Fun with Family

We have had a great few days--in the northwest! It has been nice weather up here (although after living in hot weather for awhile, it is a little chilly to me).

We went up to Mt. Vernon/Sedro Woolley area to visit my grandma and cousins.

We went out to eat with Grammy

A black squirrel at my cousins' house--the first any of us had seen of that kind in the northwest.

We also took a walk to the river, and had fun wading. It has been a dry year up here, so the river is more like a big creek.

A natural spring

Beautiful, green northwest!

Kelly and Hannah (our cousin) also had their high school graduation. 

Stacey and Sarah setting up for the graduation meal

The graduates!

Officially graduated!

We asked Grammy to make a list of what she needed done around her house, and this is what she came up with....:)

We did wash windows though :)

Having fun at Grammy's!

Cousins! 

Holiness

"Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God." Lev. 20:7

Can we really be "holy?"  Until this morning, I never thought about being holy as much as I have thought of being perfect as God is perfect. I looked up the meaning of holiness to see if it was anything similar, and the definition is basically purity or perfection!

"For thou are an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth." Deut. 7:6

So how can we be humbly holy before God? What is God's view of holiness that He has for His people?

I read a quote this morning that is a simple yet profound definition of holiness. It is found in Youth's Instructor, February 17, 1898.

"Holiness is not rapture; it is the result of surrendering all to God; it is living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; it is doing the will of our Heavenly Father; it is trusting in God in trial, believing in His promise in the darkness as well as in the light."

Being holy before God even as He is takes on a whole new meaning now.  When God asks us to sanctify ourselves so that we may be holy, it means surrendering those little things that keep us from serving Him with a whole heart; it means studying the Word and living by the Word; it is trusting God implicitly in the darkest times of our lives. We can be holy before God--through the strength of Christ. 

Walla Walla Graduation

Just this last Thursday, we made the long trek up to Washington, our first destination being Walla Walla.  Sarah Snyder was graduating as a nurse from Walla Walla University!

Sabbath afternoon was the pinning ceremony.

And Sunday morning she officially graduated!

This was the top of her cap

Sunday afternoon was spent visiting with friends.

Aurelia playing her cello...

...and Yori playing her violin. They are both doing very well!

Swimming!

And some of the time, we watched the sky rain grass...it was really strange, but it was definitely clumps of grass like the one you see down below. The conclusion we came to was that perhaps there was a dust storm that picked up grass from the fields and then dropped it over us. 

An end to another exciting day....now our trip takes us to northern Washington to visit family. 

Work...and Summer Fun!

School is out, and work has begun!  I am working some in the little store here on campus. I am enjoying it so much--learning to run the register, stocking shelves, and much more!

But, despite the longs days of work, there have been many times of fun!  A group of us are preparing to run a half marathon in October in Tahoe, so that has been so much fun! We train together almost every other night. I'll have to get a picture of the group and post it sometime. :)

Another night we went to the river...so nice. It has been getting very hot!--in the 90s.

And just this last week, we had a surprise birthday party for Rahel. She loves rainbow colors, so Renae (her sister) planned an amazing party!

Colored bubbles

A rainbow cake

19!

All the food was colored...maybe not the healthiest, but it was so cool!

Rice balls

And paints...:)

She absolutely loved the party!! And it was very enjoyable for everyone else as well :)

More exciting news is that we found a house that we are in the process of buying!! I really like the house!

Just to end, here's a quote that I read recently that I would like to share as a little thought for today. :)

"Those who educate their minds to dwell on the perfections of Christ will represent Him to the world...." 8MR 309.1

Let's not forget to behold Christ each and every day, so that we can rightly represent Him to the world!