November Sunday Morn

November! The month we set aside to celebrate about all that we are thankful for! Of course, we should be doing that all year long, and I know the majority of us do, but November is Thanksgiving month...and so our focus is more upon the many blessings God has bestowed upon us.

This hymn is traditionally sung on Thanksgiving, but it really has more to do with overcoming our spiritual battles than it does with harvest time and physical blessings, so it is appropriately sung at any time!

We Gather Together

1 We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;

He chastens and hastens His will to make known;

the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.

Sing praises to His name, He forgets not His own.

2 Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;

so from the beginning the fight we were winning:

the Lord was at our side- the glory be Thine!

3 We all do extol Thee, Thou leader triumphant,

and pray that Thou still our defender wilt be.

Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;

Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

The following are the notes from Hymnary regarding the history of this hymn:

"This hymn was originally a Dutch patriotic song, written around 1600 to celebrate the freedom of the Netherlands from Spanish rule. However, God's kingdom transcends national and ethnic boundaries. When the Church sings this hymn, she is reminded of the words of the apostle Paul: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV). The day will come when God will overthrow the devil and all evil. Even now, we can say, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). In singing this hymn, the people of God seek His help and thank Him for His presence in the pursuit of victory over evil, for we know that God “forgets not His own.”     Amen!!

However, here on the homefront, November brings out the turkeys and the pilgrims and all the thankful people!

1 Come, ye thankful people, come,

raise the song of harvest home;

all is safely gathered in,

ere the winter storms begin.

God our Maker doth provide

for our wants to be supplied;

come to God's own temple, come,

raise the song of harvest home.

2 All the world is God's own field,

fruit as praise to God we yield;

wheat and tares together sown

are to joy or sorrow grown;

first the blade and then the ear,

then the full corn shall appear;

Lord of harvest, grant that we

wholesome grain and pure may be.

3 For the Lord our God shall come,

and shall take the harvest home;

from the field shall in that day

all offenses purge away,

giving angels charge at last

in the fire the tares to cast;

but the fruitful ears to store

in the garner evermore.

4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,

bring thy final harvest home;

gather thou thy people in,

free from sorrow, free from sin,

there, forever purified,

in thy presence to abide;

come, with all thine angels, come,

raise the glorious harvest home.

Happy November! Happy month of Thanksgiving! May your heart and home be blessed in this season of harvest and thankfulness!! Amen!

Tuesday 4~ Things to Ponder

 

Things to Ponder


Welcome back to another of Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 memes.

From Annie, our hostess:
"Across much of the USA autumn has come early.
It's so nice and chilly here that I made myself a nice cup of pumpkin spice coffee today, an autumn treat I really enjoy, While I enjoyed my cuppa I was pondering a rew things I want to do with my home."

Here are some questions for you to ponder:


1. If you could live in the world of any movie, which one would you choose and why?
I had to "ponder" this for a minute or two...and finally decided upon "Anne of Green Gables". Why? Well, because I loved her story, and as many of you probably already know from previous posts, Anne was one of my mother's favorite characters, and when I was born and my mother saw that I had red hair, she wanted to name me after Anne. So my name became Pamela Anne, with an e!   I still hope to actually visit Prince Edward Island someday and see all the places where the story came from, even though Anne is a fictional character, her story took place there where the author, Lucy M. Montgomery lived.  

2. If you could have coffee or tea with a woman from history or from fiction come to life, who would that be and why?
Oh goodness, I'm having to "ponder" that thought as well! There are so many wonderful women in history...I think of Queen Esther from the Bible book of Esther, I think of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and even Mary Magdalene, who was the first one to actually see the Risen Christ, but on a more personal note, I think I would love to meet and visit with my Great Grandmother Alberta "Birdie" Sowers Milsom. She was my paternal grandmother's (Elva Sowers Hill Mursch) birth mother, but she gave up my grandmother for adoption when she was just 5 months old.  My grandmother never knew her birth mother or birth father, but through Ancestry.com and my personal DNA studies, I have discovered who she was, but I've never been able to find a picture of her.  I would love to meet both her and my great grandfather, William Frederick Milsom.  I've written their story HERE, "Elva's Story, a Story of Sacrifice and Love", at least the story that I was able to figure out based on the genealogy documentation. I would love to find out just how close I was to the real reasons why she felt she had to give up my grandmother for adoption.  Hopefully my grandmother has already met her birth parents in heaven and she now knows the whole story.

