Tis The Season...

For making Christmas cards.

For snowy winter roads. 

For baking cookies.

 

 

For Sister's birthday.

For cold mornings and warm fires.

For bright lights.

And for celebrating the best gift that was ever given, Jesus!

 

For God so loved the world, 

that He GAVE His only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believes in Him should not parish, 

but have everlasting life! - John 3:16

Merry Christmas!

November-A Whirlwind Part 2

   In mid-November I flew down to Georgia and attended Wit Ministries Women's Retreat "4 Days 2 Hope". The retreat was held at a beautiful cabin in the mountains near Blue Ridge, Georgia.

The scenery was beautiful, but even more beautiful was the fellowship, the teaching and the work that God did in the hearts and lives of the young women there! For me the weekend was eye-opening, life-changing, life-giving and yes 4 days to hope!! I am so grateful to the LORD that I was able to go!

  

   Grandpa M's funeral was 3 days after I returned home from GA. Almost all the extended family was able to gather together for the services. The emotions surrounding  the funeral were bittersweet... Bitter was the loss, sweet was the bonding closer to the family that remains.

   Thanksgiving was the following week and it was truly a time of thankfulness in my heart. Thankful for God's work in my life, thankful for the years that I had had with my Grandpa M. and all the precious memories of him that I have to remember forever! Thankful for a heart full of hope! Thankful for home, family and friends...

and homemade pies too! 😊

 We hosted the Thanksgiving feast and festivities!

    So there you have it, the highlights of my eventful November 2017! Oh wait-a-second... I forgot to tell you about going to my nephew's musical and spending two more delightful days with all my nieces and nephews, and starting my new job as a Church Secretary and...  

November-A Whirlwind Part 1

   November was a whirlwind of travel, family, friends, joy, hope and sorrow.

   
   The month started out with a 5-day trip to the Mayo Clinic with Grandpa and Grandma Z. for Grandpa's hip replacement surgery. Even though hospitals and cities can be stressful and aren't my favorite things... it was a special time with Grandpa & Grandma! We had many sweet conversations and laughs along the way that I will remember and cherish for a long time to come.

   
   While we were away, I was able to have some much needed quiet time at Starbucks... I was tired out and hungry for some time with Jesus. But even though I was worn-out and a bit stressed... I couldn't have felt more peace, as I sat there and pondered the sweetness of KNOWING I needed Jesus, in that moment and in that place. Of course the truth is that we always need Him, but we are not always conscious of it. I love knowing I need Jesus. I love that Jesus says "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)  I love that when my strength is gone, I have more strength than I could ever need in Jesus Christ! And it is truly by His strength alone that I walked through the following days and weeks...

   
   I returned home with just enough time to unpack, celebrate my birthday and pack again! This time I was headed to a retreat in Georgia... But before I could go... I had to do one more thing, I had to say good-bye to my Grandpa M. who was undoubtedly in his last days here on earth. I never did muster up the courage to say the words good-bye... 2 words that had never held so much weight... because this time they meant that there wouldn't be a hello again here on earth.

Grandpa & Grandma M. and Me at an Aloe Vera farm in Southern Texas - March 2013

   Grandpa M. passed away on Sunday, November 12th at the age of 88. I feel incredibly blessed to have had Him as my Grandpa. 

To be continued... 

October Memoir

   So here we are, half way thru November and no post yet... in fact no new post in over a month... Where have I been? What events, activities, joys and sorrows have filled my days and kept me from writing? Many, many... oh where do I even begin?

   October was a calm before a rush with beautiful autumn weather,  golden skies, golden fields, and golden moments turned memories.

 

   An impromptu photo shoot with my lovely sister!💗  

   We planted two new apple trees. Meet Harold (short for Haralred)  and Honey (Honey-crisp) our apple trees! 😉

     I had great fun decorating and preparing for Mom's birthday! The bouquet is made of mint and roses from our garden.

   I spent one morning clearing a path along our maple trees in the woods, it will be oh-so-nice this coming sugar season to be able to drive the ATV back in the woods for sap collection instead of manually hauling out full 5-gallon buckets!!! The skid steer made clearing a path a really fun and quick job!! :)

   October...  visiting Grandpa M. at the nursing home... holding his hand, fall yard-work, Mom's birthday, a hike through the woods and along the river at a near by State Park... talking with the Lord, October a beautiful, calm and golden month...

State Park path

Three Birthdays

   September, grandparents and birthdays go together at our house, as 3 out of my 4 grandparents have birthdays in the month of September! It's been a special time getting to celebrate each one of them.

Grandpa Z. Celebrating 86 years!

 Holly made a chocolate bundt cake with vanilla frosting for Grandpa Z's party. 

It looked like a BIG frosted doughnut!!

Holly and Grandpa are such good buddies! 

