CHRISTMAS CACTUS IN BLOOM

Christmas Cactus

I took pictures of my Christmas Cactus when she started showing her “buds” on October 27th – you won’t believe it, that’s my birthday! Right away, I pointed that out to Dan and we were excited as we discovered uncountable buds coming out from the stems. If I tell you the story where we got this beautiful plant and how bad her condition was when the first time we saw her (I call “her” Chriska… as it’s meaning for Christmas), you won’t believe me.

This is the story: One day (summer 2007) Dan and I drove around a new neighborhood called “Mexican War District” in Pittsburgh, http://www.mexicanwarstreets.org/history.html -- just trying to familiarize ourselves to the Pittsburgh areas. When we saw a “MOVING SALE” sign on one of those historic homes we were drawn to it like a strong magnet (smile). Chriska didn’t look very good as she was very sick and almost died at the time we saw her. Anyway, to make it short, we paid $10 for Chriska, as I thought if we couldn’t save her, the pot itself it’s worth it (the previous owner thought the same thing too). If we couldn’t save her, I had a plan in my mind to ask my wonderful husband to do the dirty work to repot the plants we have!!!

Anyway, after telling Chriska that everything would be okay and that we loved her and gave her the water and food she needed,within two weeks she started showing her gratefulness of our caring and love for her. Within four months later, she is as beautiful as she can be and now smiling at all of us. Isn’t she beautiful?

If this little Chriska can show her joy of being loved by her caretakers, we all, as God’s children, who are loved by our Heavenly Father and created with His own image can do more than Chriska. Let His Holy Spirit control our hearts so we can please Him every day and every moment of our life. The God we know in our Lord Jesus is real. He gave me His peace and joy (John 14:27) even though I didn’t feel His presence when I was sick. He said “Rita, my child, you don’t need to feel My presence, because you know, I AM with you, and I love you”.

When we face trials and tribulations in our lives, His words will come alive to give us joy, comfort, and peace. This is the Spirit of God, our Comforter who is in our hearts as we have the privilege to be called God’s children. HE will remind us what we have learned, heard and known about Him, and HE will give us joy. Just listen carefully as He speaks very softly and sometimes He whispers!!!

To my family in Indonesia, kami berdua Dan mencintai kalian semua, dan semoga kasih Tuhan kita Yesus Kristus menyertai kalian semua seperti Dia juga menyertai kami disini. Kalau Tuhan menghendaki, pada satu saat kita akan bertemu kembali, kalau tidak di dunia ini, kita akan bertemu di rumah Allah Bapa kita di sorga.

For Better Viewing Click on the Pictures Below to Enlarge

Bedford Pennsylvania Trip Fall 2007

Rita and I took a weekend off a few weeks ago and traveled to the Laurel Mountains, south and east of Pittsburgh. We went about two hours to Bedford, Pennsylvania. This is a beautiful mountain valley town with much history from the Civil War and the Revolutionary period. The city is lined with Bed and Breakfast lodging, neat shops and restaurants and the historic village titled "Old Bedford Village". Bedford Village is a Colonial period where old buildings exist with villagers working as they did during the Colonial period. It was closed until Christmas when we were there but we spent most of our time visiting the restored Bedford Springs Hotel. This was a resort built during the 1800's for rest and relaxation, health spa etc. It was used by presidents and the wealthy from all over the world. The hotel fell in to disrepair during the late 70's and closed in the 80's. A group of developers from the Texas area put together an investment project to restore the hotel and restore it they did. The hotel opened this year and what a beautiful place it is. You can look it up on the Internet so I won't bore you with all the information about the project. We found the best of the Fall colors there during our trip and below are the pictures of the Hotel and Fall in the Laurel Mountains. I also enclosed a lot of pictures of my sweetheart....

