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!

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Friday Foto Friends...Amazing Transformation!

Here it is Friday again (but I am posting on Thursday night)...and sadly our dear friend Debbie from Breathing in Grace, who has been our "hostess with the mostest" for Friday Foto Friends for the past few years, has come to a point in her life where she really is not able to keep hosting this weekly gathering.  We totally understand, but will truly miss you, Debbie, and pray that God will continue to bless you with good health, peace, and joy in all that you do. Thank you for bringing us together...and now we hope someone else will step up to the plate and take this little weekly group on.  If you think you'd like to, please talk to Debbie (see link above)...and she can fill you in on the details.  I would offer to do it, but things are just to uncertain in my life right now...still trying to sell our house and possibly move...and I just don't feel like I can take on anything else right now.

That being said, I still love to post photos on Friday, because I find myself thinking about it during the week and saving some up to share with you on Friday. Sometimes I just can't wait and go ahead and share them earlier in the week, but "normally" I try to have something to share on Friday, and I look forward to seeing what everyone else has been up to all week as well. 

Here's a few of my pictures from the past few days:
 The hummingbird comes and goes to the feeder at my kitchen window all day long...

She sometimes sits still long enough for me to get a good picture:

We've been seeing the deer again in the evenings...these are just two of the usual 6-8 deer that are out there:

I got a new flag for my front porch this past week....I love the little chickadees and the pretty church bird house...

The Swallow Tailed Kites are still out there perching in the trees in the early mornings, and gliding around most of the day:

 Here are two of them in trees near each other.

This lizard was climbing up our window on the sun porch...he has his eye on the violets inside the window...

 The little green apples are growing bigger every day!!!


I apologize that I haven't been around much lately to visit you all, as you are probably aware that my brother passed away earlier this week after a long battle with leukemia.  Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts expressed on my last post regarding this. I do appreciate each and every one of you, and your sympathies and thoughtfulness mean more to me than you can imagine. 

On the morning of my brother's passing, I woke up to the phone ringing, with the call from my niece that he had passed during the night.  I kind of expected it, as I had awakened in the night around 4 a.m. and thought to myself that he was most likely already gone. My niece confirmed that he passed peacefully in his sleep around 3:00 a.m.  Even though I was very sad to see him go, I was relieved for his sake, as he truly was suffering, and he was ready to depart from this world.  I am so very thankful that I made that emergency trip up last weekend to see him one last time before he passed. We had such a good visit and he was so happy to have us there with him. God was so good to grant us that special time together. 

And so, on that morning after receiving the call, I took a little walk to the neighborhood pond just to spend a few moments alone with the Lord and feel close to Him and to my brother's spirit. I don't mean that in a weird way...please don't misunderstand me...but I just needed to feel that sense of God's Presence along with the comfort that my brother was truly with the Lord at that moment. There were no astounding revelations, but this is what I did see that made me smile:


This dragonfly doing handstands on the tip of a fishing rod...


I especially liked this because my brother loved fishing...

 Don't you love the way the sunlight is shining through these translucent wings?

This just really struck me as something special, but I didn't fully understand why, until I looked up more information about dragonflies and their significance.  Now please don't misunderstand this either...I am not a person who spiritualizes animals, etc., but it seems as though often when there has been a death in our family, God has given me a special gift of comfort through one of His creatures. 

Let me share with you one quote from an article that I read entitled 'What Does a Dragonfly Symbolize?"  I found this very interesting:

"When the dragonfly larvae, or nymphs as they are called, are ready, they shed their casing and the graceful adult insect emerges. As much as this represents change, it can also be taken as a symbol of death, when the soul leaves the body. Also that the soul, after leaving the body, resides in a different realm, can be likened to the fact that the life of the dragonfly is also spent in two "realms". While the larval stage of the insect that is spent underwater, can be likened to life on earth, the emerging of the adult insect that has wings and is airborne, can be compared to the soul that is free from the body."

