Thursday Thankfulness: Fall is Here!

Is it really Thursday already?  Wow! Where did this week go already?  And now here it is a beautiful fall morning in our neck of the woods! It's 49 degrees this morning, with a high expected of only 70 degrees! And sunny all day, but a tad windy.  That's okay, I'll take it! This is the weather we've been waiting for!

Apparently this is the weather the Sand Hill Cranes have been waiting for as well! This was them here at Still Waters Pond yesterday...the first we've seen of them since the last hurricane.  

They were showing off and flapping their wings and feeling rather frisky!

And then they sedately walked up onto the yard and found some bird seed to eat...

We were happy to see them back safe and sound.  I don't know where they went during the hurricane, but they must have a "safe" hiding place where they hang out until the storms are over. So thankful to know they are still here with us, safe and sound!

Did you see the moon last night?  This was just as it was rising above the trees in the east...it was still a bit light out...

And over on the west side, on Still Waters Pond, we were having a glorious sunset at the same time!

I kept running back and forth to watch both amazing events in the skies:

"All creatures of our God and King,

lift up your voice and with us sing,

"Alleluia! Alleluia!"

Thou burning sun with golden beam,

thou silver moon with softer gleam,

O praise Him, O praise Him!

alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!"

And finally the sky was dark enough to see the full magnitude of the moon:

And the sun was setting down behind the trees on the west side

And all was at peace...time to get back inside and enjoy a beautiful evening...

So we "lit a fire" in the "fireplace", and rejoiced to finally feel like this was a real fall day...

This morning we had another fall surprise! The Canada Geese finally flew in and landed on the pond!

Good Morning!  "Honk! Honk!"

They were actually feeling rather frisky this morning too...

I wish these pictures were a little better, but it was still early and low light, so this is the best I can do...

Here they are again a little later in the morning...they were swimming around "Goose Island" and in the little cove that surrounds the island...

I love to watch them peacefully gliding about, enjoying the quietness of this little hidden cove...

I have to say, this is really my favorite time of the year...bright, cool, sunny days, with little to no humidity, and we can enjoy being outside without zillions of mosquitoes and other insects attacking us.  We were actually outside for a while this morning, as we went over to our church to help rake up all the fallen branches and Spanish moss and other debris left over from Hurricane Milton. I had planned to take a picture of it all, but was too busy handling the rake to get any pictures. There were  a LOT of branches to rake, but quite a few folks from the church showed up to help, and you know the old saying, "Many hands make light work."  It's great when people can come together to get these jobs done!

Anyway, I was happy to see that the geese were still here when we got back home so I could take a few pictures of them and watch them for a little while before time to fix lunch.

There are just four geese right now, but I have a feeling there will be more.  They tend to come in groups, and then the fun begins with rival males charging back and forth at each other.  It's quite entertaining!  So stay tuned for further adventures with the geese!

It's so nice and cool that we may soon be able to enjoy an evening around our kids' firepit, roasting marshmallows and making s'mores...well, actually very soon we will be doing that, however, not at their house, but up in the north Georgia mountains, where we are going to spend a few days together with our kids and also my hubby's brother and wife...hopefully seeing some beautiful autumn leaves and finding some fresh apples at the local orchards...and perhaps sipping some hot spiced apple cider and eating a few apple cider donuts...that's what's on my bucket list, anyway...and just enjoying some fun family times together.  Then we will end up the week going over to North Carolina, where we will attend the wedding of my great nephew...and get to see my brother Clifford and his family, as well as my sister and her family will be there, and some of the rest of our extended family.  So it will be a busy week, filled with happy times with family and the celebration of a new beginning for our great-nephew and his beloved.

I am very thankful to God for seeing us through these past few weeks with their storms and all that went along with that.  I am also thankful for my hubby's excellent report at the doctor this week, and thankful we were both physically able to help out this morning at our church with the raking. We look forward to a wonderful adventure next week with our family, and pray for safe travels to and from. I will most likely be writing again before we leave, but then once we are on the road I probably won't be able to do any blogging until we get home. It's better that way anyway, so I can focus on why we are there...to be with family and to relax and enjoy a little vacation.  

This was the verse that popped up in our devotions today:

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 NKJV

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

And here is another verse that I read today:

Psalm 103:17-18 The Living Bible

17-18 But the loving-kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to those who reverence him; his salvation is to children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant and remember to obey him!

Both are excellent thoughts for us to consider today.  I pray that you and yours are having a good week, and that you are also experiencing the "loving-kindness of the Lord".  Amen.

Wonderful Easter Surprise!

