Wednesday Treasures From Still Waters Pond and Beyond...

 Just a little bit of this and that and some floral beauty while it lasts...

The other day I went to the Ladies' Bible Study, which is held at our church parsonage.  The parsonage is currently not being used by our Pastor as he and his wife already have their own home. So our women's groups from the church use it for Bible Studies and other small group gatherings.  

When I arrived I couldn't help but notice these beautiful camellias blooming in the garden. They needed to be noticed and appreciated before they totally drop to the ground.  Some of these are already getting pretty wilted, but they still have a rich beauty even as they begin to fade.

There were still some buds waiting to open as well...still holding their fresh loveliness tightly until it is their time to blossom...

I'm so glad I took a few minutes to capture their beauty.  It would be a shame for them to die before ever being noticed...

However, they are doing exactly what they were designed to do...they are "blooming where they are planted"...

This made me think of an old southern gospel song "Where the Roses Never Fade"    You may want to sing along...

Where the Roses Never Fade

I am going to a city,
Where the streets with gold are laid;
Where the tree of life is blooming
And the roses never fade.

Here they bloom but for a season
Soon their beauty is decayed.
I am going to a city,
Where the roses never fade.

In this world we have our troubles,
Satan snares we must evade.
We'll be free from all temptations;
Where the roses never fade.

Loved ones gone to be with Jesus,
In their robes of white arrayed;
Now are waiting for my coming,
Where the roses never fade.

Here they bloom but for a season
Soon their beauty is decayed.
I am going to a city,
Where the roses never fade.

I hope you enjoyed that old song and the beautiful flowers blooming here for a season.  I know that I am truly looking forward to the day that I will be going to that city, "where the roses never fade".  

Which reminds me, I wanted to thank you all for your kind words on my last post here...  Yesterday (February 25th) was a difficult day for me in some ways, but writing about our son and sharing him with you and you responding with love and kindness really helped.  Thank you for being such special friends.  

One thing I did yesterday was take a little walk down my little path through the woods to Still Waters Pond so I could go check on the Sand Hill Crane nest.  As I walked down that little path, I couldn't help but notice the carpet of little yellow flowers strewn all along the pathway...

 It was almost like they were spreading out their golden beauty just for me to enjoy...

This sweet and simple little gift did not go unnoticed by me. I whispered a "thank you" to Jesus...

It's the simple little things that sometimes mean the most when we are paying attention to the ways God wants to bless us...

The trees above me were loaded with these lovely little Carolina Jessamine flowers, spreading a canopy of joy and beauty to shelter me as I walked through the woods...so wonderful...

Finally I made my way around the pond and just had to take a moment to breathe in the beauty of this spot as well...

That's what I call Goose Island, but there was no sign of the geese today...

But when I made it around to where I could see...there she was...Mrs. Crane, sitting there so pretty on her nest...enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sunshine...

Hello!  I think she noticed that I was there...but she still wouldn't stand up to show me how many eggs she was sitting upon...

Ahhh! But who's that?  Standing not too far away from her was her faithful mate of many years

He was preening himself while keeping a watchful eye on his lovely mate sitting on the nest...

I was actually a ways away, standing behind some bushes and trees along the shore of the pond where they couldn't really see me (but I think they knew I was there).

Mr. Crane stays very attentive to any possible intruders who may come calling, and he's always ready to send them away with a big swoosh of his powerful wings and a loud cry...

But all was peaceful today...and I guess I was just too early for the "changing of the guard" on the nest, so reluctantly I decided to head back home.

Apparently they were waiting for me to leave to make the big switch on the nest because it wasn't long before I saw Mrs. Crane back around by our house looking for birdseed, and so I gave her some to help her find something to eat quickly so she could get back to the nest again.  

Here's some words of wisdom for today:

Psalm 32:7-8

"7 You are my hiding place;

You shall preserve me from trouble;

You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will guide you with My eye."

I hope you enjoyed these "treasures" for this Wednesday.