Great Day!

It's a beautiful day on Darling Hill. We are awaiting the badly needed rain, but are enjoying dark gray skies, intermingled with blue and spots of sun. I had a wonderful morning at the post office; sold a few stamps and swapped "hellos" with townsfolk. After work I carried our friend, Evelyn, up to Mom's and left them readying for their lunch. I expect they're having a nice talk and perhaps "puzzling" together. Syd is working on our porch, which will have an enclosed room and will open into our living area. Here's the progression thus far. The door went on today and I hear a lot of banging going on out there!

As I look out now, I can see that there is a doorknob and lock in place. Once the temporary wall (which was once a door) is taken out, I will post more pictures. I'm very excited about rearranging our furniture and getting a little larger "feel" here in the living room. Here is an idea of where the woodstove is right now. That will be gone and the wall behind it opened up to reveal the new little room, allowing a new space for our couch. I do love the tiny house, but won't at all mind the breathing room!

Unfortunately, I have another piece of furniture that I want to re-upolster and bring into the space! It's a beautiful chaise and I have no idea where it will go yet. We'll see.

I was reading in the Scriptures today and for the last few days from the book of Acts. One of my favorite evangelist preachers, Chuck Crabtree, gave a message many years ago called Great Grace, Great Power and Great Joy. We have it on tape somewhere and I need to locate it and listen to it again. The portions of Scripture I have recently read was where his sermon was centered. Acts 4:33 said that "with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all." As the sin of Ananias and Sapphira came to light and they both were stricken of the Holy Ghost and died, great fear came upon all who heard (5:5, 11). When I read on through the next few chapters I discovered more "greats". Stephen, one of the first deacons of the new church, also became the first martyr in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was recorded that Stephen,"full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people." (6:8). Then in chapter 8, when Philip went down to the city of Samaria, many believed in those things which He preached unto them and, "there was great joy in that city." The final great that I have seen today was not in so many words. Once Saul, the one who 'made havoc of the church' became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, 9:31 says, "then had the churches rest...and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." This was (surely) great rest, great edification, great comfort and great multiplication indeed!

If any of you get to hear Evangelist Crabtree preach, it will be a treat. He is small of stature but large of heart and spirit. When preaching he is apt to burst out in song at given times and he bounces up and down a little as his voice booms out a particular point. All who have met him can see the Lord Jesus Christ beaming out, I'm sure. He is a humble servant of God.

I hope that you have had a wonderful weekend. Thanks for visiting the Hill and we hope your Lord's day is a great blessing!  I hear the rain starting to come down on the tin roof of our back porch - another blessing of having the back porch, the sound of pattering rain!  Take care, all.

Market Day

I've worked on the blog layout long enough. The present result is not what I was intending, but the colors are an improvement over the winter design.  More changes will happen when there is more time.

It is a truly beautiful morning on Darling Hill. The sky is a clear blue and, as we are on the north side, the sun is just beginning to peek over the trees.

I would like to know what it is about a neighbor's compost pile that will lure a home-bodied dog away from his own yard and get him into such trouble! Already, Ruger has been scolded for spending time up on the hill at the W's farm. He is now banished to a sunny spot at the top of the driveway, where he lays despairingly. It is such a hard life. Sturm has it even worse, curled up on his sheepskin at the end of the couch!

The bread is rising. Today is "market day, as Mom and our neighbor lady, Evelyn, are needing a short trip to the bank and grocery. I am privileged to be the driver. With temperatures heading into the seventies, it will be a nice noon trip. Perhaps we'll start out at our favorite little cafe, Isabell's. Sadly, the pups will have to stay home, as I am driving my Mom and Dad's car and will not put dogs in it.  Syd broke TWO leaf springs on his truck (within 5 seconds of one another), a trait of this particular GMC year and model, so we hear. There it sits until Syd has time to take the old ones off and get it to a springs shop. I am thankful that none of these happenings are surprises to the Lord. Oftentimes my first thought is, "another bill to pay...where will we get the funds for this?" but I am reminded that God has always met our needs in the past and will do it again this time. He tells us to simply, ask and trust Him. My job is to keep things in order here at home and to be a "helpmeet" in whatever way that God leads. He has evidently given me the ability to meet people and to sell stamps, as well as use organizational skills in an office. I am so thankful for these two means of being able to help. What a blessing, too, that they keep me close enough to home to see Mom at some point in the middle of each day. God oversees every detail of our lives individually and I am thankful for this personal leading that He gives every one of His children.

Soon will be the time for planting. This morning was still in the mid 30s, so it's just not time to start digging up and putting in tomatoes but I am itching to get started. Last year Syd got the driveway all graded down to the level of the front door so I hope to have two raised beds on either side of the entryway for planting my veggies and herbs.

