Oh Lovely Days!

I learned something new on my camera! Whoo hoo!!

Which one do you like better?

A.

or
B.

A.

or
B.

If you said "B" both times, ding-ding-ding! You win! :-)

The difference between "A" and "B" is quite apparent; it's like you were blind, and now you're not!

Let's take my new found knowledge on a hike because, oh! what lovely days we are having here in north Idaho!

I want to SEE the beauty God has created!

I'm not sure what these lovely ladies are named, but they appear in beautiful bunches.

These happy yellow flowers are the buds that will become the Oregon grape berry!

"Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see."

The witch's hair lichen was once used in clothes making.

Since Christ has found me and changed me, I pretty much always stop to smell the flowers or to admire them. Now that He has removed the scales from my eyes and shined the Light into my life, I am going to enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Wild strawberries!

I'm sure the garden of Eden was full of good things to eat, put there by the voice of God. That's what I think of when I see wild edibles in the forest. No one carefully tilled the ground, planted a seed, watered it regularly, and prayed it would grow. God has done it.

Wild raspberries!

Seriously? Are you looking? There's so much GOOD. God is the Creator.

This gorgeous flower is the arrow leaf basalm root plant.

"My chains are gone! I've been set free! My God, my Savior has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy rains unending love, amazing grace."

Meet the alpine shooting star. It smells divine!

Enjoy the beauty around you! Open your eyes. Smell the flowers. Admire the majestic handiwork of the Lord.

Admiring the Creator,
~Raquel

Written: April 27, 2016

Our Shabbat in Pictures

Shabbat is a day we set apart from all the others. We work like crazy seven days of the week, and then we rest for one. We enjoy our time as a family and with the Lord.

Did you know that God named only ONE day of the week? He named the seventh day Sabbath, or Shabbat. All the other days of the week are merely numbered. But God set apart the seventh day, calling it holy, and gave it the name Sabbath. The word "Shabbat" comes from the root word "shavat" meaning "to cease." Shabbat is a time to cease from a work-focus to a rest-focus. Here's what our Shabbat looked like today:

1. A Drive to the Farm

We regularly buy raw milk from a local woman. Idahoans are very fortunate because we can buy raw milk and raw milk products in our stores; however, we continue to chose to buy from the farm because 1- it's cheaper by at least a dollar per gallon, 2- we enjoy the drive to the farm and getting to look at the cows, and 3- we're supporting someone we know.

The day was slightly overcast, which gave majestic crown of lighting to the mountains.

The hardwood trees have suddenly grown their leaves after recent heavy rains. The hills are coming alive with every shade of green!

As we approach the farm, large green pastures greet us.

2. A Hike through the Woods

After we returned from the farm, we wanted to go on a hike. We have public land near us, so we just followed the trails through our woods to get there.

Papa and Abigail are my FAVORITE people!

Look at these curls!! The humidity is giving them a bit more curliness.

Dandelions are smiley faces on the ground!

Let's sit awhile and rest.

Or let's play with a gopher hole....

Our handsome dog, Titus, enjoys the restful day.

The ants are not resting, though! They continue to prepare for winter.

Almost to the state land! Are you coming, humans?

We're here! We're here!

"Rock, rock, rock." Abigail can't say the word enough because we're at a gravel pit. ;-)

Titus enjoyed running up and down the gravel dunes.

Man and man's best friend... wait, I'm my man's best friend. Man and his dog.

I couldn't place my finger on what this plant was. Now I know; this is the lupine plant before it blooms!

3. Stopping Off at Grandmaw's and PawPaw's House

As we return from the hike, we stop off at my parents' house to say hello. And look at the beauties that welcomed us....

4. A Bone for Titus

Our dog Titus works hard throughout the week guarding our home, protecting me and Abigail while Papa is away, and being a companion to our family. We gave him a large bone as a Shabbat treat. (Because Shabbat is a festive day!) Let's just say... Gone in ten minutes flat.

I hope you took Shabbat this week to rest and be refreshed in His presence.

Be at peace,

~Raquel

Written: April 23, 2016

I am the Reason

Jesus is the Bread of Life, free from leaven (sin).

How do I capture the contrast between my unworthiness and His holiness? How do I explain my indebtedness to the sacrifice He not only gave for me-- but WAS for me? My spirit has been smote by the Holy Ghost, as I consider the gravity of His self-sacrificing love for me.

