Tuesday 4 ~ Home Sweet Home

(this isn't our house, but the pond certainly 
looks a lot like it)

Home Sweet Home

Hello! Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 

where each week we ask you to consider 4 questions on various subjects. The goal is to get you thinking, considering, talking and getting to know yourself and other bloggers.
Be it ever so humble there is no place like home . Let's talk about homes okay?

1. In some places people name their homes or properties. What would you name your home and why?
If you would not name it, why wouldn't you?

I think most people know that I already call our home Still Waters Pond, or at least that is what I call our pond. It wasn't named that...I named it. I think of our house as "Beside Still Waters (Pond)".

    

I may have written about this sometime before (HERE!), but many years before we ever moved to this house I had purchased this book, "Beside Still Waters" , because I loved the pictures and the theme of the book...filled with verses and poems and paintings of cabins and woods and places beside ponds and lakes and beautiful scenery of the kinds of places I would love to live.

When the day came that we were able to purchase this house beside this pond, I realized that my dream had come true, and so the idea of calling the pond "Still Waters Pond" came to me because we live "Beside Still Waters".  It is also based on the first three verses in the 23rd Psalm,

Psalm 23 New King James Version

1 The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Welcome to our home...

A view from the back porch Monday evening...the wildflowers were picked on our morning walk. Unfortunately, the flowers have a strong scent that ended up being too strong to keep inside the house, thus they were moved to the back porch! LOL.

This is Trailing Lantana, found on a lot where an old home used to be 

Our Still Waters Pond at Sunset (not today, however)

2. Are you more of a romantic or a pragmatist when it comes to your home or apartment's decor and color?

I had to look this up to be sure I understood what it meant. Here's what I found online:

"What is a pragmatist personality type?
A pragmatist is someone who is pragmatic, that is to say, someone who is practical and focused on reaching a goal. Pragmatists usually have a straightforward, matter-of-fact approach and don't let their emotions distract them."

Based on that description, I would say that I am probably more a "romantic" than a pragmatist. Although I am very practical about many things and try not to go overboard on things/design/decor. I use what I have and make do rather than buy new. But I do enjoy decorating for holidays and seasons and using the things that I have to make things comfortable and interesting rather than boring and plain.  I am definitely NOT a minimalist type by any stretch of the imagination.  My emotions distract me when it comes to hanging on to things that have sentimental meaning, such as family "heirlooms" or gifts that have been given to us over the years.  Our home is more of a "museum of family artifacts" than just a practical or modern style of furnishings. But they are comfortable family artifacts that are definitely used.

3. Do you have enough room in your home? Storage space, kitchen cabinets? What would you add or subtract from your home?

I'm sure I could always use more storage space, but unfortunately then I would probably just find more stuff to fill it up.  I am at a stage in life where I am trying hard to make myself start weeding things out and eliminating rather than adding more stuff.


4. Is your place really home sweet home ? Would it be hard to leave it ? Are you firmly rooted in your abode or would you move if a better opportunity came your way?

The only thing that would make me move at this stage in life is if our kids moved far away. Then we would want to move closer to them because we don't want to be left totally "alone" in our old age and not have any immediate family nearby.  The other reason would be if our health made it such that we could no longer maintain our home on our own or climb the steps to get in and out. We have discussed that possibility and if the right home/location/price came available that was on ground level, we might be persuaded to consider it while we are still able to make such a move on our own. But I would hate to leave Still Waters Pond.

Home Sweet Home

Thanks for visiting! Y'all come again!

Hebrews 13:5  NIV

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money 

and be content with what you have, 

because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you.”

Now, let's go see what others are writing over at Tuesday 4 today.

Friday Foto Friends~Winter in Florida!

"Season's Greetings from Still Waters Pond"

Some special friends have flown in for a visit:

Oh wait! I think The Canada Geese brought some other folks with them from way up north...the Ring Necked Ducks have arrived for the winter:

At first I thought there was just a couple of females and one male

But then the next day there appeared to be a crowd...

They must be multiplying already! LOL!

I could watch these little ducks all day. They just swim around and round in a circle and then when they are ready they dive down in the water and find food to eat and then pop back up again...kind of like they are playing a game:

It's so much fun to see what winter visitors, or "Snow Birds" we will have come back each year.