3. If you could create an autumn-themed festival, what unique events or foods would it feature?

You've probably already seen these photos from the past...Click HERE for the story for these pictures

Way back when we were young and full of energy, we often had some kind of fall party or festival at our churches.  Since churches didn't really celebrate "Halloween" per se', we still wanted to have some kind of fun activities for the children and families.  So these pictures are from what we called a "Hobo Party", where people dressed up like Hobos and we played fun games like bobbing for apples and other similar fun activities.  We've also had a fall festival with different kinds of "booths", kind of like a little carnival, with outdoor games, ring toss, dunk the youth pastor in a tank of water, or a fish pond where children could "fish" for prizes...all kinds of fun things.  

There may have been a cake walk where the winner gets the prize cake.  Children may wear costumes, but preferably the non scary or gruesome type. One time the kids had to dress like their favorite Bible Character and we had to guess which one they were.  I know a lot of churches nowadays may have a "Trunk or Treat" kind of activity, where cars open up their trunks full of treats for the kids to come and get candy in a safe environment, where there will also be games and other food.  

Yes, that's me, the old Hobo, with our youngest son Scotty!

This picture below was way back when I was an almost teenager. My girlfriends came to my house for a Halloween party, and we dressed up like "Beatniks" (who remembers those?) and we played games and just had a lot of fun being silly. I'm the one on the right with the nylon stocking on my head and the Bongo drum.

If I were to try something like this today, first of all, I'd have my head examined. Second of all, I'd enlist as many younger people as I could to help.  We'd have apples, Hot apple cider, apple cider donuts, pumpkin spice muffins or cake or pies, maybe a pumpkin carving contest. If we could do this outside where there is a fire pit, we could roast hot dogs and also make s'mores. There would be baked beans and probably coleslaw available, and chips or whatever people want to bring to make it a fun time.

4, If autumn had a personality, how would you describe it, and what kind of friend would it be?

These questions today are sure making me have to think! I guess that's what "ponder" means! LOL.  

If Autumn had a personality, it would be warm and cozy with just the right amount of spice and welcoming fragrances of baking apple pie, filled with cinnamon and nutmeg and maybe just a hint of mace.  Mulled Apple Cider simmering in a pot on the stove, and perhaps even a pumpkin pie baking as well.  Her outside air would be crisp and fresh, with just a hint of smoke from a wood fireplace or bonfire or the burning of autumn leaves wafting in the breeze. Autumn would cover me with a comfy flannel shirt or sweater, blue jeans and hiking boots, and together we would walk through the woods and watch the falling leaves as they crunch underneath our feet along the trail.  My friend Autumn would make me feel revived, refreshed, and renewed, after a long hot, muggy summer that was filled with health issues and hibernation from the heat.  Autumn always makes me want to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the her glorious colors before they disappear and fade into winter.  She gives me energy that I'd long forgotten I could still find.

In the rural areas of the country, Autumn is a time of harvest. The crops are all gathered into the barns and stored away, so that the animals and people may have plenty of grain for the coming winter months. In the Bible, Jesus talks about the harvest time from a spiritual sense.  Many seeds have been planted in the hearts and lives of the people. There is a harvest time coming, when Christ will return to redeem all those souls who have had His Word of truth and life planted in them.  Like good farmers, Christ is depending on those of us who have already believed and received His Word  to be busy in the fields, sharing His love and planting more seeds among those who may not have heard the truth yet.  And, just as the farmer plants, nurtures and tends his crops and gathers them in during the harvest time, we should be helping to nurture those who are still tender plants in need of care, and helping to encourage them to full growth and maturity so that they will be ready for the harvest time that is coming.

Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV

37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 

38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

If Autumn were a friend and personality, she would be an encourager and helper in the time of harvest, both in the physical and the spiritual sense.  This life is short...and for many of us we are in the autumn of our lives...and we need to be ready for winter and the true harvest that is yet to come.

That's a Sycamore tree leaf! I told you before it was big! Now you see it for yourself next to my size 9 shoe! LOL.

Jeremiah 5:24b

“Let us now fear the Lord our God,

Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season.

He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”

By the way, that reminds me that we've been getting some nice rain the past few days, and more on the way! Praise God!  Still Waters Pond is soaking it up like a sponge! Hopefully there will soon be enough to make her overflow with gladness!!

1

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

2

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

3

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Okay, I think I've pondered this subject long enough.  Now let's go visit our friends and see what they've been pondering about this today! Thank you for visiting and for your friendship always.  

Friday Foto Friends ~ The Colors of October!

 Writing this on Thursday evening, October 1st, 2020! Today is the first day of October, and it really feels like autumn here in Florida! Yesterday and today we started out around 57 degrees, and it stayed in the high 70's most of the day, with very low humidity and lots of sunshine! A perfect beginning for the month of October! I finally got a pumpkin at our local grocery store, and that added to the mums makes for a lovely fall splash of color in our front yard!

The Holly Berries are a perfect fall burnt orange -red, and this mockingbird was finding them very tasty!!

I know you've seen this little tiny dragonfly several times before, but he just keeps getting prettier every time I see him. He is all decked out in fall colors to bedazzle us!

Isn't he amazing?

I believe this is called the "Florida Paintbrush" and it is blooming so beautifully right now in places along the road:

They are tall and delicate and so very pretty

I wanted to pick a bouquet, but decided not to. They are attracting butterflies and bees and they need to stay outside and be beautiful for all to see.

Meanwhile, here's some more fall colors inside:

My mother made these placemats for me many many years ago, when our boys were still little. She put this cute cartoon pattern on the backside to use for the kids to make their table fun too. Since my boys are all in their 40's now, that tells you how old these must be!

The little blue and white teapot and demitasse cups were a birthday present:

(and the "grateful" plate was a gift to myself from the Dollar Tree)

Did you know that if you mix Candy Corn and peanuts it will taste like a PayDay candybar? Try it sometime. It really does.  The Jasmine Tea was also a birthday gift. I haven't tried it yet, but intend to do so soon.

The "Bless this Home" towel/pot holder set was also a gift from my sweet daughter in love. 

Yes, God has truly blessed this home with such precious ones!

Added a plaid woolen throw blanket to this chair to make it more cozy for chilly mornings...

While I was writing this post, this is what was happening outside my window:

The skies started out very golden and bright...

And then the colors just kept getting richer and richer moment by moment

These pictures do not do it justice. 

Matthew 16:1-4

1.  Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.

2.  "(Jesus) answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 

'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; 

3.  And in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.'

Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

4.  A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, 

and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."

Some food for thought in these difficult times. The Pharisees and Sadducees had no clue what He was talking about...their eyes were so blinded by their hatred and jealousy of Him. They did not know that Jesus had come to save them, and that the "sign of Jonah" would be when He spent three days in the tomb, just like Jonah spent three days in the belly of the great fish.  They did not know that after they crucified Him, Jesus would spring forth from the grave on the third day and conquer death and all its foes.  The devil is still scratching his head over that one and wondering how he could have missed that "sign".

Let us not be like the Pharisees and Sadduccees. I hope we will recognize the "signs of the times" and be ever ready for the Lord's return. We don't want to be left behind scratching our heads and wondering how we could have missed it. The consequences will be eternal.

Fall is the time of harvest.

May we be busy in our work of the great harvest while there is yet time.

