to halt cooking. Peel peaches when they are cool enough to handle and slice into thick wedges. Add orange zest, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss well and gently mix in raspberries. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Add another tablespoon of flour if there is a lot of liquid. Pour into baking dish.

Combine 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, and oatmeal. Cut in cold butter until it is pea-sized and mixture is crumbly. Spread evenly on top of fruit mixture. Bake for 1 hour until top is browned and juice is bubbly. Serve warm...with whipped cream or ice cream!


After three weeks of celebrating, its feeling like the other holiday season...the one that begins with Thanksgiving and ends after Christmas. I've thoroughly enjoyed this but I'm glad my birthday has finally come and gone. Its time to get back to more normal dietary patterns around here or none of my clothes are going to fit!

Sunday's Hymn: In the Hour of Trial, Jesus, Plead for Me

In the hour of trial,
Jesus, plead for me;
Lest by base denial
I depart from thee;
When thou seest me waver,
With a look recall,
Nor for fear or favor
Suffer me to fall.

With its witching pleasures
Would this vain world charm,
Or its sordid treasures
Spread to work me harm,
Bring to my remembrance
Sad Gethsemane,
Or, in darker semblance,
Cross-crowned Calvary.

If with sore affliction
Thou in love chastise,
Pour thy benediction
On the sacrifice;
Then, upon thine altar
Freely offered up,
Though the flesh may falter,
Faith shall drink the cup.

When in dust and ashes
To the grave I sink,
While heav'n's glory flashes
O'er the shelving brink,
On thy truth relying
Through that mortal strife,
Lord, receive me, dying,
To eternal life.

James Montgomery, 1834
St. 1, line 2, alt

Tune: Penitence (Lane), Spencer Lane, 1879

The Butterfly House

We have a butterfly house in Crystal Lake! I've known that for a year or two but never took the time to visit it until now. I guess I was missing out!! Emily and I have been there twice in the last week! The first time, I was so engrossed in what it was like that I didn't think to take pictures even though I brought my camera. So we went back again this morning and I got some lovely shots.

Here's a couple of monarchs.
A monarch emerging from its chrysalis:
This one is a swallowtail.
Two shots of the zebra longwing:

A fritillary:
The butterflies present in the house vary throughout the summer but these inhabitants are present year round...even during the winter when no butterflies live there! These funny little birds are a variety of button quail from Asia and they live with the butterflies to perform the important function of eating insects. In fact, they are so anxious to eat insects that they gather around any new plant to clean it of the tiniest insects as thoroughly as they can. I found the button quail as interesting as the butterflies!

Sunday's Hymn: Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Jesus, keep me near the cross;
There a precious fountain,
Free to all—a healing stream—
Flows from Calvary's mountain.

Refrain:
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Shed its beams around me.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o'er me.

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand
Just beyond the river.

Fanny J. Crosby, 1869
Tune: Near the Cross, William H. Doane, 1832-1916

A Guest on the Porch

This gorgeous plant is temporarily living on our screen porch. I am babysitting it and three orchid "siblings" that belong to a new friend of ours while he and his wife sort out their living arrangements. I have a number of houseplants of my own but no orchids. It feels a little overwhelming to have these plants entrusted to my care. But...I also am feeling like I might have a hard time giving them back. Well, not really. What I really mean is I may be asking for an orchid of my own the next time Andy or Emily asks what I want for my birthday or Christmas.

Meanwhile, I have taken out a couple of orchid books from the library. And I am asking you, my blogging friends, if any of you have orchids and, if you do, what book of basic orchid care do you recommend? Also what type of orchid do you suggest beginning with? Feel free to give me any other bits of information that you think I might need to know as well.

Honey Baked Chicken

One of the really wonderful things about having Emily back home with us now is that she occasionally cooks!! She didn't used to but she sure does now! Last week, she made this chicken dish. And it was so good that I forgot to take a picture of it before it was all eaten!

Honey Baked Chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut up three large chicken breasts and arrange in shallow baking dish.

Combine 1/3 cup melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons prepared mustard, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Pour over chicken and bake for 20 minutes, basting half-way through. Serve over rice.

Sunday's Hymn: God of Pity, God of Grace

God of pity, God of grace,
When we humbly seek thy face,
Bend from heav'n, thy dwelling-place;
Hear, forgive, and save.

When we in thy temple meet,
Spread our wants before thy feet,
Pleading at thy mercy-seat,
Look from heav'n and save.

