family/friends events – The Welcome Home

A fresh clean start… and a GIVE AWAY!

teacup From The Welcome Home… A Fresh Clean Start to the New Year!

You’ll love this giveaway!

I’d like to introduce you to my dear friend Emily. In the beautiful Pacific Northwest, she and her family run The Simple Soap — a company that allows them to work together creating the most luxurious soaps. Made from the finest organic ingredients, various herbs and essential oil fragrances are combined with natural palm (sourced from Rainforest Alliance certified farms in Columbia), coconut and olive oils to give you a delightful bathing experience. I think you’ll find that The Simple Soap will be your favourite soap!

For the next week I’ll be watching for comments here and on Facebook and will select a recipient. Once selected, I’ll send you a note and you can reply privately with your address so that I can mail your gift — an assortment of three soaps from The Simple Soap — a gift that will add some incentive to your desire for a fresh clean start to the New Year! Once you experience The Simple Soap, you’ll want to browse the variety they offer.

Here’s what you need to do: Share one way you hope to make the New Year a better year in your life — maybe the Lord has been nudging your heart about a matter… maybe one thing you’d like to implement, a habit you’d like to kick or a habit you’d like to form. What’s something you really want to commit to doing in the coming year? Write and tell us about it. Your entry may be the one that receives the gift of three soaps from The Simple Soap!

What might you be looking ahead to doing or not doing in the coming year? You know, it’s a wonderfully freeing thing to be done with _____________ and to rest in the finished work of the Cross and walk by faith that the Lord is gracious, full of mercy and is Lord of all.

A thankful year? A joyful year? A gracious year? A kind-hearted year? A loyal year? A forgiving year? An all-done-envying year? A cheerful-heart year? A grace-based-faith year? A resting-in-hope year? A finally lose that weight year? A trust in God year? A read-the-Word every-day year? You probably already know what you need to do… but maybe you fear deciding to say you’ll do it for fear of failing. Deciding to do something is worth considering… for consider this: Not deciding is still a decision. Press on. It’s worth it to press on in faith. And if there’s something you really need to do, go before the Lord… seek His Face and grace to do what you feel you cannot do. I have seen Him do in my life things I could never have done had He not enabled me to do them. I have seen His great love, His forgiveness, His restoration, His provision and guidance. He can wash you clean and restore the years the locusts have eaten. He can do this… for you.

And, remember The Simple Soap… I’d like to send a little box on its way.

Anderson Family Farm

Our friends, Rick and Kimberlee Anderson’s family business, Anderson Family Farm, is one of the nominees in the Audience Choice Award for one of Martha Stewart’s features: American Made. Would you consider taking a moment to vote for this family business as it will help them gain business exposure. You may also want to help them in a “modern day barn raising” as they seek to move forward in expanding their family enterprise. Thank you so much for your consideration.

Life’s Threads

Through the years we gather and carry with us so many experiences and acquaintances. All of these are mingled among the successes and failures in the different testings and affirmations of faith. I marvel: the handiwork of the Lord; I marvel that He never misses a thread. Things I think are wasted, things long forgotten, prayers and petitions, praises and disappointments… God’s still holding all the threads of these things.

Time passes and memories fade — and then, seemingly by chance, an old friendship is rekindled, a memory is brought to mind, a photograph sparks thoughts of an event rarely remembered. But God remembers… His memory never dims and He’s not constrained by time or recollection. The threads, unseen or unknown to us, continue to be woven by His gracious and skilled Hands.

I’m reminded to not think He’s forgotten or that life’s experiences have little meaning. I’m reminded that all my yesterdays have tomorrows. The seeds sown in years past may seem to by lying dead in fallow ground… but in time I will see what became of those seeds — some carelessly, some intentionally planted in different seasons of my life.

A long distance phone conversation with a friend last week seems to have opened a floodgate of memories that leave me longing for the early years, smiling at the thought of the babies — now men and women — with babies of their own. And then, another surprise, a phone call and plans to spend some extended time together with dear old friends. Surely we’ll be reminiscing and talking over days gone by when we meet — I can hardly contain my excitement! Were that not enough, and surely not by chance, another old friend posted a couple of photos on Facebook… ah, the endearing faces, photos of little boys — now men — our first two sons. This led to my husband (who very rarely ever even logs on to Facebook) posting some photos of babies and little children… old photos! Threads of connection… bringing life circles around again.

