Spring?

Hello and happy Friday to you all! We've had a busy few days just doing "stuff". Yesterday was warm in the low 60's, so we put the back seat down in the car and loaded the entire thing up with everything we had removed from the camper last fall, plus food and bathroom things. Zoey was so excited to be back in the camper. She ran right in and to the bedroom. She loves the bed in there. :-) So do we! Because...we're leaving on Monday for a month long camping trip. At least we plan to be gone a month. But with everything happening in the world you never know for sure and plans can change can't they?

Monday we'll drive as far as Joplin, MO where we have reservations and then Tuesday to Texarkana, TX. Our final destination will be Galveston Island, TX on Wednesday. We have reservations at a campground there for three weeks. It's supposed to be directly across the road from the gulf so we're looking forward to some beach walking and sitting. We have no plans yet for our trip home and will decide that when we're closer to leaving. I would really like to visit a friend in San Antonio, but it's a bit out of the way so we'll see. 

We're going to the tulip festival in Pella, IA at the beginning of May with our normal camping crew. The next week we'll be just outside of Salt Lake City at a resort for a camping meet up with a favorite YouTube channel. It sounds like a lot of fun and our first time participating in that kind of trip. 

This summer we hope to take Piper to Helena, MT to see her cousins that she hasn't seen for years. Then in September, another trip to Spokane is planned to visit our "family" there. In other words, if all goes well, there will be a LOT of miles put on our truck and 5th wheel this year. In addition there are several camping trips planned around here with our friends.

Of course, we're well aware that a lot of things can happen to change our plans but we're hopeful. This is what we wanted to do in the first part of retirement, but those plans changed quickly when we realized we needed to be here for Mom. Originally, we had planned to live full-time in our camper for at least 5 years and travel around the country. That has changed, but we can still go out and do trips like this.

The photo below is how I've decorated the mantel for Easter, although we will be gone for most, if not all, of the time leading up to it. The wooden tomb was made by Benton, my blog friend Pamela's son from "Closed Doors, Open Windows" on my sidebar. He does such beautiful work. I've showed it to you before right after I received it. The wooden "stone" can be moved from in front of the tomb. It is such a wonderful reminder of the sacrifice our Lord and Saviour made for us when He died on the cross. Pamela, please thank Benton for me again. I love the work he does.

Yesterday I made these easy overnight cinnamon rolls again. You can't get any easier than this.  

Put 15 frozen round dinner rolls in a bundt pan. In a bowl mix, 1/2 c. packed brown sugar, 1/2 c. chopped walnuts OR pecans, 1 small box COOK & SERVE, **** NOT INSTANT****, vanilla pudding, 2 TBSP cinnamon.  Sprinkle over the top of rolls. Melt 1/2 cup butter and pour all over the top. 

Place in unheated oven overnight or around 8-10 hours.  Then bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Make a glaze of 2 cups powdered sugar, splash of vanilla and a little milk OR water. Pour just a little over the top of rolls. Turn onto a plate. Pour remainder of glaze onto the rolls.

These are SO good. And super easy. You'll thank me. Ha!

I finished the shawl for the hospital and began another one. I haven't washed or blocked this yet but I really like the way the colors work on the shawl. The next one will have similar colors but in a rectangular pattern instead.

I saw these baby blankets today online. This is NOT my photo or my blankets but aren't they so pretty and delicate? I need to find this pattern and make some. It looks like the Virus pattern to me so I need to do some research. My hands are itching to get started but I have to find the pattern first. Do any of you have it? Is it an easy pattern? 

This definitely fits this week. Or even today. It was sunny and 66F when we went to lunch. An hour later it was in the 40's and raining. Now it's 32F feels like 22F. Crazy. Possible tornadoes are predicted. A wintery mix could fall overnight. Just another day in Nebraska! :-)

Our dear DIL had a couple of trips to the ER in the last week. The baby is due within the next month. Could you please pray for her and the baby? Our son is flying home tonight and since he usually goes through Quatar, he's been rerouted through Shanghai, China. Prayers there too please?

In great news, our friend Donna that I told you about last post will be able to go home tomorrow. Of course her four ribs are still broken, but therapy has taught her how to move around without damaging them further. Thank you for praying for her. She, and us, appreciate it very much.

Blessings and love.

Betsy

THERE IS A REDEEMER

Text & Music: Melody Green

Jesus, God's own son

Precious lamb of God, Messiah
Holy one

Jesus my redeemer
Name above all names
Precious lamb of God, Messiah
Oh, for sinners slain.

Thank you oh my father
For giving us your son
And leaving your spirit
'Til the work on earth is done.

When I stand in glory
I will see his face
And there I'll serve my king forever
In that holy place.

Thank you oh my father
For giving us your son
And leaving your spirit
'Til the work on earth is done.