I cannot even begin to tell  you what a blessing and joyous surprise it was to get a call from our grandson (our ONLY grandchild) Noah this morning, telling us that he and his fiance' Dawn were here in Florida all the way from Maine, and that they were headed our way!!

To say I was surprised would be a great understatement! We haven't seen Noah since his graduation from high school about 5 years ago. And we had never officially met Dawn, except for a fleeting moment back at his graduation party, before she was his beloved fiance'.  The fact that they live in Maine and we live in Florida has made it difficult to plan any get togethers, and I was beginning to lament that we may never get to go up there again to see them...and I believe God heard my heart and decided to give us a very special blessing, totally unexpected. Wow! I can't begin to tell you just how thankful I am...and what an answer to prayer this is. Literally.

Anyway, of course we had to get together with Benton and Rose...especially since Noah was Benton's Best Man at their wedding almost 6 years ago.  That was a very special time indeed, as Noah was a senior in high school and had no experience in being a Best Man, and he did such a great job, giving a toast that sounded like a professional "toastmaster". This was very special especially because Noah was actually standing in for his father, our son Matthew, who had passed away in 2014 after a 4 year battle with cancer. 

Of course, in true Steiner man fashion, "Uncle Benton" couldn't let his young nephew stand so much taller than him, so here he's trying to measure up to Noah's 6'4".  Benton is about 6'1".  

We are especially so pleased to have this opportunity to get to know our future "grand-daughter in law" Dawn.  Our first impression is that God has chosen wisely the lovely young woman who is to become the newest Mrs. Steiner.  May God bless their union with His love and grace and peace.  No exact wedding date has been set yet, but I am told that it might be this summer...in Maine...so...we will be preparing for that possibility and looking forward to that wonderful occasion whenever it may be.

And so dear blogging friends, this is where I will be this weekend, enjoying our dear 'grandkids' and praising God for His unexpected blessings.  I am still pinching myself to be sure it's not a dream!

"17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting

On those who fear Him,

And His righteousness to children’s children,

18 To such as keep His covenant,

And to those who remember His commandments to do them."

Psalm 103:17-18

Happy Easter everyone!

 

Wednesday Treasures From My Grandparents

So, here it is Wednesday again, and a time to share with you some of my special "treasures"...things that I've saved from childhood, or other collections of particular items of interest. And after last night's debate (did you stay up and watch it to the "bitter end"? I did....wow, what a brawl!) I thought we might need something pleasant and sweet to look at this morning to take our minds off of the craziness.

 I wasn't sure what it would be for this week, until I thought of something that I hadn't seen in a while and wanted to pull it out of it's box in the closet and enjoy it for a little while.

Yes, that is a set of bunk beds, doll bunk beds to be specific, made especially for me by my Grandpa Mursch when I was a little girl. (My paternal grandpa).

He was a skilled craftsman, and built other nice toys and things for his other grandchildren too. I believe my sister had a lovely high-chair for her dollies. I'm not sure if she still has it, as when our family moved to Florida from Pennsylvania back in the 1950's, we had to leave some things behind in storage at my uncle's farm, and I'm not sure we ever got everything back from there that we had left behind.

But somehow I managed to keep my doll bunk beds. And I've managed to keep them well over 60 years, through many moves in my own adulthood.  I never had a little girl to play with them, so that is probably why they are still in such great shape.  

(P.S. After getting ready to post this, I realized that those bookshelves behind the doll bed were also built by my grandpa!! They hold my collection of favorite old antique books. Another treasure!)

My grandfather doesn't get all the credit for this lovely set.

My grandmother also had a part in making it so nice and comfy for my dollies.

She made the lovely mattresses for the beds:

This is a closeup of the sweet little rosebud pattern on the mattresses:

This the underside, where she stitched them together with pink yarn:

Now doesn't my little "Sandra" doll look comfy and cozy? You met Sandra HERE last week. She was lovingly created for me by my maternal grandma Tedlie. Maybe my grandmas got together and collaborated on these special gifts...I really don't know, but I am happy I still have them!

The cover on the mattress above is an old embroidered pillowcase, made by my husband's grandma, 

"Nanny Martin".  I thought it was cute to use as a sheet over the mattress.  So it seems I've gotten all the grandmas in the act here today! LOL.

But I actually wanted to focus on the things that came from my paternal grandparents.

Here they are in a more casual moment. I loved seeing this photo of them. I'd never really seen them this "playful" together before . Kind of gave me a new insight into their relationship.

Here is another treasure from my grandma.

