Friday Foto Friends-Joyful Trees and Other Beauties

"Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.

Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.

For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.

He shall judge the world with righteousness,

And the peoples with His truth."

Psalm 96:12-13

We took a ride this past week to a little town on the other side of the St. John's River, to visit some dear people at a church where my husband used to be the pastor. They had invited him to come and speak at a "Seniors Luncheon" ...JOY...Just-Older-Youth, they call themselves, and afterwards we enjoyed a marvelous pot-luck luncheon.  I'd say we were definitely in luck with that luncheon...such great cooks they have at that church! It was a wonderful time of singing, preaching, and eating.  The pictures above were taken as we drove around that little community,..the town is known for its fern business, supplying ferns to the florists of the nation.  The top pictures are of a natural hammock of oak trees with the ferns growing underneath their shade. So beautiful, don't you think?

The picture below is of the church parsonage next door, where the pastor lives. That is where we lived when we served at that church almost 20 years ago! (Time sure flies!) We weren't there for very long, but yet we made such long lasting friendships there...some very special people. So thankful for the privilege of serving the Lord there.

"Oh sing to the Lord a new song!

Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Sing to the Lord, bless His name;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day."

Psalm 96:1-2

This little mockingbird likes to perch on the tree right outside our bathroom window. I love the expression on his face as he is looking in at me looking out at him! 

I wonder what he is thinking? Maybe I should ask you to caption this...

And speaking of looking out the windows, this is what I saw this morning (Thursday) when I looked out our front windows to our front yard:

What a wonderful way to start the day!!

In this picture below the deer had all run over to the far side of the yard as a truck drove by on the road. They were ready to leap into the woods and hide if that truck had gotten any closer...

After the truck passed by, the leader of the herd went to the road to check both ways before they decided to move on down the road themselves... (I love that one little deer who always seems to know I'm watching them)

And there they go!

Back to the back yard fence we go...I came home today from a ladies' luncheon (forgot to take pictures!)  and found these "new friends" sitting on the fence posts...Our neighbor loves to tease us with these things he finds at yard sales and he wants to share them with us so he leaves them on the fence posts for us to enjoy.  I think I need to tell him that we are trying to downsize and get rid of things, but I don't want to hurt his feelings. He is a dear soul and this is his way of having fun...so we are playing along and having fun with this...

 "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!

Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His presence with Thanksgiving;

Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."

Psalm 95:1-2

I hope that each of you will have a marvelous Thanksgiving...hard to believe that is next week already! I know it will be a busy week for all, so we will catch up with each other as we are able.  The important thing is BE Thankful in all things!! We are a very blessed people. Please Pray for the people in California who have lost their homes, and also for those in Mexico Beach, FL and Panama City, FL, who are all suffering the loss of their homes and many also who have lost loved ones. May God be merciful to them and send the help that they need. Amen.

Now let us venture over to Deb's place at Breathing in Grace and visit our other Friday Foto Friends.