Sweet Sixteen

Today is dear Lydia's sixteenth birthday! Help me in wishing her a happy birthday.

Here are some little things about Lydia:

~Lydia is a bit of sunshine - happy and cheerful

~She is our family writer and poet. We are all so proud of her!

~She is a reader. There are not many times when she does not have a book nearby

~Lydia has wonderful patience (although she might deny it). When youngest sister is discouraged by a older sister *blush*, many times she finds kindness in Lydia.

~She is very witty and says the funniest things, many times when we are least expecting it from our quiet sister. :)

~She is the expert hairdresser of the house. And good thing since there are quite a few locks of hair to be done up from time to time.

~She has the funniest giggle, especially at 12:00 at night and we just can't get a hold of ourselves. :)

~She is a blessed sister and friend to me. What would I do without my sisters who are among my closest, dearest friends.

~And above all, Lydia strives to be a young woman after God's own heart. She seeks to be the woman whose price is far above rubies.

We love you so much Lydia! May God bless you and cause you to grow closer to Him in this coming sixteenth year of your life.

Posted by: Carissa

Wow.

This video made my jaw drop open. Hope it has the same humbling effect on you!

posted by Lydia

A Tribute...

...to a very, very special woman. Our dear mother's birthday is today. Please join us in wishing her a very lovely day! Here are a few "Mama" quotes to make you smile and nod.


"The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." ~William Ross Wallace


"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother". ~Lin Yutang

(Mommy and her four maidens)

"There was never a great man who had not a great mother." ~Olive Schreiner

"The mother is the most precious possessions of the nation, so precious that society advances its highest well-being when it protects the functions of the mother." ~Ellen Key

(All of us!)

Oh! These are they that mold the men of story,

These mothers, oftime shorn of grace and youth,

Who, worn and weary, ask no greater glory

Than making some young soul the home of truth;

Who sow in hearts all fallow for the sowing

The seeds of virtue and of scorn for sin,

And, patient, watch the beauteous harvest growing

And weed out tares which crafty hands cast in.

~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

posted by Lydia

Our Poet

My sister Lydia wrote a lovely poem for a poetry contest at a local library. To our surprise (but not too much of a surprise, to me) she was called and notified that she had won a prize! We all drove out to the library for the evening and Lydia was presented with her prize and the opportunity to read her poem in front of the gathering. It was fun to see Lydia publicly recognized for her wonderful gift with words. We are all very proud of our poet!
Here is the prize winning poem for you all to see.

Tea Time Lingerings

A chair scrapes across the floor as a lisping voice

Announces, “Mommy, I can do it!”

A shaking hand reaches high for the teacup of choice

A careful, tiny hand in a glove that doesn’t fit.

The gentle, musical rumble, issued from the kettle,

Offers proof that high tea is to begin soon,

The ancient teapot stands ready, the one with the rose petal,

As the hour draws closer to twelve o’clock noon.

Fragrant tea leaves are brewed within the pot,

Kept warm by a tea cozy lined in silk,

Grown women look forward to black tea, piping hot,

Little women look forward to cold chocolate milk.

Cookies and biscuits and sweet jam filled tarts

Delight the accomplished or feminine cook

Little hands learn the useful art

From an experienced instructor rather than a book.

Hats and fans grace the elegant spread

In a most delightful, cockeyed fashion,

While little brothers in boyish dread,

Avoid the parlor in diligent passion.

Little ladies in large frilly dresses

Giggle and wiggle at the linen-clad table,

Little white flowers caught up in long, golden tresses,

Make small girls look like fairies from a fable.

Ladies in training keep their pinkies up

While conversation is kept with speeding tongue,

All sip from a delicate, china cup,

As lovely-whatevers delight the old and young.

The afternoon flies, evening draws near,

The parlor begins to empty,

Yet memory through the years remains dear,

Of lingering over a cup of tea.

By Lydia Hope

Posted by: Carissa

A Sunday Afternoon

Today was yet another glorious day. After church, we decided to take our dinner to a state park near us. The sun was bright and warm though the breeze was a bit chilly. It was wonderful to be out on such a day.


