Friday Foto Friends..."Little Is Much When God Is In It!"

I wonder how many of my other "Friday Foto Friends" get to Thursday night and wonder, "Now what am I going to post for Friday Foto Friends tomorrow?"  Sometimes I get over zealous and show all my pictures during the week, and then don't have anything special for Friday.  This week it has rained quite a bit and so I really haven't gotten out as much to go places and see things!  So I think I will just scan back through my last several pictures on the camera and see what is there worth sharing.  Maybe the Lord will help me put it all together....He usually does!  Isn't that the way life is?  When we think we don't have anything worth sharing or we feel like our best just isn't good enough...doesn't God always show us that He loves us just the way we are...and that "little is much when God is in it?"

Matthew 14:17 

"And they (the Disciples)  said to Him (Jesus), 'We have here only five loaves and two fish.'"

And what did Jesus do with those five loaves and two fish?

"And He took the five loaves and the two fish, 

and looking up to heaven,

He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; 

and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

So they all ate and were filled, 

and they took up twelve baskets full 

of the fragments that remained.

Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, 

besides women and children."

Matthew 14:19-21

Wow!!!

So, Lord, I thank You for the blessings you have showered upon us this week...both in rain and in substance. And I give You praise for your goodness and kindness...and ask that you will take

these little offerings of thanksgiving and multiply them to bring smiles and joy and blessing to all who join in this event today! May my offering be pleasing unto You, Lord. 

In Jesus' Name I pray.

Amen.

Okay, here are my photos from this past week. If you have already seen them on Facebook, just pretend you haven't already seen them and enjoy anyway and be blessed! 

Last Saturday morning we woke up to discover this very large Barred Owl on our back fence! If you've been a friend of mine for very long, you will understand why this owl is significant to me. 

Click HERE for a story about how Barred Owls played a huge part in "comforting me" during my time of grief following the death of my parents.   

And HERE is another similar story about that season of life with the owls...

Since moving from that home to the forest about 5 1/2 years ago, we never saw another Barred Owl after those earlier encounters that meant so much.  We could often hear them calling in the woods, but never until this past weekend have we ever seen one here. So this was a big blessing and joy to discover him sitting on our fence. Sorry the picture is kind of blurry, but it was early and still not much light outside. I keep hoping he will come back, but so far we have not seen him again.

Later that same day we went to visit my mother in law at the nursing home, and were joined there by some other family members from out of town. This picture below shows my MIL on the bottom right, and her cousin by marriage on the left. The four people standing are her niece, her two sons in the middle, and her nephew. This was a very special time as it is not often that the "cousins" can get together anymore...and now that my MIL is 94 years old, we don't know even if we will be able to get together like this again.  A few days later we found out that my MIL has an infection in her colon, and even though it is being treated by strong antibiotics and she seems to be responding well to treatment, at her age we just never know what the next day will bring.  So we count our blessings and make every moment count!

Another blessing arrived in the mail this week:

My blogging friend Cecelia Lester ("Following My King") has written a book:

Times of Trouble Bring Rays of Joy ~ 

Thoughts of God and His Word

It is a wonderful devotional/Bible Study guide...and I am enjoying reading through it. I will do a book review soon! 
(And you can order this book HERE from Amazon.com)

My little "Baby Elva" turned seven years old this week!

You may have already read more about this beautiful baby-doll HERE earlier this week, but I added the following postscript after most had already read it:

"My friend who created "Baby Elva" started making these dolls as a way to work through her grief over the death of her daughter, who was 8 months pregnant when she was killed by her husband. So my friend lost not only her daughter but her grandchild at the same time. She started making these babies and giving them to people as a way of bringing comfort to those who were grieving. She gave this gift to me when she first heard that our son Matthew was diagnosed with cancer. She knew that I would need something to hold and rock and love during that time, and she was right. I've never actually told that part of the story before, and I guess I should, because "Baby Elva" became a real comfort to me when we didn't know what was going to happen with Matthew. Plus, she became a sweet little "baby" to enjoy and she brightens our day. A lot of people, especially the men, don't quite understand it...but that's okay. "Baby Elva" has accomplished her mission with us...she makes us smile...and sometimes cry. But tears are cleansing... Interestingly, our "Baby Elva" arrived at our home on July 31. I didn't know it at the time, but that is also my friend's daughter's birthday. So now, when Elva's "birthday" comes around, I remember to pray for my friend who is still grieving over the loss of her beautiful daughter and grandchild. So now you know the "back story" behind Baby Elva."

Today, since it was a rainy afternoon, I got busy and did some baking. I had two overripe bananas sitting on the counter...not quite enough to make my recipe for Banana Nut Bread, so I made some banana muffins instead...and then I also had some blueberries in the fridge that needed to get used before they got overripe, so I baked "Aunt Audrey's Blueberry Cake"
Click HERE for another time I did almost the exact same thing: http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2012/06/things-to-do-on-rainy-day.html

My younger son was home and said he wished there was an "app" on his phone to capture the aroma of fresh baked goodies so he could smell it again later...it smelled so good in the house! LOL!

And last but not least, I now know where we got the idea of using"cones" for Ice-Cream Cones. 

I noticed this cute little squirrel up in the tree enjoying his "ice-cream PINE CONE"...just like it was a real sweet treat! He didn't even try to scamper away as I stood there watching him and taking his picture many times.  He was so engrossed in eating that pine cone you would think he was hurrying to eat it before it melted...like we do with our ice-cream cones!

(To my friend Martha Jane Orlando who writes the "Adventures in the Glade Series"... Here's a good prototype for "Racer"...who loves to eat a LOT!  Ha ha)...and yes...I still have two more book reviews to write about her last two books...coming soon! 

Do you know this song?  If so, sing along with me (and David Phelps from The Gaither Vocal Band):

"Little Is Much When God Is In It" 

by Kittie L. Suffield

In the harvest field now ripened

There’s a work for all to do;

Hark! the voice of God is calling

To the harvest calling you.

Refrain:

Little is much when God is in it!

Labor not for wealth or fame.

There’s a crown—and you can win it,

If you go in Jesus’ name.

In the mad rush of the broad way,

In the hurry and the strife,

Tell of Jesus’ love and mercy,

Give to them the Word of Life.

Refrain

Does the place you’re called to labor

Seem too small and little known?

It is great if God is in it,

And He’ll not forget His own.

Refrain

Are you laid aside from service,

Body worn from toil and care?

You can still be in the battle,

In the sacred place of prayer.

Refrain

When the conflict here is ended

And our race on earth is run,

He will say, if we are faithful,

Welcome home, My child—well done!

Refrain

Little is much when God is in it!

Labor not for wealth or fame.

There’s a crown—and you can win it,

If you go in Jesus’ name.

Thank You, Lord...for putting this "Little bit" together...In Jesus' Name!  May it be a blessing to many.  Amen.  

Now, my friends, please skip over to Bev's place at "Breathing in Grace" and see what our Friday Foto Friends are sharing...and be blessed!!!