The Secret Garden Chronicles: Waiting and Watching Updated for Lent 2026

Good Morning on this first Friday of Lent, 2026.  I haven't been out and about much this week due to all the previously discussed issues we were working through, so I don't have anything new to share today. Therefore, I decided to go back into the archives of previous years to see what I was writing about "Lent".  This particular post goes back to March 25, 2017, when we were still living in our home in the national forest and also where my "Secret Garden" orginated.  I hope you will enjoy this walk back to the Secret Garden with me..

Original Post 3/25/2017:

I bought this beautiful old antique bowl today at the local flea market....

with the idea of using it for a bird bath in the Secret Garden.  So, I've set it up here

And now I'm just sitting here waiting and watching to see if the birds will try it out.  They probably won't while I am sitting here...and where it is placed it can't be seen from the inside of the house...so I may have to rethink this plan.  It is so pretty...I do hope the birds will appreciate it!

Meanwhile, while sitting in the garden my attention was drawn to Lamentations 3:22-26, which speaks a bit about watching and waiting:

22.  "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed.

Because His compassions fail not.

23.  They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

24.  'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul,

'Therefore I hope in Him!'

25.  The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him.

26.  It is good that one should hope and wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord."

What are we waiting for?

We are waiting for God's mercies and compassions...

they are new every morning.

We hope in the Lord..

We wait for His goodness,

because He is good to those who wait for Him...

We wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord...

In verses 40-41, as we sit and wait on the Lord:

40.  "Let us search out and examine our ways,

and turn back to the Lord;

41.  Let us lift our hearts and hands 

to God in heaven."

If we already know the Lord, we have nothing to fear...but it is good to take time to examine our hearts and repent of any lack of trust, lack of faith, and lack of honesty before the Lord. Let Him cleanse our hearts anew and refresh our spirits so that we are able to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

This is a wonderful time...during the Lenten season leading up to Easter...to prepare our hearts for renewal and revival.

I noticed that one of our local churches is having a revival this week...and I wondered in my mind, "Do people still go to revivals?"  And if they do, who goes...the "sinners" or the "saints"?

It's been a long time since I attended a true revival, and it seemed as though only the "saints" were there...but guess what?  A lot of "saints" recognized that they were also "sinners", and there was a lot of soul searching and repenting going on.  So, I guess a revival is a good thing for both the saints and the sinners...we never know when a "lost sheep" will come home to Jesus and be saved...and perhaps there might be some sheep who truly needs to make things right with the Lord as well.

So I'm praying for this church and its revival services. May the Lord do a mighty work that overflows into our whole community, resulting in a true revival where hearts are changed and souls are saved.

While sitting there reflecting on the words of the prophet Jeremiah, the author of Lamentations, 

I couldn't help but start singing this favorite old hymn:

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

1 “Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

2 Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Refrain

Amen!

Oh How Great is the faithfulness of our Lord!!! Yes, we who know the Lord are truly blessed with all that we have ever needed...and beyond!  May we watch and wait for Him every day with hope and faith!  

Back to the Secret Garden....after waiting all that time to see if the birds would try out the new bird bath (note the pictures of the birds above...they were all watching and waiting for me to leave)...I decided to go back inside, but I moved the birdbath to a location where it could be observed from inside the house.

And then I came in the house and started writing this into the computer...and it wasn't long before my attention was brought back to the window...

And there was Mr. Catbird...taking a drink from the new bird bath.  I had put a smaller bowl of water inside the large one, which is also filled with water,  in case the birds were fearful of the deep bowl.  After he took a drink from this one, he then flew over to the other smaller birdbath that is in the garden:

And there he sat and took a bath...even though it sits a little cockeyed.  Then Mr. Cardinal also came and drank from this birdbath:

And so I decided to go back out and take out the smaller bowl from the new birdbath and lower the water level a little bit to see if they will try it out that way.

I'll keep watching and waiting!

Meanwhile...

May your day be filled with the joy and blessing of the Lord!!

For another post on this topic, click HERE

Back to the Present, 2/20/2026:

In case you are wondering whatever happened to that beautiful bowl, well, I rescued it from the Secret Garden before something bad happened to it. The birds never did take to it like I hoped they would, so it came back inside and now, at this house where we moved to from that particular house, it resides beside our bed on my hubby's nightstand:

It actually serves a good purpose for him in that he can roll up his extra smaller throw blankets and put them them there to grab during the night if needed. (no picture of that).   