The threads of photos and conversations seem to connect us to our past like nothing else — these are the good threads — the sweet threads. How sweet to think the Lord is holding all these threads together, that not a time is wasted or lost — even though we don’t keep tract of or keep tying threads.

Sweetest Day

It is the third Saturday of October — Sweetest Day. For many people, for many reasons, today is [the] Sweetest Day.

I’m thinking that, after reading an article about an abortionist who was gripped with the reality of what abortion really is, maybe some will make a decision, on this Sweetest Day, to decide/admit/repent once and for all that abortion is murder of a precious little baby — and to, from henceforth, recognize and proclaim the truth of abortion and admit the heinous atrocity of destroying human life and the lucrative abortion industry and its insidious, pernicious lies.

My husband and I spent the day at Seattle Children’s Hospital with our dear friends. What an incredible place Children’s is: from staff – information, innovative care, to surgeries, research and practices for thousands of conditions / special needs. At different locations throughout the hospital we’d see images of children and credits to foundations, donors and supporters of the massive hospital.

Each time we visit that hospital I’m thankful for the care we’ve received there but am more moved by the thousands of images of precious children and families previously helped by the specialized and technologically advanced care they received there. I’m moved by the intense work to preserve health and life to children — the intense drive to discover and cure ills — to find solutions to debilitating birth defects, disease and disabilities.

In the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) waiting room we had sort of a surreal time — as we received updates through the day we had many hours to pray, to praise, and to talk over what the Lord has done — His mercy and goodness. God is only faithful… and great is His faithfulness.

Through the day we were recounting some of the many times we sat with one of the families in that same place as their little son had numerous and very serious medical conditions over many years. And so… now we’ll add this event’s waiting room visits to our cache of shared memories with all these friends — these brothers & sisters in the Lord. I’d like to ask you to pray for our friends and their dear boy… you can follow their blog here.

So, why did I write about abortion in this particular post? The aberrant reasoning of those who defend the killing of children… the dichotomy of abortion and life… the careless disregard and disposal of precious, intricate, fearfully and wonderfully created by God… human life.

30 Favourite Things #17

Wow… now my mind’s just clicking along reviewing favourite memories from my fiftieth year. Ordinary days, ordinary things, ordinary experiences. Somehow, when seen through new eyes, things really take on new meaning or have a greater value. For example, because of the deaths of a number of people in the last year, I’ve taken to looking at events in a whole new light. Or, rather, I now understand quite a bit better, my daddy’s comment at a Thanksgiving dinner table many, many years ago. He said, in part, “look around at this table, look at the faces… the next time we’re all together, it won’t look this way — maybe some will be missing, others will look older… this table will never look this way again…” and so on.

I attempted to remember that when our family hosted our annual backyard party. As the cars and vans began to drive down the lane and the friends began to gather, I thought back on the different years — the many years all these friends have gathered. And yet– and yet, again this year, the crowd didn’t look just the same. For it was truly was a different crowd — some old friends, some new, some older, many changes, some were missing. The crowd was different bcz time had passed, events had happened — births and deaths, trials and successes, gains and losses — much had transpired in each family over the previous year. I stood on our back porch step and looked out at the crowd — some, I’ve now known for decades… some, I had just met that night.

Every year it’s amazing to experience the sweet friendships — budding friendships — old friends and new. And that’s why we do it… and that’s why we look forward to it.

I remembered what my daddy had said so long ago — and were he to have lived to see these days, he’d likely still be saying the same thing. Well, on that day I tried to make a mental image I wouldn’t forget. I try to remember it all, even now, as I write this. Funny thing is, just glancing at the crowd pictured below I think of many changes [even since I began to write this entry a few days ago!] in their lives or things have already changed in the last several months — and will some more — maybe a lot more — before the next annual backyard party coming up in July.

klahayadaysbackyardparty klahayadaysbackyardparty2

Sorrow skips no home

This autumn’s sure brought a strange season of sorrow… and though I’ve often said, sorrow skips no home, it seems its presence is far more prevalent in recent weeks. So much sorrow… so much loss. Though some loss is expected, the sorrow is never really conceived until it washes over the home… then, its intensity is overwhelming. Sorrow’s not only in death and loss, it’s in change and disappointment, sickness and disability. Sorrow’s so intensely personal and yet touches everyone who’s associated in some manner to the circumstances at the center of that sorrow… so sorrow’s sort of a community thing and is far reaching.

