Thursday Thankfulness~Friday Foto Friends

 Might as well combine the two days because I know I won't have time to do another post tomorrow...unless it is late in the day.  Besides, a lot of what I am thankful for is in the pictures...well maybe, maybe not. Let's see how this unfolds.

This is a good place to begin, right?

(This is sign is another of our friend Barbara's from Sweet Tea and Sandals. We have it on a table as you come in the front door of the store as a good reminder!)

This huge flock of geese landed on Still Waters Pond the other evening.  Have you ever heard a "gaggle of geese" before?  Click on the video below if you'd like to hear what they sound like...I think they were all "talking" at once, trying to get everyone in order after their long flight, making sure no one was missing...

After a while they settled down and by nightfall I couldn't hear a peep.  I think they took off again before dawn, however, because there was no sign of them in the morning. They have places to go and "people to see".  We felt honored that they chose our little pond to land and rest a while.

 Up on shore it appears that we have a new "lawn ornament" in the butterfly garden, keeping watch over the bird feeder...

She just makes herself right at home there. I've noticed that she often arrives way before sunrise, but usually is gone after a couple of hours of bird watching. Then sometimes she reappears at night, tripping the motion detector light on our back porch.  I guess she feels safe here...

And here is one of her friends from the neighborhood, sitting out there this afternoon, just watching and waiting...Isn't she beautiful?  I don't know if these cats actually belong to anyone, but I do know that one of our neighbors feeds them. They look healthy.

A few weeks ago I told you about the damage to our church property after Hurricane Ian passed through HERE.  You will recall that a large tree fell onto our very old log storage building, landing on the roof and causing considerable damage.  Thankfully no one was around at the time and no people or vehicles were damaged, as this is also our church parking lot.  Well, now the demolition of the building has begun, and I've been trying to get some pictures throughout the week to mark the progress.  Here's a few pictures so you can see what the extent of the damage was:

The big tree was cut up, and you can see that it was rotten all the way through.

Do you see the little Wren above?  He was hopping around and inside the logs, looking for bugs I am sure.

This 100 + year old building was built from palm tree logs, which are very strong and dense.  

This is a picture of the logs, and how they were cut to fit together.  The logs themselves still look pretty good. I do not see any rot in them:

Inside the building was this old pulpit.  I am hoping someone has decided to remove it and not let it be destroyed...

It's a miracle it wasn't crushed:

This is the other end of the building, which was added at a later time, and it was not under the tree when it fell.  But I think it is still going to be torn down.  

Another view of the section that was crushed:

I am still amazed at the strength of these palm logs:

This pulpit, from whence the Word of God was preached for many years,  reminds me of the Word of God that is everlasting...

Isaiah 40:6-8

6 The voice said, “Cry out!”

And he said, “What shall I cry?”

“All flesh is grass,

And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades,

Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades,

But the word of our God stands forever.”

Amen!

Now, for a little story from this morning's time spent at Dixie Cottage. No pictures of this...you'll have to just picture this in your mind's eye.  

Hubby and I were having a quiet morning at the store for the first hour. Then it seemed as though everything broke loose at once! First we saw one large van pull into the parking lot, and it turned out to be one of our new vendors and her husband coming to add some more items to her little booth.  We had not met before, so after introductions were made, we had a little bit of business to discuss while she worked on her booth. Just as we were talking another couple of people came in the door, and it turned out to be another of our vendors, also coming to add some things to her booth.  However, this particular person had previously discussed with my son that she had a little problem with this new vendor not following all of the "rules" for what they were allowed to bring to sell at the store. The new person had not totally understood all of the rules, but that is what I was discussing with her and explaining what needed to be changed. Everything was fine until this other person started saying negative and rather snarky things under her breath, but loud enough for the new vendor to hear her.  I was caught in the middle of a tense situation.  I tried my best to diffuse the matter by talking to each person individually, but it was getting very uncomfortable. (picture "cat fight" in your mind...I was trying to keep it from getting there...) On top of that someone came in to pick up a sign that she had ordered, and she was being a little bit difficult in that it wasn't as big as she thought it would be (it was exactly what she ordered), and the lettering wasn't as dark as she thought it should be (again, exactly what she ordered), and I could see she was going to be a little unpleasant, but I then had the pleasure of telling her that her sign was free because she actually is a person who finds estate sales and good used furniture for us that we purchase from her to restore and sell in the store. When I told her the sign was a gift, she changed her whole demeanor and attitude and the sign was just perfect! LOL.  

