Just Ruthie

Chinese New Year 2012

2012-01-22T15:09:00.005-07:00

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year. I am privileged to be the School Nurse at a friend's Montessori School. The children study Chinese culture and about this holiday, ending up with a parade in the town. The children all enjoy this, and the adults look forward to this event. All are ready, with cameras in hand, to see the children in their parade.

Here I am pictured with my friend, Cyndy, who is the owner and administrator of the Montessori School.

To all my Chinese friends, I wish you a Happy New Year.

Mountain Majesty #4

2011-07-07T14:32:00.003-06:00

Another beautiful time with friends up in the mountains. We are so thankful the Lord gave us this wonderful, refreshing scenery to enjoy.

3rd Year Blogoversary

2011-03-31T19:17:00.002-06:00

I can't believe today is my 3 year Blogoversary! This has been a wonderful experience! I have met so many neat friends through this world of blogging. We had shared experiences, laughed, and cried together. We have prayed for each other and have seen God answer our prayers! In this changing world, the blessings of my blogging friends is very meaningful. Thanks to you all for being my blogging friends.

#33 China Childhood Memories - Indian Mountain Retreat

2011-02-06T18:06:00.010-07:00

The evacuees from China were all waiting in Calcutta, India for a ship to take us back to the USA. Travel was slow and we did not know when the ship would arrive. Because the heat was so oppressive that summer of 1945, the School kids were moved to a place in the Himalayan Mountains to continue schooling and get away from the heat.

The last part of the journey up the mountain to the compound, the kids walked. Because of my recent bout with pneumonia, I rode a horse. I remember it was a white horse with a hernia.

Somehow, I had gotten a little 4 inch rag baby doll with a porcelin head. I had her with me up in the mountains. Another little missionary girl was crying and lonesome .. so I gave her my little doll to sleep with. I guess she rolled over and it fell on the floor and the head broke. I wrote a note to my mom, saying " I let my friend sleep with my doll, and it broke. Now I have no dollie". My mom often talked about that and how badly that made her feel. There was no way my parents could replace it for me.

I think now of so many missionary moms in foreign countries and the sadness they have sometimes, without the easy access to things that we have here. We need to pray for our missionary moms.

My parents were concerned about being up in the mountains and missing the ship when it came. They trusted the Lord to take care of the details of the ship. And He did.

#32 China Childhood Memories - India

2011-02-06T16:48:00.008-07:00

After evacuating from China over the "hump" to India, we stayed in a large compound on a river bank. It was extremely hot. There was no airconditioning in those days, and the only cooling was the breeze from large ceiling fans.

It was in India that I had my first ice cream. I didn't mind the taste, but was not terribly impressed. In China, we did not get many sweets and I wasn't used to that sweetness. Some of the missionary kids didn't like the ice cream at all. They thought it was too cold. Realize, we only had lukewarm things in China. We had to boil our drinking water, then hang it from the porch rafters in the breeze to cool it down, and drink it lukewarm.

During those early days, I developed a cough that wouldn't go away. My mom and I were sleeping in a large upstairs room with many of the other missionaries. Because my cough was disturbing the others at night, my mom and I were moved into a small room by ourselves. This is such a good example of God making good to come out of a bad situation, as we had our privacy. I ended up with pneumonia and had to stay in bed for the long while it took me to recover.

While I was sick, someone gave me an Indian doll with a beautiful Indian Sari. The Sari was yellow with gold braid. To me, the Indian doll was commonplace. I was used to seeing Chinese gowns and Indian saris. I was more excited to get to America and have something American! One day, while I was up in my room alone, I used a sissors and cut up the beautiful sari to make an American dress for the doll! My mom took the incident very well, and helped me sew the dress for my "American doll". Looking back, my mom was so sweet to help me and not scold me for destroying what, to her, was a special doll. She understood my childhood dream to have something American.

Years later, as a Pediatric nurse in America, I told this story to one of our Indian moms. She was going to India to visit her parents. I asked her to please buy me an Indian sari. When she returned, besides the sari for me, she surprised me with the gift of a beautiful small Indian doll with a red sari. I treasure that today.

Charlie Brown Christmas tree

2011-01-14T11:22:00.004-07:00

We were so happy to have our family from Minnesota come for Christmas this year, in spite of all the snow. We put up this fun Charlie Brown Christmas tree downstairs for the grandkids.
As we gathered, we remembered what Christmas is all about - celebrating the birth of Jesus who gives us Eternal Life if we accept His gift of Salvation.

Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed New Year.

Thankful for our Freedom in America

2010-11-03T17:58:00.001-06:00

We just had midterm elections here in America. I am so thankful we live in a free country where we can vote for our leaders. God bless America!

Camping in the Beautiful Colorado Mountains

2010-09-01T17:49:00.006-06:00

Back up in the Rocky Mountains for our End of the Summer vacation. We were happy to see this bull elk sitting in the middle of his herd. It was just getting cool enough for the elk to come down out of the high country.

This is the view from our campsite. The rushing river and the sounds of the geese lulled us to sleep at night.

A nice place to read and relax by the river.

And up in the Rocky Mountain National Park, the views are spectacular. There is nothing like the beauty of the mountains. We are so glad our forefathers had the forsight to preserve this area as a National Park!

Camping season is here again

2010-07-05T23:02:00.006-06:00

It's always so great when camping season starts again. Cold winter days are replaced with warm days and cool evenings - and the joys of camping with friends, enjoying the outdoors. Evenings are spent around the campfire sharing stories, laughing, and catching up with each other away from the business of everyday life.

We even toast a marshmallow or two. It's almost more fun to cook them than to eat them. My DH makes them just right! Yummy.

Days are spent taking hikes by the lake, exploring trails, and enjoying the wildflowers.

Our last morning, packing up our RV, and enjoying a picnic by the lake with our friends before saying goodbye till next time.

How fortunate we are to have this beautiful campground so close by. And such wonderful friends to camp with! Truly a blessing in our lives.

Mothers Day Blessings

2010-05-10T00:46:00.003-06:00

The blessings of family are so wonderful. Having lunch with our daughters, spending the afternoon sitting with them and visiting in the warm Colorado sunshine was such a treat. Then phone calls from our out of state son and his family, text messages from a grandaughter, and a wonderful evening with my DH made this a very special Mothers Day. I thank the Lord for the blessings of a loving family.

I also think of my Mother on this Mothers Day and of her positive influence on my life. I was priviledged to have a Mother who loved the Lord, loved her husband, loved me, and loved the Church family that she served so faithfully. She taught me many things. One valuable lesson was that "people are more important than things". I thank the Lord for a Godly mother and I miss her.

First campout of the Summer

2010-04-21T23:04:00.006-06:00

Our Summer camping season has finally begun! We had a wonderful weekend with our Good Sam camping group. We know Summer is just around the corner when we start our campouts!