Tonight begins Passover, a time when the Israelites celebrates how the Lord redeemed them from death by the blood of a lamb. Passover celebrates the freedom of His people from oppression. Passover celebrates God bringing His people out of a land they should have never been in and was not their own. Passover celebrates God's nature as a Miraculous Wonder, Redeemer and Deliver, and Provider.

Christ is the Light of the World, shining light in the darkness (world).

Do you see Christ in Passover yet?

We were blessed to be a part of a Passover Seder with a local Christian group tonight. One of my contributions to the Seder was to bring the necessary roasted lamb shank bones.

Here are two of the roasted lamb shank bones for the Seder.

I roasted the lamb bones at my parents' home (because I do not have an oven), made a few jokes about how I'd just roasted Columbo (one of their male sheep), and carried the shank bones back home.

Abigail with Columbo the sheep.

As I carried the bones on a platter, I glanced at the lamb, and thought, "I am so blessed to bring th lamb because the lamb represents Jesus." The Holy Ghost smote my heart with such conviction.

I did this to the Lamb.
I am the reason that He had to give His life.
He is the Sacrifice for me to be redeemed.

All that Christ endured on the journey to the cross was not for His own gain and certainly not for His pleasure. All that He suffered was for me. If there was every any doubt, Christ as my Passover Lamb means my debt has certainly been paid; His death has been my forgiveness of sin.

Oh God! How great and holy You are. I am so thankful. I am so thankful.

My heart is still heavy with the realization of how He was my Sacrifice. The chorus to a song has been on my mind this afternoon,

"We were the reason that He gave His life. We were the reason that He suffered and died. to a world that was lost, He gave all He could give to show us the reason to live."

Here are the elements of the Seder-- a hands on approach to teaching the Passover story.

Passover is a foreshadowing of how Jesus Christ redeems us from our captivity to win and this world. Christ shed HIS blood so that the penalty of death that we DESERVE to receive would pass over us, should His blood cover us by a relationship with Him. he has brought His people out of the world into a regenerated life of holiness and full with fruit of the Spirit. Christ is a Miraculous Wonder. He is my Redeemer and Deliver. He still performs the impossible. He still provides.

Jesus... Thank You. I cannot  cores my gratitude enough. Thank You!!

With a grateful heart,

~Raquel

Written: April 22, 2016

Deliveries with Daddy

Blessed, blessed, blessed! Happy, happy, happy!

Yes. Sometimes I'm ornery. Sometimes, I get upset. Sometimes, I get disappointed. But mostly, I live in a constant state of JOY! I remember a pastor who often taught on how joy comes from thankfulness.

How true!

Today, I am so thankful because Abigail and I were able to take a trip with my darling husband to 'the big city' to make a few deliveries. We rarely go to the big city because it's a far drive, and we have all the services we need closer. 

My husband works at an accounting and bookkeeping office and needed to drop off and pick up for several clients. His supervisor said we could ride with him, and that he could even take off a couple of hours. Yippee!

Any extra time with my handsome man during the week is such a treat!

I helped my man by doing some of the driving and navigating. We had a tasty lunch at one of his client's deli business. Then, we explored a park and water fall for about 1.5 hours. We ended up getting a convenient and cheap parking space right next to one of the suspended bridges that goes over the falls.

With the wind, you could feel the suspending bridge move slightly.

The views from the bridge were well worth any fright from the slight sway of the suspended bridge. Like I mentioned, we don't necessarily live near the big city, so we don't come here often. This visit was my first time to see the water fall.

As we walked around the park area, a few miscellaneous items caught my camera's eye and my fancy.

A tree of ivy

A bear wrapped around table leg (the table top is missing...)

Such detail to create this neat guy

A train, a train!

Acorns!

I was surprised because Abigail was awake during her normal 'morning nap' time, but wasn't fussy-- probably too interested in the sites and sounds. She had a short 30 minute nap while at the park. It's unfortunate she missed the bigger-than-life-size toys!

My honey and I walked back to our vehicle with a sleeping beauty. My last pictures of the day were of this clock tower in the park. So monumental-- I can only wonder at all its function when it was first built. Clock tower to tell the time, of course. But a watch tower, maybe? A gathering place? History only knows....

Shortly after we got home around 18:00 (6pm), Abigail conked out for the night. So.... Zac and I exchanged back massages.

Ah! Life is good because God is good.

Enjoy life in Christ,
~Raquel