Wow! I had no idea...but what a powerful symbol of the new state of my brother's "life"...as his soul left his earthly body, he is now set free from that body and at that moment was "airborne" and bound for heaven, and new life everlasting.

Also, a quote from this same article,

"In Native American legends, the dragonfly is a symbol of resurrection, and renewal after hardship. "

How marvelous! My brother had just gone through a horrible time in the past year...suffering greatly through many months of treatments, constant traveling back and forth to the clinic where he had to undergo chemo and other painful and difficult procedures, and definite hardship on his body and his life in general. And now, on this very morning, he was enjoying a definite resurrection and renewal...a new life...a resurrection from the painful, suffering dead body into life everlasting in heaven!

Jesus said to Martha after the death of her brother Lazarus (see John 11:1-44) in verse 25:

"I am the resurrection and the life.  
He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."

My brother was not what one would consider a deeply religious person, but he definitely believed in Christ as His Lord and Savior...I know, because I asked him.  I already knew it, but just wanted to confirm it...for his own sake as well as my own heart's comfort.  And he was looking forward to heaven, and the rest and peace that would bring.  And this little dragonfly standing on his head on the tip of the fishing rod was a sweet little extra confirmation to me.

Click here for another interesting article about the dragonfly, entitled "God's Dragonfly".  I didn't know there was so much symbolism and interesting information about dragonflies out there...and now when I see a dragonfly, I know I will think about my brother and rejoice that he is free from his earthly body of death, and rejoicing in the amazing transformation and beautiful new heavenly body, where no sickness or death or pain will ever corrupt again.  Praise God!

Have a blessed weekend my friends.  Go take some pictures of something special today! God may have things to tell you in those "pictures".

26 comments:

  1. Pam, as soon as I saw the dragonfly I remembered the significance. They it was on a fishing pole tells me that it really was a gift from God and your brother. Right place, right time... no coincidence. What a comforting confirmation for you. Hugs!!

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    1. Thank you, Terri. It was truly a gift...and I really didn't realize just how special a gift it was until I sat down last night to write and read that information about the dragonfly...and now I feel very blessed by the Lord that He sent that little messenger to me to comfort me even now. God is good.

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  2. I am sorry for your loss. God bless you.

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    1. Thank you, Karen. My loss is heaven's gain. So thankful that we have heaven to look forward to.

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  3. God's creation provides so many clues and comforts as to His great love for us. He knows we need reminders and symbols of His presence each and every day, and He, in His mercy, provides those for us at just the right time and place. There are many rooms in the mansion our Father has prepared for us, and I have no doubt that Russell is abiding in one that looks out upon a lake where he can fish to his heart's content. Know my prayers continue for you and your family, dear one. Grieving and celebration may seem paradoxical, yet they are one in the same.
    All my love to all!

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    1. Thank you, Martha. Yes, I agree with your last statement about grieving and celebration...I've been experiencing that over and over again as each beloved member of our family passes on...we grieve the loss of their presence here with us on earth, but we celebrate the joy that they are experiencing in heaven, and we look forward to that eternity of celebration for ourselves one day. Thank you for all your kind thoughts expressed above. I love the picture of Russell looking out upon a lake where he can fish...I think my son Matthew is probably right there beside him...They can swap fish stories. Thank you for this thought and vision today. BTW, when we were in GA. last weekend, we were in Woodstock, and I thought of you as I know where you live can't be too far north of that area, am I right? Anyway, I thought of you and wished I had time to "visit". But I sure didn't like fighting all that traffic...wow...how do people do it every day? God bless you and have blessed and wonderful weekend.

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  4. I am sorry to hear this news, Pamela. My condolences.

    The dragonfly story is amazing. Just amazing. Isn't God good...

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    1. Yes, God IS good, and He shows us His love in so many sweet ways...even when we aren't fully comprehending it at the moment. I had to let this little experience soak in for a few days before I got the full message...but it is a great comfort to me that God chose to bless me that way on that day. Thank you for your kind thoughts today. God bless you dear friend.

