Vacation 2010 from the lens of Meghan

We are back from our lovely 6 day stay in Lake Chautauqua, New York. It was a wonderful vacation filled with many memories made. Many are pictured below. We packed up our trusty old suburban Sunday afternoon and got to the lake house at around 6 that evening. Last year, we left Lake Chautauqua cold, cloudy and rainy. Well, as you can see, it was exactly the same with the exception of the temperature which was quite mild.

Our view from the dock-let's just say we all sent up more than a few prayers that the Weather Channel people were right for a change that the weather would get better!
We got settled in Sunday night and fell into our beds that night. The next morning it seemed to be clearing up somewhat and we dove into our first day of school. My last first day of school-ever. :) Dear Mum made it a memorable day of learning for all of us and she wrote me a sweet, encouraging letter (6 pages!!!) as I begin my last year of formal education.

Ronnie is quite the avid student this year. He is doing quite well in all subjects and has taken special interest in science this year. Here he is on the dock counting all the ducks near our shoreline. This wasn't even an assignment-he asked to do it since it (sort of) went along with our character study. :)

Best buddies!

Sara brought her beautiful, or should I say handsome, acoustic guitar, Eli, up to the lake. She serenaded us daily with her beautiful guitar and voice.

Our Peony-she had quite a few funny moments up at the lake this year and never ceased to give us lots of hugs and kisses. :) I love my baby sister!

Tuesday we took the day off from light bookwork and took a field trip to Niagara Falls. What an overwhelming, truly awesome display of God's creation. I'm afraid my camera did not do the falls justice-they were truly marvelous to behold! I thought they might've been bigger-I mean, they're huge, but I thought they would be taller. :) The Canadians got the bigger side. :)

This was my view from the Maid of the Mist boat ride. I caught a moment or two where there was no water, mist or wind whipping my face. :)

Two tired sisters after Niagara Falls. :) We got to stand at the very front of the boat since we were the first people in line. Once we were settled, before the boat actually 'set sail,' Sara and I felt real dizzy. Luckily, all signs of sea-sickness evaporated with the wind as the boat began to move towards the falls. :)

My two fishermen! :) Ronnie, Dad and my grandfather, Buppy, spent many hours fishing and teaching Ronnie the many skills of catching, baiting and unhooking fish. By the end of the week, Ronnie caught 38 fish and knew how to take the hook out and everything. :)

One happy little brother. :) One day, he walked in the door holding a 8 in. Bluegill with a beaming smile, (like the handsome one in the picture above) and said, "I caught dinner!!!" Buppy showed us how to skin and cut the fish expertly and Mum breaded and fried it. Ronnie got two fabulous filet's out of the fish and graciously let everybody taste his catch. It was delicious! From the time the fish bit the hook to when it was sitting in front of Ronnie, cooked, was about 45 minutes. :) Talk about fresh. :)

Dad proudly shows off one of his finds...

Wednesday night found us around a campfire, singing songs, and eating loads of S'Mores and marshmallows. :) As you can see, Anna was ecstatic at the special treat. :)

And me and Sara, too. :) They were fabulous, especially with Hershey's yummy milk chocolate. Unfortunately, instead of going inside with tons of sugar and calories in my system from the S'Mores, I came in with three mosquito bites. The next day or two they got to be the size of silver dollars. I. Loathe. MOSQUITO'S!!!

The warm fire! :)

Our sugared-up little ones. :)

Thursday found us travelling around Chautauqua County looking for this little town-Westfield, New York. What a darling, quaint old town!!! I just loved it! The old shops, Main Street and historical buildings-I was blissfully happy. :)

The McClurg Mansion-a Civil War historical house. Mum has more pics on her blog, but it was really, really cool!! There was almost too many things to look at!!

This was a fabulous, very yummy diner we had a late lunch at after we took an hour long tour at the McClurg mansion. It served typical diner fare, but very, very good diner food. :) A cheeseburger and sweet potato fries were my lunch and I heartily enjoyed them. :)

My gorgeous sister on our way to an antique emporium where I found a gold locket and antique postcards.

Friday found Grammy and Buppy leaving-we were very sad to see them leave-and us going to Midway Park. A sweet, small amusement park originally built in 1898. Oh, yeah. It was very, very cool! With a gorgeous view of the lake!

