Daily Dos and Daily Promises

Hello friends,

I'm still recovering from my cold. I don't have it really bad right now. Just enough to make me feel more tired than usual and the odd bout of sneezing.

Since I don't have a lot of energy I'm just doing bare minimum each day, a little laundry (it never seems to end), a little cleaning, a little blogging, and a little reading. Tomorrow I'll get out for the first time in what seems like ages. It will be nice to get together with a few ladies and be back in the land of the living, he he.

I'm still reading "The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake and have started on a new book called, "Medicine River" by Thomas King.  The book chronicles the lives of a group of contemporary First Nations people living in Western Canada.  Thomas King is part Cherokee, Greek and German-American. He used to lives and works in Alberta, Canada as a professor.  I understand he now lives and works in Ontario, Canada.  His book was actually published in 1989 and has been on my reading list for some time. Recently, I came across a used copy and I'm enjoying it's easy, conversational style.

I also started cutting out pieces for another quilt'; this time in shades of green and blue. I think it will look quite nice.  It will likely be another lap blanket because I have a lot of fabric but there isn't enough in any particular complementary colours to make larger quilts.  You might have seen my other lap blanket here.  I am still deciding what to do with it but eventually I hope to sell several quilts.  I will use any proceeds to help children like Little Linet or Kigen at the Missions of Hope. Once I've finished with my lap quilts, I hope to make some larger ones too.

These are some of the fabrics, I've started cutting.

For dinner tonight we had coconut shrimp (from a bag) and stir fried noodles (home made with packaged noodles).  It's the first time I've had the coconut shrimp from the frozen foods section.  I don't usually buy things like that but they were on sale so I thought I would try them.

They were quite good and even came with sweet chili dipping sauce..  I googled a recipe and came up with this one that looks very similar to what we had.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/coconut_shrimp_with_sweet_chili_mayo/

The recipe looks easy enough and so I'll probably try to make it from scratch some time.  I think the Japanese panko (crumbs) make the difference.

I haven't been overly busy this week but have been keeping a relaxed pace.  Somehow posting about what I'm doing or what I have done, makes me feel less like I am wasting my days. Every day is a gift and I don't want to waste any of them.That is what I say to myself on most days.

I also try to remember to be grateful each day and give thanks for whatever I do or whatever God has given to me.  Even when things aren't going so well, the Bible tells us to give thanks.  I have a promise box and each day I pick one or several cards out of it to see what "special" message God might be speaking to me that day.

This is a promise box like mom had when I was a child. I used to love to take the "daily bread".

This is a promise box I got about 15 years ago. 

 These are some of the scripture cards I drew out this week.  God is clearly telling me that His name is to be praised!
 

I've been bearing burdens with, and for others and this week and I've also been feeling a bit low in body and in spirit.  I needed to be gently reminded that God is to be praised regardless of the circumstances in my life or the circumstances in the lives of others.  So often I try to "fix" other people's problems.  That is part of my personality and from time to time (often), God needs to remind me that he is the one who can fix things and we need to turn to him in ALL things, good or bad.  I've also learned that sometimes a breakthrough in a prayer need comes when we offer up the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Last night my mother called me with a praise report.  I pray for her every day and often with her on the phone.  She was calling to tell me that a difficult health challenge she has been facing this week, turned around.  This answer to prayer came after a period of just focussing on giving praise and thanks to God for everything. I love it when I see and experience the Word of God in action like this.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. 

Ecclesiastes 7:14
Click here for a study of Ecclesiastes 7

Dazzling Deception Pass

In this series of posts about my jaunt to Whidbey Island, I left off my tour at the junction of LaConnor Whitney Rd. & Highway 20 headed west.  (You can click  Part 1 and Part 2  to read more of this journey if you like).  This is more of a photo journey rather than an informational one.

This is the sign for the Swinomish Casino & Lodge on the Swinomish Reservation.  This hotel overlooks Padilla Bay and comes highly rated on Trip Advisor.

I've enlarged this photo so you can read the signage to the left. We are on the Swinomish Reservation on Puget Sound.  The Swinomish Reservation is home to the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, a federally recognized Indian Tribe.

There is a large tanker out there on Padilla Bay but I have no idea what it is carrying.

We are still travelling on Highway 20 and are no on Fidalgo Island. If you go north on the Island you will hit Anacortes in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is a consolidation of the name Anna Curtis, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman (Wikepedia).  Anacortes is the home port for ferry travel to the San Juan Islands.

A goose flies overhead as if to announce that nature here is in abundance.

This is very lovely countryside (sorry for the dirty windshield).

There was a boater on Campbell Lake. I managed to get a photo as we were zipping by.

When we got to Desolation Pass we managed to find a place to park and took the following photos. I also resolved to stop for more photos on the way back home which I will share in another post. The return photos are even more spectacular.

The weather that day was absolutely fantastic; sunny but not too warm. The water was shimmering like gold.

As we cross over the bridge into Whidbey Island I can see an island in the distance. I'm not sure if that is Deception Island or if Deception Island is further west.  In any case, it makes a pretty site even through the bridge structure.

There were many tourists parked in the narrow passageways on the side of the narrow highways.  They were all enjoying the dazzling sights of Deception pass. I can't wait to return this way and take more photos from a the other side!

I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday this week. Click on the link and see what others are sharing this week.