And meanwhile, as we wait for the return of our Lord...let us not grow weary...

Isaiah 40:31 KJV

"31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; 

they shall mount up with wings as eagles; 

they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Amen.

Have a blessed day!

To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice- Updated for Lent 2026

This was originally written in 2010 in the midst of the Lenten season, and updated once again in March of 2019.  Thought it was worth updating again, as we begin this new season of Lent today, February 19, 2026, and I really didn't have anything new to write about right now, (except for a postscript at the end of this to bring you up to date on current events).
This post includes some pictures taken of the beauty of God's creation in our previous neighborhood, which always gave me moments to reflect on the Lord and His plans for my life, and what He is asking me to do for Him...So let's take a step back in time, but with a message that is still relevant and current for today as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the true meaning of Easter...

I Samuel 15:22  
"Has the Lord as great delight in 
burnt offerings and sacrifices, 
as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 
and to heed than the fat of rams."

(Our Sand Hill Crane Couple are still faithfully walking together-perhaps preparing a nest?)

 Participation in Lent has always been something for me that is a personal decision for each individual to decide.  If you normally do make a decision to participate in the idea of making some personal sacrifices during this season, how does it usually go for you?  Do  you find it difficult to maintain your convictions?  What happens in your mind if you "fall off the wagon" so to speak, and give in to the temptation to do whatever it was you said you wouldn't do?  Do you get back up and start all over again? Or do you just give up altogether and decide this just wasn't a good idea for you?

My approach to Lent is that it is not so much about making a "sacrifice", as it is about moving forward in the right direction, a new beginning; a clear resolve to obey rather than sacrifice.  Writing a daily journal is one way God has directed my steps during this season of Lent in the past.   It has been a way that  I believe God has directed me to obey Him and trust Him to open new windows of opportunity as a result.  Writing something new every day is a real challenge for me, but it is also an opportunity for me to stop and listen to what God is saying to my heart, and also what He wants me to share with you.  Trust me, it has been a real lesson in obedience and self-discipline!  

Reflection of the clouds on the water...
'The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
the Lord is over many waters
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty"
Psalm 29:3-4

So, how about you?  What new sacrifices or challenges are you dealing with?  Are you finding it difficult to stay on the course? From what source do you draw strength and energy to keep moving forward? 

Let me share with you my secret...this is what "works" for me.  Perhaps it will help you as well:

1. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!  (Philippians 4:4)
2. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5)
3. Be anxious for nothing, (Philippians 4:6a)
4. But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (Philippians 4:6b)
5. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."     (Philippians 4:7)
6. "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Is it easy to "rejoice always" and "be anxious for nothing"?  Absolutely NOT!  It is Christ alone Who gives me the strength and energy I need to accomplish whatever task I fear or dread.  Without Christ living in me, I am powerless.  In my own strength, I fail miserably. He is my Power Source.

The question for today is this: Are you plugged in to the true "Power Source"?  If not, would you like to be? All you have to do is ask! He's much closer than you think!

"Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,

give unto the Lord glory and strength.

Give unto the Lord the glory 

due to His name;

Worship the Lord in the

beauty of holiness."

Psalm 29:1-2

So back to the present, February 19, 2026...This week has had its blessings and challenges for sure. I have had to draw heavily on those resources of faith found in God's Word, in the book of Philippians especially, that were quoted above so many years ago! Interestingly, our current Ladies' Bible Study is in the book of Philippians, and it's as if God keeps reminding me of these words of faith and hope and peace over and over again. You'd think I'd know them totally by heart by now...but this is why a season of "Lent" is so valuable...I call it an "annual check up", to see how things are going with my heart and soul and spirit. And then to work on the areas that I notice need some "tweaking" and improvement.

