Special "Celebrations" and Blessings

 Good Sunday Morning...the First Sunday in Lent for 2026!  This first part of the post will be a "repost" from years past as a devotional reading for today.  Then I will follow up with some current events...

(This photo was taken in our previous neighborhood several years ago)

Good Morning!  As we continue along in our journey through the Lenten season in preparation for the remembrance of Christ's ultimate sacrifice on the cross on our behalf, I would like to revisit this post from many years ago.  Praying that it will be a blessing to you today as well...


Original Post 3/11/2011:

I love to sing the old hymns of the faith...and I want to keep them alive for future generations.  This morning in my devotional time with my husband, we focused on this old hymn as a prayer:

"Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night,

Jesus, I come, Jesus I come;

Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,

Jesus, I come to Thee;

Out of my sickness into Thy health,

Out of my want and into Thy wealth,

Out of my sin and into Thyself,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of my shameful failure and loss,

Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;

Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,

Jesus, I come to Thee;

Out of earth's sorrows into Thy balm,

Out of life's storms and into Thy calm,

Out of distress to jubilant psalm,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of unrest and arrogant pride,

Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;

Into Thy blessed will to abide,

Jesus, I come to Thee;

Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,

Out of despair into raptures above,

Upward for aye on wings like a dove,

Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,

Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;

Into the joy and light of my home,

Jesus, I come to Thee;

Out of the depths of ruin untold,

Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,

Ever Thy glorious face to behold,

Jesus, I come to Thee."

Written by William T. Sleeper, 1819-1904

Wow! Doesn't that hymn speak to you?  This is one of those songs that we often would sing as a prayer of commitment and surrender at the close of a church service.  Even though these words were penned by the composer over one hundred years ago, they are still applicable and powerful to me today.

During this Lenten Season, rather than focus on what you are giving up, why not consider what new insights you can glean from God's Word, the faithful messages found in the hymns of our faith, and other devotional writings as God leads you.  Then, share those thoughts with others throughout your day...whether by email, Facebook, notes written in cards, or by word of mouth in your conversations with friends and loved ones. If we could manage to share a word of encouragement and hope with another person each day, what a difference there would be in our world!

Have a glorious day...and give someone a real hug today.  God bless you real good! (((((HUGS)))))

Back to the present, Feburary 22, 2026...I love that picture of Jesus hugging that woman above, don't you? It makes me think of several things...one, how He holds us and cares for us now, during our times of sorrow and grief and pain, and secondly, how He will welcome us into heaven one day, when all of our sorrow and grief and pain will be over.  What a glorious day that will be!  This afternoon we will be celebrating the life of one of our dear friends from our church...(She's the one who made that beautiful shawl for me HERE).  She went to be with Jesus after her 2&1/2 year battle with cancer, and I can well imagine Kim being held in the arms of Jesus just like that as she entered heaven's gates. I am so happy for her, but very sad for her dear husband and parents and family. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

On another happier note, yesterday we had a different kind of celebration...the celebration of my sister Doris' and her hubby Art's 60th wedding anniversary!  We gathered with friends and family at a wonderful restaurant about an hour and half's drive from us, but well worth the trip to be with family and celebrate this happy occasion!  Here's the pictures:

Art and Doris, 60 happy years of wedded "bliss"...

My sister Doris is wearing the antique lavalier necklace that belonged to our maternal grandmother. She also wore this at their wedding as "something old", and so did I and every other bride in our family since my mother inherited it from her mother. It's a "family tradition" that I love. Doris is the "keeper of the lavalier" nowadays, and someday she will pass it down to her daughter to be used in all future generations of brides marrying into our family.

Sisters!!

Family...too busy eating to show their faces! LOL.  I was very neglectful in getting everyone to look  up, and sadly we forgot to get a group photo of the whole family together...we were all too busy enjoying our dinner and time together!

Here's my part of the family...my hubby is appalled at this picture...sorry, honey, I caught you with your mouth full!  Oh, and Scott was unable to attend. He lives a bit too far away to drive this distance from his place and back.

And this is my hubby's brother Billy and his wife Peggy. 

This restaurant, "Cook's Buffet", in Deland, Florida, is well known for it's wonderful salad and vegetable bar and meat buffet, with choices of leg of lamb, roast beef, chicken, ham, etc., that they carve off the bone and serve you.

