Monday Monday~A Little This and That

 It's Monday evening already! I intended to write something this morning, but the day kind of got away from me.  This morning hubby couldn't get his laptop to work properly. It appeared that the system itself was working, but the screen was black and we tried every way recommended by experts online to troubleshoot it and get it to turn back on, all  to no avail.  Well, hubby enjoys sitting with his laptop and doing whatever it is he enjoys doing there for a very good part of the day.  We started looking online (on my desktop computer) for parts to repair it (if we could figure out how to do it ourselves), and then when that didn't seem to be going anywhere, we looked for a new (refurbished) laptop online...and even the refurbished ones are getting pricey and the ones that were more affordable still had the Windows 10 operating system, and now he's gotten used to Windows 11 and didn't want to go back to 10. (I have Windows 10 on my computer, but I don't have any desire to move to anything else at this point until I have to).  We were getting frustrated with the whole situation, when I suddenly had a bright idea! 

Recently we purchased a used smaller flat screen TV at a yard sale. We really didn't have any particular plan for it, but the price was right and it worked, and we only had one TV in our house and thought it might be a good idea to have a "spare" to be used in the guest room or in Scott's room when he comes home occasionally to spend the night.  I read online that we could hook up a TV to the laptop with an HDMI cord, and after a search through the house in all the places I could think of, I found one in Scott's room that worked perfectly. And so after rearranging some little tables to accommodate the TV and his laptop from his recliner, here's the result:

He uses a wireless keyboard and mouse anyway with his laptop, so the set up works great, and he can actually SEE the computer screen now! LOL. Before he was always trying to adjust glasses and even a magnifying glass to see the screen on the laptop!  So this is a BIG (pun intended) improvement for him. However, it kind of takes up a lot of space in the living room and isn't exactly ideal, but it will do until we can figure out what else to do.  We really didn't want to have to spend more money on a new computer right now, because I just had to replace our printer this past week!

My old printer was giving me all kinds of trouble, and kept saying there was a paper jam when there was NO jam anywhere, and it would take 3 or 4 times over and over trying to get it to print one page, and it was extremely frustrating. Finally the other day it just quit printing altogether, and so that was that, and I ordered a new one. It's a less expensive one than what I had, but it appears to be adequate for our home office needs. I really don't do a lot of printing anymore, but when I need to, I want it done NOW and not have to keep trying over and over again.  So there! We took care of THAT!  LOL.  It's just crazy that we should have all these technical issues all at once, but our equipment was getting old, and you know what happens when your equipment gets old...like our bodies...they break down. LOL.

I like what God tells the "House of Jacob and the remnant of the house of Israel" in the following verses...and even though He's speaking specifically to them, I believe we can also  glean some words of hope and encouragement from these verses as well, particularly verse 4...

 Isaiah 46:3-4

“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,

And all the remnant of the house of Israel,

Who have been upheld by Me from birth,

Who have been carried from the womb:

4 Even to your old age, I am He,

And even to gray hairs I will carry you!

I have made, and I will bear;

Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

I do believe that God carries us personally from the womb and into our old age, and that He will indeed carry us until the day He calls us home. That is a great comfort to me.

Switching gears here with a few random photos...

Remember last week I showed you our first tomato from our garden?

Welll, yes, it was delicious!  I asked hubby if he wanted any of it and he said no, so I just had to eat the whole thing by myself. LOL.  Here it is on top of my salad, and it certainly was good!  Thankfully there's a lot more growing out there so we should be enjoying them for a while!! Praise God!!

If you are on my Facebook page you may have already seen this...Saturday, May 16th, would have been my parents 84th wedding anniversary.  They did manage to get almost to their 64th anniversary together, and the picture below on the right was taken at their 60th anniversary.   Anyway, I was happy to see these roses growing just in time to be picked in memory of their anniversary.  Here's a link to a story I wrote about my parents on a previous anniversary.

Later that day hubby was watching the movie "Blackbeard" on TV, and I remembered that my Uncle had a bit part in that movie, so we scrolled through it until we found the exact spot where he could be seen:

And there he was!  Here's a close up:

And here he is below, with my grandfather (his father), and my mom. This was taken when he came home from WWII.   After he got out of the Marines, he went to Hollywood and was in a lot of movies during the late 40's and early 50's. They were only bit parts, and I don't know that he ever had a speaking part. But he enjoyed doing a lot of parts where he had to be a "muscle man", and he always kept himself in great shape even up until he was an old man in his late 80's...he'd still go to the gym and work out! And actually, during the 1960's he used to have an exercise show on TV in the Columbus, Ohio area. It was called "Tone Up With Tedlie".    He led a very active life!

