His mercies are new every morning
Hello everyone!
Today’s post is a guessing game! I took this picture a while ago, and then I cropped a portion of it. Try to guess what it is of.
This Friday (April 6th) I will post the original picture, and you can compare it with your answer. Happy guessing! :)
Last weekend, we went on a family trip to Arkansas, and stayed in a cabin for a few days. It was a blast! The cabin we stayed in was truly out in the middle of nowhere. There was not a house in sight. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous! We enjoyed spending time relaxing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and going on walks. We also watched movies and played games at night. I got quite a few pictures from our time, so here are some of them:
Austin and Jonathan couldn’t wait to get out and burn off their extra energy. They hit the rope swing within minutes of arriving! :)
We four elder family members enjoyed a quiet time of reading and relaxing. :)
One of my highlights of the weekend was kayaking. We have two kayaks and a canoe, so if four people squeeze into the canoe and the other two take the kayaks, we can all go as family. I had a turn in the big yellow kayak. :)
We kayaked/canoed to a cave and explored it a bit – the cave went back pretty far!
We actually had to stay there in the cave for a while because it started raining! :) Thankfully the rain didn’t last very long.
The next morning, we went on a family walk. Austin stopped to look at some rocks.
I like the rays of sunlight in this picture.
Austin and Jonathan about ready to head out on a fishing expedition with Daddy.
And yes, they did catch some fish. This is Austin’s first fish – it’s pretty small compared to some of the fish they caught!
Fishing off the dock. We could even see the fish in the water, swimming around the hook.
When standing at the top of the stairs, Wesley said he felt like Caesar addressing the crowd. :)
We kids make a “romantic breakfast” for Mom and Daddy. There was a small table upstairs. It just fit two people, so it worked out nicely!
Oh my – either this chair is not working properly, or Jonathan just has a very unusual way of getting comfortable. :)
I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have fun and enjoy each other! It was an incredibly sweet weekend!
I would like to start posting a monthly update around the middle of each month. That way, I can always cover the month’s highlights, even though sometimes I post more faithfully than others! I’ll just post a few pictures and highlights and end with a thought-provoking or encouraging piece of literature, poem, song, or Scripture.
So, with those things said, here is my first monthly post entitled “March blessings”, hence the name of my blog. :) I hope you enjoy it!
– A few days ago, I unwrapped a chocolate and this is what the wrapper said:
This is good advice. We can never re-live a moment. It reminds me of an Irish proverb: “Dance as if no one were watching, sing as if no one were listening, love as if you’ve never been hurt, live every day as if it were your last.” :)
– I was recently inspired by some friends of ours to read The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s a very, very long book, but I’m determined to finish all 1,462 pages of it by the end of this summer. I’ve already read about 200 pages and so far, it’s been great!
– It’s hard to believe that I’m over halfway done with school for the year. My college classes have been just the right challenge for me: not too hard, but definitely not easy!
– It’s biking season!!! We just got out our bikes this past week, and have started using them on trails nearby. We’re also starting to desert the treadmill and run outside! :)
– Spring is here already! It’s been absolutely beautiful these past few weeks. Lunch has (very informally) been moved to the deck for the most part. Greta usually joins us, as you see here!
Whoa – stay away from that cat! Truman usually comes prowling around, hoping for some scraps. Apparently, though, he wasn’t it a very good mood when I took this picture of him…. (actually, he was in the middle of a yawn, but he looks fierce anyway! :)
My little puppy sure has gotten big…. I remember when I got her several years ago: this picture below was taken in 2008 (I think) at a different home. Greta was only a few months old at the time. She was the cutest puppy ever!
– ‘Tis the season to begin yard work! We’re also clearing away a spot in the woods for a large fire pit. It will be so fun to use this summer!
– Daffodil, all types of flowers, and “pretty weeds” (dandelions :) are popping up everywhere. Sooo beautiful!
Isn’t that a lovely sunset!?!
– In choir, one of the songs Wesley and I are singing is called “Make My Life an Alleluia” by Ruth Schram. The words are so beautiful. It is so true that no matter where we are, what we’re doing, what trials we face, what joys we delight in, that the Lord’s grace will continue to surround us!
Make my life an alleluia, a song of praise to You each day.
To proclaim Your grace and glory, fill my heart with your praise, I pray.
When I stand at the mountaintop, or the valley of despair,
this will be my cry, my song, my prayer;
Lord, make my life an alleluia.
Make my life an alleluia, a gift of love to You my King.
I will join with all creation in the song that the heavens sing!
The earth will turn, and the planets spin, as the seasons ebb and flow;
still, Your grace surrounds me as I go.
Lord, make my life an alleluia.
Make my life an alleluia, this offering of myself I give to you.
I will share Your grace and mercy for as long as I shall live.
When I come to my journey’s end, may those left behind be reminded,
this has been my cry, my song, my prayer.
Lord, make my life an alleluia.