Speaking of "annual check ups"...yesterday afternoon we finally had our quarterly physical check up with our doctor, to go over the lab tests and anything else that needed "improvement".  One thing right away that I learned is to be patient and accept what God knows is best for you.  I had mentioned in my previous post that our appointment was supposed to have been on Tuesday, but it was cancelled for some crazy reason unbeknownst to us. It was just as well, because they were going to put us with a P.A. instead of the "the real doctor" that we wanted to see, and so by changing the appointment to yesterday, we would get to see the "real doctor" instead.  Well, who walks into our room but the P.A.!  I said to him, "I thought we were going to see Dr.---, because we were going to go over the results of my husband's PET Scan, which we had previously discussed with him prior to the test..."   He apologized, but said that he actually was the one who had made the arrangements for the test with radiology and that he had been very much involved in the report, etc., and basically he felt that he was probably the best qualified to go over the results with us...but he would get the Doctor if that is what we wanted...but I humbled myself and kept quiet and let him go on.  As it turned out, by the time we were through with both of our exams and his explanation of our VERY EXCELLENT blood work, BTW, Praise God!, my hubby and I were both very impressed with this young man and his knowledge, and I literally apologized to him for my previous questioning of his "authority".  He was very gracious and kind, and I learned a good lesson.

Remember when I said in my previous post https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2026/02/just-quick-check-in-about-check-up.html, that God always works all things together for our good...here's the exact verse:

Romans 8:28 NKJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, 

to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Yep...that's the one...and Yes, it is still so very true. Sometimes we just have to humble ourselves and sacrifice our own selfish will and accept that God DOES know best.  Remember the old TV show, "Father Knows Best"? Yes, our Heavenly Father really does know best.

As I said above, our blood work was excellent for both of us, and the report on the Pet Scan was also excellent...two big answers to prayer!

On  another note...this "Valentine's Tree" was in the waiting room at our Doctor's Office!  Can't say that I've ever seen a pink Valentine's Tree before...

The other issue we were being challenged with this week was the loss of our use of our "plumbing".  Finally we had to go ahead and schedule the septic tank to be cleaned out...

Turns out that the pipe going from the house to the tank had shifted somehow underground, and was not properly aligned with the tank,  so "things" were getting clogged at the entry to the tank.  The septic tank fellow worked very hard to fix that, and our friends from church who had done so much work the day before on the other end of the situation came back and did some more work under the house to get the pipe better supported and angled for better "flow".  Finally after two days of having our plumbing disconnected, we were able to "flush" again and take showers and wash dishes and laundry, etc.  We are SO thankful that is fixed, and the septic tank man said we should be "good to go" for maybe 10 years before needing another "clean out".  I hope he's right. This was an expensive week, but we are thankful it's done.  

Okay, that's all for today. Speaking of laundry...I am way behind in that and other cleaning jobs, so if you need me, that's where I'll be.  

Be blessed my friends. God IS in control!!!

Just A Quick Check In About the Check Up

 Spring is in the air! Praise God for the promise of Spring!!

These beautiful camellias are at our church, and they are just so lovely right now!

And the Robins have been coming frequently to our bird bath...I don't know if they are coming or going as far as spring goes...they don't usually stay here very long...but hopefully they are just waiting here before they head back up north to usher in spring for those of you who are eagerly awaiting some warmer temperatures and no more snow!

Good Morning dear friends, and thank you to everyone who commented YESTERDAY about my hubby's birthday and also his appointment for a PET scan.  It was definitely a long day and probably not the way one wants to spend their birthday, but thankfully we had a good celebration the day before with family...and...we had a good celebration when we got the preliminary results of the test on the "MyChart" from the radiologist on the way home.  The biggest concern we had was the possibility of a metastasis of cancer cells from his previous bout with prostate cancer, due to some suspicious spots showing on a recent CT Scan.  However, the words that were written in all caps on this report that gave us great cause for celebration were: "NO EVIDENCE OF METASTATIC DISEASE".  As you can well imagine there was some "shouting hallelujah" in our car all the way home!  This morning we will meet with our Primary Care Physician to go over the results of this as well as the results of  both of our blood tests from last week, and hopefully there will be no other issues of great concern.

Meanwhile, how about some pictures of our resident "King Blackie",  who thinks he owns the place nowadays?  

Anyone want to play a game of chess?  I have a feeling Blackie would win...

This morning we have been having an issue with Blackie wanting to sit upon one of my antique needlepoint chairs...out of all the chairs in the house, these two chairs that belonged to my grandmother are off limits. I have been trying to remember to put something on the chairs so that he cannot get up on them, but I forgot and here he is...and he will NOT let me take him off of the chair under any circumstances...