I’ve thought on the unexpected assault of sorrow and grief a lot lately as I think back a little more than a couple of weeks ago to the memorial service for our friend and all that’s happened in this relatively short space of time. And in this space of time I’ve mentioned to many: you never know when the loved one you enjoy today will not be around anymore. In a seeming moment, life changes and is never the same again.

Whenever I see the television reporter’s van at our little airport here in town, I think: O, no. Sometimes I know my: “O, no” is related to the ever ongoing saga of the proposed airport expansion and the heated tension in this community over all the ‘what if’s’ surrounding the impact such an expansion would possibly bring to pass. But I knew yesterday’s presence of the television reporters had nothing to do with the expansion. I knew there had to be some major problem. Returning home, I had more confirmation that something ‘really big’ had happened.

Most of the time when friends face loss or trials, my answer or my action is to make food. And when I see lots of cars, lots of food. So, that was yesterday. Our neighbors waited; cried and watched and waited, prayed and cried as they waited for news of the whereabouts of ten people aboard a skydiver’s plane that had disappeared and was presumed to have crashed in the Cascade mountains on Sunday night. That was the reason for the reporter’s hanging around the airport all day yesterday and this morning. But this afternoon, they’re no longer waiting for answers – at least not answers to the question of the location of the plane or if there were survivors… and their grief is inestimable. The plane with its pilot and nine passengers had crashed and none survived. Now, I suppose, their questions will likely only be answered in eternity. And for now, they’re left grieving… the loss of many things, many hopes and dreams. Of those friends, all they have are the sweet memories of those who were ‘family’ to them.

The most recent news piece is here.

In our Bible study this morning, we were so impressed with the many references to the holiness of God – the many references to praising God, to trusting in Him and rejoicing in Him. O, how I pray the families affected by this horrific tragedy will know the peace and comfort of the Lord and that He will minister to their hearts in this time of tremendous grief and sorrow.

All of these things serve to remind me – us – of the brevity of life and the uncertainty of days. And one thing is very certain… just as we shall all face sorrow, we shall all face our own end, the death of this life. And we will all meet the Lord. And we will all give an account. And eternity awaits us all. Eternity in heaven or eternity in hell. And the most sobering thing is that those who do not know Jesus will not spend eternity in heaven with Him but will be eternally separated from God. This is the record of His Word.

1John 5.4-13

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Sorrow skips no home… but in Jesus there is hope and life and peace.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away. —The Revelation 21.4

Remembering Bob Bruzas

Robert Alan “Bob” Bruzas

“Bob Bruzas was born on September 22, 1943 in Seattle, WA to Joseph and Ruth Bruzas. He was raised in Bothell and graduated from Bothell High in 1961. A love of children led him to pursue volunteer work with Easter Seals, and a career in teaching. He graduated from Washington State University in 1966. He was the director of Camp Patterson, for disabled children, for 13 years. This is where he met his wife, Hildi, who worked there as a counsellor. They married in 1972, and began raising their family in Everett, where Bob worked with Young Life, taught Sunday School at Silver Lake Chapel, and taught P.E. for 30 years at Evergreen Middle School. He loved coaching gymnastics and wrestling.

Bob loved Jesus Christ, and was faithful to encourage people around him with the reminder that God loved them and would meet whatever need they had. His heart for hurting people gave him an eternal impact in many lives.

Bob enjoyed hiking, fishing, working on the Idaho ranch, gardening, and keeping in touch with former students.
Bob lived bravely with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) for 15 years. He loved having his grandchildren around, and also enjoyed visits with many precious people, in person and on the phone. The birds, farm animals, flowers, and wildlife he saw from his chair were a daily joy. He finally saw His Savior face-to-face on September 5, 2007. Through the progression of this disease, he was lovingly cared for at home by his wife and children and by our dear hospice nurse friend, Donna.

He leaves his devoted wife, Hildi; and his children, Rachel (Brian) Foster, Rebecca (Laren) McGuigan, Deborah (Jerry) Schwartz, David (Michelle), Anna, Peter (Aminta), Daniel, Tommy, Mark, John, and Greta (all of Grangeville, Idaho, except David, living in Black Diamond, WA.); his grandchildren, Kate Foster, Joey, Mary, Hildi, Patrick, and Saoirse McGuigan, Jesse and Damaris Schwartz, Annabelle Bruzas, and Faith, Nelson, and Beau Bruzas, will miss “Papa”. He also leaves his siblings, Joe Bruzas and Kathy Schroeder; and many nieces and nephews.

