Last weekend was my husband’s birthday. It wasn’t one of those “monumental” numbers, but I believe every birthday should be the best day in the year for the one who’s celebrating. I asked my husband if we could go away for a couple nights. We had an even greater blessing of a quiet three night get away to a lovely lake cottage about an hour away.
The picture below is my favorite place to sit and have my Quiet Time in the morning. The first morning we woke up to a skiff of snow. How beautiful!
I took very simple foods with me for our meals, but we always say that even a peanut butter sandwich would taste like gourmet food at the lake! Breakfast on his birthday didn’t get pictured, but consisted of Eggs in a Basket with sour dough bread, Canadian Bacon, fresh fruit and coffee.
Even oatmeal with fresh fruit tasted heavenly! The view is always breathtaking.
For Birthday supper I made one of my husband’s favorites – Turkey Burgers. I picked up pretzel rolls that put them over the top! I served oven fries and Broccoli Salad to go along with the burgers.
Dale got triple Birthday desserts spread out over the week. We celebrated with our small group with brownies and ice cream and again with our family later in the weekend.
Then we met up with some special friends at Aubrey’s where they brought him a free Turtle Cake and Ice cream. Yum.
For a Non-monumental birthday, I’d say we did lots of celebrating! We are so grateful to the Lord for every day the Lord gives us and for the blessings from His hands.
The first one is my daughter, Alli; it’s her 29th birthday! God gave us Alli, our third daughter, during our tenth year of marriage; a special gift we didn’t think we would be able to have. But God in His grace and kindness to us, sent us a daughter to fill our home with music and laughter (lots and lots!) through Alli!
She was the child who was sure life was a stage. She enjoyed nothing more than entertaining Whitney and making her laugh!
From a very early age, Alli showed a love and a gift for music. She was denied the joy of learning to play drums (!), but started taking piano lessons when she was five. After that, she went to violin when she was around ten. Every instrument she’d see, (especially strings) she would want to try to play. She took cello lessons and then taught herself guitar. Her keen ear and natural ability were God-given gifts, and we sought to give her every chance to develop those talents.
One precious memory was the day during home school that she began asking questions about salvation. As we talked, I could see that she had a clear understanding of her sin and her need for a Savior. After excusing herself from my presence, she came back a little while later and announced to me that she had gone off on her own to ask Jesus to save her! Though she had some difficult days in her late teens, that decision to trust Christ kept her tethered to Him, even when she struggled personally. How thankful I am for the Spirit of God that lives inside His children! She responded to His conviction and made things right with the Lord after a brief time of straying away.
Since then she has been resolute in following the Lord and living for Him. Perfect? No, she has her parents’ old sin nature! But like all sinners, she gets it right and moves towards Christ.
What a joy to watch her serve with her husband in our church, and also as she is training her sons. I truly have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. III John 4.
Happy 29th Birthday, sweetAlli!
The second celebration today is regarding my blog! This week marks my 12th blogging anniversary! It was started 2,750 posts ago! What? Thank you to each of you who read, comment, follow and encourage my heart here.
This has been such a joy to me. I have met the sweetest women around the globe through this simple blog. I’ve been blessed to have some of you come to Tennessee and visit our church! Some I’ve gotten to know just through messages, and some have continued our relationships that began in person.
This blog was started for my church ladies, and is still my focus. I wanted a way to reach out to you, BCBC, ladies on a weekly basis. I pray I’ve ministered and encouraged you through the years by this means. I love each of you and long to serve you and point you to our Savior!
Would you give me a gift today? I’d just love to hear from you! Tell me how long you’ve been reading and where you’re from, would you? You might also add what content you enjoy when you stop by.
Also, how about sharing my blog with a friend? That would be a great gift to me! Thank you!
I hope you get to celebrate something or someone this weekend! Again, don’t forget to leave a comment before you go!
Our 39th Anniversary is tomorrow, June 20th. How in the world?!
We started our celebration on Tuesday when we had a spur of the moment opportunity to go to Pigeon Forge and stay at the Wilderness Wyndham for four nights! Yes, please!! This was a special blessing after our summer vacation got cancelled, due to the virus. We had been praying the Lord would open up a time for us to be able to celebrate our anniversary and this was the perfect get away!
We had no specific plans – only be together, rest and celebrate US!
This Wyndham has lots of fire pits on the property and with the temps dipping into the 60’s, we took advantage of the warmth of the fires!
Morning coffee and devotions
Our favorite restaurant is Pottery House Cafe. Due to Covid, they have put outdoor tables in front of the restaurant in addition to their back patio. One table was put inside the gazebo. We didn’t know it at the time, but each of had asked the Lord if He would be so gracious as to allow us to be seated at that table. After our 30 minute wait, our names were called and they headed straight towards the gazebo! It was so beautiful and romantic. It also protected us from the sprinkles that came while we were eating our meal. The Lord is so kind to us.
Pottery House Cafe
My husband suggested we come up with 39 of our favorite memories during our time away. He recorded each one on his phone. How special it was to recount so many blessings of dates, trips and special moments over the years. God has been faithful through all the years in the good and hard times.
We don’t do events in the area, we just pick a spot for our main meal, shop a little, sit and enjoy one another and the place where we’re staying. We read, journal, nap, chat, and create more memories.
If that sounds boring to you, you’re terribly wrong. Spending time together is what we got married to do. He’s my favorite person and “we like us.”
Here’s to many more memories!
Did your vacation get cancelled, too? Pray about how the Lord might open up a time for you and your spouse to get away and watch what an almighty God will do!
We had a service at church with just the leadership last Sunday. this coming Sunday the doors will be open for all to join us!this coming Sunday the doors will be open for all to join us! My husband was seriously waiting for the online part of the service to kick off!
The holidays usually leave all of us feeling like our jeans certainly must have shrunk in the wash, right? Cough! Cough! I know I have eaten more than my share of sugar and carbs over Christmas and New Year’s and should be staring at a simple salad for the next month! But life happens! Things like birthdays come even after the holidays and we find the need for a great cake in order to celebrate. If you can celebrate with tofu, I applaud you! My family would cut my branch off the family tree! So…
RefreshHer 