Thankfulness

November seems to be a bittersweet month for me. For one thing, it is sad because it signals the end of my favorite season - autumn. The glorious colors of the trees are fading, and the weather turns cold and blustery. This month also reminds me that another year is almost gone, and the time has gone so fast. I ask myself: what progress have I made this year? Usually, I struggle to answer that question to my satisfaction. Have I given sacrificially to those around me? Have I taken every opportunity to love the Lord my God and grow in my relationship with Him? Have I shown unconditional love to my family? Many times the answer to these is no, so then I have to examine the reasons why and deal with those before God.

As depressing as it can be to go through this question-answer process and stare my weaknesses and failures in the face, in the end I am grateful for it because there is no other way to break out of my own selfish bubble and live as I should. The process also brings me face-to-face with the unending grace and mercy of my God. So, I can also say that November is a wonderful time of year because it reminds me to take time to proclaim my thankfulness for who God is, what He has done in my life and the promises He gives for tomorrow.

With the Thanksgiving celebration just a few weeks away, I want to make a conscious effort to have an attitude of thankfulness every day. Today, I am most thankful for life: the life I am living now is a beautiful gift from God, and He has given it to me abundantly; but also, I am thankful that He has given me the guarantee of eternal life in His presence. I'm not worthy to receive anything from God, but because of His great love for me, He chose to rescue me from death. Amazingly, He has chosen to walk by my side through this life and longs for me to acknowledge Him and live for Him every day. I pray that I will never forget these truths and that slowly but surely they will become reality in my life, evidenced through my words and actions. Then, and only then, will I be able to look back on my days and say "yes" to those questions.

This is what "redeeming the time" is all about: living every day in obedience to the Lord who has saved me.

Stephanie

Rainy Day

It's been a rainy day here on the East Coast...that's an understatement. We are in the midst of Hurricane Sandy. Steady rain and gusty winds all day, and expected to continue into tomorrow. But we were determined to look on the bright side and take advantage of a day off from work for catching up on household chores as well as some more relaxing activities. Since we still have power, it seemed like a good day for a nice, hearty soup. So after a bit of brainstorming, I came up with a recipe for a potato chowder.

Unfortunately, I realized too late in the process to take pictures of this soup, but I can tell you the combination of spices and herbs give it a beautiful color, and a good depth of flavor. Here's the recipe if anyone wants to give a try.

Smoky Potato Broccoli Chowder

Time: 1.5 hrs

serves 5

1 lb. bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

3 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

1Tbsp chopped fresh garlic chives

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp crushed red pepper (use less or omit if you don't want spicy chowder)

2 cups chicken stock, divided

2 Tbsp. flour

1 10 oz. can condensed cream of potato soup

1 ½ cups milk (adjust for desired thickness)

1. Parboil diced potatoes for 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. While potatoes are cooking, crisp the bacon in two batches in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Transfer two tablespoons of drippings to medium saucepan. Discard remaining oil.
3. Add potatoes, broccoli, garlic chives, paprika, cumin, red pepper, plus ¼ cup of chicken stock to the pan used for the bacon. Cook over medium-low heat while making the sauce.
4. In the medium saucepan, heat bacon drippings over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Once combined, slowly add in the remaining chicken stock whisking constantly to keep mixture smooth. Simmer for one minute to cook the flour. Then mix in the cream of potato soup and milk. Add bacon and bring back to a simmer for a few minutes.
5. Add this mixture to the potatoes. Simmer chowder for about 30 minutes, adding extra milk or chicken stock if thinner soup is desired. Serve with crackers or slices of crusty Italian bread.

Recipe inspired by Real Simple Smoky Corn Chowder.

Stephanie

Catching Up

 The past few months have been filled with travels to new places, projects around the house, time with family, and everyday routines...in short, life happened! Unfortunately, we haven't been taking time to blog about these things, but recently we've been inspired by the blogs of  some good friends and we're ready to dive back in!

Perhaps we should start by giving a quick recap of what we have been up to lately...

August saw us in Chincoteague, Virginia - our home away from home for the past 20 some years. Beach strolls, bird walks, wonderful food and sweet family time...the perfect retreat! September was our transition month from summer to fall. The first part of the month we headed south for one last trip to the coast - North Myrtle Beach. There were no crowds since schools were in session, less humidity than the high summertime, and the water was still very warm. One of the birding highlights was our very first sighting of a male Painted Bunting.

