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! 

Sermon Notes and A Conversation With a Stranger

A kind of an "On Golden Pond" moment...last evening's reflections from the golden sun shining on the trees, reflecting the golden hue upon the water. What I didn't see when I took the picture was the two deer on the other side of the pond...one looking at me...the other eating his dinner. You just never know who may be watching you!

This could be said about our life in general...and our conversations online as well... read on...

The following are excerpts from a conversation on social media with a person I do not know personally, who is a "friend of a friend", in response to the friend's cry out to God, "Jehovah Shalom", our God of Peace...wondering where He is in the midst of all this sorrow and chaos in the world...and wondering what her next steps should be in the aftermath of the Sabbath Day Synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh, PA... read on...

Me: "Pray, Pray, Pray. Then let God lead you. That is what we all need to do. Get on our knees and pray. God will give us answers as we listen to His voice."

Friend of friend: "I realize that prayer helps people, but really, if that’s all we did, well, it all seems futile. Wouldn’t a benevolent, loving god want to fix this horrendous stuff with or without prayer? We must think deeply about this and be prepared to back up our beliefs with action. We must continue to speak out about this and make sure our voices are heard."


Me: "Prayer is just the beginning. Listening to God's voice and not all the voices of the world is the next step. Tune in to Christ, and tune out all the "noise" of the media and chatterboxes out here in social media telling us how to think and what to do. I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I know Who does, and praying helps me to hear what He has to say on these matters. Then I am better prepared for appropriate action. I like the saying "What would Jesus do?" and prayerfully seek His direction before acting and/or speaking out."

Friend of Friend: "But to recommend prayer and faith, even as a starting point, is to assume that anyone who reads your message has the same beliefs that you do. I respect your right to belief what you will, but do remember that there are those of us who carry different beliefs, and that we are not all starting from the same place."

 Me: "I appreciate and respect your response. And I certainly respect the fact that many do not share the same faith and beliefs. Perhaps it should be better said that we all need to take a deep breath, and give serious contemplation to what is truly best for all. I realize that many will come up with totally opposite responses, but we can at least agree to talk rationally and calmly and peacefully to come up with some reasonable solutions. "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me". That is a good starting place."

Friend of Friend: "Thank you. Yes, we can agree on that. There's so much going on, so much agony, and I just feel absolutely lost. I've walked in demonstrations, I've called my Congresspeople, I vote in every single election. I rant and rave on Facebook! And yet none of it seems to matter. It's all so dismal."

Me: "There is a lot of sorrow in our world/nation these days, about many things. And sadly, we are often not given all of the information about all of the positive things that are also happening in our country. There are good things happening, and many many good people working hard to restore our nation to peace and a place of promise and hope for our children's future. When all we listen to or hear are the negative voices we miss out on the positive news. This has been a very sad and disturbing week for our country. Mental illness and people with evil hearts do so much hurt and damage. But these people are not the norm. They are the disturbed exceptions. Our nation is filled with so many really wonderful, good, hard working, loving people. Let us unite together to overcome the forces of evil that are trying to dismantle and destroy our nation."

No further response.

What I wish I could have said: The reason people feel so lost and like nothing seems to matter and "it's all so dismal" is because you are correct. When people do not have faith in God and do not have the hope that faith in Jesus Christ gives us, everything must look dismal.  Without Christ in our world and hearts, there is no hope. Those of us who have faith in Christ can get down on our knees and pray and know that God does hear our prayers, and He WILL give us answers and appropriate ways to help those in need and respond to the crisis around us. I have hope in my heart because I know that God is with us. He is in the midst of all suffering and trials and sorrows, and He is giving comfort to those who grieve.  Without faith in God we can never combat the evil presence that is in the world. Sadly, so many have become a part of that greater evil because they are fighting for the wrong cause...they have allied themselves with the forces of darkness when they continue to fight against all forms of godliness and righteousness.

I have shared all of this conversation as a prelude to my sermon notes for this week. 

Our message on Sunday was taken from the book of Matthew, chapter 9:35 - chapter 10:8

35.  "Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36.  But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

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."

Skipping down to chapter 10:7-8~

"And as you go, preach, saying, 

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, 

raise the dead, cast out demons. 

Freely you have received, freely give."