When thy love our hearts shall fill,
And we long to do thy will,
Turning to thy holy hill,
Lord, accept and save.

Should we wander from thy fold,
And our love to thee grow cold,
With a pitying eye behold;
Lord, forgive and save.

Should the hand of sorrow press,
Earthly care and want distress,
May our souls thy peace possess;
Jesus, hear and save.

And, whate'er our cry may be,
When we lift our hearts to thee,
From our burden set us free;
Hear, forgive, and save.

Eliza F. Morris, 1857
Tune: Eternity, Samuel S. Wesley, 1810-1876

Rhubarb Walnut Muffins

Rhubarb season is winding down but I had enough to make these tasty muffins today. What a treat!

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, thoroughly mix wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients mixing only until moistened. Fold in rhubarb and walnuts. Spoon into greased muffin tin.

Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1 tsp. cinnamon for topping. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees. Makes 12 muffins.

Sky View

Emily and I were busy doing various tasks and hadn't been paying much attention to the weather before Charlie asked to go for a walk about 4:30 this afternoon. We walked about three blocks away from the cottage when we heard the lifeguards at the beach calling everyone out of the water because of a tornado watch. Turning to go home, we saw this view of the sky over the Little League field that's between the beach and the cottage.

I was reminded that shortly after we moved to Illinois 13 years ago, we decided that the panoramic views of the sky, especially before a storm, almost make up for the flat landscape that took some getting used to.

A Late Afternoon Walk

Andy and Charlie and I took a walk late this afternoon and came upon this Great White Egret at the outlet to Crystal Lake. I guess he was fishing for his supper. Isn't he a handsome fellow?

Further info: I was about six to eight feet away from the egret and a chain link fence around the park separated us. The photo was obtained by putting the lens of my camera in the space between the "chain links" and using the telephoto.

Sunday's Hymn: When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God:
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down:
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Isaac Watts, 1707, text of 1709
Tune: Hamburg L. M., Arr. from a Gregorian chant by Lowell Mason, 1824

A Fanny Crosby Biography

I recently finished reading Her Heart Can See: The Life and Hymns of Fanny J. Crosby written by Edith L. Blumhofer, a professor of history at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. I thoroughly enjoyed the book! Biographies and history are two of my favorite kinds of books to read and this was a combination of the best of them. The book is well-written and well-researched. It is as much a history of American Protestantism in the 19th century as it is a recounting of the life of American's most prolific hymn writer. Her Heart Can See portrays Fanny Crosby in a completely unsentimental manner and effectively places her in the context of her times and the influences on her thinking and her work. Ms. Blumhofer begins by exploring Fanny Crosby's Puritan background but, in the course of the book, the reader becomes familiar with the social, political and religious climate of the times and the changes it underwent over Ms. Crosby's long lifespan of almost 95 years. The reader is particularly introduced to the other major figures of Protestant evangelicalism who effected Fanny Crosby's work. In addition, the author develops an understanding of how her blindness influenced the life that Fanny Crosby led, especially because of the long period of time she spent at the New York Institution for the Blind, first as a student and later as a teacher.

Many of Fanny J. Crosby's hymns were written for use in revival meetings and the new (at the time) Sunday schools. They were intended to convey the gospel in song, a simple statement of the message of salvation in Jesus Christ and the joy experienced through it, to be sung to a "catchy" tune and thus more easily remembered. Some have been dismissive of her simple hymns and many of those hymns have been forgotten but many, maybe even many of the now forgotten ones, have achieved their purpose in bringing the gospel message to those to whom it was needed, even those to whom it was not new. As Edith Blumhofer says of Fanny J. Crosby, "She sang of faith in an age of doubt, and millions grasped for certainty by joining her song." In that sense, Fanny Crosby's hymns are as relevant and needed today as they were in her time.

Sunday's Hymn: Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity joined with pow'r:
He is able,
He is able,
He is able,
He is willing; doubt no more.

Come, ye needy, come and welcome,
God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Ev'ry grace that brings you nigh,
Without money,
Without money,
Without money,
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all:
Not the righteous,
Not the righteous,
Not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.

Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth
Is to feel your need of him;
This he gives you,
This he gives you,
This he gives you;
'Tis the Spirit's rising beam.

Lo! th'incarnate God, ascended,
Pleads the merit of his blood;
Venture on him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude:
None but Jesus,
None but Jesus,
None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.