Bob was buried in the family cemetary in a private service, and will be honored at two memorial services at 1 p.m., Monday, September 10, 2007, at Christian Reformed Church, Grangeville, ID and Saturday, September 22, Rose Hill Presbyterian Church, 12202 NE 90th, Kirkland, WA.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to www.persecutionproject.org (water wells project in Africa).”

loyal — to the end

[September 6, 2007] Several weeks ago I wrote but never completed the following blog entry. Now that story has an ending. My heart is heavy today as I think of our friends and the first day they spend without their husband/father. Wes took Hannah back over to Idaho on Sunday morning so that she could continue helping our friends and she called a bit after midnight to share that the final chapter was complete. Today our friend, Bob, woke up in the presence of the Lord Jesus… in the presence of all the saints who’ve gone before and of the angels in Glory. This is a great comfort. Now… the family goes on without him. They loved him, were loyal and can trust the LORD for the days ahead. This, too, is a great comfort.

Whew… so all of that happened.

July 16, 2007 I know it’s been awhile. No, I wasn’t on a cruise or sunning at the beach or spending time at a spa… but, I must say that 107º in Lewiston was h-o-t as was the rest of the time we spent in Grangeville over the weekend. I so love the heat!! I’m finding the only heat I’m experiencing now, back home, is from hot-flashes! I suppose this will be some consolation that this coming winter will be more bearable knowing that I will not need to rely solely on standing in front of the woodstove to get toasty warm.

But that’s not what I wanted to write about. No, what I wanted to write about briefly today is: loyalty. Loyalty is a strange thing. In fact, perhaps one might never really know if it’s a priority or if loyalty is present until it’s tested. Sort of like a chair or a stool. You don’t really know if it’s strong until you step on it and let go of whatever else you choose for stability. You never really know how strong the coffee is until you taste it or you never get the full flavour of tea until you steep it in some boiling water. So… loyalty. Until you’re tested, you may not, in fact, be loyal at all. You might be dedicated for a day or so or a week or so, but years? Loyal for years? Gotta be tested.

My friend is loyal. I watch her — have watched her and will continue to watch her. I love that she’s faithful – she’s been faithful and I know I will watch her continue to be faithful. I’ve no reason to doubt it. But you know what I marvel about? Yes… she’s been utterly loyal. Never looking to be relieved of her “life” or “duties,” she’s tended to his *every* need. Loyal. She’s fed, bathed, clothed and tended to every single thing that concerns him – day after day, year after year – everything. I don’t know how many times I’ve said, I don’t think I could do what she’s done. I thought about it a great deal, and I’m really not so sure I could do what she’s done. I hope I would. I want to think I would. I’d want to be… but year after year after year after year…. I wonder. Would I have given up a long time ago? Would I press on faithful —loyal— to the end? So, you know, I’ve begun to pray to that end: that I would be found faithful —loyal— to the end, no matter what.

I’ve thought about faithfulness —loyalty— to the end. I promised my husband thirty years ago that I would be faithful — loyal— to the end. I’ve kept that promise. It was so easy to promise that thirty years ago. It was such a delight, such a wonderful thing to say, to think… to feel. It was easy bcz my resolve hadn’t actually been tested. It was easy bcz I was well, I was young, I was strong and idealistic — that, and I’ve noticed a tremendous resolve in many children of divorced parents to determine to *never* allow any circumstance to dictate or diminish loyalty. That was me then and it is me now. And my loyalty to my husband increases day by day, year by year. So why would I think my response to a devastating situation be anything less than loving loyalty?

We went to Idaho to visit our friends this past weekend. The family has been a tremendous blessing to us through the years. As the father of a large family continues to suffer the debilitating effects of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, we have grown increasingly concerned about the long term effect illness has on each one… thus, my references to my loyal friend — the wife of this man. None of them would seek recognition for the marvelous care they give and none seek sympathy for the situation they daily live with, nor for the tremendous responsibility they each one carry — especially our friend — his wife, mother of their children and his primary care-giver all these years.

