Every Reason to Hope

The path of grief is unique for each one of us.

Even grieving for a precious loved one may take on a different

form or timetable for each of those on the journey alongside us.

It's personal.  And, yet, it is corporal.

We are to carry one another's burdens.

And, in the midst of it all, the Lord carries us.

We don't have to have all the answers.  We don't even have to speak.  
We can sit and listen and hug and cry.  
We can pray and share the Lord's Word and direct hearts heavenward.
All of this is made possible by God's great grace.  His enabling.



And, He is glorified in the process.  Through these things,
the result often seems to be that He becomes more.  We become less.

If the Lord is your Saviour, you can be sure that wherever He has you in this moment
is exactly where He will meet you and carry you through to the next.
His path for each of us will often look somewhat different from the path He
has others on.  Sometimes it will be difficult.  Excruciatingly so.

But, He promises never to leave His own.
He promises that His strength will be sufficient.
        
  He is enough.  And, we can most surely rest our hearts there.
Whatever the future holds, we can confidently move ahead into it.
Because He is there.  And, He will see us through.  He is faithful.
And, He will keep us each step of the way.

We truly have nothing to fear and every reason to hope
when we belong to Him.  What could be better than that?

With Love,
Camille

First Place

Here is another quote from "Holiness" ~
I have been thoroughly enjoying this book!

"Last, but not least, a holy man will follow after spiritual-mindedness.

He will endeavour to set his affections entirely on things above, 

and to hold things on earth with a very loose hand.

He will not neglect the business of the life that now is;

but the first place in his mind and thoughts 
will be given to the life to come.

 

He will aim to live like one whose treasure is in heaven,

and to pass through this world like a stranger

and a pilgrim travelling to his home."  

Quoted from "Holiness" by J. C. Ryle page 37

With Love,
Camille

**Image courtesy of my Uncle Gordon ~
Thank you so much!  XO 

One Mind

"Holiness" has been a challenge, an encouragement,
and a blessing to my heart as I have considered the words
written within its pages.  I have found it to be just as applicable
to life today as it must have been nearly 150 years ago. 

Once again....a quote from
 "Holiness" by J. C. Ryle page 34.



"Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God,

according as we find His mind described in Scripture.  

It is the habit of agreeing in God's judgement, hating what He hates,

loving what He loves, and measuring everything in this world

by the standard of His Word.

He who most entirely agrees with God,

he is the most holy man."

With love,
Camille

**Image credit goes to Calvin ~
Thank you, my love.  xo 

The Quotidian (22. 8. 16)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace.

See the eyes?

And the boys?

One more....for good measure.

Daddy's little girl ~ growing up too quickly.

My bench in the park...

...where I enjoyed some quiet.

(Emma and a friend were at Playland and I was their chauffeur.)

My view.

Happy Monday!

With Love, Camille

Nothing Solid

In recent days, I have been reading "Holiness" by J. C. Ryle.
It's been a blessing to my heart as I ponder the things he wrote
nearly 150 years ago!  I am finding that his words are timeless.

"It (so-called Christianity) neither exercises influence on daily 

conduct, nor comforts in life, nor gives peace in death;

and those who hold it often awake too late to find that they

have got nothing solid under their feet.

Now I believe the likeliest way to cure and mend this defective

kind of religion is to bring forward more prominently

the old scriptural truth about the sinfulness of sin.

People will never set their faces decidedly towards heaven and live

 like pilgrims, until they really feel that they are in danger of hell...

...We may depend upon it, men will never come to Jesus

and stay with Jesus and live for Jesus, unless they really know 

why they are to come and what is their need.

Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are those whom the Spirit

has convinced of sin.  Without thorough conviction of sin,

men may seem to come to Jesus and follow Him for a season,

but they will soon fall away and return to the world."  

Quoted from "Holiness" by J. C. Ryle p. 9-10

May our Christianity be of the sure and solid sort
that will stand the test of time.  At the end of it all, may we be found in Him.
By His grace and for His glory and in His strength.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is the reason
for the hope we have.  He is our foundation.  Our rock.  Our everything.

With Love,
Camille

The Quotidian (15. 8. 16)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace.

Practicing without coercion.

Finishing up.
(See the beginnings here ~ 3rd photo down.)

What they were and what they are.

Living room in the kitchen ~ for carpet cleaning.

Cousin time.



Seventeen!



Lone bloom.
(See what it was ~ 8th photo down on this post.)



Bride and Groom.



Another demolition.



The yard where Howie got these roses from.

Happy Monday Y'all!
With Love, Camille

Whirlwind Week

It's been a teeny little bit crazy around here.  In a good sort of way.

Back in the spring, when this time of year seemed so far off,

I concocted a plan with two long-time blogging friends.
We met via our blogs shortly after I began my online journal in 2009.
 

Jackie and Stacie thought it a grand idea to make the journey 
via a road trip to stay with us in our home for a few nights.
It was incredible to think that they would take me up on it, but, they did!

 Meeting up in person began heading in the direction of becoming a reality.

Our mutual blogging friend, Jennifer, agreed to join us.  We were thrilled.

She booked her flight in anticipation of our face-to-face blog party.
And, we all looked forward to the dates circled on our calendars.

In thinking and planning ahead, it occurred to me that it

might be nice for Emma to have a cousin thrown into the mix...

just for good measure.  I was right...it was wonderful to have her.

Before long, my brother-in-law and nephew were added to the roster.
And, that's when the serious planning began.

And, the laundry and re-arranging.  And, the meal planning.
In the end, it all came together beautifully.  What a sweet blessing from the Lord!

Jennifer arrived on Saturday.

My brother-in-law and the two cousins arrived on Monday.

Wednesday afternoon, my brother-in-law and nephew flew home.

The girl cousin stayed on.  Wednesday afternoon, the twins arrived.

Saturday morning, bright and early, Jennifer flew home.

Jackie and Stacie crossed the border and began their homeward journey
shortly afterward.  We had a couple of hours turn-around before

attending a family wedding on Saturday afternoon.

And, just like that, the whirlwind week came to an end.
The days just flew by, and I was sorry to see everyone leave.

Thank you, Jackie, Stacie, and Jennifer for making the effort to gather in our home.
(Kevin, Alex, and Chelsie...we were so glad you were part of the week as well.
Janine...we missed you!  Maybe next time?) 
We are so thankful that it worked out for all of you to come!

   How good and gracious our Great God is to give these precious moments to us.
Truly, He does all things well.  His ways are always best.  His gifts are always good.

Happy Thursday!
With Love, Camille