This is an old family picture on my Grandpa Tedlie's farm many years ago. The boys on the hay wagon are my older cousins, and the girl on the horse is another of my cousins. The two women walking are my Grandmother and my Aunt Belle. This must have been in the late 40's or very early 50's.

For another post on harvest time, you can click on this link below:

https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2010/03/are-you-sowing-or-reaping.html

Have a blessed and beautiful fall weekend and October! 

Wednesday's Treasures: Autumn Days at Pamela's Victorian Cottage

It's been quite a while since we visited at "Pamela's Victorian Cottage". 

I thought perhaps today would be a good time to call on them for my weekly "Wednesday Treasures".

(which I did not do last week, sorry!) 

Like the rest of us, our little family has been pretty much staying at home.

Home schooling, social distancing, working at home, 

playing with their toys, and going about life as best as possible under the circumstances.

Now that Autumn is here, Mama has been busy working in the kitchen, cooking, baking, and preserving their harvest for the long winter months ahead. She's trying to decide whether or not to cut up that pumpkin and bake pumpkin pies, or let the children have it for a Jack o' Lantern for Halloween.

But since that is still over a month away, she opted for the pies, because she heard company was coming.

The little children from the farm down the road came by to play. It's been a long time since the children have been able to play together, due to the "pandemic".  

Looks like they brought some of their little woodland friends with them.

Even found a sweet little fairy out in the woods who was looking for some friends to play with.

Mr. and Mrs. Owl and Friendly Fox came along too...

Mama decided this would be a good time to pick some apples, while they have some extra helpers.

(Please note these paintings are from the John Sloan "Country Seasons" calendars that I collect each year)

In case you are wondering where the Daddy in this family is...he's pretty much always outside working on the farm, especially now that it is harvest time.  He sees that big old harvest moon up there in the sky and knows that he'd better work a little faster or it will soon be dark.

After the harvest, He takes the wagon loaded with produce into town to the farmer's market to earn a little extra money to help support all those  lovely children.

Each week one of the children is chosen to go along for the day to help out and also perhaps do a little bit of shopping in town. That is always an exciting time!

The rest of the family waves as they leave and watches them go, each one looking forward to the day that he or she is the one chosen to go to town with Papa.

I hope you enjoyed this special visit with our little family at 

Pamela's Victorian Cottage.

Until next time, 

Enjoy your loved ones and friends, and be blessed!

Psalm 128

1.  "Blessed is every one who fears the Lord,

Who walks in His ways.

2.  When you eat the labor of your hands,

you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.

3.  Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine

in the very heart of your house,

Your children like olive plants all around your table.

4.  Behold, thus shall the man be blessed 

Who fears the Lord.

5.  The Lord bless you out of Zion,

And may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

6.  Yes, may you see your children's children.

Peace be upon Israel!"

In light of this week's historic "Abraham Accord" Peace Agreement signed between the State of Israel and the United Arab Emirates, we pray that this blessing will be true, 

"Peace be upon Israel!" We know that in the Middle East peace has always been a dream and yet one that has been difficult to come by. Our thanks to our President and those who have worked so hard to help bring this agreement about. 

And our prayers go out that this will truly bring about Peace.

And now if we could also have peace within our own country.

We truly have much to pray about these days.

"Blessed is every one who fears the Lord,

Who walks in His ways."

May we seek to always walk in His ways,

and then maybe there will be peace.

Amen.

Update on my friend Rhonda's grandson Jimmy:  As of earlier this week he was breathing on his own, opening his eyes but not seeming to see anything yet, and he is on a feeding tube. But he is making progress and is a long way from being "brain dead", as originally thought. So we praise the Lord for this good news and continue to pray as he still has a long ways to go. Thank you so much for praying.

 

Update on It's Harvest Time...Reposted for RJD

Today is Random Journal Day, which means that many of my blogging friends are digging into old journals and posting their personal "blasts from the past" for you to enjoy.  This particular post I have already had on here before, but the content is drawn largely from my old journal writings from many years ago, so I believe it qualifies for "Random Journal Day".

