I'm Confident of This Very Thing

 The good work that begins in us at our salvation will be a  process  until Jesus returns or we go home to heaven. This Scripture means that after our salvation, we become spiritually transformed (sanctification process) and that God the Father does not abandon us when we become a Christ follower. And it's not by our human efforts!!  God's character...His Power...enables us not our own strength or talents. 

This verse has been going around in my mind, along with the Scripture song that was sung in the mid 1980s in many worship services, all weekend. 

I was reminded of this when I was on a hike Saturday morning. I was confident in leading this hike, even though the 3 of us who signed up, had never hiked this particular trail.  One reason I was confident is because it's a loop trail for 3.5 miles and very easy to follow as the state of Massachusetts had paint blazes pretty close together. 

 My friend E and I could have hiked at a bit faster pace,  but we weren't going to abandon the new member (B) even though she's 30 yrs younger and probably more physically fit than we are! I know the feeling of being abandoned on a trail. I hiked a few times with an old friend who would basically jog or run the trail leaving me to just hike alone. Sometimes I enjoyed it as we always chose trails that are blazed (we don't do bushwhacks unless absolutely necessary like to get to a falls, or to get around blowdown) but the feeling of "what if something happens and she is  way  ahead of me...." would be prevalent. So no way was I going to abandon a brand new member of the hiking group.  We fell into a steady rhythm and thoroughly enjoyed the trail and the fellowship. None of us felt abandoned or that we were going too fast or too slow.   

Sometimes we might feel like we've been "abandoned"  in situations we are dealing with on an emotional level.  Maybe we're going through some kind of trial....challenge...whether it's physical, relational, financial, mental, or emotional.....and we can "feel" abandoned by family, friends, and even God.  Our feelings are real, after all!  

Yet when our confidence is in Christ, we have the blessed assurance that He is walking  right alongside us. 

When we are yoked with Jesus, He guides our way, He bears the brunt of the burden (if we're willing to let Him!) and we can rest in the confidence that "God's got this" 

Give you burdens over to God and He will give you rest...I have confidence in that very promise. 

Saturday Nine Meme: Soldier!

I'm participating in Sam's Saturday Nine meme.  Head to her blog to join in!

Saturday 9: Soldier (2016)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday that honors men and women who served and died in the United States Armed Forces. We want to make sure that message is not lost this weekend.

1) Are you a veteran? Are there veterans in your family? Do you know anyone who is active military? We are grateful and want to hear about it.

I'm not a veteran.  Nor is my husband.  Nor our daughters. However, my dad, paternal grandfather, paternal uncle, maternal uncle, my father-in-law, and my nephew (Dave's brother's son) were all in the army!  Dad served during the Korean war and Grandpa M served in WW2. Our nephew did 2 turns in Afghanistan.  I know Dad's brother (Uncle Art) was in the Korean war same time as Dad and I don't know where my mom's brother (Uncle Don) served. My father-in-law served here in the States (long story but he was in California during the Korean war).  

2) This song is about the courage it takes for soldiers to march into battle. Gen. Patton said, "The soldier is the Army. No army is better than its soldiers." He was emphasizing that each individual's dedication is essential to the unit's success. Do you work well as part of a team? Or are you better on your own?

I was a Master teacher for Special Education prek children with disabilities so I was in charge of my classroom of 10 students ages 2.5-6 yrs old and overseeing my teacher assistant's duties. I had 2 different interns in my classroom at 2 different times whom I had to oversee.  My classroom team was: my TA, 2 Speech therapists (sometimes 1 depending on the year), an OT, a PT, a social worker, a psychologist (2 for several years as I taught children who were survivors of abuse/domestic violence so 2 were needed to serve them).  I would run the team mtgs each week and we all got along great. For IEP conferences, it was usually me, the speech therapist, 1 OT, 1 PT (depending on the child) and the social worker. Sometimes it was just me and the speech pathologist. I always had great teams of people so I was very fortunate. 

Now that I'm running my own hiking group, I find I like  working independently! 

 

3) As of 2025, California is the state with the most military bases. Have you ever visited or lived on a base? 

I used to live near a military base when I was growing up. My parents took us there once. It was called Griffis AirForce Base but is no longer a military base. It is now an airport and a business tech park. Now we live about a 1.5 hour drive north of West Point. I've only ever driven past...I've never been on the grounds. 

4) At the turn of the of the 20th century, wristwatches were considered non-essential jewelry items, with pocket watches preferred for everyday timekeeping. During WWI, soldiers in the trenches needed to both synchronize actions across the battlefield and keep their hands on their weapons, so the wristwatch went from "fashion item" to "standard issue." Do you often wear a watch, or do you depend on your phone for the time?

I wear an Apple Smartwatch SE and love it. 

 

5) Jeeps were originated by the US Army during WWII. Back then they were specifically for soldiers deployed to the European Theater, today there are more than 18 million Jeep-branded vehicles on the road all over the world. Have you ever driven a Jeep?

Yes my   college  (freshman year)  roommate Marsha owned a jeep and she let me drive it once to the beach.  We had a blast! We went several times during college years as Rochester is not that far from that beach on Lake Ontario. 

