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New Carpet and Chairs for Harbor Light Chapel, Harrisburg, PA

But first – the old carpet had to be removed

Grandsons Nathan and Josh do some of the heavy work.

Josh, Nathan, and Jordan on carpet removal duty on Friday afternoon.

Today Was Carpet Installation Day

How many carpets are measured and cut on truck stop blacktop?

David High (background) and Lloyd Nolt are the best!  They always donate their time to install carpet in our local chapels.

David working on the carpet.

My Participation Began This Morning at 9 AM

Because Cerwin could not fit fifteen new chairs and the carpet into TFC’s pickup truck, he asked if I would bring the chairs to the chapel about 9:30 or 10:00 this morning.

It was a beautiful morning, and just as I was preparing to leave for the thirty-mile trip, I noticed that Eli was cutting corn, and couldn’t resist taking a picture.

I love traveling through Hershey, PA – The Sweetest Place on Earth – with Hershey-Kiss-lined streets.

Unique street lights.

When I got there, I found Cerwin and Volunteer Chaplain Harold Keller cleaning the newly installed carpet.  Cerwin said Lloyd and David left about three minutes earlier.

Harold sweeping the new carpet.

This is one of the new chairs.  I forgot to take a picture after they were in the chapel.

While dusting some areas close to the floor, I noticed something pretty – the American flag – framed in the doorway.

 ~~~

After getting home, Cerwin mowed yard and I worked in flower beds.  It was a good day for that – after two days of rain – the soil was great for pulling weeds.

Sunday School Thoughts and Sermon Notes From Today

I will never again destroy all living things by floodwaters. 

Genesis 9:11b  ICB

The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be

My sign to you

and to every living creature on earth.  It will remind you that

I will keep this promise forever. 

Genesis 9:12 & 13 CEV

God promised.  I believe it!

To love God passionately is to love truth passionately.

~~~

Know God’s Word.  Saturate yourself with it.

 ~~~

The pictures were taken from our front yard – June 2004. 

It was awesome to stand in our yard – see both ends of the rainbow – think about His promise – and KNOW that the same God who hung this huge bow in the sky, also lives in me.

Lousy Weather – Sweet Fellowship

Today was the annual family get-together with our Amish friends.

The parents, Amos and Linda, our friends for almost forty years, live on the center-right.  Due to the rain, we spent the day in their large woodcrafting shop on the far right.  One of their twin sons, his wife and children live on the left; two of their seven children are single and live at home; one son lives about forty minutes south of them – two hours by horse and buggy – which is how they traveled today; three live several hours northwest of here, and hired drivers – only two of those families were able to come.

I would have loved to take my camera inside, but in respect for their wishes to not photograph them (especially the adults) – I did not take pictures.

Oh, how I wish I could show you a picture of Amos playing harmonica.  Not because he was playing harmonica, but he is the person we were visiting in the hospital on July 2 – when the large branch damaged our house.

When we said goodby at the hospital that day, we all did so thinking that the next time we met would be in Heaven.  (He is certainly prepared to go there.)  He was so sick.  We cried and prayed with him before leaving.

God has performed a miracle!  He has a serious, rare, intestinal disease.  Today, we – and his children who came from a distance – were amazed to see him eat a full-course meal!  (From July 2 until a week ago, he was on liquids.)

 

I wish I could show you a picture of all of us singing Amazing Grace and Come and Dine before lunch.

If I had taken pictures of the food – many of you would have asked for recipes!

Grilled chicken (leg & thigh), baked beans, baked corn, buttered potatoes, tossed salad, grape dessert, peach dessert, mint tea, and sodas were provided by our friends.  Our family brought the paper plates, cups, plasticware, and mid-afternoon snack:  chips, pretzels, Tasty Cake Dessert, and chocolate-cereal bars.

You would have enjoyed seeing twenty children running, playing, riding scooters, getting wet in the rain, and just enjoying being together. 

And – six of our grandchildren and six of theirs weren’t there!

 

Our sons, sons-in-law, daughters, and daughters-in-law have a great time together.  The inlaws enjoy hearing stories of visits when our children were young.  They also talk about things that are currently happening.  I enjoy watching them interact.  

We are honored and blessed to share their friendship.

I never tire of traveling through Amish Country.

We have only a few Amish families in our area.  Today I saw more horse and buggies than I usually seen in a few months.

~~~

By tonight, the wind and rain from Hurricane Ernesto had covered our driveway with leaves – at least there aren’t any large branches this time! 

Take time to listen to people.

You don’t have to know all the answers.

Caring and listening

Can of itself initiate the healing process.

Correction to the Peanut Butter-Fudge Brownies

Recipe from my entry on Monday, August 28

I did not notice that flour was missing from the ingredients, so called Bernice – the person who so graciously provided the recipe. 

Please add to the brownie portion:

2 Cups of Flour

Thanks to onebusymom for noticing the omission.  (I also corrected my original entry.)

More Pictures From Last Night

Jere and Kristen’s children couldn’t get enough of playing in their newly remodeled basement – where the floor went from concrete to carpet earlier in the day.

Josh, Jared, Ian, and Jana

When Josh was standing next to his other grandma, I noticed that he is almost as tall as her.

