YOUR GRACE STILL AMAZES ME

• My apologies to those who actually were reading this blog--it's been a while since I've written. Lots has been happening in our lives and God has been busy as usual, always working visibly and invisibly for His people's benefit, including ours.
• In the midst of our loss of Tessa, Jeremy & little Isaac (due any day now in CO), we had the joy of having Gianni with us for three weeks and he kept us happy & busy to say the lease as school wrapped up here in WA finally and we got to have some time away with him at Cannon Beach. Such a joy and so hard to let him go back to his homes in the midwest.
• Denise will be leaving Monday morning for CO to join Tessa for the "labor" process as only a mom can do. I will follow July 14, not soon enough.
• I had the joy of attending our NW District LCMS Convention w/ one of my elders and actually enjoyed it. But we had a sad event--the very first day, one of the delegates, Bill Brackman of Puyallup, WA, slipped and fell, hitting his head at the Convention Center in Portland, OR. He went into a coma, never regained consciousness &, unable to breathe on his own, the Lord called him to his heavenly home! Who would have expected such a thing? Reminds us all to appreciate each day we are given and to be ready in faith, because out time could come at any moment.
• We were privileged several years ago, w/ friends from our congregation to visit Bill & his wife and their beautifully tended rhododendron gardens. The pictures below were taken then. We pray for their family in confidence that the Master Gardener has received His son into heaven . . . . for His promise to us all is "Be faithful, even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).
• God has fulfilled for Bill this promise as well, "The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land; you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11).
• The Water of Life, our Lord Jesus Christ, has refreshed Bill fully. May He do so for us in part as we live in this world still, amazing us with His grace each day! Enjoy Phillips, Craig & Dean's song, "Your Grace Still Amazes Me," as you watch some of Bill's rhododendron garden.

MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION

• Lately, as the weather has been so beautiful, I've been spending lots of time (when available) in my yard, trying to catch up from last summer not being able to do anything because of my knee replacement. What a mess that made for this year!
• But also what a "fun" non-work activity (even though they call it "yard work", if you will, and GREAT therapy for most tensions.
• This Sunday afternoon, though, rather than yard work, we went to the Washington Rhododendron Species Garden sponsored by Weyerhauser Inc. and beside the beautiful rhodies, we saw all kinds of native wildflowers and groundcovers and this beautiful BLUE poppy! We bought two tiny plants, hoping they'll bloom in the rest of our poppy patch . . .
• As much as I enjoy plants and gardening, my real obsession is the same as St. Paul's, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:10-11).
• Enjoy Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "Magnificent Obsession." What has captivated all your attention?