Thursday Thankfulness and Friday Foto Friends

 This will be the Friday Foto Friends post unless tomorrow brings us more photos to share! But for today, I will share what I have and also share some thankfulness with you along the way.

Today was a special day! My cousin Becky and her hubby Pat came to visit us all the way from Ohio, although they came by way of Punta Gorda, Florida, where they had been vacationing for a little while with family. They were actually on their way back home to Ohio, but still have some other stops to make on the way home to see their son and his family and be with some of their grandchildren for a few days.  So we were happy to be on the way to where they are going next!  

Since  they were just passing through, we decided to go out to lunch at one of our favorite places, "Corky Bells on the St. John's River".  

Becky is the cousin that I grew up with. We lived about 10 miles apart and were together for all family holidays, birthdays, and also to play with our Barbie Dolls, Monopoly, other games, and any other mischief that we could think up when we got together. We also used to put on a Thanksgiving play every year to entertain the folks, complete with pilgrims and singing Thanksgiving hymns, and taking up a collection! LOL.  We were very creative when we got together.

I felt honored and blessed that they managed to pass by our way on their way back home. It's always good to get together with family and remember the good old days.

Becky and Pat

Hubby and me:

As you can tell, it was a bright and sunny and warm day! Spring has sprung here in our neck of the woods! It was truly a beautiful day and we are very thankful to have had this time together.

Those clouds actually had a good bit of smoke in them. I figured there was a controlled burn going on over in the forest area, and I found out later that I was right.

Thankfully the breeze was blowing it away from us  and we weren't adversely affected by any smoke, since we sat outside to eat our dinner on the deck.  

Switching gears a bit...earlier this morning before our company arrived, hubby and I went for an early morning walk.  As we were passing by this old dead tree trunk, I suddenly realized that there was a monster on the loose!  Do you see his eye and legs?

Well, how about his smiley face???

I had noticed this particular tree trunk once before, but never got around to sharing it with you until I saw his "personality" shining through today. LOL.

I was mostly struck by the interesting texture and twisting of his trunk...Very unique, don't you agree?

Ach! Here's another one!  A very large walking stick with many extra legs! LOL.

You just never know what you will find out in the woods! Always be prepared with a good camera, and bring a good imagination with you to enjoy it to the fullest.

Back home at Still Waters Pond the Blue Bird couple were in deep conversation and consideration of the matter of building a nest in this house.  I think they may actually be starting to move in some furniture and are getting ready to set up housekeeping...

I saw them both going in and out of the house several times, although I didn't get a picture, but it looks like they are getting more serious about this nesting business.

Perhaps Mrs.Bluebird must've left to go get some more nesting materials and left Mr. Bluebird to guard the house.

I did see him chase away a Chickadee, so that tells me that things are getting more serious.

This is a Sparrow in the tree.  Sparrows aren't exactly the most beautiful of all the birds, but they are the ones that Jesus talked about in the Bible, so they must be pretty special, therefore I thought we should give this one some love and take his picture! He is rather handsome, don't you think?

Here are some words of wisdom from God's Word, The Bible, about Sparrows and the Birds and whether or not we should fear or worry in life...

Matthew 10:29-31

"29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? 

And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 

31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

Matthew 6:25-27

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. 

Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 

27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

Matthew 6:31-34

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 

32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I am very thankful for these messages to us from Jesus. They bring great comfort in times of turmoil and conflict.  They are certainly worth remembering and storing away in our hearts so we will be able to recall them in the days of trouble.

I guess that's all for tonight. Perhaps tomorrow will bring something else to share, so let's just wait and see what develops.  

Until then, please enjoy this little bouquet of wildflowers that I picked for you today!  

They came directly from God's Garden, which takes me right back up to those Scripture passages I was sharing earlier...I've kind of mixed them up and haven't shared them exactly in order, so here's a section that was left out above:

Matthew 6:28-30

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Some wonderful food for thought as we head to bed for the night.  

Good night everyone! May the Lord bless you with His peace and comfort. Amen.