Shutterblog

My mom now has a blog of her own! It is called Shutterblog. It will be featuring lots of her daily photography. Click here to take a look! :)

A "Hug" from Me

My dearest sweetest Gramma has been sewing quilts and fleece blankets for all her grandchildren for years now. I have one beautiful quilt she made me for my 18th birthday and a fleece blanket. I keep the fleece blanket close to the couch so I can cuddle up underneath it like a nice warm "hug" from Gramma. Recently I have started crocheting. I decided that the first blanket I made I wanted my Gramma to have. So I sent this blanket down to LA to arrive before her surprise party this last weekend. Even though I couldn't be there for the party she still got a "hug" from me! I love you Gramma! :)

Amazing Grace

Ruh and I went to see "Amazing Grace", the newly released movie about William Wilburforce. It is not very often a movie comes along that when you walk out of the theater you are inspired to live your life as to change the world for the better. This movie is rated PG and is so wonderfully honorable and clean. You will not have to worry about any obscene comments or scenes. I encourage everyone to go see it! I promise it will inspire you!

Here is the movie trailer: (you will need to pause the "finetune" music player located below my "Previous Entries" on the right hand column of the page or else the trailer and the music will play at the same time)

William Wilburforce August 24th, 1759 - July 29th, 1833

A statue to the memory of Wilberforce was erected in Westminster Abbey in 1840, bearing the epitaph:

"To the memory of William Wilberforce (born in Hull, August 24th 1759, died in London, July 29th 1833;) for nearly half a century a member of the House of Commons, and, for six parliaments during that period, one of the two representatives for Yorkshire. In an age and country fertile in great and good men, he was among the foremost of those who fixed the character of their times; because to high and various talents, to warm benevolence, and to universal candour, he added the abiding eloquence of a Christian life. Eminent as he was in every department of public labour, and a leader in every work of charity, whether to relieve the temporal or the spiritual wants of his fellow-men, his name will ever be specially identified with those exertions which, by the blessing of God, removed from England the guilt of the African slave trade, and prepared the way for the abolition of slavery in every colony of the empire: in the prosecution of these objects he relied, not in vain, on God; but in the progress he was called to endure great obloquy and great opposition: he outlived, however, all enmity; and in the evening of his days, withdrew from public life and public observation to the bosom of his family. Yet he died not unnoticed or forgotten by his country: the Peers and Commons of England, with the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker at their head, in solemn procession from their respective houses, carried him to his fitting place among the mighty dead around, here to repose: till, through the merits of Jesus Christ, his only redeemer and saviour, (whom, in his life and in his writings he had desired to glorify,) he shall rise in the resurrection of the just."

A Family Gathering

My sister-in-law Ruhiyyih flew in from Washington DC just for the weekend. We had lunch with her after church on Sunday. It was so nice to see her, I only wish she could have stayed longer! She will be visiting again in May for a whole week and during that time we are going to take our annual Dannells Family Camping Trip (my parents, the Hall's are coming too!). Here are some pictures my mom took of the afternoon. :)


Daisy and Auntie Ruh!


My Sweety!


George

Bonita

Rahmat, Taraz and Megan



Ruhiyyih's best friend Veronica brought her 3 week old baby Zoe. :)

The last couple of weeks...

Since it has been so long since I last posted I thought I would put up some pictures of just a few things that have been going on the last couple of weeks. I have been busy working on some projects so my blog has been neglected. So here is just a little sampling of what has been going on and I promise there is more to come! :)

This first little set of pictures are of my kitty Rosie. One of her new things is jumping into the laundry basket if I keep the laundry closet door open. The first time she did it I was in the living room and I heard a noise come from the laundry closet. I didn't think anything of it at the time so I didn't bother look. So a little while later I went to go fold the laundry and there was Rosie all nestled on top of the clean laundry. I felt bad kicking her off because she looked so comfortable but there is something about the cat lying on the clean clothes that doesn't seem so clean. Another one of her little antics she has started is playing in the toilet water. The other day I heard this little sound of splashing coming from the bathroom. I went to look and there she was perched on the edge of the toilet seat batting at the water! It was very funny but also making a huge mess of toilet water so now we have to remember to put the lid down so she doesn't play in the toilet! :)





Also one day 5 of us girls went on base at Fort Lewis and went for a walk around the airfield. Our friends Mary and Deborah Riley live on base. There dad is a Chaplain and deployed to Iraq right now with the Stryker Brigade. Hannah brought along little Gabriel. When we started walking the sun was shining, then dark clouds moved in and it started to dump snow! The pictures really don't show how heavy the snow was falling. We had so much fun! And then when we finished the 4 mile walk the sun was back out and shining.














