Wisdom's Words: True Joy

There’s joy beyond your wildest dreams if you will just believe: 

This aching thirst for joy you feel God only can relieve, 

And that eternal life is what’s in store 

For all who will believe that only he’s worth living for.

-John Bloom-

Wisdom's Words: Peace

When we trust God to run our lives, we find that we are free to enjoy him and other people...Freedom from fear comes from believing that.  It comes from opening our hearts to embrace God's supply, even if his supply differs from what we think we need.

~Lydia Brownback

A 4th Celebration!

It was a beautiful 4th here in the state of Indiana!  Knowing that pleasant weather was in store for the weekend, we sisters decided to spend the afternoon biking on the Monon Trail.  We had a good time together and soaked in the sunshine.  It felt so good to be outdoors!

After riding for a time, we hopped over to a McDonalds for some ice-cold refreshment.  

And then we hit the trail again - this time on foot - and enjoyed the scenery with a slower pace.

On Saturday, I decorated the table for our July 4th dinner with Ben, Laura, and the kids.  The cupcakes turned out so cute!  As Hannah was licking the icing off her cupcake with her finger later on that evening, I overheard her saying, "This is so yummy!" 

Wisdom's Words: Faith

Real faith - the kind that brings peace - is faith that lets God choose the best answer for you.

~Lydia Brownback

A Day Away

We thank the Lord for a little break He gave us girls just last week when Ben and Laura offered to take us on a day trip with them.  Here we all are, fresh and ready for a fun day's adventure!

Our destination was Spring Mill State Park in southern Indiana, but a series of thunderstorms on our route forced us to take a detour in hopes of allowing the outdoors to dry some.  We ended up at the George Rogers Clark Memorial along the Wabash River in Vincennes, Indiana.

We tried to get some group pictures even though some of us were wilting from the warm and humid weather.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the entire day, compliments of Kathy.

By this time, all of us were in need of some refreshment, so we decided to take a little rest and break open our picnic lunch.  

And then we were off to Spring Mill!  My smartphone proved to be a great asset and shaved off extra drive time by providing accurate directions.  For once, our chauffeur complimented the technology of the day. :)

When we finally arrived at the park, everyone was anxious to get outdoors and roam through the Pioneer Village.  The afternoon proved to be beautiful, albeit warm and humid.  But the storm clouds from the morning were long gone and the sun shone brightly.

I have always loved the creek that runs through the village.  We were all tempted to jump in and cool off - it looked so inviting!

Some of the flowers around the village were so pretty.

After spending several hours walking around, we headed back to the van in dire need of some water.  While some stayed back and rested, others made a beeline for the playground before we had to head for home.

We hadn't been too long on the road when we realized the air conditioner in the rear of the van was not working.  So much for cooling down from a very hot afternoon.  The showers that evening felt so good!

We had worked up an appetite from the afternoon's escapades so stopped at a McDonald's in Bloomington for some supper.  And, of course, the kids were thrilled it had a play area!  Even little Grace tried with all her might to join in the fun...

And here we are at the end of the day, tired and sticky but oh so grateful for a wonderful day filled with many special memories.

Little Blessings

Even when life holds many challenges, it's always good for ones eyes to be opened and behold the little blessings God gives from His hand of love.  These little blessings often come in the most simple and unexpected ways, yet when received with a heart of gratitude, they bring refreshment and renewed endurance to "run the race with patience."  

Here are some of our "little blessings" from the past months:

Our thoughtful little Buddy drew a picture in chalk of his Aunt Kathy picking her favorite flower:  the sunflower.

A friend surprised me with a fresh bouquet of flowers on my desk at work.

Our Bible study group is fabulous!  Having fourteen or more godly ladies gather around our kitchen table to study the Scriptures and pray together is a tremendous blessing.  This is true fellowship in Christ!

And last but not least, we enjoyed a lovely visit with a dear, godly couple we hadn't seen in several years.  Their encouragement and words of wisdom were very timely for all.

Thank you, Lord, for all these blessings!

Wisdom's Words: Joy

Joy...is the response and the reaction of the soul 

to a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones