Xanga

 

 

Sunday in Maine

 

 

Josiah is glad to have his sister Abigail home again.

 

 

Lydia showing me the gingerbread house that she and Hezekiah designed.

 

 

 

 

~~~

Church

~~~

 

This morning we sat behind Bianca and her two oldest sons, Jonathan and Aaron.  As I looked up at Jonathan, I thought about the first time we met them – fifteen years ago.  Jonathan was nine months old.  That caused me to think about the changes that have happened in this young, mission church. 

Men who were little boys (twenty-two years ago when the church began) are now preaching, leading singing, and teaching Sunday School.  Our granddaughter Elizabeth who was six weeks old when Mark and Diane moved to Maine, taught some of the young children this morning.  The adult Sunday school teacher was a young man from the community – seeking truth – when we first met him. 

I was blessed as I looked around and thought about the changes that have happened in twenty-two years.

 

~~~

Lunch

~~~

 

Becky (Josiah’s friend) pouring water in preparation for lunch.

 

 

Ham Balls

For those who are sure to ask:  Ham balls are ground up ham and pork (equal amounts), and prepared and baked similar to meat balls or meat loaf.  This is a popular dish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania – and a welcome dish when we visit Maine.

 

 

Gourmet Potatoes

 

 

Dessert was Grape and White Chocolate Mousse Cake.

Recipe (at the request of Fwren)

Cranberry & White Chocolate Mousse Cake

(Diane used grape concentrate in place of cranberry concentrate)

Preparation time:  25 minutes – Total time:  1 hour, 20 minutes

 

Mousse

1 pkg (12 oz) white chocolate morsels (about 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1 container (8oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed (3 cups)

 

Cake

1 16 oz frozen pound cake, thawed

2/3 cup thawed frozen cranberry juice concentrate (or juice concentrate preferred)

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 oz vanilla-flavored almond bark

 

1. Mousse:  Place white chocolate morsels and milk in bowl.  Microwave on HIGH 1-2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.  Cool slightly, 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in sour cream.  Fold in whipped topping.

2. Trim crusts off cake.  Place trimmings into grater, and grate evenly over bottom of a springform pan.  Press crumbs by using the flat side of a measuring cup.  Slice cake very thin (1/8 inch) slices.  Set aside.  There should be 60 slices.

3. Combine juice concentrate and lemon juice in small container.  Layer crust with 1/4 of the mouse.  Spread evenly.  Arrange 20 slices (or 1/3 of your total slices) of cake over mousse, overry mierlapping as needed to form an even layer.  Brush cake with one-third of the cranberry mixture – using a basting brush.  Repeat layers two more times, ending with cranberry mixture.  Top cranberry mixture with remaining mouse.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

4. Place almond bark on a microwave-safe plate.  Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds, turning over after 10 seconds (do not melt).  Hold almond bark with a clean kitchen towel and create small curls using a peeler.  Garnish cake with curls. 

 

 

Our Maine Grandchildren

Left to right:  Lydia, Hezekiah, Hannah, Elizabeth, Abigail, and Josiah.

 

 

Our Maine Grandchildren plus Becky

 

 

Yellow roses that came from the Lewiston Food Bank.

 

 

We enjoyed another gift exchange following lunch.  (Mark, Abigail, and Lydia)

 

 

Becky

 

 

Each of the children received a Pampered Chef oven mitt filled with small Pampered Chef items.

 

 

 

 

After this we played Now-You-Have-It-Now-You-Don’t with items we brought.

 

 

Then we played the Bible version of Apples to Apples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hezekiah deciding which person chose the best card for his challenge card.

 

 

Abigail played despite a painful wrist and medication that made her drowsy.

 

 

She and her mom took a short break while waiting their turn.

 

 

 

 

During this turn the “judge” chose the word “brave.”  The pink cards were the best ones (fitting or not) the other six players had in their hand to describe the word. 