It rained most of the weekend, but we were able to be inside. Several of us visited a miniature train museum with 20 miles of track. The backgrounds were very intricate and looked so real. Everywhere you looked, you saw something new and interesting.

This is a real caboose. It is fascinating to see how they lived in those bygone days.

As we gathered for our Sunday morning breakfast potluck, my hubby gave a devotional on "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord (the Bible)" from Deut. 8:3 and Matt 4:4. A great way to end our weekend.

P.S. For those of you who have been following my blog: Our greatgrandson, Jacob, is doing well after being in the hospital for 23 days. He was actually featured in an article of the Wall Street Journal (April 13). Thanks for your prayers for him. God answered them!

The message of Easter

2010-04-02T00:27:00.002-06:00

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb where Jesus was buried - to find the stone was rolled away. An angel said to her "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified; he is risen; he is not here." Mark 16:6

In John 11:25 Jesus said "I am the resurrection, and the life; he who believes in me will live, even though he dies. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die."

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for dying on the cross for my sins and for the sins of the whole world, and coming alive again, so that we may have eternal life in Heaven with him.

Second Blogoversary Surprise Give-away

2010-03-31T14:08:00.006-06:00

Amazing that it is actually my second blogoversary! I have so enjoyed meeting all you wonderful people in Blogland! You have become my friends. What a special connection we all have. I appreciate each one of you. You have added a wonderful dimmension to my life.

To celebrate my second blogoversary, I will have a drawing and a surprise give-away. Please post a comment on this blog, sharing what is your favorite thing about Spring and why.

Smiles to all of you.

Ruthie

P.S. Little Jacob is home from the hospital (after 21 days) and doing well. Thanks for your prayers. God is good!

Jacob's progress

2010-03-18T22:31:00.008-06:00

Just a quick note to update you on Jacob. He developed pneumonia in both lungs, was sent to ICU, intubated, on IV antibiotics, and was kept sedated. Yesterday, he was finally doing better and was sent to a regular room. He still has IV antibiotics but only oxygen with a nasal cannula. He is now awake and starting to rehabilitate. Our daughter (his gramma) visited him last night, and when Jacob saw her, he gave her a huge smile and said "Gramma, you look beautiful!" What a trooper.

The picture is Jacob giving his mom,Heather, a hug after he got rid of the intubation tube. If you want to read more, you can go to his website: http://www.weemightyman.net

Thanking the Lord that our prayers are being answered and Jacob is doing so much better. God is good!

Prayers needed for our Great Grandson

2010-03-11T22:18:00.004-07:00

This is our Great Grandson Jacob. He had a kidney transplant one year ago. Yesterday had emergency surgery for a bowel obstruction and hiatal hernia. Today was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs. Please keep Jacob in your prayers.

Those of you have been following my blog for awhile, remember that he was a premie (born 9 weeks early) with non-working kidney and was not expected to live. He is our "miracle baby" and we know the Lord has been watching over him all this time and will continue to do so.

Wordless Wednesday - Storybook bridge

2010-03-03T10:41:00.002-07:00

God makes all things beautiful - with snow gently falling on a beautiful bridge over a gentle stream. Looking out the window while we were dining at a resturant, this was the scene that greeted us one cool December evening.

Wordless Wednesday - Rainbow Promises

2010-02-17T10:50:00.005-07:00

This rainbow seemed to originate right beside us as we were driving. It reminds us of God's promises to us when he sends the rainbows.

Wordless Wednesday - Memories of Summer in the mountains

2010-02-10T09:22:00.004-07:00

What is more beautiful than a summer day in the mountains. Thanks, Lord, for the beauty You have created for us to enjoy!

China Childhood Memories #31-Chinese New Year

2010-02-05T13:32:00.009-07:00

This is Mae Ling, my Chinese doll. She speaks a few words of Chinese and then says the word in English. As Chinese New Year is February 14th, I decided to tell you about my time in China during that time.

It was a time of great celebration in China. They had feasts,parades, and firecrackers. I can remember the noises of the firecrackers going off and being very disconcerted as a child. We were in our compound and the noise was very loud and seemed to go on for a long long time.

The celebrations went on for several days. Before the celebrations, they cleaned their houses to sweep away ill fortune. This was a time for family celebrations, honoring the elder members of the households, and holding feasts of pig, duck, chicken, fish, and sweet delicacies. They made paper lanterns and long paper dragons and paraded in the streets. They ended with firecrackers, which were thought to scare away the evil spirits. These firecrackers were made with gun powder rolled in red papers. They were then strewn together by the hundreds and were known for their deafening explosions. (Now, as an adult, I can see why the loud noises were frightening to me as a child.) In the morning, the children wished their parents a happy and prosperous new year, and the parents gave their children money in small red envelopes.

Many of these traditions still go on today, although in some areas the firecrackers have been banned because of the danger of fire.

I am thankful that my trust in the true God, Jesus Christ, and that I do not have to light off firecrackers to scare away the evil spirits.

Wordless Wednesday - Rain in the mountains

2010-01-12T18:32:00.002-07:00

There's nothing like a rainy day in the CO mountains. It reminds me of Psalms 121:1&2 "I will lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (NIV)

Thanks for the Blog award

2010-01-07T09:44:00.010-07:00

I am so blessed with all the wonderful friends I have made through this Blog world. As we reach out to each other in friendship, it lightens and brightens our days.
Kathy at katshappyathome sent me this special award. Thanks so much Kathy. Kathy is a special lady and you will enjoy her blog. She also has an excellent cookbook blog theeatfoodnotmoneycookbook that has wonderful recipes that stretch the dollar in this economy we are facing. I've tried some and they are delicious.
Happy blogging to all of you!

China Childhood Memories - Christmas treats #30

2010-01-04T15:20:00.005-07:00

Growing up in China during war time, things were very different from the present time - but very much the same in other ways.

Watching the children receiving their treats after the Christmas program brought back memories of our Christmas programs in China. We had programs similar to the children today.
There was singing, reading of the Christmas story, and recitations by the children. Then the missionary would give a talk about Jesus birth, illustrating it with pictures on a large easel.
There was opportunity for children and their parents to come and receive more information about the true God and accept Him as their Saviour.

After the program, the children were anxious for the treats. This was wartime in China, and sweets were not readily available. However, our treat was just as exciting and wonderful to us! We each received a container made out of newspapers, shaped like a cone, and filled with delicious peanuts still in their shells. How we enjoyed that special time!

In trying to make a replica of that cone, I ended up using scotch tape - which I'm sure they didn't have back in those days. Somehow, they were able to shape the newspaper so it would hold together for our special treat.