So I finally cajolled him and tempted him with this feather wand and he came down and played with it for a little while...

And even daddy got in on the act and played with him for a while...on the couch, which, as you can see is being protected from his sharp little claws by a thick towel and other coverings...

But as soon as the game was over, look where he went...

I finally had to push him off the chair with my purse...

And he moved over to this other chair,  which is okay because I can always replace that seat cushion with another one at Walmart if necessary...

I'm wondering...do they have obedience classes for Cats and Cat Moms like they do for dogs?

LOL.  

Well, that's all I've got for this morning. Gotta get a move on since our Doctor appointment is at 8:30.

If there's anything else exciting I will let you know later.  

And yes, we did get a nice rain the other night...almost an inch...but our pond is SO dry that it just soaked it up like a sponge and there is still no real sign of water on top of the pond. It will take a LOT more rain to bring it back to where it was.  But spring is coming, and hopefully the rains will come with it.

 

Psalm 136:1-9

1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!

For His mercy endures forever.

3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!

For His mercy endures forever:

4 To Him who alone does great wonders,

For His mercy endures forever;

5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,

For His mercy endures forever;

6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,

For His mercy endures forever;

7 To Him who made great lights,

For His mercy endures forever—

8 The sun to rule by day,

For His mercy endures forever;

9 The moon and stars to rule by night,

For His mercy endures forever.

Amen!

P.S.  We just went for our 8:30 appointment at the doctor's office, only to find out that it had been "cancelled"...they say WE cancelled it...which is totally NOT true!  They couldn't work us in today, but that's okay, because the Doctor we wanted to see isn't there today anyway. So we now have an appointment tomorrow at 2:30 with the doctor we want to see...so perhaps all things are working together for our good after all.  (Romans 8:28).

One more thing...last week we were also given one of those special new "Labcorp ColoFIT Home collection Kits",  excuse the delicate subject matter. In the kit there is a piece of "biodegradable and flushable" "collection papers.  It says it will not harm septic systems. DO NOT BELIEVE IT!!  Ever since flushing this piece of paper we have had some major issues with our toilets and septic system. Someone is coming today to try and figure it out, after we have not been able to "snake it out".  We don't believe our septic system could be full as it hasn't been that long since it was emptied, and there are just the two of us living here.  Anyway, long story short...while everything else is "coming up roses", this particular situation is NOT...far from being anything like "roses". LOL.  Sorry if this was TMI.  Just another day in the life...I know some others have been going through some similar issues lately, and I have learned from others' experiences to just try to make the best of it and pretend we are "camping".  

Okay...hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. 

Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, 

with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 

7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Amen!

Happy Birthday to my Hubby

Well, today is the big day...Hubby turns 78 today...but we celebrated with the family yesterday...

It's a family tradition that you must have your picture taken blowing out your candles...

The cake was a peach/blueberry "dump cake"...what he wanted, and it was very good and moist!

Here's the family, thanks to Scott's technological skills of setting up the timer on my cell phone and then jumping back into the picture before it snaps!

I love our family...

Oh, the kids also got their Valentine's Cards...Here's Scott with his...

And here's sweet Rose and Benton, but I guess their cards aren't in the picture.

We had a delicious lunch of bbq chicken thighs, thanks to Scott's expertise in grilling, even in the high winds that rolled in for the afternoon. Thankfully we got the dinner cooked before the rains rolled in...YES! We did get some lovely rain and a real genuine thunderstorm!  I don't believe the pond is filled back up yet, but at least it's a start! (Thank you, Jesus!)  Anyway, back to the food! (Sorry about going down that little rabbit hole!)  We also had Rose's delicious potato salad, Bush's Country Baked Beans, Pam's deviled eggs, and Pam's tossed salad.

There's a story here...

I found this birthday card that said to " the King of my Heart!", and it reminded me of something we've had hiding away in a storage tote for many years...

These boxer shorts that say "To My King of Hearts"...

