Sunday, January 24, 2010

Happy Birthday to Evangeline!


Dear Friends,

A blessed Sabbath to you all~ We recently celebrated the 5th birthday of our dear Evangeline. We feel very blessed to have had her with us these five years, and to have watched her grow into a good little "mother", taking care of her ever-growing baby collection!


Grandma and Grandpa Graham sent some fun new books~


And here she is, enjoying the healthful nut/banana/berry "cake" that AnnaMarie made her :)




Happy birthday, little Evangeline! May the Lord continue to bless and keep you, and watch over you all your days.

On another note, we have been enjoying reading the "What Katy Did" books, by Susan Coolidge. If you have not heard of these books, I highly recommend them as being wonderful stories that teach morals while entertaining! I was not prepared to find such a gem of godly wisdom in the first book, as this passage that I would like to share with you. It is a little long, but well worth reading and pondering~



"Why, Cousin Helen, what can I do lying here in bed?"

"A good deal. Shall I tell you, Katy, what it seems to me that I should say to myself if I were in your place?"

"Yes, please," replied Katy, wonderingly.

"I should say this: 'Now Katy Carr, you wanted to go to school and learn to be wise and useful, and here's a chance for you. God is going to let you go to His school--where He teaches all sorts of beautiful things to people. Perhaps He will only keep you for one term, or perhaps it may be for three or four; but whichever it is, you must make the very most of the chance, because He gives it to you Himself.' "

"But what is the school?" asked Katy. "I don't know what you mean."

"It is called the School of Pain," replied Cousin Helen, with her sweetest smile. "And the place where the lessons are to be learned is this room of yours. The rules of the school are pretty hard, but the good scholars, who keep them best, find out after a while how right and kind they are. And the lessons aren't easy, either, but the more you study the more interesting they become."

"What are the lessons?" asked Katy, getting interested, and beginning to feel as if Cousin Helen were telling her a story.

"Well, there's the lesson of Patience. That's one of the hardest studies. You can't learn much of it at a time, but every bit you get by heart makes the next bit easier. And there's the lesson of Cheerfulness. And the lesson of Making the Best of Things."

"Sometimes there isn't anything to make the best of," remarked Katy, dolefully.

"Yes there is, always! Everything in the world has two handles. Didn't you know that? One is a smooth handle. If you take hold of it the thing comes up lightly and easily, but if you seize the rough handle it hurts your hand and the thing is hard to lift. Some people always manage to get hold of the wrong handle."

. . . "Are there any other studies in the school, Cousin Helen?"

"Yes, there is the lesson of Hopefulness. That class has ever so many teachers. The sun is one. . . Then, there is one more lesson, Katy-the lesson of Neatness. School-rooms must be kept in order, you know. A sick person ought to be as fresh and dainty as a rose."

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This little passage has stayed with me since I read it. Instead of the School of Pain, we could easily add our own situations: The School of Poverty, The School of Exhaustion, The School of Disease, The School of Childlessness, etc. May we each learn our lessons well, humbling calling upon the Head Master when they seem too much for us to bear.

Blessings to you this day, dear friends,

Marqueta

15 comments:

  1. A Very Happy Birthday Evangeline may the Lord continue to watch over you as you grow, may you be blessed with good health and an abundance of joy for all of your days ~We've enjoyed seeing you grow over this last year on the blog such a sweet little lady you are!! We hope you had a wonderful birthday we loved your special birthday cake! ~Love Heather & Anna :)

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  2. A Happy Birthday to you Evangeline! How lovely to be turning a year older! Everything looked wonderful and I am sure she had a blessed birthday!

    I have never heard of those books and am definitely going to have to check them out as I know my girlies would love them! Thanks for sharing!

    Have a blessed Sabbath!

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  3. A very happy birthday to Evangeline!! May you grow to be a godly woman!

    Five is such a fun age!

    Love, Heather

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  4. Oh what a lovely birthday!

    Que Nuestro Senor Jesus Cristo te mantegan tu linda family, sana y llena de mucha felicidad!

    Yo no sabia de estos libros...que pena que mi nina no entienda todavia.

    Te deseo un gran dia,

    maria

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  5. Happy 5th Birthday, dear little Evangeline! I just love your name! My eldest daughter wanted to be a mother to "more babies than Rosie"! (a lady we used to visit in the nursing home that had 16 children! She didn't even remember all their names, but I think that is because she was not too well and getting on in years!) I am so glad you are a good mother to your growing family!
    I hope your day was filled with the wonder of childhood and blessings from the Father who delights and cares for His precious little ones! May you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him!
    Blessings!
    Oh! And Marqueta ~ what a sweet little story ~ thanks for sharing it with us!

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  6. Happy Birthday, Evangeline!! May our Lord continue to bless you with joy and great health~you are a very pretty young lady! I hope all your wishes come true when you blow out your candles. God bless, Rose

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  7. What a beautiful celebration and your daughter is just adorable:-)

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  8. Oh dear, I came over from the Sensibility boards and I am ever so glad I did! I feel right t'home... I loved the little book excerpt you shared (how could I have raised three girls and not have even heard of this gem of a story?) loved your dresses poem, loved your photos and loved your dear little Pollyanna button.

    I am going to be following you from now on... hope you don't mind☺

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  9. Happy Birthday to sweet little Evangeline ~ what a doll!
    I hope she had a wonderful day.
    Oh that nut/banana/berry cake looks so yummy.
    Sending hugs))

    P.S. I received your letter, and I am sending one out today:)

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  10. Dear Marqueta,

    A very Happy Birthday to Evangeline! May the Lord continue to bless her! It looks like she had a wonderful and fun day!

    I loved your sweet dresses poem! Beautifully written and photographed! Your girls are so precious!!! Love their dresses.

    Love and blessings,
    Paula

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  11. awww, what a happy little birthday girl! Hope she had a wonderful day~! and LOVE your new profile pic!~

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  12. Dear Evangeline, Happy Birthday Little Dear. May you have many healthy and good years! It looks like you had a lovely cake!

    Love,
    Lynn and Michaela

    Dear Marqueta, I love the passage you posted. It is so true. We have a hymn that says "my choicest wreaths are always wet with tears." I think of that often too. When we are in His hands, we can be sure there are valuable lessons to learn and they are not always easy.

    Love,
    Lynn

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  13. What a precious birthday cake, and even sweeter because it was made by sisiter! You have such a beautiful family.

    Thanks for shaing about the school of pain. Your're right we can add our own in there: the school of ____? The Lord has many lessons, all for our good :o) Sometimes it is hard but we are always thankful for we know the Lord's hand is always covering us.

    Happy birthday! Deanna

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  14. Dear Marqueta,
    A Very Happy Birthday Evangeline. I love sharing birthday celebrations.It looks like a wonderful family day. The best kind of celebration.

    I have those books from when I was a girl, but have not read them in ages.
    Eden has them on her personal reading list but perhaps I shoule also re read them.
    Thank you for the reminder
    God Bless

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  15. DEAR MAMA,

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EVANGELINE!:)

    BOY, DID SHE GET -*A-LOT!!!*- OF STUFF!;)

    I LOVE YOU AND I LIKE YOU!++ (SMILEY.) U
    LOVE,

    AuDrEy <3

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