Our Sunday in Muskegon ...

The last Sunday of each month, we have what is called "Prayer and Share" time in our small group at church. Our class is called LOGOS (which means "The Word" ~ another name and description for Jesus) and we were invited to spend yesterday out in Muskegon because one of the couples has a condo there. We enjoyed a potluck, had our prayer and share time, and just had the time of our lives!
This is the view leaving the marina and heading out to Lake Muskegon. It was too rough out on Lake Michigan to sail yesterday. Our host family has a 42' sailboat that we powered out to the calmer lake and then the sails were hoisted and we ... SAILED!The name of this boat is JohnThree3. I told you about it last year, but in case you don't remember, this passage of Scripture talks about being "born again" and was very instrumental in leading the owner to Christ.

There was a lot of boat traffic yesterday ... but it was so beautiful ... and the sun just dazzled and sparkled on the water ...

I loaded an album on Facebook tonight of our day yesterday ... a lot of people pictures, and most of these folk you would not know! After we were finished sailing, a few of us walked down to the beach and hiked to the end of the breakwater ...

This is the South Pier Light and Coast Guard Station ... private property!

"O LORD, help us to walk in the life-giving LIGHT of Your presence." Psalm 56.13

It was a perfect day of fun, fellowship, food, friendship ... TWO lighthouses, Lake Michigan, a fabulous time sailing ... I was just filled right to the TOP with happiness!

"Take my moments and my days ... let them flow with ceaseless praise!" Francis Havergal

My very favorite short story ... ever!

I love to read. I cannot remember NOT being able to read. For me, it is one of the highest forms of pleasure ... in my opinion, you just can't top a good story. When I was in the fourth grade, I wandered into the school library and picked out "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" and entered a fantasy world that I will never forget ~ for years I pretended that my bed could fly! But even so, I did not become a huge fan of fantasy writing in general. Historical fiction is usually my favorite kind of read, but I am digressing here.

I was introduced to George MacDonald (1824-1905) my freshman year in college. I had never even heard of this gentleman before in my life. A friend who lived across the hall from me in Miller Dormitory owned the two-volume set of short stories by George MacDonald, "The Gifts of the Child Christ," Fairy Tales and Stories for the Childlike, edited by Glenn Edward Sadler (WILLIAM B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY, Grand Rapids, Michigan). She recommended that I begin reading in Volume II with "The Light Princess." She told me some of his stories were very weird, and definitely strange, but that this one was very humorous and easy to read. I read it, cracked up laughing, and fell in love with MacDonald. I was blown away by this man's genius, his wisdom, his HUGE heart. I later found out that he had written entire fantasy books and acquired quite a few of them for my personal library: "At the Back of the North Wind," "The Princess and the Goblin," "The Princess and Curdie," as well as "Phantastes and Lilith." These are AMAZING pieces of literature! C. S. Lewis called George MacDonald his mentor ... quite a statement from one of the best writers ... ever!

But not until I read "The Wise Woman, or The Lost Princess: A Double Story" (in Volume I) did I see my own self described in such detail ... how could George MacDonald possibly know what I was thinking? ... who I was deep inside? ... how could he know how foolish and stubborn and willful ... and sinful I was?! And at the same time, how could this man paint such a fabulous picture of our great and awesome forgiving Father and God? Such redemption and unfailing love in this story! Both the awful terror of the LORD and His loving heart are woven all throughout this "double story." It has been my favorite since the first time I read it almost 40 years ago now! I just re-read it last week and was SO convicted all over again ... and SO relieved that God is my Father. I would recommend this particular story for every single parent ~ or any folk who have the responsibility of rearing children. It is almost 100 pages (so it's NOT short), and almost every single page will bring you to your knees! George MacDonald was the father of 10 children (although not all 10 lived to be adults) and evidently knew and loved all kinds of children ... as well as all kinds of parents ... and grandparents too! This story is so convicting yet so challenging and cleansing at the same time. I want you to read it! I dare you to read it!

