Friday Foto Friends: Under Construction

This was a different kind of day for us.  (written on Thursday evening)  We had to make a little trip to the big city about two hours away...and had to travel during rush hour, which is never fun for us country bumpkins.  We were actually thankful for the TOLL roads that helped to bypass some of the worst of the traffic even if it did cost us a pretty penny...it was worth every dollar! (no such thing as 25 cent tolls anymore.)

In addition to the rush hour traffic, there was construction going on all around us.  I finally decided to start taking some pictures because it was so "interesting".  You may not think it is as interesting as I do, but again, consider that most of the time I live where the only road construction we see is the occasional road grader going down our dirt road, filling in the potholes in the dirt and leveling off the bumps...which only lasts until the next rain storm and then it starts all over again...

For those of you who live in big cities this will be no big deal...but just bear with me...(speaking of bears:  I think I've already shown you this one, but just thought I throw this in here since he appears to be laughing at us...)

Okay, back to the exciting photos from the city:

Oh wait...let me throw in a recent cloud picture first...you've heard the saying "I'll believe that when pigs fly?"   Well, the other morning I looked up in the sky and thought for sure I could see a pig flying by:

Can you see him? He has a little wing just above his back, right behind his little piggy face...Well, it did look like a pig flying when I first noticed it, but by the time I got out my phone and found the camera, it had changed a little...but it sure made me think that I may have to remember all those things I said I'd do or believe when pigs fly... LOL

Okay, back to the construction...I promise, no more delays:

On this one I mostly was noticing the fountains and the palm trees...but you can see the beginnings of the construction in the distance.

 Big Cranes everywhere...

 I'm glad we are headed the direction we are because the traffic looks worse on the other side...but at least the sign says "Dinner is Done"...not sure what it is, but it is done...

 More cranes in the distance. The clouds are fun too.

 New highways being built over top of old ones...

Better watch out for the crazy curves ahead in the road...

 I feel rather sorry for the people living in those apartment buildings in the middle of all these roads going all around them.  Can you imagine trying to sleep with all this noise???

 Again, just another picture of cranes against the clouds...

 I imagine this will look like a spaghetti junction when it is all connected

 I am so thankful I don't have to drive in this every day.  I'll take my dirt roads and woods any day...

Ah, do you see it? In the middle of all the chaos of these roads and construction and clouds, there is a huge cross...reminding us that Jesus is here in the midst...watching over the construction workers, the travelers, and giving us a moment to pause and give thanks for His peace and love and protection.

What a wonderful reminder that "Jesus Is The Answer" for this old world today...

How many of you remember Andre' Crouch singing "Jesus Is The Answer" ?

Written and performed by Andre' Crouch

Chorus:

Jesus is the answer, for the world today,

Above Him there's no other,

Jesus is the way.3x

Verse One:

If you have some questions

In the corners of your mind,

Traces of discouragement,

The peace you cannot find,

Reflections of your past,

Seem to face you everyday,

But this one thing I do know,

That Jesus is the way.

Chorus:

Jesus is the answer, for the world today,

Above Him there's no other,

Jesus is the way.3x

Verse Two:

I know you've got mountains,

That you think you cannot climb,

I know your skies are dark,

You think the sun won't shine,

But in case you don't know,

That the word of God is true,

Everything he's promised,

He will do it for you.

Chorus:

Jesus is the Answer, for the world today,

Above Him there's no other,

Jesus is the way.3x

Instrumental break

Bridge:

Jesus is the Way(The Truth and the Light)5x

So, No matter where you are, or no matter what the noise and strife is around you...never forget that Jesus is there with you...He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Philippians 4:6-7  (ESV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

After our excursion into the big city it was so nice to come back home to our country road and this...

"Country Roads, lead me home, to the place where I belong..." 

 This little deer just let me follow him all the way down the road. He was in no hurry to get anywhere...

 Hmmm, is he trying to tell me something? 

"Country Roads, lead me home..."

I love how he just stood there and posed for me...absolutely in no hurry...

 So I let him ramble on down the road and I turned around and headed back to my home...and look who I found sitting in the middle of the road?

 Must be "Thumper"...

And this must be the end of my journey for today...

I will leave you with these wonderful thoughts:

Isaiah 41:10-13  (ESV)

10 

Fear not, for I am with you;

    be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

11 

Behold, all who are incensed against you

    shall be put to shame and confounded;

those who strive against you

    shall be as nothing and shall perish.

12 

You shall seek those who contend with you,

    but you shall not find them;

those who war against you

    shall be as nothing at all.

13 

For I, the Lord your God,

    hold your right hand;

it is I who say to you, “Fear not,

    I am the one who helps you.”

Praise God!!!! This gives me such peace in the midst of the chaos of life...How about you?

Okay...back to Friday Foto Friends...Let's ride on over to Deb's place at Breathing in Grace and see what our other friends are sharing.

Through It All-An Anniversary Song

Today we celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary...my hubby and I.  It seems impossible that these two kids:

are now these two "kids":

and that our family grew to be this:

and then, very sadly, we said good-bye to our wonderful #2 son last year...

not very long after this picture was taken of him and his lovely wife and son...following a 4 year battle with cancer.