They spend time together every chance they get! It's so sweet! 

My Dad and Grandpa M. on His 88th birthday!

Grandpa M's day was spent in the hospital (because of his dementia) 
kinda bittersweet... But it was good to see him.

 

Here is the cake & card that Holly and I made for Grandpa M. 
Do you think the 88 is too abstract? Do you see it? 
It is supposed to read "CELEBRATING 88 YEARS". 

Grandma M. the prettiest 85 year old I know!

 Grandma requested apple crisp for her birthday "cake". 

This picture is a little blurry... But I love it!💕

   One month, three Birthdays, for three very dear people... Life, what a precious gift from God and a wonderful thing to celebrate!

To Add A Few Words...

   I hope you enjoyed the Summer Picture posts! I thought that pictures would be the best way to give you a glimpse into my summertime, without exhausting you and myself with words! :) But to add a few words about my summer I would say... 

   It went by way too fast, but doesn't it always!?  


   This spring we planted a smaller than normal garden, because we weren't feeling like super ambitious gardeners. So our harvest has been smaller, with less variety than "normal", but never-the-less a blessing! Our sweet corn patch did very well and we froze over 60 quarts, which will be enough for our family for the next year or two!

   I took a road trip to Indiana in July to attend WIT ALIVE, a conference for Christian singles. It was an amazing, refreshing experience and time away! I am so glad that I went. :)

   In case you are wondering if my life is "perfect" and "lovely" all the time... It's NOT! I know that pictures and the short captions that go with them can give a false impression... believe me I have been there and thought that, while looking at other girls' blogs; "Wow she has a perfect family, she is an amazing cook or she dresses with such class!" and *maybe*  it's true... but you know what is probably truer?? That they are real girls, with real lives, that are sometimes less than perfect, amazing and classy... And I want you to know that I am one of those real girls, ...sometimes I eat boring food, on a plainly set table with miss-matched dishes, sometimes I don't get along with my sister, (even when we are on a "fun" trip, where we had a "good" time), sometimes I am not patient and kind with my words... sometimes I feel discouraged about things in my life. But I didn't start this blog to air my dirty laundry and vent my frustrations... I started this blog to proclaim God's goodness, God's daily graces! The pictures that I post are but beautiful nano moments, frozen in time. I take pictures and share them here, not because my whole life looks like that, but because I am crazy for beauty, order and simplicity, crazy to see through the lens of God's goodness! So I hope you enjoy the pictures I share, just remember that a real, less than perfect girl is behind them and this blog! :)

   Now that we have taken a look back, in my next post, we will look ahead, as I share with you my hopes and plans for what's in-store here on The Riches of His Goodness in the coming weeks and months!

Summer Pictures: August/Itasca Edition

   All my pictures from August are from the camping trip Holly and I took. We went up north to attend a Family Music Festival and do some exploring at Itasca State Park. We had a good time together and came home, happy and tired!

Holly and I at Itasca State Park! 💕

 

Wading in the headwaters of the Mississippi.

Lake Itasca ...a breath-taking scene of God's creation!

We spotted this cute little fella, while hiking through the woods.

Sunday morning's closing concert by the Wissmann Family. 

 

Sisters + picnics + camping + music = fun times!

Summer Pictures: June Edition

Holly and I enjoying an afternoon of thrift store shopping and a visit to our favorite local coffee shop! 😊

h

    Flowering Cilantro. (That re-seeded itself from last year!)

     

Journal 5-11-17

   Hello Y'all! 😀 The May day snow melted away quickly, giving way to lush green beauty everywhere! Our apple trees are blooming and the lilac bushes look like they will be soon as well!

   We celebrated my Dad's birthday last weekend! The weather was so beautiful, everyone enjoyed spending time on the porch while we waited for dinner to be ready!

    My Dad loves rhubarb desserts, so we traditionally make him a rhubarb pie or cake for his birthday! This year I decided to make a cake. I tried a new recipe that I found here. It was quick to make and turned out yummy! (Side note if you want to make it for yourself: It was a bit too sweet... So I would recommend not putting in the 3/4 cup sugar. The sugar in the jello and cake is plenty! I cut the sugar down to 1/4 cup because I suspected that it wasn't needed... but I guess it was still too sweet, so next time I would leave it out completely! Oh and I didn't put the cinnamon in, personal taste preference. Let me know if you give this recipe a try!😀)

   I have been enjoying the music of David Wesley the last few weeks. Have you ever listened to him before? He is one talented singer! Here he is singing "In Christ Alone". A song that has been on my heart a lot this past week.

In Christ Alone 

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live,

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again 

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

   The Dandelions (a pretty weed!😉) are blooming, the grass is growing, the trees are leafed out and I am once again amazed at the beauty of spring! I am loving the warmer weather and the explosion of color everywhere!