Sunday Thoughts

 Today is the first Sunday of November! We didn't make it to church today, due to both still feeling a bit under the weather...coughing especially, (and I don't think anyone wants to hear us coughing in church. I know it always makes me cringe when I hear people coughing in such a close area), and we didn't sleep very well last night either.   Time change always effects me negatively, no matter which way you turn the clocks! It takes about a week to get back into the rhythm of things again.  But we actually woke up early,(according to the time change) had our morning devotions and coffee/tea, and breakfast...(hubby wanted a good breakfast today), so we had sausage links and French Toast. I had purchased a loaf of uncut Italian Bread at Walmart for $1.00...they've been doing that lately, and it's fresh baked from the bakery, and so good...so I cut thick pieces of that and made French Toast.  I don't usually like sweet stuff in the morning, but I must say that was good.  I should've taken a picture!  But then we went back to bed and slept for another hour or so. Oh, I also put a half ham in the oven to cook, so it baked while we slept.  It smelled so good.  When we got up it was getting close to lunch time already.  When the ham was done I cut off pieces of nice hot ham and made hot ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch. That was really good too. Benton and Rose stopped by briefly after church to bring us some milk (I had texted Rose when they got out of church and asked if they would mind doing that...the Dollar General is about a block from our house). I let her cut off a big chunk of the ham to take home with them for their lunch.  If we hadn't have been sick we would've had the kids here for lunch after church, but since that wasn't really reasonable, (thankfully they haven't been sick even after spending all that time with us in the mountains, etc., and we don't want them to catch this bug) it was just better to let them take some ham home for themselves.

So, that's how our morning went!  

We could've watched the church sermon on YouTube, (see below) but didn't get around to it yet. However I did watch the choir singing, "In Christ Alone". You will notice that I'm not in the choir, because they record these songs at choir practice during the week, and I wasn't there.  I hope to make it this week, even though this cold has affected my voice and I really still can't sing, but we are practicing for our Christmas Cantata now and I need to at least hear it and learn it even if I can't sing.

Here are the lyrics to the song, if you'd like to sing along:

"In Christ alone, my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My Comforter, my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

'Til on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand"

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Traditional / Keith Getty / Stuart Townend

In Christ Alone (My Hope Is Found) lyrics © Thankyou Music Ltd., Thankyou Music, Thank You Music Ltd.

This afternoon I went outside and sat in the swing in the Secret/Memorial Garden. It was so pleasant, and it felt good to get outside for a while.  Here's a few pictures while I was sitting in my little outdoor "sanctuary":

I enjoyed a cup of Pumpkin Spice tea while I sat there listening to the birds and soaking in the fresh air and warmth of the sun.

Oh! My Memorial Rose bush has another bud on it! I sure hope it makes it to full opening this time and not fall off like it did last time! You can read more about THAT disappointment HERE.

I will be sure to go check it tomorrow morning, and pray that it is ready to open and enjoy.

I later took a little walkabout the yard just as the sun was setting...look how bright red these holly berries are!  I hope the Cedar Waxwings and Robins will come and enjoy them again like they did a few years ago...

Here's some pretty little wildflowers beside Still Waters Pond:

I was happy to see that my Firespike bush is finally blooming:

I've also been noticing that Phragmites are blooming all around the pond:

Can you see them out there on the island...and notice the sunset in the background!  That's the only photo I got of it tonight, as it kind of fizzled out right after that:

Oh, and these sweet little wild Sky Blue Aster flowers are blooming in our yard too.  I love them...and I understand that the blue aster is the flower for my birthmonth, September.  It may be a little late, but it's nice that it showed up here in my yard!

While I was out wandering around, I went over next door to the new house and checked out its new skirting:

It's looking good!  They still have some more land cleaning up to do, but they are close to putting a for sale sign in the yard to hopefully attract a GOOD NEIGHBOR for us!  Please keep praying!!

A couple more things before we go for the night...if you remember from my last post HERE I posted a picture of this calendar that showed the girl holding a "naked turkey", and I said I didn't think I could stand to look at that all month long...well, I found a solution. I had some stickers with different kinds of teapots on them (a gift from a blogging friend!), and I found one that would cover the naked turkey just fine: 

It may look a bit too big and out of proportion for the girl holding it, but it still looks much better than that naked turkey with its head cut off! LOL.

Oh, look who showed up in the yard yesterday afternoon?...Yes, that's Blackie the neighborhood Cat, who hasn't been hanging around our house much lately, but there he was, hiding behind that little plant, trying to stay out of the sight of the Sand Hill Crane Family.  They weren't fooled...all three of them were in the yard, and they kept a wary eye on Blackie, until he kind of slinked away and got out of harm's way without incident.  

One more thing, I mentioned that the wedding we attended last weekend was serving a Vegan Menu for their reception dinner...the dinner we missed because it started raining and we had to leave early, etc., https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2024/10/vacation-part-two-visiting-friends-and.html (click on that link for the whole story), but here is a copy of the menu . As you can see, it was very interesting and quite detailed, even with codes to explain what categories each item fell into.  I was sorry that I didn't get to taste any of this dinner, but I heard that it was very good.

And so, I think I will close on that note, but here are some pictures of our sunset from last night, which was very beautiful:

(first verse to "In Christ Alone")

"In Christ alone, my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My Comforter, my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand"

(verses 2-3 of "In Christ Alone")

In Christ alone, who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

'Til on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

(last verse of "In Christ Alone")

"No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand"

Amen.