This morning as I was thinking about our 46 years together, this song written by Andrae' Crouch came to  mind.   I thought it was a fitting description of our life together, and it should be written to say "We've had many tears and sorrows..."  replacing the "I" with "We" throughout the song...

We've had many tears and sorrows

We've had questions for tomorrow

There've been times we didn't know right from wrong;

But in every situation

God gave blessed consolation

That our trials come to only make us strong

We've been a lot of places

(and these aren't anywhere NEAR 1/2 of them!)

And We've seen so many faces,

But there've been times we've felt so all alone;

But in that lonely hour

In that precious, lonely hour

Jesus let us know we were His own.

Through it all

Through it all

We've learned to trust in Jesus

We've learned to trust in God

Through it all

Through it all

We've learned to depend upon His Word.

So we thank God for the mountains

And we thank Him for the valleys

We thank Him for the storms He's brought us through;

Cause if we never had a problem

We wouldn't know that He could solve them

We wouldn't know what faith in God could do.

Through it all

Through it all

We've learned to trust in Jesus

We've learned to trust in God

Through it all

Through it all

We've learned to depend upon His Word

Yes, we've learned to depend upon His Word

We've learned to depend upon His Word

Thank you, Jesus, for being there for us through it ALL.  There are many storms and trials that we've been through that we cannot even begin to talk about here...but Lord, You've been there for us and with us all the way.  You've never left our side...and we can only say
Thank You, Lord.

I'm sure there are many here reading this who could say the same for their own lives.  Your troubles and trials were not the same as ours, but if you've lived on this earth any length of time, you've had your share.  I hope that you have known the strength and comfort of having God with you throughout those difficult days as well as during the joys and triumphs.  If you can't honestly say that you know that for a fact, then I implore you to seek His face...ask Him to come and be a part of your life before another day passes.  There's only two ways to go through this life: either with God, or without God.
I cannot imagine living this life without His presence in my life every day.
I pray that you will know that peace today as well.

An Offering of Praise

Remember This post from last November? (Click HERE)   Remember the clues with this picture?

Well, I am back here to tell you how God is blessing this "Open Window" of new opportunity and ministry...

Go back to the Acts chapter two story of the first Christians in the first "church"...

"And they continued steadfastly 

in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship,

in the

BREAKING OF BREAD,

and in PRAYERS.

Then fear came upon every soul, 

and many wonders and signs were done

through the apostles.

Now all who believed were together,

and had all things in common,

and sold their possessions and goods,

and divided them among all,

as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple,

and

BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE,

they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

PRAISING GOD AND HAVING FAVOR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE.

And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Acts 2:42-47

Back in November of 2014 we started a home Bible fellowship in our home.  In the beginning there was just one other couple and us...along with my mother in law as she is usually staying with us on the weekends...and our son if he is available...but that was it...two neighbors and our own family.  We believed that God was leading us to do this by faith...and to trust Him for the growth of our fellowship.

Today was a special day...we had our first after worship "pot luck" dinner...something all good church people do very well...and my heart has been so full of the joy of how God is blessing.  Here's a few pictures of the friends gathered here...sorry they are a little blurry...but you'll get the idea:

I think the thing that is so exciting to me is that when we moved to this house exactly three years ago, we didn't know what or how God was going to use this home, but we knew in our hearts that He had a plan,  Click HERE for the first post written from this home in 2012, we just didn't know what or when.

Today we exclaimed joyfully that we are seeing God's hand at work in our midst...bringing people into our lives that we could never have known before coming here, and blessing the faith venture of opening our home for worship and Bible study in ways that we could not have foreseen.  Little by little God is putting it all together.  We don't know where it will lead, but we are content and thankful for how it has developed thus far.  Time will tell what the next phase will be.

One of our new friends has a very lovely singing voice, and she so desires to use it for God's glory.  We were all awestruck as she sang "The Lord's Prayer" for the blessing for our meal today. It was almost too holy of a moment to even think about eating after that wonderful gift from her heart rendered to the Lord.  It dovetailed so beautifully with our lesson today from John 12:1-8, where Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Jesus with a very costly gift of fragrant oil, and wiped His feet with her hair.  Jesus said that her gift was anointing Him for the day of His burial...as He was going to be crucified just a week later...although the disciples did not know that at the time.  It was a pure gift of love from her heart...and that is how we felt after our friend sang "The Lord's Prayer" so fervently and perfectly today.  An offering of humility and love for our Savior...preparing our hearts for the gift that He gave for us...His very life.

What a marvelous way to enter into the holy season of the Passion of the Christ...Easter...His death, burial, and resurrection...all done for us because He loves us so much...and He wants to spend eternity with us.

Lord, how can I say thanks for the things you've done for me?  "To God Be the Glory"..."My Tribute", written by Andrae' Crouch....this song expresses it beautifully.  

What is your offering of praise to the Lord for the things He has done for you? What a wonderful time to think about this...and to offer our thanksgiving to Him.