She loved tea and teacups just like me. Or maybe I liked them just like her...probably that is the way it was...anyway, she gave me this delicate rosebud teacup and saucer one year for either my birthday or Christmas.  Isn't it lovely?  The pattern is "June Bouquet", by Duchess Bone China, made in England. My grandma must have also loved roses and rosebuds, since that is the pattern on the little doll bed mattresses as well as on this teacup!

And here is another special little treasure from my grandparents:

This is a Madame Alexander doll, "Wendy",  and she is so lovely in her pretty gold taffeta gown and brown velvet jacket. She used to have a little white fur muff and hat to go with the outfit, but they are long gone. She is a bit worse for the wear. This is the kind of Madame Alexander doll that could bend her legs at the knees. However, her little legs came apart and are no longer connected. I'm sure they could be restored with proper rubber bands and someone who knows what they are doing. But for now she must stay seated in the pretty glass bowl in the china cabinet. You will notice that she has red hair. That was because I also had red hair. I've probably had her since I was about seven or eight years old.

(I just noticed that there is a photo bomber in this picture! Ha ha. That was unplanned! The china closet has a mirrored back)

And this is another special little doll, "Ginger". I'm sure many of you remember the Ginny dolls.

She is also well loved and rather worn, but at least she still has her legs! LOL. Again, another special gift from my grandparents when I was a young girl.

One year for my birthday I received a lovely Cinderella Watch. (The watch is long gone). This pretty little china doll came with the watch. She has had her shares of calamities as well. I had to glue her head back on when she fell and broke her neck. Actually her arms were also broken when she fell, and it appears she had to be glued back together at her waist. Poor Cinderella! I do hope her Prince will come and love her just the way she is! She has had a very difficult life. But look! She's still smiling! Perhaps that young man with the bagpipes standing next to her is making her happy.

He must be a true Prince!

One last special treasure for this day:

This sweet little white teapot and teacup and saucer belonged to my Grandma. I didn't receive it until after she had passed away.  I'm not sure if my sister and I used this little set when we visited our Grandma as little girls. I do remember having a tea party on her front porch many, many years ago when we all still lived in Pennsylvania. Maybe my sister remembers better than I do. My memories from that far back are very fuzzy since I was still such a little girl.

The picture of the little girl having her breakfast with her Teddy Bear is a card that I found one time many years ago and loved it so much that I bought it and have kept it. I guess I like to pretend that was me once upon a time.

I hope you enjoyed this little walk back through my childhood memories. I hope to be sharing more about this particular Grandma in the next few months. She is the one I am focusing my genealogical research on since she was adopted as an infant. Her 125th birthday is coming up in December, and I am hoping to have a more complete story to tell about her by then. So stay tuned!

Here are some words of wisdom for those of us who are grandparents:

Deuteronomy 4:7-9

7.  "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, 

as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?

8.  And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?

9.  Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.

And teach them to your children and your grandchildren."

Also from Psalm 103:17-18

17.  "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting

on those who fear Him,

And His righteousness to children's children,

18.  To such as keep his covenant,

and to those who remember His commandments to do them."

The most important gift we can give our grandchildren is to teach them about the God Who loves them...about Jesus our Savior Who gave His life for them so that they can have eternal life and life more abundant.  My grandparents were devout Christian people who lived their lives as good stewards of the gifts He had given them. They were always active in their church, actually were founding members of their church when they moved to Florida and there was no church nearby where they lived. They were not showy or demonstrative people, but lived a peaceful, thoughtful life and set a good example for their children and their grandchildren. I appreciate that "gift" of living humbly and honestly before God most of all.

A Family Tradition (2011) ~UPDATED IN 2012 and 2016 and 2017

11/23/2017:  Just a  quick update...Today IS Thanksgiving...but we will have our big family gathering here on Saturday instead...and we will welcome some new faces, and miss others. This will be our first Thanksgiving with our new daughter in law Rose, and our first Thanksgiving without my mother in law Vivian, "Nanny", but she is still alive and well...just not able to be with us due to being in a nursing home and not able to travel very well.  It will be a wonderful day, filled with laughter, good food, and thankfulness of just being together.  God is so good.  Hug your family today and give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!!

11/22/2016:    Here we are, just a couple more days until Thanksgiving...and I was thinking about the wonderful times we had back at my old family home before my parents left this world for their heavenly home.  This post was originally written in 2011, updated in 2012...and now in 2016 we are still carrying on those wonderful family traditions.  It seems that OUR house has become the family gathering place for holiday dinners since our move out here to the woods in 2012.  The faces are sometimes the same as before, and then other years it may be a whole different crowd as the extended family establishes their own traditions with their in-laws and outlaws, etc....you know how it goes.  But some things never change...and that is the love that is shared between loved ones and friends, parents, children, siblings, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and special friends who are just like family.  The important thing is to be thankful for all that God has done...and to cherish every opportunity to be together.  Don't let anything mar your time together...politics (especially THIS election year), differences of opinion, broken relationships, unforgiving spirits, "religion", fads...or any other crazy idea that could hurt your special time together.  We never know when this could be the last time we will all be together...so put aside self...and embrace one another in love and peace...and give thanks with a grateful heart. 

