Monday Monday, With an Unexpected Twist

Happy Monday of Thanksgiving Week! Let's pause for a moment from our "to-do lists" of cleaning house, baking pies, thawing turkeys, general preparations for the Thanksgiving feast and/or company coming or preparing to go somewhere else, and let's just enjoy some time enjoying God's gifts of beauty in His creation around us, okay?

This lovely golden butterfly was busily fluttering her wings as she flitted from flower to flower in the Butterfly Garden this afternoon.  Even though this picture is a bit blurred, it's because she was so busy enjoying the sips of nectar from the flowers that she barely could stay still long enough to rest her wings even for a moment. I thought to myself, I know just how you feel, Mrs. Gulf Fritillary!  Sometimes my wings are all a flutter too, as I rush from one thing to the next and don't take time to rest my "wings" for even a moment as well.

Oh there! That's better! She's taking her time and drinking in the sweet nectar that will sustain her in her flight around the garden and beyond...

This is exactly why I planted this little butterfly garden...so that we could enjoy seeing these most delicate of God's creatures drinking in the beauty of what He has provided...

The afternoon sunshine is warming her wings as she rests for a moment...

I'm so thankful that I took the time to venture outside with my camera at just this moment, aren't you?

Oh, and look! Mrs. Gulf Fritillary is not the only one enjoying the afternoon sunshine and sweet dessert from the flowers!  There's a Cloudless Sulphur butterfly taking a drink from the Cape Honeysuckle flower.

 Well, now I'm going to have to change what I was writing. I just got a phone call from the daughter in law of a dear friend of mine that I've known and loved for over 40 years, telling me that my friend passed away this morning. I've had to just stop what I was doing for a little while and let myself grieve over this news.  

Evelyn and Me in 2017.

I am posting these links below about my friend Evelyn Ward, so that I can have them all in one place for my own future reference.  If you click on each of these different links, you will begin to understand why I am feeling the way I do right now.  I am missing my dear friend, but I know she is in heaven, and she's there rejoicing at the feet of Jesus.  She's also seeing her dear husband Howard again, 

Evelyn and Howard at our son's wedding in 2017

along with other loved ones who have gone on before.  I know she hadn't been in good health for the past few years and she was ready to go "home", but Oh, I will miss her beautiful spirit here on earth. I cannot even begin to tell you, but if you read these posts, you will get an idea.

Click here for a previous post about my friend

And click HERE for another post

And this one is very special

And this video is especially special, because it shows my friend Evelyn playing the organ at our house, (our former home back in 2015)  and my mother in law Vivian is there singing along...and you can hear me singing in the background, and at the end of the video another mutual friend of ours joins in. Her name is Connie, and she passed away earlier this year.  Well, today those three ladies are all singing together in heaven's choir, I am certain. And if there are organs in heaven, Evelyn has already found one and is playing it. She loved music, and could play the organ, piano, guitar, and she could sing! 

Even though Evelyn was actually quite a few years older than me, she never looked it or acted it, and we became very good friends right from the moment we met...we were definitely what you'd call "Kindred Spirits".  God sent her to me when I needed such a friend so very much, and thankfully our friendship lasted all these years, even though we didn't see each other more than maybe once a year, but lately it's been a few years because of distance and health issues.  

Well, it's bedtime now, and I didn't really get to write about what I was planning for tonight, but God had other plans. 

This was last night's sunset on Still Waters Pond

I dedicate this song to my friend Evelyn Ward tonight:

Beyond the Sunset

Sung by Pat Boone

Beyond The Sunset

by Virgil Brock

Beyond the sunset,

O blissful morning,

When with our Saviour

Heav'n is begun.

Earth's toiling ended,

O glorious dawning;

Beyond the sunset

When day is done.

Beyond the sunset,

No clouds will gather,

No storms will threaten,

No fears annoy;

O day of gladness,

O day unending,

Beyond the sunset,

Eternal Joy.

Beyond the sunset,

A hand will guide me

To God, the Father,

Whom I adore;

His glorious presence,

His words of welcome,

Will be my portion

On that fair shore.

Beyond the sunset,

O glad reunion,

With our dear loved ones

Who've gone before;

In that fair homeland

We'll know no parting,

Beyond the sunset

For evermore!

My friend Evelyn loved Jesus and served Him in so many wonderful ways throughout her lifetime. I know she is hearing those "words of welcome" from Matthew 25:23

"His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; 

you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord."

I don't know what things she will be "ruler of" in heaven, but I'll bet there's music involved for sure!

Hug your friends and loved ones a little tighter this week at Thanksgiving if you are blessed to be with them.  Every day we have is a gift...use it wisely.

Now I wonder if maybe that fluttering winged butterfly was trying to tell me something this afternoon...

2 Corinthians 2:14 NASB

"14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place."

Good Night my friends.

Rest in Peace, my dear Evelyn.