The judge chooses the best response without knowing whose card it is, and that person receives the green card.  The winner is the one with the most green cards at the end of the game.

 

After evening church…

 

Cerwin, Mark, Diane, and I played Golf.

 

 

 

 

I was pleased to be the winner.

 

~~~

It is cold up here, and by bedtime I needed a pair of socks to keep my feet warm.  Lydia offered her penguin toe socks!

 

My “happy feet”

 

 

 

For Those Who Asked About Mud Sales

Concerning my Friday Entry

I asked our daughter to email me the description of a mud sale from the magazine she is preparing.

 

What are Mud Sales?

At the beginning of every year, local communities come together to support their local volunteer fire companies by holding auctions that have affectionately become known as Mud Sales. The term Mud Sale was coined from the condition of the ground when the auctions are held. Since the 1960s, Mud Sales have helped build fire houses, purchase equipment, and enable training for fire fighters, EMS units, and First Responders in rural Lancaster, Chester, and York Counties. Area townships, the Amish community, and local businesses support the sales with donated and consigned items, becoming a bargain hunter’s paradise.

For over 40 years, Mud Sales have become spectacular events with various items being auctioned, including but not limited to: building materials, horses, ponies, mules, tack and feed, antiques, Amish-made furniture, craft items, buggies, carriages, tools, farming equipment and supplies, tractors and engines, groceries and produce, garden items, shrubbery, plants, sheds and gazebos, sporting goods, firewood, housewares, and some of the most amazing Amish quilts one could ever find.

Come hungry! Mud Sales begin at 8:30 AM, but breakfast is usually served around 7 AM with warm, fresh doughnuts and/or breakfast sandwiches and fresh coffee, all provided by the Ladies Auxiliary. If you miss breakfast, no worries, feast on traditional PA Dutch foods such as: stromboli, barbecue chicken, sausage sandwiches, chicken corn noodle soup, soft pretzels, oyster sandwiches, smoked meats, cheeses, pies, cakes, cookies, breads, homemade ice cream, and more.

 

 

Be cheerful.

Keep things in good repair.

Keep your spirits up.

Think in harmony.

Be agreeable.

Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure.

2 Corinthians 13:11 (The Message)

 

 

 

Christmas in Maine

 Saturday Evening

 

 

 

 

 

