A Decade of Blessings

Today is the final day of serving as the

 President of the Southeastern District

 for husband- John.

Finishing well for a decade of blessings 

in leading and serving.

Now he is President Emeritus.

 

The District is in very good hands 

with President Bill Harmon.          

Here we are at his installation service at 

 King of Glory in Williamsburg, Virginia. 

"First Lady" Gayle will be a delightful supporter and helper.

Her smile lights up a room.

The passing of the baton is always 

with a portion of bittersweet memories.

The District President position can have many hard days

 with difficult situations. But, the blessings of serving 

and loving His people have been even greater.

 

The Southeastern District staff 

has been a "DREAM TEAM". 

They have been so faithful and hardworking

 for the sake of the Kingdom.

A wonderful Ethiopian luncheon with a 

coffee ceremony highlighted the last "staff gathering."

Thoughtful gifts presented by the staff

 were carefully selected 

as John moves into living in the Neighborhood- full time.

He will also be serving the LCMS Foundation- full time.

The gift of this beautiful sign christens the shop.

Just following in the footsteps of Jesus- the carpenter-

 and excited about all the lessons to learn.

Worship into the Week- Unchanging

 

Worship into the Week-

Hebrews 13:1-17

This chapter in Hebrews

 has many familiar passages.

v1-2 "Let brotherly love continue. 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,

 for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

v5-6 Keep your life free from love of money,

 and be content with what you have, 

for he has said,

 "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

So we can confidently say, 

"The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?"

v7-8 Remember your leaders, 

those who spoke to you the word of God. 

Consider the outcome of their way of life,

 and imitate their faith. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday 

and today and forever."

v16-17 "Do not neglect to do good 

and to share what you have,

 for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, 

for they are keeping watch over your souls,

 as those who will have to give an account. 

Let them do this with joy and not with groaning,

 for that would be of no advantage to you."

Thinking about these verses and just 

what God is wanting me to see here this week.

Holding on to my unchanging God

and seeing what I might share this week.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printable

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Worship into the Week Printable

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Prismacolor Pencils

Magazine Cutouts

Vintage stamp

Distress Ink

Lainey is One!

Lainey is ONE!

Lainey and her family gathered

 to celebrate a very special little one!

Such a sweetie- 

easy smiles and a cuddle too!

Trying cake for the first time!!!

The Michigan crew all together

 to celebrate the little one.

A Sibling Huddle.

Little Miss is on the MOVE-

all the TIME!

A fun celebration with grand love #10!

Miss Smiley gives alot of joy to Papa and Gigi.

Birthday blessings to this sweet girl.

 

Worship into the Week- Strive

 

Worship into the Week- Strive

"Strive for peace with everyone, 

and for the holiness without which no one

 will see the Lord. 

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; 

that no "root of bitterness" springs up

 and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled."

Hebrews 12:14-15 ESV

Warning and Encouragement

"Make every effort to live in peace with everyone 

and to be holy: without holiness no one will see the Lord.

 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God

 and that no bitter root grows up

 to cause trouble and defile many." NIV

Strive- Make Every Effort

God is not adverse to effort.

Effort is different than earning.

We don't win anything in the earning category.

We please God with every effort to live in peace.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printable

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Worship into the Week Printable

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Supplies:

Magazine Cutouts

Colored Pencils

Vintage stamp

Scrapbook Paper

Distress Ink

Matthaei Botanical Gardens

 

Just a spot to sit in the grove of trees

at Matthaei Botanical Gardens

 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Some very pretty zinnias, a double cosmos

 and a Rose of Sharon greeted in the late summer gardens.

Fun exploring with the Schu crew

 for the morning.

All sorts of tropicals hang out in the conservatory.

A funky cacti is full 

of many intricacies.

A  LIVE wall is an interesting

 greeting on a shadier side.

A fun wind whirly 

adds lots of movement.

Light and shadow is a foreshadowing reminder

 of the changing seasons of the days as we move to fall.

Natural rhythm moving toward the end of growth.

The slide to shorter days and the slow times coming.

Even if our days seem to move so quickly forward-

 a morning in the gardens resets our clock

 to know it is time to adjust. 

Breathing in a deep summer pulse one more time.

Hadley Grace is Three

 

Birthday girl Hadley is surrounded

 by her sweet family.

You always need a crown for your birthday.

      The Birthday celebration was all set the night before.

Peppa pig and friend

were all set in the mud pit for the party.

Fluffy pony tails were set

 for the special day.

                              There was a Peppa Big thermos

 and undies plus new shoes.

  A thrifted set of Calico Critters

brought great delight.

                    Siblings, cousins, and auntie and uncle and Gigi 

gathered for a 3 year old tribute.

                   We give thanks for your spunk and sparkle.

                                   Your giggle and silly antics

 with big words are such fun.

You don't miss a thing.

We give thanks for you.

Blessings and a wonderful world of being Three.

 

Worship into the Week- By Faith

 

Worship into the Week-

 By Faith- Hebrews 12

A great review of faith Giants

 that followed by faith.

"Let us run with endurance the race 

that is set before us looking to Jesus,

 the founder and perfecter of our faith."

Hebrews 12:1-2

It is a race that we must never stop.

We must keep out eyes on Jesus for the 

journey ahead.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printable

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Worship into the Year Printable

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Magazine cutouts

Colored pencils

Vintage stamp

Vintage Grace Gardens- Late Summer

 

Highlighting the Rex Begonias this year. 

They love the sheltered north porch and just thrive.

Will try to overwinter them again.

The zebra grass has filled in

 and holds the corner bed that hides the BIG 

green electrical service box in the yard.

More begonias loving the filtered sunlight.

A crape myrtle bush hitting stride

 on the West side.

Some flourishing phlox.

Pretty blue larkspur.

Golden Yellow Zinnias

Still some color in the yard.

But, thinking about fall.

Hamat Taverna National Park- Israel

 

I just don't know where the months

 have gone since our return from 2022 Israel tour.

As I can, I will try to tell the story 

of the places we visited. 

This trip we were able to visit 

Hamat Taverna National Park in Tiberias.

We had been chased all day by rain and a storm 

and when we got out of the bus this beautiful rainbow

dipping into the Sea of Galilee greeted us.

There are hot springs located here 

and the word Hamat is Hebrew for hot.

Hamat was mentioned as early as the thirteenth century BCE

 by an Egyptian traveler as a "'tourist site."

In Joshua 19:35 it is mentioned as the southernmost 

fortified city of the tribe of Naphtali.

In the Roman period, the city of Tiberius 

was founded and swallowed up Hamat. 

Most of the city has yet to be excavated.

A covered building protects the remains of the synagogue

 near the southern wall of the city. The synagogues were built

 over the ruins of older sites. The first was built around 230 CE.

 Here is a piece of the mosaic from a later building in the third

 or fourth century CE. building.

During much of this time the synagogue here

was the seat of the Jewish Sanhedrin.

The intricate mosaics are beautiful.

Here is the southern panel with the Holy Ark depicted

 along with Jewish symbols such as two seven-branched candelabra, 

a shofar (ram's horn) and a lulav (palm frond).

The northern panel depicts 2 lions flanking nine inscriptions

 in Greek dedicated to the donors.

These floors are the earliest such floor ever found

 in a synagogue in Israel.

This synagogue was destroyed in an earthquake 

in the fifth century.

A third synagogue was built and lasted until the 8th century.

The hot steam baths were used by the Arabs and built in 1780

 and used until the 1940's. 

Our guide, Yossi, treated us to the sound 

of the "music from the baths"

 from the building of Hamam Suleiman

 when the hot springs were used for their medicinal purposes.