The Gladness Of His Heart!

Our brother-in-law Kaare is celebrating an upcoming milestone birthday! This is all the more special and precious because this past fall he had at least 2 heart attacks and spent a fair amount of time in the hospital and in recovery. He is back at work and so thankful to be celebrating LIFE with his family.Kaare sat next to his father who recovered from a heart attack a few years ago, both of them seem to especially appreciate time with loved ones. "Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labors in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward." My sister Karen, (left, holding the cake) is Kaare's wife. She arranged this bash at an Italian restaurant because she is beyond happy and thankful for her beloved husband recovering and still here with her. She is still very much in love with her husband of more than 30 years, as he is with her. "Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God."

Here is our end of the very long table full of just a few of the many family members Kaare and Karen have. We were so happy to be able to celebrate another year of being together.We never know when one of us, young or old, healthy or infirm will be called home to eternity, and it is often so easy to forget that until we almost lose someone dear." For he will not often consider the years of his life because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart." ~all quotes are from Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20~

Here is a long picture looking all the way from one end of the room to the other, full of family that love Kaare. Happy Birthday Kaare, and may God grant you many more to be occupied with the gladness of your heart!

Spot of Guilt and Bird Watching

~Yesterday was one of those days I yearn for most of the year. It was very, very rainy outside, yet inside the house I was warm and the coffee was fresh and delicious. All the animals were safe and sound and out of the rain( if they chose to be). The window above is one of my kitchen windows. It is directly over the kitchen counter where I do most of my food prep and where I am drawn to stand with my morning coffee and watch the birds at the feeder hanging just outside this window. There were so many birds ! Chickadees, juncos, pine siskins, a woodpecker, finches, towhees...and so on. As I was truly taking in the moment...fresh coffee, I was warm and comfortable, the birds were a delight, and I did not have to be anywhere else, well, I began to feel guilty. ~Miss Marple also enjoys the bird watching, but don't tell Hubby I snapped a picture of her. He would not take the time to snap her picture because he would have rightly shooshed her off the counter. Really, cats do not belong on the counter! I promise, I did shoosh her off the counter after I took the picture..and I did wash the counter top. But look at her, she is having a good time indoors on a rainy day too, and I am sure she is not feeling one single , itty, bitty smidgeon of guilt about it either. ~This is why I felt guilty. Look at the state of our state! We're flooded and mudded and landslided and avalanched to pieces around here. The mountain passes are closed , big sections of our Interstate are now covered in water, and actually, you could float a boat on them. Roads all over are under water, as are homes and businesses. Whole cities have been evacuated because of flooding and others are completely cut off because their roads have been washed away by mud or are under water. And here I am, luxuriating in being able to stay home and ENJOY the rainy day. What is wrong with me? ~When you shoosh Miss Marple away from one window she will always find another window to watch the birds and probably salivate at the feathered delicacies she could be eating if only I would let her outside. She can see the front bird feeder from this window. ~Anyway, about feeling guilty for enjoying the day. It is wrong of me, we are all given so much and to waste the precious moments fretting about this or that or taking on false guilt is wrong. As I went outside and took note of all the standing water around our place, the pond water level is over the island(our home is not in danger from our overflowing pond) and our neighbors pastures are all sporting flocks of swimming ducks and geese, I realize we are safe today. Tomorrow is another day and who knows what that can bring. Believe me, I can think up a lot of disaster scenarios here. But God is in control and if He allows disaster to strike us again, then He knows we can deal with it...so my false guilt and fear and worry are of no good value. Don't get me wrong, there is need for prayer and practical and financial help for the many families devastated by the conditions around the state, but guilt and lack of appreciation for what I do have, well that is wrong. ~Miss Marple and I went on with our day, watching birds and taking refreshment . I cleaned and put away Christmas stuff, she chattered to birds and twitched her tail. "Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting; to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labors in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward." Ecclesiastes 5:18 ~Blessings: good coffee, entertaining cats, birds at the feeder, enjoying rainy days from inside

Spot of Sweetness and Reward, Baking Cupcakes

~~~This is Candy Cat. Candy Cat is a small cat with some physical problems, but she is not aware her problems are indeed PROBLEMS. She is unable to do many things, and her eyes do not dilate properly , nor do her claws retract, but she is a happy cat and very easy to have around. I bring her up in today's post because she was a Christmas gift from our grandchildren and the granddaughter who loves her to pieces stayed with us for 2 nights and 3 days JUST FOR FUN ! Candy cat was snuggled and loved by #2Granddaughter in between all the playing and baking and arts and crafts !~~~#2 Granddaughter (below) is cracking open the eggs for the lemon cupcakes she and I are baking. She chose the cake mix and she told me cracking the eggs open is her favorite part of baking. ( I think tasting the batter is really her favorite)

~~~She is carefully scraping the sides of the bowl while the mixer does it's magic.~~~ "The torch of love is lit in the kitchen."Anon.

~~~Look at the concentration on her face as she carefully fills each paper cup with batter.~~~ ~~~While the cupcakes bake she is working on a sheep she is making. She and I spent the evening before making sheep. I make little sheep to sell at bazaars. I think she will be a future business partner. Last night she was my 'glue girl', and a very good glue girl she is.She did all the gluing, a step that takes a little extra time, so she saved me some time and labor. But, here she is working on her own sheep. (below) ~~~The cupcakes are out of the oven. We could not resist. We ate warm cupcakes without frosting. She has peppermint tea with hers and I had fresh coffee. She insisted on us using the pretty butterfly teacups. (below)

~~~"If the divine creator has taken pains to give us delicious and exquisite things to eat, the least we can do is prepare them well and serve them with ceremony." Fernand Poins ~~~

~~~Hubby and #2 Granddaughter frosting cupcakes. Well, Hubby was frosting his own cupcake. Hubby comes from a family that believes dessert IS the meal, and I believe the quote below is their family motto , actually, I think they believe life IS dessert !~~~

~~~"Life is unsure, always eat your dessert first."~~~

~~~Here is the cupcake our granddaughter made for me. She made little fairy toppers and wanted to make sure I kept this one. I think I will eat it for breakfast. Thank-you Granddaughter. ~~~I count it a privilege and a blessing to be able to do special things with children. Even better that I have grandchildren to have fun with. It takes so little to make a child happy, read a story together, bake together, color in a coloring book or play a game together. Sing silly songs or do jumping jacks together.Pick up colorful leaves, or cuddle in the rocking chair while you watch a special movie together. ~~~This verse from the Bible is one I take to heart and believe God is pleased to grant us here on earth. "Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labors in which he toils under the sun during the few years of life which God has given him; for this is his reward." Ecclesiastes 5:18 And I believe sharing time with the grandchildren borne of the children Hubby and I had in our youth is a true reward from God.