Speaking of "active life"...well, maybe not...Here's some pictures of Blackie this evening on the back porch...just because...

He really doesn't like to have his picture taken. LOL.

It's getting late so I guess I will close with this beautiful prayer and benediction from the Apostle Paul...

Ephesians 3:14-21

"14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Amen! And until next time, be blessed my friends.

Celebrating My Mom~Updated 2026

Hello Friends...I know most of you have already seen this post last year, but as today is the 20th anniversary of the day my mother left her earthly home to be welcomed into her heavenly home, I wanted to share it again. I can't really think of anything new to add to it, except that every year that passes I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to the day that we will be reunited in heaven, and what a joyous day that will be, when I am certain she will be waiting there at heaven's gates to welcome me home, along with JESUS, and then of course my father and our son Matthew and all those who have gone on before us.  What a day that will be!

Here's a song that expresses how I feel about that day..."What a Day That Will be..."

"(1) There is coming a day

When no heartache shall come

No more clouds in the sky

No more tears to dim the eye

All is peace forever more

On that happy golden shore

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus:

What a day that will be

When my Jesus I shall see

And I look upon His face

The One who saved my by His grace

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land

What a day, glorious day that will be

(2) There'll be no sorrow there

No more burdens to bear

No more sickness, no pain

No more parting over there

And forever I will be

With the One who died for me

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus:

What a day that will be

When my Jesus I shall see

And I look upon His face

The One who saved my by His grace

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land

What a day, glorious day that will be"

Here's the original post written last year on this day...

Today is May 7, 2025, and it is also the 19th year since my mother passed away on this day in 2006.  I know I originally wrote this post for her birthday, but I just felt like sharing it again today to remember her on the day she entered heaven's gates, and also because Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday, and so she's really on my mind!

 It's hard to believe she's been gone 19 years already, and I still find myself wishing I could call her up and just talk, or go visit her and enjoy one of her delicious apple pies (or coconut cream), or sit down at the table with her and my daddy and enjoy being back in my childhood home again with them.  But that will never be possible again on earth, but perhaps there's apple pie or coconut cream pie in heaven? If so, my mother is baking it!  

 On January 6, 2025 it would have been her 108th birthday!  I am updating this post from when I originally wrote it on January 6, 2021, so there may be some things edited and some new things added.  

This picture was only given to me recently   (back in 2020) by my cousin, and it has quickly become  my favorite picture of my mother. Here she is, driving the tractor on our farm in Pennsylvania  back in the early 50's or late 40's. We left there to move to Florida in 1956, so it had to be before then. She was so happy as a farmer's wife.  It's what she always wanted to be. My Dad was a great farmer, but in the 50's it became too costly to remain in farming unless you had lots of financial help. And so, with four hungry children to feed and clothe, they decided to sell the farm and move to Florida.  My mother was not a real happy camper about moving away from the farm and especially not to Florida, so far away from the beautiful farm country she loved and her aging parents in Ohio, but she loved her husband and followed him wherever he felt he needed to go.  And God took good care of us in Florida. She adapted...but to her dying day she still missed living on the farm.

These pictures have been added to my collection more recently, so I wanted to include them here for my own reference...our family on the farm, around 1952.  My brother Clifford, Russell, our dog Laddie, Mom, Doris, Daddy and me!

Again, our family, probably  1954...Russell, Clifford Daddy , Mom, Doris and me!

This is my next favorite picture of my mother, taken when she was in her 80's, on the 4th of July. Yes, my mother was always the patriot. She loved her country and was a very proud American.  Today I thanked the Lord that my mother is in heaven, far away from any world government.  She is living with the God Who rules heaven and earth, and one day He will make all things new. 

In the following pictures are some special treasures that remind me of my Mom:

This first group of pictures was taken many many years ago, when my parents came to visit us in Ohio, where my husband was pastoring a church and working on his Doctorate in Ministry. My mother and I went shopping at some interesting thrift and/or antique shops, and we came home with a couple of beautiful antique hats.  We were having fun modeling them, and my youngest son also had fun modeling for us. (He'd probably not be real happy with me for showing this picture. LOL. )

In the first top picture Mom is baking a pie for us.  Most likely apple since it was fall and I am sure we probably found some good fresh apples at an orchard nearby.  My mother was the queen of pie baking. I've written about that before: The Pie Legacy HERE  Looks like she is threatening someone with that rolling pin!  She was feisty, that's for sure! LOL.