This is my plate... I had been looking forward to the leg of lamb ever since I knew we were going there. This restaurant used to be called "Holiday House", and there used to be a chain of them in central Florida when I was growing up.  Now there is just this one, but it is owned by the same people who founded it, and the food is all just like it was when I was a child and we used to go there with my grandparents years and years ago!  Here is the website, in case you want to know their history.

(website photo)

It was a very wonderful celebration of two dear people, and we give thanks to the Lord for their life and testimony of God's grace and love.

On our way back home we did a little journey down memory lane and took a little side trip to two places where we had previously lived while serving churches in that area.  I took pictures of the houses, but not the churches...here's the first one:

This is the Parsonage at First Baptist Church of Pierson, Florida, where we lived while serving at that church. That front porch is new since we lived there.

And this was a manufactured home we had "built" and placed on this lot in Whispering Pines, Georgetown, FL., while we served at another church nearby, Beulah Baptist in Fruitland, FL.

These were both homes during special seasons of our life, and we give thanks to God for the blessings He bestowed upon us and for the privilege of serving Him during that time.

Well, it's time to get a move on and get ready for church today. Retired now from the pastoral ministry, but still serving the Lord any way He leads us.

Here's some thoughts from Psalm 139 to consider for today's prayer...

"1  O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

5 You have hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

23  Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting."

Amen

Mother's Day 2022

Happy Mother's Day everyone! I know, it's almost over, but I've been busy enjoying it all day long and just now had time to sit down and tell you about it!

It started out this morning with beautiful skies over Still Waters Pond:

The sun rises on the other side of the house, so what we get on the west side in the morning is actually a reflection on the clouds from the east...

And this is what it looked like in the eastern sky:

Oh, by the way...that lot across the street has been seeing a lot of action lately. They are preparing the ground and measuring the boundaries and getting it ready for a new home to be delivered sometime in the near future.  So I guess we'll be getting some new neighbors soon. I am praying for them to be really "good neighbors".  And perhaps I need to pray that I will be a good neighbor too. Who knows who that might be and how our lives may somehow interact in the future?  We just never know...so it's a good idea to pray.

Speaking of neighbors...while I was out front looking at the sunrise, I didn't know I had company arrive on the back lawn by the pond...

I came around the house after having put out some fresh bird seed a few minutes before (now mind, you this is all before 7:00 a.m., just in case you are wondering), and here was Mr. Canada Goose standing there enjoying the bird seed on the ground.  He didn't even seem to mind that I suddenly showed up and started talking to him softly.  Then I noticed we weren't alone...there was another down by the shore heading our way...

It didn't take long for him or her to make his way up the bank to join his friend at the bird seed:

But that's not all!!! Here came another one!!!

All the while I am standing right there on the ground next to them, talking softly and taking pictures. They kind of chattered a bit back and forth, but didn't start honking or acting nervous at all. They seemed right at home with me and I have a feeling if I had put seeds in my hand they may have even come and eaten out of my hand...

but, being it was Mother's Day morning, and I had to get ready for church and the festivities beyond, I didn't want to risk having my hand crunched in the beak of a Canada Goose today. You just never know what they may decided to do, so I refrained from doing anything too crazy.  

I got to wondering...these three keep hanging around and come and go like they own the place. Could they possibly be the young goslings that were born here last spring? Click HERE for part of that story,  and HERE for the happier ending to the saga.  I mean, they could be those same three goslings all grown up.  We've had 5 geese here off and on all spring...which could be the parents and these three...but who knows?  God knows.  I like to think they are our own "babies" grown up and that's why they are so comfortable here.

 Gee, I kind of felt like "Mother Goose" on this Mother's Day morning...

Now, to skip over to later this afternoon, I was spending a little time in the Secret Memorial Garden.  And I saw this "critter" resting on the gate of the Secret Garden...

I guess he was "longing for a mind at rest and heart that cannot harden..."

And then just a few minutes ago as the sun is going down, I looked out the window and saw our pretty bob-tailed Cardinal stopping by for some supper...

The lighting was getting dim, so the picture isn't real good, but you can see this is the fella that is missing his tail feathers.  But it doesn't seem to stop him from getting around just fine.

You know what they say about Cardinals visiting...well, I kind of like the thought that he is a frequent visitor to remind me of someone special in heaven.  That's just fine with me...

