Time to be, time to dream, time to do nothing but wander in outside, free, in nature.
It’s invaluable for young and old.
Doesn’t the red winged black bird remind you of an English Guard?
There is beauty abundant in each ordinary day……and it often stops me in my tracks.
Tom the Turkey.
We wanted to see a Tom with his feathers all fluffed out but it didn’t happen during my visit at Mom and Dad’s until I was on the highway leaving Albany and I saw one on the side of the road with a hen.
*****
“Then there were long, lazy summer afternoons when there was nothing to do but read. And dream. And watch the town go by to supper. I think that is why our great men and women so often have sprung from small towns, or villages. They have had time to dream in their adolescence. No cars to catch, no matinees, no city streets, none of the teeming, empty, energy-consuming occupations of the city child. Little that is competitive, much that is unconsciously absorbed at the most impressionable period, long evenings for reading, long afternoons in the fields or woods.” Edna Ferber
By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us–set us right with him, make us fit for him–we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where wealways hoped we might stand–out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary–we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t be so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to Him. Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shoout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!
*****
We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did.
*****
A whole, healed, put together life right now, with more and more of life on the way!
(from the book of Romans in “the Message” translation)
I could just keep typing and typing, copying out these rich and wonderful words! Even on the worse days, the Holy Spirit keeps ministering to God’s children. The bad days are a little better, the best days are a foretaste of Heaven!
One of those “best days” for me personally happened just yesterday. We visited Mom and Dad’s church and then I was able to ride along with them to the Otesaga Resort for our buffet Easter dinner. I felt like laughing all day, I was so happy. Even when we didn’t quite know where we were going for a little while there on the back roads……..
Our reservations were for 2 and we arrived with time to spare and were seated at two large round tables, side by side. We were in a nice open room with huge windows which opened out to the bluest lake. The weather was lovely, warm and spring like. The food was served buffet style and we all ate until we could eat no more, with laughter and fun conversations.
We were missing Ethan very much.
(My sister and her family also could not make it this year.)
Cassandra’s dear parents joined us though, which was a fun treat; we love this family!
Dave was able to play a few songs on the grand piano!!! He was dying to get his hands on it.
LOVE IT!
And one last drive away photo from out the window! the parents! xo
Well then, it came out in the car that Rich was in a bad mood because of something a couple of our children did that I didn’t know about until we were driving down the road and he was able to fill me in on the details. I had wondered why he had sort of “deflated” toward the end of the meal. My poor husband, I always have complete confidence in how he handles the issues that arise in our family. Very thankful for that. However, as we drove along, his irritation was causing him to retreat inside of his own thoughts and problem solving so that he wasn’t paying attention to his driving….I did notice that he was going a little fast but what with the situation and all I decided to keep my mouth shut and not nag him about speed limits.
Instead, I took pictures out my window.
You can sort of tell by these photos that we were going 60 in a 45, right?
However, the officer was merciful and decided to only ticket us not for speeding but because our vehicle had tinted windows (I guess in NY you can only have a certain shade of tint)….and even that was eventually thrown out because after all that he wasn’t able to get his computer to work- so off we went again on our merry way and at a much slower pace, praise the Lord.
We still arrived home at just the right time; bedtime for the younger children to be exact!!! And heart to heart time for the ones who needed fatherly guidance and instruction.
All is well.
I took these photos just this morning; things are growing fast now that the snow has melted and the ground has warmed up.
April showers and all that.
I saw the first spring violet this morning when I walked Sarah to the bus; picture to follow!
You are loved, xo
~Shanda
What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. Romans 6
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth…….
You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in this world.
God is not a secret to be kept.”
*****
We went to see Beauty and the Beast. We ate lots of candy and popcorn and sat in a long row on my sister’s birthday. Spectacular. My favorite part was at the end when all the castle inhabitants under the curse were brought back to life – the way it was supposed to be, through true love. I thought of how we are also born under a curse, but then, in time, Jesus makes us new again. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are past, behold all things are made new.” Oh how He loves us.
*****
We took the children to their elementary school to watch a movie. We watched it among a restless sea of children, hardly able to hear, and then took home an extra one (friend of Caleb) to spend the night. After the movie we joined the crowd walking in the dark to their cars, carrying their blankets and pillows, and agreed it had been a nice event for the kids. A good small town treat. We appreciated the calm of the night sky.
*****
The children fished for the first time this year. Rich called me out to the porch to admire the cuteness.
*****
Church yesterday. Reminded me once again of the only thing that truly matters. Everything else (and there’s so much “everything else”) is icing on the cake.
*****
I made lots and lots of cookies.
*****
There was an epic nerf fight.
*****
I got happy mail!
*****
Matthew 5
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”
those “Jesus, take the wheel!” moments. When you finally let go.
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.”
