If you love The Sound of Music as much as I do, then there are probably times when some of the musical’s lyrics pop into your head, and that’s what’s been playing in my brain for the past nine months, ever since my daughter-in-law Grace told me that she was pregnant. “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” is the song, but with slightly altered lyrics, because Alan and I have sixteen beautiful grandchildren and are now looking forward to a seventeenth very soon! 
Mike and Grace are expecting their fifth baby at the end of July. Grace’s mom graduated to glory when Grace was a young teenager, so I’ve had the special privilege of being first on call when they have a new baby. 
This means I will have been to Philadelphia, Germany, Hawaii, South Korea, and now Italy in the last 11 years! I am overjoyed, but as you might guess, this also means I won’t have time to write much for awhile. If I don’t post, or if I just post a photo and a few lines, know that I’m in my glory enjoying some of life’s best moments and may not have much to say until after Labor Day. I mean, not only Grace’s day of labor, but America’s Labor Day, which is September 3. Meanwhile, God bless you! May you continue with joy on your pilgrimage through this world. I will be trying to follow Jesus. I hope that is your aspiration as well!
“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them”(Psalm 103:17-18).
(P.S.—My son, “Major Michael Armstrong” is not the one with bells ringing over his head. This photo was taken by the wife of the guy with the smooch! My son is really the man on the extreme right side of the photo, and it was taken at a recent graduation from yet another training program which will qualify him for possible promotion.)
(This is the beginning of the “Global Map”of visitors to Summer Setting; the complete list of nations is at the end of this post.)
Today marks the eighth anniversary of Summer Setting, and I’ve been thinking about how much I enjoy photo journalism. Actually, I love it with a passion. It’s “work” so satisfying that I look forward to it. It’s therapeutic; it energizes me; it makes me feel happy! Reminds me of my son Michael, who got totally splattered with fresh concrete once while helping build a house down in Mexico. Instead of expressing dismay (which was my reaction), he just grinned: “I never knew this mission trip was going to be so much fun!” What can I say? When you feel really passionate about what you’re doing, what’s a little mud on your face?
Most of the time we flew between destinations on our tour of India and Nepal, 
but on one occasion we took a scenic bus trip 
along the Prithivi Highway through the rugged terrain
between Chitwan and Pokhara in Nepal. 
It was “only” 110 miles, and according to the literature, 
we were supposed to enjoy the ride during the morning, 
then arrive at our hotel in time for lunch and spend the afternoon touring. 
NOT! 
It took us 8.5 hours to travel the 110 miles with only two brief bathroom breaks. 
The temperature was approximately a million degrees out, 
and between the heavy traffic, 
aftermath of the devastating earthquake in 2015 
and intensive road construction, 
the air was so full of dust 
that trying to make out what was happening outside the windows 
took considerable concentration and creative imagination… 
which was particularly taxing considering the state of our bladders on such a rocky road! 
(My friend Deb said t
In fact, Alan had to sit in the front seat and also concentrate on not throwing up, 
since the 600 hairpin turns we’d traveled on Hawaii’s Heavenly Hana Highway
had been but scant practice 
for surviving this rollicking ride balancing on the edge of the steep gorge 
overlooking the Narayani River Basin 
through the foothills of the Himalayan and Annapurna Mountain Ranges, 
which are home to eight of the world’s fourteen highest peaks! 
However, this trip was not only memorable for the twists and turns
as we progressed at a blistering twelve miles an hour 
through unbelievable clouds of dust and dirt, 
it was also remarkable for a never-ending stream of gorgeous views 
that would have taken our breath away 
had we had any (which we didn’t, due to elevation and air pollution). 
Okay, so maybe it wasn’t the most dangerous road trip I’ve ever taken 
—although it possibly was! 
(Well, maybe my all-time scariest bus ride was in China back in 1995
And, it might not have been the dustiest ride I’ve ever been on 
…although I really can’t think of anything to compete! 
On the bright side, we had great air-conditioning, and we were definitely in the mountains much of the time (like, most of the time), which was cooler. 
Our driver was amazing, and although he drove as furiously as Jehu, he allowed emergency roadside stops once or twice (but what’s that between friends?). 
We were also granted two real stops during the 8.5 hours (but what’s that between friends with post-60-year-old bladders full of breakfast coffee?). 