Anyway, back to this morning.  We did get ready in time for Sunday School and church and had a really beautiful morning in God's house.  Our Sunday School class was kind of fun and interesting. We were each asked to think of a "mother" in the Bible and we each shared whichever one we could think of and their particular story. Of course as we worked our way around the table with each one sharing their choice person, if someone before you picked the one you were thinking of you would have to pick another. I was the last in line and had to change my choice several times by the time it got to me. But even so, there were still more Bible Mothers to list that we didn't cover. How many can YOU think of?

And then our Pastor had a great message about some mothers in the Bible, and he admitted that our class had "stolen some of his thunder" by already talking about some of the ones he had decided to preach about. (He also attends our S.S. Class), but even so he had a great message, and you can listen to it here if you want to.  But first you have to listen to our choir singing 

"This World is Not My Home I'm Just a Passing Through".

This world is not my home, I’m just a passing thru.

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Refrain:

O Lord, you know I have no friend like you, if heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do

The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

They’re all expecting me, and that’s one thing I know

My Savior pardoned me and now I onward go

I know He’ll take me thru though I am weak and poor

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord, you know I have no friend like you, if heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do

The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

I have a loving mother up in glory land,

I don’t expect to stop until I shake her hand

She’s waiting now for me in heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord, you know I have no friend like you, if heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do

The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Just up in glory land we’ll live eternally

The saints on every hand are shouting victory

Their song of sweetest praise drift back from heaven’s shore

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord, you know I have no friend like you, if heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do

The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

I hope you enjoyed singing along with us!

Now on to what happened next!

Mother's Day Dinner!! Prepared by my kids!

We came home from church (and got comfortable) and put together what they had planned...

Fresh fruit salad, Tossed Salad, Corn on the Cob (fresh!), Deviled Eggs, and Grilled Chicken!

And brownies and ice cream for dessert.

And we invited our friend "Pamela" over to join us. She will be leaving soon to go back up north for the summer, and having no family here to celebrate Mother's Day with, she was happy to be adopted as an honorary mother for the day!

And so we two Pamela's enjoyed being treated to a delicious lunch!

I love this pretty arrangement of hyacinths (that are still getting ready to bloom) and other sweet little gifts and cards.  

All in all it was a delightful day

and I am blessed.

I know this doesn't look like much right now. It isn't really finished, but my gift to myself was these two lantana plants that will attract butterflies. I hope to get a few more of either these or other butterfly type plants and start a butterfly garden around the bird bath area. So this is a work in progress that I started this afternoon (after my nap).  

Okay, that's my day! I hope your day was filled with joy and blessing in one way or another. 

I realize Mother's Day isn't always perfect for everyone. But I hope no matter what your situation in regard to motherhood or honoring our mothers might be, I pray you know how much you are loved and valued by God Himself.  He loves you with an everlasting love and cherishes every thing about you. 

One of my most favorite Psalms is Psalm 139. It helps us to know just how well God knows us and how much He cares about us.

"1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

5 You have hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”

Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!

Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20 For they speak against You wickedly;

Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting."

Have a wonderful week, my friend.

You are loved.

"I Was In His Mind"

I was thinking about this song from back in the 70's or 80's, anyway, a long time ago. I remember singing it as a solo in church way back when:

"I was in His mind before the worlds were made,

I was in His mind before earth's frame was laid,

because He knew me, because He loved me!

I was in His thoughts the night He prayed for me,

I was in His thoughts before Gethsemane,

because He saw me,

because He loved me!

I was in His heart when Calv'ry's hill He climbed,

I was in His heart when he died for all mankind,

because He sought me, because He loved me!

I am in His mind, and soon He'll come for me,

I am in His mind with Him in heav'n to be,

because He wants me, because He loves me,

because He loves me!"

(written by Jane LaRowe, copyright 1970)

Did you ever think about God knowing you way back before the worlds were made, even before earth's frame was laid? Wow! Can that be?  And then to think that I was in His thoughts when He was praying in the garden of Gethsemane...and in His heart when He died on Calvary...but it gets even better yet...I am still in His mind, and one day He is coming back to take me to be with Him forever in heaven! And not just me...but you too, and everyone who believes in Jesus as Savior and Lord!

Psalm 139 says:

"1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

5 You have hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”

Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!

Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20 For they speak against You wickedly;

Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting."

I find this very comforting during these days of Lent and preparing our hearts for the celebration of Easter once again, which will be here before we know it. Jesus knew me when He went to Calvary to die for me and for you. He knew you, and He loved us enough to die for us. 

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me! It is high, I cannot attain it!"

