The Perfect Work of Patience

Yesterday I had the opportunity to guest post at Caitlin Baughman's blog Daughter of Destiny.  She always fills her blog with interesting and challenging material, so be sure to keep scrolling and read more about her life and thoughts.  Here's a preview of my post on the perfect work of patience, a virtue that makes life easier and goes hand in hand with faith.  

"Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."  --James 1:4

Patience is not a virtue easily acquired.  James tells us that the trying of our faith worketh patience.  God has given us many promises, some of which may seem impossible.  He promised Abraham when he was nearly 100 years old and his wife Sarah was 90 that they would have a son.  Was this humanly possible?  No.  But they believed God, and with God all things are possible. 

It's easy to have faith right after a promise has been made, but 2 or 3 years later it can be hard to still have faith.
Read more at Daughter of Destiny...

St. Donatus and The Way of the Cross

After leaving Lock and Dam No. 12 in Bellevue, we visited the St. Donatus Catholic church, built in 1908.  We were just a little too late to crash our second wedding of the day; the bride and groom were being photographed, so we snuck around the other side of the church to visit the cemetery and the way of the cross.  

Afterwards, when we were sure the wedding was already over and we wouldn't be in the way, I ventured into the historic church to capture a few photos. 

A Mississippi Barge

In Bellevue we stopped at Lock and Dam No. 12.  The landscape along the Mississippi was very picturesque.

A few years back when we visited Lock and Dam No. 9 near Prairie du Chien, we were blessed when a worker there gave us a fascinating tour.  Lock and Dam No. 12 was thoroughly fenced off, and everyone there was busy working getting a barge through.

Fenelon Place Elevator

The Fenelon Place Elevator in Dubuque is the world's shortest, steepest scenic railway.  It is 296 feet long and elevates passengers 189 feet from Fourth Street to Fenelon Place.  

The elevator was originally built in 1882 by an engineer hired by former Mayor J. K. Graves because it took him 90 minutes to drive his horse and buggy from his bank below around the bluff to his home on the top for lunch, even though his bank was actually only 2 and a half blocks from his house.

  

The elevator soon became popular with the neighbors, and after it was rebuilt because of a fire in 1884, he started charging 5 cents a ride.  The elevator burned again in 1893.  Ten neighbors invested in rebuilding it together.  The neighbor who lived closest to the elevator (C. B. Trewin) bought all of the stock as various neighbors moved or passed away, until in 1912 he became the sole stockholder.  The elevator was last rebuilt in 1977.  You can read the complete history of the elevator at the Fenelon Place Elevator Co. website.

Only Yesterday...

They were in the front row in wheelchairs,

But they seemed so far away.

She placed her hand on his knee,

But he pushed it off that day.

She softly cried, and another sight I did see.

It was only yesterday,

A beautiful couple with stars in their eyes.

They vowed they’d love in sickness and in health.

Their children grew and joy was their wealth.

But it was all gone too soon…

Senility and dementia had laid their claim,

Any breath could be their last.

They loved each other just the same,

But life had flown by all too fast.

It was all gone too soon…

Lay up your treasures in paradise,

This life is but a dressing room for eternity.

Build a relationship with Christ,

With whom there is hope beyond this life.

Because all else will be gone too soon.

© 2011 Bethany Carson

“Live so that when the final summons come you will leave something more behind you 

than an epitaph on a tombstone or an obituary in a newspaper.”  --Billy Sunday

Wedding Bells!

Last Saturday we travelled to Bellevue, Iowa for my cousin Breanna's wedding at St. John's Lutheran Church.  After a long ride and an adventure in Dubuque, we followed our directions into town until we saw a beautiful steeple.  Our search over, we parked, surprised at how many cars were there already and worried we were late.  We thought the wedding was scheduled for 2 p.m., but at only 1:30 we were nearly the last ones hurrying into the church!

The sanctuary (pictured above) was beautiful; it's lovely white arches looked like a splendid setting for the wedding.  As we took our seats I smiled at another red-headed lady seated; we didn't expect to recognize many of our relatives since we don't see this part of our family often, but at least our rutilistic genes are strong!  

Des Moines Chess Camp 2014

For me there could have been no better way to celebrate my 20th birthday than to enjoy teaching chess at the 2014 Des Moines Chess Camp!  Chess is my all-time favorite game, invigorating the mind and challenging it to ever deeper thought.  So, when Hank Anzis, who introduced me to tournament chess years ago and blogs at Broken Pawn, asked if I'd be interested in teaching at the chess camp again, I enthusiastically agreed!  

The first day of camp started at 10:00 A.M.  While Frank started the day for the fun class by teaching how to avoid Scholar's Mate, I taught the serious class by going over three of my own chess games and pointing out the mistakes and good moves of both sides.  Below are a few tips I gave the students, which all chess players would do well to heed.