Painted Bunting, photo courtesy of Bill Hubick

Later in the month as the weather started to turn cooler, we felt the pull to get out and enjoy the changing seasons. We did some early Christmas shopping at the Makers' Market in southern Calvert County where various artisans set up booths filled with handmade jewelry, soaps, and woodcarvings in the middle of the beautiful Annmarie Sculpture Gardens. Then we detoured on the way home to explore Flag Ponds Nature Park in Lusby. This beautiful place of varied habitats is situated right on the Chesapeake Bay near the famous Calvert Cliffs. We found an excellent diversity of birds with everything from soaring bald eagles and osprey to the adorable least flycatchers and chickadees. Definitely a place to return to in any season.

More recently, we tried something new for our family - apple-picking. Oh, to get away from the city and drive through rolling hills and see horses in the pastures! The endless rows of apple trees heavy with fruit was a sight to see. We filled our bag with treasures and have been enjoying pies, tarts, sauces and turnovers for a couple of weeks now.

Staymen apple tree

One of the reasons I look forward to autumn, and October in particular, is probably because it is a celebration month for our family. My parents' anniversary, my mom's birthday and my own are all withing a few days of each other. This year we celebrated the birthdays in a different way. My mom and I treated one another to an afternoon tea at Reynold's Tavern in downtown Annapolis. I had experienced this myself for the first time recently thanks to a very generous friend and co-worker, and I knew immediately that this would be a perfect gift. The experience of drinking tea from exquisite teacups paired with melt-in-your-mouth pastries and sandwiches, all while seated in a beautifully restored 18th-century tavern was the perfect way to spend time together. But it was more than just a meal, it was taking a moment to celebrate a relationship. Our mother-daughter relationship has been blessed by God more than I could ever have dreamed, and I look forward to many more special "moments" we can celebrate together.

Teatime at Reynolds Tavern, Annapolis

Well, I think I have run out of both words and time for this post so I will say farewell until next time. One neat thing I should mention, however, is that even though it is late October and after 9 o'clock at night, as I sit typing this the windows are open to a lovely 70 degrees and the serenade of owls!

Stephanie

Meditation Monday

Hello again! We're still here...still breathing!

It has been quite a while since we've been able to post here, due to travels and computer issues. Even though were back home, the computer is still on the fritz, so I'm writing now from a different computer. I wanted to check in and let you all know what's been going since the last post.

The trip to see my grandmother went wonderfully, despite getting hit with heavy bands of rain from the Tropical Storm Beryl. The downpours gave us time inside together to visit, read, cook, and in general, slow down and relax. We definitely took advantage of the intermittent sunshine though to enjoy the fresh air and look for any birds crazy enough to hang around through all the rain. We found a few, including Mississippi Kite (a new one for us northerners) and family of Northern Parulas showing off their spring finery.

Since coming home, life has settled into a normal routine of keeping up with household chores, work, and enjoying being back in our home church. It's so refreshing and revitalizing to be worshiping with those we know and love, once more...to have your heart awakened again by the praising God in music...to have your soul convicted by the truth of God's word through the speakers. Personally, this last week showed me that I was getting my priorities off track and I needed to pull my focus away from life's daily chores and back to my Savior. My prayer now is one of thanks to the Lord for giving me yet another opportunity to do things His way. I have been reminded that I can trust Him in all things, for He is faithful.

Hopefully, your time recently has been filled with blessings to overflowing! Enjoy them and spread your joy to those around you.

Till next time,
Stephanie

On The Road Again

Yes, it's true! We 3 gals (plus some) are placing the last few things in the car and heading back out. This time we'll be spending a few precious days with a most precious lady . . . . my mom!

                                                                                                                                                                       

There's nothing like being with the one who gave you life.
See you tomorrow Mom : )

Virginia

Spring Birding in North Carolina

So...finally, we're getting around to posting about some of our spring birding adventures.

We'll start with our amazing vacation in the Lake Lure area of western North Carolina. For us coastal gals, a week spent exploring the mountains during migration season was a treat! Even though our final tally of 57 species wasn't stellar, we had several interesting encounters that I hope we won't soon forget.

Early in the week we visted Chimney Rock and climbed the stairs all the way to the top (and all the way back down!). Along the way we were serenaded constantly by Red-eyed Vireos and Black-throated Green Warblers. The Black-throated Green was a new life bird for both of us, and although we never actually got to see one, the song was unmistakable. My four-year-old niece even learned the song and kept singing "zoo-zee-zoo-zoo-zee" all the way along the trail. At the top of the rock, we had a great fly-by from a Peregrine Falcon.