Well, we all survived, and as far as I know, nobody threw up or wet their pants. 
It was also a ride I’ll bet nobody ever, ever forgets 
(unless they develop Alzheimer’s). 
Would I do it again? 
Yes, although with my eyes open and an entirely empty bladder. 
Would I recommend it for others? Absolutely!
Did I learn anything? Yes! 
And, if you’re willing, let me share a few of the meditations of my heart 
while we bounced along: 
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
“I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom 
concerning all things that are done under heaven: 
this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.” (Ecclesiastes 1:13)
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness
(The Prithivi Highway is going to be one of the world’s most beautiful
“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
“Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;
“
“also he hath set the world in their heart, 
“so that no man can find out the work that God maketh 
“from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:9-11).
Yesterday we had the privilege of participating in the dedication of our youngest grand daughter. I know many Christian traditions baptize infants, but we practice “believer’s” baptism instead, which means a person is baptized only after they make a personal commitment to Christ as their Lord and Savior. (The closest thing I can think of—although it’s actually different—is “confirmation” in churches that do practice infant baptism.) 
In many countries (not only through the centuries but still today), people are not considered true believers (or persecuted as such in hostile countries) until they are baptized, but that is not why we defer baptism. We believe that baptism (and communion) do not have saving value in themselves (“sacraments” which confer saving grace on a person). We believe people are saved by faith alone—their own faith, not their parents—and that baptism is an outward witness to an inner conversion experience that happened instantaneously when the person believed in Christ and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior.
However, we do strongly believe in committing ourselves to bringing up our children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (teaching them about God and his ways), and to this much-prayed-and-hoped-for end—that our children will believe in God and choose Christ for themselves—we dedicate our children to the Lord, committing ourselves as a spiritual community to praying for and participating in the love and training of our children. 
So, yesterday several babies were dedicated, and among them, not only our grand daughter, but our daughter-in-law’s sister’s baby too! What a very special day of solemnities and joy! 
Brianna comes from such a big family that we ended up celebrating in two homes afterward, so Elanor got her own cake. 
Being just six months old, she’d never had cake before but was bound and determined she wanted to try it…and…why not? 
It met with complete approval, and I hope and pray that as she learns more about the ineffable mysteries and goodness of God, she will be even more delighted and pleased!
Do you, like me, hate war? Are you looking for something to give you a little hope in the midst of the insanities we’re experiencing around the world? Today I want to join with everyone in our country in honoring those brave men and women who serve in our military, and because it’s Veterans Day, I also want to commend Out of the Depths as one book about war that will leave you with a sense of peace and hope instead of despair. As the author observes at one point, “A man can endure just about anything as long as he has hope. But take away his hope, and all that is left is despair and the relief of suicide.”
One last Veterans Day thought, and then I’ll quit. Like the majority of Americans, I have enough to eat every day and get to sleep in a warm, snug bed every night with a reasonable hope of not being attacked, and that’s a huge blessing… probably more security and freedom than 75% of the world enjoys. As Captain Eddie Rickenbacker said when reflecting on the 21 days he spent floating on a life raft in the Pacific Ocean during World War II: “The biggest lesson I learned from that experience was that if you have all the fresh water you want to drink and all the food you want to eat, you ought never to complain over anything.” I’ve had nothing to complain about my entire life. Thank you, brave military personnel. I pray for your safety, and for the safety of every godly person in this world, no matter where you live. May goodness and peace triumph over evil and greed.
Alan and I are at last home after an unforgettable trip to India and Nepal. 
We tried all sorts of interesting and unusual dishes that we’d never tasted before, 
including water buffalo (which tastes like tough beef)!
Goat was a common delicacy, and I do like goat meat, 
but my favorite surprise was Indian bananas.
They’re served green and spotted, and so Alan and I were slow to try them, but they’re actually perfectly ripe when they look like this, and they’re even sweeter than the South American bananas we’re used to here in America. 
So, once we discovered them, they became a staple part of our meals! (They were also very digestible, which was an issue for everyone on our trip.) 
Although I never really had fried bananas on this particular trip, I do love them, so I thought this Saturday, in honor of our trip to the tropics, I’d write about how to make this easy and delicious dish! (Besides, it’s a perfect way to use up bananas that are getting super ripe.)
