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Friday, June 28, 2013

From My Utmost for His Highest ...



'Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now?"' John 13:37. 
There are times when you cannot understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings a time of waiting and appears to be unresponsive ... just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification, to be set apart from sin and made holy. Or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means ... wait for God's timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment.
~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, January 4

Monday, June 24, 2013

A Day in Amish Country!

Since stopping in Lancaster County, PA for the first time last October, it has definitely become one of my favorite spots to visit! The old-fashioned charm and peace of the Amish countryside is difficult to find many places nowadays, and driving through its tiny villages and surrounding farmland is soothing and therapeutic for me. :) I could wander about the area for days! I was blessed to be able to visit Lancaster for the second time recently, and wanted to share of few pictures.

An Amish homestead. These farms are gorgeous, and I mean gorgeous! Neat and tidy to the core, not a grass blade out of place or a speck of mud on the whitewashed buildings -- and the flower gardens are works of art. Even the washes blowing in the wind are picturesque! :o) (But maybe that's because my weird country gal mind loves the concept of a clothesline in use. A clean hen house full of fresh cedar shavings also gives me a thrill. Not sure I should be admitting to these things.)





 You can see the team plowing in the distance...

I just had to take a picture of this street name ... because, funnily enough, "Kinzer" is one of my grandmother's nicknames for me. Had to laugh when I spotted the street sign -- I think that was a first! :)



 So beautiful.


At one point during our adventure, we took a wrong turn and came across this little and quite old-looking stone cubbyhole! Not sure what it might have been used for, but fun to imagine, yes? :) This is one of my favorite things about traipsing around Pennsylvania -- there is so much historical richness that you never know what you might encounter when you go for a drive. Covered bridges, ancient cemeteries (I love walking through old cemeteries), and so much more, sometimes hidden in the oddest places! Go visit. You'll love it!

Saturday, June 15, 2013

On my heart tonight ...

Prince of peace, control my will;
Bid this struggling heart be still;
Bid my fears and doubtings cease:
Hush my spirit into peace.

Thou hast bought me with Thy blood,
Opened wide the gate of God;
Peace I ask, but peace must be,
Lord, in being one with Thee.

May Thy will, not mine be done;
May Thy will and mine be one;
Chase these doubtings from my heart,
Now Thy perfect peace impart.

Savior, at Thy feet I fall,
Thou, my life, my God, my all;
Let Thy happy servant be
One forevermore with Thee.
Amen.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Today you get to see ...


... one of my absolutely most favorite pictures of the summer so far!




Precious siblings. :)

I'll be posting a photo a month of our back garden plot for a fun visual of the changes that go on throughout the summer. Here we are on June 2nd:

At the moment only Lemon Verbena and Rhubarb are evident ... aaaaand the whirligig sticking in the front-most, right hand raised bed. Lovely touch, yes? 
Stay tuned for next month's exciting garden drama photo ;) ... and in the next couple weeks for photos from the Amish community in Lancaster County, where we spent an exciting couple of days two weeks ago!