"Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles~
it takes away today's peace." ~unknown

“Love is the key.
 Joy is love singing. 
Peace is love resting. 
Patience is love enduring. 
Kindness is love's truth. 
Goodness is love's character.
Faithfulness is love's habit. 
Gentleness is love's self-forgetfulness. 
Self-control is love being the reins”
― Donald Grey Barnhouse

Quote from Brennan Manning

The Creation of Adam  (Michelangelo)

"I want neither a terrorist spirituality that keeps me in a perpetual state of fright about being in right relationship with my heavenly Father nor a sappy spirituality that portrays God as such a benign teddy bear that there is no aberrant behavior or desire of mine that he will not condone. I want a relationship with the Abba of Jesus, who is infinitely compassionate with my brokenness and at the same time an awesome, incomprehensible, and unwieldy Mystery."

The Cloud Farm Rock Quarry

On Saturday, I stayed back at the RV while everyone else went on a hike to the quarry.  This quarry has been said to be a den of copperheads and rattlesnakes.  I thought I should maybe pray for protection for my dear ones.  I checked facebook first and there was a post from Teresa Harrison.  She quoted Isaiah 51:1:

"...Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined." (NLT)

I sat back and thought about how much fun they were having climbing on the rocks.  I thought about where these precious children came from and once again was amazed at what gifts they are.

Love these last two lines of the poem, "The Old Astronomer to His Pupil": 

"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

                                          ~from a poem by Sarah Williams about John Brashear

Grandpa Thiessen's 1st Tractor~Mother's Day 2012

Miles LOVES the old John Deere!

                                                             Lili on the tractor swing

EASY FRENCH BREAD RECIPE

1 1/4  c. warm water
1 t. shortening
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and add 1/2 c. flour.  Let stand for 15 minutes. Knead in 2 1/2 c. flour.  Place in lightly greased covered bowl, turning once to grease surface.  Work down every 10 minutes, 4 or 5 times.  Roll up as jelly roll and place on greased pan.  Let rise until double and slit surface 3 or 4 times.  Combine 1 egg white with 1 T. water and gently brush on bread.  Bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees.
(I adapted a recipe from the Koerner Heights Church cookbook--thank you, Donita Eck!)

Easter Sunday Baptism

"A child is a precious gift from God.
Baptism is God's gift-wrapping." ~unknown

Password to view the videos:  Psalm23

Sophie reading the Apostle's Creed before her baptism from Julie Thiessen on Vimeo.

Easter Sunday Baptism~Sophie from Julie Thiessen on Vimeo.

I love these 2 boys...

So amazed at how much an 11 year old Mason likes to play with a 2 year old Miles:

Tuesdays at Zamma's

Suadade~A New Word

I ran across a new word today while I was reading. I looked it up and found out that it is a Portuguese word that is "untranslatable". Here is what wiki says about the word:

Suadade is a unique Galician-Portuguese word that has no immediate translation in English. Saudade describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for an absent something or someone that one loves. It often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never return. It's related to the feelings of longing, yearning.

But I love how it goes on to try to explain what the word means.

"the love that remains"

Finally, a word to describe the feelings I have had this week as it has been 10 years since Papa Ben left us. "I miss you too much"~

"Eu sinto muitas saudades tuas"

MILES & LILI RACING--Toot Scoot vs. Bicycle

Taking down Christmas

Every year I dread taking down the tree.  Not so with my sister Lena and friend Loretta.  Loretta told me she took down her tree before her girls woke up one Christmas Day! I hear that Christmas decorations are not to be taken down until epiphany.  Well, that puts it way into January.  Fine with me.  Mine are staying up.

 Great memory of making gingerbread cookies with Miles & Lilian

 Mom's old ornaments:

Sophie & her new camera

Sophie seems to be a little obsessed with her new camera. She especially loves the special effects. Lili is already sick of having her picture taken and screams when Sophie comes near with the thing. I will post some of her first pictures she took--

Miles singing the ABC song

I'll put this on my blog. I have a feeling if I post ONE more picture or video of my grandkids on Facebook, my friends are going to start de-friending me. I just happen to love this kid to pieces and I think everything he does is darn cute!