In so many lands today, missionaries again tell the wonderful story of Christmas to the children, giving them special treats from their area of the world. How blessed that they can receive the true meaning of Christmas. Let's remember to pray for our missionaries.

Merry Christmas to you all

2009-12-23T19:23:00.002-07:00

I would just like to wish all my wonderful blogging friends a Merry Christmas. And let Jesus be the Reason for the Season!

Photo Contest winner

2009-12-19T06:10:00.006-07:00

Imagine my surprise, when our December Homeowners booklet was delivered, and a photo that I took was on the cover! I had entered the contest in October and my photo was selected. What a surprise and an honor.

50th Anniversary Celebration

2009-10-24T00:49:00.000-06:00

50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration

2009-10-22T10:51:00.008-06:00

It was a beautiful evening - warm with the crisp scent of Fall in the air. It was the day we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with our family and friends.

The evening started with a tasty beef brisket meal, lovingly prepared by our family. A game of "How well do you know the anniversary couple?" brought out some interesting events from the past. Our daughter, Jan, got the most right answers, but the prizes were awarded to the 2nd and 3rd place winners. A slide show of our lives together, including some humorous pictures, entertained all of us. Tributes were expressed by our daughters, Shari and Jan. We were happily surprised by a taped message from our son in Minnesota. Sharing memories, our guests told how and where they had become aquainted with us. Our grandson, Tim, said he met us when he was 8 lbs.!

Thanks to our wonderful family for making this such a special and memorable anniversary celebration! This is definately a day we will always remember.

End of the tracks

2009-10-01T18:39:00.003-06:00

During our trip to Leadville, we stopped at the train station, where people come up to tour the area. At the end of the station, the tracks stopped - and here was the sign! I guess if the engineer hadn't stopped by then, the sign would help??!!?!!

50th Wedding Anniversary

2009-09-29T15:43:00.008-06:00

What a special way to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary! We were with our son and family in MN. We went to the Mall of America for lunch at the Rainforest Cafe - a really unique resturant. (This is a scanned photo - so not the best. Sorry. It's the one they took of us at the cafe.)
Later, we went to the Chanhassen Dinner Theater with our son and daughter-in-law. What a treat to be with them!
Our daughters here in CO are planning a celebration for us in a few weeks. What a blessing our children have been to us through the years!

This is our wedding photo. How young we looked 50 years ago. I had already completed nurses training and had spent a year in my chosen profession. Hubby was getting his degree in teaching, although he ended up becoming a professional engineer.
God has blessed us with 50 happy years. If we were to do it all over again, we would still choose each other. We thank the Lord for blessing us and guiding us in our lives together.

camping - back soon

2009-09-03T13:41:00.002-06:00

Just to let you know that we are camping again - don't have much internet while here. I wanted to leave you a note so you all know why I am not blogging. This has been an interesting summer with lots of camping trips ... so it's been hard to keep up my blog. But be assured that I have not forgotten you and will be back soon. :)
Sending hugs to all my blogging buddies.
Just Ruthie

Columbine Memorial

2009-08-08T10:40:00.014-06:00

Nestled in the hill above Columbine High School, with the mountains framing it in the background is the Columbine Memorial.The plaque at the entrance states "On April 20, 1999, in a senseless act of violence, twelve students and one teacher were killed, and many others injured at Columbine High School. It was a tragic event that shocked the Columbine and metro-Denver communities, horrified and saddened the nation, and changed forever our perceptions of the safety and security within a school typical of so many across America.
Over time, Columbine parents, students, faculty, and community leaders designed and constructed this Columbine Memorial to remember those killed and injured that day and honor their lives. this Memorial is dedicated to those innocent victims, so that they are' never forgotten'. "

As you enter the Memorial area, there are several small waterfalls where you can sit and meditate. Our niece from Florida and was with us.

In the circular area, is a section dedicated to each victim, with the thoughts and tributes of family members.
The wall around the area has engraved thoughts from students, faculty, and community leaders concerning the tradgedy.

Our niece, with us, stand at the top of the hill above the Memorial. It was very sobering to be there. We remember so well when it happened and our thoughts and feelings at the time.
We pray that this kind of event never happens again. And that our country will look to God for the wisdom, comfort, and healing that we need.

I am reminded of the Scripture in II Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, who are called by me name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Turquoise Lake Camping

2009-07-29T23:59:00.010-06:00

This is beautiful Turquoise Lake high up in the Colorado mountains near Leadville. We spent several days up there camping with some friends. The weather was beautiful, perfect for the sailboats that sailed into view.
We enjoyed sitting outside and listening to the wind sweep through the treetops as they gently swayed back and forth. So relaxing and peaceful.The town of Leadville is an old mining town and has many interesting old historic buildings.

The houses are Victorian in style and painted in bright colors. This was taken from our car window as we drove around the town.

Many of the houses had this interesting scalloped work on the front - very pretty and Victorian looking. There were purple houses, pink houses, blue, green, yellow - all so interesting to look at.

But the beauty of God's creation still tops them all !

Camping again - Smiles this time.

2009-07-07T15:15:00.015-06:00

We have returned from camping again in the beautiful CO mountains. This time we were with our daughter and son-in-law and it was great spending some quality time with them.
Our awning that blew off on the last trip was fixed and ready to shade us from the CO sun.
We are ready for a hike, hats on and extra jacket for any rain sprinkles that might come up.

This little mountain lake is nestled near one of the hiking trails.
At one high point, you felt like you could see forever and forever!!
We counted about 20 different varieties of wild flowers on our trip. Because we've had a lot of rain, they are in abundance and dot the countryside with their pristine beauty.
Evenings were spent at the campfire, cooking our meals and roasting marshmallows. Later we enjoyed playing games in our RV.
There is nothing like the sunsets in the mountains, with the gentle breezes and sounds of the wild in the distance. Such beauty the Lord has created for us to enjoy!
Our last night up there, it rained hard but there was a beautiful double rainbow at the same time! Reminding us of the Lord's promise to us and His faithfulness at all times.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-04T22:53:00.002-06:00

Thanking God for our country on this 4th of July! I am proud to be an American!

A Jelly Bean Prayer

2009-06-20T21:40:00.004-06:00

Looking through some old boxed things, I found a bottle of jelly beans with this prayer.
Red is for the blood He gave.
Green is for the grass He made.
Yellow is for the sun so bright.
Orange is for the edge of night.
Black is for the sins we made.
White is for the grace He gave.
Purple is for His hour of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.

A jar full of Jelly Beans
So colorful and sweet;
is a prayer, is a promise,
is a loved one's treat
Dicksons

So next time you eat some jelly beans, think about what the colors mean.

Camping - Woops and Hurrah

2009-06-15T22:00:00.011-06:00

Camping with friends at the beautiful Cherry Creek State park was fun, with one exception.