 

6) While Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses are a timeless symbol of cool, they were designed during WWII for a specific purpose: to give American flyers relief from glare at high altitudes. Tell us about your sunglasses.

I just ordered new sunglasses from my youngest daughter this past Tuesday! I chose some Ray Ban frames but then saw the Ralph Lauren ones and preferred those for my face shape.  They should be available for pick up sometime next week. I will have the same lenses as my regular glasses (progressive) but with the anti-glare, etc. Because I just got new regular glasses a few weeks ago, I qualified for my 2nd pair to be 50% off!  Plus with the  discount from Target I was able to get brand new high end sunglasses for less than $300!  That's huge for me. My current pair with my old prescription were about $820. Having an optician in the family now is saving us some bucks!

 

7) Memorial Day kicks off the summer season. What's your favorite picnic food? 

I enjoy a lot of different picnic foods but my fave is my homemade potato salad made with the vegan Hellmann's. It's SO very creamy!! Another fave is making corn on the cob over the grill. 

8) This marks the weekend when Americans traditionally step up their outdoor activity and do things they may not have been able to do during the cold winter months. For example, when is the last time you worked in the garden or tended the lawn?

I mowed the lawns on Wednesday evening and I tended my flower garden yesterday afternoon. 

9) As you answer these questions, is there an air conditioner or fan on? 

No, it's nice out....in the upper 60s which is perfect for Spring. 

HAPPY SATURDAY! 

Mid-Spring Faves

 

What a week! Many busy days and slower evenings......two days felt like the middle of July here in eastern New York State with a temp of 94 F on Monday!  We had to turn on the central air Monday around 2 pm and it stayed on until Wed morning when a cooler front pushed through.  I much prefer having my windows open for fresh air so I'm happy it's more Spring-like now.   Pollen is flying around so allergy tablets and more dusting have been part of my daily routine this week but it's also been a week of many blessings and things that made me say "Thank You, God". 

I'm sharing FIVE of those things called FAVES and linking up with others who do the same, at our host's site: Susanne of Living to Tell the Story.   Join us! 

• MISSIONS EVENT:  Last Friday evening, Dave and I were signed up to attend the "Christ, Curry, and Coffee" missions event at our church.  Our guest speakers were Prakesh from India and the mission organization called RiseIndia, and Audrey from the local area who is a geologist and volunteer with the Living Water Project.  They work with the lowest caste in India called the "Untouchables." I wrote about this evening in more detail here if you're interested in seeing how these people and their group of missionaries are impacting the lives of people in India. I'm thankful Dave and I had the chance to hear these amazing individuals, eat excellent Indian food from this local restaurant, and chat with some of our missions team leaders at our church.  I also am thankful we saw and spoke with an elderly  couple  (Doug and Bev) who used to attend our church but are serving (and in their 80s!) elsewhere.  Doug (age 86) and his wife Bev have served in India 40 different times for extended missions trip, working with Rise India and representing our church.  They no longer travel over to India but they are still making an impact here in our local region.  Dave and I hadn't seen them in many years.  We had a good talk reminiscing about when they taught a ballroom dancing class at our church when Dave and I first joined and took the class back in 2005-2006!  I'm so thankful for faithful Christians who shine for God! 

SoulSteps morning hike:  High Falls Area
Adam and his wife Kathryn, Celine
Dave D and me 
High Falls Conservancy Area 16 May

our destination was the highest falls
in Columbia County to the east of us
High Falls 16 May

• SOULSTEPS  MORNING HIKE: I had a scheduled hike to lead last Saturday morning and it was a perfect Spring day! Temps were in the 70s and we had full sunshine.  I originally had 8 people signed up for this hike but it ended up being just 5 of us. My husband couldn't go as he had to deal with an emergency by working from home that morning. I'm so thankful we had a great morning hike and were home by 1 pm! This trail is listed as a tourist attraction for people visiting the NYS Capital Region and we saw many other hikers as well. It is only a 50 minute drive from my house heading east towards MA. It was my 2nd time there and I enjoyed every moment of this easy hike. I'm thankful everyone had a good time. 

Irises in the front flower garden

• BLOOMS AND GROWTH:  I don't know if it was the heat wave or what but my irises are blooming about 2 weeks earlier than usual and they're bigger than ever. I have several bushes of them on the side of the house but for some reason the pic didn't  come out good.  They don't last long so I've been enjoying them this week.  I also noticed my dianthus plant, aka Diane, is back to blooming after bunny ate her previous flowers. I sprinkled chili powder around the plant and they have stayed away, thankfully!  AND my buttercrunch lettuce is finally getting bigger as are both rose bushes. I'm thankful for Spring growth and beauty. 

"Diane" is blooming again! 