Her resolve’s been tested. Her loyalty has been tested and has not been found lacking in the slightest. In fact, she stands as a model of excellence and is to be praised. She would not say so — she doesn’t seek any of that and actually deflects the heaps of praise she receives. I think that’s probably one of the things I admire most and have taken note to remember. When she hears the words of others, “I couldn’t do that…” she replies, “I couldn’t either, but the Lord can.” She has been by her husband’s side… been his total and complete helper for every single thing that concerns him. His illness has been progressing for at least 12 years now and completely debilitating for longer than half that time. And through it all, she has daily praised the LORD.

It struck me profoundly this past weekend that I thought I couldn’t do what she’s doing… but I do believe this: God can. The LORD can do anything, anything, anything. For nothing is impossible with Him. And so… I don’t really need to know how faithful I am or how loyal I am to my husband today. The thing I need to know –and I do seek– is that the LORD *is* faithful. *He* is loyal and *He* alone is my strength. And should I face a similar challenge… I, in faith, trust that He would carry me, too. I pray to be found faithful. I pray to be found loyal. To the end.

the triple seven wedding

When I don’t blog for a bit, you can pretty much guess that I am: a) out of the country, b) on a cruise, c) shopping at Nordstrom, d) sunning at the beach or e) catering a wedding. Well… I will surprise you: this time it was not A-D. ~wink~

So, the day of the wedding we’d been planning for finally arrived — and what an honour it was to be asked to cater the reception. This wedding was for our daughter-in-law’s sister. It was important to me to be as careful as I could be in the selection of foods, preparation, presentation and service. I suppose it always is, but somehow, I was overly concerned for this wedding as it meant so much to so many I love. Well, it was a very lovely and though there were some tense moments (would the roasts be done on time? would the chicken be cooked through and yet tender – would everyone like it? would there be plenty for everyone and yet not too much overage?), but there were no problems, no glitches… so, all in all, the wedding went off without a hitch – well, except one… Dave and Tatijana got hitched. ~smile~

They’ve been planning this wedding for nearly a year… just so they could have the triple seven wedding date. Many in our area did so! In fact at the Belle Chapel in Snohomish, the first wedding on 07-07-07 was held at midnight! Wow… isn’t that amazing!!?? The wedding we catered was at the Rose Crest Farm in Snohomish – and whew! it wasn’t held at midnight!! What a blessing to have had the whole day to prep and cook for the 7pm wedding reception. Now, that’s not to say we weren’t totally scrambling at the end – right before “showtime,” but it’s always like that… it’s sort of a hurry up and wait and then scramble! I’m ever grateful to Wes for his expertise and to the children for not only their help but enthusiasm to serve. I’ll share a few pics – the very few I have, and a couple of recipes. You’ll think the recipe for the chicken is really strange – but it was tasty! I would never have made it had the mother of the bride not chosen it… you’ll see from the ingredients… a very strange combination.

777wes 777pamela

Chicken Marabella

9 lb Chicken (we used chickenbreasts cut in half)
1 Garlic; entire head peeled and minced (we used 3 tablespoons)
1/4 Cup Oregano; dried
Salt and pepper; to taste
1/2 Cup Red wine vinegar
1/2 Cup Olive oil
1 Cup Prunes; pitted
1/2 Cup Spanish olives
1/2 Cup Capers
6 Bay leaves

1 c Brown sugar
1 c White wine
1/4 c Parsley; finely chopped – for garnish

1. In large bowl combine all the ingredients EXCEPT brown sugar, wine and parsley. Cover and let marinate in the fridge overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange chicken in single layer in shallow baking pans. Spoon marinade over chicken. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar. Pour white wine over chicken. Bake for 50 min to 1 hour at 350º –basting frequently with pan juices. Serve with rice (or, as we did: with garlic mashed potatoes). Sprinkle with parsley.

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For the garlic mashed potatoes, I boiled the 50 pounds (washed and quartered) baby red potatoes in the 22 quart pot and the roaster until the potatoes were just fork tender and poured off the salted water… wow… this was very hot and very heavy! Then I divided them into the 4 extra deep chafing pans; and for each pan I poured over the potatoes 2 cups butter, 2 cups cream, 2 cups sour cream and 1/4 cup minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of salt and white pepper – about a teaspoon or two and then lightly mashed them while mixing in the butter and creams. Topped with a bit of fresh parsley, they were delicious.