Well, here's the story.  Many years ago, about 37 to be exact, we were pastoring a church in Dayton, Ohio. Every Christmas our Sunday School class would have a party and we would do a "White Elephant Gift Exchange". Well, these boxer shorts kept getting passed around year after year, and it became quite the joke.  So when we were ready to move from that church to another, our class gave us these boxer shorts with that little message on it, and they were actually framed in a very nice frame to hang on the wall.  "A "Brief" Reminder from your friends in Dayton".  We actually did hang it on a wall in our bedroom for a while, but over the years and subsequent many moves, they got removed from the picture frame (I think I needed it for some other picture!), and they were relegated to a bottom drawer and finally into a storage tote of Valentine's Decorations.  Anyway, when I found that birthday card that said "To My King of Hearts", I knew it was time to resurrect the boxer shorts to go along with it.  It made for a good laugh and our kids were kind of like, "What??? Really??? You got those at church???" LOL.  Yes, we used to have a lot of fun with our church class parties. Who says being a Christian can't be fun???

I wanted to thank you all for your kind comments about the new chair for hubby's birthday present.  Some seemed to think it was a leather chair...well, no it isn't...it's a kind of polyester material that looks like leather, but even with all our combined family resources we couldn't have afforded a real leather chair.  However, this one is very comfortable and the price was right...and that's the one he wanted. We just weren't thinking about how the cat's claws might affect that material...but so far so good.  Oh, and yes, the old recliner did get picked up off the curb by someone and taken to its new home! Hopefully whoever got it will enjoy it for as long as it lasts! It was still functional...just getting a bit worn and probably could use some new padding in the seat.

So today we are going to be heading to Gainesville (about an hour away) for hubby to have a PET Scan. We are praying that it will rule out any serious issues...Prayers are always appreciated. It's going to be a long day.

Here are some verses from Psalm 62 that bring comfort for today:

"1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;

my salvation comes from Him.

2 Truly He is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

my hope comes from Him.

6 Truly He is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;

He is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, you people;

pour out your hearts to Him,

for God is our refuge."

Amen.

I will check back with you all later. Have a blessed and wonderful day! Hey! It's a holiday! President's Day! 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Good Morning, and Happy Valentine's Day from our house to yours!  Or should I say, from our cat to yours? LOL.

Are you doing anything special today?  I don't believe that we are doing anything out of the ordinary today. Yesterday was kind of busy, and tomorrow will also be busy...because hubby's birthday is on the 16th, which is Monday, but he has an important medical appointment that day, so no celebrations could be planned on his actual birthday.  Tomorrow the kids will be here after church and we will celebrate together.  

But back to yesterday, we actually went and picked up his birthday present and brought it home...yes, he got a new recliner finally. Back when I was going through the process of getting a new recliner, we knew that he really needed one too, but had to wait a while. The kids all chipped in with me to purchase this new chair for his birthday...

I just realized that he had the arm of the chair flipped up, but that's because there is a compartment under the padded arm and also a control for a massager! So he was trying that out.  I have a feeling I may be using his chair once in a while too!

Here's his old recliner, out on the curb for now, because we've discovered in this neighborhood that usually if you put anything that looks remotely decent out on the curb, it will disappear pretty quickly. But if it isn't gone by today, our son will come and take it to the dump on Monday.  It's still functional, just pretty worn from years of use.

Anyway, back to the new chair...we soon discovered that we probably made  a mistake in buying one with that kind of upholstery...because we forgot that we have a kitty that just LOVES to climb up into "Daddy's" lap every morning after his breakfast and sit there where he feels warm and cozy and safe...but his little claws can too easily tear or scratch that kind of material, and so now our beautiful new chair is covered up with all manner of covers to protect it.  I am going to look for some kind of slip cover when we go shopping again that will be more suitable and look better than this, but for now that's what we had to do.   Amazing how a little black furry "stray cat" can change your whole routine and way of doing things...  Thankfully now that the weather is warmer, he spends more time outside, (which he loves) but he also loves this morning routine and secretly so does someone else, evn though he won't admit it. LOL.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, 

it does not boast, it is not proud. 

5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8  Love never fails..."

Friday Foto Friends: Tavares Methodist Church--The Way I Remember It! With a Big UPDATE!