This week we have had several examples of God's love displayed for us. I can't go into the details, but I can only say that we are very very thankful for His provision and also for His protection in regards to members of our family. I can only say, "Our God is an awesome God!" and we are most grateful.

Amen.

Friday Foto Friends are over at The Adventures of Lily Grace today.  Won't you come join us?

Friday Fotos Are Always A Surprise To Me!

Friday Fotos always end up being a surprise to me.  As of Thursday morning, I had no new pictures to share. It seemed like there was nothing worth looking at to even take a picture, plus it was raining.

We tried to go take a morning walk, and it started pouring on us, so we had to hurry back into the car before we got soaked.

 After the rain stopped I walked around outside to see what I could see, and I did see something really special! This lovely rosebud was drenched in raindrops (one of "My Favorite Things"....remember? "Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens..."? (Julie Andrews, Sound of Music, for those of you who may need a little extra jog to your memory)

Again, this is a rose from the "Memorial Garden Rosebush" that we brought with us from our previous home. It had been a gift in memory of our son, so I didn't want to leave it behind.

After the sun came out the rose bud began to open up even wider, 

and so I decided to cut it and bring it inside where I can enjoy it every day while it lasts:

There it sits in my mother's beautiful green glass vase, next to a picture of our son Matthew.

I always say "Thank you" to Matthew when this rose blooms, because I feel like it is a gift from him from heaven. 

Thursday, April 30, 2020 was also the first anniversary of my oldest brother Russell's passing after a hard fought battle with leukemia.  So he was very much on my heart and mind all day as well.
This picture of him below was before he got sick, standing beside the boat that he was building. He didn't get to finish the boat before he had to sail away into heaven's harbor.  I'm thinking that he and my son Matthew might just be fishing in heaven today...they both loved fishing, and if there is fishing in heaven, they've found all the good spots!

Now changing scenes a bit.  Can you see the baby bird in this picture below?

No? Well, how about this closer up view?  Trust me, he's there, right behind those big green leaves and next to the tree trunk.  How do I know? Well I saw him fluttering around in there after he had actually come and tried to get into my little den window while I was sitting here typing on the computer. I heard this tapping on the window pane, and looked up and saw this very young Cardinal flapping his wings and trying so hard to come into that window. By the time I could grab my camera he was gone, but I went outside and saw some activity in this tree:

And then I also saw this very stern looking male cardinal, most likely the father, staring at me and then flying around trying to distract me and get his fledgling child to get a move on before the human got too close.  After a flurry of excitement between the father and the mother, I eventually saw them all three fly off to another tree and then on to the woods on the other side of our property. Most likely they will be keeping him away from my window from now on...but I'll bet they'll be back to the bird feeder in the yard! I will be watching as often as possible without disturbing them too much.

I first showed you this picture below last year right when we were in the process of moving to this house.  This was the view from our front porch, to a beautiful big magnolia tree in the lot across the street.

Well, this was the view of that same tree in the bright sunshine, but I wanted to show you that it is now blooming...you can't see too many of the blossoms in this picture, but there are blossoms all around this tree...

Here's one just getting ready to open...

And here's one that is already wide open...

 And here are several looking up through the branches, some open,  and some about to open...

I am really enjoying seeing all the beautiful magnolias blooming all around our area right now. Seems like there is a magnolia tree in just about every yard!  They are so pretty. 

Now these pictures are for my sister Doris...she gave me this coleus plant last year for my birthday not long after we moved here...and it is really going to town now with new growth. 

I never knew how interesting a coleus bush could be, but their leaves are just beautiful.

 Such interesting color and patterns!! I need to transplant it and perhaps break off some of the long branches and root them and make more plants. But remember, I'm not the sister with the green thumb...she is...so I may wait until she can come visit and show me what to do...That's how she taught me how to sew...I'd try to do something difficult, and when I couldn't figure it out, I'd ask her to help me and she would show me how to do it by doing it for me...Isn't that what big sisters are for???

I am blessed to have such a patient big sister. Speaking of family, and in memory of my brother Russell, I thought I'd share a few family pictures with you:

L to R:  "The Stair-Steps" Russell, Clifford, Doris, Pam (me! "The Little Redhead") with our Dad and Mom behind us. 

Probably around the same year: Me on the front, my brother Clifford on the back behind me, Russell and Doris (in our farm home in Pennsylvania)

Our first Christmas in our new home in Florida, Me, Doris, Russell, Clifford, hanging our stockings with care.  I don't think those stockings are going to hold much!