I just noticed that the leaves are starting fall from my sycamore trees in the front of our house, so even though it isn't autumn yet technically, it has started.

This is a repost just for the "Fall Lovers" out there... like me...who are stuck in Florida where true autumn doesn't really exist except in our minds and hearts!!


Nothing like being buried in the Autumn leaves!
My three sons... (Scott, Benton, and Matthew)...many moons ago...How I wish I could go back there again...
 (Nova, Ohio, 1979...wow...where did the years go?)

My Youngest Son (Scott) now...planting fall mums for his "Mum" (me) on my birthday! (this picture was from 2011..another time, another house)

Proverbs 31:16: "She considers a field and buys it. From her profits she plants a vineyard."

I must say I've considered lots of fields and have often wished to buy them, but, alas, right now our field is of a different form. It can't be bought and sold. It's the field of the Lord, and it is "already white for harvest!" (John 4:35)

Quite a few years ago when we lived up north, our favorite thing to do on a fall Saturday morning was to get up early and get a cup of coffee and tea and a bite of breakfast at the local drive-thru, and take a nice slow ride out into the country. After a hectic week of planning sermons, visiting the sick, elderly, and newcomers, (my husband's job); preparing the bulletin, typing letters, and attending ladies' meetings, taking care of the family at home and the church family, etc....(my job), it was so refreshing to just get away from the phone, the traffic, and hustle bustle of our modern suburban living and get out into the country where people really know how to live! Our favorite route passed by many small farmsteads with fields of corn or hay or soybeans ready for the harvest. We usually wound up at one of the many local apple orchards for a cup of hot cider and fresh warm donuts and a brisk walk through the orchard. The apple farmers were just as busy as the grain farmers gathering in their crops before the winter. It's such a joyful time of year. People are excited about gathering pumpkins, squash, gourds, Indian corn, and other fall decorations to bring the beautiful fall colors into their homes. The big thing in that area was for kids to take a wagon ride out to the "pumpkin patch" and pick their very own pumpkins. I saw a lot of adults rather enjoyed it as well.  Here in Florida we don't see the real live pumpkin patch like you do up north, but we do have pumpkin patches where the pumpkins have been trucked in from other places so the kids can still have that fun experience.

Deep in my heart I longed to just linger on the farm and become a part of it. I guess because I was born on a farm I've never gotten it out of my system. The sounds, smells, and activities of farm life really make me hunger for that kind of life. But God has called me to a different kind of farm, and a different harvest field. The crop is far greater than corn or wheat or apples. It is the souls of men and women and children. Although I don't think that my particular spiritual gift is "soul-winning", there are many steps that must be taken before the harvest can be reaped. Someone must plow the field, others must plant the seed, still more are needed to water the seed and yet others must pull the weeds and watch for pests who come to destroy. All are an integral part of God's plan, and none are more important than the others.

Christ said in John 4:36-38 that "he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: One sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

Maybe someday I'll be able to buy that field and plant a vineyard, and even though we are no longer in "the ministry" in the same way as we were in years before, I still remain in God's  harvest field and must do my part to prepare the way for His return. Perhaps someday you and I will rejoice together as sowers and reapers who have seen the fruit gathered in for eternal life! That will be a glorious day!

Matthew 9:37-38 "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

 

Isaiah 6:8 "Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'"

 

Are you willing to go out into God's harvest field today? He may be calling you!

This was on my Grandpa's farm back in the early 1940's. My Grandma Tedlie is on the far right. The other people are some of my cousins and my Aunt Belle. It was harvest time. Most of these people are already enjoying their eternal reward in heaven.

Now That's What I Call Autumn Leaves!

I hope you enjoyed these gleanings from the memories of my past. May your harvest days be full of joy and blessings and peace.

Now skip on over to my friends at http://beneaththesurface-dawn.blogspot.com/2013/09/random-journal-day-link-up-september.html and see what memories they have stirred up.