Hello y'all!
I hope that the month of July has been full of joy and that you have been wonderfully blessed. Can you believe that this year is more than half gone!?! I can't!
The month of July has been full of glorious sunsets, incredible food, spending time with family, fun 4th of July celebrations, baseball, morning runs (working my way up to a 5K!), kitty-loving, Ultimate Frisbee, and God's ever abundant grace. His mercies are indeed new every morning!
I have been thinking a lot about persecution, martyrdom, and serving Christ with my ALL lately. It has been on my mind often, almost constantly, after reading
Foxe's Book of Martyrs (a MUST READ!), so I was very blessed to find this quote from William Wilberforce, shared on
this site.
"Christianity especially has always thrived under persecution. At such a season she has no lukewarm professors; no adherents concerning whom it is doubtful to what party they belong. The Christian is then reminded at every turn, that his Master’s kingdom is not of this world. When all on earth wears a black and threatening aspect, he looks up to heaven for consolation; he learns practically to consider himself as a pilgrim and stranger. He then cleaves to fundamentals, and examines well his foundation, as at the hour of death. When Religion is in a state of external quiet and prosperity, the contrary of all this naturally takes place. The soldiers of the church militant then forget that they are in a state of warfare. Their ardor slackens, their zeal languishes. Like a colony long settled in a strange country, they are gradually assimilated in features, and demeanor, and language, to the native inhabitants, till at length almost every vestige of peculiarity dies away."
And now for a photographic summary of what we've been up to this month:
I got up early one Sunday morning and made donuts. Yum!
Homemade glazed donuts + an ice cold glass of milk + a glorious Sunday morning = bliss!
We have played Ultimate Frisbee the last two Sunday afternoons, and it has been a BLAST! I hope to post pictures soon.
The day before July 4th, I had the bright idea (or not so bright?) :) to make homemade Oreos, having no idea what a huge project it would become. I started them in the late afternoon and finished them up around 1:30 in the morning. By that time, my combat soundtracks were about the only thing keeping me going. :) The Oreos were absolutely delicious, and worth every bit of work. You can find the recipe I used
here.
By the way, if you have never listened to The Red Baron soundtrack, you must! :) "Welcome Back", Friend & Enemy" and "Airbattle 1" are my favorites.
The 4th of July was a very beautiful and blessed day. We had gorgeous weather, great fellowship, amazing food, and some super fun games. God is so good! I am so grateful for the freedom that we have. Praise Him for His abundant goodness to each one of us!
"If our faith is to grow exceedingly, we must maintain constant intercourse with God."
- Charles Spurgeon
New family photo! I love it!
Red, white, and blue.
Grandpa with his girls.
A mourning dove nest in a hanging flower basket.
I love spending time with my precious Great Grandma. She loves to tell me stories from nearly 100 years ago.
The kids took a bike ride after lunch.
At Grandma's birthday party with all of the grandkids.
The guys picked a bunch of black raspberries and mulberries, so we made a pie and homemade vanilla ice cream (what's pie without ice cream!?!). It is a new family favorite, and Papa told me that it was his favorite pie ever. :)
Each Tuesday, the guys go to play father-son baseball. It is so fun to watch them!
Little Tigger is such a cutie pie!
Jeremiah takes such great care of her!
A glorious sunset yesterday evening!
"If we begin, continue, and end with God, our way will be strewn with blessings."
- Charles Spurgeon
Psalm 75:1
"We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near."
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