Quote for the day

"The capacity for knowing God enlarges as we are brought by Him into circumstances which oblige us to exercise faith; so, when difficulties beset our path, let us thank God that He is taking trouble with us, and lean hard upon Him." -- Streams in the Desert

Trusting Jesus, that is all

This morning I woke up at around 4:45 with the words of this hymn going through my mind. What a wonderful way to wake up. These words summarize just what my husband and I are doing these days.

Trusting Jesus

1. Simply trusting every day,
Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

2. Brightly does His Spirit shine
Into this poor heart of mine.
While He leads I cannot fall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

3. Singing if my way is clear,
Praying if the path be drear;
If in danger, for Him call;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

4. Trusting Him while life shall last,
Trusting Him till earth be past;
Till within the jasper wall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Chorus:
Trusting as the moments fly,
Trusting as the days go by;
Trusting Him whate'er befall;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Lyrics: Edgar Page Stites, 1876
Music: Ira David Sankey, 1876
Words and music for this hymn are in the public domain.

I hope the words of this precious old hymn will be a blessing and an encouragement to someone else today!

Taking God at His Word

For quite a long time I've been struck by this incident in the lives of Jesus and His disciples, found in Mark 4:35. Jesus had said, as they prepared to board a boat, "Let us pass over unto the other side." As they sailed, He fell asleep. When a fierce storm came up, His disciples panicked. Obviously, they did not remember what He had said; they didn't take Him at His Word. He had to ask them, after stilling the storm, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (verse 40). The following, from the classic daily devotional Streams in the Desert, really encourages me. Maybe it will do the same for you today.

"Even when we go forth at Christ's command, we need not expect to escape storms; for these disciples were going forth at Christ's command, yet they encountered the fiercest storm and were in great danger of being overwhelmed, so that they cried out in their distress for Christ's assistance.
"Though Christ may delay His coming in our time of distress, it is only that our faith may be tried and strengthened, and that our prayers may be more intense, and that our desires for deliverance many be increased, so that when the deliverance does come we will appreciate it more fully.
"Christ gave them a gentle rebuke, saying, 'Where is your faith?' Why did you not shout victory in the very face of the storm, and say to the raging winds and rolling waves, 'You can do no harm, for Christ, the mighty Savior, is on board'?
"It is much easier to trust when the sun is shining than when the storm is raging.
"We never know how much real faith we have until it is put to the test in some fierce storm; and that is the reason why the Savior is on board.

"If you are ever to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, your strength will be born in some storm." -- Selected.

"Christ said, 'Let us go to the other side' -- not to the middle of the lake to be drowned." -- Dan Crawford

J. Dwight Pentecost wrote, "He had said to them, 'Let us go over to the other side.' This word revealed the will of Christ, and no force in nature could prevent the accomplishment of His will."

Are we taking God at His Word... even when a storm comes up?

Menu Plan Monday for May 11

A beautiful, sunny, cool morning here in northern New England. And it's high time I got back to posting menus. Here's my menu plan:

MONDAY: Smoked Sausage Primavera, Roasted Vegetables

TUESDAY: Pizza, Pasta Salad OR Soup (depending on the weather)

WEDNESDAY: Crockpot Ribs, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans

THURSDAY: Swedish Meatballs, Bow Tie Pasta, Asparagus Mixed Vegetables

FRIDAY: Crabmeat Quiche, Breakfast Potatoes, Fruit Salad

SATURDAY: Hot Dogs, Homemade Baked Beans, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: Italian Wedding Soup, Bread or Rolls

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Often, well over 300 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Show & Tell Friday for May 8

For Show & Tell today, a few of my favorite Mother's Day cards, old and new, and a couple of other spring cards.

Here's a vintage card with the traditional Mother's Day carnations.

Another vintage one, this one with a musical theme. Love the detail!

One of my daughters gave me this one year. I love picnics, and so do they, so this is very appropriate.

I love this Mother's Day card with the dear little ladybugs having tea. I had to snip off part of the envelope too, with its matching ladybugs.

This may be my favorite Mother's Day card of all. Isn't this a wonderful quote from Louisa May Alcott? I display this card in various ways throughout the year.

I couldn't resist sharing this vintage spring birthday card. The little gate actually opens!

And here is the inside of this card.

Last but not least, a little vintage birth announcement. It fits the spring theme (and the motherhood one) so I had to share it.

That is my simple Show & Tell for today. To see what others have shared for Show & Tell Friday, head on over to There is No Place Like Home.

Happy Show & Tell Friday... and happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there!

Lighting up the dining room...

... on a dreary spring day is this bright kalanchoe plant. Somehow, even with a notoriously black thumb, I've managed to keep this thing alive since Easter.

Faith in the faithfulness of God...

These words from Ruth Paxson's book Life on the Highest Plane were an encouragement to me. Maybe they will be a blessing to someone else today.

"Our faith may falter but His faithfulness never. Peter failed Christ oh! so miserably that three times over he could deny his Lord. But the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to Peter remained unshaken. The heavenly Father cannot forget His promises nor can He deny Himself by failing to keep them.

Psalm 89:33, "Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer My faithfulness to fail."

2 Timothy 2:13, ""If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself."

We may even be ready to give up in defeat to the enemy or to lay down our task in sheer discouragement. We may be on the point of taking our hand from the plow and turning back. But Christ is not discouraged; He will not give up; He acknowledges no victory on the devil's part. He has called us into fellowship with Himself; He has owned us as His possession and has assumed His responsibility for our control and He will not lay it aside. What He has begun in us He will continue. His work in us does not depend upon our love for Him but on His love for us; not faith in our faith but faith in His faithfulness is what He wants from us."
-- Ruth Paxson, Life on the Highest Plane