This photo-journalist-wannabe did not ride anything...tis quite awkward in a skirt, and I do typically prefer to be an observer than a participant. :) Here was the first ride: bumper cars! :)

The second, a mini-rollocoaster that Ronnie and Anna heartily enjoyed as you can see by their sweet smiles.

At the top of the hill!! It actually wasn't very bit at all. But to them it was, which made it all the more fun to watch their expressions. :)

A huge slide Anna squealed the whole ride down. :)

Ronnie loved it too. :)

Anna on the antique carousel on a horse named Cotton Candy she was wont to get off of. :)

Ronnie with a rubber snake (*shudder*) that he has since wreaked typical boyish havoc on his three sisters with. :) After an hour and lots of quarters in the arcade, he picked out this 'find.'

Go-Carts! Since this photo-journalist-wannabe is getting her permit this Friday and is already anxious enough about driving, she just watched her two sisters and two 'guys' drive their cars. :)

Dad and Ronnie zooming by. :) They won-with Sara and Anna in a very close second place.

Friday night we got Perry's Ice Cream for the third time that week and played Yahtzee which was really fun. Saturday we packed and cleaned up, packed lunches and Sprite for the journey back and Sara and I were sufficiently silly all three hours of the car ride back to Bethel Park. And that, folks, was my lengthy dissertation on our vacation.

Great is His Faithfulness

The year 2010 has been a rather tough one, thus far, for the Gorecki family. We’ve suffered through more than one illness, uncertainty, pain and a time of busyness that has taken its toll on our whole family. We’ve struggled through these times to see God’s hand, to see the silver lining and to rest in Him. I’ve often personally questioned the Lord’s ultimately sovereign plan, slipped and fell into the slough of despond and self-pity and have not sought the joy in each day, no matter how painful or difficult. The Lord has taken me down the narrow way through valleys and hills and new twists and turns that have struck doubt, fear and questions into my heart. Through the past eight months, He has been faithful to love, forgive and refine.

He has caused me to focus on His goodness-not the circumstances around me. Day to day, however difficult, when I keep my gaze focused on His great love and remember His faithfulness, His joy becomes my strength. His plans are so perfect and two months ago we wouldn’t have dreamed that Dad would get the job at the municipality, or that Mum’s medicine is relieving some of her pain that had been plaguing her so terribly since February. There are still cares and worries of everyday life here on earth; schoolwork, jobs, decisions, but the Lord has really been pressing this upon my heart of late: our trials may be hard, they may cause us to stumble, they may even cause us to break but they are temporary in light of eternity. And these temporary trials are only refining us more like our dear Savior.

In the arms of Christ there are ten thousand charms. I’ve found that when I consciously rest in Him and consider all loss for the excellence of knowing Him, I have a joy that surpasses this girl’s comprehension! Not a ‘Pollyanna’ type joy but a quiet, peaceful joy as I am in awe of the Lord’s goodness and sovereignty. I still often look around to the left and right and am distracted by present trials, I am not perfect. I feel overwhelmed sometimes I just want to bury my head in my pillow but the Lord is faithful not only to refine me through the present circumstances but to give comfort and unconditional love. He gives unconditional love when I want to pitch my cane across the room, when I wearily sink into my bed at night and toss and turn with angry tears in pain, when my pride rears its ugly head and tries to force my will instead of submitting. He hates my sin, is loving enough to prune it off of me and loves me in spite of it all as Christ Jesus sits at His right hand making intercession for me.

Growing Up Christian

On our list of resources we will be going through this year in our home school, “Growing Up Christian” by Karl Graustein is at the top. I’ve flipped through it and am excited to begin studying it with my two best friends-Mum and Sara. It has raised many thoughts in my mind as to what my testimony is. Typically when I hear the word ‘testimony’ I think total 180 degree conversion. And I have sometimes questioned if my ‘testimony’ really is one because there was no 180 degree change. I then hear the still small voice in my head say, “It was a total 180 conversion from consciously living in your own strength to consciously living for Me.” The life-long refining process we go through may happen in chunks of change or in my case, layers of change-like an onion.

