Shilah Writes

                           It seems sometimes you have to go through the same things of life repeatedly to get the truth that God is trying to teach you cemented in your mind I spent hours yesterday standing over the sink, scrubbing carrots. What to do with all our bounty was a real thought. I was thinking about God’s blessings and provision. Those “sweet beautiful carrots” being one of them and yet at the same time they seemed to work against my lazy flesh. I liked the blessing but did not like the work that went with the blessing. How great is God’s way of showing us the greater purpose by giving us carrots to scrub. I scrubbed and pondered more. Suddenly the last four weeks of mind games and torture came clear. I might add they were mind games and a torture of my own making. I would like to blame someone else natur...

Our final port... Victoria, B.C. This is the front of our ship.  So nice to see it from land. We were all swaying by this time even on land.  At this port we only had a few hours so we trekked. The sights were beautiful... The famous Empress Hotel... Many beautiful pubs and storefronts... We didn't try out any of them...  Me and this Solly guy...  Monsters something or other... this was to prove to the kids that I can be silly. A photo shot through a store window.  It was a source of inspiration for me to go home on.  So serene and calming... so unlike my natural self... And now to recap the whole thing.... We had a wonderful time seeing new places and doing new things.   Having Danny and Kristy with us made the trip that much more fun.  The ship didn't feel so big and we broke up our times together enough that we came home still very good friends.         The most impor...

An evening walk and sunset around the ship. We had these people with us...    Wonderful memories... Just me and my man... Tracy Arm Fjord... This photo makes me want  write poetry which I am not able to do... Anyway, it makes me feel deeply about things.  The glacier... Breathtaking...   Killer Whales... Humpback Whales... My favorite part of the trip.  We were able to get a whale watching excursion for a good last minute price and were doubly blessed to see both kinds of whales.  We were told that they see the killer whales only about once a month. We also were able to hike to a glacier... This was the Mendenhall Falls and Glacier... A dreamy misty place.  I loved Alaska...  

A very dignified hamburger joint close to Seattle... Waiting in line... feeling a little apprehensive... Now I know why... This baby is huge... This is the back... Middle... The end... Do you see the mountain in the background?  Mt. Rainier We are now on board and still in port in Seattle... The boat provided many hours of endless entertainment...  This was a fruit and vegetable carving demo... Many delicious desserts and coffee always available... And for a change, the husbands were always available... The husband... He looks a little wicked me thinks...   First Formal Night...Scary Canary...   Sushi... Hmmm... Lamb? This is nothing more than plain vegetables... Fixed right purty don't ya figure... More dessert... Always after dinner a show... Ketchicam... Totem poles... rain forest... Bruce and I left the boat early and hiked the whole town pretty much... This is only the first part of the trip... More...

I’m supposed to be packing our suitcases but I woke up with this thing chasing around my  head and it hasn’t left me all day. It not even a mind blowing thought. I wish I was able to inspire you with my pretty thoughts and words but that doesn’t seem to be one of my talents. So, you get it ugly and short and not very coherent probably… I woke up around four this morning with my brain buzzing with the cares of the world. Bruce and I have been bumping into discussions all summer and we can’t seem to sit down and actually get them discussed. Things like baptism and head veiling and other church stuff or Biblical living. Call it what works for you. We also have had some upheaval in some of our friends leaving our church for less legalism or a more spiritual atmosphere. Not that I think our church is perfect or anything. I’m there so it’s going to be a little less than perfect. Anyway, I love my church family and have pretty well established in my mind that people ...

   Not. I just used that title to catch your attention.  Summer is definitely getting away from me.  I keep trying to stay caught up; but by the time I get the 38 qu. of peas put away the green beans start in earnest.  I am liking the gardening thing better this year than ever before.  I don't know why other than my baby is seven in a week and the kids are helping with the harvesting and weeding so much.  In between the garden is the run into the mountains for the huckleberries and the camping trips.    This summer has been good. Bruce has joined the local search and rescue team as well as the North Bench Fire Department.  With his regular job of P.O. and the hobby farm we have on our one acre property; He is a busy happy man.  I have to be OK with seeing less of him and there has been that adjustment but for the most part it has all been a good thing.    We have had a sad week here in our community.  A y...

Our outing last Sat. to farmers market, museum, and stores.. Mom's Fourth of July cake... Mmmmm.... It's good...   I asked Toria to go out and take pictures of mom's gardens...                   These photos are through the eyes of Toria...and Toria and Laife both declare while picking peas that our rooster sings "Come Bless The Lord." in its crow... Shaunti's thought for the week was given after seeing the most beautiful rainbow seen yet this year...  We could see all of the rainbow from one end to the other and it seemed to touch down in the field next to us.  It was a rainbow that seemed tangible... She said, "Mom, lets go out there in that field and climb up on that end and slide down."   Happy Summer to you all...