(dreams? expectations? a person? a home? a job? health? youth? )
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are–no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.”
Contentment to me means peace inside.
Contentment to simply be.
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.”
soul food–delicious and satisfying
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full’, you find yourselves cared for.”
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world–your mind and heart–put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.”
ah, yes
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.”
This is the number one job of a parent of more than one child. LOL
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.”
*****
Sarah was the official bread runner to the house for bait. She stepped back when the fish appeared but Caleb’s friend Collin was able to get her to touch it….I could hear her from across the pond, “It’s slimy!” she laughed.
Lots of commentary about the poor fish who ate the hook all the way down and it’s poor eye and getting it free, and putting it back.
Seth was the most frustrated. He spent a great deal of time trying to get the bread to stay on his hook. He never did catch one. But it was good for him.
“Listen to His voice, and cling to Him” Deuteronomy 30:20
Good morning! I’ve been contentedly puttering around the house. The children were sent off to school and I have been doing dishes, laundry, and general organizing and home keeping. There is always a lot to do around here to keep me busy. I also journaled and wrote a little letter to Marcia.
We were away all weekend and then Rich worked from home yesterday so I have not been on the computer…….
Uncle Roger’s funeral was on Saturday. I haven’t mentioned here that he passed away from cancer at the age of 44. He was a Christian man who loved his family most of all, spent his life devoted to the same church congregation, and quietly and contentedly lived. He and Aunt Colleen, along with the girls, visited us often through the years and it was always an Event for us and always blogged about. Such fun. He will be missed.
All of this has given me so much to think about. Things like being sincere, being quiet, being yourself, remembering what really matters in life, and the love of family. The way Aunt Colleen has handled this journey has made me respect and love her all the more. What a grace-filled woman. Never asking for attention. Just living life and letting God lead, open to His will, sad, yes, but full of hope in Jesus. And she took such good care of her husband……. I pray God’s richest blessings on her and the girls now as they continue on.
On Sunday we went to church at the place I went to all through my growing up years. (The same one Uncle Roger and Aunt Colleen have attended, too.) It was wonderful to see and hug many old familiar friends.
We were able to visit Mom and Dad after church (I posted a bunch of photos on instagram). And oh that was just the best…just to be together.
Yesterday afternoon we went to Costco and then to the grocery store (because Costco doesn’t have cayenne pepper or organic apple cider vinegar). While we waited for Rich to come back out, Seth climbed a tree. Very fitting for the first day of Spring, right? Caleb and I were standing underneath him and this picture is of Seth looking down at his brother who was worried he might fall down and reminiscing of a time when Seth was showing off and consequently hurt himself. I said, “It’s only a tree, Caleb, quite safe.”
Look at the design of the branches against the blue sky.
Who is Michael? At first glance, he is simply a Very Large Young Man. He’s over six feet tall, 27 years old, and weighs about 400 pounds. So when he’s in the room, his presence is hard to ignore, if not impossible, and you just don’t know what to make of him. Years and years ago (about 5) we met him at our *new to us at that time* church. He and Jacob became good enough friends that he started to come to our house on a constant basis. Although slightly awkward at first to have him always around, after I got to know him I realized that Michael is an extremely friendly, willing to help, people loving, witty, extroverted, goofy, Christ-loving, theology-curious, writer of epic letters, fun person who has carved a niche for himself into our family. He works at a home for troubled boys and is PERFECT for his job. He spends almost every Sunday night -Wednesday morning at our house and sleeps downstairs with Jacob, Caleb, and Seth, on his own blow up mattress. I have talked to him about everything from raising kids, church life, depression, to bodily functions (quite reluctantly on my part because I’m a lady). I can say anything to this guy without fear of judgment. Rich and I love him to death, and so do the kids. He went to Costco with Rich and me and the kids yesterday because he wanted to buy some seltzer water……..so to answer the question “Who is Michael” is kinda hard. He’s Jacob’s friend is the answer in a nut-shell. But so much more. He’s been such a gift to our family. A brother in Christ. I’m so glad Jacob has a friend in him.
“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” Mark Twain
Dumping the entire bag of sunflower seed on the driveway has continued to be a very wise decision on my part. We are getting so many more birds now. And I don’t have to keep track of the feeder!
Mourning doves are such lovely birds. I love their black eyes and the way they waddle.
“There is an unreasonable joy to be had from the observation of small birds going about their bright, oblivious business” Grant Hutchison
(journal)
As I putter around the house I stop to gaze out the window at the birds.
I find my cats doing the same thing.
I have an orchid in bloom!
I’ve kept it alive for several years and it always blooms around this time.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old is has gone the new is here!”