Shortly after our arrival, a sudden gust of wind (we think it was a microburst) blew our awning over the top of the RV, ripping it off, and slamming it against the other side.

We were able to remove the awning and roll it back up. The arms holding the awning were all messed up also. The Insurance agent came out to the park, took pictures, and let us know it would be covered.
We still had a very enjoyable time.

From our parking spot, we were able to watch a bicycle race with hundreds of racers.

We hiked down to the lake, saw some ducks and other wildlife.
We were visited with many beautiful birds and enjoyed waking up to their singing every morning.
The sunsets were breathtaking each evening. And just being with our good friends, fellowshipping, playing games, and enjoying the outdoors made this a great camping trip!

Tornado near our house

2009-06-07T17:30:00.005-06:00

Driving home from lunch after Church, we heard the tornado sirens, and looking up, saw this tornado. I have never seen a tornado that close before. It was very unnerving. I took pictures of it out the window of our car as we drove along.
We were driving down the Interstate past our Mall, when it seemed to be coming right towards us. I asked my hubby to speed up in spite of the hail.
This was taken of our rear view mirror, after we passed the Mall.

Arriving home, we turned on the TV and found that the tornado had touched down at the Mall (about a mile from us), causing damage but no injuries to anyone.

Our grandaughter and family live right next to the Mall, and they had a couple of windows blown out at their house.

We thank the Lord for His protection today.

Camping by the River

2009-06-03T13:25:00.011-06:00

Summer is here and we have been camping again! We, of course, are able to enjoy the outdoors so much more with our RV.

This is a beautiful spot in the CO mountains where we were camped with our Good Sam's Camping group.
We were parked along the river by a small waterfall. The soothing sound of the rushing water lulled us to sleep every night.
We had some time to relax, read, enjoy the music of the sparkling water, and soak up some of the warm balmy Colorado sunshine.
The lilacs were in bloom and they enhanced our enjoyment as we walked around the campground. Lilacs are one of my favorite flowers.
One evening, we roasted marshmallows. Mmmm - my DH knows how to cook them just right.

As night fell, one of our camper friends read us cowboy poetry by the light of the campfire.

The next morning, we had a wonderful potluck breakfast, my DH gave us our Sunday devotional, and we headed home, savoring the memories we had made with our friends.

Memorial Day 2009

2009-05-25T08:57:00.004-06:00

God bless America is one of my favorite patriotic songs. On this Memorial Day, we think of those who have given their lives in service to our country. We also honor and thank the men and women who are currently serving in our military. Because of their commitment and sacrifice, we are able to live in a free country and live and worship as we choose.

Many thanks to all in the military today! We love and appreciate each one of you!

Spring Beauty #5

2009-05-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Driving along, we saw these deer along the side of the road, grazing on the newly green grass. They were so serene and just looked at us with no fear.

Spring Beauty #4

2009-05-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

The country side is greening up and I took this windmill picture as we drove along. I always love looking at the windmills.

Spring Beauty #3

2009-05-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

The trees are blooming and we can hear birds singing to wake us up every morning! What a beautiful time of year!

Spring Beauty #2

2009-05-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Flowers at the mall near us. So cheerful and colorful. Today is Armed Forces Day. Pray for all our men and women in the armed forces. We are so thankful for their service to this country!!

Spring Beauty

2009-05-14T11:33:00.003-06:00

Spring is finally here in all it's glory. I'm going to post some of the beauty of Spring in our area this week. Have a great week!

Clouds and Mountain Inspirations

2009-05-09T20:55:00.011-06:00

The clouds in formations over the mountains never fail to inspire me.

A lonely tree stands guard over the newly green countryside, waiting for it's time to bloom.

The rays of the sun shine through the clouds, before quietly sliding behind the mountains and bidding us goodnight.

I am reminded of the Scripture verse in Psalm 91:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies proclaim the work of His hands." (NIV)

How thankful I am that the Lord gave us His glorious creation to enjoy!

Happy May Day

2009-05-01T14:44:00.003-06:00

I remember as a grade school person, we would give May baskets to our friends. I don't think kids do this now. But it was a fun thing to do. Happy May Day!

Wordless Wednesday - Pet cemetery

2009-04-29T13:33:00.003-06:00

Driving by this spot up in the mountains, we wondered what all the crosses were. It was a Pet Cemetery. Anyone who has ever lost a special pet knows the sorrow of the loss. I thought this was a very poignant picture of all the beloved pets that are gone.

Arrival of Spring

2009-04-28T13:13:00.004-06:00

After all the snow we have had, it's great to actually see tulips. These were taken at the Mall close to us. They tell me that they were planted in October, so they would come up in the Spring. Because of all our snow, these came up a little later than they expected. We went to the coffee shop in the mall and enjoyed the beautiful flowers all over. Happy Spring everyone!

China Childhood Memories - Suspension Bridge

2009-04-26T15:59:00.004-06:00

I have never liked heights. When I found this picture a few years ago, I remembered the story my Mom told of a suspension bridge in China many years ago. We had to cross a suspension bridge that was fairly long. It was very unstable, swinging to and fro, with boards missing in places. As you walked, you could see the rocky depths below! My Dad went on ahead to test the strength of the bridge and Mom and I followed. My Mom had faced many dangers in her missionary travels, but this time she was fearful. When we were half way across the bridge, she couldn't go any further. She and I sat down on the bridge and waited until my Dad came and helped us across the rest of the way.

Many times we face challenges in our lives, and we feel we can't go any further. Then our Lord comes, takes our hands, and leads us to victory.

For more inspirational posts go to Spiritual Sundays.

Spring is finally here

2009-04-23T15:27:00.002-06:00

The little bunny under our tree is happy that Spring is finally here .... unless we get rain/snow this weekend!

Continued Snowstorm

2009-04-18T11:04:00.006-06:00

Trees are covered with snow and it's still snowing. We may have up to 27 inches before this is all over. The HOA shovels here - but my hubby likes to get snow off as it falls, before it gets too deep. Shoveling, hot chocolate, and a nice puzzle to work on while watching the Colorado Rockies playing in warm sunny Arizona later. :)
"This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

My husband mentioned some interesting facts about psalms:
Psalm 118 is the middle chapter of the Bible and Psalm 118:8 is the middle verse.
Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible and Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible.

Snowstorm has arrived

2009-04-17T21:56:00.008-06:00

Our Spring snowstorm arrived in all it's beauty - snowing continuously all day and evening. These are the evergreens in our back yard.
This is looking down the area between our houses in the back -
and looking out our front door towards the street!
I love how my writer friend, Megan DiMaria, put it - "I feel like I'm living in a snowglobe!"
So a nice day was spent scrapbooking, while hubby watched the ball game. We have a great puzzle to put together for later.
Our yards really needed the moisture, so this is a wondrous gift from God.