Restored Bedford Springs Hotel,Bedford,Pennsylvania

Bedford Springs

Bedford Springs Hotel (Continued)

November Fall in Bedford,Pennsylvania

More Fall Color In Western Pennsylvania

Rita's Favorite Inspirational Song

Rita wanted to share her favorite praise song by Lynda Randle. Lynda sings this song most often traveling with the Bill Gaither Homecoming. We all have our favorite songs and hymns that inspire us and Rita loved this song from the beginning and plays and sings it often througout our home. It provided great support and hope during her recovery. We had the joy in attending two of Bill Gaither's Homecomings. One in Sacramento and here most recently this year in Pittsburgh. Hope you are inspired by the words. GOD BLESS


God On The Mountain

Life is easy when you're up on the mountain
And you've got peace of mind like you've never known.
But then things change and you're down in the valley.
Don't lose faith for you're never alone.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He'll make them right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

You talk of faith when you're up on the mountain.
Oh but the talk comes easy when life's at its best.
But it's down in the valley of trials and temptation
That's when faith is really put to the test.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He'll make them right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He'll make them right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

Song by Lynda Randle

Words and Music by Tracy G. Dartt

Our Christmas Cactus

Rita is so proud of her Christmas cactus this year. It is new to our home. We bought it earlier this summer at a garage sale in the Mexican War District in Pittsburgh and she has been talking to it all year. The first buds are coming out and it looks like it will be all white. I tell you it is the healthiest plan we have had and if our luck holds out we won't "kill" it. We kept it out on our front porch this summer and it was covered and protected from direct sun, which is supposed to be best for this tropical plant. We moved it into our sun room now and the lighting is a bit more direct which is supposed to be good for the blooming time. Do you know it isn't really a cactus but tropical and needs a lot of water, especially from below? We kept it in a large dish and kept water in the dish and it sucked it right up. When we bought it the leaves were all hung down and sad looking but they perked right up with a little loving care. Hopefully it will bloom by Thanksgiving because we are going away for two weeks in December and would hate to miss the new full blooming period. Pray for our cactus that it stays healthy. Rita will share more about this cactus later when we have blooming pictures.

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH...

OUR CAMPING TRIP THIS EARLY FALL

Well, it hardly seems like it should be Fall yet. The weather has been so dry this year and so warm yet. It was only a week ago that the temperatures were close to 90 degrees and the last week has been in the 70-80's. I took our motor home over to Keystone State Park near our home in Pittsburgh, for ten days. It is a lovely park along the river and has a beautiful lake and campground. Needless to say this time of the year the park was very empty, closing at the end of October to regular camping. The ten days I was there included warm weather, Rita coming over for four days in between and several of our church friends coming over for picnic times and walks. Fall is late this year and it will be a few more weeks before the full colors are at their peak but the changes are visible and certainly exciting. I had a great time camping as I just finished a 3 month assignment at one of the hospitals and I am in between any new assignments that are available right now. I took the time to wander through the countryside traveling up to Indiana, PA, where Jimmy Stewart was born and a museum exists there for him. There are some great back roads and Amish settlements around that area and just pure country living. I spent time in the small towns of Smicksburg, Latrobe, Kittanning, Derry Township, Ligonier, Greensburg(Where Seaton University is located) and old Civil War towns like Old Hannastown. I especially enjoyed driving through the Laurel Mountains, south of Pittsburgh, where the scenery was so awesome, with the large horse ranches and small creeks and homes like you would find up in the California Sierra's of Grass Valley and such. The apples, pumpkins and like are everywhere and they are so integrated into the land that you find yourself in the middle of their existence everywhere you go. Festivals are just about in every neighborhood and village and it is amazing how everyone celebrates Halloween and Fall here with decorations on their homes like Christmas. Whatever your feelings about Halloween you have to enjoy the excitement and color. We are going to a Fall celebration this weekend at our Pastor's home, an event he has every year and we look forward to the fellowship outside. I have included of course many pictures of what we have been doing and our friends joining us at our campground area. I will insert some more Fall pictures in a few weeks when we get back from another trip during the height of the color. GOD BLESS everyone.

FALL IT IS...

THE CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD AND LIFE IS TRANQUIL

LIFE IS A PICNIC

EARLY FALL CAMPING