My Dad built this house in 1957, and my parents lived there until they both had passed away. It was sold, after belonging to our family for 54 years, to a neighbor who knew and loved my parents and loved their house. It was a very special home built with much love. I miss it...but I miss the people that lived and loved there even more.

A Mursch Family Portrait Easter, 2005

Back row: Russell, me, Clifford, Doris

Mom and Dad on front.

The last Easter we were all together before my Mother passed away the next year on May 7, 2006.

The Mursch Siblings after our Father's funeral,  May, 2011

Me, Clifford, Russell, Doris

The Mursch Siblings June, 2014 at my son Matthew's Memorial Service

Russell, Clifford, Doris, Pam...and believe it or not, we didn't plan our outfits to match!!! 

We've done that a lot in our lives. 

Sadly, our last sibling picture together, April 27, 2019

Doris, Pam, Russell, Clifford

Thankfully we all got to be together that one last time.

Not trying to be melancholy here, but just thinking about how many people are not able to be with their loved ones right now due to this Covid 19, and many have not been able to say goodbye to those who have passed on because of it. It really makes us stop and count our blessings, but also reminds us to make every moment count together because we never know when it will be our last time together.

Okay, back to something more pleasant to think about:

Hubby wanted some Hot Dogs and Baked Beans for supper. That made me think about having "brown bread" with the baked beans, which is a New England thing.  The problem is I didn't think about it early enough to get the bread done in time for supper, as hubby likes to eat kind of early.  So the bread finished baking about an hour later, and now (written on Thursday night) it is cooling and waiting for me to have some for dessert!!  I am going to go slice a piece and put some butter on it and eat it for my snack while it is still warm.  It smells SO good!!

Here's the recipe I followed in case you are interested.  Those of you who make your bread without the benefit of a bread machine probably know what to do and when to do it. I mix up the ingredients, put it in the pan, push the start button and let it do the work for me. 

Brown Bread Recipe

(for Bread Machine)

1&1/2 Cups warm water

3/4 Cup Oatmeal

1/3 Cup Molasses

2 Tablespoons Butter, cut into small chunks

Place all of above ingredients in the bread pan while you mix up the dry ingredients:

3 Cups Bread Flour (I use King Arthur)

1 &1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Add above dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients already in the bread pan.

Make a little "well" in the top of the flour and add 2 Teaspoons of Bread Machine Yeast.

Set the Bread Machine for the Whole Wheat Setting and press "Start"! 

The whole process should take about 3 3/4 hours from start to finish.

Yeah, It's good!! It's Really Good!

I apologize if my post made you a little sad. That was not my intention. As I said in the beginning, "Friday Fotos always end up being a surprise to me."  When I started writing this tonight (Thursday), I had no idea what I would write or what photos I would share.  I guess I kind of meandered around in this post a bit, but some days are just like that, aren't they?

We don't always know what each day has in store for us.  But rest assured, God knows.

That reminds me of one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 139. I won't quote the whole Psalm here as it is quite long. Perhaps I will just share a few of the more pertinent verses to what I am trying to say:

Psalm 139

"1.  O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

2.  You know my sitting down and my rising up.

You understand my thought afar off.

3.  You comprehend my path and my lying down,

and are acquainted with all my ways.

4.  For there is not a word on my tongue,

but behold, O Lord,

You know it altogether."

13.  "For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother's womb.

14.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

and that my soul knows very well.

15.  My frame was not hidden from You,

when I was made in secret,

and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16.  Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

the days fashioned for me,

when as yet there were none of them.

17.  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18.  If I should count them, they would be more in number 

than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You."

23.  "Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24.  And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting."

Amen.

This is a good place to say good night...or good morning if you are just reading this Friday morning.  (Which will be MAY DAY!!!)   It is kind of late now (Thursday evening, the last day of April!) so I think I will wait and post it in the morning.  Who knows? I may think of something else to say by then! (I hope not. I think I've said enough for one post!)  YES, I THOUGHT OF SOMETHING...IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF MAY!!!!  Good bye April, Hello May. I sure hope May will be a better month than April was! Can I get an amen?

Have a blessed and beautiful weekend my friends. Count your blessings, and remember, God is always with us. He knows our every thought and what is on our hearts.  We can trust Him to take care of any anxieties we may have. So just relax and let Him take charge of your day!!