Spring snowstorm coming

2009-04-16T13:51:00.005-06:00

We awakened to a cool, foggy day...very unlike our usual bright sunny skies. Our Good Sam weekend Campout was cancelled as a Spring snowstorm is supposed to be arriving tomorrow.
These pictures were taken as we took our RV back to the storage lot until next month.

I know many of you are used to foggy days. I enjoy them, as we have them so seldom.
The Lord has other plans for us this weekend.

He is Risen

2009-04-13T13:36:00.003-06:00

A wonderful Easter day - and a beautiful message that Christ is Risen!

The Meaning of Easter

2009-04-11T13:59:00.004-06:00

glitter-graphics.com

At dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. The go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him." Matt. 28:1-7

This is our salvation and the reason we know we will be eternally with Christ in Heaven.
Jesus took our sins on himself at the cross, and if we confess our sins and accept His gift of salvation, we can be saved and have Eternal Life. You can find out more by reading the Bible, especially Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
So Easter is not about Easter bunnies, and Easter eggs - it is about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, and rising from the dead to give us Eternal Life!

May you have a wonderful Easter.

For more Easter posts, click on the Spiritual Sundays button.

Blue Monday - Candle Holders

2009-04-06T09:29:00.003-06:00

A wonderful little gift shop in our area was going out of business. I spotted these blue candleholders and was able to purchase them at a discount. There were five of them. The others I have on our mantle over the TV. They remind me of the clear blue water of the Colorado mountain lakes, and of the deep blue of the summer skies at dusk.

Blogoversary Winner

2009-04-02T14:30:00.012-06:00

My one Year Blogoversary arrived on March 31st. Our daughter Jan came over for a Celebration Lunch. She introduced me to blogging, and has encouraged me in my endeavors.
Her DH asked "Does everyone have a party on their Blogoversary???" and of course we do. It's certainly a cause for a celebration!
It was so much fun to read all your comments on my Blogoversary post. :)

All the names were put in a basket and my DH drew without peeking! And the Winner is
Nana Trish from Living the Dream! Congratulations!
The rest of you can take a flower from this bouquet. Thanks so much for sharing in this journey with me! Looking forward to more blogging this year!

One Year Blogoversary Give-away

2009-03-29T22:32:00.002-06:00

Angels
It's finally here! My one year Blogoversary. For those who comment on my Blogoversary, I will put your name in a drawing for a fun surprise! :)

As I started blogging a year ago, I wanted to put down my childhood experiences growing up in China. This has been a blessing as I remember so many instances of the Lord's watch-care over me. Then, as I read your blogs, I found so many other things to write about. What a great year this has been!

What has amazed me, is all the wonderful people in Blogland that I have gotten to know. You have inspired and blessed me with your comments! I have loved reading your blogs and sharing in your experiences. You have become friends and I appreciate each one of you.

When I started my blog, I couldn't figure out a good title. Many titles sounded so elegant, and I said to my daughter, "But I'm just Ruthie!" She smiled and wisely said, "Then that should be your title - Just Ruthie!"

I look forward to another year of sharing together with you.

Blessings and hugs ♥
Just Ruthie

Pink Saturday

2009-03-28T10:32:00.005-06:00

Easter flowers for Pink Saturday. For more Pink Saturdays - go to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Spring Blizzard

2009-03-26T15:37:00.004-06:00

This Spring snowstorm came as a surprise. Lots of snow and blowing, piling up drifts and covering the patios and porches with it's pristine whiteness. These are the flowers on our front porch. We are just going to stay warm and cozy inside, fireplace going, good comfort food, and a good puzzle to put together.

Wordless Wednesday - More CO mountains

2009-03-25T11:31:00.001-06:00

It's so refreshing to look at our pictures from the mountains - almost time to go camping again.

Post Script to Evacuation Story ...

2009-03-23T16:13:00.005-06:00

When I was writing the previous post, I was looking for photos of the planes that took us out of China. As I found one, my husband suddenly exclaimed "That plane is called a Gooney Bird! I flew in one when I was in the Air Force ROTC, and the pilot actually let me fly it for a short time."
How interesting that my hubby actually flew the same kind of plane that transported me out of China so many years ago!

China Childhood Memories - Evacuation over"The Hump"

2009-03-20T15:52:00.009-06:00

During WWII, in 1944, Japan had invaded China. The Mission School in Inland China, where my parents were stationed, was ordered to evacuate.The Burma Road, normal route out of China, had been cut off by Japanese troops. Our only option was to fly "over the hump" to India.
The "Hump" is a high Himalaya mountain range between China and India. This was a very dangerous and perilous endeavor. That area has eight months of torrential, tropical downpours known as monsoons, which are followed by four months of violent, turbulent windstorms, capable of lifting or dropping a plane 6,000 to 8,000 feet in a minute.
The planes used for these flights were C-46's or C-47's (known as the "Gooney Bird"). They were still vulnerable to attack from Japanese zero fighter planes.

We were flown out in different planes. My Mom was flown out first, because she had just had major surgery and was still recuperating. The second plane load was full of children from the mission school. I was scheduled to go on the third flight. My Dad was to stay behind and close up the compound. On these flights, there were no parachutes and the ride was bumpy, with many frightening downdrafts.

The second plane encountered a severe storm and had to navigate through it, using up much of their fuel. Arriving over India airspace, they encountered a "blackout" because of enemy aircraft in the vicinity. The airfield was dark, and pilots were not to break radio silence. After circling for awhile, the pilot finally had to break radio silence and ask them to turn on their lights. He said he had a plane load of children and was almost out of fuel. The airfield complied. When they landed, there was not a drop of fuel left in the plane. The pilot got out and kissed the ground!

I was on the next plane, flying through the same bad weather conditions! I'm sure my parents were both praying. I remember the sudden drops, where I thought for sure the plane was crashing. One of the boys had a lemon lollipop (a rarity in those days, where we did not get many "sweets"). He passed it around, and everyone took a lick as it went by. That was our only distraction from the perilous flight. We landed uneventfully. I remember going to my Mom's room where she hugged me tightly, and gave me some M & M's. I think that was the first time I had ever had them.

I have since thought of my Mom's faith during that time. She did not know if she would see either me or my Dad again, all of us coming out on different flights through such dangerous conditions. My father made it out, also, and we were reunited as a family in India.

I am so thankful, as I look back, that the Lord had His hand on us and took care of all the circumstances. Even today, as problems come, we can trust the Lord to hold us in the palm of His hand and take care of us in our circumstances!!!

Family Prayer

2009-03-17T12:55:00.004-06:00

Does anyone know the origin and/or the name of this picture? I have a black and white one that was in my step- grandmother's house. As a child, newly home from China, I really liked this picture and my step-grandmother gave it to me many years later.
The photo is decoupaged and it has kinda ruined the picture. I went on line to try to find info about it. This is all I could find - it is only part of the photo.