Anyway, meanwhile I could feel the tension growing in the building while the  ladies were working on their booths and both sputtering things as they worked...  I whispered a prayer to the Lord, "HELP ME!"  All the while, other people came and went...I helped a customer find something he was looking for...my husband was keeping the one lady's husband occupied in conversation,  Finally, the 2nd lady was ready to leave and she actually had a piece of furniture that she had purchased from the store that needed to be loaded in her truck.  (Where is our strong son when we need him???)  My hubby and I got the dolly and loaded the piece onto it and managed to get it to the door and out onto the sidewalk, but we weren't too sure how we were going to get it up into the back of her truck without damaging the piece of furniture.  This lady also came over and apologized to me privately, but not to the other lady, but at least she knew she was wrong for her attitude and said so.  Anyway, with all of this happening at once, I honestly was feeling so stressed and was really not sure how on earth we were going to get that furniture in the back of her truck. Then I looked around and this very tall (at least 6'6") big African American man stepped out of nowhere and asked if he could help us.  My husband and I both just gasped with joy and said "Oh, yes! Please! and thank you!"  He took over with my husband (and also the other woman's husband joined in to help as well) and they got that furniture in the back of that lady's truck with no problem.

I went back inside and tried to make amends with the new vendor lady and we talked and I felt like we had everything cleared up and she was okay and calmed down and seemed to be at peace with the situation.  I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the big man had walked around through the store and then was headed out the door.  I felt badly that we hadn't really had time to wait on him or ask him if we could help him with anything.  So before he went out the door I called over to him and asked him if there was anything we could help him with, and he said, "No, I just wanted to see what this place was."  And I said to him, "Well, we thank you for coming, and I really believe you were an angel sent here by God today."  He looked at me with a rather strange but I would say knowing look and smiled and went out the door.  And that was that.  And after all this crazy stuff was settled and we came home for lunch I told my husband that I honestly believed that God sent that man to help us just at that moment because God knew we needed some divine intervention in more ways than one. Do I really believe he was an angel? Well, let's just say he showed up out of nowhere at just the moment we needed him most, and then when everything was taken care of he just disappeared out the door.  I do think he was driving an old pick up truck, but he was nicely dressed and had the look of someone extra special. An angel? Could be...what do you think?

Hebrews 13:2

 "Do not forget to entertain strangers, 

for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels."

Some things to ponder tonight.  And I am very thankful for God's power to take care of us in difficult situations as well as during the easy peaceful times.   

I shared this video on Facebook last night.  Our choir is going to sing this song on Sunday morning.  I can't get this message out of my head. It's very meaningful and comforting.    I hope you will enjoy it. 

Here are the lyrics to the song by David Haas:

 I will come to you in the silence

I will lift you from all your fear

You will hear My voice

I claim you as My choice

Be still, and know I am near

… I am hope for all who are hopeless

I am eyes for all who long to see

In the shadows of the night,

I will be your light

Come and rest in Me

… Do not be afraid, I am with you

I have called you each by name

Come and follow Me

I will bring you home

I love you and you are mine

… I am strength for all the despairing

Healing for the ones who dwell in shame

All the blind will see, the lame will all run free

And all will know My name

… Do not be afraid, I am with you

I have called you each by name

Come and follow Me

I will bring you home

I love you and you are mine

… I am the Word that leads all to freedom

I am the peace the world cannot give

I will call your name, embracing all your pain

Stand up, now, walk, and live

… Do not be afraid, I am with you

I have called you each by name

Come and follow Me

I will bring you home

I love you and you are mine

… Do not be afraid, I am with you

I have called you each by name

Come and follow Me

I will bring you home

I love you and you are mine

Living or Fading? - Updated

9/20/2016:
Interestingly enough, I wrote this post one year ago today...and as I re-read it today I was struck by how similar things are right now in my life. I haven't been doing much current writing because we have a guest with us this week from out of state...a woman who lost her husband very unexpectedly due to a heart attack a couple of years ago...a different woman than the one mentioned in my post written last year, but with very similar needs and sorrow.   It seems as we age, we very sadly can expect this to happen to more and more of our dear friends.  May the Lord continue to give us wisdom and compassion as we give counsel and comfort to those who are grieving.


Original Post 9/20/2015
It's Sunday afternoon and I haven't written anything new lately.  Sitting here wondering about what to write...I need some new inspiration I guess. I'll be back later. Going to go take walk-about outside. Maybe I'll get some ideas.  If I do, you'll see it here later. If I don't...this won't get published. Bye for now.