February 13, 2026: Good Morning Friends!  I am going to go back in time and update this post for a second time, because I have some wonderful news to add to this story!  Last night as I was reading on Facebook, I discovered a post about this church building that was really exciting to me!  I know many of you have already read the original post that was written first in 2011, and then updated in 2021, but rather than write a whole new post I wanted to add the newest information here so that I will have it for my own personal historical content and memories.  So please look for the new additions throughout this post, as they will fulfill some of the "desires of my heart" regarding this old church building...

(6/11/2021) I originally wrote this post back in 2011, when asked by an old school friend if I would write something for the new website at the church where I grew up.  So I will include that original post here, with a few additions or edits to bring it back to now.  However, please note that I wrote it originally with that dear old church family in my mind..."The Way I Remember It".

"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" Psalm 122:1

Original Post, 7/23/2011

The picture of Jesus and the Lambs I have included above represents to me one of my fondest memories of the old First Methodist Church building that I remember best.  Although this picture of a stained glass window is not one of the windows from that original building, it is the closest depiction of that window I have ever seen. When I found this little postcard it brought back such sweet memories of Sunday morning services as a child, gazing up into the serene face of Jesus as He cradled the lamb in His arms and carried it to a place of safety.  I can honestly say that this was the first impression of Jesus that I can remember...and it has often given me comfort.  As a matter of fact, it was this vision of Christ that came to my heart this past week as I wrote in a previous blog entitled, "My Father's Cane", which was written about my father, Bill Mursch, whom many of you will know and remember from his days as a former member of Tavares FUMC. As a matter of fact, we held his memorial service in your current beautiful sanctuary just a very short time ago.   http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-fathers-cane.html.  (in May of 2011)

If anyone has any good color photographs of those beautiful stained glass windows from the old original church, I would love to have a copy.  I know we all mourned the loss of those magnificent windows when the former "new church" was so tragically lost to fire several years ago. As I recall, the other window was of the "Ascension of Christ" up into the clouds... (see Acts 1: 9-11) and I often pondered over that vision so many times in my childhood and youth...wondering just what it would be like to be "caught up into the clouds" with Jesus someday...a day which could be closer than we think. 

Latest UPDATE 2/13/2026:

Here's the good news regarding this old church building and those magnificent stained glass windows that I remember from my childhood...this is a copy of the article I read on Facebook:

"Cheryl Ritchie

Spdoortens c770g9F14t1iMP:t b1em5gl1yham8 lr600i hlf3rm4u81ata3 ·

Exciting News from Tavares!

At 96 years young, our father Gene Smith has renovated a historic 1923 church – where he and some of us kids attended back in the 50’s and 60’s. Now his children have turned it into The Legacy at Church Hill Center, a beautiful new event venue! After two years of hands-on family renovation (with help from his five kids and grandkids), we’re blending timeless charm with modern vibes for weddings, gatherings, and more.

Highlights from the renovation: We transformed the Sunday school rooms into offices (the easy part!), fixed collapsed ceilings, shored up floors, rewired everything, upgraded plumbing/AC/roof, and restored those stunning stained-glass windows and heart-pine floors. It was a bigger project than expected, but Tavares city support made it happen!

“It’s more than a venue- It’s a family legacy,” says Dad. We’re thrilled to share it with the community!"

For details. www.thelegacytavares.com 

And here's the pictures of what they have done:

This is the outside of the old church building, with a fresh new look.  When the original Methodist Church decided to build a brand new church building on a different property,(1968), they sold this building to another church, who used it for many years, but they were a small congregation and really couldn't afford to maintain the old building as needed. So apparently they sold the building to the Smith family, who were members of the orginal congregation back in the 50's and 60's, when my family also attended there.

This is what I was so excited to see...they actually replaced the old original stained glass windows that had sadly been destroyed by fire in the other "new church building", and restored them to their original location here in this building.  

This one is "The Ascension of Jesus Christ"...Jesus being taken away in the clouds after His resurrection...

And here they are installing the one of Jesus, "The Good Shepherd", holding the lamb in His arms.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see that they were able  to replace those windows, and that they will still be a part of that lovely building.  

This is the 96 year old man who is responsible for having this restoration completed...Mr. Gene Smith. I remember him from my childhood.   Amazing man! Sure doesn't look like he's 96, does he?  I am thankful for his vision and generosity and commitment to restoring this beautiful old church building. And even though it's not going to be used as a church any longer, it will stand as a testimony to the faith of those who once belonged to this congregation and worshiped the Lord there for many many years, nurturing the souls of so many, including me, as a little child, who looked up into the face of Jesus in those magnificent stained glass windows and wanted to know more about who He was.