I

 I tried to see how close I could get to Josh!

Kristen made a delicious supper – meat loaf, buttered potatoes, green beans, and this delicious BLT Salad.

~~~

BLT Salad

8 Slices Bacon

1 Head Lettuce – torn into pieces

1 Large Tomato – or more if desired

2 Hardboiled Eggs – chopped

1/2 Cup Grated Cheese

4 Pieces Bread – cut into cubes

Dressing

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Mustard

1 Cup Miracle Whip

1 Tablespoon Milk

1 Tablespoon Vinegar

Fry bacon and drain.  Fry bread cubes in bacon dripping.

Just before serving, toss ingredients in bowl, saving some bacon crumbles and bread cubes for top.  Garnish with tomato slices.

  ~~~

 Storm Clouds Approaching!

 Shortly after supper we noticed a storm coming from the southeast.

 Before long we had drenching rain – which our yards, gardens, and fields desperately needed. 

This morning we learned that some places in our surrounding area had severe storm damage.  We didn’t even have very much wind.

Happy 4th Birthday

To Our Grandson Ian

He loves the John Deere from his parents.

He had fun opening presents.

His brother Josh and sister Jana figured out what to do with the extra party hats.

Requested Recipes From My August 19 Entry

I am still waiting for the recipe for the peach recipe on the left.  These desserts were brought to our Sunday School Class Covered-Dish Supper. 

Peach Delight

Peach dessert on right – from Sue Cassel

I

 Bottom:

1 Cup – plus 2 tablespoons – Flour

1 Cup – Chopped Pecans

1/4 Cup – Brown Sugar

1 Stick – Butter

Mix flour, sugar, and nuts.  Add softened butter and press firmly into a 9 “x 13” pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool.

Middle:

1-1/2 Cups – 10x Sugar

1 8 oz. – Cream Cheese

1 Teaspoon – Vanilla

Cream well.  Add 2 Cups Cool Whip.  Put on top of bottom layer and refrigerate until firm.

Top:

1-1/2 Cups – Water

3/4 Cup – Sugar

2 Teaspoons – Cornstarch.

Mix.  Boil 2 minutes.  Add 1 – 3 oz. box of Peach Jello.  Stir well.  Cool.

When jello mixture is cool, but not jelled, layer peach slices over cream cheese.  Pour jello mixture over the top.  Cool until top is jelled.

PS:  Other fruits can be used – along with matching Jello.

Peanut Butter-Fudge Brownies

From Bernice Cassel

Bottom:

6 – Eggs

3 Cups – Sugar

1 Cup – Vegetable Oil

1 Teaspoon – Vanilla Extract

2 Cups – Flour

1 Cup – plus 2 Tablespoons – Baking Cocoa

1-1/2 Teaspoons – Baking Powder

3/4 Teaspoon – Salt

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well (batter will be thick).  Transfer to a greased 9″ x 13″ baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs.  Do not overbake.  Cool on a wire rack.

Middle:

1-1/2 Cups – Peanut Butter

Spread over brownies.  Chill.

Top:

3-3/4 Cups – Confectioner’s Sugar

1/4 Cup – Baking Cocoa

1/2 Cup – Butter – Melted

6 Tablespoons – Milk

1 Teaspoon – Vanilla Extract

Combine in a bowl:  Confectioner’s sugar and cocoa; stir in butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth.  Carefully spread over peanut butter.  Chill.

Saturday Was a Full Day

Morning

Going to Chuck E Cheese’s is part of our grandchildren’s birthday gift.  Today there were five children and two adults – our youngest daughter brought our two “adopted” grandsons, and I took three.

Ian playing basketball.

Jana tries to keep jumping sharks under control

David enjoying pizza

Diana showing off her tickets and pizza.

Diana and I competing in Skeeball

Deb, Diana, and Jana competing in Skeeball

Zachary racing

David and Ian’s favorite spot was racing cars

Jana counting her stash of tickets.

David, Deb and Zach posing at Chuck E’s photo machine

Diana, Me, Jana at the photo machine

David and Ian on the sliding board

The gang leaving.  Notice Ian is the only who didn’t choose cotton candy.

When they were making their choices, he looked at me and asked, “Is cotton candy sticky?”  When I assured him that it was, he said, “I don’t like being sticky.”  He chose five rolls of Smarties instead! 

Now we had five sugar-powered children to take home!

Afternoon

We were honored to be invited to Les and Lorraine Lapp’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration.

Les and Lorraine (left) greeting guests.

Their oldest daughter Joan (center) and two of her daughters serving punch.

Evening

Cerwin and our son-in-law, Ivan, wanted to do some target practice, so after leaving the anniversary celebration, we went to their place – one hour away.

A photo from the back of their house.

Ivan designed two crosses for TFC.  Cerwin will add lights and attach them to TFC chapels.

Cerwin checks the distance while Ivan shoots.

Zachary and David watch as the men fine-tune their skills.  Their shirts advertise Ivan’s Excavating business.

Zach can’t imagine why his tires are smooth.

It didn’t take us long to figure out the reason after watching them ride!

Not a serious wreck!

Mickey likes to sit on Grandma’s lap.

~~~

It was a great day!