Miracles - Great Grandson

2009-03-14T11:44:00.005-06:00

This is one of our present day miracles - our great grandson Jacob. When he was born, he was not expected to live because of non-working kidneys. In August,he had a kidney transplant from his Mom and is now a healthy, active 3 year old.

Here he is enjoying one of God's wonders - the snow. He was fascinated and loving the feel of snowflakes floating lazily down on his upturned face.

Those of you who have followed my blog for a long time, know of the blessings of this child!

Thank you Lord, for our great grandson, Jacob, and for the daily blessings of snow, rain, and sun to make our world a wonderful place to live.

Outdoor Wednesday - Ice Sculptures

2009-03-11T12:30:00.011-06:00

Beautiful ice sculptures in our town.
These beautiful ice sculptures were in our town on Valentines Day. I thought it would be fun to post them - and then saw the posts on Outdoor Wednesdays and decided this would qualify.
For more photos go to http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com

China Childhood Memories - School

2009-03-08T06:18:00.006-06:00

During WW II, my parents were stationed at the school for missionaries children. I was only 5 yrs old, but was placed in school since I was there.

At that time, the Japanese were at war with China. Planes flew overhead much of the time. Usually they were friendly aircraft. However, if enemy planes were approaching, the city put up a red balloon on a high point where all could see it. If the planes were close, a black balloon was sent up.

Our school had a "dugout" (a cave with a door) on the side of a hill. This is where we went when we had to take cover. It would not have protected us if there was a direct hit, but it was safer than being outside. During these emergencies, many Chinese streamed out of the city to get away from the threat. (This is depicted in "The Inn of Sixth Happiness" DVD which is the story of missionary Gladys Aylwood and her orphans during the war.)

Standing near the wooden door of the dugout, I could hear bombs exploding in the distance.
There was never a direct hit where we were. Thinking back, I realize that I was never afraid. I knew that the Lord would take care of us.

When the danger was gone, the city sent up a green balloon, and we could go back to our daily schedules.

The Lord definitely was watching over our 30 students and teachers during this time!

One Year Blogoversary coming up

2009-03-05T10:30:00.005-07:00

I just realized today that it will be One Year on March 31 since I started blogging.
What an experience this has been! I have loved this world of Blogging and all the wonderful friends I have met along the way!
I started blogging as a way to write down my experiences growing up in China. I did not envision the joys and satisfaction that would come.
Here is my first post!

Monday, March 31, 2008

Chinese New Year

Since I was born in China, of missionary parents, we enjoy celebrating Chinese New Year. We went to our daughter's house and tried our hands at making an authentic Chinese meal. It was good, but not as tasty as my Mom used to make. I'll keep trying to find the right taste! It was fun.

Wordless Wednesday - Old fashioned picture

2009-03-03T16:01:00.003-07:00

While having brunch in a resturant with some friends, this old-fashioned picture on the wall caught our eyes. Interesting how they posed for pictures in those long ago days.
Because of the curved glass covering it, I couldn't get a good focus.

Prayer for Daily Bread

2009-02-25T15:03:00.004-07:00

We've had this photo up in our kitchen for many years. I've always loved it. I think there is a story behind it, but I don't know it right now. It reminds me of this poem:

God grant me the serenity
To live just day by day,
Not borrowing any troubles
That may later come our way;
To remember Jesus taught us
To ask for daily bread:
We should not ask for flour
To bake for months ahead.
-by Hilda Peterson Daniels

Thanks to our Military

2009-02-23T10:55:00.006-07:00

While checking our RV a few days ago, some jets flew over the area. What a magnificent sight. I was able to get this beautiful photo.

And was again reminded how much we appreciate all our military does for us to keep us safe.

God's Care for us

2009-02-20T07:51:00.005-07:00

'A skeptic noticed a robin's nest in a gigantic elm and heard a still small voice saying, " If God spent a hundred years in creating a tree like that for a bird, He will surely take care of you."
God is so interested that He takes us one by one and arranges for every detail of our life. To Him, there are no little things. The God of the infinite is the God of the infinitesimal. He cannot forget the saints whom He has engraven on the palms of his hands.'
"Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." (Isaiah 49:16)
Excerpt taken from Traveling Toward Sunrise by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

Word Verifications

2009-02-19T18:07:00.003-07:00

I have been amused at some of the Word Verifications. The one here is pretty easy to read .. but wait, is that an "r i" or an "n" .....?
And what if you have your fingers on the wrong keys and it types out as "tohm[ptg;" Woops!
Or you could type in your word, click, and never notice that a new word has appeared - and your message never gets to the sender!
Occasionally, you get a real word - but sometimes it is just gibberish. And sometimes you can't read it at all. Oh well, all for the fun of blogging. (smile).

Spiritual Sundays - Psalms Picture

2009-02-14T22:02:00.004-07:00

This picture caught my eye because of the verse: "He who watches over you will not slumber" Psalm 121:3. We bought it and hung it in our bedroom, above the mirror, where we can see it from our bed as we go to sleep. It is such a comforting verse and I love the serene evening scene .

When I was a child in China, I was afraid of the dark, and used to quote the Angel poem "Four corners to my bed, four angels round my head. One to watch, one to pray, and two to keep all fears away".

Now, as an adult, I have this lovely verse to remind me of God's watch care over us.

For more Spiritual Sunday Posts go to Spiritual Sundays.

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T07:36:00.001-07:00

Rose Glitters

A special vase of roses for all my blogging friends. Have a wonderful day!
Ruthie

Blue Monday - Pelican Lake

2009-02-09T16:03:00.009-07:00

When we were camping in a State Park by Pelican Lake, we were amazed at the sight of the pelicans flying in for a landing. If you click on the picture, you can see them better.Later, they swam lazily around, looking for fish. It was interesting to watch them. What beautiful birds.
For other Blue Monday posts,
go to Smiling Sally.

Show and Tell Friday - angels

2009-02-06T09:36:00.004-07:00

This is our Angel of Greatfulness -
and our Angel of Thankfulness! Both are on our mantle - and remind us to be greatful and thankful for all the Lord has done for us.

Wordless Wednesday - CO mountains

2009-02-04T03:49:00.005-07:00

Our beautiful Colorado Mountains. They are visible wherever we drive, and I never get tired of viewing them. But I love it most when we are actually up in the mountains enjoying the fresh mountain air and God's beauty.

