Saturday Photo A Day Challenge and More

Happy Saturday Everyone! I hope this day finds you relaxing and enjoying a beautiful day wherever you are.  It's already getting hot and steamy here, but it is July in Florida, so what can you expect? We are thankful not to have any severe weather or smoke here, like they are having up north from those horrific fires in Canada. We pray for our neighbors to the north, and pray that the fires will soon be quenched.

So, we are a little more than half way through the month of July, and also through this photo challenge. The challenge for today (18th) is animal or insect.  I took this photo at the boat ramp the other day...do you see the green dragonfly on the green leaves?  Yeah, he was hard to see for me too! I'm glad the camera had better eyes than I did!

Here's the July list if you want to join in...it's still not too late!  

I took a little walk about the yard this morning, and I also saw this little orange grasshopper on one of my dying zinnia plants.  I'm not sure what kind it is, but perhaps it is a Schistocerca rubinginosa Grasshopper.  All I know is the bluebirds love to catch grasshoppers to feed their babies, so I hope they find this one, because actually there were two of them, but I only got a picture of this one.  

Then I discovered this immature Argiope Aurantia Garden Spider on the Rose of Sharon bush.  Look at that zigzag web! Isn't that amazing? Spider webs are so interesting, aren't they? I just don't like to walk into them!  

Then when I walked around to the front yard, I saw these two immature White Ibis looking for food alongside the road.

It's unusual to see them here, so that was interesting!! Ater yesterday's rain, I am sure they are finding something good to eat in the grassy area there.

Sadly, a few minutes later I saw this fire truck and ambulance parked in front of the house across the street.  There is an elderly man living there who has some chronic health problems, and this is the 2nd time in a couple of months that he has had to go to the hospital via ambulance. We really don't know him very well as he keeps to himself and normally there is someone from the family who comes and checks on him every day.  We prayed for him as they took him away.  I'm wondering if he'll be able to continue living at home alone.   He's blessed that he does have family living nearby, but still it is difficult to stay home alone when you get to a certain stage in life.  We are praying for his family as well, that they will have wisdom to know what is best for him.

Sadly, we have another Celebration of Life to attend today. A former member of our church passed away recently after a battle with cancer.  She and her husband still lived in our area, but they started going to a different and smaller church in a nearby community a couple of years ago to help them out. But then she got cancer, and well, she fought hard, but it was time for her to be called home to heaven.  This is the seventh woman from our church community that has passed away in this year, and they weren't all that old. Only two of them were older than me.  It's really sad, but yet again, we know they are all with Jesus and they are not suffering anymore.  What's hard is that all but one of them left behind a husband, so our little church has a rather unusually large group of widowers who are struggling to find their way.   

I honestly think it's harder for men to get along on their own than it is for women.  You know, the Bible talks a lot about taking care of widows and orphans, but it really doesn't say anything about taking care of widowers.  But God promises to take care of those who mourn, and also we as Christians and friends and family should do our part to encourage and help those who are grieving as much as is practical and possible.

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,

And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Psalm 34:18

He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 

4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

A little later...

Well, I am sorry to end on a sad note, but this is the reality of life...and it helps us to remember that our time on earth is very short...so we need to live our lives in such a way that is meaningful and that in some way we make a positive difference in the world around us.  A copy of this poem was included in the bulletin for the service today:

The Dash

by Linda Ellis

"I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read,
with your life’s actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash?"

Copyright ©::

Linda Ellis

Something to think about!  Now, let's go fill in our "dash" with the very best life we can...and remember this...(another saying I heard a long time ago):

According to AI:
"That powerful quote is the refrain of the famous poem "Only One Life" written by British missionary C.T. Studd. After giving away his wealth and serving in China, India, and Africa, he penned these enduring words to encourage believers to live with an eternal perspective. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Here are a few stanzas from the original poem: [1]

"Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last. [1, 2]

Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
Living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last. "[1, 2]

Amen!!

 

A Humble Thank you, Friends!

I thought this picture of "me"...well not of me, would get your attention better than the real picture below. We could all use a little humor, couldn't we?

Just wanted to say "Thank you" to all my friends who prayed for me today while I had the epidural put into my neck!

I'm sure you never expected me to post pictures of that, now did you? But those of you who know me know that a camera is my main means of communication...and the selfie was a dangerous invention.

LOL.

While I am still recovering from the effects of the mild sedation (thankfully even though I could hear them talking, the "pain" was mild and more like prickly pressure points...), I am very thankful that I came through the procedure very well, and hubby even took me out to lunch on the way home!

I was surprised that the injection was not into my neck at all, but rather into my back! And apparently they inserted a catheter that directed the medicine into my neck, with the use of an x-ray picture, to the exact places where it needed to be!  So thankful for modern medical inventions!

If you are a bit squeamish, don't worry, these pictures aren't very graphic...just educational.

When the nurse came and wrote this on my neck to mark the spot, I thought for sure that was were the needle would be going. To be honest, I was not really crazy about that idea, but figured that was what they had to do to get it right:

You can imagine my surprise (and relief!) when I felt them inserting the needle into my upper back instead of the neck! It felt like they were making quite a few "holes" in my back and I thought I was going to look like a pin cushion when done, but again I was in a for a pleasant surprise when I looked in the mirror and found this very small bandaid, about the size of a quarter, (but the padded gauze part was more like a dime)

Wait, who has that freckly, moley, age-spotted, wrinkly old woman's back? that can't be MY back! LOL.

Anyway, I am humbling myself to send you these pictures to thank you for your prayers, and also to encourage you if you have to have such a procedure done, don't be afraid! It wasn't as bad as I feared, and definitely GOD was with me because I know so many were praying! (He would have been there anyway, because God is ALWAYS everywhere present!) But the prayers helped ME to feel relaxed and calm.  Thank you all for being special friends who care!

There are so many of our friends out there who are going through difficult things...I won't name them all because I am sure I would miss someone...but suffice it to say many are enduring pain, loss, grief, serious health issues or other family/personal issues that bring great concerns.  I am glad that we can support one another here and show compassion when needed most. Many of us have already been through our own troubles and trials, and therefore we are able to comfort others as we have been comforted...just as has been explained to us here:

2nd Corinthians 1:3-4

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

And yes, I will continue with the physical therapy as directed to help strengthen my neck muscles so they can support my neck better so the nerves won't be so pinched...the epidural will hopefully relieve the tension and inflammation so I can proceed with the exercises without so much pain! That's the plan, so we will just keep praying and plugging along. 

Thank you again!! God bless you all, and have a wonderful rest of your week!!