Book 2 - “A New Thing...”

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
    See, I am doing a new thing!
 Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”  Isaiah 43:18-19a
——————————————————————————————————
     When I first started the blog, “Willms View”  in May 2008,  my objectives were simple: implement new technology, improve photography skills, and refine writing skills.  
    I enjoyed this process very much and with Al as my editor, whose critique I trusted and valued, I was sailing along.  But when my editor, “slipped the surly bonds of earth”* and rose to new ethereal heights, my floating kite was severely shaken, floundered, sputtered... crashed!
    Looking at it now, it seems that everything I posted after that was born out of trying to fill my days and seeing if I, now so insecure and shaken to the core, would ever find meaning and fulfillment in life again!
   But finding life I did, abundant life with so much joy and peace and contentment.  It’s my desire and aim that Book 2 will portray to some extent that wonderful gift I received.
*John Gillespie Magee Jr.
——————————————————————————-
Book 2 - Spring 2020

       A good jumping off spot...
...Grandsons, eager to get out on their bikes after a long, cold prairie winter, whose colours and shadows create an amazing imagery, projecting courage and optimism. 

                                                                                           Photos by Andrew
 
In these strange times of the world-wide virus pandemic in which we find ourselves, we must not succumb to fear - be wise but not fearful.  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  2Timothy1:7 

So in that case, Covid-19 may also stand for:

C.              O.           V.                I.             D.              Joshua 1:9
Christ.      Over.    Viruses  and  Infectious.   Diseases - 
  
 “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

Albert Jacob Willms - August 21, 1935

 Today is Dad's, Big Al's birthday-
August 21, 1935,
 born at Kelstern, Saskatchewan to 
Abram and Mary Unger Willms.  

Ab - Abram - was the oldest and born in Russia.  The family emigrated to Canada in 1926, settling in Kelstern, Saskatchewan.  

Mary (married Elmer Voth of Surrey BC)  came along on February 3, 1927.  A second daughter, Helen was born on June 9, 1928 and in 1970 married Jake Priebe, a widower with a large family.

Henry Willms arrived in the spring of 1929 followed by

 Aunt Olga Willms on
November 28, 1930.  Five years later little Albert Jacob came along, Dad.

Linda Marjorie completed the family of 7 children on March 29, 1939.

Al with his beloved horse, Kit.

 Family portrait taken in Moose Jaw, Sk. in the early 1940's

-  then Al met Alice and a new family was born.

Our trip to the Holy Land in 2005 with David and Norma Jean Mainse as our hosts, was thrilling and educational.    Hedy and Wilf were on this trip with us.  It was exhilarating seeing the old city of Jerusalem in the distance from the Mt. of Olives or sobering spending time at the Garden Tomb.

The Watchmen Four Quartet

Al just loved singing with these great gentlemen - Hans Krueger-1st tenor; -  David Nickel, lead; Al Willms - baritone (he always had sung 1st tenor in his early years.  I just loved his high beautiful voice.  Jim Goodwin, bass and their lovely pianist Phyllis Froese.

Photo taken in September 2010, Peachland, BC.

an autumn mini holiday into the Okanagan.

Great memories!

------------------------------------------------

"Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,

who does not change like shifting shadows."  

James1:17

Tasty, Tasty...

Mmmmmm....

Tasty appetizer bar...

My brother Carl, youngest in the clan, recently hosted the annual summer barbecue beginning with his favourite appys...we all enjoyed it tremendously.

This is also the season for incredibly juicy and vitamin-packed fresh fruit:

Oh those bing cherries..."Cherry ripe, cherry ripe, ripe, I cry, full and fair ones come and buy..."  lyrics to a song my sister Herta sang at a school music festival many years ago...

Raspberries always evoke emotions...years of picking them as a reluctant teenager, then growing them ourselves and marketing them, while our own kids were now picking them for us...I love the tartness of this wonderful fruit.  Coupled with hearty toast and some aged cheese and a strong cup of coffee seems the perfect breakfast for me.  I freeze lots of them and enjoy them throughout the winter.

Strawberries... the first of the seasonal berries - so good on cake and vanilla yogurt...

"Who satisfies your mouth with good things 

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."

Psalm 103:5

Pre Birthday Celebration

Today, June 15, was wonderful.  It was a beautiful sunny day and a few days before my birthday.  My friends Lorna and Lyle came laden with gifts of love:

...flowers

...a picnic lunch

...dear friends Lorna and Lyle

....all the right touches

...a special coffee out to cap off a beautiful day.  Thank you dear friends.

"A friend loves at all times..."  Proverbs 17:17

Father's Day

Here it is July already and I had a number of posts ready on the back burner last month which I will now post.  The sentiments ring true  today non the less, even as they did when I first typed them weeks ago and chose the pictures for them.

We never made very much of Father's Day it seems and yet it's so important and wonderful to remember to honour those special men in our lives.  I am reminded of my own dear Dad who has been gone for ten years now.  He loved flowers and often brought flowers home for my Mom when he did the shopping.  I thank God for Al's Dad.  He nurtured Al through tough economic times on the family farm and taught him important life lessons.  Although he was already gone when Al and I married, I can see from his photos and listening to stories of the past that he was a wonderful, kind and gentle man, like Al.

 Then there is Al, the father of our three wonderful children.  I want to honour him today with this photo of our prolific carpet rose in our former garden.
And though Al enjoyed the beauty of the flowers he loved and enjoyed his children and grandchildren much more deeply and was proud of them.

With this strong orange flower, the tiger lily faithfully coming up each year, I honour my two wonderful sons and my equally wonderful son-in-law.  I thank God for them, am proud of them and pray God's blessing on them.  They are wonderful Dad's. God bless them...God bless all Dad's today in a very special way.

"Honor your father and your mother 

that your days may be long upon the land

 which the LORD your God is giving you."  

Exodus 20:12

Peace

"My peace I give to you." John 14: 27

A foxglove against the old wagon wheel in our backyard on Dundee.

In my reading today Oswald Chambers says:

"Health is physical peace...health is the perfection of physical activity."

 

The detailing of the pansy...so exquisite in every way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chambers continues:
 "Holiness is spiritual peace...holiness is the intensest spiritual activity."

Diminutive and dainty

Jesus says:
 "If anyone loves me...we will come to him and make our home with him." 

Amazingly wonderful is:

- "the abiding of the Trinity with the saint".  Chambers

Now it's up  to  me to believe and accept by faith 

this peace, this abiding, this rest.

"Lord I believe, help my unbelief."  Mark 9:24

Lupins last June on Dundee gave me so much pleasure

"He is able to keep you from stumbling 

and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory 

with great joy."   Jude 24

Beauty All Around

A beautiful azure sky...

Pretty pink asters...

 A generous burst of fuchsia tinted flowers-such exquisite tiny blooms...

 A grand cornucopia of complementary colors -purple salvia, willowy pale grasses and other colorful beauties all form this graceful display.

This is what I see on this day -

"Let everything that has breath praise the lord!  

Praise the Lord!"