~~~

Diane and the girls prepared a delicious supper. 

~~~

 

Crunchy Asian Salad

 

  

 Cheese Steak Sandwiches

 

 

 Tiramisu Brownie Trifle

 

 

 While I was taking pictures of the meal, our son-in-law remembered a cartoon he had copied for me, and passed it around the table.  It was apparently very funny, and when it got to me I understood. 

 

 

 It still makes me laugh! 

Apparently wolves have a “Doris” as well.

 

 

 Then it was time to open presents.  Our oldest daughter Diane and son-in-law Mark.

 

 

 

 

 Elizabeth, Lydia, and Hannah with their scarfs from Nan.  (Deb, make sure Nan finds out that they like them.)

 

 

 Material for a dress – for Diane from Abigail.

 

 

 Hezekiah waiting to open some gifts.

 

 

 Josiah opening his…

 

 

 Harley cup.

 

 

 Abigail tried to open her gifts with one hand, but needed assistance when it came to her well-wrapped gifts from Josiah.

 

 

Horse shoe door knocker.

Abigail is a horse lover, and enjoyed these very creative gifts that Josiah made – with the help of his friend Quentin – and Quentin’s dad, Glenn.

 

 

 Horse shoe book shelf

 

 

 Horse shoe clothes hanger

 

 

 Diane opening a gift from their children…

 

 

a Coffee Maker

 

 

 Mark’s gift from the children was stuffed in one of his socks!

 

 

 Money toward a GPS unit

 

 

They had been saving their change and dollar bills.

 

  

 

Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,

be compassionate and loyal in your love,

and don’t take yourself too seriously

—take God seriously.

Micah 6:8 (The Message)

 

 

 

Traveling to Maine

 

 

The best thing about leaving early in the morning is seeing the sunrise from a variety of places.

 

 

 

 

Our traveling companions were both a bit handicapped!  Ashleigh (left) injured a tendon in her wrist while bowling – several months and two surgeries ago.  Our granddaughter Abigail broke her wrist yesterday while snowboarding.

Ashleigh has been living in Pennsylvania (with my youngest brother’s family) for the past few years.  This was her final move back to Maine.  (She moved most of her belongings earlier.) 

Abigail has been staying with our son Jere’s family since September – helping as a nanny to their youngest children.

 

 

This was our view of them during the entire trip, until they took the lead in Maine.  I offered to take a turn driving, but Ashleigh did quite well – and Abigail’s car is stick-shift.

 

 

We drove through a short snow squall halfway through the trip – in Connecticut.

 

 

 

 

About eight hours into the trip we saw “the bridge.” 

 

 

The Piscataqua River Bridge is the entrance to Maine when coming from the south.

Shortly after this, Ashleigh took the lead, taking us to her home in Lewiston.  After unloading her supplies, Cerwin drove Abigail’s car and I was behind the wheel of ours for the final half hour – to the Myers’ house.

 

 

 

 

Shopping & Eating

 

After mailing a TFC staff newsletter, and catching up on a few thank you letters , Cerwin and I headed to town.  I needed a few items for our “Christmas in Maine” this weekend, and since we had an extra half hour before our dinner date with Roy and Deb, I suggested that we stop at Bon Ton to check out their winter coat sale.

 

 

 I had some photo shoot gift money and Christmas gift money that I wanted to use for a new winter coat, and thought this may be a good time to find a good deal.   I am pleased with the one I found at 60% off, which means I still have 60% of my money left to buy something else. 

 

 

 

We met Roy and Deb (our youngest daughter) at Longhorn Steak House (half way between our houses) to exchange some items.  She had some things she wanted us to take to her sister in Maine, and Cerwin had built some display racks for her magazine distribution.

 

 

Longhorn salads are delicious.

 

 

I ordered shrimp…

 

 

…and the others got a variety of steak and potatoes.  This is Deb’s steak and a baked sweet potato.

 

 

 For dessert we ordered one slice of cheese cake and four forks!  It was delicious.

 

 

 After dessert, I checked out the template for a new Mud Sale magazine she is designing.  Mud Sales are popular in our area each spring, and are fundraisers for Amish schools and fire companies.

 

 

 After Deb gave us the items she is sending to Maine, Cerwin showed her the five magazine display racks he designed for her to use at the Mud Sales.

 

 ~~~

 

I’ll be in touch from Maine when I have access to a wireless connection.

 

 

 

Let us hold tightly, without wavering

to the hope we affirm,

for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Hebrews 10:23 (New Living Translation)

 

 

 

Trusting God

 

 

 I’m a new day and new year kind of person.  I love getting a good night’s sleep and starting over each morning. 

 

 

I like turning the calendar to a new month, and enjoy the beginning of new seasons.

 

 

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, but I do like the challenge of setting a course and preparing myself for twelve more months of spiritual and emotional growth.

 

 

One thing I have learned in my lifespan of sixty-five years is that any growth and maturity I have experienced has happened little by little, day by day – and not by leaps and bounds.

 

 

In 2008, I asked God to teach me to grow in mercy. 

Some days I did okay, other days I did not do so well.  However, it was probably during the days when I failed that I learned the most about mercy.

 

 

For 2009 I am asking God to teach me to grow in trust. 

 

~~~

I want to trust Him more when I am frustrated, worried, or concerned.  I want to trust God when there isn’t any visible reason to trust Him.

~~~

 

I love when my spirit is at peace because I am trusting the One who can be trusted.  That is why I want to grow in trust.

  

 

 

Lead me and guide me,

so that your name will be honored.

Psalm 31:3 (Contemporary English Version)