11/20/2012:
THIS WAS WRITTEN THIS TIME LAST YEAR (2011) AS I WAS ANTICIPATING MY FIRST THANKSGIVING WITHOUT EITHER OF MY PARENTS STILL LIVING...THIS YEAR IS STILL THE SAME, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE LORD FOR THE WONDERFUL MEMORIES AND BEAUTIFUL TRADITIONS ESTABLISHED BY MY DEAR PARENTS AGAIN...THEIR LEGACY OF LOVE LIVES ON IN EACH OF US...

Original Post, Thanksgiving 2011

Psalm 103:17-18  “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.”

Back during our ministry days we spent many holidays far away from our extended family due to the distance involved to get back home, and also the fact that our place of ministry often required that we stay close by to participate in the holiday activities of the church.  Once our own children began to leave the nest  they weren't always able to get back home to us for all of the holidays.  Therefore, we often either invited local people to our home for the holiday meal, or we were invited to spend the day with others in the area. 

After spending one such Thanksgiving Day at the home of distant relatives who happened to live in the same area, and without all of our own children at home with us,  I made note in my journal that everything was wonderful, “but somehow something was missing…I guess the familiar traditions of my own family dinners.”  I went on to say,

“What is it about us humans…we have to have things just the same year after year to ‘feel right’?  We are creatures of habit and tradition, and in many ways that is good.  It gives us security and warm cozy feelings…happy memories to share with our children and grandchildren, a link to our heritage, even all the way back to Adam and Eve. 

Actually God established traditions, customs and holy days for His people so that His truth would be passed down from generation to generation.  Because of this heritage we have learned God’s Word, and have heard of His great love for us all.  So, all tradition is not a bad thing when it is used properly.”

My Mom and Dad...Our Last Thanksgiving  all together in 2005

The family guys all playing a new game..."Cornhole"...
that's the name, honest!

I guess I am waxing a bit nostalgic as we approach Thanksgiving next week (! Already?) Since the passing of my father this past spring, this will be the first Thanksgiving that we celebrate without both of my parents.  Tradition runs deep in my family, and so much of our annual rituals and  activities were learned in my parents' home.  That particular house is no longer available to us, as we closed that door on that home this past summer and turned the keys over to another family, and after over 54 years of my family living there, it just seems very strange that I cannot go back and walk right in the door and hug and kiss my parents and smell the pies baking and the turkey roasting and hear the mixture of laughter ringing in the hallways and the mixer whirring and a fire crackling while Lionel Trains were chugging around the track entertaining the young and old alike.  There will be no men,(my brothers, husband, brother in law, sons or my father) calling to each other out back while playing horseshoes, or little children running in and out the back door and someone yelling at them to close that door because they are letting all the cool air out (or in, as the case may be).  There will be no women, (my sister, sisters in law, nieces, aunts, grandparents, cousins, or my dear mother) busily setting the table, peeling or mashing the potatoes, washing the dishes, arranging the table centerpiece, finding the best dishes and serving spoons, counting the places at the table and figuring where on earth everyone is going to sit. 



Family

More family



and more family

The family was gathered together to start saying goodbye as
some were leaving for home...

No, all these memories will just have to remain here in my mind...I can picture them all vividly as I write this. I can hear their voices, see their faces, and remember how precious they all were to me.  I wonder if I ever stopped to realize that when they were still present?  Probably not...I was just too busy enjoying the food, fun and laughter to allow myself to think that it would ever end.

So now I have to face the fact that it is the time to move forward...begin anew with our own families, friends, and traditions.  It will never be the same again...but that doesn't mean it all has to end.  Now is when we pick up where our parents left off...and establish the memories that will someday carry our children and their children on to their own homes and futures. I guess one could say that this is definitely a case for "Closed doors, Open Windows"....

Yes, next week will certainly be different for me, and I am already shedding a few tears just thinking about it. I know that life will go on, and we will continue to celebrate year after year, welcoming new faces and traditions...but we will carry the memories of our precious loved ones in our hearts always...and pass on the treasures of our wonderful heritage to any who will listen.

My Dad, Playing Horseshoes back in the good old days...
Now THAT'S a picture I'll NEVER forget!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
..cherish the moments together...
make every minute count! 
Laugh, Love, and Live!!!