In another part of the park, we were overwhelmed by the variety of bird songs surrounding us. It was like being on overload! But we could pick out a few that were distinct - like the Hooded Warbler (although we couldn't spot this one either).

Another day we traveled about an hour southwest of Lake Lure to Jackson Park, a county park just outside of Hendersonville. We had heard that this was a migration hot spot and ran into another birder shortly after arriving. He confirmed that it was indeed a great place to see lots of species since the park held a variety of habitats. However, he also said that the last week or so had been decidedly lack-luster. So even though we didn't rack up the number of warbler species expected, we were blessed to have some close-up time with a beautiful Northern Parula, several Indigo Buntings in brilliant plumage, and a couple of female Mallards with ducklings.

Northern Parula, photo by Bill Hubick

On a couple occasions, we took short walks around our vacation home's neighborhood to see if we could meet some of the "locals". A friendly flock of Cedar Waxwings, an excited pair of Palm Warblers, and many Eastern Bluebirds came out to welcome us. There were even the occasional gobbling Wild Turkeys adding their greetings in the distance. This sound was so unusual for us that we broke into giggles everytime we heard it.

Down by the lake shore one afternoon the first thing we noticed were the swallows zooming over the lake and even resting on the beach in small groups. To our surprise many of them were Northern Rough-winged Swallows hanging out with the familiar Barn Swallows. Then over in a nearby pine tree we saw a small bird foraging that turned out to be a beautiful Yellow-throated Warbler. After watching it for a while, our id was confirmed when it started singing.

Yellow-throated Warbler, photo by Bill Hubick

Across the road from the local grocery store (local being a 20 minute drive through windy mountainous backroads) was a well-maintained network of trails. We spent a few hours wandering around one day tracking down Hooded Warblers and getting startled by Wild Turkeys gobbling and crashing through the underbrush. We also got to hear a new bird for us, a Broad-winged Hawk. Finding the Hooded Warblers was probably the highlight of our trip. Such gorgeous creatures, just singing their hearts out!

Hooded Warbler, Photo by Bill Hubick

The night before we left we were serenaded by a distant Whip-poor-will. Then while we loaded everyone up in the car at 5am the next morning, a Chuck-wills-widow gave us a great send-off!

We'll try to post more later about our birding adventures in local areas.

Many thanks to Bill Hubick for graciously lending us some photos to illustrate our trip! For more see: www.billhubick.com/

Meditation Monday

My Bible study time this morning touched on the topic of patience. I say touched since that topic alone could fill a small library! I was prompted to meditate on where I am in my life versus where I thought I'd be or where I'd like to be. Hmmm . . . they just don't match up, if you know what I mean. Sometimes I try to figure out why and what I could do to change it.  But for a good while now I've been sitting back and letting God work in me, letting "endurance have it's perfect result" (James 1:4 NASB). However, these last few days, I'm finding myself getting impatient again with God's timing of whatever His plan is for me in one particular area.

Thankfully, today, I was reminded that I am in training. God is training me for something. I don't know what it is and, frankly, I don't really care since I trust my Trainer. I am not to rush God, for He cannot be rushed. No amount of pushing or pulling on Him, tugging or taunting can budge Him. I am to exercise patience with His timing and His methods. Although I'm tempted, I know better than to try to go on without Him - for then, I would be truly miserable.

Reminders from His word and from fellow believers are so helpful. Without them I would be left to my own devices and would surely find myself adrift, getting farther and farther away from my God and Savior.

Virginia

Worshipful Wednesday: Lessons from the Garden, Part 2

Roots
We must be rooted in Jesus Christ. We may appear small or weak on the outside when our lives in Christ are new, but the roots should run long and deep so that no one, no power or influence could pull us up.

We must also be rooted in God's word. If our roots are not in a soil with an abundance of water and food, we, the plants, will grow weak and sickly. We may wilt down and even die. However, if we are daily watered and fed in the soil of God's word, we can reach up toward the Son growing stronger in faith. We can also reach outward, producing branches with fruit that can provide shelter and sustenance for others.

We must be diligent to uproot any evil thing that may take hold in the soil of our hearts. If the soil is dry and hard, it is difficult if not impossible to pull out the evil by the root. We may pluck it off at the soil line so that outwardly it is not visible, but the roots remain, growing stronger, stealing nutrients from the roots of goodness, righteousness, faith and love. Nevertheless, if we soften the soil with the water of God's Word, we can reach deep down to pull out the evil with all its roots, giving space for the things of God to grow and fill in.

