Saturday Review: So Much Joy!

Imagine my joy when I discovered these beautiful daffodils and other spring flowers, which were so colorfully displayed in our local grocery store this week...

They are only a week too late for Easter, and a couple of weeks too late for when I was desperately searching for daffodils to give to my sister for her birthday party...,

so I took these pictures and texted them to her so she could see I was thinking about her. I told her if I knew I would be able to see her in a few days I would buy some to give her, but she lives about 2 hours away and I don't see us meeting anytime soon enough...so the picture will have to do! (It's the thought that counts, right?) She appreciated the pictures.

They really were lovely, but I resisted buying them because they don't grow here in Florida and will just die in a few days.

And besides, my own flowers are starting to bloom again, thanks to some much needed rain this past week:

These are Easter Lilies in the Memorial Garden, planted over the past couple of years. They will be blooming soon:

And this Day Lily in the Memorial Garden has been blooming as well:

Also, I planted a "Beefsteak Tomato" plant in a big pot, and it is getting blossoms on it already, which means hopefully there will be tomatoes one of these days!  I've never been very good at vegetable growing, so if this works, I might keep trying!

My Amaryllis Christmas bulbs that I keep planting outside are blooming now as well:

With more on the way...

Oh, and this beautiful magnolia blossom is on the tree across the street, right in our plain view so we can enjoy it while it lasts:

So with all of this beauty blossoming around us, it's no wonder we are filled with JOY!

And then there's this:

And this...

And this:   Our sweet "granddaughter in law to be" is busily creating what she is calling little tiny "comfort pillows",  made from this wonderful fabric that has these Scripture verses printed on it in spaces so they can be cut into squares (or rectangles)...and originally probably intended for quilting, but she thought up this sweet idea of hand stitching these little pillows to sell along with her other lovely jewelry creations at our local flea markets...

Last evening our family gathered together for a cookout over at Benton and Rose's house, which is only about a mile from us. It was a perfect evening to be outside enjoying the nice breeze under the shade of the tall oak trees:

And Dawn just kept stitching away at her little pillows, hoping to get some ready for the flea market...

She took a break to join the rest of the family while we enjoyed a hot dog and bean and salad dinner in this lovely screened in porch:   What JOY to be together like this...

I told them that they need to get used to me taking candid photos...LOL.

Oh, did I tell you that the night before last our septic tank reached its capacity, ahem, ahem, and so we are having to be VERY careful about showers and you know what.  Thankfully it seems to have gradually gotten back down to a level where we can space out the use of the "facilities" in the house, but it was a welcome respite to spend the evening over at our kids' house so I didn't have to worry about cooking and clean up, etc. at our house.  They also have invited us to take showers there as needed.  The septic pumper people cannot come until Monday....so we are having an interesting weekend to say the least...My JOY is that we are not totally desperate at this point and we are managing very well, praise God.  (Sorry if that bit of information was TMI.  I just wanted you to know that sometimes things are not always what they seem...)

Anyway, back to last evening, after supper we used the dying embers of the charcoal to toast some marshmallows...

and make my favorite s'mores:  (Another JOY!)

Then we just enjoyed sitting (or standing) around the firepit for a while, visiting and enjoying a relaxing evening.  I love this.  Yes, this is JOY.

And then this morning, "the kids" set up a table at the local flea market to try and sell some jewelry primarily, as Dawn wasn't able to get enough little comfort pillows ready for today, but she will continue to work on them for next week...

They were able to sell a few pieces and had a good time meeting people. Next week's market should actually be a better situation all the way around for them.

Oh, and another JOY, a lady in our church heard that Dawn was creating jewelry, and she had a very nice "stash" of beads and jewelry making supplies and tools that she no longer was using, and donated all of it to Dawn!  Talk about JOY!  This young lady fairly danced with delight when she saw all of the beautiful beads and items in that wonderful gift! I love it when God's people are moved to do something special for others and don't hold back. This lady knows the true JOY of giving.

Oh, and here is what I actually decided to purchase from Dawn's Designs:  The bracelet has a little charm of a bunny looking at the stars and a tag that says "Beautiful" on it. The necklace has a gorgeous green stone that they found on their journey out to the southwest last year. I forget what it is called, but I just love the colors and also that it is a kind of souvenir from their trip:

And so with all of this JOY, I will close for tonight.

I would kindly ask that if you are a praying person, that you would continue to pray for this dear young couple, that God will lead them and show them the path that He has for them...

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, 

thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV

3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, 

which you do not know.’

Amen.

Thank you!!