Sunday Afternoon Blessings

 

Happy Sunday!  Today has been such a lovely day, and I just wanted to share some of the joy with you!

I always feel blessed when we've been to church and were able to sing God's praises! I'm excited also that we will be starting back to choir practice this week and so the choir will be singing in the worship services again!  Although we've had some wonderful special music this summer in place of the choir, there's just something really special about singing praises to the Lord together in harmony, and I have really missed it!

In addition to that, I am really really excited because I have sighted the first actual water on Still Waters Pond once again, finally, after a very long drought! We haven't seen water on the pond since last winter...it's been a whole year, so even though this isn't a lot of water here yet, it's progress and I am so happy and excited to finally see it happening!!! Praise God!!

Isaiah 43:18-20 NIV

18 “Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

19 See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland.

20 The wild animals honor me,

the jackals and the owls,

because I provide water in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland,

to give drink to my people, my chosen,

Isaiah 41:18 NIV

18 I will make rivers flow on barren heights,

and springs within the valleys.

I will turn the desert into pools of water,

and the parched ground into springs.

I was so excited I literally walked across the spongy part of the pond that is still very dry to get close enough to where I could see the water so I could take those pictures above.  Looking back toward the shore you can see how far away I was from our house...

Yes, there is still a lot of dry ground, but where you see the green bushes growing, there is some water underneath...not very deep yet, but it's progress!!

The skies were really beautiful this afternoon...

I took these photos while standing near the island that is on the pond. The island is still mostly surrounded by dry land, but little by little the water is creeping up around it and this gives me such hope that perhaps by winter time there will be enough water for our Sand Hill Cranes to nest here again. They had to forego their nesting this past winter because there was no water and they were too vulnerable to predators, but hopefully with enough rain between now and then they will be able to find a suitable spot to build their nest.

Those posts that you see are usually half way under water.  

This is what the ground looks like that I walked across. This is very dry and spongy. Once the water starts filling it back up, the water lily roots that are buried in this dry muck will sprout back up and be beautiful once again.

Speaking of beautiful skies, this was the picture at sunrise today:

And THIS was the sky about an hour ago, after we had received a Severe Thunderstorm Warning...

You can see that something big was brewing out there in the skies...

And here it was just a few minutes later...the storm was moving in and heading in our direction...

It looked pretty awesome and somewhat concerning for a few minutes...

The wind started blowing  and leaves were swirling and we braced ourselves for a big storm, and then we got another notice that the storm had died down and wasn't as severe as expected.  I am still waiting for the rain to hit us, but it appears it has gone a different direction.

I just stepped out on the front porch, and this is how the skies look right now...

It still looks rather stormy to me, but apparently it is moving away and we didn't get but a little sprinkle of rain.  Oh well!  I still rejoice that little by little Still Waters Pond is showing signs of filling once again, and I will just keep believing!!

The other nice blessing today was that our kids came over for lunch after church, and we had such a nice meal together. I roasted a Pork Tenderloin  and made some scalloped potatoes, and Rose brought the delicious mixed vegetables.  That's all we had, and it was plenty and SO good!  Sadly Scott didn't come down today, so it was just the four of us, with the grandpups, of course, and we had a really nice afternoon.

We spent some time discussing some possibilities and ideas for our future, which is really just that right now...a discussion...but also some things for us to truly think and pray about as we aren't getting any younger and we want to have a "Plan B" in our minds for consideration should the need arise to make any kind of changes as we age.  There's nothing concrete or definite or even more than a discussion, but it has given us some "food for thought" and some things to pray about and consider in God's timing.

I saw this on Facebook this week, and of course I saved it because it goes along with the title of my blog perfectly. And it also goes along with our line of thought as we look to the future.  But God knows how difficult it is for me to sometimes "let go of the doorknob".  We often place our security in the things we have and the places we live and the people we have in our lives...and there comes a time in every person's life sooner or later that they have to make some tough decisions and be willing to "let go of the doorknob" and let God take control.  I especially love the verse attached to this: 

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans." Proverbs 16:3

Yes, that's always the best plan...whatever it is we want to do or think we should do, we need to commit our thoughts and plans to the Lord, and HE will take care of the rest.  