Remember, we have a Master Gardener who wants to water and nourish the soil of our hearts. He also will help us remove the evil roots and strengthen the roots of righteousness.

Colossians 2:6-7
Matthew 13:3-52

Stephanie

Meditation Monday

Marsh Wren, courtesy Bill Hubick

"All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!..."


"Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him!..."

























-Song excerpts from hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King" Francis of Assisi, c.1225

-Thanks to Bill Hubick for letting us use his beautiful bird photo for this post. For more, see his website: http://www.billhubick.com

Worshipful Wednesday: Lessons from the Garden, Part 1

Several years ago, I sat down and started writing out the thoughts that had come into my head during the time I spent in the garden. It was like God was showing me how our lives are mirrored in the way His creation works. I'd like to share with you what God was teaching me (what I'm still learning to this day). Here is part one...

Soil

When we clear away everthing that is dead and rotting from our hearts, the ground is soft and open. Then God sends the rain that soaks in deep. This rain may be light and refreshing, but most of the time it is a downpour, complete with lightning and thunder and wind. It seems so harsh, as though it would uproot and wash away the seedlings that God planted. However, He has a perfect plan. He knows just how much rain to send to bring us back to life and into a right relationship with Him. Our job is to hold fast during the storm, trusting that soon the Sun will come again and we will be ready to grow, having been nourished abundantly by our Master Gardener, the Lord God.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

Stephanie

Settling Back In

Surely, you've experienced time away from the normal routine of life whether the interruption was due to celebration or sorrow, sickness or vacation. Once the interlude has passed, you find yourself settling back in. Chores and work schedules resume. Laundry, dishes, running errands, sending loved ones off to work and welcoming them upon their return all come back into view once again. Life goes on.

Amidst all the joys and necessities, the most important portion of my day, any day, is the time I spend in God's word, reading, studying, meditating. As much as I tried daily to get into His word during our recent vacation, I wasn't very successful and I truly longed . . . ached actually, for it. So, naturally for me, a big part of settling back in is resuming my Bible study.

Since returning from our fabulous getaway to mountains, lakes and wooded trails I have been blessed to have finally caught up with a very close friend. We spent hours sitting in my yard last evening sharing as the light faded and then disappeared completely. I have been aching for that precious time of reconnecting.

While I've caught up on laundry, my cupboards are pretty bare - a trip to the market is on today's agenda . . . among other things.

Another thing to get caught up on is relaying to you some of our recent birding adventures and sightings. Here's a tease . . . some of the best birding can happen in your own backyard or close by!

Virginia

p.s. we are sorry to have missed the last couple of regular posts on Wednesday and Monday. Please forgive us. And also, we are extremely delighted that our blog is now being read in multiple countries. Thank you!

Meditation Monday

I've been singing this little ditty to my granddaughter these last couple of days as we've been walking together along mountain trails. It's a song I learned as a small child, taught to my children and am now blessed to share with my grandchildren. The tune may be one that appeals to little ones more so than adults, but the words are meaningful and capture great truths.

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There's nothing my God cannot do...

The mountains are His...

The rivers are His...

                        The skies are His handiwork too...

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty

                   There's nothing my God cannot do.

"Vacation Prayer"

We ran across this poem the other day and thought how appropriate it is for our family at this time. If the vacation season is drawing near for you, too, perhaps you will find these words resounding in your heart as well.

VACATION PRAYER

Loving Father, who didst make this earth so fair; open our eyes to see its wonders and our hearts to feel its beauty. In our days of refreshment and recreation, draw us nearer to Thee through the things which Thou hast made.

May the joy of Thy sunshine, the quiet of Thy forests, the murmur of Thy streams,

and the steadfast strength of Thine everlasting hills teach us the deep secret of Thy peace. Renew in us faith and courage, physical strength and spiritual vision, that we may know ourselves to be safely held in Thy strong hands.

From this life, so near to Nature's heart, may we drink in new strength to help us reach the restless hearts of men. May we go back to the world and it duties, stronger, simpler, sweeter,

and thus become more worthy messengers of Him who saw His Father's goodness in the sparrow's flight and His Father's love in the beauty which clothes the lilies of the field.

HUGH L. BURLESON

Are you up for a challenge?

