What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Wednesday Treasures ~ "Timeless Treasures"

Today (written on Tuesday) seemed like a good day to bake some cookies.  Nothing special...just my ordinary Oatmeal raisin walnut cookies.  (click on the link for the recipe). They seem to be the family favorite and I have convinced myself they are healthy, with all of their nuts and raisins and oatmeal. Never mind the brown sugar and shortening, flour, salt, baking powder and eggs. Oh, and don't forget the vanilla and cinnamon! That's all healthy, right?

And so, while the cookies were baking, in between batches going in and out of the oven, I sat down in my rocking chair in the kitchen and had a cup of tea and "taste-tested" the cookies to make sure they were good enough to eat! Of course, when they are fresh and hot out of the oven is when they are the best!  

While sitting there in my rocking chair, which, by the way, is one of my "treasures", as my parents bought it for me just before our first child was born, and I rocked my three babies many a sleepless night in that rocking chair; anyway, while cooking or baking in the kitchen I like to sit in my rocker and read from this little book while I sip my cup of tea and eat that fresh hot cookie...  I know I've probably referred to this before, but today it was a special time and I thought it would fit in with this Wednesday Treasures theme.


You see, I originally gave this book to my mother for Mother's Day many years ago. Then when she left this earth to go where her true treasures were waiting, i.e.; heaven, the book came back to me.

And so now I love to sift through its pages and think about how much I know she enjoyed this book at one time, and it gives me great pleasure to know that we shared these special "treasures".  

 "The very best gifts are the gifts of your time that come with a memory attached.  It's easy to give this treasure to the people you love!...Write a letter on a special occasion and save it to give to the recipient later...Nurture a family tradition, or start a new one...Teach a skill that was passed along to you by someone you loved...Research your family tree and make copies for others in your family...Tell the stories!...Pass along the family stories you've heard and tell your own stories..."  Emilie Barnes, Timeless Treasures.


"Take it--'tis a gift of love--that seeks thy good alone;
Keep it for the giver's sake, and read it for thine own."
Youth's Keepsake, 1836




Some of my own "Timeless Treasures"...Letters between my mother and me...special little "love notes" that are now priceless.

"You have the special privilege of providing a link to that heritage for oncoming generations.
Write about yesterday.
Write about today, which will be history tomorrow.
Continue to write about all of your todays until the very end of your life.
Put the words on paper which will prevent your life 
and the lives of other members of your family from slipping into oblivion."
Lois Daniel


My pink geranium plant that I rescued from overheating outside. It seems much happier inside where it is cool. I can't say that I blame it one bit.


This needlepoint footstool came from my parents' home. I don't know for sure if my grandmother did this needlepoint or not. She did a lot of them many years ago, and this may have come from her house before it went to my parents. I am pretending it is so, and enjoying it as if it was created by her. And even if it wasn't, it still came from my parents' home, and that makes it a special treasure in itself.

Well, the cookies are finally done and it is time for me to clean up the kitchen and start preparing supper. 


I hope you have enjoyed this little walk down memory lane with me as I've share a few more of my "Wednesday Treasures".

Oh, this teacup with the sweet bluebird on it (and also the three tea cups in the picture above with the letters) was a gift from a dear friend who was a member of the church where I worked before I retired. She gave me a whole box of special teacups and saucers because she and her husband were leaving their home and moving into a Senior Living apartment where they wouldn't have room for so many "treasures." You can read more about that story HERE.
It was during a very distressful time in my life, and her unselfish gift of her "treasures" really gave me a blessing when I needed it most.

"I have written my life in small sketches,
a little today, a little yesterday,
as I have thought of it, 
as I remember all the things from childhood on through the years,
good ones, and unpleasant ones,
that is how they come out and that is how we have to take them."
Anna Mary Moses
(Grandma Moses)
 

All quotes in this post came from the book, Timeless Treasures, written by Emilie Barnes and paintings by Sandy Lynam Clough.  Harvest House Publishers

P.S. While I was writing this last night, we were having a terrific thunderstorm, with lots of thunder and lightning.  Thankfully the power never flickered so I was able to finish writing. Afterwards was this magnificent sunset!  What a beautiful gift from God to treasure!  Another of His stunning masterpieces spread out on His canvas of the skies for us to behold! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!


I hope your day is filled with the flow of blessings from the Lord!


The Doxology

"Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above ye heavenly host!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen.

A little brief history of the Doxology: "These words were written in 1674 by Thomas Ken as the final verse of two hymns, "Awake, my soul, and with the sun" and "Glory to thee, my God, this night," intended for morning and evening worship at Winchester College."  Wikipedia.  

Since they were originally intended for "morning and evening worship", they are certainly appropriate here, as we welcome another beautiful morning while we contemplate the wonder and magnificence of God's marvelous creation from the evening before!

