Ireland, That Beautiful Isle

Ireland. That gorgeous emerald isle, where heather grows on the moors, the skies are gray, and history has been preserved in the quaint villages and cottages.

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   Of all places in the world, I love Ireland. What's there not to like? The country is beautiful, the history amazing, and the culture is fascinating. Someday, I'm going to visit Ireland.
  I have always loved most everything Irish~ perhaps because I am Irish. My own great grandfather was born in Ireland. I can't help but think how I like being Irish.:)
  Some of my favorite aspects of their culture is, for one, the music. The music of Ireland is, in my opinion, some of the most haunting and beautiful! The most common/popular instruments used in Irish music are the fiddle, bodhran, various flutes, and the bagpipes.

I also love to hear Gaelic spoken~ it's one of the most beautiful  sounding languages. I would love to learn to speak it someday, but it's a complicated task. :)

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So who was 'St. Patrick'? Contrary to common thought, he was not Irish. He was actually stolen from his native land of Britain, and made to be a slave in Ireland  as a young man. After 7 or so years of slavery, he escaped Ireland, and sailed his way back home. Long story short, he ended up going back to Ireland as a Christian Missionary, (not Catholic), living the rest of his life there spreading the gospel. God's hand was surly upon him, and he did many great things for God. We were just listening to a radio drama of his story, and it's really remarkable! The drama will be available for listening for a week or two, so I'm including the links here. I think it's important to know who St. Patrick really was, and why that day is celebrated every year.

St. Patrick: A Heart Afire Pt. 1 of 2

St. Patrick: A Heart Afire Pt. 2

What do you love about Ireland?

Inspiring Words

I've been coming upon quotes lately that strike me as very delicious // thought provoking. I think I'll be making a 'favorite quotes' book sometime soon, just as a fun project-keepsake. Anyhow, I wanted to share these with you, knowing you'd appreciate them as much as I do.  :)

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” ― William Wilberforce

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“Choices will continually be necessary and -- let us not forget -- possible. Obedience to God is always possible. It is a deadly error to fall into the notion that when feelings are extremely strong we can do nothing but act on them.”
― Elisabeth Elliot

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Pseudo faith always arranges a way out to serve in case God fails it. Real faith knows only one way and gladly allows itself to be stripped of any second way or makeshift substitutes. For true faith, it is either God or total collapse.” A.W. Tozer

"The thing you treasure will control your heart, and what controls your heart will control your words and behavior." Paul Tripp

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♥ "If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand." ♥
-Unknown

"Get close to GOD first before getting close to anyone else. GOD without a man is still GOD. But a man without GOD is...
NOTHING."

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The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing, but in our culture we apply for a curse and reject blessings. Something is wrong with this picture. ~Doug Phillips

“If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified.”

~Leonard Ravenhill

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 “God pity us that after years of writing, using mountains of paper and rivers of ink, exhausting flashy terminology about the biggest revival meetings in history, we are still faced with gross corruption in every nation, as well as with the most prayerless church age since Pentecost.” ~Leonard Ravenhill

Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 

Psalm 30:4-5

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Psalm 32:7

Do you have any favorite quotes? ~Dani :)

 

Ich Liebe Dich

Valentine's Day is a special occasion~ an especially special day to say "I Love You". Of course, every day is a day to love, but 'love day' is special. And I do so enjoy spending it close to those I adore~ thinking of the small things in life that we often take for granted, but that spread our road with posies, and make the sun shine. Never forget to thank God for all the blessing He has given us!!!

Roses to sweeten your way *Photo Source*

 Sweet baby hands, the sunshine of my life! *Photo Source*

The beautiful, simple hearts little brothers and sisters give to show their love

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Tea and cookies of course! *Photo Source*

Sunshine that warms the soul *Photo Source*

Goofy sisters...

And their beautiful faces~ Ich Liebe Dich!

True Love

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.....
1Corinthians 13:1-8 

~Danielle

Ramblings // Another Wonderful Photo Challenge

Ramblings~
How have the days gone for you? I certainly have no shortage of things to do, and things to be done! I've been excelling in those photography workshops I'm taking, and having way to much fun planning small photo shoots as part of my class projects. I'm so thankful to God for not only giving me a wonderful camera (a much loved dream of mine), but also the opportunity to learn to use it! All glory to His name......!!

Today I hope to do some cleaning in my room, give a writing lesson, have another photography session with my sisters, and start working on the living room. Walls need patching, floors need mopping, and all of it needs to be repainted. :) And I can't wait to read further in 'The Swiss Courier'. I'm quite fond of WWII Christian historical fiction!

Photography Challenge~
Lucia is hosting another super-fun photo challenge this month, and as always, I love linking up. Because February is the 'Love Month', the theme is 'Black and White Love'. The challenge is to capture love~ a mother and daughter hugging, two friends walking down a road hand in hand, etc. I wanted a photo that was unique, so after thinking about it for some time, this is what I came up with:

We had such fun! I absolutely love the way this one turned out! Head on over to Lucia, etc. to view the other link ups, and please join in the fun!!!





I Love Black and White~
Shooting in black and white is very fun! I can't say I like it more than shooting in color, but it comes pretty close!! I <3 b&w! Here's a few more photos I took that I adore~

Beautiful Sue~

Beautiful Jenna~ 

I decided to throw this one in too :)

Have a beautiful day lovelies! 

~Danielle

Beautiful Snow

Yesterday it was snowing big, beautiful, fluffy flakes, so I ran out to snap some photos. I didn't think many of them turned out, but when I downloaded them to my computer and started editing, I definitely have some favorites!! :) Enjoy!

I love this one!

I'm pleased with the bokeh! :)

I love those red berries~ merry and bright!

And this is one of my favorites!

~Winters' leftovers~

It could almost be the beach with white sand~ :)

<3 <3 <3

~Mossy wall~

So now that I'm starting to build up a collection of photos taken with my new camera, I think it's time I had a name for my photography~ signing my photos with my name is just fine, but maybe ya'll have some suggestions. :) I was considering 'Wandering Brooke Photography'.....

~Dani