Thursday, February 12, 2015

Revisiting Altars

 Happy February again!  James has adoring fans in all his girl cousins!  Doesn't he have funny expressions?  He's thinking, "Okay, that's enough."  Sam has such a heart of love and Plum Cake makes her adorable plum face! We'll see them all tonight for pizza (Birdie's birthday is tomorrow) and then we'll see our Fort Collins grands on Saturday!  Valentine's Day!  Woot!  Woot!
 Because the grands like to throw the Wendy House kitchen fittings out the window, I've been looking for some unbreakable dishes!  Score!  Walmart for $4.99!  I had to go to Walmart to take back the cute red stove.  The plug got very hot and I was quite afraid it was going to burn the house down.  Oh well.  The hunt for family room heat goes on.
 It's chocolate cake tonight!  On these cute plates!  I have made many cakes this month for birthdays!  Yay!  A privilege it is!
 Have you been eating many oranges?  They are so sweet right now!  Oranges and graham crackers are better than fiber pills, I think!  Smile.
 Another Walmart find!  A polka dot helper for washing up! 
 A little tray placed behind the faucet reminds me of geraniums and geraniums remind me of coziness and mothers.  When I was a child we'd always go to the church for a Mother's Day dinner and each mother got a geranium.  Isn't that nice?  I hope my memory serves correctly, but if not my mama will know.



 Speaking of cousin time!  CB is coming down with her mom and sibs on Valentine's Day to celebrate Birdie's birthday.  They'll go swimming and out to lunch, I think.  I am going to make what I like to call "sausage rolls" for the other kids here.  I've been watching shows on Hulu, BBC shows, and I quite feel like a Brit in my thinking these days.  Every time I find a new series, I rejoice.  I really do like to sit around and watch screens!  Ha!


Remember Daily Meditations for the Circling Year by John Henry Jowett?  Aw, there is a good good good word on Feb. 8th.  He says:

It is a blessed thing to revisit our early altars. It is good to return to the haunts of early vision.  Places have their sanctifying influences, and can recall us to lost experiences.  I know a man whom the scent of a white, wild rose is always a call to prayer. . . .
It is a revelation of the loving-kindness of God that we have all these helps to the recovery of past experiences.  Let us use them with reverence. 
Do you remember your early altars?  I do!  I remember church camp, sitting around the campfire, hearing the Holy Spirit in the sound of children's voices singing "Pass in On" and I remember another altar when I was a freshman in high school at a weekend camp.  I heard the gospel again and it moved me as I walked around in the dark, thinking about who Jesus really IS and how much He must have loved me to die for me and the rest of humanity.  Another altar was after my dad went to glory.  My sister and my mom and I were gathered on my parents' bed, weeping.  I felt the blessing of the expression of grief, bigger than my little heart, and I sensed God's loving presence.  I believe it's important to revisit our altars and I think John Henry Jowett was a pretty smart guy.
I'm off to bake cake and party up the table.
Thank you for stopping in on this fine February day, friends.  LOVE!

25 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

sorry the heater had to go back, but glad you could return it. the scrubby woman is too cute!

Gumbo Lily said...

What cute little people you are surrounded by. I'm glad you get to make birthday cakes for them. Have fun!

Oranges. Yes, I'm eating them too, but now I'm out.

I love the thoughts about revisiting our alters. I, too, remember church camp and singing "Pass It On." Multi-colored seed beads remind me of church camp and God because we used to string beads and make necklaces and bracelets. I even learned some flower patterns with beads. We gave them to one another at camp as a sign of friendship and love. I'm glad you reminded me of one of my earliest alters. I'm going to think of others today. Thank you, Friend.

Have a bright, bright, sunshiney day!!

Julia said...

Those two little girls jumping on the green grass just look so innocent and happy. It melts my heart.

I love that scrubby woman too. She fits right into your decor and is very useful.

I often revisit the alters of my youth. My first communion where I felt so pure and close to Jesus was a very happy day for me. At my wedding and at the birth of my first child and many other times that I felt especially close to our Creator.

Happy Birthday to Birdie. I bet her cake will be memorable.
Hugs,
JB

Farm Girl said...

What a lovely day!!! I love all of your happy faces that grace your blog. I will simply have to make the trek to Walmart for some dishes. They are lovely.
I love your little polka dot helper.
Oh I love the wisdom of Mr. Jowett.
I will be thinking of revisiting my alters today. Today my Dad went to heaven 13 years ago. I have tried to keep my mind on joy and the gift of healing he now has. I love your almost blooming flowers. I can tell spring is on its way.
Have a lovely day my friend surrounded with all good things and love overflowing into your lap. Blessings to you.

