Monday was a lovely, sunny day, and as I left for Anthony and Lori's place I spied the first green in front of my house. I was elated.
Then I got to their house and saw this when I walked in. I was even more elated! Just a couple of weeks till due date!
On Wednesday I stopped on my way home to pick up my Girl Scout cookie order. What a bad combination - a hungry belly and a box of these. Yikes!!
As I drove home I was noticing the brilliant sun peeking out from under dark, heavy rain clouds. The pictures I took with my phone did not get good at all. What I did not realize was that I was driving in the opposite direction of this amazing rainbow!! My friend Peg posted this picture taken from her deck.
Meanwhile Anthony was posting this picture taken over the YMCA!!
When I got home I ran inside for my camera to take a picture of what I was seeing in the other direction. I completely missed the rainbow.
On Thursday morning Sammy had his tonsils and adenoids removed. I could hardly stand to think about it, because I have such bad memories of things gone wrong the night after Lisa had hers removed at age 12. But when I texted them to find out how he was doing that evening, they assured me that he was doing quite well, and was eating!! He wanted to send me this picture! Is that ice cream in that bowl??? Makes it all worthwhile, haha!!
Last evening I made a black walnut cake for the first time in many, many years. Maybe I never made one before. I really don't remember. Dick's dad gave me a jar of shelled black walnuts from his tree last fall. They've been in the back of my fridge, and every time I would see them I would think, "I should make a black walnut cake." So I finally did. Unfortunately, I don't like it as much as I thought I would. I probably won't ever make another one. I make very, very few cakes anymore (maybe one a year, maybe not even every year!) Too bad I wasted my time on one that's not delicious!
A few months back I started hearing the Chris Tomlin song At the Cross on the radio. I immediately loved it and knew I wanted to add it to our Houserville praise team repertoire. Finally I got it ready and will be leading it for the first time tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I ordered a choir arrangement of it and have introduced it to the Fillmore choir. It is so beautiful and the message so rich. Here are the lyrics.
At the Cross
There's a place where mercy reigns and never dies.
There's a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide.
Where all the love I've ever found comes like a flood,
Comes flowing down.
At the cross, at the cross I surrender my life.
I'm in awe of You, I'm in awe of You.
Where your love ran red and my sin washed white.
I owe all to You, I owe all to You, Jesus.
There's a place where sin and shame are powerless,
Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness.
Where all the love I've ever found
Comes like a flood, comes flowing down.
At the cross, at the cross I surrender my life.
I'm in awe of You, I'm in awe of You.
Where your love ran red and my sin washed white.
I owe all to You, I owe all to You.
Here my hope is found, here on holy ground,
Here I bow down, here I bow down.
Here, arms open wide, here You saved my life,
Here I bow down, here I bow.
At the cross, at the cross I surrender my life.
I'm in awe of You, I'm in awe of You.
Where your love ran red and my sin washed white.
I owe all to You, I owe all to You, Jesus.
Your love ran red, Your love ran red!
5 comments:
What a beautiful rainbow! I love the promise of what is coming in the green at your house too!
Glad Sammy is doing good - he looks like his normal little ham self! :)
We've sung that Chris Tomlin song at church. I do like his music.
So happy Sammy is doing well. I had my tonsils out at age 3. I think it's easier when you are younger. That is a beautiful double rainbow! Wow!! Love the words to the song you shared. Maybe you can post a video of the choir singing it...
My dad had shelled a bag full of hazelnuts and wanted mom to make a hazelnut cake with them. He died before she could do it and then she just couldn't do it. I have a feeling the hazelnut cake would not have been as good as we thought it might be, just like your black walnut cake wasn't as good as expected. It seems like "nut" cakes are just too dry, perhaps. And, they aren't chocolate. ;)
After seeing your flowers coming up through the sod, I said, "No way! Jean's cannot be up before mine." I put on my coat and ran outside to check. Ah-ha! Mine are up too! Yippee! Uh-Oh! 3-6 inches of snow coming on Thursday.
Alan and I both looked at Peg's rainbow and said......"No Way!" It had to be photo-shopped! Then I scrolled down and saw Anthony's picture. Now we believe! We have never seen a rainbow with a dark band.
Sammy deserved all that ice cream. Ben was 5 when he had his tonsils out. He Wasn't doing well after we brought him home. I called the doctor and he said to make him drink. If he didn't drink, they would have to readmit him. He drank and all turned out well.
Don't give up on your walnut cake. They are the best!
Here is Alan's Aunt's recipe. It has been in the family for years.
1/3 c. black walnuts, ground
1/4 c. black walnuts, chopped
2 Cups sifted Cake Flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
l 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. black walnut flavoring (optional)
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Make 1/3 cup strong coffee and use 3 Tbsp. (Drink the rest, Ha! Ha!)
Put it together as you would any cake. Bake 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes in two 8" cake pans
I put Seven minute icing on it and it was wonderful.
Does this look like your recipe? If it does, then you don't like cake!!!! Ha! Ha!
I love the song, "At the Cross." I have a question. When you play music like this, do you get the piano music from the internet or do you just play it by ear? I sure do miss your piano playing!
Cheryl, That recipe is definitely different than the one I used. If Dad Stauffer ever gives me more shelled black walnuts I will give it a try!
As to your question about the song - when I choose a song for our praise team, I buy the music from music notes.com, then I arrange it the way I want it in my composer program on my computer and print out a copy for each musician. We have a CCLI license which covers that kind of use. I play chords and ad lib. For the choir I order the music from various places online, often Brentwood Benson. I play the written piano accompaniment on those.
The reason I asked about the music is........
I wondered if a pianist had to have the music notes in front of her to play. I thought you made your own arrangements and it sounds like you do. I remember the song, "Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord." On the radio it sounded so jazzed but you brought it down to a worshipful mode. I loved it! I think you did that with a lot of songs.
The music at the church we are attending makes me want to slap my head and fall on the floor. They have a very talented pianist. They have set her aside and use recorded music. That is okay but.......... the music is from some concert with young people yelling...screaming...clapping. It is just a bunch of noise! There is nothing wrong with the words, but the background noise is unnerving. We have been in churches that use recorded music but it was good recorded music. This is just awful! Someone who is heading the music department has no musical ability. They are trying to keep relevant, but are doing a poor job. I feel so sorry for the girl who plays well. I mean, very well. She seems to have a good attitude. Bless her heart!
Post a Comment