Happy November!

Well, it's November, folks!  We made it this far in 2020, and if we can survive this week we just might make it to the end of 2020!  Praying and trusting that God will be with us this week as we cast our ballots (most of us already have) and as we wait on the results and pray for God's will to be done. That is my prayer. Regardless of what people may think, God is still in control and we will trust Him to do what is best for all concerned. But that still doesn't mean that you shouldn't vote. Do your part, but most of all, pray and seek God's wisdom first.

Okay, that is all I will say about that for now. I may have a lot more to say after tomorrow.

I see Thanksgiving on the calendar...and I have no clue just what we are going to do yet. Haven't talked recently to my relatives who are close enough to come and share Thanksgiving with us as they usually do, to see what they are thinking and what they feel "comfortable enough" to do. What are you folks doing this year? 

Here's the picture from my John Sloane Country Seasons Calendar for November. Today I really could have used that firewood to build a fire...it got pretty chilly here in Florida...in the 50's this morning and currently this evening it is 56, and it has been quite windy all day. At least it was sunny, so that was nice. I know many of you are much colder where you are, so I'm not complaining. But this is Florida, after all!  (And it is expected to go down into the 40's tonight!)

And here's the picture from my Tea Times calendar for November:

Cute tea set with the fox hunters on the hunt.  Poor widdle foxy.

I think I'd rather do as C.S. Lewis says here:

Yes, on a chilly fall day, put a fire in the fireplace (ours is electric) and sit down with a cup of tea and a good book and just relax and enjoy!!

My cup may not have been that fancy fox hunting group on the English countryside, but it is an "Olde English Countryside" design...

This cup is very old and has cracks in it, but I love the pictures on it.

See? I told you it was an "Olde English Countryside"!

So, what have you been doing today? We spent the morning at Walmart buying groceries. That was our walk for today as it was just too cold and windy this morning to walk outside. Then I went to our church Ladies' Bible Study this afternoon...still studying Joshua, and the discussion today was from Joshua 5, and also Leviticus 26:40-42,  talking about "circumcision of the heart".  God says of the Hebrew people, that if they will "confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors...their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward Me...then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land." (Leviticus 26:40-42)  In essence, when we turn back from our sinful ways toward God, He will forgive us and remember His promises toward us...

I believe our nation is in need of this kind of humbling and repentance and then forgiveness and healing from God.  Tonight, on the eve of this very important election, we really need to pray for our country to turn back to God so that He will heal our land.

In the meantime, how about some pictures from my weekend?

We took a nice little ride back down to the area where we used to live and stopped in at the boat ramp onto Big Lake Kerr...a lovely place where I've taken many beautiful pictures in the past.  I noticed these pretty yellow flowers along the shore and when I went to take a picture of the flowers I realized there were these very different looking butterflies flitting all around them.  Not sure that I've ever seen this particular butterfly before, but I looked it up and it is a "White Peacock"

This one below looks a little battle scarred:

But they both were enjoying their dinner of nectar from these lovely flowers. They didn't seem to notice me at all!

Then I turned my sights to the gorgeous smooth waters of Big Lake Kerr, and the perfectly clear blue skies above:

This lake has a very nice white sandy bottom, making it a nice place for swimming and boating.

It was a perfect morning!

Then we came home to our own Still Waters Pond and I noticed this very unusual bird swaying in the weeds along the shore.  It is an American Bittern, and this was my first sighting of this particular bird. 

I noticed that he seemed to be swaying in the weeds, and then I read in my Audubon bird guide that "when an observer is nearby, he will often stretch its neck up, point his bill skyward, and sway slowly from side to side, as if imitating waving reeds."  And that is exactly what he did for a very long time.

I was able to watch him from a distance for quite a while, and then decided I'd best go away so he could get back to his fishing and stop the swaying...

Not long after this he moved on to different parts of the pond, but I felt honored to be able to watch him for so long. I believe our Still Waters Pond would be a perfect habitat for him! Maybe he'll be back!

Interestingly enough, we read the 23rd Psalm in our morning devotions today. Perhaps it is good to review this Psalm again as we prepare our hearts for the upcoming events this week:

"The Lord is my Shepherd; 

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and You staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; 

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

May the Lord give us peace of mind and soul no matter what.

Have a blessed week my friends.