I still have both of the hats that we bought that day:

Every time I look at these hats I remember that happy time with my mother. Those are precious memories.

This next picture is a doll that I bought for my mother for her 85th birthday. She looked like my mother must have looked as a little girl...dark brown hair and pretty green eyes.  And she's holding a birthday cake and has a sweet little teddy bear.

The pictures beneath the doll are of my sister and our mother and me, taken at Mother's Day one year, and her birthday the year she was given this doll.

Below are some beautiful dishes that came from my mother's china cabinet.  The plates and some of the teacups and saucers were her Haviland China dishes. I am not sure if these came from my grandmother's dishes, or if these were just some that my mother had purchased through the years because they reminded her of her mother's dishes. Either way, they are wonderful and I love them.  

The two Chinese designed teacups and saucers above in front were definitely my grandmother's  (my mother's mother).

I love this tea towel that is framed and hanging in my special little dining treasure room.  You can read for yourself the note my mother typed and put with the towel when she gave it to me.  The only sad part is that her signature is fading out. It was written in red ink, and now it is getting hard to read. I don't want to write over it, but I may have to so it isn't lost forever.  

My mother knew how much I loved tea things and special keepsakes. That is why I framed this so I could keep it nice and enjoy it forever! Yes, she was right..."At any rate I know you will enjoy this bit of your Mother's past!! Much Love, Mom".  

My mother knew me well.

I know I was blessed to have had such a wonderful mother. Lately I've been hearing other people discuss their relationships with their mothers, and so often they were not pleasant memories.  My mother and I certainly had our "moments", especially when I was a teenager and tended to be quite sassy. There were times I didn't understand her moodiness at all (but later I figured it out to be menopause and then she also dealt with low blood sugar issues). But one thing I knew for sure, my mother loved me and all of her children fiercely.  If she fought with us it was because she loved us so much and wanted us to be safe and sound in mind and thought...at least in the way she thought we should think. She loved a good debate, which I discovered was a hereditary trait from her father and brothers...and loved to discuss politics and religion. She was very opinionated and didn't compromise on much. But that was one thing I respected about her. She knew her mind and she stood strong on principle.  

I will finish with a passage from our morning devotions found in I John 4:7-11

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God;

and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

8.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9.  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, 

that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

10.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us 

and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11.  Beloved, if God so loved us,  we also ought to love one another."

So let us love one another, regardless of our differences of opinion.

Here are a couple more pictures of my mother. 

These are her sisters Margaret and Belle, and Mom (Dorothea),  is the little one  with the cute chubby cheeks on the right.

And below, 

Margaret holding my mother (Dorothea), their brother Truman, and sister Belle

My mother around age 19:

My mother would shoot me for sharing this one of her with her new hair dryer on Christmas day:

Her family with their car back in the 1920's: Chalmer, Belle, Mom on the ground, Margaret in car, my Grandma, and Truman.  Grandpa was always taking these pictures, so he's not in them!

And one last one of her family: Margaret on ground, Belle standing, Chalmer in high chair, Truman, Mom (Dorothea), and my Grandmother. Their dog on the ground.

Here's a picture with my Grandpa Tedlie, mom's brother Chalmer home from WWII, and my mother, back in the 1940's.

Okay, that's enough family photos...but I just wanted to share a bit about my mother on this, her special day.  Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom!  (Update: and Happy Heavenly Mother's Day, as well as the remembrance of the day you entered heaven's gates, 5/7/2006)

UPDATE: If you are blessed to still have your mother, please take the time to honor her in a special way this Mother's Day.  Life is short! We don't get to keep our mothers here with us forever!

And if your mother has also already entered heaven's gates, honor her memory in some special way. Regardless of whether or not she was perfect or always did everything right. No one is perfect. But most of us try to do the best we can with what we are capable of doing. And if there are still some hurts from the past, today is a good day to forgive.

Matthew 6:9-15

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

"Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Amen.

Monday Monday! Cats, Flowers and Doppelgangers!

Happy Monday morning from Still Waters Pond!

If you were sitting in my "Room with a View" and looking out the window above my computer in the early morning just after sunrise, this is what you would see most every morning: 

Look at those faces...Yes, this is what they do as soon as they know we are up and the lights come on in the house...they sit outside my window and watch and wait...

