A Simple Equation

Cupcakes + Violets + Chocolate = Perfection

A Mother's Day Tradition

Mother's Day was wonderful.  Our family Tradition is to spend the day at Talache on Lake Pend Orielle, rain or shine.  I don't consider the day to be quite right, somehow, without all kinds of weather - warm sunshine, pouring rain, and windy, blue-tinted fog.

 

The Lord blessed us with a wonderful day, sweet fellowship, and glorious Idaho spring weather!

 

 

Whilst some set up camp. . . 

 

 

Others awoke the sleeping echoes with a very loud and joyful noise with the aid of their accordion=)

 

 

Once the H's and S's arrived, the traditional pastime of  - rock-throwing, shall we call it? - commenced.

 

 

Balancing the towers

 

 

 

 

 

No words need be added to this pristine loveliness, save that we serve an awesome God

 

 

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."  John 7:14

 

 

The cause for a celebration!

 

 

Almost ready

 

 

 

 

 

 

The spectators take their positions 

 

 

The photographers are on the scene

 

 

Let the games begin!!

 

 

 

Cute little Ethan

 

 

 

 

 

Once the towers were demolished, we retired to the festal board to a sumptuous feast, followed by a programme including Capture The Flag, theology around the campfire, singing, and much jollity, which went undocumented by camera due to dead batteries.

 

 

Have a wonderful day, y'all!

 

Through My Lens

 Yesterday I went on a delightful walk with the girls.  Every time I step outside my door, I am filled with gratitude and wonder for all of the beauty that surrounds this place I call home.

 

This is what I saw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."

 

- Isaiah 61:11

 

 

Happy Trails, Y'all!

Godly Women

"The modern challenge to motherhood is the eternal challenge — that of being a godly woman. The very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now. We hear about every other kind of women — beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career woman, talented women, divorced women, but so seldom do we hear of a godly woman — or of a godly man either, for that matter.  

I believe women come nearer fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else. It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realm of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultramodern.

The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith. The world has enough women who know how to be smart.  It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right that socially correct."

- U.S. Senate chaplain Peter Marshall, 1950

I came across this amazing quote while reading about the life of Peter Marshall.  His challenge to the women of our time puts me in mind of another work dealing with the same subject.  A subject so important, so inspiring, so powerful, that it's beauty can  be depicted by one word only - Mother.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow—
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky—
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

- William Ross Wallace