36 comments:

  1. I so enjoyed reading/seeing all these treasures of yours, Pamela. That bluebird teacup is splendid as is the sunset after the storm photo. And thanks, too, for sharing this interesting history of the Doxology - I never knew its origin before. A nifty knowledge nugget!
    May your day be filled with blessings!

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    1. Thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed this, as well as the Doxology! One of my favorite songs that we sing every week, although we aren't singing it now in our socially distanced service where we don't pass the offering plate anymore. I miss that. Hope your day is filled with blessings as well.

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  2. I love a nice big batch of "healthy" cookies ;) They look delicious and I love all of your treasures, especially the book and letters. Love that you have your rocker right there in the kitchen too. We are having big thunderstorms here this morning. It's that time of year in Florida. Your sunset shot is beautiful. Have a blessed day Pamela :)

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    1. Thank you Martha! The cookies were (are) delicious. And so healthy too! :) I am happy that you popped in for a visit. I hope enjoy the cookies. wow, so you are having your thunderstorm in the morning! I wonder if we will get that one this afternoon! That is when we normally get them here, and yes, it is that time of year here in Florida. Just praying the hurricanes stay far away. I was pleasantly surprised to see the sunset last night, and it made a perfect ending for this post. God is good! All the time! God is good!

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  3. Another lovely post. Have a great day, Pamela!

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    1. Thank you, Linda. I always love to see your smiling face here! Have a blessed and happy day!

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  4. What wonderful reminders of your mother! It's like she's always close to you. I enjoyed seeing more of your treasures and I'm imagining the smell of those cookies...not good for the diet! LOL Have a blessed day!

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    1. Sorry for the temptation to your diet. Perhaps these "virtual cookies" are the best kind! LOL. Too bad we don't have scratch and sniff on our computers yet. They will probably come up with that eventually! And yes, I love to read old letters that she wrote to me and also the ones I wrote to her that I got back when she passed away. It is a kind of journal written between us, and I find it very comforting. Thank you for visiting today. I hope your day is blessed.

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  5. Be still my heart, I love your post today! First, having your special rocking chair in the kitchen where you can sit and enjoy other treasures is a treasure! lol The book you gave you Mom that came back to you is a gift beyond measure. I have my Mother's Bible, and I've left it just the way she left it, all her special cards stuck between the pages. It must be great to read your Mom's old letters, yes you are blessed with blessings! ((hugs)) BTW, I think I smelled those cookies baking! :)

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    1. Thank you so much Mary. I love your response! I know you love having your mother's Bible, especially with all her notes, etc. in it. That would be a treasure for sure. Wouldn't it be nice if we had scratch and sniff on our computers so we could smell yummy treats? (but nothing stinky! LOL) Hope you have a wonderful week. Thank you so much.

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  6. I love everything about this post. Seriously, it is my kind of post. I also love oatmeal cookies...my favorite. We had that same thunderstorm in the middle of the night. IT had the dogs really upset. Gus jumped on and off the bed and paced. Lemony cried. Yep, it was a wild one. I love your timeless treasures.

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    1. Thank you so much, Sandy. I am so happy that you have enjoyed this post, as I was enjoying writing it. (and eating cookies as I wrote). Yes, that storm was loud and very close here. I can imagine your doggies were upset. They don't generally like thunder and lightning. Again, thank you for visiting and enjoying my "timeless treasures". Have a wonderful week.

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  7. What wonderful treasure you have there. AND THOSE COOKIES! YUM! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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    1. Thank you, Cindy. It was fun eating my way through this one! I'm so glad you popped in for a visit. Wish it was for real! :)

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  8. I love these glimpses into your home and your life. As my niece would say,I'll fire up my jet and be right over for a cup of tea and a cookie.

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    1. Well come on down! I will definitely put the kettle on and make sure the cookies are fresh and warm just out of the oven!! Would love to be able to do that for certain!!

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  9. I've always loved the doxology. Your oatmeal, raisin, & walnut cookies sound YUMMY. I'm the only member of my family who enjoys walnuts. Thanks for sharing your treasures with us.
    Jan
    Laughter and Consistency

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    1. Oh my, how can people not love walnuts? Especially in cookies, or brownies? Oh well, all the more for us! LOL. Yes, I enjoy the Doxology and am missing singing it now. We don't do congregational singing right now because of "Covid", and we also don't pass the offering plate, same reason. So we don't sing the Doxology. I think I may just have to sing a solo... Thank you for visiting! Always a pleasure.

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  10. Those cookies looked quite delicious, and I so enjoyed your pictorial visit through the pages of the Emilie Barnes book, I so love her writings! What a lovely thing to enjoy the beautiful letters from your mother, and this beautiful book that you had gifted her. And how sweet at the end of the day to enjoy such a masterpiece in the skies... aren't our Lord's blessings just the best! I'm grateful every day for the little things in life, that make every day sweet and special. Much love to you dear friend, always enjoy my visits here with you :)

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    1. Thank you, Marilyn. Yes, we need to take the time to appreciate the beauty that is around us at different times of the day. God is always preparing His masterpieces for us to enjoy. Thank you for visiting and I am glad that you also are an Emilie Barnes fan. I also have several other of her books. Hope you have a blessed and beautiful day.