There is a redeemer
Jesus, God's own son
Precious lamb of God, Messiah
Holy one

Thank you oh my father
For giving us your son
And leaving your spirit
'Til the work on earth is done.
And leaving your spirit
'Till the work on earth is done.

Plans? What Plans?

Hello and happy Friday morning. We do still have plans, just not sure the details or when. We're planning to go camping soon, but will most likely be heading south somewhere. The weather is so up and down here. It's in the 70's F here for the next few days and then back down into the 30's. Do those of you in Texas, Louisiana or the vicinity know of any RV parks that don't cost an arm or a leg and are still safe? Ha! The plans now are to head south next week sometime. Maybe. Who knows until that day comes?!

Meanwhile, Miss Piper spent the day with us last Saturday. Brad & Mandy had a memorial service for their neighbor, so Papa took Piper to her Taekwondo competition. She won a 2nd and 3rd place medals which was very good since they were skills that she had just learned recently. Afterwards she came home to us and had lunch and some very rousing games of UNO before Mandy picked her up. We sure love this not so little girl. She's growing into quite a young lady. She's on the honor roll with straight A's. She also loves us and isn't ashamed to show it. 

Lizzie came over and stayed with us too. These two dogs love each other and are so excited to spend time together. Piper was working with them on their obedience training in this photo. I love Lizzie's ear flop! :-)

Mandy sent me the photo below yesterday with the caption. “She has such a rough life!” Ha! She's snuggled up in Piper's bed while Piper is at school and Mandy and Brad are working. They both work from home and Lizzie loves that. She's much like Zoey and doesn't like being left alone. We call them both our Velcro dogs. They are VERY attached to us and each other.

I put up my St. Patricks decorations yesterday. I don't know we'll be around much to enjoy them. I don't have very many, but I have a crocheted garland on the island and door decorations too. 

I started another prayer shawl for the hospital. I like the colors together. I don't normally put light brown with pinks, but I do like it.

I had my very own inspector while taking the photo. She's very particular about my work and has to make sure it's up to her standards. I cross my fingers until she gives it a passing opinion.

This happed earlier this week here in Omaha. Thankfully both of these vehicles were sitting still at a red light or it could have been tragic. Can you imagine driving into a hole like this? No one was hurt and the two gentlemen in the truck helped the lady in the car out.  Apparently the pavement just collapsed. 

The dinner at church, Florentino's, was a great success. The kids spent Friday at the Open Door Mission borrowing their commercial kitchen so they could make thousands of meatballs. They were about 3 inches in diameter! Dennis said they were delicious. I opted for chicken fettuccine and had so much that I took over half of it home for dinner the next day. The kids did such a great job with serving and clean up. They wore white shirts and black pants with aprons, just like a fancy restaurant. I can't believe that I didn't take any photos. The fellowship hall was decorated like an Italian restaurant. There were even three fountains complete with goldfish that Dennis's cousin Curt built. He used the wood from the camp bunkbeds that were demolished for the new beds. :-)

So, it was all wonderful until we got to the parking lot. We had driven another couple to the dinner. Ted is 92 and his wife Donna is 89. They have been at the church since before Dennis and I met in Sunday school class there in 1975. Ted was one of Dennis's dad's best friend while growing up. In other words, we go back a long, long way. They are a lovely couple. 

Usually they drive themselves everywhere, but not after dark. Neither of them like to drive when it's dark out. Dennis had just helped Ted into the car and I was holding the door for Donna. The car next to us had parked very close so I suggested we close the door and Dennis back out before she got in. She took a step backwards and we still don't know what happened, but she fell straight backwards, hitting her head on the asphalt. We ended up taking her to the Emergency Room. I was worried about a head injury. Her head ended up being fine, but she broke 4 ribs! I couldn't believe it. Not cracked, broken. She was moved yesterday to a facility to help her rehabilitate, learning how to get up and down. She has had both knees replaced, so she's in a state. 

We visited her again yesterday and apologized yet again. We feel responsible, and she keeps saying we didn't do anything wrong. I just feel like we should have prevented it somehow. Ted says she has fallen a few times recently, but they won't consider moving to an assisted living. They have stairs at their house and it's such a worry to a lot of us at church. If you're a praying person, would you pray that she'll heal quickly? She wants to be at home and we also found out yesterday that there is covid in the wing that she's staying in. Yikes.

Well, the state of the world isn't improving is it? I pray that if you don't know the Lord, you would consider reaching out to Him. This could all end very badly with all of the weapons held by different countries. I would love to know that you would be in Heaven with me some day. 

Blessings and love to you all,

Betsy

What If It Were Today?

Text and Music: Lelia N. Morris

1. Jesus is coming to earth again,
What if it were today?
Coming in power and love to reign,
What if it were today?
Coming to claim His chosen Bride,
All the redeemed and purified,
Over this whole earth scattered wide,
What if it were today?