Tessa~ Here there be musing said...

ohhh, your little grands are so precious...

yes, James is thinking; "enough, let me out of here!" -giggles-

awww the cute red stove was not a keeper. better luck next time... perhaps some place like Lowe's or the like?

Scrappy quilter said...

Such cute children. Sorry the heater is not a keeper.

SaraJ said...

Love the scrubby! x

Kezzie said...

That is a lovely saying and yes, makes you think. Awww, bless James. I was going to wear my red polka dot dress at the weekend before I got the dress code and I thought of yoU!x

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the love will be going round and round your place the next few days. It's wonderful you are close enough to celebrate together. That quote was real good to read. I was listening to an Andre Crouch song today "Take me back, take me back,dear Lord where I first believed...

Lisa Richards said...

Enjoy all those precious birthdays!
Let me know about any good BBC series. I've been following Downton Abbey, but I'd love to know of others.
Glad you noticed the hot plug before anything unfortunate could happen!
I was just thinking about how I rush around at home, filling my time with hobbies and interests and suddenly realize, "Oh yes, Lord. You're here! And I've hardly spoken to You all day!" Spending time contemplating and talking to Him is what fills me up and makes life good. Thanks for the reminder!

Granny Marigold said...

Those grandchildren are so sweet!! And the oranges this time of year are also very sweet. I've been enjoying them a lot. Happy celebrations on Saturday!!

ann said...

Happy Times at your house! Little James will be the sweet baby boy spoiled and loved. I always enjoy the color that you share with us and then a bit of spiritual encouragment always gets our day off to a great start.

Amy at love made my home said...

How wonderful that you have daffodils out already! Love your new kitchen brush - how cute! xx

Flavia Sunshine said...

Oh PomPom such a wonderful grandchildren, you're so blessed, and they're all blessed too with such a special grandmother ! I'll e-mail you in the next days !
Have a wonderful Valentine day dear friend !

Flavia Sunshine said...

Oh PomPom such a wonderful grandchildren, you're so blessed, and they're all blessed too with such a special grandmother ! I'll e-mail you in the next days !
Have a wonderful Valentine day dear friend !

Winkel's Crazy Ideas said...

Returning to early altars - what a lovely way to put it. In reading what you had written, l realized that l often do - return to my early altars. Thank you for sharing. Loove your polkadot washing up brush, she is gorgeous! Have a lovely day, Blessings, Pam in Norway xx

Gill - That British Woman said...

new visitor to your blog. You have gorgeous grands. Can't see our garden for snow here in Southern Ontario,

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Karen, for years there's been a propane gas fireplace in the sun room and now in the kitchen. It puts out heat and a fire which is pleasant to watch.
Love the faces of the little ones...so tremendously, preciously cute! Dear Lord, keep those children safe from all harm, grow them into children, then adults, after your own heart and let them do mighty things in your Son's name. Ame.
No to eating oranges, just haven't thought of them but I am drinkign sparkling apple juice. Does that count?
beautiful tray! As to alters...oh yes! How well I remember family devotions ending in prayer and every single time we took a trip, we would all kneel in the living room and Daddy would ask God's traveling safety and blessings on our trip. Always! I still pray at the beginning and ending of every trip and, mostly in between as well.
Church camp when I was in Jr HS, Sunday School with old Mrs. McCloud..what a dear saint that woman was! So many memories...so many memories...

Jeannette said...

Good inspiration in the quote...yes. Now about people throwing dishes out the windows...won't they learn not to if a few of them break?

Attic Clutter said...

Oh thanks POM
I had a nice V day
hope you did too..the babes /kids are just darling (:)
and the backgrounds is perfect !!
Hugs,Patty

sandy said...

Lovely post! Great idea to remember your altars! And you have such adorable grandkids!

Maggie said...

Happy birthday to Birdie! I bet you all had a wonderful time! We've been eating lots of oranges as they are so delicious, easy to peel and no pips at the moment! Thinking like a Brit?! That's great! X

Maggie said...

Happy birthday to Birdie! I bet you all had a wonderful time! We've been eating lots of oranges as they are so delicious, easy to peel and no pips at the moment! Thinking like a Brit?! That's great! X

Attic Clutter said...

oh geeze POM
SNOW again !!
well hope the flowers live through it (:)
hugs,Patty

M.K. said...

Your February days look sparking and happy. I LOVE the new WalMart plates with their polka dots, perfect for YOU :) Such happy days with all the cake and tea and grands. These are the days to remember, and such important days as your grands make bonds with each other for life. Even if they don't remember the individual days together, and accumulated effect will be of deep friendship.
I often return to old holy places of the heart, and I'm often bemused by which events and places in my history rank as such. A lone walk in the woods at college, sitting against a tree. Why do I remember it as important? But I do. It's important to remember. The wild, white rose reminds him because scent and memory are so inextricably joined. Good words indeed.

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