When they know I am looking back at them, they sometimes turn their heads or pretend they really aren't looking at me...

But the underlying message is, "Don't you know it's time for breakfast?"  LOL.  I try to at least finish my hot cup of tea before it gets cold, but with them sitting out there watching me and patiently waiting, I find that I can't concentrate on what I was trying to do (mostly reading your comments and posts and/or trying to write something sensible...)

And so they win the contest and I go out and feed them...(although this morning I had to chase away that pesky Muscovy Duck before I could feed them...)

And once again peace reigns on Still Waters Pond... (after I chased away the duck a couple more times...)

Now, here's a fun story...well, may be funny now, but it wasn't at the time...this is what happens when you try to do something in a hurry and don't take the time to secure things on the top of a shelf cabinet before trying to move it in order to get to the air conditioner filter to change the filter...Yes, there was a gallon of bleach on top of that cabinet, and somehow the cabinet swayed when I was trying to reach around it, and the plastic jug of bleach fell off the top and of course the lid blew off when it hit the floor of our laundry room, spilling bleach all over the rugs and floor...and splashing all over me!  These are my pants...thankfully they were what I call "house pants" already, ones that I only wear inside the house and not out in public because they might have already had some stains and spots on them, but now they are REALLY pants that I probably won't even wear outside to do yard work...well, maybe I will do that, but that's about it! LOL. Or maybe I'll just start a new style...At least they aren't ripped jeans! LOL. (and people pay good money for those ripped jeans...I wonder what I could get for these??? LOL. ) 

Thankfully the floor was not damaged, and believe it or not, the scatter rugs that I have on that floor did not show any sign of bleaching!  Those inexpensive woven rugs from Walmart must be made of something special....recycled plastic bleach bottles maybe. LOL.  Anyway, I learned a valuable lesson about being in a rush and not taking the time to secure things before acting.  My One Word "Wisdom" might have come in handy for this situation.

Proverbs 15-16

"15 Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!

The prudent carefully consider their steps.

16 The wise are cautious and avoid danger;

fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence."

Oops!  I guess that "fool" who plunged ahead with reckless confidence might have been me!  Lesson learned!!

Okay, moving on to something pretty...I bought this lovely Portulaca plant at a farm market the other day. It just made me smile, and I needed some color on the front porch:

Of course, it closes up in the late afternoon, but it opens back up in the sunshine.  I hope it survives!!

And speaking of flowers...we took a little walk early this morning before it got too hot...and we went back to that walking trail where the vacant lots are where old historic houses used to be...

And now there are lovely Crape Myrtles blooming where those houses once stood! There's something new popping up everytime we go by there! I love it!

Again, a reminder of those who once lived here and loved their homes and gardens and planted beautiful flowers that would stand the test of time way beyond their own lives here on earth...

There's a lot of this Lantana blooming everywhere around there as well...It's kind of a wild flower, but many people planted them. They are colorful and lovely...and attract butterflies!  

I didn't see a butterfly this time, but there's some kind of little bee/bug on that flower above, enjoying the nectar!

And now for the mystery "Doppelganger!"  

If you are a member of my family, or if you knew my father and saw this picture on Facebook yesterday, you might have wondered where this picture came from and where was he?  Because when I saw this picture on a friend's post, I about fell over.  This man was at a wedding of my friend's nephew in Ohio over the weekend.  He is apparently the brother in law of our friend.  

And even though my mind knew it couldn't be a picture of my father, because my father has been in heaven since 2011, to say I was flabberghasted would be a huge understatement! It also sent me scrambling to find a picture of my father that would corroborate my thoughts...and this was the first one I could put my hands on.  And yes, I know there are subtle similartities and differences, but if you knew my father, you would definitely see what I saw in that picture above, and be just as amazed. He's even wearing a plaid shirt, similar to what my father loved to wear!

I immediately texted my friend and asked her who that man was, and she told me his name and some other basic information.  Of course, I wanted to know MORE...like, who were his parents, was he on Ancestry.com and could we possibly be matched somehow by DNA...you see, because my father's mother was adopted, and even though I've done extensive research and have discovered who her birth parents were, there's still so much we don't know...and anyone who has done the DNA test knows that we have distant "cousins" all over the world.  But I didn't want to bother our friends or their relatives any further and interrupt their happy weekend celebrations by probing and asking more questions, but it sure got my attention!! And the more pictures she shared of him throughout the weekend, the more similarities I could see between him and my father, and even my grandmother! 