I checked on Amazon.com just a bit ago and this two-volume set is available for a variety of prices ... (anywhere from $10-$35 ... there is even a used one available at Baker Book House right here in Grand Rapids) or the one pictured above is a one-volume newer edition that has all 20 stories plus an extra one added in for good measure (also available at a range of prices). I hate to admit this, but I have yet to read ALL 20 of these stories ... some are just too weird for me ... too big of a stretch for my very small imagination. But I decided this week that I'm going to tackle them anyway. I don't want to miss out on a single word this man wrote. I will tell you that later in his life, he did write just regular fiction (nonfantasy). I have read some of it and haven't found even one that I like! C. S. Lewis says MacDonald was forced to write novels at that time due to his dire financial situation. But in many people's estimation, his fantasy work is unequaled.


"For my part," insisted George MacDonald, "I do not write for children, but for the childlike, whether of five, of fifty, or seventy-five."

Our 12th anniversary ... postponed!

"I am the One who looks after you
and cares for you.
I am like a tree that is always green,

giving My fruit to you
all through the year." HOSEA 14:8

Mr. Jones and I were married twelve years ago today, out on the back deck of Pastor Doug and Donna's house, only it was a Thursday night. We had plans to celebrate it in our usual fashion ... we go out to dinner some nice place ... and LAST year we went to Grand Haven to have dinner and walk the pier. Last week when we were in Grand Haven with the family, we walked by the pier where the Wind Dancer Schooner was docked and I decided it was high time to make plans to take a sail on it. I actually talked Mr. Jones into going with me! However, since our anniversary this year fell on a Friday and it is really crowded and crazy out at Grand Haven on a Friday night, we decided we would try to do the sailing perhaps next week Tuesday. Tonight, we were going to do the 2 for $20 Applebee's dinner (have you tried it? one HUGE appetizer and TWO completely delicious entrees for $20!) ... but we didn't get to celebrate tonight at all!

Five or six years ago, I started having some problems with vertigo ~ and even missed a few days of work per year because of these episodes of dizziness and nausea. Last fall, when I met my cousin Suzie out in Omaha and we talked nonstop for seven hours (!), I learned that several family members suffer from vertigo ~ Suzie called it Meniere's disease. I looked it up via the internet and did a self-diagnosis (usually unwise) ... except that when the disease is described, I have every single symptom ... except (thankfully) hearing loss. I had gone almost an entire year without one single episode, until yesterday afternoon. For the past 30 hours I have had severe vertigo, dizziness and extreme nausea. Eating has simply been out of the question! My symptoms are finally starting to resolve (whew!), I can now sit up without the entire world spinning furiously about me, and I even kept down a piece of toast and some strawberries.

So we have postponed our anniversary dinner for the time being. But next week, if the Lord allows, we are going to climb aboard that schooner and sail out of the channel and out into Lake Michigan ... I will take tons of pictures and even have someone take a photo of me and Mr. Jones. I'll show you then!

Emily's baby boy shower ...

Last Saturday was our Emily's baby shower. Want to see some pictures? I hope so, because I sure have loaded a bunch. What's embarrassing, though, is that I was SO enamored with her Aunt Vicki's place that I neglected to take some really important photographs of ... people! I'll explain later ...
The outside front entrance to Aunt Vicki's is kind of like walking through a happy magical land that should have a delightful name all of its own ...

Plants and flowers and scuptures and delightful mobiles are hanging around ... EVERYWHERE!

I took one look at it ... and wanted to stay ... and practically lost all interest in anything else.

Gorgeous flowers of all kinds were blossomimg in every possible inch of soil ...

Lovely weather vanes in front of the house ...

... as well as down by the pond behind the house!

Cozy outdoor firepits ...

There seemed to be NOTHING Aunt Vicki's property didn't have!

... Good grief! Even a fabulous mosaic on their patio wall which is under their back deck ...