Every Christian’s life from beginning to end is a testimony to God’s grace, whether they made a complete 180 degree turnaround from living in the world or, like me, was so blessed to grow up in a Christian home and has taken the Lord and His word as my own. I do not mean to say growing up in a home where the Gospel and Scriptures are taught, automatically makes you a Christian. It is a choice to accept Christ that every individual must ultimately make in his lifetime, whether or not they grow up in a Bible-believing home. My testimony is an ongoing one as the Lord reveals more of Himself to me, prunes off more layers of my sinful nature and daily showers His love on me through Christ Jesus’ blood shed on the cross. When I was a child, I went to church, Sunday school, Bible studies, read my Bible. I never stopped to fully realize the personal application of the Scriptures, sermons and, in short, the Gospel message. I was five when I invited Jesus into my heart but at that young age, I had no comprehension of what it meant to have Jesus as Lord over my life.

I was diagnosed with my hip disability, bilateral hip dysplasia, at eleven years old. Over the next two years or so, we sought different opinions, options for surgery and physical therapy. With all the limitations and pain that came with the hip disability, I could not live a normal life and be like everyone else. I had to use a cane and sometimes sit in a wheelchair for lengthy periods of time. I loathed it all. I grew insecure around my peers, incredibly self sufficient and at times, angry at this disabling pain. I couldn’t understand why I had to go through this. My frustration, confusion and anger continued on even as I tried to adjust in my own strength. I knew people prayed for me, I prayed that I would be healed, my parents led me into the Scriptures and to the Lord to seek comfort but it did not seem to help. I read the Lord’s promises, His truths and comfort in His word and listened to the words of others who kept pointing me back to Him. I had not yet taken my parents faith in the Lord and His Word as my own.

As I grew older and, thankfully, matured out of the awkward tween years, I look back and see my heart almost searching for something. I did not find it in doing what I wanted, leaning solely on my own strength, pleasing other people or having lots of friends. What I was searching for, had been in front of me since I learned to read. The Word of the Lord my parents had written on the cornerstone of our home. They had diligently worked to sow these seeds in each my and each of my siblings hearts from an early age. It began to take root and the Lord watered those seeds in my early teenage years. He led me to the Scriptures and showed me the personal application of, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” How grievous my sin was towards Him, the Holy God, and my need to repent and take the Scriptures and faith I had grown up with into my heart. I cannot pinpoint an exact occasion or date when this happened as it happened gradually. All I can say, is that it was between the ages of fourteen and fifteen. It was the Lord’s timing. My hip disability actually enabled me to see my need for the Lord. God sees who we can be but loves us as we are and never, ever gives up on us. Since then, the Lord is still refining, revealing Himself and the wonders of His majesty and is right next to me as I walk His narrow path. His faithful, guiding hand was there all along and all I can say today is, “O to (His!) grace, how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be! Let Your goodness, like a fetter, bind my heart to thee!”

You Raise Me Up

My heart is so full-the Lord has introduced many changes through out this busy summer, He has lifted me up when I was weary, and His joy has certainly become my strength. I will be writing a few posts elaborating on this but for now, some lyrics:

You Raise Me Up

When I am down, and oh, my soul so weary

When troubles come and my heart burdened be

Then I am still and wait here in the silence

Until You come, and sit awhile with me

~~~

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up... To more than I can be.

~~~

There is no life - no life without its hunger;

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;

But when you come and I am filled with wonder,

Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

They're Back!

The Whitlocks are back from Mozambique, Africa, after a year and today we got to spend some wonderful, blessed time with these sorely missed kindred spirits!

A 'candid' shot, hanging out in the backyard of our most gracious hostess and mutual friend, Mrs. Mastro. What's funny about this shot is, that Mrs. Whitlock asked for a candid and we all posed to make it look candid. :)

The two second-oldest girl beauties. :) Talking over a scrumptious lunch, we all learned that Sara and Morgan have played similar hi-jinks in their 'career's of getting away with a lot more than Caelyn and I ever did!

A real candid shot I caught of Craig and Caelyn-though they're 14 and 18 and brother and sister, their relationship is sweet and I was blessed to capture this sweet moment.

The three kindred spirits reunited. Mrs. Whitlock, our lovely hostess Mrs. Mastro and Mum. I don't know who gabbed or laughed more-the Proverbs 31 women or...