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  5. Never heard of the dragonfly story. I always loved watching them fly.

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    1. Aren't they amazing? Like little helicopters, but even better! Is this my friend Carolyn from way back when? Welcome to blogworld. Hope you are having a blessed and beautiful day.

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  6. Lovely photos. Dragonflies are very interesting. Your story made me write my own experience on my blog too. Glad you are posting and keeping us up to date. :) Hope your Friday is wonderful.

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    1. Oh good morning Ann...now I need to go read what you've written. I am sorry to be so far behind in my reading this week. I just haven't had the energy for it, but now I am feeling more like "visiting". Thank you for being there all the while. I hope your day is filled with joy and many blessings.

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  7. I believe God speaks to us in many different ways, He was assuring you with this dragonfly. He is always with us that believe and Trust in Him! Praying for you and your family.

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    1. Thank you, Sylvia. Yes, God does choose to bless us in so many special ways. I never cease to marvel at the kindness of our Lord...He know exactly what we need and when we need it. So very thankful. And thankful for friends like you...who understand and are there to comfort. I pray you have a blessed and wonderful day and weekend. Thank you for being a special friend.

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  8. I am sorry to hear this it. So sad. My condolences and I prayed for you and your family. “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize” (Hebrews 4:15). He was tested in every way as we are — including loss. Focus on Him. xxx

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    1. Amen, Aritha. Thank you. Yes, Christ has suffered much more than we can imagine, and He also feels our hurt and pain, and therefore He is able to comfort us, and I am so thankful for His special ways that He comforts us during times of grief and loss. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers today. That means a lot to me.

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  9. Pam: I had ever heard that about the dragonfly. I like the phrase,"Soul set free." You know where your brother is and, for that we all are thankful. Peace and blessings to you and yours.

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    1. Thank you, Cecelia. It has been very comforting to me the way God has blessed and comforted, even through a tiny little dragonfly!! Our Lord is so creative and tender-hearted toward us, His children.

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  10. Pam, Your post is beautiful and deeply meaningful. It hurts to watch those we love struggle with illness (or simply advanced age) and then pass away. Yet, when they are (and we are) in Christ the pain is lessened a bit knowing that it's not "good-bye" but "see you later".

    Thank you for sharing about the dragonfly. I seem to remember hearing/reading about that at some point.

    So thankful for the comfort I have in the Lord.

    Love and blessings!

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    1. Yes, we are truly blessed to know that this life is not our final home, and that God has a wonderful transformation waiting for us who are in Christ. And I love the fact that this is not "good-bye", but "see you later". That is extremely comforting. Thank you, Kim. You are a blessing to me.

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  11. That sight of the dragonfly doing a handstand on the fishing rod -- how special!!! That's not something we see every day so yes, I do believe that was a special little gift from our Lord to You to give you comfort about where Russell is right now.

    Amazing pictures of the hummingbird, too!

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    1. Thank you, Barbara. Our Lord is very creative and full of compassion...He knows exactly how to reach our hearts and give us the comfort we need. We are so blessed to be His children.

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  12. So interesting and amazing photos Pamela. I learn something new every day from you on nature and God's creatures. Thank you for sharing them with us. Have a day of blessings my friend.

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    1. Isn't it amazing that we can learn something new every day from God and His creation? Because every day is new...and God's Word is always new and fresh to our hearts, and He applies it as He shows us His marvelous ways. We are blessed to be His children.

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  13. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. But I rejoice with you that you will see him again one day! Isn't the Lord so good to use His creation to bring comfort during a difficult time? (Your pictures of the dragonfly are stunning!)

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    1. Thank you, Cindy. Yes, I also rejoice in the promise that I will see my brother and all those who have died in Christ again one day. What a joyous reunion that will be. And yes, I do love how God knows exactly the right way to bless our hearts at times of sorrow and loss. Thank you for visiting, and for your kind words. Have a blessed weekend and SONday tomorrow!

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