I liked these tiered beds out on our bank in front of the house, but they do not get alot of afternoon sun and therefore will be reserved for things that don't take as much light, rather than the veggies.  I will plant a couple squash plants there again this year, as they did fine out on the right end.

Well, I'll leave you with another photo taken a few years ago. Soon will be the time that the snakes hatch out in Mom's wall. This picture won a blue ribbon at our local fair and I entitled it "Did Somebody Say, Breakfast?" These four garters stuck their heads out curiously while I approached to take their picture. There was a fifth one laying up on the rock above, as you can see, but he wasn't interested enough to turn and pose. I have learned that these garter snakes are very curious characters. For instance, as they sun themselves on the rocks they will raise their heads and watch as one passes by on the lawn mower. And they don't mind if you pat them, as long as you're gentle about it.

Well, take care and thanks so much for stopping by the Hill. I hope that you have a wonderful Spring day.

Computer Ills!

The blog is giving me fits today. I'm trying to change to a more "springlike" look and I guess things are just not working right now. If the design looks very strange it is because the blog is in 'transition'. I have this morning to work on it, but it may be a few days before I can get back to it. Sorry if things look messed up until then.

Will post as soon as I can stop playing with this!  I hope you all have a wonderful day. The Lord has blessed me in His Word this morning. The bread is now made and dishes are done...now I am fighting with the computer.  Take care, all.

Grace for the Hour

What a blessed weekend we had here on Darling Hill! The weather is so Spring-like, almost 50 degrees yesterday morning and 55 degrees this morning! After church yesterday afternoon Syd and I took the dogs for a walk up to the top of the hill, meeting Mom on our way (as she was gathering sticks, "cleaning up" her woods). We all walked up for a sit on the deck. Syd pointed out the poplars just starting to show their pale greens across the expanse in our view. We all agreed that this was sure one of our favorite time of year, when things were all warming up and bursting forth.

We were blessed with a wonderful Lord's day with the church family too. Good, convicting preaching, singing, and happy fellowship.

This morning I am reading from the book of Acts. What would we do without the preserved Word of God? I am so thankful for the example left us by the faith of the early church and apostles. The account today was from Acts 4, following the healing of the impotent man. I was so blessed by Peter's response to being taken into custody and standing before the Sanhedrin, "Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them...Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." What a different response it would have been had he not been controlled by the Holy Spirit, but by his own strength!  I am so glad that God gives grace to those who are going through hard trials (and easy trials as well).

As we now live in a "post-Christian" nation, we have come full-circle. No longer do the majority of the people have a respect for God, as was most often the case in the early part of the last century. Even our United States has now come back to the place where most people are doing only "that which is right in their own eyes".

Dear Lord, only you know what trials we Christians will be privileged to endure in the coming days. Thank you that at that time, you will give Spirit-filled believers the grace to give the answer that exalts you alone!




On a side-note: Today is my 5-0 birthday. Syd pulled off a tremendous surprise birthday party for me on Saturday. Many of you who visit "the Hill" regularly were there - and I THANK YOU for coming. What a nice time. I was shocked and we had 76 people there. Many of you reading this had ALOT to do with this party and I thank you so much for all the help you were and for the food you prepared and brought.  You must see the cakes Syd made. I stay up with Mom on Thurs-Sat. nights, so as soon as I left on Thurs. and Friday nights last week, Syd was in the truck and down at the church preparing things - cakes for instance. Here are his chocolate raspberry truffle and Boston creme cakes. They were each 12X18" (the angle makes it look like the chocolate was smaller, but it wasn't) and all but 5 pieces were eaten! I think they're beautiful and delicious too.

I won't show a lot of pictures, just a few at the end. Two of the girls who came were from my home town and high school. One I had not seen since 1980 and the other not since 1986! What a surprise! I have lots of thank you notes to send. 

Thankfulness is something that God has been bringing to my attention and teaching me to get into my heart. To think, that "God thinks of me" is an amazing thing; and that others would take the time to come to an event like this is such a blessing to my heart too. Apart from all the spiritual blessings we possess, we have so much to be thankful for on this earthly plain too. 

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." Col. 3:15

Just a few more  pictures:

 my hometown girls...Doreen is not pictured (she was too busy taking pictures). She was there and is ALWAYS there for me. Wish I had her picture. Maybe someone did get one. I'm still having pictures emailed to me.

Yes, I am seated in a wheelchair!

Okay, only one more...

This afternoon I hope to go up to my brother's cabin and climb the rope. I do this every year, to be sure I still can! I had to wait until it was the "official" day, so will try it later this afternoon or tomorrow. I'll let you know!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.