Joseph Hart, 1759, alt.
Tune: Caersalem, Robert Edwards, 1837

Just One More Stop

The last place that we promised ourselves we could visit on the way home from Oregon was just a little ways down the road from the Black Hills. In fact, its only about an hour. We'd sort of peeked at the Badlands the last time we came through South Dakota but this time we decided that we needed to have a really good look...and so we did! And it was well worth it!

The Badlands is an area of arid prairie land where the soil is composed largely of clay with massive sedimentary rock formations which are exposed because of excessive amounts of erosion over time. That sounds so scientific and really doesn't prepare a person for the surrealistic look of the landscape. Sometimes it made me think of moonscapes, sometimes sand castles, and sometimes ruins of some ancient civilization.





Dogs are not allowed to walk on the landscape or even the trails there...only on the pavement. That's in part because of the fragile ground. But Charlie was still able to enjoy the scenery from the window!
The other reason dogs are not allowed off the pavement in the Badlands is because the wildlife, especially the bighorn sheep, are spooked by them. We'd never seen bighorn sheep this close up before!
There was also buffalo and antelope in the Badlands, just like in the Black Hills, but I've shown you them before. The other animal that is particularly prevalent in the Badlands is prairie dogs. In fact, there is a prairie dog city there!

Many wildflowers dot the prairie grasses of the Badlands but I never expected to see cactus there! Actual, spiny, prickly cactus! And it was even in bloom!


We used up every bit of extra time we had for the trip home in the Badlands and there was still more we could have explored. Next time. Or maybe we'll have to make it a destination of its own. What awesome aspects of God's creation we were treated to there!

On the Way Home

There were two places we wanted to visit on our way home from Oregon. The first was the Black Hills area of South Dakota. We've visited there before but find that area so interesting that we couldn't resist seeing it again. The problem with the Black Hills is that there is so much to see! It could easily be the focus of a week's vacation! So we narrowed it down and spent several hours seeing our favorite parts.

The Black Hills is an area of majestic rocky mountain peaks with lots of trees separated from the actual Rocky Mountains and surrounded by grassy plains. Here's an overview sort of picture to give you a general idea of the area.
First, we set off for Needles Highway which is named for this particular rock formation.
But there are many other interesting views to be had.



And of course, there is this sight to behold.
Then we visited Custer State Park which is largely a wildlife refuge. This antelope was most cooperative in allowing us to get his photo.
As were these buffalo.
And then it was time to leave the Black Hills. Real life beckoned and there was one more place to visit on the way home.

Good-Bye Oregon

Well, at least for this trip. And as Willow mentioned in a comment on one of my previous posts, no trip to Oregon is complete, at least for us, without a stop in "the Gorge" to enjoy the falls. That's the Columbia River Gorge in the area east of Portland where there are rocky cliffs on each side of the river which cause some very strong winds to blow down through. The Oregon side of these steep cliffs is graced with a series of spectacular falls, the largest and most well-known of which is Multnomah Falls. We stopped on our way east, homeward-bound back to Illinois.

Sunday's Hymn: All The Way My Saviour Leads Me

All the way my Saviour leads me—
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt his tender mercy
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav'nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in him to dwell—
For I know, whate'er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Saviour leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for ev'ry trial,
Feeds me with the living Bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the rock before me,
Lo, a spring of joy I see!

All the way my Saviour leads me—
O the fullness of his love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father's house above:
When my spirit, clothed, immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way!

Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
Tune: All The Way, Robert Lowry, 1826-1899

Oregon...Part II

Since the real purpose of our recent trip to Portland, Oregon was to attend the wedding of our nephew, David, and his new wife, Julie, and to spend time with family members, we really didn't do a lot of sight seeing...and my pictures reflect our priorities! First, here's one of the happy couple. (Actually, this one was taken by Emily but I like it better than any of mine.)
.

But here's one that does give you an overview of the city of Portland. The river that the bridge in this picture crosses, the one separating the east side of Portland from the west, is the Willamette. (Just so you are in the know, "Willamette" is pronounced with the accent on the middle syllable rather than the last.) The Willamette runs north into the Columbia River near north Portland which is where my sister, Mary, lives. This picture was taken about a block away from her house.


Remember I told you in a recent post about the climate of western Oregon and how it enables things to grow like you wouldn't believe? Well, one of the many flowers that grow prolifically there is the rose. In fact, Portland is called the City of Roses and there is a lovely rose garden there in Washington Park. We didn't make it to the Rose Garden this time but still, June is the peak of rose season and roses are in almost everyone's garden...roses of every color.