Canadian geese on the lake. It is funny how clumsily they walk on land, but as soon as they touch the water they glide so beautifully.



Daddy, Abby, and Caroline tossing around a ball.



That is, tossing it around after rescuing it from the lake when someone threw a little too hard. :)



Lydia reading her C. S. Lewis book.

Abby wishing she could go swimming soon. She assured me the water was really warm.

And of course I could not go far without all my books. Or some of them anyway. :)

A beautiful evening enjoying the sunshine, reading, eating chicken without any forks :) , walking, listening to the songs of birds (even a loon!), and the peacefulness of the lakeside.

May everyone have a blessed Lord's Day evening!

Posted by: Carissa

Upon a Fine Spring Day

This week has been absolutely GORGEOUS!! Last Saturday, we took advantage of the beautiful spring weather and went for a walk on a local nature trail with a friend. Abby shows off her walking stick. Beware!

Scott decides to give it a try. It sort of looks like he's tying to lop off my head, doesn't it?

Because some people just can't get there fast enough.

A light appears at the end of the dark forest path. Could this be our destination?


We came out on top of a hill overlooking our town. Just ignore the sounds of traffic, and we could have been in the country!

Oh yeah...ignore the power lines too.

Abby holds up the pole, and thereby saves our town from a devastating power outage. All in a day's work.

Once again, ignoring the thruway in the distance.

This is a shot of Scott preparing to risk life and limb to jump over the raging brook. Yes...he stood there for awhile!

"Oh, c'mon Scott! Even if you do fall in the water, it's not THAT cold."

Oooh, look! It's an old, rotten, dangerous looking log! Let's walk on it!!!

This time, Scott convinced Caroline to risk life and limb too. I hear stupidity likes company. Not that crossing the log was stupid.....of course. ;-)

Not to many more weeks until those leaves will be green again!

A very artsy looking vine. Only problem is, the picture is sideways. Everyone tip your head to the right!

Take 1. Nope, no good.

Take 2. Much better. Hope you are all enjoying the joys of spring!

posted by Lydia

I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow

I asked the Lord that I might grow,
In faith and love and every grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

It was He who taught me thus to pray,
And He I trust has answered prayer.
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.


I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request.
And by His love’s constraining power,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.


Instead of this, He made me feel,
The hidden evils of my heart.
And let the angry powers of hell,
Assault my soul in every part.


Yes, more with His own hand,
He seemed, Intent to aggravate my woe.
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.


“Lord, why is this?” I trembling cried.
Will You pursue Your worm to death?”
“This is the way” the Lord replied,
“I answer prayer for grace and strength.”


“These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set you free;
And break your schemes of earthly joy,
That you may find thy all in Me.”

~John Newton



This is my prayer tonight and for my life, that I might grow no matter how hard it will be. I know the Lord is with me and will complete the good work that has been started.

(Philippians 1:6)

Resurrection Sunday

The strife is over, the battle done;
The victory of life is won;
The song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!

The powers of death have done their worst,
But Christ their legions hath dispersed:
Let shouts of holy joy outburst.
Alleluia!

The three sad days have quickly sped;
He rises glorious from the dead:
All glory to our risen Head!
Alleluia!

He closed the yawning gates of hell;
The bars from heaven's high portals fell:
Let hymns of praise his triumphs tell.
Alleluia!

Lord, by the stripes which wounded Thee,
From death's dread sting Thy servants free,
That we may live and sing to Thee,
Alleluia!
~Author Unknown

posted by Lydia

Easter Dress

This pattern had to be the best one ever!

No zipper, no darts. Just seems and a tie.
( The lovely model of the day, Lydia)

Posted by: Caroline

Dirt!!!

It is finally that time of year again to get our hands dirty!

I put peet moss in the gardens today.

Ah...I love dirt. Now all we need is plants.

