stopping for a sunrise

On the way to work on Wednesday, 
I was blessed with this stunning sunrise.

I asked myself...
Do I keep driving
or
stop to enjoy?
*
*
*
I stopped and enjoyed.

Have a beautiful weekend.

God bless Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his family.

Thanks for visiting ... and here's the link to visit more wonderful skies around the world!

Please join us at

~  B l e s s i n g s    a l w a y s  ~

Maria

The Good News

~ Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart ~

So often, on Good Friday, we hear "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

-from Psalm 22-

But we stop there... with those sad words.

Several years ago, a local pastor explained that it was and still is customary for

those of the Jewish faith to begin praying a passage of scripture aloud and then softly finish it.

After he told us this, we continued reading Psalm 22...

It changed my entire perspective on this moment during the crucifixion of Jesus.

My heart always swells with incredible AWE as I finish reading to the end
...as the prophesy of His Gift to us is revealed.

~

Here are the last seven verses of Psalm 22

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
   before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
   those who seek the Lord will praise him—
   may your hearts live forever!

 All the ends of the earth
   will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
   will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord
   and he rules over the nations.

 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
   all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
   those who cannot keep themselves alive.

Posterity will serve him;
   future generations will be told about the Lord.

They will proclaim his righteousness,
   declaring to a people yet unborn:
   He has done it!

Dear Friends and Family,

Have a Beautiful and Glorious Day!

{Participating with How Sweet The Sound and Sky Watch Friday}

Earth with Heaven rejoices

See the land, her Easter keeping,

Rises as her Maker rose.

Seeds, so long in darkness sleeping,

Burst at last from winter snows.

Earth with heaven above rejoices...

Charles Kingsley

We are Easter people
and
halleluiah is our song.
Pope John Paul II

Halleluiah, dear friends, halleluiah!

recipe for love ♥

 Fill bowl with Faith, Hope and Kindness
add 1 sifter of Powdered Persuasion
2 cups of Finest Devotion
3 heaping tablespoons of Passion
4 ounces of Sweet Nothings
1 cup of Lasting Hugs
 2 Soft Sighs

 Don't forget the Kisses

♥ layer with ♥
Lots of Laughter
a Pinch of Forgiveness when needed (no substitutions)
Sprinkle generously with Thoughtfulness (not optional)
 ~
stir Lovingly
and
Simmer Gently
♥
Ready when Bubbling
Serves two

♥  Maria


“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
– I CORINTHIANS 13:4-7

everlasting delights

"Keep me walking steadfastly towards the country

of everlasting delights,

that paradise-land which is my true inheritance.

Support me by the strength of heaven

that I may never turn back,

or desire false pleasures

that wilt and disappear into nothing.

As I pursue my heavenly journey by thy grace

let me be known as a person with no aim

but that of a burning desire for thee,

and the good and salvation

of others."

This beautiful prayer comes from the book,  Valley of Vision.

It is a collection of Puritan prayers {16th & 17th centuries} written in poetic form.

Jason gave a copy to each of us for Christmas.

It was the first gift we opened.

There wasn't a dry eye as he read one of the prayers,

"The Gift of Gifts," as we started our Christmas morning celebration.

~ ~ ~

A couple of weeks ago, Amanda and her boyfriend, Nick,

took a walk along the Hudson River Walkway.

She took the most beautiful photos.

She knows that I "stole" them for Sky Watch Friday  :D

~ ~ ~

I wish you all a wonderful weekend

filled with everlasting delights!

Joy that Lasts

What a wonderful week we had

with much togetherness

my heart overflows

with joy that

lasts and

lasts.

I wish you all a wonderful

New Year

filled with Joy and Grace.

JOY

I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Today in the town of David

a Savior has been born to you;

he is Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign to you:

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

A Savior is here to be a great JOY in our hearts

today and always!

Merry Christmas dear friends and family!

photos were taken Christmas Eve 2011 at St. Matthew's in Voorheesville.

The Nativity is the beautiful artwork of Fontanini.