I wanted to thank you all for your kind words and prayers for my hubby and me this week as we were a little under the weather.  We both ended up going to the Doctor earlier in the week, and he gave my hubby a big old shot in the "gluteus maximus", along with some pills to take. Gave me some too, to help ward off whatever was trying to catch me. It seemed to work and thankfully we are both feeling much much better now. We are now pretty much back on schedule for all things Christmas...finished up our shopping and got most of the wrapping done today. Tomorrow we will make sure it's all done and maybe think about doing a little baking. However, I am hoping our son Scott will come prepared to do his annual cookie baking when he comes on Sunday. He's the best cookie baker in the family and loves to do it as a gift for the family. But we shall see what he is able to do. He's been working practically 7 days a week and he may just want to "crash" when he gets here. Either way, we are thankful to be ready for Christmas as much as possible.  Sunday will be a busy day, with Sunday School and church in the morning, including the performance of our choir's Christmas Cantata, "The Christmas Story", and then we will go back in the evening for a candlelight Christmas Eve service. I love that this will set the tone for experiencing the true meaning of Christmas, the celebration of the birth of our Savior!

These nativities are in the foyer of our church.

Because we had been feeling kind of cooped up all week we decided to take a little ride down to the Kenwood Boat Ramp again, to see how it looks now in "winter", as opposed to the way it looked a few weeks ago in "autumn".  This will help people who are not from here in Florida to see that yes, we do have a change in seasons...maybe not as pronounced as it is up north, but changes do take place, none the less.

Now:

Then:

Now:

Then:

Now...you can really see the tannins in the water from the decaying of the cypress trees in winter, plus also after that big rain storm we had last week...

Then:

Now:

Then:

Now:

I think there is a certain kind of beauty in every season, don't you? Kind of like life...many of us are perhaps entering the winter season of our lives...maybe some are still in the autumn or summer...I don't think there are too many of us still in the spring of our lives...when we were probably most productive, raising our babies or starting our careers, new beginnings...but regardless of what season of life we are currently living, as long as we have breath...we need to make the most of it...enjoy whatever God has given us to the fullest.  Perhaps all some can do is sit in a chair or maybe even a bed, and read or write...but if that is what we can do...we can share our thoughts with each other and encourage one another in our journey of life. We can pray for one another and help lift up the weary.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says it best:

"24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

As we approach the end of another year, we aren't too sure what may lie ahead for each of us.  But one thing we can do is look for ways to encourage one another and try to do our very best to be a friend to others who may need a friend.  If you are looking for a gift to give here at Christmas time...perhaps that is the best present of all...your "presence", in whatever way that is possible for you.  I appreciate each and every one of you and your gifts of thoughtfulness and kindness and words of wisdom and yes, even your gifts of laughter and funny memes to make us laugh and smile on what might be a dreary day. You are each one unique and special. Thank you for using your gifts here in blogland. You are a blessing to us!

If I don't get back again before Christmas,

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!

 

 

Beside the Still Waters

This was the scene on Still Waters Pond early this morning, when it was about 36 degrees here in Florida. The steam was rising off of the water, and the geese were swimming to the shore where the water was probably a little bit warmer.

The photos don't do it justice, but the steam on the water was magical and mystical.

The sun was rising in the eastern sky, and there was frost on the ground around us.

What a beautiful way to start our SONday morning!

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

And then to go to church and find out that the pastor was preaching from the 23rd Psalm in addition to John 10:11-21, "The Good Shepherd"

In addition, our choir was singing one of my favorite hymns..."How Great Thou Art".  You may want to sing along: (If you click on the video above, the song is in the very beginning)

How Great Thou Art

O LORD my God! When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works Thy hand hath made;

I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art! 

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,

And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze: 

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art! 

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,

Sent Him to die - I scarce can take it in:

That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin: 

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art! 

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home - what joy shall fill my heart!

Then shall I bow in humble adoration,

And there proclaim, my God how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art! 

What a perfect way to start the day. By the time you are reading this it will be afternoon or evening at least, since I am not writing this until afternoon.  But I trust that you are having a peaceful and comforting day today.  If not, perhaps a little visit "Beside the Still Waters" might be in order for you. You don't need a physical pond or lake or stream to draw close to the Lord...especially for those of you who are in our colder climates...your ponds and lakes may be frozen over by now.  Perhaps you can find a quiet place in your home or beside a window that looks out upon a pretty view...or take a walk along a serene path through the woods or a park...wherever you can go to draw close to the Lord and just spend some time alone with Him, try to do it as often as you can. Turn off the TV, the cell phones and computers, and spend time alone with God and away from the "world" every opportunity you can. 

Especially this week, when things are likely to get difficult at best, it might be a good idea to plan ahead to spend some special times away from social media and alone with the Good Shepherd.  Maybe take your Bible or a hymnal and sing some favorite hymns of praise to the Lord. Maybe we each need to set aside some specific time early this week, to pray for our nation and our government, and pray for a "peaceful transition", regardless of whatever side of the political aisle we may be on. More than ever we need to draw close to the Lord and spend time alone with Him to help us through these turbulent times.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever."

