201 (boldly approach because of Him!)

This is my two-hundred-and-first-post. Here's something insightful:
my next post will be number 202, which is coincidentally "Amazing Grace" in my favorite hymnal, right next to hymn number 203, my favorite hymn, "And Can It Be" -

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love Divine!
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness Divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

this little nose

this little nose likes to lead this little dog to some interesting places. . .
tonight, for example, she was sitting at the top of the steps sniffing under the door (leading into our neighbor's kitchen, where she was baking something delectable). 

Loud crickets and louder dogs need not apply...

photo from Orkin

For the past two days in a row Chester, Clyde, and Cletus Cricket have serenaded us half an hour before our alarm (at least they waited until seven in the morning instead of five A.M. today!), and when I went to escort Cletus to the door this morning (Or was it just Clyde returning after feeling he had failed to complete his assignment yesterday??), our upstairs new-neighbor-dog, Boaz, decided I was an axe-murderer and has spent the past quarter hour and the authorities that I am on [my own] premises. 
[nb: Boaz is as "protective" as Sally, but much more relentlessly, persistently annoying in what exits his throat]... 

photo from http://www.etsy.com/shop/geministudio?ref=si_shop - buy his stuff!! 

Needless to say, I could have walked up the stairs to ask him to cease and desist his clamoring and reassured him that I was, indeed, a murderer of the worst sort, but I chose to leave him in suspense and slink back into the apartment, allowing his imagination to run rampant, and his howly-barks to condemningly follow me back to my courtly oasis as I tried to be quiet so my husband could glean a few more needed minutes of slumber. 

I am almost afraid to go into the kitchen and make coffee, because opening the cupboard and refrigerator doors might stir up another dose of you-must-all-hear-her-sharpening-her-knives!




You mean to tell me I could have just set out some molasses?
*link discovered, but not made, by myself....

Baby mobile

Just finished a little mobile for Johnson grandbaby #1 :)  I tried to incorporate all of the colors mama and daddy have in the nursery; the stinkers aren't revealing the gender until baby is born, and they wanted a gender-neutral room. I really hope they like it!