Snowy white

{photo taken this weekend while visiting Piers Flower Basket}

pretty whites for the inside

...not too much on the outside yet, just a little dusting of snow here and there.
Tomorrow night we're supposed to have 1-3 inches.
Not a lot for what the northeast can do!

I'm thinking too of white powdered sugar dusting my cakes
...maybe some light blue sparkling sprinkles for that icy snow look.

Getting ready for Christmas decorating and baking
but most of all
looking forward to lots of family time.
 ♥
Christmas, my child, is love in action. ...
Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.
--Dale Evans Rogers 

Wishing you love and joy all through Advent and Christmas.

stars, hearts and flowers {bread tubes}

These bread tube pans make the cutest loaves.

Let's see...

I'll take one of each,

thank you!

 Why don't I use them more often?

Easy peasy

...they really do come out this way!

Have you started decorating for Christmas yet?

Chris and I brought up some boxes and our little tree

that is part of a Christmas village scene.

We always take our time.

...finding little treasures that we put away almost a year ago...

bringing them out a day or two at a time

slowing things

down to a sweet

pace is our

·:*¨¨*.·. wish ·:*¨¨*.·.

What greater blessings

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts

are conscious of our treasures. 

~Thornton Wilder

If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness.  

It will change your life mightily.  

~Gerald Good

What greater blessings to give thanks for at a family gathering

than the family and the gathering.

~Robert Brault

Counting my blessings

faith

family

friends

and treasuring it all!

Wishing you so much Joy,

~Maria

Getting Ready for a Vintage Christmas

I ♥ vintage things

especially vintage linens.

This design just makes me smile.

It's so cheery and bright!

{sigh}

I bought the oblong one for my diningroom table.

For my little kitchen bistro table, which is nearby, I wanted a matching round one.

There were two on ebay.

One was $55 and perfect.

The other was only $12.50, but needed some help.

I decided to help :o)

It was my pleasure to add some gold sparkle fabric paint to this vintage treasure.

It's not perfect, but what fun I had!

How about this amazing aqua and red tablecloth!

It sold a few weeks ago to some lucky ebayer.

 

 cute, cute, cute

Vintage = smiles!

I hope you are all having a lovely week,

...making a little time here and there for yourself...

Wishing you a few quiet moments each day to quiet your mind and hear

His whispers.

The Brave

“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”

- Thucydides

"Bravery is testing your limits

daring to go past the fence which holds your self security;

It's standing tall for your beliefs so that no one can knock them down...

...Your motivation runs on perseverance to break your limits of courage.

- Megan 

{one of my former students}

“The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage.” 

~ Thucydides

 ☆

May we live a life of gratitude

treasuring freedom and the blessings that God has given us.

☆  ☆  ☆

Have a beautiful Memorial Day Everyone!
and may God be with our troops
...near, far and passed on...

Easter Baking Fun!

Robin's egg cupcakes

made with this carrot cake recipe

and inspired by Martha's baby bluebird cupcakes.

{I need to practice making those baby birdies with their cute little beaks!}

A Mother / Daughter baking day with my sister, Doreen.

The sweets and treats were wonderful

but the sweetest treats were the

hugs and kisses

and special

closeness

we felt

with

each other

and

with family and friends

near and far.

♥

I wish you a lovely week filled with

small wonders

that

bloom into big joys!

~Maria

ps. Thank you for the Easter baking ideas, Koralee!

pss. Thank you for sending me your fun cupcake photo, Cassandra!

Happy Easter

May the God of hope fill you with all

joy and peace

as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the 

power of the Holy Spirit.

 Romans 15:13

Wishing you

JOY

HOPE

PEACE

Happy Easter to all,

Happy Spring!

A little something warm

{hydrangea candles}

a little something sweet

{chocolate tulips, bunnies and M & M treats}

Photographed at Fresh Market on Sunday.

*

Warm weekend  breezes melted all that snowing.

Mountain streams are finally flowing,

and tiny buds are shyly showing.

Candles

Chocolate

Snow

. . . Slowly melting into joy . . . 

Have a wonderful first day of spring everyone!

~Maria

ps.  Did you see the heart in the stream?