Buttercrunch lettuce......I'm experimenting in a large pot

this bush will have pretty pink tea roses 
in another week most likely 
I love the little solar "buds" behind it. 
They glow so pretty at night

my small rose bush is doing better this year
it will have peach colored roses in another week or two

• MID-WEEK HIKE! On Wednesday, I had another scheduled hike to lead that thankfully I didn't have to cancel.  It was at this place just about 40 min southwest of where we live.  Rain was at 15 % and it was cloudy with a temp of 74 F.  There were originally 6 of us signed up but one woman had to cancel due to an injury.  We had so much fun!  Three of these ladies are dear friends of mine and the other is in choir with me and becoming a friend.  I love and thank God for these sisters-in-Christ.  We hiked 3 different, short trails and ate our lunch in the Japanese style garden gazebo next to the labyrinth and meditation Rock Garden.  After we got back to our town, we went out for ice cream where we indulged. I ordered for the first time this year from a soft serve place, the Oat milk ice cream (hard) which was Chocolate chunk. It was delish!  The sun came out finally about half way through the hike for which we were thankful but also the temps dropped a bit and the humidity blew out. I'm thankful for a fun day with friends. 

The first trail we took was through several
different "glens" of various trees
Maple, Willow, Walnut, Pine, Birch

Willow Pond about .3 miles in on the trail 

Melanie uses the provided flip-flop 
to play the musical bridge! 

Meditation Rock Garden

a Koi pond and bridge that leads back
to the barn and parking area
We ate lunch to the left of the bridge/pic
where the gazebo is set up with a picnic table
and several lounge chairs 

SoulSteps hiker  friends
Shawna, Maggie, Meg, me, Melanie
Landis Arboretum 20 May 

• MOVIE NIGHT:  Wednesday, after arriving home from the hike around 2:30 pm and showering and then folding some laundry, my hubby had texted that he had a work dinner, so I was alone for dinner. I had some leftovers and then mowed the yards as rain is forecast for Saturday afternoon when Dave was planning on doing it. Plus I had a lot of energy after the easy hike. After dinner, I watched the Netflix movie featuring 2 of my fave actors: Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas. It was such a good, clean family friendly movie. Such a sweet story.  And the little girl in the movie  stole my heart. She was amazing. Highly recommend this movie!  I'm thankful for a good, long day with several things that made me smile. 

Those are the main things I'm thankful for this week. 

I should also mention:  it now offiical.  We have a new car insurance agent who has helped both girls get their own policies and saved both of them hundreds of dollars. If you recall my last week post: I was beyond frustrated with the process of switching. She made it so  easy and responds right away, which is something we haven't had the fortune to have with our former agent. Praise God for competent, genuinely nice employees. 

Happy Memorial Day and Happy Long Weekend!! 

2026 Book Review #18:Dead Man's Wake

 

I just finished book # 14 in the Game Warden series set in Maine that I enjoy so much.  Once again, the author delivers an exciting, fast-paced mystery set on an island off of a lake. 

STORY SUMMARY

It's the evening of Mike Bowditch, Game Warden, and his fiancee's engagement party at his step-dad's luxurious lake house. His fiancee is Stacy Stevens, daughter of Mike's mentor and good friend Charley and  his wife Ora. 

Mike and Stacey witness a hit-and-run boating accident out on the lake in the gathering dark.  But when they arrive at the scene, their spotlight reveals a horrible sight.  There's a severed arm floating just beneath the surface and as day breaks the warden dive team recovers not just one naked corpse but two!  One is a man with the missing arm and the other is a married woman he was having an affair with and whose husband is a member of a local motorcycle gang. 

Mike begins to suspect that this was not a boating accident but  premeditated murders. 

The hunt is on for the mysterious boater who may be able to give some answers. There are many suspects around the lake which is nicknamed "Golden Pond" after the famous movie (Although the movie was actually shot on a lake in New Hampshire).  The suspects include the violent biker husband who may have taken vegenance on his wife and her lover; a bizarre woman who claims to have witnessed the crash but then changes her story; an agressive realtor and his wife who are determined to catch trespassers on their part of the lake, and the lakes eager but young constable who seems to be hiding some dark motives. 

Mike begins to suspect  that the murders involve a trained marksman who is smarter and more dangerous than any suspect Mike has ever dealt with. As Mike and Stacey get close to finding out the truth and identifying the killer, their own lives are suddenly on the line when they confront the killer who has plans to silence them forever. 

MY THOUGHTS

In true fashion, this plot is well developed with rich characters, a beautifully described setting and a fast paced mystery. 

It's a fast read and in some spots I couldn't put the book down, reading far later into the night than I was planning. 

It was exciting to me, who has read each book in the series in order, to finally learn that Mike and Stacey are getting married and the ending of the book does include their simple outdoor wedding. 

One thing that bothered me was all the editing errors all throughout this book!  Here's an example of an editing error taken from page 181 "Or he might already was inside the boathouse...." shouldn't the word "was" actually be "be"?? 

Many errors like that all throughout the book lowers the score for me.  

All in all, I love this series and think maybe the author needs to find a new editor since this isn't the only book with editing errors in the series. What this book does have going for it besides the excellently executed plot, is that it's "clean".  There are no graphic s*x scenes nor swear words which I appreciate. I think I saw just one "F" word which seems to be rare in many contemporary novels. 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17and older. (due to some mature content)

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this an 8.