Just Reverse . . .

. . . these posts! I don't know how they got posted in reverse order, but they did! Anyway, the picnic post comes first, as you can tell by the commentary at the beginning of the baking post.

Rewarded!

So today (Monday) I took the berries the children picked for me and put them into one of Danny's favorite treats -- berry philo/phyllo/fillo (and all other variations thereof!).

I brush each sheet of philo dough with melted butter and sprinkle with natural sugar (or brush with agave nectar). Then I lay the berries out in the middle of the stacked philo sheets, sprinkle with more sugar and roll or close up, jelly-roll style, on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet.

I like to slash the wrapped package on the diagonal every few inches, to make separating it into servable slices easier.

Then the top is brush with more -- guess what? -- butter! and sprinkle with more sugar before baking.

Before the "roll" goes into the oven for 15 - 18 minutes.

The reward! Seeing my sweetie enjoy his treat with a cup of hot tea.

Danny truly enjoys the things I do for him, and that makes me happy!

Beautiful Lord's Day

This weekend, the sweet older granddaughters organized a wonderful picnic/berry picking for yesterday after church. So after the meeting, each church family headed out to the "Enchanted Forest" on our property with picnic basket and berry bucket in hand. This has been a hard year for berries, since we are just now getting rain and have had months of drought. But the children and some of the parents were determined and diligent and took home enough for a cobbler or berries for ice cream. Sweet Kitty picked for Grandmother and Granddaddy. She figured that it was our property, she would make it easy on us and get the thorn pricks! Thank you, Kitty!

Danny and I enjoying chicken salad sandwiches and ICED TEA!!

The Dischers and Terrie and Amanda get a little shade from the Durango.

The Stricklens find the pines to their liking. Mary Stricklen and Sarah Discher made wonderful homemade chocolate cakes to share with everyone.

Josiah Waldman (red shirt) turned 6 yesterday, so our picnic was a birthday celebration, too! Baby Isaac, in his daddy's arms, is getting so big!

We had the pleasure of the company of Frank Doolin and his boys, but we didn't give him enough notice for him to bring his trademark fried chicken. Nobody starved, though!

Terrie Tanner, Renee Waldman, and Beth Discher discuss things wise Proverbs 31 mothers talk about. What a blessing to have women of God who care and share with one another!

Molly with William and his treasured berries.

Callie and Amanda's take, mid-harvest

The children found two little owls in the woods. Here is one of them (bottom center of picture). I have no idea what kind it is, but the children were excited about it.

Visionary fathers discussing things of God. We are blessed with strong men in our fellowship -- men who lead their families faithfully. (Eddie was in the berry patch, determined to take home sweet berries!)

CJ and Willie found an airplane!

Time to go, but men always find important things to talk about!

The ladies weren't quite finished either!

Little people patiently waiting to take their delicious treasure home! The end of a wonderful Lord's Day!

Joyful Mothers of Children!! (Psalm 113:9)

What a blessing today to spend time with my precious mother, Frances, this Mother's Day. Our family (at least those who still live in the area!) had a wonderful dinner at daughter Molly's house after church -- lasagna, homemade bread, home grown green beans and squash, salad, and lots of yummy desserts!

My mother has always been my role model and shining example of what a mother should be. Most of all, she has blessed me with a constant and consistent picture of godly, biblical womanhood. Through all the joys and sorrows of her life, she has lived out a consecrated walk with the Lord before her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren. Her quiet confidence is always there, and her knowledge of God's Word is brought to bear in every situation. Many daughters have done virtuously, but she excels them all! I arise up and call her blessed. I love you, Mother. Happy Mother's Day!

Sweet daughter Beth and her family spent hours loading photographs for me onto 28 CD's!! What a wonderful, personalized Mother's Day gift! Beth is the joyful mother of 7 children -- number 8 is still in the oven, planning to make his/her arrival on July 11. What a blessing!

Sweet daughter Molly can always be counted on for something meaningful and green! Here, she and her family presented me with a wonderfully fragrant gardenia bush. It has several blooms already opened and is waiting for the rest of the gift -- Molly's expert help in placing and planting the bush at our house. Molly is the joyful mother of 6 children.

Sweet daughter Katie (Arkansas) and sweet daughter-in-law Ashley (Missouri) called to wish me the best of the day, wishing they could be here in person. They got together on the Missouri property for a cookout, with chef Jason doing the honors. Katie is the joyful mother of 8 children, and Ashley is the mother of Savannah, who is expecting a baby brother or sister in December!

What a blessing to have a family that honors mothers! The Bible says, "There is a generation that . . . doth not bless their mothers" (Prov. 30:11) When children are not taught to honor their parents, they will not honor God, and the end result will be the decay of the culture in less than a generation! What a good thing our traditions are, when they are based on the principles in God's Word. May God bless all the mothers who are striving to raise up the next generation in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Thank you, Lord, for my mother, and for the wonderful mothers my daughters have become.

Make Them Known, Declare Them . . .

"Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments"
Psalm 78:1-7

It was our privilege recently to have the 7 oldest granddaughters stay over for the night after a family get-together. As the evening came to a close, it was time for Granddaddy to break the Bread of Life to us, as he does with me most every night. He shared with me and the girls from Deuteronomy, pointing out portions that might need explanation. The girls asked insightful questions and offered sound discussion with biblical reasoning. We were impressed.

Do you notice the generations in the above portion of Psalm 78?

1) "Our fathers" (could go back for many generations)

2) "We" (counting that as my generation)

3) "Our children" (my children)

4) "The generation to come (my grandchildren)

5) "Their children" (my unborn great-grandchildren)

At least 5 generations are listed here, with instructions to never neglect the passing on of the faithfulness of God. Not only is His Word to be diligently sown into their hearts and everyday practice, but the stories of His workings in our lives and the lives of our fathers are to continue to be passed down. Why???

verse 7: That they might

1) set their hope in God

2) not forget His works

3) keep His commandments

What more could we ask for, for our precious descendants, than to have hope in the Lord for the coming hard days by not forgetting His works which we have related to them faithfully, so that they will keep His commandments and reap all the benefits of obedience? His ways never fail.

What a blessing it was to hear their strong faith and ability to "give an answer"! How blessed to know that the 5th generation will be in the hands of good, godly mothers! What a privilege we have been given to participate in their lives -- it is as it should be. Thank you, Lord, for your perfect plan for families. May you send them strong men of God and give them many children for your Kingdom!