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  11. Beautiful post, Pam on those treasures that are special to us but not to others. The greatest treasure of all is Jesus!

    Thanks for sharing information on the "Doxology".

    Love and blessings!

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    1. Yes, Jesus IS the best treasure of all! He is the Gift that "keeps on giving" day after day, for eternity. We are so blessed to be His children! Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow!

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  12. I so enjoyed your blog all about timeless treasures! Great photos and wonderful memories! But now... I really, really want one of those cookies!! I can almost smell them! xo

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    1. So come on up and get some! I'll even bake some more so they will be fresh and warm coming out of the oven! Just give me a little notice that you are on your way!

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  13. Oh Pam you are too too sweet..thanks for the nice comment--and nope I not think I look too much like a pretty garden........more like a sweat soaked DIRTY MESS, out walking in the jungle thick humidity, ha ha LOL! those are good guesses--furniture, bricks etc I think you said. But nope. ha ha. The beautiful old building was once a funeral home. It's now condos. The funeral home director made and manufactured coffins over there in the back of the garden, LOL! Yep, I was surprised as well when I was researching it. I just never KNOW WHAT I'LL FIND when I go researching all the history around here. LOL. Love your post here.....I love the pretty tea cups. You make such pretty pictures of your dainty feminine things, I love to look at them. The cookies looked DELICIOUS. I'm on my way............ha ha LOL!

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    1. I wish I had gone with my first thought, which was coffins, believe it or not! I know there are a lot of coffins built in Georgia and the Carolinas...I should have known that!! Thank you for visiting my Wednesday Treasures. And you are welcome to come enjoy a cup of tea and some cookies anytime!! Just let me know when and I'll put the kettle on and bake some fresh cookies! Have a blessed day.

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  14. PS...........loved seeing the letters. TREASURES YES THEY ARE

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    1. Yes, they are to me. I have a LOT more...and cards...I just can't throw away cards from my loved ones, especially if there is a note inside, which there usually is. Someday the handwritten letters and notes will be all that is left because what we write here will disappear with changing technology, so unless we print and save them, they will be lost. I think about that and try to save the important ones, but I am way behind.

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  15. Thank you for this beautiful blog. I enjoyed it so much. The quotes you share are so nice. My mother died three years ago. I am not quite sure if she loved me. I think so. But she was often mentally ill. In this blog post I read about your love for each other and that is a precious gift. God bless you, Pam!

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    1. Oh, Aritha, first of all, let me say how sorry I am to hear of your mother's passing, even if it was three years ago. It hurts to lose our mothers. And I am very sad that you are not quite sure if she loved you. I believe a mother always loves her child, but maybe just doesn't always know how to show it. Especially if she struggled with mental illness...she was perhaps trapped inside a body and mind that couldn't fully express what her heart was feeling deep inside. My heart breaks for you, but I pray that you have been able to forgive your mother for the hurt that she may have caused in your life. I pray also that she is now at peace, and I pray that you also will find that peace that only God can give. (((hugs))) Thank you for visiting today. May God bless you as well.

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  16. I love seeing your treasures. I'm a firm believer of surrounding ourselves with beautiful things that give us joy. It makes a pretty home and gives us comfort too. We didn't get the storms yesterday and we were able to hike in the cooler temps. YAY! It's pretty nice today too. I hope you have a blessed day!

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    1. Yes, it has been nice yesterday and today, with some cloud cover to keep the heat down. Maybe fall isn't too far away, but I know better than that...we still have to get through September! But take advantage of any "cooler" day we can. We will walk this evening after supper, unless it is raining. This morning we went shopping, so that was our 'walk". Thank you for visiting. Yes, I've decided that the "minimalist" way of life really doesn't suit me much. I enjoy the things that we've been blessed with, and they are mostly all gifts which remind us of dear friends and loved ones, so I am really not in a hurry to get rid of them. Once I settled that issue, I am now able to enjoy what we have and not feel guilty for having "too much stuff". LOL.

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  17. My 3 geraniums live in very large pots on the back patio (i.e. a permanent location) and no, they are not liking the heat. They are alive but not looking their best right now.

    Emilie Barnes has been a find example for women for many years. I have learned such helpful things from her books.

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    1. I am glad I kept my geraniums in smaller pots so I could bring them inside. They are doing better, but not getting enough sun now. Hopefully I can put them back outside next month if it isn't quite as hot. Yes, I've enjoyed all of Emilie Barnes' books. I don't know if she is still writing anymore. I haven't kept up with her. I know she was sick or had cancer, but I thought she got better? I need to check on that. Anyway, I enjoy her writing. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Thank you for visiting here today. I would love for you to sign my guestbook and let me know you stopped by. I always enjoy reading your comments and words of encouragement! May you be blessed as you go on your way. Please come back and visit again soon.