My eyes were delighted with every single INCH of this place!

I love daisies!

Aunt Vicki's house sits on a sloping piece of property that joins another, totalling 10 acres. The grounds are just amazing!

Oh my ... if you look very closely in the above picture, you will see Emily (in the blue shirt) walking with her friends ... I bet you thought I was NEVER going to actually show you any people at all!

The cake says, "To Welcome Your Bouncing Boy!"

This is one of those clever diaper sculptures made to look like a cake ...

There were TONS of beautifully-wrapped presents waiting to be opened ... the one with the little monkey in the center was from Grandpa Jones and myself ...

You will be relieved to know that I did NOT explore Aunt Vicki's house on the inside ... I wanted to, but I stayed in the main room the entire time ...

This picture was taken looking through the salt-water fish tank Aunt Vicki has sitting on the kitchen counter ... it seems like everything she touches is perfectly beautiful! Can you believe that I neglected to take even ONE picture of her? That is so pathetic of me! I'm not very good at people pictures, and I don't enjoy having MY picture taken ... so a lot of times, it doesn't cross my mind to aim the camera at a person (unless it is one of my grandchildren!) ...

I did manage to get a picture of Aunt Vicki's dog, Oliver (Ollie) ...

After our delicious lunch, we were ready to watch Emily open gifts. Look at how darling Emily looks sitting in front of ALL of these presents! She has such a beautiful smile, doesn't she?

This Noah-the-Ark quilt was made by Emily's Grandma Nancy, who also managed NOT to get her picture taken! The young lady sitting on the floor, carefully noting the giver of each gift, is Emily's sister-in-law, Brit (married to her brother, Ben).

Instead of writing out a greeting card for Emily and the baby, we were instead requested to choose a children's storybook and sign it especially for them ~ what a nice idea! "Five Little Monkeys" was the book Sabrina gave to them.

And these are some of the really cute outfits Sabrina picked out for her new nephew. This little guy got SO MANY darling outfits! I won't show you pictures of ALL of them because it would just take too long!

I forgot who the giver of this gift was ... but how cute to pick out a stuffed bear that matched the bear in the book!

Emily is opening up the highchair Grandpa Jones and I purchased ... but see the unopened box that is standing up with the two balloons attached? We had a bad feeling about that box as soon as we laid eyes on it! It was exactly the same size as MY box ... and yes, it did contain another high chair ... the exact same one! Hmmm ... we think Babies 'R Us messed up on the register. Brit actually purchased HER highchair before I did ... so perhaps it was my mistake! No harm, though ~ Adam and Emily were able to return the duplicate and get a store credit.

I loved watching Emily have so much fun opening these sweet and tiny things for her baby boy ...

This monkey blanket is actually the pattern Emily picked out for the baby's nursery ... she has the bumpers and the crib sheets, as well as some other stuff that goes with it. She also received several monkey stuffed animals.

Sabrina and Olivia were here at the shower too ... however, you would never know it by MY pictures! Yikes. I failed to take even ONE picture of them, as well as Judy Sink ... not even Emily's mom is in one of my pictures! Hopefully, Sabrina did a better job of picture taking. She was using Adam and Emily's camera throughout the shower ... I wandered back outside and just walked and walked ...

This is the little pond in back of their house ... the sound of frogs was everywhere!

I took about 130 pictures of this amazing place ... I was SO visually delighted ...

I loved this little birdhouse ...

And this little canoe is wind-powered ... or you can just spin the prop if you want to see the Indians row the boat!

Aunt Vicki's husband builds a lot of this stuff that I've been showing you. I did not meet him, but probably would have neglected taking a picture of him if I had!

I loved this quiet little garden house ...

And doesn't the exquisite doorknob to this garden house just make you smile? Well, I wish you could have walked around the grounds of this place with me ... there is so much more to explore here ... and marvel at ... and play with! I intend to send Aunt Vicki a card to thank her for such an enchanting afternoon!