Week 22

New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale - Quilt Auction

Saturday May 25, 2013

"If anyone has material possesions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

I John 3: 17 & 18 NIV

                                                   Baby Quilt that I donated to the quilt auction                                   May 2013

"Feature" Quilt that depicted a quilt being readied by the girls to be auctioned

The feature quilt was sold for $10,000!

I have donated a small quilt each year for the last 5 years to the Mennonite Relief Sale - Quilt Auction.  I sit for hours in an arena watching the almost 200 quilts auctioned off.  I am always worried that no one will bid on my quilt, but they sell them all!  I was a little disappointed this year that my quilt didn't fetch quite as much as I had hoped, but had to remind myself that every little bit helps the Mennonite Central Committee with relief work all around the world and maybe the $125 dollars from the sale of my quilt will help some mother or father in a developing country start a small business that will support their family.

Visiting Our Little 7 1/2 Month Old Grandson

Sunday, May 26, 2013

"Children are a gift from the Lord; babies are a reward."

Psalm 127:3 New Century Version

                                                                    Our beautful grandson                                                   May 26, 2013

                                   7 1/2 month old Hikaru with his 17 1/2 year old Uncle Tim                         May 26, 2013

                          Enjoying his rice, fish and bok choy dinner - see his two little teeth?          May 26, 2013

     

We ended our weekend with a trip to Toronto to visit to our son, daughter-in-law and grandson.  Hikaru studied us very soberly when we first arrived, but soon warmed up to us and was the best little fellow for our  whole visit, including going out to a restaurant for dinner.  He certainly is a gift from God that we are so thankful for!  

Week 21

A Long Weekend Full of Things to be Thankful For

"It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High,

to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night."

Psalm 92: 1 & 2

                                                   Warm, sunny days at the beach                                  May 17, 2013

                                                 Trillium (Ontario's Provincial Wildflower)                        May 17, 2013

                                    "Blankets" of trilliums in the woods at Lurgan Beach                       May 17, 2013

                                                        Sunset on Lake Huron                                               May 17, 2013

                                                                                 Pretty pink tulips                                               May 18,  2013

                          Neighbour's lilacs that I get to enjoy on my side of the fence!                       May 19, 2013

                                                  The look and the smell of lilacs                                  May 19, 2013

                                    Beautiful crab apple blossoms in our friends' backyard                       May 19, 2013

Reminiscing about our wedding and celebrating 34 years of marriage on May 19th  

                                           Welcoming home loved ones at the airport                                May 20, 2013

                                   Seeing our son being a wonderful father      May 20, 2013        

     These are a few of my favourite images and memories from the Victoria Day long weekend that we just had here in Canada. 

     I am hoping that I would still be finding things to be thankful for even if my life wasn't as smooth as it is.  I am saddened this morning to read about the death of a baby girl whose short life I have been following, through her mother's blog.  Please pray for her family as they deal with the loss of their precious daughter/sister/granddaughter/niece in the days and months ahead.  May they be able to still praise God through their grieving and be thankful for the time they had here on earth with Hope, and for the whole heart that she  now has in heaven. 

Week 20

Tulips

"Faithfulness springs forth from the earth

and righteousness looks down from heaven."

Psalm 85:11 NIV

Here is just a sampling of the many tulips that are blooming in my city right now.  Tulips are so dependable to bloom every spring and their variety of colours bring such a nice contrast to all the lush green leaves and grass in the landscape during the month of May.  

The above photos were all taken while walking around Rockway Gardens in Kitchener on May 9, 2013.  I am enjoying using my new macro lens and even more than that, being outside and enjoying the beauty God has created.

Week 19

                                         Our house with neighbour's blossoming magnolia tree in the corner            May 5, 2013

"...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... 

as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua 24:15 NIV

                                                   Sweet-smelling hyacinth at the front of our house                                    May 2013

"Life a life of love as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God."

Ephesians 5:2 (New Century Version)

Spring is full of beauty and sensory delights.  Don't hyacinths have a beautiful smell?   I  strife to live a life that doesn't just look nice from a distance, but that gives off a sweet-smelling scent as others get up close, and more importantly, that pleases God.

Week 18

Spring Has Arrived at the Lake

                                                                            The first time I have ever seen horses on our beach      April 27, 2013

       "And God said: 'Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear...'
                                 'Let the land produce vegetation...'
                                 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky...'
                                 'Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth...'
                                 'Let the land produce living creatures...'
                                 'Let us make man in our image...'

                     God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."       Excerpts from Genesis 1

                                                                      Dave watching the sun set over the lake         April 27, 2013

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

 or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Psalm 1: 1 & 2 NIV

                                                                                                 Sunset on Lake Huron         April 27, 2013

"He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down."

Psalm 104:19 NIV

Dave and I spent part of  last  weekend at our cottage.  We enjoyed the beautiful spring weather and marvelled anew at the beautiful world that God created.