Spiritual Rah! Rah!

Here is my daily devotional from Max Lucado's, Grace For The Moment.  After reading this I think you will feel encouraged, 'cheered on' and important.  I sure did

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You are a chosen people...that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  I Peter 2:9


Let's spend a lifetime making our heavenly Father proud.  Use your uniqueness to do so.  You exited the womb called.  Don't see yourself as a product of your parents' DNA, but rather as a brand-new idea from heaven.  Make a big deal out of God.  Become who you are for him!  Has he not transferred you from a dull, death-destined life to a rich, heaven-bound adventure?


With God, every day matters, every person counts.  And that includes you.

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Singing in the Car

During the drive to the Up North Country on the weekend, The Husband and I played through almost all of the songs on our iPods.

It is a five-hour trip.

We cranked up the volume and we sang at the top of our lungs.

I shuffled the songs so they all popped up at random.

Even through the McDonald's drive-up window when we ordered our ice cream cones.  About that time we were singing "Celebrate good times, come on...doot doo doo doot..."

We sang Journey, Beach Boys, Third Day, Delirious, Black Eyed Peas, etc.

We have quite the collection of songs.

The following song has remained in my head from the weekend.  To me, this is a Firm Foundation song.

It explains my roots and where I choose to plant my feet.

It is the truth and not the invention of any man.

And I sang this at the top of MY lungs in the car...and I'm glad it continues in my mind.

An amazing song set to amazing words.

Be blessed.

Fish Tale

You've heard of fish tales?  Fish tales are stories from fishermen about fish that got away or some unbelievable experience while fishing.


Here is my fish tale from our Up North Weekend...


The pontoon boat had been in storage for several years.  With the New Land purchase, the pontoon boat was uncovered and the motor tested.  The boat was brought to the New Lake and tied to the dock and there it waited for us.


Dad, Mom, Kidlet Three, Buddy Daniel and I carried our fishing gear to the lake and climbed onto the pontoon for the first fishing expedition ever on the New Lake.  

Dad was the designated driver.  He put the key in the ignition and turned on the motor.

Mom and I untied the ropes from the dock and jumped on board.

Dad backed the boat away from the dock.  We all heard, "uh oh...uh oh...we have no steering".  

As the boat backed away from the dock.

Straight back.

We were going straight away from the dock because the steering wheel was frozen and wouldn't turn.

Dad turned off the motor.

Several of us tried turning the steering wheel but it wouldn't budge.

We were adrift on a lake where only two other houses exist.

And we didn't have a paddle.

Visions of Gilligan's Island started running through my mind.

Then we realized the wind had picked up and we were moving toward land but not aimed at the dock.

Using the wind, Dad would turn on the motor and back up just enough and then cut the motor.

We would drift toward the dock but not quite close enough so he'd back up again and cut the motor.

Back and forth we went as the wind slowly moved us toward the dock.

It wasn't quite a 3-hour tour like Gilligan and Mary Anne, but we made it close enough to the dock for me to jump, with the boat rope, and pull the boat back to the dock.

Where we promptly tied the boat up.

And we fished from the pontoon.

Tied to the dock.

You'd never even know we were tied to the dock from these photos.  Except we took the life jackets off after we realized we'd been docked for 30 minutes...

Mom had the first catch of the afternoon. 
If you squint your eyes you may be able to see the little sunfish she is holding.

Kidlet Three has the next big catch of the day...

It was a memorable boat ride and fishing adventure for us all.

You should've seen the fish that got away...

North Country Work Day

Living in the North Country, well, my parents 

live in the North Country,

 with a lot of trees, there are twigs and 

branches that fall.  Before mowing,

all of those branches need to be picked up.

The Husband drove the Ranger while

Kidlet Three and his buddy ran alongside.

The boys picked up branches and tossed 

them into the back of the Ranger.

Reeds from the lake had washed

onto the shore so the boys raked

and picked them up as well.

The Husband entertained us all

with his impression of a deer...or some

animal with antlers.

Kidlet Three and Daniel took

turns driving the Ranger.  I don't

think they could smile any bigger

as they drove.

My Dad is recovering from back surgery

so he walks cautiously to the wood pile.

The branches are dumped into

the big "burn pile".

Dad and I hoed the potato plants.

This is the first plot of potatoes.

Then the lawn mower came out.

And you'll see a better picture of

the burn pile.  We may get a bonfire

yet this weekend!

After mowing at the homestead, the

lawn mower was trailered to the

New Cabin property.  The Husband

and My Mom mowed.

A large amount of rain had fallen recently

plus with the heavy equipment used

in construction, the driveway was pretty

muddy and full of ruts.

The Husband encountered water in

the grass as he mowed.  In fact, he got

stuck twice and needed to be pushed out

once and the last time, evidence of his

encounter appeared on the mower and

The Husband's clothes.

It was a fun work day.

Amazingly fun!

New Cabin

My parents have purchased land in the Way North Country of our State.  There is a small cabin on the property but no running water into that cabin and it has one room.  And no bathroom.

This week a new cabin was started on the land.  This cabin will have running water, a bathroom and more than one room!  Here is a peek at our visit to the land Friday night.

The next 3 pictures are a panoramic view.

Looking to the right...

Looking straight back away from the cabin...

Looking to the left (the driveway is noted here)...

And then looking to the backside of the cabin.

This is a huge lot with lots of room for football,

tents, volleyball, etc!

From the front porch of the cabin, this is the view...the lake!

Beautiful!

The view from the front porch looking to the right...

Kidlet Three and his friend, Daniel, found this friend

I wish you could hear the silence.  

And feel the peace.

While standing on the dock, this is the shoreline to the right...

Looking across the lake...

Looking up toward the cabin...

And the shoreline looking to the left.

This beaver popped up from the right shoreline and

swam right in front of us.  I didn't realize

how fast they could swim.

The family that had this land before my parents,

made trails through the woods and named

each trail.  Down by the lake is 

the Old Road trail.

Here are some shots of the new construction

Amazing.

That God loves people so much that

He created the many shades of green, the ferns, flowers,

lake shore, beavers, and the silence.

All of it displays His beauty.

Amazing!