A little later......

Okay, I'm back.  Went outside...took a little walk with my hubby, tried to talk about "life" in general while we had a few minutes to ourselves away from the folks inside the house...but it was too hot to stay out for long...so he went back inside to watch football, and I sat on the front porch for a few minutes and decided to take a picture of the first thing that struck my fancy.  Here it is:

What do YOU see in these pictures?  Same view, just two different perspectives.

I'll tell you what I was thinking while I was looking at this view.  Recently I was visiting with a friend who lost her  husband to cancer a little over a year ago.  It's been a difficult year for her in many ways. I won't go into any details or betray any confidences...but I thought to myself that I wouldn't want to trade places with her for anything.  I looked at these trees and thought that the dead tree in the background is how my friend must feel...stripped bare, broken, and alone. Exposed to the elements without any shade to cover and shelter her from the storms of life.

The tall pine in the foreground is how I feel having my life-mate still with me.  Alive and
strong, able to withstand the tempests that come and go, knowing that I do not have to face those storms alone...and so thankful to the Lord that that is the case.

In the second photograph you might notice the Sycamore leaves in the foreground. They are starting to change color with the upcoming autumn.  Soon they will fade into a golden hue and then turn brown and blow away.

This coming week I will have a birthday...my sixty-fifth! (new note in 2016---that was last year. Gonna be a year older this year! Old age is creeping up on me).   I don't mind telling you because it is a significant age. I am thankful to have reached this "great age" and still have my health...and my husband.  I don't say this boastfully, but thankfully. So many of our friends our age have already lost a mate and are having to enter their "golden years" alone...something they never thought they'd have to do.

I didn't intend for this post to be depressing or sorrowful.  But it is facing a reality of life.   Our golden years are already upon us...and it is only a matter of time (and/or unexpected illness) that we, like those Sycamore leaves, will begin to fade, dry up and blow away.

Even the Bible tells us about this in Isaiah 40:6-8:

"All flesh is grass,

and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades,

because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades,

But the Word of our God stands forever."

The Psalmist continues this theme in Psalm 103:15-16:

"As for man, his days are like grass;

As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

For the wind passes over it,

and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more."

But I like what the Psalmist goes on to say in the next verses (17-18):

"But the MERCY of the Lord is from 

everlasting to everlasting

on those who fear Him,

and His righteousness to children's children,

to such as keep His covenant,

and to those who remember His commandments to do them."

And look at these encouraging words  in the final verses of Isaiah, chapter 40 (28-31)

"Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the Lord,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

He gives POWER TO THE WEAK,

and to those who have no might 

He increases strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

and the young men shall utterly fall,

BUT THOSE WHO WAIT ON THE LORD

SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint."

This wonderful passage tells me that my friend who feels alone is NOT alone.  And for those who feel weak and powerless, they have the everlasting God holding them up and giving them strength. 

No matter what our age or current status in life, whether we are getting old and dried up, or are alone and feeling empty, we need to remember that we are never alone.

I am also reminded to count my blessings daily.  Not one of us knows what each day will bring...so we need to live each day giving glory to God and trusting Him to see us through whatever may come our way.

"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,

and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

But the Lord delivers him out of them all."

Psalm 34:17-18

Finding Your Voice - Part Two - Friday Foto Friends #45

Yesterday I wrote this post, "Finding Your Voice - Part Two", and then somehow I accidentally deleted it! I guess you could say I "lost my voice"...well, temporarily.  Not too sure that the same post can be totally reproduced, but maybe that was God's way of saying that perhaps something else ought to be said instead.

This post was to be a follow-up to the one written a few days ago, "Finding Your Voice" (Click HERE for that post).  After publishing that particular blog, I was surprised to see that the Christian contemporary singer Natalie Grant had written a new book with the exact same title!  Click HERE for more about that!

So it seems as though this is a message that God is trying to get across to us...and to each individual it may be a little bit different approach, but the idea is still the same..."Find Your Voice" and use it for the glory of God.  Whether it be a voice of ministry, teaching, singing, writing, creativity (crafts, art, photography, quilting, ceramics-many voices there)...a voice of kindness, encouragement, compassion, exhortation, counseling... Whatever your voice...speak boldly and with confidence!

In thinking more about this topic I was led to the following scriptures regarding voices with a message for all of us during these days of decision, confusion, and concern regarding the future of our nation and world...

Isaiah 40:6-8

"The voice said, 

'Cry out!'

And he said, 'What shall I cry?'

