It’s unreal how much activity goes on in one week, isn’t it?  I look through my photos on my camera and am shocked at how much we did in the last seven days!  Let me give you a look through my lens:

On Friday night we hosted our church teen group at our home.  They are led by Alli’s husband, Andrew who does a great job!  The teens love both Alli and Andrew, and it was fun to see them interact that evening.  They played volleyball, and a new version of football.  Oh, and they ate. A LOT! Which means they loved it, and that makes me happy!Their meal was a simple one of grilled hot dogs and the fixings, but I can’t wait to tell you about the dessert we served.  Here’s a little peek, but I’ll share the details with you on Monday.

 

On Saturday I hosted a baby shower for a sweet young mom, expecting her first baby.  You can tell by the pictures that she’s expecting a girl!

A friend at church did the food, and it was amazing.

Another gal does the cupcakes for our church showers.  These are White Chocolate Raspberry.  Oh my goodness!!  The little size makes it completely safe to try without feeling too guilty!  Also check out the waffle bowls filled with fresh fruit; those were so good!

Saturday night my husband and I went with Alli and Andrew to Carter’s Fold to hear Fiddlin’ Carson Peters, a talented 12 year-old who plays fiddle with his father and two other instrumentalists.  It was such a fun night!  The music was great, the setting was country and perfect!

Sunday morning we had the blessing of seeing two little girls who recently accepted Christ as their Savior get baptized, or as one of them called it, “Bap-ti-tized!”  It always brings tears to my eyes to see these young ones trust Christ, then declare their devotion to follow Him all their lives!

It also always makes me so thankful to be married to the pastor who gets the privilege of baptizing, and pouring into their lives the Truth of God’s Word.  He always gives a personal challenge to each one, and it’s so sweet.

 

Sunday evening we did not have services at church.  My husband and I took special care to spend time together and also to rest.  We sat on our front porch rockers and played Farkle while several of our neighbors put on quite a firework display.

We had front row seats and never had to leave home!

 

Even Liza got to enjoy some time outside.  That’s a great treat for this indoor kitty!

Monday’s Fourth of July celebrations took us to Cherokee Lake to friends’ home.  We had a wonderful time.  It included a feast of picnic foods, a boat ride, and fellowship with new friends.

This barn was on the dead end road that took us to the lake house.  What is it about old barns that makes them so beautiful?

My pantry got some further organization when I finally found a couple of Lazy Susans at TJ Maxx.  These will make finding my canned goods so much easier!

Lastly, I harvested some of my herbs a few weeks ago and had them drying in small bundles in our hot, dry garage.  This week I pulled the leaves off and got them stored in small jars.  They’re so fragrant and I can’t wait to use all three – Thyme, Dill and Oregano.

God is good to give sweet blessings that we get to enjoy each day.  He also gives grace for the difficult things that come, but God is always good!

How have you seen God’s goodness to you this week?  Do you have a favorite photo from this post?

Stay refreshed,

Denise