first peony of the year ...

Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer

except those things outside the will of God.

~ Streams in the Desert

summer days ...

summer days have arrived ... and with it, a feeling (maybe even need?) to be outside ... to LIVE ... i guess i've come out of hibernation! ... and look who came out of hibernation with me this year ... my hubby ... *smile* ... he has made an effort to go out for a little walk when he is able, to try and build up some stamina ... and it has really been sweet to stroll around the block ... or go sit at the beach with him ... last year i think leo got out 3 times for walks - if that ... this year he has already totalled 5 strolls ... they haven't been long ... but that doesn't matter - the point is that he is trying ... yay! ... oh, this pic was snapped by a friend just this morning ... not the prettiest part of the walk, but our smiles try to make up for the lack of scenery behind us ... *grinning* ...

i was at my aunt's today ... enjoying another sauna and also a visit with some of my cousins ... even though the younger people are swimming already - i think i'll still wait until at least july before i attempt the cold fast moving waters of the river!
and indie continues to be a good companion to us ... he is an indoor cat - though he does enjoy sitting on any window perch to watch the goings on ...

tomorrow is another city trip for me ... i hope to see maria while there ... she has been pretty tired lately with the dialysis ... it definitely takes over ones life ...

just filling you in on some of my activities ... i am so glad that when there is a quiet moment, i can visit my blog buds ... i am going on 5 years of blogging this fall ... and though i don't have a huge circle of blogging friends - i treasure each one i have made ... i think God has placed you in my life for this time ... for a purpose ... thank you for all your encouragement in hundreds of countless ways!

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer

thoughts for the journey ...

taken from Max Lucado's book "In the Eye of the Storm" ...

Love God more than you fear hell.
Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
Make major decisions in a cemetery.
When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
Succeed at home first.
Don't spend tomorrow's money today.
Pray twice as much as you fret.
Listen twice as much as you speak.
Only harbor a grudge when God does.
Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
Treat people like angels; you will meet some and help make some.
"Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.
God has forgiven you; you'd be wise to do the same.
When you can't trace God's hand, trust His heart.
Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
Don't feel guilty for God's goodness.
The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.
Live your liturgy.

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blessings on you, blog buds! i know you all are busy this month of june ... i have been away from the computer as well ... our morning reading is this max lucado book - thought i would share these thoughts with you as well!!! remember - the JOY of the LORD is our STRENGTH!!!

pics from my week ...

i just took this shot of a rainbow that just appeared ... we've had so much rain lately, that i'm glad that God's promise still stands in the sky ... He remembers ...

and look at these blossoms ... yay!!!! that means that maybe we will get out of this polar bear mode and into some real sunshine and warmth .... it was great to see the trees starting to bud and blossoms pop ...

when i ride my bike ... or walk ... i usually stop at this little park ... it's a place where i like to still my heart and pray ... my bike rides and walks are prayer times ... but this lovely little haven is usually a peaceful place to have a more in depth talk (or listen!) to my Lord ...

when you live in the centre of a little town, you never know what will pass by your window ... the other day, a parade marched by ... they were on their way to the veterans park for a D-Day service ... you can see the spiffy RCMP red ... followed by some of our vets ... then there was a pipe and drum band ... very sweet and reverential ...

and lastly ... please meet indie ... he's a little 7 year old neutered male cat, that i picked up from the pet rescue place ... we've had him for over 2 months and we absolutely love him! he was almost put down at the humane society - then passed on to the rescue place ... adopted out for 7 months - then the people brought him back because they said he didn't like the other pets in the home ... so along we came ... he still has his nervous moments, but what love he gives us ... lots of purrs ... sits on our laps to snooze ... just SO GREAT ... i thought we would never get another cat after our 2 attempts over the last 2 summers didn't work out ... and it was with some fear and trepidation that we thought "we'll try one more time!" ... and now we have our little indie ... ... we did have some problems with his teeth right off the bat (he had to have 4 of them pulled!) ... hopefully that solved the poor little guys problem ... and now leo doesn't need to look at every cat picture and story - he has his own little (only 7 pounds) cat to pet ...

blessings on your mid week!!!!

"In a thousand trials, it is not just five hundred of them that work "for the good" of the believer, but nine hundred and ninety-nine, plus one."
~George Mueller

the rites of spring

well FINALLY ... i had my first outdoor sauna of the season ... it had been so cold that my aunt hadn't opened it up yet ... but yesterday was the day ... of course the fast moving cold waters of the river made swimming a future event - which was fine ... it was the solitude of that old finnish way of cleansing the body and soul - that i found so welcoming ...


i was the first one to sit on the wooden benches this season ... fill the tubs with water ... and throw water on the hot stones ... it was like music to my ears to hear the sizzle of the steam rising from the sauna stove ... to relax in the sanctuary of the outdoor sauna, like my finnish ancestors have done for generations ... it was cathartic to sit and sweat my cares away ... i hummed a favourite song as i enjoyed the way my muscles relaxed and my cares left ... all of me was refreshed at the same time ...

sweet sweet sweet ...


by the time i got home, i was completely refreshed ... thanking the Lord for loved ones who live close to us, who share good things like their sauna with the "poor relative"! ... then i thanked my Saviour for all things in my life ... *smile* ... ahhhh, that first outdoor sauna, what could be better?

* * * * * *

my sister maria continues to do well ... in fact, they may cut her back to 2 times a week dialysis, rather than 3 ... she is just doing the testing for that now ... that would be amazing!!! it would give them a bit more home life to enjoy ...

"Every highway of life descends into the valley now and then. And everyone must go through the tunnel of tribulation before they can travel on the high road of triumph."

~Streams in the Desert