'All flesh is grass,

And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, 

The flower fades,

Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers,

the flower fades,

But the word of our God stands forever!

Behold your God!

To sum up these thoughts...we have a message to give to the nations...and to the people around us. Whatever God is placing upon your heart...do not be afraid to speak out. 

Pray first, seek His voice most of all...and then, as the Lord leads you, do your part to be a messenger for God's glory here on earth.  Nothing is too small or insignificant when God is in it. Your voice matters. Our days here on earth may be numbered...and the message we have to share needs to be heard.  There may be someone right around you just waiting to hear what you have to say! 

P.S.:  I almost forgot that in my original post that got deleted I had included this song, "O Zion, Haste".  This is an old hymn that I am sure many of you will remember.  Put on your sound and enjoy singing this beautiful hymn with me...and pay attention to the words as you sing.  Such a message here!

O Zion, Haste - You Tube Video


I am linking up with Deb at Friday Foto Friends today.  I hope you will join in and see what others are sharing as well. 

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

The "Leaning" Pine Trees in our woods before...

and after

"If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth;

And if a tree falls to the south or the north,

In the place where the tree falls, there shall it lie."

Ecclesiastes 11:3

For those of you who have followed my story for the past year and a half, you know that we moved out to the forest and have been living quite the adventure ever since.  From wild bears and snakes, birds and lizards to clapping and dancing trees...and now, falling trees, we never know from one day to the next what new excitement might develop.  The past few weeks we have had pretty much daily thunderstorms, which is normal for August in this part of Florida.  However, it appears to me that the tall pine trees that grow in the national forest surrounding our home seem to be saturated, and suddenly they are starting to crack and fall...three in the past 24 hours, rather astonishingly close to our home.


Obviously this makes me a bit nervous.  Although the majority of the trees are far enough away from our house and leaning in the opposite direction so we do not have too much fear that they will land on the house, but there is no guarantee of that.  Since the trees are not actually on our property, but on government land, we do not have the right to cut them down.  So we are pretty much at their mercy.

I don't like the way this one is leaning toward our house...

I've been trying to pull some kind of spiritual lesson out of all this today...there are plenty of Bible verses about trees, but I couldn't find anything in particular that "spoke to me" today.

Except this thought:  In looking at the pictures above of the trees in the before and after shots, taken about one week apart...I can't help but notice the big bare spot where those two leaning trees once stood.  When I go outside and look in that direction, I am struck by the sheer emptiness of that space, and even though those particular trees were not exactly beautiful or even useful for providing shade in my yard, I notice their loss, and in a way, I even grieve for them.  (Yes, I am a tree hugger...That's why I came to live in the woods).    But I realize this is a natural event...

"All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever."  Isaiah 40:6-8

Please don't misunderstand...yes, we will all fade and wither away someday.  But our place here on earth will be missed.  There will be a huge void in the hearts of those who love us...an empty space that cannot be filled by anyone else. Those of us who have already lost loved ones understand this all too well.  The empty chair at the table, the loss of that precious voice and laughter and smiling face.


Sure, we can always plant new trees.  And it seems as though in the course of life, new lives come along to fill the void left by those who have gone on before...life goes on somehow.


Here's an old poem I heard once.. (Actually, my husband's grandmother had an old fashioned plaque on her wall that had the refrain of "Only one life, 'twill soon be past...Only what's done for Christ will last" written on it).  It speaks to the purpose of our life here on this earth.  Just like in the verse above that says, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever",   I believe this poem expresses the truth of what our life is really all about:

“Two little lines I heard one day, 
Traveling along life’s busy way; 
Bringing conviction to my heart, 
And from my mind would not depart; 
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, 
Soon will its fleeting hours be done; 
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, 
And stand before His Judgement seat; 
Only one life,’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, 
Gently pleads for a better choice 
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, 
And to God’s holy will to cleave; 
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, 
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears; 
Each with its clays I must fulfill, 
living for self or in His will; 
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, 
When Satan would a victory score; 
When self would seek to have its way, 
Then help me Lord with joy to say; 
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, 
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep; 
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, 
Pleasing Thee in my daily life; 
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, 
And from the world now let me turn; 
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, 
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne; 
Only one life, “twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, 
Now let me say,”Thy will be done”; 
And when at last I’ll hear the call, 
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”; 
Only one life,’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”

— extra stanza —

Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 
Only what’s done for Christ will last. 
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, 
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

C.T Studd

How will you be remembered?

How will I be remembered?

Something to think about.