Posted by: Caroline

Favorite Things of the Day

These are a few things that I am enjoying today. I wish all of my blogging friends and family from far away could be with me this lovely evening, but we could pretend! :) This is a little glimpse at my day:

~SUNSHINE!!

~The warmth of the front porch.

~Watching bunny clean her face and ears.

~Seeing a little girl today in a sweet sundress and matching handkerchief in her hair.

~Blue flowers all over the lawn of the inn I work at.

~The song of the mourning dove.

~The fact that I am halfway through the essay I have to write.

~A new book to read tonight (Beric the Briton by G.A. Henty).

~New comfy shoes I got for my birthday.

~Pasta, chicken and spinach salad for lunch. (it tastes especially good when you haven't eaten since 7:30 and it is now 2:00. )

~Crocuses blooming on the yard.

~Baby sounds (cooing, crying, and blowing bubbles)

~Delicious pork chops for dinner.

~My new dress Caroline made for me. (it's yellow, like sunshine!)

~Playing a game with my family.

~Green tea lemonade. Yummy!

~A quiet peaceful evening at home.

Have a peaceful evening everyone, wherever you may be.

Posted by: Carissa

19 Years Ago...

...a very speacial someone was born. Carissa is turning 19 today. Please join me in wishing her a very happy birthday!

Carissa with her sisters.

"Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters!"

Your bloggers ;-)

Carissa with her best-est friend, Stephanie (also known as "the other sister" ;-). Love you, Steph!)
Carissa with our parents on graduation day last June.
Happy Birthday, Carissa! May God continue to bless and guide you this year as you grow more and more like Him. We love you!

posted by Lydia

Curing Insecurity

"Incredible," I was thinking the other day as I browsed through the books at my local library, "Hundreds of titles, and not a single one I need!"

According to the top psychologists of our day, everything I needed was right in front of me:

~Discovering Self-esteem;

~Self Matters;

~Your Best Life Now;

~I Like Myself!;

~Incredible Me;

But no, I was looking for something that carried a little more weight in eternity:

~Discovering Self-debasement;

~Christ Matters;

~Your Worst Life Now: letting God work through the hard stuff;

~I Hate My Sin!;

~Depraved Sinner, Incredible Savior;

Nope, not there. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

So judging from the titles that I found, what conclusion do you think that someone, completely new to our culture, would come to about what our country's issue is? Well, they would probably think that we were pretty low, right? They might think that we are in need of a little boost in (dare I say it?) self-esteem.

But it's not true. Not at all. I think that the real problem here is a little more difficult to cure. Let me explain:

Picture a girl, tears in her eyes, sitting in front of a counselor. She's talking about how short, chubby, and ugly she is. Now stop. What do you think the problem is here?

Bad self-image?

Self hate?

Unhealthy dose of humility?

Nope, nope, and nope. Pride is the culprit. (gasp!) Are you shocked? Here's C.S. Lewis to make it a little plainer,

"A really humble man...won't be a sort of person...who's always telling you that, of course, he's nobody. Probably all you'll think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him, it will be because you feel a bit envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He won't be thinking about himself at all. There I must stop. If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you're not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed."

Hmmm, so if self-esteem definitely isn't what we need, than what is?

Well, we've discovered that the problem behind insecurity is actually pride, so the fist step to curing insecurity would have to be the opposite of pride, right? Taking focus off of ourselves and placing it on our Savior is the one and only cure to the disease of the mind that is ravaging our nation. Self-esteem doesn't cut it. It would be like giving a dying man an aspirin and telling him that every thing will be all right. Feeling good about yourself might be a temporary quick-fix, but in the end, it is only when we can say, with a humble and contrite spirit, "Have Thine own way, Lord!" that pride will be choked from our lives.

Have Thine own way, Lord!

Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord!

Have Thine own way!

Search me and try me, Master, today!

Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,

As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord!

Have Thine own way!

Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!

Power, all power, surely is Thine!

Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord!

Have Thine own way!

Hold o’er my being absolute sway!

Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see

Christ only, always, living in me.

~Adelaide A. Pollard

posted by Lydia