What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Friday, September 2, 2016

Friday Foto Friends: "I Will Send Hornets Before You..."

Hello Friends! Today is Friday Foto Friends day, and I'm a little late in getting on here. 
Hornet's Nest...story to follow

 Fridays are busy for me.  We leave early in the morning to go meet my brother-in-law about an hour + drive away to pick up my mother-in-law for the weekend.  She stays with us Friday-Monday, and then we do the same trip again.  My mother-in-law is 93 years old, and has dementia. Some days are good, but most days are not so good nowadays.  Our weekends are very challenging...but we are glad that we are able to help and are thankful that so far we are able to keep her with us at home.  Not sure how much longer that will last with the way the dementia is progressing here lately...so we take it one day at a time and thank the Lord for the strength He gives us to keep going.

Last night "Hurricane Hermine" passed through our state, and we heard it come roaring through around 3:00 a.m., with lots of rain and wind.  We weren't too sure what to expect when we woke up this morning, but thankfully there was NO significant damage around us.  A few trees down here and there, and lots of puddles, but we are far enough inland that we were pretty well protected from this particular storm.  Thank you, Lord!

So, this afternoon, in between the little "feeder-bands" of fast moving rain-showers that kept popping up when you'd least expect it, even when the sun was shining...I grabbed my camera and attempted to take a quick walk around our neighborhood....and just as I got far enough away to be too far to run back, it started raining again...so my walk-about was short lived and wet.

However, as the rain started to fall I was startled to notice this huge Hornet nest hanging from a tree nearby that I've never noticed before, even though I walk past that spot almost every day!

Yikes! I'm sure glad I didn't run right into this thing!!!!!! Here's a close up showing one of its inhabitants:

Amazing!!! Isn't God's creation always awesome? Even though this would be a rude awakening if I accidentally bumped into it...it is still an outstanding work of art, designed by our Master Designer Himself!

This got me to wondering if hornets are ever mentioned in the Bible.  In checking the references for hornets I was surprised to discover that there are three scripture references that talk about the hornet!  For your information they are: Exodus 23:28, Deuteronomy 7:20, and Joshua 24:12.  They all are speaking of the same event from different perspectives, and this time the hornet is actually being used as a tool of God to help the children of Israel to go in and possess the Promised Land.  I recommend that you read these chapters to get the whole story, but listen to this narrative from Deuteronomy 7 regarding God's great love for His chosen people:

Deuteronomy 7:8  
"But because the Lord loves you, 
and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, 
the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, 
and redeemed you from the house of bondage, 
from the land of Pharaoh king of Egypt...

And then read on down to verses 17-20, where they are told the following:

"If you should say in your heart, 
'These nations are greater than I; 
how can I dispossess them?'  
You shall not be afraid of them, 
but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: 
the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, 
the mighty hand and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out.  
So shall the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom who are afraid. 
Moreover the Lord your God will send the HORNET among them until those 
who are left, who hide themselves from you, are destroyed."


Wow!!! God actually used the hornet to drive out the Hivite, Canaanites, and the Hittites  as well as several other enemy groups of people from before the children of Israel (see Exodus 23:28, Joshua 23:11-12) so that they could enter in and possess the promised land!

Are there times in your life that you wonder if God is aware of your need or your fears?  Do you ever doubt that He could have any possible way to knock down your enemies and open the path before you so that you can move ahead in your life to victory?  I know I've often questioned how God could ever solve my problems and make a way out of what appeared to be no way.  And yet, here today, we see that God can use even a little hornet...a feisty and fierce insect, to drive away whole nations of enemies and "deliver their kings into your hand..." (Deuteronomy 7:24).  

Imagine that!!!  If God can do that, and He DID do that, then why should we doubt that He will take care of our needs???

Praise God for His marvelous ways He takes care of His children every day!!

Now, fly on over to see what my other friends are sharing today on Friday Foto Friends #43.    

10 comments:

  1. Whewie...you got closer to that nest than I would have!! Awesome pictures!

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    1. Yes, I am SO glad I saw IT before IT saw ME! I will be much more careful when passing that area again, I can assure you. Thank you for stopping by today. So glad we survived the big storm!

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  2. Oh, Ms. Pam, this is a wonderful post. Thank you for the scripture references about hornets....I had no idea they were mentioned in the Bible, either! (new wrinkle on my horn...LOL) I'm VERY glad you didn't bump into it, though...oh, my mercy, I can't even imagine...talk about "stirring up a hornet's nest". ;-) I'm glad you didn't get a lot of REALLY bad weather from Hurricane Hermine. We live in East Tennessee and actually had a windy day yesterday, possibly from the hurricane. I'm really sorry about your mother-in-law's dementia. My Mom was diagnosed with mild/moderate Alzheimer's and I'm seeing such a change in her thinking...it's so sad. Seems she gets something on her mind and it becomes an obsession. :( It breaks my heart and I can't get any help from my brother....but that's a whole new story. So glad your "MOM" is being well taken care of...but, please take care of yourself because it'll take a toll, as I know you are already aware. Thank you for being so faithful to link up with me....you're a precious Lady.

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    1. Thank you Debbie...for your kind thoughts and for making this Friday Foto Friends event happen each week! Yes, I've been known to stir up a "hornet's nest" about things before...but thankfully never in reality. So glad I saw IT before IT saw ME! Thank you regarding your words about care-giving. I will pray for you as you care for your mother. I have already been through this with my own mother, and her dementia was mild compared to my mother in law. I definitely know about the "obsessions"...she comes up with a new one almost daily. It truly wears on one's nerves after a while, and I pray for patience and wisdom as I try to care for her as I would want to be cared for. We are fortunate that we share this duty with my husband's brother/family, but it is taking toll on all of us. One day at a time, Sweet Jesus! He gives us strength as needed. Have a blessed Labor Day weekend, and enjoy some fall for me!

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  3. So glad God kept you safe from the storm and the Hornets. Great post about our Great God, he certainly can do all things for all things was made by Him!
    Have a blessed weekend!

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    1. I never knew this story about the hornets before this...amazing what God can do to take care of His children and prepare the way before them. Yes, He IS our Great God! THank you for your visit. I hope you and yours have a happy and blessed Labor Day weekend as well! I will be avoiding the Hornets' nest!

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  4. I have a corner of the eaves in the front of my house that persistent wasps build a nest but no hornets. That is quite a nest! I didn't know about hornets in the Bible. Thank you for the references. I'm so glad that you came through Hermine okay. I so understand about your mother-in-law and the challenge of her dementia. You do have to take it day by day at times. I estimate perhaps another year with Mom living with me and then I may have to make other arrangements. Have a blessed weekend, my friend.

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  5. Beautiful post and great photos!
    I stuff paper lunch bags with wax paper and hang them in areas where hornets and wasps like to make nests. They cannot tell that is isn't a competitive nest so they don't build where the bags are hanging! It is really effective.

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  6. Oh, good Lord. Just don't send them after me!

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  7. Pam, the photo you shared is amazing...too close for my comfort for sure! God's creation never ceases to amaze me.

    Blessings!

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