Four nights ago, thanks to a text from my neighbor, we were able to see this amazing lunar halo around the moon. It was so wide around that I almost couldn’t get it all in the picture. It’s a beautiful sight that I won’t soon forget. I learned that these halos mean that a storm is coming and indeed the children did have Friday off from school for a snow day and we have a storm coming tomorrow.
“It was a long cold winter for the birds and animals on the hill, but the little old man and the little old woman put out food for them until the warm spring came. And that was the end of the BIG SNOW.” ~ The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader
I aimed my camera through the windows of the dining room, watching the birds, thinking thoughts.
“Well lived days are completed years, and the years well lived as they come make a life beautiful and full. In such a life no special preparation of any kind is needed. He who lives thus is always ready. Each day prepares for the next, and the last day prepares for glory.” JR Miller
“And is this heaven? And am I there? How short the road! How swift the flight! I am all life, all eye, all ear: Jesus is here–my soul’s delight.”
~Isaac Watts
And today? The children are at school. Bright sun is shining but coldly and tomorrow we expect a snowstorm, another snow day?
These are the last frozen offerings of winter weather which will make the springtime thaw even more welcome.
There is a spot on the eaves which constantly drips, and it’s so cold outside that we have not a burning bush, but an ice covered one! It’s so pretty when the sun shines through it.
Happy Monday, friends.
You are loved.
“Here in the shadow of God’s love forever I’ll abide, So glad, so blest, so sure, so safe; so more than satisfied!” Elizabeth Prentiss
Look out with eyes of love, eyes of wonder. Live now.
Wrestling season is over and now it’s all about brothers and sisters, bare feet, early spring, and baseball.
thin ice and ripples on the pond
different mosses
things growing in the flower bed
Marvellous happy it was to be Alone, and yet not solitary. O out of terror and dark, to come In sight of home.
~Walter de la Mare.
When you’re a busy woman and you step outside at the end of the day to let the dog out and see glory.
The sky was high and clear with a brilliant moon. But what made it special was a layer of clouds passing between it and earth. All the light from the moon lit up the clouds.
“my soul is elsewhere, I’m sure of that.
and I intend to end up there.” RUMI
the stars were twinkling
God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
Professor Night lectures each evening.
Their words aren’t heard,
their voices aren’t recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.
Psalm 19
The further the clouds got from the moon the darker they became so that I couldn’t make them out very well anymore.
*****
“The LORD will command his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me” (Psalm 42:8).
What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future.The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.
I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.
You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to: total salvation.
The other day a sweet boy who lives here came to me and said, “Mom, when I was walking to Logan’s house I passed a construction worker on the side of the road picking up garbage,” he paused to self-consciously clear his throat and continued, “I stopped and told him he was doing a great job.”
“The reason why I said that to him was because Cody told me it was the little things like that which make a big difference in a person’s life.”
“When I was almost to Logan’s house, he drove by me in his truck and honked his horn and waved.”
We looked at each other and I saw in his loving eyes it was something that meant a lot to him. You might say, although he has never been anything like Grinch, “his heart grew three sizes that day”. His story touched my heart as well, and I’ve thought about it over and over this week.
It’s so strangely beautiful that when doing something for another person you not only bless that person but you also bless yourself.
In fact, this huge concept is something I use in my mothering bag of tricks. If I notice that the children (some or all) are not getting along with each other I ask them to do “something” (make a sandwich, pick a flower, give a mug of tea) for that particular sibling they aren’t getting along with. Maybe even give a hug or write a note. It does wonders in creating smiles, melting hearts, and breaking the tension in the air.
******
Cherry Coffee Cake
We explored an old abandoned house last weekend and took away a few recipes cards which we found like garbage upon the messy floor…..this was one of the recipes.
It is simple and, without any extract, the cake itself tastes nice and buttery. The cherry pie filling could be switched out for any fruit filling and you could add a touch of cinnamon to the topping, too. I bought a can of raspberry filling to try next, with maybe a 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract added to the cake. Blueberries would be a nice variation, too, with lemon extract.
It bakes up as a thin cake, so it’s more of a snack (to eat with a mug of hot coffee). The kids ate it in their hands like a brownie and they all liked it very much.
I believe, Lord, that you love to bless, comfort, and give.
Your word is my delight, your truth my inspiration.
You lift my soul beyond those things that would pull me down when I come into your presence in prayer.
Your Holy Spirit is there to fill me with the character of your own goodness and to fill me with joy.
I believe, Lord, that your people are there to help me grow stronger as one of your children.
You have given me friends to strengthen my relationship with you.
I believe, Lord, that as I seek you I find you.
You will always show me the way that is good for my life.
You will lead me along the right way and I know that you always love me.
You pour your love into my heart so that I praise you because of your faithfulness; my innermost being says ‘Thank you.’
Through the cross of Christ I have been brought back to you: how I praise you!
Through the cross my life is transformed.