• We have great news! I am a part of the church that knows The Shepherd...where people's lives are being transformed!  (We do have the answer to all that is wrong with the world!)
• I want to bring them in so they can hear the Good News of Jesus Christ!
• Who do we belong to? 
• We become harassed by the world (social media especially these days)...and sometimes we give up, lay down, play dead.
• Jesus said seek out those who are without a shepherd...
• Without Jesus in my heart: pills won't help take away the anxiety and fear...(neither will Marching, ranting, calling our congressmen),
• People are powerless to change their own lives...
• Are we reaching out to our "cranky neighbors" (wherever they may be...not necessarily next door)...perhaps they are family members...Who are the harassed and hopeless in our own community?
• Jesus' response is compassion...
• When He sees our world...it through His eyes of compassion.  
• Compassion is the complete opposite of indifference
• Our life as a Christian is more important than football games or other social event...
• Jesus is the only One who can solve the problems of our world today...
• Jesus is the only answer.
• We need to prepare ourselves to live as a follower of Christ...we are called to reach out, step up and step out to His people...
• But we get greedy...we have been given a gift and we want to hold onto it and not share it...the knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Savior and healer and redeemer...Our only hope in this  world...
• If Jesus is calling you...and you just sit back...then who will go?
• Our activities at our churches need to be rooted in the gospel...shared with others... we should share the gospel with others as we share food, clothing, or whatever we give to the needy.
• If not you, then who?
• We may say, "that's not my calling..."
• Then, what is your calling?
• Your calling is not to sit back and watch...
• Compassion is not a spectator sport...it requires action.
• If not you, who then?

As we closed our service, we sang the following song:  Freely, Freely

"God forgave my sin in Jesus' name. 
I've been born again in Jesus' name 
And in Jesus' name I come to you 
To share his love as he told me to. 

He said 'Freely, freely you have received;, freely, freely give. 
Go in my name, and because you believe others will know that I live. 

All pow'r is giv'n in Jesus' name 
in earth and heav'n in jesus name 
And in Jesus' name I come to you 
To share his pow'r as he told me to. 

He said 'Freely, freely you have received;, freely, freely give. 
Go in my name, and because you believe others will know that I live. 

God gives us life in Jesus' name 
he lives in us in Jesus' name 
And in Jesus' name I come to you 
To share his peace as he told me to."

So I ask you and myself:

If not you, who then?

Go and share the hope you have within you with those who are lost  and feeling so dismal and hopeless. Perhaps they will not listen because they do not have the faith we have, but we can plant the seeds...and perhaps another will come and water...and someday they will be a part of that great harvest.

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given.  I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously.  Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said.  Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear...  That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts.  So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

Sermon Notes from FUMC, Interlachen, FL. Pastor A.C. Meyers, 10/28/2018

Are You Sowing or Reaping? (reposted) (again) and again!

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015.... OCTOBER 19, 2017  Just saw this one again and thought I'd post it again. Still appropriate today.  Happy Fall Y'all!

(First time I reposted it:) Sept. 1, 2013: Yep, here it is again...September..and the beginning of the "harvest time".  Everyone said yesterday at my house that I was jumping the gun on Autumn with my fall decorations out already. Just couldn't wait any longer...I am SO ready for fall...how about you? Here's what I wrote 3 years ago and updated last year, and here I am again. Happy September, everyone!

I originally posted this back in 2010, and as I was looking for something appropriate for the beginning of the harvest/fall season...this one popped up.  September is my favorite month...probably because it is my birth month...and anything to do with fall, autumn, and harvest seems to elicit warm feelings of golden sunny days with clear skies and crisp, cooler air...I will be writing more about that in the days to come just to get the thoughts of cooler weather in my mind...(living in Florida we dream a lot about fall days...)

Anyway, back to the present...or the past...or well, read on...

(Original Post from 2010)

We used to sing a hymn in church called "Bringing in the Sheaves".  As a kid I wasn't too sure just what "sheaves" were supposed to be.  I always thought they were saying "bringing in the sheets", you know, on washday, when our mothers brought in the sheets from off the clothesline?  (Love that fragrance...there's nothing like putting clean sheets fresh off the line on the bed and falling face first into the billowy white linen and taking a deep comforting breath...aaaahhhhhh...) Pardon that brief interlude into sweet memoryville.

Sheaves of Wheat

So, just what are "sheaves" anyway? According to the dictionary they are a bundle of stalks of grain, like wheat, corn, etc., which would be the harvest of that which was sown.  The hymn no doubt was singing about the harvest of souls. The Psalmist  (see Psalm 126:5-6 below) is also talking about a type of harvest of souls, but I would like to make this more personal than that.

Many of my friends have been going through a season of sorrow during the past year, myself included. We have sown many a garden of tears and anguish.  Our sorrow and weeping have been from many different sources:  Some have lost their jobs, mates, marriage, friends, homes, health and life's dreams.  But the thing that all of my friends have in common is that during their time of sadness and disappointment, they have been sowing seeds for a better life.  In the midst of their struggles they have discovered new hope, new talents, new friends, and even new dreams.  Here is a little list of some of the new ideas and "sheaves" that are now being harvested by those who once were at the point of giving up:

1. Starting a new business from home...pet sitting, health food sales, catering
2. Combining households of parent and adult children/grandchildren following the death of a mate
3. Carrying on the outreach ministry of an evangelist husband who died from cancer
4. Starting a diet and exercise program for health reasons
5. Writing a blog as a way to reach out and encourage others
6. Taking a wilderness survival course
7. Going back to school
8. Starting a new way of life following a near-death accident that resulted in brain injury
9. Wife stepping up to manage husband's tree-trimming business following his near-death accident that left him with some brain injury
10. Overcoming fears to be able to travel and visit loved ones and friends
11. Starting a brand new job after many months of searching
12. Moving to another state to find a new job after many months of searching
13. Starting life over after spending many years in incarceration, and facing an extremely unwelcoming and unforgiving world, but determined not to give up.