Before we leave Portland, I want to tell you, friends, about a wonderful little breakfast/lunch cafe in north Portland that we discovered with my sister, Mary, and her husband, Jim. Andy and I (Emily was staying with her cousins at their homes) along with Mary and Jim were so busy just relaxing and refreshing ourselves from the hectic pace of the wedding festivities that I forgot to even take a picture! Take my word for it, it was fun! The food was great, the tea and coffee were truly outstanding, and it was incredibly entertaining for us conservative mid-westerners! And they have a blog!

Blueberry Picnic Cake

Here's a tasty summertime dessert that I discovered while we were in Oregon. In fact, my sister, Mary, made it! And its really good! I made it yesterday for prayer meeting and people there seemed to like it too so I am sharing it with my bloggy friends.

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
Grated rind of one lemon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups blueberries

Mix flour and sugar in a large bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for topping. Add lemon rind, allspice, baking powder and salt to remaining mixture. Mix egg yolks into milk and add to dry ingredients beating until smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold gently into batter. Pour into greased and floured 9 X 13 inch pan. Scatter blueberries and reserved crumb mixture over the top. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until golder brown. Enjoy!

Introduction to Oregon

Today I am taking you to Oregon, my friends. Oregon is a state of contrasts. Eastern Oregon is dry, sagebrush kind of country where the wind blows and its hot in the summer but snow accumulates in the winter. Western Oregon is lush, wet, green country where anything and everything grows (except sagebrush and dryland plants). The climate is mild and accumulating snow in the winter is not the norm. Eight months of rain, mostly misty, light rain, is the normal winter weather pattern there. The reason the rain doesn't make it over to Eastern Oregon is the Cascade Mountains of which Mt. Hood is the most famous member. The mountains stop the clouds and cause them to drop their moisture on the western part of the state.

Here is the Columbia River which marks the border between Washington and Oregon as we arrive in Eastern Oregon. Note the predominance of brown in the landscape.
This is the Columbia River in the Portland area. We were actually on the Washington side, in Camas, for this shot but you can see Mt. Hood in this one even though its top is obscured by those clouds. And there's the green in the landscape.

Here we are in Astoria, Oregon, almost at the mouth of the Columbia River as it flows into the Pacific Ocean. Lots of green here too.

One last bit of info for today on the Columbia River. There is lots of major shipping on it up to Portland and it all has to pass over the very hazardous bar at the mouth of the river. There is a very interesting museum in Astoria that chronicles the maritime history of the area. It incorporates the light ship that used to mark the entrance to the mouth of the Columbia in the not too distant past. (Andy remembers it from his growing up years.) I highly recommend the museum should you visit Astoria. Here's a picture of the light ship.

Nebraska Attractions

One of the great things about road trips (at least, to me) is stopping at little, out of the way places of local interest rather than the major tourist attractions. We found Nebraska to have a few of those. First, there was the prairie sod house behind a barn with this cut-out in front of it. We found it irresistible. So did Emily and Charlie.


Then there was the highest point in Nebraska. That one involved a side trip that cost us an extra couple of hours but we thought it was worth it.
Nebraska's highest point is actually in the southwest corner of the state near its borders with Colorado and Wyoming so there really is some elevation there, as you can see. Supposedly, on a clear day, you can see the Rockies. We couldn't. But we were rewarded for our drive out the gravel roads between the fields by the views of rich farm land, a herd of buffalo and some beautiful wild flowers.

Catching Up

June is not a good month to be away from home. At least, not if you live in Chicagoland! It is just cool enough and has enough precipitation for the weeds to proliferate like crazy! Weeding and taming back even some of the "good" plants is my last catch-up chore around the cottage. But I'm getting there! I've been disciplining myself to weed at least an hour a day this week. Considering that its only Tuesday, I am making progress. But I surely wouldn't mind if I had to call off weeding on account of rain tomorrow. I need to squeeze in some extra reading this week too! Reading got seriously neglected in the fun of visiting with family...a choice I'd make all over again...but I have my book discussion group on Friday and about 150 more pages to go. And then there is organizing my pictures. And blogging. I guess weeding is not my last catch-up chore! I need more than 24 hours in my day!

We're Still Recovering...

from our recent trip to Oregon but, oh, we did have a terrific time! The wedding was lovely. Time with family was great fun. And we did some sightseeing in the Portland area as well as on the road trip out and back. I'll be sharing some photos over the next week or so but right now I am busy with 4th of July festivities. We just got back from the Crystal Lake parade and I need to get in some food preparation before we head back down to the lake for the fireworks. I hope you are having some fun celebrating the Birthday of America this weekend!