Glory, glory!
Joy to my heart 'twill bring,
Glory, glory!
When we shall crown Him King;
Glory, glory!
Haste to prepare the way;
Glory. glory!
Jesus will come some day.

2. Satan's dominions will then be o'er,
O that it were today!
Sorrow and sighing shall be no more,
O that it were today!
Then shall the dead in Christ arise,
Caught up to meet Him in the skies;
When shall these glories meet our eyes?
What if it were today?

Glory, glory!
Joy to my heart 'twill bring,
Glory, glory!
When we shall crown Him King;
Glory, glory!
Haste to prepare the way;
Glory. glory!
Jesus will come some day.

3. Faithful and true would He find us here
If He should come today?
Watching in gladness and not in fear,
If He should come today?
Signs of His coming multiply,
Morning light breaks in eastern sky,
Watch, for the time is drawing nigh,
What if it were today?

Glory, glory!
Joy to my heart 'twill bring,
Glory, glory!
When we shall crown Him King;
Glory, glory!
Haste to prepare the way;
Glory. glory!
Jesus will come some day.

Snow?

 Hi Everyone! Is it warming up where you are? Not here. We've been SO WARM around here. Yesterday was 66F. Today it feels like 12F. We're supposed to get anywhere from 3 to 12 inches of snow. School was cancelled for today because of the forecast and it is now 12:30 pm and we have yet to have a flake fall. Who knows if we'll actually get anything or not. Personally I hope not, because we want to go camping next week. :-) We were thinking of heading south for a few weeks but that's a lot of diesel fuel and we've had such nice weather around here that we had changed our mind and decided just to go to the state park here. We'll see what happens in the next few days with the weather. We have a funeral to attend on Monday so we'll be home at least until then anyway.

I know Valentine's Day is long gone, but I thought I would share the photos of our 2nd Annual cupcake decorating party with you. Nothing spectacular, just lots and lots of laughter and fun. We first had pizza and then we decorated and then we sat and talked about nothing and everything. A very happy and fun evening and a great way to brighten up the mid-winter blahs.

A plateful of yummy. I baked 72 cupcakes on Saturday morning.

Amanda had 24 of her very own since she has Celiac disease and can't have gluten. She had so many to decorate that she went fairly plain with her cupcakes.

Yum!

Left to right, Dennis's cousin Curt. Our pastor Jeff, his wife Angie. Dennis and Barb, Curt's wife on the left.

Right to left. Amanda, Barb, Curt, Jeff and Angie.

We sure do have a great time together. This is the same group that rides bikes with Dennis in the summer and all of us except Amanda camp together quite a bit too.

***Edited to add that most of the cupcakes were taken to Sunday school the next morning and shared there.

I had my CAT scan yesterday. The "thing" on my adrenal gland must not have changed since last years scan, because after the radiologist looked at the first few scans he determined that I didn't need to have the contrast added. It was nice not to have to be poked for yet another IV. I'm still waiting to hear back from the endriconolgist, (I didn't spell that right), to let me know all of the results of the scan and the bloodwork from last week. I'm feeling pretty optimistic though. No news is good news.

We're planning to go to the first fish fry of Lent at the Catholic Church down the street tomorrow night. We'll go with Curt & Barb and another couple that we've known about 45 years, Tom & Sheryl. We've done this together every year since we moved back to Omaha. This particular church feeds about 1500 every Friday night of lent. It's quite a production and helps pay for the extra's for their school.

We're also hoping to go to the big RV show here tomorrow during the day. We really like looking at RV's although we have absolutely no plans to get a different one. We are very happy with our new camper even though it was technically 2 years old when we bought it. It was brand new, but still on the lot. Sales had slowed down a lot in the past few years. We got an amazing deal on it because they just wanted it gone to make room for the new models. Anyway, back to the RV show. It's always fun to see the new things they come up with.

I hope you're all well and staying warm and dry and we'll all keep dreaming of summer. :-) I'm praying in particular for the people of Iran, Israel and the entire Middle East right now. It seems that things are reaching a boiling point and hopefully the Iranian people can cast out the regime that has been imprisoning them all since 1979. 

Blessings and hugs,

Betsy

When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder

Text and Music by: James M. Black

1 When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, 
and time shall be no more,
and the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather 
over on the other shore,
and the roll is called up yonder, 
I’ll be there.

Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

2 On that bright and cloudless morning 
when the dead in Christ shall rise, 
and the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather 
to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, 
I’ll be there. [Refrain]

3 Let us labor for the Master 
from the dawn till setting sun;
let us talk of all His wondrous love and care.
Then when all of life is over, 
and our work on earth is done,
and the roll is called up yonder, 
I’ll be there. [Refrain]