For Jesus Christ’s resurrection and for my new life I praise you.
~Gospel Light Publications 1985
And happy are your eyes, because they see! Matthew 13:16
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. Psalm 146:8
I know I belong to Jesus because I see Him everywhere. I don’t just see Him in the Bible or in Church….I see Him constantly in my every day life. I see Him in my children, in my siblings. My husband. I see him in the secular podcasts I love to listen to. I see Him in the way He guides everyone’s life. In the stories people tell. I see him in movies, in books, in school, in the library, and online.
He isn’t always obvious, and that’s the joy of finding Him.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
It’s amazing.
how sweet the sound
I once was lost, but now am found, wasblind but now I see.
I love that I can be HANDS OFF with my life, how freeing this is, how comforting.
I’m walking through the years with my eyes wide open.
And each little gift causes my heart to say “thank you, I know that was you, God.”
We had a snowy day yesterday and I kept an eye on this Cardinal. It was sitting in the bushes for hours watching and waiting out the storm. I was busy in the house but looked out the window periodically to look at it. And then, it was gone and I missed it.
We did some reading; my book is on the pillow next to Dave; All the Light We Cannot See.
Very good.
Grace was reading a favorite of hers for about the fifth time. The Likeness by Tana French
For lunch we had little fish sandwiches on potato buns with tarter sauce.
Dave had five.
Rich has a bulging disc in his neck and has to have a shot in it next month to relieve the pain. However, after spending a relaxing day at home he felt better than he has in a long time. It was good to see him take a nap on the couch with us.
He took a few calls for work and after the snow stopped he went outside and plowed the driveways.
Of all the places to take a nap!
Little Junco on Caleb’s bike which was on the porch to protect it from the snow.
But snow got everywhere yesterday.
Juncos are quite cute; it’s feathers are ruffled from the wind.
There is a bowl of sunflower seed under all that silly soft stuff.
We watched one of my favorite movies; Babe. I study every scene of the house and barn.
And then it was time to go outside.
If I had words To make a day for you I sing you a morning golden and new I would make this day Last for all time Give you a night Deep in moonshine If I had words To make a day for you
~Scott Fitzgerald
This morning before school Sarah read me her reading assignment. It was a book by Gail Gibbons about the sun.
It became an unexpected sacred morning moment; a small girl tucked up beside me reading in her sweet voice.
“The sun gives all living things energy and strength in order to grow.”
Ah yes, thank you Jesus, the Light of the world and only Son of God.
“Without the sun, there would be only darkness and nothing could live.”
…..he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
What a dark and deathly world it would be without His presence.
All of humanity benefits from his warm and life-giving light.
I see Him everywhere, I know you do, too. There is no need to force a religion (laws and rule keeping) when you truly believe and love Christ. He opens your eyes to see Him, He puts a longing (hunger and thirst) inside of you to know His beauty, and the whole of life blossoms and flourishes because of the relationship you share with Him.
Since Sarah read me her book, an old hymn has been keeping me company for the morning; written by Philip Bliss, the author of many of our favorite hymns:
The Light of the World is Jesus
The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee; Sweetly the light has dawned upon me; Once I was blind, but now I can see: The Light of the world is Jesus!
No darkness have we who in Jesus abide;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
We walk in the light when we follow our Guide!
The Light of the world is Jesus!
No need of the sunlight in Heaven we’re told;
The Light of the world is Jesus!
The Lamb is the Light in the city of gold,
The Light of the world is Jesus!
*******
After getting Sarah on the bus, I went for a short ramble all by myself in the snow. I was still wearing my pajamas but it wasn’t too cold thanks to a sweatshirt, a sweater, and shawl.
Orange fungus growing on a dead tree;
I noticed snow covered cobweb wisps everywhere on the trees (why?)…….
reflection of the stream;
texture of slushy icy water;
black and white;
There is something magical about being outside in the woods while it’s snowing.
Inside the chicken coop;
I was thrilled to find a half dozen eggs!! (the hens haven’t been laying for over a month)
I rewarded them with a bowl of snow.
Which they appreciated very much.
******
And now for a recipe.
This recipe is “blog worthy” because the whole family loves it. It’s different; there is no milk or cheese in the sauce, the mayonnaise gives it a richness.
Scalloped Potatoes and Onions
5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped onion
6 T. butter
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Preheat oven to 325. Grease a baking dish.
Layer potatoes and onion in prepared baking dish.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add broth, mayonnaise, salt, pepper; cook and stir until thick and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Pour mayonnaise mixture over potatoes and onion. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
Bake in preheated oven until potatoes are tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Cool slightly; serve.
(I double this for my family)
Also, the original recipe doesn’t call for ham, but I do add it whenever I have leftovers to use up. Enjoy.
The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world’s joy. Henry Ward Beecher
Good to be Home 