Heat 2 teaspoons butter and 2 rounded teaspoons of brown sugar
Heat and stir until the sugar melts and starts to caramelize. 
Peel two ripe bananas. 
Slice them in half and add to the syrup. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Fry for one minute on medium heat, then flip them over and fry for one minute. The goal is to heat them through and glaze them, but if you actually cook them through, they’ll become too mushy, so be careful. 
They’re delicious right out of the frying pan, but they’re scrumpdelicious if you add a scoop of ice cream, spoon out the rest of the syrup on top, and crown them with whipping cream. The only difference between this and the famous “Bananas Foster” would be rum, but my theory is that no one needs rum! 🙂
Rise Up, My Love (259): Robes of White
Song of Solomon 8:2 What about our thoughts of Christ? I have been mulling over my impressions of Christ for the past several weeks, and right now I will pause and try to share a little with you. Today is December 27, 2001 (obviously, this post was originally written many years ago!), and I’m looking out at 28” of fresh snow. After a record-breakingly warm December with green grass and violets popping out, the Lord sent us every child’s Christmas wish…over two feet of wonderful, fluffy snow…starting on the eve of December 23 and continuing ever since.
That is what Christ has done for the world around me, but it so perfectly pictures what he has done within me also. The world of my soul, withered and brown from the failure of selfish sin, was strangely warmed and made alive again by the power of his resurrection love and salvation. But, my child-heart’s wish is now coming true…I’m being robed in the dazzling beauty of his snow-white righteousness. 
I remember as a young woman feeling like such a miserable failure. I was saved at twelve and loved the Lord intensely, eventually going off to a Bible college with the dream of becoming a pastor’s wife. However, I only found one “preacher boy” who interested me, and I was much too unconventional for him. After college I dreamed of serving Christ by becoming a Christian psychologist, so I married Alan, who’d been a friend since junior high days and seemed to be heading in the same direction. We happily began graduate school together, but then Alan promptly decided that he should go into medicine instead. 
When my dear husband started medical school and I began rearing our brood of children a couple of years later, I found myself feeling not only like an unclean and unworthy vessel, but like one that had become broken and cast aside. It was about that time that Psalm 68 became precious to me…almost a “life chapter” or something, and verse 13 just jumped out: “Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.” 
It was as if the Lord was promising that, even though I felt like a useless, broken pot, he would transform me into a messenger of peace who could fly on wings of gold and silver. How could that ever happen? How will the Lord ever use me? I thought maybe Alan would become a medical missionary, or a Christian psychiatrist, and that I could help him with his work, but Alan never felt called to the mission field, and he went into internal medicine and began a normal practice here in America. 
As the kids grew up and I saw what gems they were, I begin to think that perhaps the Lord intended for all of us to work together in some type of family ministry. Maybe. Our children are just beginning to blossom and choose careers, so it’s too early to know what the future may hold there. Still…little by little…year by year…one day at a time…with no more conscious thought than the earth gives to the changes going on within her…the Lord was working out his blessed will in me…carrying on that good work which he began so long ago. 
It is God—not the earth— who ordains the weather. Oh, of course weather is inextricably intertwined with the earth, but if we get twenty-eight inches of lake effect snow, it’s because God made Lake Michigan, and God sovereignly decided that a cold front would pass over beginning two days before Christmas. “Mother Nature” is really created and controlled by Father God, and all that we are or do is because God has so ordained it for us. 
And, it is also God who works out his sovereign will in us. Our job is simply to trust and obey the light he gives us, walking in the truth of God’s Word as illuminated by his Holy Spirit. It is God who changes us from a broken pot into a messenger of his love. It is God that makes us bright with the beauty of his snow-white robes of righteousness. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Thank you, Lord, for your work in me. It was not by paths I would have chosen or through ways I planned, but you are slowly sanctifying and spiritually beautifying me…which is more than all I ever knew to want! As the songwriter expresses our hearts for God: “You’re all I want; You’re all I’ve ever needed… Make me know You are near.”
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Posted in Bible Commentary, Commentary on the Song of Solomon, Encouragements for Living, Meditations on the Song of Solomon, Memoirs, Religious Issues, Rise Up My Love
Tagged How God beautifies us in his time, Meditation from Song of Solomon 8:2, Photos of winter scenes, Psalm 68:13, Reflections on God's sovereignty in my life, Tahquamenon Falls in winter