 

My Grandma Elva Sowers Hill Mursch

However, I've decided that after I finish this post I will let it go and just chalk it up to one of those strange "coincidences" in life...like perhaps there really is such a thing as a "Doppelganger!" I know I've been told that I look like a lot of different people throughout my lifetime...

Per AI Google Search:

"A "doppelganger" is a person who looks almost exactly like another, but who is not related to them. It's a term borrowed from German, meaning "double-goer" or "double walker," and can refer to a ghostly double or a person who resembles another. “Canadian photographer Francois Brunelle spent 12 years tracking down real life Doppelgängers -- two individuals who are not related but could pass for identical twins -- and photographing them” as mentioned in an article on chasejarvis.com.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Meaning:
The word "doppelganger" literally translates to "double-walker" or "double-goer" in German.

Appearance:
Doppelgangers are known for their striking physical resemblance to their counterpart, often including facial features and hairstyles.

Not Related:
They are not related to the individual they resemble and are not identical twins.

Folklore and Literature:
In folklore and literature, doppelgangers are often portrayed as supernatural entities or ghostly doubles, sometimes with sinister or ominous connotations.

Real-life Sightings:
While often associated with the supernatural, doppelganger sightings have also been reported in real life, leading to discussions about their potential existence.

Modern Usage:
The term is now commonly used to refer to any person who closely resembles another, even if the resemblance is purely physical. "


I will close with these few Scripture verses about the image of whom I really want to resemble in life...That is the image of of Christ...not in looks so much as in my whole being and spirit and heart...

2 Corinthians 3:18
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.


1 Corinthians 13:12-13
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And the most important thing to remember is this:

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

And with those thoughts to ponder  I will close this post.  Have a blessed and beautiful rest of your week...

Thursday Thankfulness~Taking Time to Smell The Roses

I Peter 1:6-8

"6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 

8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory..."

I hope you don't mind seeing these beautiful roses from the "Double Delight" rosebush that was given to me for Mother's Day from my sweet daughter in love, Rose.  I am going to enjoy the blossoms as long as they keep blooming!  And to me, they are just too pretty to keep to myself, so that's why I'm sharing them with you.

I just wish I could share the delightful fragrance of these flowers with you!

I keep cutting these roses and bringing them inside so I can enjoy them, and also inhale their awesome fragrance!  Sometimes we just need to slow down and take the time to smell the roses along the way...

Here's one I left on the bush for now...

This was one bud that the "lubber grasshopper" was nibbling on before I discovered him. But the flower is still persevering and blooming in spite of its afflictions...there's a lesson to be learned there for us...

This bowl was something I found at a flea market a couple of years ago, and even though the flower on it is a peony, it looks so much like these roses.  It's been holding the peaches for the past few days, but I thought it was worth sharing with you too before I put it back away in the cupboard after the peaches are all gone!

Below, the flower on the right was the one the lubber grasshopper was literally devouring when I "eliminated" him from the bush, and hopefully from existence.  And again, this flower is still blooming and giving off that sweet fragrance even with its battle scars...

I liked what this little devotional calendar said, and it seems to fit today.

2 Corinthians 2:15 NKJV

15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 

Here is another one still blooming on the bush outside, and it's just so perfect that I thought I'd leave it there for a little while longer before bringing it inside.  They keep changing every day with the sunshine. 

I was doing a little walkabout the yard and saw a few other things of interest...this pink geranium is making a comeback finally after repotting it in some new fresh fertilized soil...

And these yellow mums have been hibernating in their pot since last fall.  I've been trying to keep things watered, and all of a sudden they sprang back to life!  

John 4:10-14 NKJV

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 

12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

The first zinnia blossom in the little butterfly garden...

Remember the Gnome House that used to exist on this tree stump?

And then how it looked later after the Pileated Woodpeckers got a hold of it?

Well, I thought you'd like to see how that tree stump looks now:

Isaiah 61:2b-3

"To comfort all who mourn,

3 To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

It is still uninhabitable for the Gnome Home, but there is certainly new "life" growing all over it!

And the Gnomes are still living happily ever after over on the Holly Tree in the Memorial Secret Garden:

And speaking of the holly tree, I was sitting on my garden bench nearby for a few minutes, and this female cardinal kept flying back and forth into the tree and acting really nervous because I was so close. Now I'm wondering if she has a nest in there or nearby, based on the way she was acting. That will be something to watch and see...