Chinese New Year Parade

2009-01-30T08:37:00.010-07:00

Chinese New Year was celebrated on January 26th. The Montessori School, where I am the School Nurse, always has a Chinese New Year parade that we attend. This year we invited our neighbors and friends, who are Chinese, to come with us. They were the guests of honor and led the parade around the Court House.Here are the children getting ready to put the dragon head on at the start of the parade (the date is wrong). Previous to the parade, the children learn how to count to ten in Chinese, make some Chinese characters, and make lanterns and noisemakers that they carry in the parade. There are about two dozen children in the parade. Two of the children have been adopted from China, so this is special for their heritage.
Our daughter, who works nearby, also came by on her lunch hour and marched with us.
It's an interesting time for me, having been born in China.

When I was in China, as a little girl, I remember being a little fearful of the New Year, because of the noises of firecrackers as they paraded in the streets of China.

How thankful I am that we do not have to fear, if we put our trust in God. In Psalms 27, it states: "The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the refuge and stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (The Amplified Bible)

I love my Bloggin' Friends

2009-01-27T14:43:00.003-07:00

Thanks Donna!
I want to send this on to all of you, my wonderful blogging friends. I never imagined the wealth of friendships and special people I would meet on line when I started blogging last March. Please take this Hug from me.

Smiles. Ruthie

China Childhood Memories - My little suitcase

2009-01-24T21:56:00.006-07:00

I had a special tiny blue child's suitcase in China. All my treasures were in it - my doll, my hanky, a pencil, and whatever else a little girl would have along when traveling. On a trip across country in a battered Chinese truck, we came over a hill to see a band of robbers waiting to rob some wary traveler. I clung tightly to my little suitcase. I know my parents were praying. Suddenly, the robbers turned, ran up the hill and disappeared over the top. I clearly remember seeing them running up the hill. We never knew why they ran away. With delight, I looked at my Mom and said, "Wasn't Jesus and the angels good to keep the robbers from stealing my suitcase?"

This is a picture is of me saying my nightly prayers with my dolly, Zella.
God again showed His watchcare over us in China.

For more inspirational posts, go to Spiritual Sundays.

Have a great Sunday.
Ruthie

Author and Friend on Radio tomorrow (Friday)

2009-01-22T23:39:00.012-07:00

You will be excited to know that an author and friend of mine, Megan DiMaria, will be having a live internet radio interview tomorrow (1/23/09) at 4:00 PM Mountain time (That's 6:00 PM Eastern time). This will be a wonderful time for you to "meet" a very special lady.

She has written two Christian Fiction books and is currently writing another one. The titles are: "Searching for Spice" and "Out of Her Hands". I have read them both and really enjoyed them. When you start, you can't put them down till you finish them.

You can actually call in and ask her questions at this number: (347) 326-9846.
For more information, you can check her blog: A Prisoner of Hope

And after you hear her, I know you'll be wanting to get her books. They can be purchased at Barnes and Noble and many other book stores.

Enjoy!

Free Rice

2009-01-22T14:05:00.008-07:00

I found an interesting word game when trying to find a picture of rice for my blog.
Go to Free Rice.com and with every correct answer, they donate 10 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program to help end hunger. It is fun thing to do. You can also answer questions about geography, art, math and some others.

Presidential Inauguration 2009

2009-01-20T16:56:00.011-07:00

Every four years, our country gathers to install and honor the President that we have elected. We have a peaceful and smooth transition as the new President is inaugurated and enters the White House. It is a wonderful demonstration of our Democracy and it awes and inspires us all.
These are some of the sights I took of the TV as the day transpired. Our capital in all it's glory -
The statue of President Lincoln -
President Obama being sworn in as his wife Michelle holds the Lincoln Bible -
And the new and former President and First Ladies after the Inauguration- as they say their goodbyes.
It was a memorable day.

We now will pray for President Obama as he takes on his new responsibilities.
We also want to thank our out-going President Bush for the eight years of service that he gave us.

As the choirs sang "God Bless America", we agree! And we are proud to be Americans!

Our Happy Great Grand Baby

2009-01-19T23:31:00.003-07:00

While I was reading the first chapter of the novel that my daughter is writing, she placed Kamryn beside me and proceeded to take this video. How special is that??!!
The song that is playing is "Because I love you". ♥

China Childhood Memories - Rice Christians

2009-01-17T21:35:00.003-07:00

In that faraway time in China, missionaries sometimes would offer rice to the people, and while they were eating, would give them the gospel message. There were those who came only for the meal, and not for the Spiritual food. They came for personal gain and did not show any true repentance or acceptance of the gospel. They were referred to as "rice Christians".

A few years ago, we had a little white dog who would come around at mealtimes looking for any scrap of food that we might drop. We sometimes laughingly called her a "rice Christian".

Tomorrow is Sunday. As we go to our various Church services, do we go only for what we can get out of the service, and complain or criticize, or do we go with an attitude of thankfulness and service to others? Do we go to see if we can also be a blessing to our Christian brothers and sisters - or are we just "rice Christians"?

What kind of soup are you?

2009-01-15T23:31:00.002-07:00

I got this from Cherdecor.
It was kinda fun to do. You can go to her post to take the test also.

You Are Chicken Noodle Soup

You are a traditional and conservative person. You value the past, and change frightens you.
You are very loyal, especially to your family. You prefer a low-key life, with lots of time spent at home.

You like soup because it's easy, quick, and cheap.
You tend to have a favorite soup you stick to. Why change a good thing?

Favorite Christmas ornaments

2009-01-13T11:19:00.011-07:00

I want to share some of my favorite Christmas ornaments with you.
These were made by my daughters. The cross-stitch one was made by Shari, and the sequined one was made by Jan. We used to give each other handmade ornaments every year (that included our daughter-in-law and grandchildren) but we soon had too many ornaments to fit on our trees - so we decided to just love the ones we already had.
These are some of my fun blue ones - blue being my favorite color. We got the moose one up in the mountains when we were camping.
Since we have so much blue on our tree, we perk it up with these red ornaments.These are more vintage looking.
I have enjoyed blue Snow Buddies, too, and these are some of those ornaments.
Angels are a special party of Christmas. I love the glass ones and the white ones are Scandinavian. The gold one with the wind chimes is a favorite of the grandchildren. We hang it on the lower branches of the tree so they can ring the chimes.

It's always fun to put up the ornaments with all the memories and a little sad to take them down again. But they will all be there next year to enjoy!

What were your favorite ornaments this year??? And do you have any special Christmas memories?

Show and Tell Friday- plate

2009-01-08T20:36:00.003-07:00

This ia a beautiful wall plate given to me at Christmas by our daughter and son-in-law. On the scroll at the bottom it says "Home Sweet Home". I am so happy to have it hanging in our kitchen!
It looks very vintage and reminds me of some things my mom had years ago.

I have worked for two nights on my blog roll. This is what I have come up with. If you are not on my blog roll and want to be,please leave me a comment and I can get your address and add you that way. I know I have missed some of you. Thanks for your patience and all your encouraging comments.