The Proverbs 31 women in training! It was so great to catch up and spend time with the Whitlocks. We are all such kindred spirits and it was such a joy to spend time with them today.

Sweet Sister Cupcakes

Introducing a new business: Sweet Sister Cupcakes! Sara and I have always loved to bake and after coming up with some ideas for cupcakes that we baked for a few family parties, we decided to plunge headlong into the cupcake world! We do not have a storefront but are calling ourselves private cupcake chefs and cater for any event. Though our website is still under construction, stay tuned to see a list of flavors, prices, pictures and lots more!

Sweet Sister Cupcakes

Two sisters, one kitchen, a vision

Some sweet cupcakes!

Out of the Boat onto Crashing Waves

Tears...anxiety...long talks with Mum...fear...decisions...insecurities...reassurance...another pang of fear.

~~~

All this has enveloped me in a spiritual, physical and emotional whirlwind of late-especially during this last week since I turned 17. I have stumbled into the slough of despond and have not taken the stepping stones of faith, peace and confidence as yet. I am sifting through the muddle of self-doubt, fear and anxiety Satan has poured over me. Since I've turned 17 and things have settled down (somewhat) I have been faced with what I was not acknowledging-decisions, taking steps of faith and in short, growing up.

~~~

I have been clinging to a type of childhood 'bubble,' if you will, and not seeking the Lord's will, and not embracing this seemingly sudden new season that is weighing me down almost to the point of suffocation. This new season includes Mum and Dad stepping back and giving me some independence to make my own decisions, weighing pros and cons prayerfully and taking the initiative on many Lord-led things I have been letting lie dormant because of my fear. I'm afraid of making decisions, taking steps of faith into this new season and in short, am afraid of this new curve in the road of life the Lord has planned for me. I am afraid of change from my comfortable 'bubble' I've made for myself and into somewhat unknown paths the Lord is planning for me and all they entail. I am quivering with fear and unease as my mind attempts to comprehend the spider-web of new plans and decisions that have come up. I knew these changes would come in the back of my mind as I grew older but I pushed thoughts of them aside and in vain, hoped they would not come at all. As a dear friend has oft said to me, the Lord has great plans in store for me as I grow up and graduate next June. I hadn't realized until lately how many changes these plans will bring. Or how truly afraid of them I would be.

~~~

With this season of life comes a spiritual learning curve. A huge one. One of those curves in the road where a sign depicts a truck risking tipping over because of the sharpness of the curve. The path of life is always filled with learning and growth but some curves are different than others. As I type, I am listening to the words, "when my world is shaking, heaven stands..." My world feels so shaken right now and in my sinful weakness, Satan has been tormenting me with darts of fear, constant dripping of doubt and bucket fulls of anxiety. And I have crumpled from these blows into the slough of despond. But how sweet it is to see my Lord's strength and love perfected in my weakness. He is healing Satan's dart wounds with the balm of His peace, the bandages of His promises, and His hand is there, strong and full of love to lift me up and back onto the path. He is teaching me to not look at the future with dread and trepidation but with hope and trust in His strength and promises. Jehovah is teaching me that He knows the plans He has for me, plans to give me a future and a hope. My future is perfectly planned by the Lord and is full of hope, in spite of the changes that I find so daunting now. The changes and many seasons of life my future holds should fill me with His hope-not my weak, trembling heart full of fear. How He loves, though I constantly stumble and fail. How He loves me to always remind me of His strength to lean on when I stumble in my own strength. I am so thankful that I may be in daily communion with Him through the work of Christ Jesus. And it is only through Christ Jesus that I can step out of the boat and onto the crashing waves of this new season of life.

~~~

You asked me to leave, out of the boat onto crashing waves...I'll go but I cannot go alone, because I know I'm nothing on my own, but the power of Christ in me, makes me strong. When I'm weak, You make me strong. When I'm blind, You shine your light on me. Because I'll never get by, living on my own ability...

Casting Crowns, "In Me"

~~~

I need thee, every hour. Most gracious Lord. No tender voice like thine, can peace afford...I need thee every hour, in joy or pain. Come quickly and abide or life is in vain.

"I Need Thee Every Hour," by Annie S. Hawks
~~~

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore."

Psalm 121:1-3 & 8