Amen.

 

Beside Still Waters

A couple of months ago I wrote about "A Dream Come True" (found HERE), which tells you about how our moving to this new home on "the pond" is a fulfillment of a longtime dream for us. It was a big step for us to sell our previous home in the forest, where the deer and bears roamed about, and to trade that life for this different kind of home...definitely not in the woods anymore, but the wonderful trade-off is that is sits beside this little pond. I know you've seen it already...and I guess what we should all get used to is that from now on I will probably be writing about our "Life on the Pond" quite often. I'll try not to bore you with too many sunsets or pictures of birds on the pond, or lily pads bobbing on the surface...but, well...it is what it is...this is our new "normal", so apparently this is what I will be seeing and sharing most often.


This week we've been watching the daily routine of our resident Great Blue Heron, who seems to "own the pond".

Here he is, early in the morning, watching for that special fish to start his day off "a little bit better".

We've been studying about "waiting on the Lord" in our Sunday School class lately.  Perhaps this Heron is a good example of what it means to "wait on the Lord".

Psalm 40:1-3

1.  "I waited patiently for the Lord,

and He inclined to me,

and heard my cry.

2. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

and set my feet upon a rock,

and established my steps.

 3.  He has put a new song in my mouth..

Praise to our God;

Many will see it and fear,

and will  trust in the Lord."

 He stretches his very long neck so he can see a bit beyond his immediate location...or perhaps he sensed that he was being watched and became a bit wary...

 After a little while he spread his massive wings and flew to a tree on the other side of the pond...

Zooming in we can see him perched there above the water, where he actually sat for a very long time...

 Psalm 27:5-6

"For in the time of trouble 

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me;

He shall set me  high upon a rock.

6.  And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;

Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;

I will sing, yes, I will sing

praises to the Lord."

The next morning I discovered him down at another side of the pond, again patiently waiting for his breakfast...

Psalm 27:13-14

"I would have lost heart, 

unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living.

Wait on the Lord;

Be of good courage,

and He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the Lord!"

 Looks like he might be seeing something worth going for...

The pond is getting very shallow these days. We've not had much rain for a while, and as this is a rather shallow pond to begin with, it depends on rain to keep it full.

 Already we can see signs of old dead trees and other debris surfacing in the shallow areas as the water recedes.

So we pray for rain for the sake of the birds and fish...and well, to be honest for our own selfish reasons. We love looking at the pond...

And watching the different activities of the Great Blue Heron throughout the day...

In the evening he sat in a different tree, again watching and waiting...

 Something must look pretty interesting down there below, but still he sat and waited...

Psalm 145:14-16

14.  "The Lord upholds all who fall,

and raises up all who are bowed down.

15.  The eyes of all look expectantly to You,

and You give them their food in due season.

16.  You open Your hand

and satisfy the desire of every living thing."

James 1:2-4

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

But let patience have its perfect work, 

that you may be perfect and complete, 

lacking nothing."

 And as the sun went down beyond the pond he was still there waiting...

Our final verses give us the promise of great hope fulfilled:

Isaiah 40:31

"But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint."

Some of you have asked if our pond has a name. To our knowledge, it does not have any particular name. It is just one of many little ponds and lakes in this area,  and some have said it may be more of a kind of "retention pond" than a real  pond. Well, they can call it what they want, but to us it is a real pond, and even though there is a highway on the other side of those trees and we can hear the traffic noise throughout the day, it is still a place of peace and comfort to us...and an answer to prayer, and a dream come true.  

In the earlier post that I wrote (mentioned above)(click here again), I told you about a little book that I have that is entitled "Beside Still Waters".

Well, earlier this week, while reading our morning devotions, we were referred to the 23rd Psalm. And as I read the beloved familiar words of this Psalm, I was struck anew by the first three verses:

1.  "The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3.  He restores my soul."

Well, here we are, sitting "BESIDE THE STILL WATERS", and I have this little book sitting on my coffee table, entitled "Beside Still Waters",  that I have read over and over again as I dreamed about having a place overlooking the water someday...and well...I think I know what we are supposed to name this pond:

"Still Waters Pond".

To me it is a place where the Lord has brought us, and I believe He has already been in the process of restoring our souls, ever since we were led to come to this little community and church.   You see, even strong Christians go through periods of time of needing to be restored, comforted, and finding a sense of peace and purpose again.  None of us has "arrived" at that place of perfection yet as long as we are in this body of flesh. And so God, in His love and mercy, knows our needs, and He gives us the desires of our hearts when our hearts desire to draw closer to Him. That is my hope and prayer. As we live in this place, "beside still waters", that we will be drawn all the closer to Him each and every day.

Psalm 23:6

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever."

Amen.