Sunday's Hymn: Mighty God, While Angels Bless Thee

Mighty God, while angels bless thee,
May a mortal sing thy name?
Lord of men as well as angels,
Thou art every creature's theme.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

Lord of every land and nation,
Ancient of eternal days,
Sounded through the wide creation
Be thy just and lawful praise.

For the grandeur of thy nature,
Grand beyond the seraph's thought;
For created works of power,
Works with skill and kindness wrought.

But thy rich, thy free redemption,
Dark through brightness all along,
Thought is poor, and poor expression,
Who dare sing that awful song?

Brightness of the Father's glory,
Shall thy praise unuttered lie?
Fly, my tongue, such guilty silence,
Sing the Lord who came to die:

From the highest throne in glory,
To the cross of deepest woe,
All to ransom guilty captives,
Flow my praise, for ever flow.

Robert Robinson, 1774
St. 1, line 2, alt.
Tune: Alleluia, Albert Lowe, 1868

Sunday's Hymn: Jesus, Where'er Thy People Meet

Jesus, where'er thy people meet,
There they behold thy mercy-seat;
Where'er they seek thee, thou art found,
And ev'ry place is hallowed ground.

For thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring thee where they come,
And going, take thee to their home.

Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few,
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here to our waiting hearts proclaim
The sweetness of thy saving Name.

Here may we prove the pow'r of prayer
To strengthen faith and sweeten care,
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all heav'n before our eyes.

Lord, we are few, but thou art near;
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
O rend the heav'ns, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts thine own.

William Cowper, 1769
Tune: Warrington, Ralph Harrison, 1784

Sunday's Hymn: O God, the Rock of Ages

O God, the Rock of Ages,
Who evermore hast been,
What time the tempest rages,
Our dwelling place serene:
Before thy first creations,
O Lord, the same as now,
To endless generations
The Everlasting Thou!

Our years are like the shadows
On sunny hills that lie,
Or grasses in the meadows
That blossom but to die;
A sleep, a dream, a story
By strangers quickly told,
And unremaining glory
Of things that soon are old.

O thou who canst not slumber,
Whose light grows never pale,
Teach us aright to number
Our years before they fail;
On us thy mercy lighten,
On us thy goodness rest,
And let thy Spirit brighten
The hearts thyself hast blessed.

Lord, crown our faith's endeavor
With beauty and with grace,
Till, clothed in light for ever,
We see thee face to face:
A joy no language measures;
A fountain brimming o'er;
An endless flow of pleasures;
An ocean without shore.

Edward H. Bickersteth, 1860
Tune: Schubert, Arr. from Franz Schubert by W. W. Gilchrist, 1895

Sunday's Hymn: None Other Lamb

None other Lamb, none other Name,
None other Hope in heav'n or earth or sea,
None other Hiding place from guilt and shame,
None beside thee!

My faith burns low, my hope burns low;
Only my heart's desire cries out in me
By the deep thunder of its want and woe,
Cries out to thee.

Lord, thou art Life, though I be dead;
Love's fire thou art, however cold I be:
Nor heav'n have I, nor place to lay my head,
Nor home, but thee.

Christina G. Rosetti, before 1893
Tune: Rosetti, William Jeater, 1907

Off Again

I've been home less than two weeks since our fun-filled trip to Northern Wisconsin and I'm off again tomorrow. I'm going to Ann Arbor, MI to help Emily move back home after finishing her program of study over there. We'll be back on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Andy is leaving tomorrow morning for Allentown, Pennsylvania. Its a business trip. And he'll be back home on Thursday too.

Then early Saturday morning, we are all leaving on a two week road trip to Oregon to visit family and attend the wedding of our nephew, Dave, and his (almost) wife, Julie.

We never planned for this spring to be quite so full of travel but sometimes things just happen... never outside of God's plan and will, of course. I trust completely in that, especially since I'm a homebody by nature, a homebody who loves order and routine. (Yes, I am probably kind of boring.) And I know I will be very happy to be home the whole month of July, Lord willing! But, right now, despite a miserable cold the last couple of days, I am having fun! Emily even has some things planned for us tomorrow after we get the cars packed! I just hope I can keep up this pace!

Oh, and in case you are wondering, Charlie is traveling with me to Ann Arbor. Then he will go on the road trip to Oregon as well. No rest for an old dog, either....of course, he mostly sleeps in the car.