Phos Hilaron (O Gladsome/Joyous Light)

Melanie--

I could not facebook or email you these pictures for some reason, but I was able to upload them to my blog. This is the perfect room for a home for your painting...

**This slipper chair is the softest leather. It is like sitting on a marshmallow. Michael thinks it looks like Angelina Jolie's lips!

Scrambled Henfruit: Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Do these cookies ever sound good: (Katie Busenitz posted the recipe on Facebook)

Scrambled Henfruit: Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies: I am not a bossy person by nature. I pretty much go with the flow- I'm a middle child for heaven's sake. But I'm going to tell you to do ...

The Grandkids' school pictures 2011~2012

While we wait for her re-take (I guess she was not happy with her first school pic try):

Mason~5th grade

Sophie~Kindergarten
Chloe~waiting on a retake

Quotes by Seneca

“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” ~ Seneca

The greatest loss of time is delay and expectation, which depend upon the future. We let go the present, which we have in our power, and look forward to that which depends upon chance, and so relinquish a certainty for an uncertainty.

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, (4 BC - 65) Roman Philosopher & Playwright

---

Bike ride stuff

I love to look at all the beautiful front doors on my bike rides in the morning. I always wondered why I could see chaise lounge chairs and sunlite through these windowed doors. I looked it up on Google earth.

Amazing--there is a pool right inside those front doors. How fun would that be?

All is Grace - a new book by Brennan Manning

A link to a story...

http://www.marinerschurch.org/theshack/av/tuesday-video.html

This is the marvelous behind-the-scenes story of The Shack. If you want to hear about the soul (the shack) of the author, William P. Young, then take time out to listen to this 73 minute story. It will bless your soul (your own shack).

My bird nest

//melanie-eagspot.com/2011/07/now-that-hot-month-of-june-is-over.html

It was fun to read about the meaning of colors after I drew this bird nest. These are some things about the colors of my eggs and birds in my nests:

yellow & pink: (Michele)
intellectual energy
pure, bright and sunny
energy of a bright, sunny day
active and alert mind
sharp memory and concentration skills
ability to express themselves
(Pink wings: neutralize disorder; lover of beauty)

green: (KT)
learning, growth and harmony
symbolizes money
desire to expand or increase
ability to sustain changes
(purple wings: imagination and inspiration)

red (JT)
passionate love
color of blood: symbolizes life and survival
focus on the essence of life
(turquoise wings: confidence & strength)

silver & black (Cody)
black (wings)--threatening unknown; mysterious; power, strength and depth
silver--witty; "mirror of the soul"

blue & brown (Matt)
brown (wings)--connection with the natural earth; stay in the background; stability
blue--calming; truth; new information; solitude and peace

gold & orange (Melanie)
orange (wings)--curiosity and exploration of new things; creativity; adjusts to changes
gold--has warmth that silver does not have; extravagance; bright & cheerful; valuable; favored person

Sophie: green, especially the love of nature
Lili: pink, especially the lover of beauty
Miles: yellow, especially the energy of a bright, sunny day
Chloe: turquoise (combines the light blue of the sky with the invigorating green of the seas)

"more to do with feeling and creative expression than with rational thought"
Mason: blue & orange (peace and exploration)

Look who I found in my closet:

Lili-Belle!

RV trip to Dr. Brooks' Lake--June 2011

Dr. Brooks & Matt

(Click to enlarge)

CLYDE!!

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Darin Unruh's Amazing Story!

Darin is KT's cousin's son--Dave & Betty Unruh. He is such an inspiration!

A few more pictures from the Vista Farm

I'm pretty sure this tree has been growing in this car for a pretty long time:

This one, too:

I love peonies

The wild roses were in full bloom at the Vista Farm--they were just beautiful!

Peonies from the little Oliver Farm:

Peonies on Cody's Grandfather's Vista, MO farm