Today has been rather cloudy, which is nice for a change, but I do wish it would bring some much needed rain...anyway, it was nice to walk around outside since the clouds were keeping the temperatures a tiny bit lower. (it's only 89 instead of 95 today! Wow! A cold front! LOL)

This is the big magnolia tree across the street from us, in full bloom:

So I walked over to get some close ups...no one lives in that little house, which is for sale, btw, so I wasn't bothering anyone by looking at the beautiful magnolia blossoms...

Actually, some people walked by on the street and saw me taking pictures of the tree and said "It sure is a beautiful tree!"  And I replied, "Yes, and we need to enjoy it while it's still blooming!"    

So I hope you are enjoying these flowers, which are putting on their magnificent display for the season.  This is what they are designed to do, and then they turn into a kind of a seed cone, which eventually drops to the ground and the squirrels and some birds come and eat the bright red seeds, and many more little magnolia trees sprout up in various places.

Oh,  and btw, these magnolia blossoms also smell divinely!!

This one is getting ready to bloom any day now...

I hope you enjoyed their magnificent show!

Meanwhile, on the back porch, Blackie is licking Sunshine and giving him a head bath I guess.  Oh, btw, you can really see where they clipped Blackie's left ear when he was being "fixed". That is a sign to anyone in the future that he has had this procedure done. They do that on outdoor/feral cats. I never realized it would be such a big piece cut off! It doesn't appear to hurt or look sore in any way, thank goodness.

They are so sweet together.

They are truly sweet kitties, and I am thankful that God sent them to us to enjoy.

I'm sure if you read my last post HERE, you may be wondering how my menfolk are doing. 

Well, Praise the Lord, our son Benton was sent home the following day after several tests to see if his heart was affected in any way, and after much consideration, it was determined that he was suffering from heat exhaustion. So we are very thankful for that, and he learned a hard lesson about staying hydrated during this very hot weather we've been having.

And regarding my hubby's MRI, well, he just wasn't physically able to do it at that time and it has been rescheduled until next week.  Hopefully things will go better for him next week and then we will be able to get some answers. 

You might enjoy this choral arrangement that our choir sang this past Sunday. (see video below)  You won't see me singing because I wasn't there for choir practice when this was recorded, and also we are taking a little bit of a sabbatical right now while we wait on those test results for hubby.  He needed to take a bit of a break from his teaching responsibilities and other activities that we have been involved in for now.  Hopefully we will be able to get back soon, but sometimes you have to listen to what God is telling you about your own and loved ones' health and welfare as well and take some time off  "to smell the roses."

Anyway, I was so glad this was recorded, because it has a great message and was somewhat challenging to sing!

Our God is an Awesome God and The God of Abraham Praise medley

And when the sky was starless in the void of the night

(Our God is an awesome God)

He spoke into the darkness and created the light

(Our God is an awesome God)

Judgement and wrath He poured out on Sodom

Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross

I hope that we have not too quickly forgotten

That our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God

He reigns from heaven above

With wisdom, power and love

Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God

He reigns from heaven above

With wisdom, power and love

Our God is an awesome God

The God of Abraham praise,

Who reigns enthroned above;

Ancient of everlasting days,

And God of love:

Jehovah! great I AM!

By earth and heav'n confessed;

I bow and bless the sacred name,

For ever blest.

Our God is an awesome God

He reigns from heaven above

With wisdom, power and love

Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God

He reigns from heaven above

With wisdom, power and love

Our God is an awesome God!

I can't think of any better way to close this post than with that song and message above. Our God IS an awesome God!

Psalm 47:1-2

1 Clap your hands, all you nations;

shout to God with cries of joy.

2 For the Lord Most High is awesome,

the great King over all the earth.

Amen.

Now I hope you will also take some time to go and "smell the roses" while you are able to do so. Life is so short, and we often think we are just too busy to take any time out for the pleasantries of life.  Don't do that. None of us knows how much time we have in this life, and we may be missing some of the sweetest moments by constantly staying so busy or putting things off like retirement, or a little vacation, or just some time off to do something special with the ones we love.  No one is promised tomorrow. Go ahead...go smell those roses...tell someone you love them...go out of your way to do something extra special for yourself and /or someone you love while you can. Be blessed...and be a blessing.  

Good Night my friends.