Sunday's Hymn: When Peace, Like a River

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And has shed his own blood for my soul.

My sin—O the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more;
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;
"Even so"—it is well with my soul.

Horatio G. Spafford, 1828-1888
Tune: It Is Well, Philip P. Bliss, 1876

Ice Hockey?

I am not a sports fan at all. In fact, none of us here at the cottage are sports fans and we are pretty limited in our knowledge of team sports. We do enjoy fishing and bicycling and canoeing and those kinds of sports but nothing involving a ball--or a puck.

So its kind of interesting to me that one of my dearest friends is a die-hard hockey fan. And she's had reason to be enlightening me about the details of that sport and the merits of her favorite team recently because the Detroit Redwings (her team of choice) had some sort of play-off with the Chicago Black Hawks and now they are playing for the Stanley Cup. Most of what she said just caused my eyes to glaze over as I smiled and nodded. But when she started talking about the beauty of the teamwork that is involved and how it irritates her to see an individual player attempt to draw all the attention to himself, I took mental note. That made me think of our unity as a body of believers, the church universal, and how beautiful it is when we work together for His glory in individual humility. And how ugly it looks, especially before the world, when we try to glorify ourselves individually as followers of Christ.

It never ceases to amaze me the things that God uses to teach me more about Him and His ways! Ice hockey! Who would have thought?

I'm Back...

...and beginning to feel caught up around the cottage. We had a wonderful, wonderful respite in Northern Wisconsin! As Emily pointed out, we all (except Charlie) have a "fisherman's tan" now. That means the backs of our hands are tan but the rest of our arms are not due to the coolish weather requiring long sleeves. And yes, we all caught some fish! I even caught a big snapping turtle! That was really exciting!

But the best part was the feeling of complete relaxation that we had where the only decisions to be made were things like should we go fishing before supper or after. And why wouldn't we feel completely relaxed when we were surrounded by scenes like this?



And catching fish like this?



And doing lots of this?


I thank God for His magnificent creation and His provision for us to enjoy it!

Sunday's Hymn: Come, Holy Spirit, Come

Come, Holy Spirit, come;
Let thy bright beams arise;
Dispel the darkness from our minds,
And open all our eyes.

Cheer our desponding hearts,
Thou heav'nly Paraclete;
Give us to lie with humble hope
At our Redeemer's feet.

Revive our drooping faith;
Our doubts and fears remove;
And kindle in our breasts the flames
Of never-dying love.

Convince us of our sin;
Then lead to Jesus' blood,
And to our wond'ring view, reveal
The secret love of God.

'Tis thine to cleanse the heart,
To sanctify the soul,
To pour fresh life in ev'ry part,
And new create the whole.

Dwell, therefore, in our hearts;
Our minds from bondage free;
Then we shall know and praise and love
The Father, Son, and Thee.

Joseph Hart, 1712-1768
Tune: Camberwell S.M., Har. by Samuel S. Wesley, 1810-1876

Sunday's Hymn: Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Irish Hymn, c. 8th century
Translated by Mary E. Byrne, 1905
Versified by Eleanor H. Hull, 1912
Tune: Slane, Traditional Irish melody, arranged by Donald P. Hustad, 1973

Heading Out

We're heading out early tomorrow morning for a week at the Turtle Flambeau Flowage in Northern Wisconsin. To Andy, this is a fishing trip. To me, its a retreat and fishing is only one of the activities of relaxation I plan to indulge in. Reading and crocheting and sitting around doing nothing but cuddling Charlie (maybe even on the boat) are also on my agenda.

I am so glad that Emily is going with us too! For one thing, she loves to fish. But more than that, we'll get to do some catching up with her.

So, you won't be hearing from me (other than my already scheduled Sunday Hymn) for the next week. Hope yours is a good as mine is going to be!

Poinsettia in May

This poinsettia sits in front of the window by the table in my kitchen. I took this shot two days ago. That would be May 20, 2009. May 20th! Kim gave me this plant when she and Tom and the boys joined us for Thanksgiving this past November. That means I've enjoyed those brilliant red bracts for six months now! I've never before managed to keep a poinsettia past...oh, maybe not even up until St. Patrick's Day. And really, I've not done anything in particular to keep this one. Just the usual watering and a bit of fertilizer now and again. So I am amazed!

Have any of you kept a poinsettia beyond six months? Got any secret tips for me? If so, please share. I'm wondering if I can keep this plant going until next Thanksgiving...even Christmas, perhaps.