HELP - I accidentally deleted my blog roll

2009-01-04T18:12:00.003-07:00

Calling on all of you to help me.
(1). I was trying to add someone to my blogroll and it wouldn't take it, so in trying to fix the problem, I accidentally deleted my whole blog roll!!! :( I'm going to have to put everyone in by hand again - can't find any recycle bin for Blogland to "restore" it. Does anyone know if this is possible????

(2.) Before Christmas, my old computer was running so slow. Our grandson built us a new computer and when he was installing it, I put my "brains" (the notebook with all my notes, addresses etc.) somewhere out of his way - but now I can't find it. I hope it didn't get mixed in with all the Christmas wrapping!

(3.) Then, on NY Eve, I had to have an abcessed tooth pulled. It had been previously crowned, then a root canal done - and still a problem. It's my back tooth. Still pretty sore and can only eat soft stuff. Before I had it pulled, our daughter prayed that it would be an easy extraction and go smoothly. As the Specialist Dentist was telling me all the things that could happen with this, I told him about my daughter's prayer. He pulled my tooth very quickly and said "That was the easiest one I've done all week. I guess prayer works!"

Please be patient if I can't get to your blogs right away- Hopefully, I can find you all again.
Hugs. Ruthie

Prayer Works

2009-01-03T23:05:00.003-07:00

We had just moved into a new house and we felt like we were on a beach - all sand and no grass or trees! The city told us that a tree would eventually be planted in front of our house. We waited and waited, but no tree arrived. One night, our 6 yr old son got tired of waiting. In his bedtime prayer, he prayed "Dear Jesus, please have the city bring our tree tomorrow!" My first thought was "What if a tree is not planted tomorrow - would my little boy's faith in God be destroyed?"

Early the next morning, our son ran downstairs and positioned himself by the front window waiting for the tree. To my amazement, a big city truck came by and planted our tree!! Not only did they plant one tree - but our front yard was large enough that they planted two trees!
The faith of our little son was rewarded.

WW - Gray Hair

2008-12-30T19:29:00.008-07:00

I gave this rabbit (or "hare") to a friend of mine who was letting her dyed hair grow out and wondered how gray she would be. It gave us a good laugh!

Christmas Blessings

2008-12-26T01:29:00.002-07:00

The biggest blessing is the Message of Christmas and our Hope for Eternal Life because of Jesus.
Another blessing was spending time with our daughter and family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If you look closely, you can see that another big blessing was snuggling my great grandaughter on Christmas Eve. It is so wonderful to have family close by and to be able to spend time with them. That is one of the best blessings of being retired!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and will look forward to reading your posts!
Just Ruthie

Getting ready for Christmas

2008-12-22T16:22:00.003-07:00

Lots to do before Christmas. We'll be spending time with our family and I'm looking forward to that.
We've had some snow. This is the flower pot in front of house - looking down on it. (It's a funny angle, I know! )

We've been having computer problems, so our grandson built us a new computer - and I'm trying to get used it. It took me 17 min to get on line with our old one! So this is faster and after Christmas, I'll be able to get around to other blogs faster. Hurrah. Sometimes, I read your blog, but I couldn't get into the "comments" page. So I'll soon be up and running again.

Best of Christmas wishes to all of you. Enjoy celebrating the birth of our Saviour with your loved ones.

Backyard Christmas visitors

2008-12-18T10:16:00.005-07:00

Early yesterday morning, I ran to the window, threw open the blinds and what to my wondering eyes should appear - but seven deer - resting in our backyard open area!

They looked at me, very unconcerned with my photography efforts, and continued to enjoy the warmth of our backyard.

After about a half hour, they got up and lazily wandered away. This is our back patio with the deer just leaving. A fun surprise in these busy days just before Christmas.

Great Grandchildren update

2008-12-09T13:07:00.007-07:00

Here is our very newest great grandbaby, born just before Thanksgiving.
She has the sweetest little nose and is just precious. Kamryn is just 2 weeks old...and doing fine. A very contented baby. We love her to pieces already! We had fun holding her at lunch yesterday with our daughter and grandaughter - four generations of us!

Our great grandson, Jacob, who had the kidney transplant in August is doing wonderfully well.
He went from being a quiet, happy child - content to sit on the floor and play with his toys - to a very active, talkative, but still happy child, who walks and runs all over. We think he is just making up for lost time. Apparently, although he looked well, he must not have had the energy while on dialysis. Now, he has exuberant energy and is such a happy little guy! It's almost hard to get a picture of him, as he is active and exploring his world like he wasn't able to do before the new kidney!

We are so thankful to the Lord for these two miracles! Real Christmas blessings this year!!

Wordless Wednesday - Christmas arrives in Denver

2008-12-03T07:32:00.003-07:00

Every year Denver lights up the Civic Center and keeps it lit through the Stock Show in January.
Each year it is different and always beautiful and a wonder to see. These were taken a few years ago.

Blue Monday - Can you guess???

2008-12-01T18:06:00.003-07:00

Well, things have been busy around here - so here is my attempt at a Blue Monday post!
Can you guess what this is a picture of? (answer below)

How many times have you been in the car and see JUST the right picture - grabbed your camera - and in your hurry snapped a picture before you were ready??!! That's what this is - a picture of my blue jeans.
It's not even in focus. But thought you would all get a good giggle out of this!
Happy Blue Monday!

We are Great Grandparents

2008-11-25T23:43:00.006-07:00

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We are so pleased that tonight our grandaughter and her husband had a wonderful little baby girl. We are her great-grandparents ...and we are so happy about her safe arrival tonight - one month before Christmas and on my Dad's birthday. Our daughter and her husband will be fantastsic grandparents! What a special time for all of us.

Thanksgiving Blessings

2008-11-22T23:07:00.002-07:00

To all my Blogging Friends

You have become a special part of my life and I want to give you the blessing found in
Numbers 6:24-26.

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face to shine upon you,
And be gracious unto you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Hopefully, you will be with family members, and share in a wonderful time of thankfulness.

Ruthie

My Baby Book Rejuvenated

2008-11-21T15:28:00.007-07:00

While getting photos for my China Childhood Memories, I noticed that my Baby Book is totally deteriorating! And if I don't do something soon, it will all be lost.
After all, this book is now 71 yrs old - and has been to China, to India, and all over the USA. The pages are all coming out of the book and the edges of each page falls apart when you touch it.
I got a new archival safe scrapbook, scanned the front of the old Baby Book and put that picture in the front of the new book.

This is taking a lot of time and effort, but it will be well worth it, knowing the book will last longer. I want to save the original writing because it is my Mom's handwriting and so is very special to me.

Here are the books side by side on my desk - looks better, doesn't it?