Now here's the rest of the original post, with pictures from my memories at that church building...

Rev. Ed Montfort - 1960

Steve Sperry in front of Chapel at MYF Camp -1965



I wonder if we truly realize the impression and impact such things as stained glass windows, peaceful sanctuaries, sacred hymns, an open Bible, a welcoming hug from a Sunday School teacher on an early Sunday morning, and a word spoken in truth and love from a dedicated Pastor may have on a young impressionable child. 

I still remember the pastors of my childhood and youth from the Tavares church...Pastor Ed Montfort, Rev. Dick Knight, and Pastor Randall Parsons.  They each played a significant part in my life...Pastor Montfort took me through confirmation and pronounced me a member of the church at the tender age of ten.  Rev. Knight encouraged our youth group and inspired us to reach out to our friends and invite them to MYF and to go to the MYF Camp in Leesburg. (of which I later became a summer youth counselor...my first "job"!)




Rev. Dick Knight - 1965  and
then below....at my sister Doris'
wedding on February 11, 1966-----





Our wedding, Aug. 16, 1969 (in the "new church building")- Rev. Randall Parsons on far right with
Organist Louise Caldwell on far left, and soloist, Carolyn Parsons (Campbell) next to her!

And then of course, Rev. Randall Parsons...came along in time to encourage me in my walk with Christ as a young woman preparing for marriage...and actually performed our wedding ceremony in the  "new church building" in 1969.


Thank you to Mrs. Bunny Rapalje for her faithful picture taking of almost every event of my life!!! Perhaps you will find yourself or one of your friends in some of these classic vintage pictures! 

VBS 1957

VBS - 1958

I have so many other memories...memories of Vacation Bible Schools...   and Sunday School classes and my efforts to earn my "perfect attendance" pins each year... My Sunday School teachers that I can remember were: Miss Marion Duncan, Mrs. Virginia Duncan, Mrs. Peggy Matthias...and I am sure there were a lot more. 

Sunday School 1957

Easter 1957

Easter Sundays with our funny little flowered hats, stiff petticoat dresses and new white patent leather shoes...

Easter Sunday 1958?



Children's Choir - 1958


And then there was the wonderful Children's Choir directed by Mrs. Venona Jones, a retired preacher's wife.

Church Christmas Party 1962, with Miss Tripp as our music teacher

Yes, these are just a few of my precious childhood memories from being a part of the First Methodist Church of Tavares.  There are so many other thoughts, images, and convictions that became a part of my spiritual make-up as a result of these early positive influences.  

You see, one cannot simply sum up early Christian teaching in just one blog.  My life was so impacted by the people, the music, the preaching, the teaching, the youth groups, the Sunday School classes, the Vacation Bible Schools...that I went on to become a preacher's wife myself!  So much of what I learned at Tavares Methodist Church became an integral part of my spiritual growth and development...and God took those seeds, planted and caused them to grow and blossom into mature Christianity...a way of life and a Christ-centered relationship that I have shared with so many others throughout the years...only God knows for certain what impact and how far reaching those early impressions have made on the lives of those with whom I have been privileged to know.

Thank you, Members of Tavares First Methodist Church, both old and new, for your part in the transformation of my life!  

May God continue to richly bless your church as it continues to follow in the footsteps of Jesus...the "Church at the Crossroads where the Cross Lights the Way..." (or something to that effect I recall was the theme when the church moved to its present location) 

P.S.:  I just found this little Sunday School pin in my very old jewelry box.  I am sure I must have had some others, and maybe even some for Perfect Attendance, but they are long gone.  But this one is a little treasure from my early days in Sunday School. So thankful for those memories:

I hope you enjoyed reading this again, with the current updates. My prayer is that the newly transformed "Legacy" building will be used to bring a lot of joy into many people's lives,  and that the same Spirit of God's abiding presence will still be present, bringing peace and joy into the hearts of those who come and participate in the joyous occasions that will be held in that place.  And who knows? Perhaps a new church family may actually develop and grow in that space once again...anything is possible with God.