Happy Birthday U.S.A.!

I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July holiday. Ours was very, very quiet. In fact, I stayed in my jammies all day long. In the evening Mandy texted and told us about the PBS special “The National Fourth of July.” I had completely forgotten about it. We have watched it most years. We watched the great entertainment and enjoyed the fireworks in D.C. very much. The fireworks here locally have been absolutely ridiculous. They were still going off at 1:30 this morning and Zoey is terrified. Lizzie too. She won’t even go outside this morning to go potty. Whenever we suggest it she starts starts shaking and runs and hides under the bed. This has been going on for over a week now and I expect it to continue for several more nights. I don’t know what people are thinking. I guess they aren’t thinking about other people at all. I feel so bad for people who have babies and small children. The entire condo was shaking from the cherry bombs, etc. that were going off until the early hours of the morning.

I thought I would show you a few of my decorations this morning before I put them away. Of course, this is one of my favorites! Let’s go camping!

Happy birthday America!

In God, we trust! Always and forever. And look! My orchids are blooming again.



These are the kind of fireworks I like! I love the beautiful tray that I received for my birthday from my blogging friend Pam in Florida. Her talented son Benton made it for me.

May He always shed His grace on us here in the United States of America. We don’t always live our lives in a Godly way and conduct ourselves accordingly, but I pray for His forgiveness for our nation.

I have been rather lazy about crafting this week because it’s been so hot and the thought of touching yarn is sometimes unbearable, but I did manage to finish three pair of mittens.

and I started another “Eventually a Granny” baby blanket yesterday.

Curt and Barb are coming over for dinner tonight. We’re planning to have Mexican lasagna, salad, bread, and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Otherwise it will be another quiet day today. And just a little over two weeks we’ll be on our way again, westward this time. We’re getting very excited to see our son and grandchildren in Montana. Since we moved to Omaha, it’s only a once a year opportunity. Then we’ll be spending a few weeks in Spokane visiting with our friends there.

I hope you’re all surviving these hot days of summer. It’s been absolutely miserable here with very high humidity. However, compared to the tragedies in Texas are struggle is minor. Please join me in praying for the families of the people who are still missing and that have been lost.

Blessings and love,

Betsy 

The Battle Hymn of the Republic
by Julia Ward Howe

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

Chorus:
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.

Chorus

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
“As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on.”

Chorus

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

Chorus

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

Chorus

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,
Our God is marching on.

Chorus