A couple weeks ago I got an e-mail from Michele Schneidler (the lady I used to Nanny for) that she needed a baby-sitter for the boys a couple days a week just in the mornings while she does some consulting work for the company she used to work for. Of course I said yes! I really missed Isaac and Gabe and couldn't wait to see them. This last February was three years since I started to first Nanny for them. When I first started Isaac was only one and Gabe was not born yet. I got to watch him grow up to the handsome little four year old he is now. Gabe came to live with them over a year ago when he was 9 months. Now he is two and talking up a storm. They are so much fun to be around! I took my camera the first day I babysat and took some pictures of the boys and their new puppy Magi. She is a full bred Golden Retriever and is so sweet. The boys absolutely love her. I think it is so wonderful they will get to grow up with a wonderful dog like her. We had a little black lab growing up named Sadie and she had the same temperament as Magi. I guess Labs and Retrievers have the sweetest and friendliest personalities! :)




And the last picture is of Liesal and I during song time in Jr. Church on Sunday morning. I am teaching Jr. Church for the month of March. The first lesson I taught was on our individual talents. We talked about some of the things we are good at. I talked about how all our talents are gifts from the Lord. And since he blessed us with them we need to use them for Him.

An Apology

Hi everyone! I am writing to apologize for my lack of posting on my blog the last week or so. I also apologize for my lack of commenting on other's blogs as well. I have been working on other projects so my blogging has been pushed to the side. I do have posts in my head that I want to write and I plan on doing just that this next week. So please forgive me all of you who check this blog daily and have been disappointed. I have not gone away!! :)

Pen Pulpit

“A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD”

Psalm 46

July 1st, 2001

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change. And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

The battle was growing hot and heavy as Martin Luther sat down and penned the words, “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.” Then in verse 7, “The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.”

The battle we in the Christian church face today is not unlike the battle the great reformer faced. Circumstances may be different, but the source is the same and the cause is the same. Satan has attempted to dethrone God in the lives of His people from day one.

Luther’s battle was quite up front and personal with certain high members of the Roman Catholic Church. He was given an ultimatum: give up or go down. Luther did neither - because he was a fighter. He took his licks and continued to preach the Word of God - more specifically, justification by faith. His persistence won out. We have his great song stating his philosophy of life.

What an encouragement he is to the church. When he was challenged to recant his stand, he boldly declared, “Here I stand. I can do no other.”

I’m wondering if we found ourselves in the same predicament as the reformer, could we say with conviction, “Here we stand. We can do no other.”

Our Christian young people face the same battle in public schools today. Let me challenge you, guys and gals, take your stand because God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Let’s take that stand in our neighborhoods and in our churches. Make this next week a week of standing up to be counted. God bless.

Love to you all.

--Pastor Charles Covington 1933-2006

Baked Alaska for Ben

February 10th was my big brother's 24th birthday. He used to live up in Alaska and he misses it a lot. I heard someone say that once you go to Alaska it is in your blood and you will never get over it. So on his birthday I wanted to make him something special. In one of my cooking magazines I saw a recipe for "Baked Alaska".






This yummy dessert was Thomas Jefferson's favorite. This meringue-crusted, ice cream baked in pastry was named "Baked Alaska" in 1869 to celebrate the purchase of Alaska. I was a little scared to make it because I had never made anything so "fancy". But my family loved it, and most importantly my brother loved it! (This picture is not from the recipe I made but it was the only one I could find.)

Here is the recipe:


Baked Alaska

• 1 (16-ounce) frozen pound cake, thawed and cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices, with edges trimmed
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 pints ice cream or sherbet, softened (I used chocolate chip ice cream)
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake: Line 1 1/2- quart bowl with plastic wrap, letting the ends of the wrap overhang bowl. Line bowl with even layer of cake slices, positioning slices with no spaces in between. Stir 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 cup water until sugar dissolves, and brush mixture over cake slices. Fill bowl with ice cream and smooth surface. Top with remaining cake slices. Cover with overhanging wrap, weigh down top with plate, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 1 week.

To serve: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Boil 1 cup of sugar with remaining 1/2 cup water until syrupy, about 4 minutes. With electric mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt and beat to soft peaks. Slowly add sugar syrup and vanilla and beat until thick and cooled, about 6 minutes. Remove plastic and invert cake onto oven safe platter. Cover cake with meringue and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.