I am certain there are many more "sheaves" that are being harvested in the hearts and souls of others of whom we are not even aware.  Someone has said that everyone is fighting some kind of battle.  We can't always know what some of our closest friends are going through.

My prayer tonight is that for everyone who is still "sowing in tears", that we will soon be able to "reap in joy".  Furthermore, I pray that we will all soon be able to "come again with rejoicing", bringing our sheaves with us.  Let us not forget to give God the glory when that day comes.

"Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful."  Psalm 147:1

This is on my Grandpa Tedlie's farm, back in the early 1940's,  "bringing in the sheaves", with my cousins on the hay wagon, and my Grandma Tedlie and Aunt Belle walking together to join them.

Psalm 126:5-6  "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.  He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

Since this was originally written in 2010, some of the people "mentioned" in the list above have had their successes at their new starts in life...others may have had to sow more seeds and are still waiting for the harvest to come in.  The important thing is, they are still persevering in their faith...they haven't quit trying.  God is still blessing, and in some cases, still carrying them through the dry seasons of life.  I could add others to this list who have gone through deep trials and challenges...and who have seen doors closed and new windows opened in their lives. Life goes on...the characters in the story may change, but the plot is still much the same.  Psalm 126:5-6 is still true, no matter what. I trust you will find that to be true in your life as well.

Signs of Growth - Random Journal Day

Hello Friends out there in "Blogland"....It's Random Journal Day (click on link for more information and other great "Random Journal Day Blogs") again...time to look back in the past and bring it back to the future...you know, "That was then, and this is now..."  So here we go.  This post was originally written on 5/22/2012 ~ a little over 3 years ago.  A lot has changed in our lives since then...and in our home.  

May 22, 2012:

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."  I Corinthians 3:6

The front yard of our home when this was originally written 5/22/2012 - see pictures below for update

I was chatting with one of the pastors at the church where I work today about "signs of growth".  He seemed to be a little discouraged about the lack of noticeable growth in the church even after taking big steps to reach out and plant new seeds by faith.  I was certainly able to empathize with him, having spent many years in churches where my husband and I labored in what appeared to be a vain effort with no apparent signs of growth.  Oftentimes soon after we left a church feeling discouraged, another minister would come along and reap a great harvest!

Recently I have been laboring in another kind of field...planting new trees and shrubs and flowers in the yard of our new home in the forest.  I have been watering our trees and flowers faithfully every evening since we are not getting any consistent rain.  I have begun to get a bit discouraged, because the trees have not been showing any signs of new growth. Not that they appear to be dying...they just haven't sprouted any new leaves or grown any taller or fuller that I can see. 

I thought about this as I spoke with my friend today...and it occurred to me that we oftentimes cannot see the growth that is taking place because it is developing so slowly.  I said to him that in churches (or people we are caring for), like trees, the early growth is actually growing under the surface as roots are reaching deeper down into the soil in search of the pure water and rich nutrients of the earth.  The foundation is being established by daily watering with the right combination of fertilizer and sunlight and hopefully some rain.  Before the new leaves and branches can spring forth and reach up into the sky the tree has to be rooted and grounded in solid ground...or else when the storms come the tree (or person) will not be strong enough to withstand the high winds and pounding rain. 

It takes patience to be a gardener and a tiller of the soil.  It also takes patience to be a gardener in the garden of God's church.  Oftentimes the pastor-gardener becomes discouraged because he has labored long and hard, breaking up the fallow ground, planting seeds and praying for a great harvest, with no visible results.

The Apostle Paul dealt with this same issue when he wrote to the Corinthian early church . He was frustrated with the people of this young church because after much teaching, preaching, and prayer, they were still not showing any signs of spiritual growth.  And then they would compare one preacher with the other thinking one was better than the other because some showed more signs of growth under one leader than the other.

Paul admonished them regarding this way of thinking in I Corinthians 3:6-11~

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it.  But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

So, whether you are laboring in a field of trees, flowers or vegetables...or perhaps you are laboring in the field of teaching and ministering to the children of God (or even your own children)...don't lose hope when you can't see immediate results.  Be faithful to your task...cover every deed with prayer and love. When the "field" is ripe and ready for harvest or even if you find that you have to walk away and allow someone else to reap the harvest...remember that it is God Who has given the increase...in His time...in His way.  Just be faithful to do what you have been called to do and leave the results to Him.

Our Front Yard Today...September 4, 2015

And the surprise harvest of friends in the faith...a home Bible Fellowship started in our home last year...

God has truly blessed and blessed and blessed

Sometimes God surprises us with growth in places we'd never imagined when we first started...

so just be faithful to the tasks God places in your path and He will give the increase.

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.