Good day, everyone!
I encountered several wonderful things on facebook this morning. One of which was the following:

41 Evidences of Pride - Resources - Eternal Perspective Ministries

I hope you will follow the link and experience truth for yourself. But, I'll warn you, it's not an easy questionnaire. A rather challenging one, in fact. Sobering. But praise God that He is working in each of us to conform us to the image of His Son, in whom there is no pride.

Virginia

Worshipful Wednesday

We've been reminded often lately of how patient our Lord is with us. No matter how much we fail and how stubborn we can be He is always willing to work with us. He is always trying to refine our character so that we might become more holy.

In particular, I think He has been trying to teach me that I need to take the focus off of my needs and wants and concentrate instead on worshiping Him with my whole being. I'm trying to learn how to be more mindful of His presence all around me - by praising Him for His creation when I watch a bird fly or take time to look at the intricate design of a flower, by remembering to pray for the people I come in contact with instead of just going through each day with blinders on, by giving Him thanks for all things even when those things aren't what I thought they should be.

There is so much to learn. And of course, the more I learn, the more I come to realize how little I have truly grasped in my mind. But then I come full circle and God reminds me again of His infinite patience...sigh...all I can do is worship Him for who He is. Perhaps that is all He wants from me today...

Meditation Monday

Memorial Park, Chincoteague, Va.
Summer 2009

                         JESUS said

                                         I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE

                                         I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

                                                                                                        ~ John 14:6; John 8:12

Worshipful Wednesday

                               

He leads me beside still waters . . .  He restores my soul.

                                                                                             Psalm 23:2,3

Meditation Monday

"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"  by Thomas O. Chisholm

based on Lamentations 3:22,23

Great is Thy faithfulness, Oh God my Father!

There is no shadow of turning with Thee

Thou changest not - Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Blessings are mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Garden tours

One of my favorite things to do in the spring is take a leisurely walk around the house to see what's growing and blooming. Since spring came so early this year it looks more like May out there than early April - just gorgeous - and a rainbow of colors! Everything from miniscule wildflowers to showy azaleas and bleeding heart, volunteers and faithful perennials.

 Forget-me-nots:

so much beauty in such a tiny package

Our ancient lilac bush:

just love those double blossoms!

Dogwood:

a timely reminder of the story of Easter

God is truly the best Gardener! He takes care of all the plants and flowers, despite my good intentions to help Him out. I can put them in the ground and give them food and water, but only He can make them grow and bloom so vibrantly. Amazing when I think he cares for us even more than these "lilies of the field"!

Thanks for touring the garden with me!

Stephanie

"Tempus Fugit"

"Two hours just wasn't long enough," I responded last night when asked how my evening was. It was a blessing to spend a couple of hours in the company of three very dear girlfriends and my, how the time flew past. We talked and laughed, sharing and encouraging one another.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about time . . . how much of it we have, the multitude of ways we can spend it, who we spend it with, how precious it is and, ultimately, how little of it we have. Scripture tells us that we are just a vapor, here for a little while and to make the most of what God has given us.

My dad frequently quoted to me, "time flies when you're having fun." My response was consistently, "and even when you're not!"

When faced with the daily, and sometimes hourly, decision of how to spend my time, I need to be reminded to keep God's priorities in view. Don't we all? Sadly, sometimes I squander, make poor decisions, or allow laziness to take the reins. However, I am so grateful that God is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness. His patience amazes me!

Virginia

It's About Time!

Have you ever noticed how things accumulate? . . . dust, cat fur, toys, clothes, dirty dishes . . . mostly things we don't want more of.
But occasionally, more of things we do love, like friends, additions to our family, beautiful days, favorite outings, and time well spent, can and do accumulate. Ahh, now those are things that bring a smile to my heart. Bring them on! The more, the better!

Today, amidst the chores on my list, mostly cutting down on that kitty fur and tackling the piles of dishes, I want to be sure to include time for things I love, with people I love.

The concept of "redeeming time" means "to buy up, to buy all that is anywhere to be bought, and not to allow the suitable moment to pass by unheeded, but to make it one's own; making the most of every opportunity, turning each to the best advantage since none can be recalled if missed."

I and my two daughters would like to share with you the ways we find ourselves "redeeming our time", whether it be by special outings, fun recipes, favorite crafts, exploring God's creation, or just a normal day of hanging out together. I hope you'll join us and be encouraged along the way to redeem some time for yourself and those you love.

Virginia

Definition adapted from Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. 1992 and Strong, James. The New Strong's Expanded Dictionary. 2001.