And so on that thought I will close this post and do exactly what this message is recommending.  There's no need to worry or fret about the future...just give it to God..."let go of the doorknob", and He will direct our steps in accordance with HIS sovereign will for us.  There is NO better place than that to be!  

Amen, and good night!

Monday, Monday!

 

I think that is Punxsutawney Phil, laughing at the current weather while he's safe and warm and cozy down in his burrough until February 2nd (Groundhog Day). LOL.

Maybe this is how many of you feel this morning! LOL.  My hubby just sent me these two pictures on Messenger, and they were too good to keep to myself! LOL.  Thanks, Hubby! You know how to start the morning right!

Good Monday Morning!  How's everyone out there in the winter wonderland this morning?  Here in north central Florida it is currently, at 6:44 a.m., 68 degrees. However, that is our high for the day. We are expecting some rain here in a few minutes (but not very much, I'm sorry to say), and then the temperatures will be steadily dropping all day long, so that by midnight tonight it will be 38 degrees, and by tomorrow morning it will be freezing! Our forecast calls for freezing temperatures every morning for a week, with highs only in the 40's and 50's mostly.  So this will be our wintertime excitement. No snow or ice in the forecast, but with those kinds of temperatures, anything is possible!   So, I pray all of you who have been through the big wintry blast this past weekend are safe and warm and able to start the digging out process...(if you really have to!).  I'd say don't go out unless you really have to! Give it time to melt!  (Which may take a while, according the weather forecast). Whatever you do, stay safe!!!

So, other than dealing with the weather, what interesting things did you do this weekend? I'd be curious to hear what kind of food you cooked and if you stayed indoors with family and played games or watched movies or just curled up by yourself and read a good book. Perhaps many of you will be sharing your stories on your own posts. Some already have.  I look forward to hearing about it,  whatever you did.

Here's a synopsis through photos of what we did yesterday...

Blackie decided it was time he moved up to the couch and curled up beside me for a while...that was sweet and unexpected...That look is one of , "Oh please, not that little black thing that flashes lights at me again! I really don't like having my picture taken!"  Yes, I've noticed that isn't his favorite thing, but hey, that's the price he has to pay for being so cute and becoming my kitty!! His picture will be taken whenever the mood strikes me! LOL.  And no, this doesn't mean he has moved inside lock, stock and barrel (yet).  But we do have a little morning time when he comes in for breakfast and then he enjoys snooping around for awhile and getting some love from Mommy (and a little bit from Daddy).  Then it's back outside for the day.  However, with the freezing weather coming back upon us, I expect he will be back inside this week more than he is outside, especially at night.  I think he's in cahoots with the groundhog and they planned all this so he could spend more time inside. LOL.

Yesterday afternoon both of our sons were here for lunch after church. Rose had to work, but we sent food home with Benton for her supper.   We had very good fried chicken from the grocery store, which we picked up on the way home from church, baked potatoes, and a tossed salad. It was simple and good and I didn't have to work too hard. 

After lunch Benton went to work on a project that has been waiting to be completed since Christmas.  What he has in his hands below is the framework to hold some drawers for my converted sewing machine cabinet turned into a computer desk table.  

The iron sewing machine framework came from my mother's old "White Sewing Machine" cabinet, minus the treadle and wheel, which were lost years ago.  The rest of the cabinet that held the sewing machine was old and the veneer was chipping off and it wasn't worth much, except for the iron frame and the drawers. Years ago I put the wooden table top on the iron frame to hold my computer, but there was no way to attach the drawers.  Click HERE for a link to the post of when I repurposed this into a desk.

So for "years" I've been asking my carpenter son if he could figure out a way to attach them to the table top.  He's had them in his garage/workshop for a LONG time, and finally this year he got around to doing what I'd been asking for as a Christmas gift.  However, whatever he stained the wood with had a very strong smell from the stain, and we had to put them in our shed until they aired out enough to bring them inside! LOL. So I told him that yesterday marked one whole month since Christmas, and it was time to get them attached!!

Thank you, Benton, for a job well done!!

(that white "curtain" under the desk is hiding a lot of wires from the computer. I need to figure out something else, but that's the best I can do for now.)

Son  Scott was here, supervising the job! LOL. Also modeling the new Camaro T-shirt he got for Christmas.  That's usually a standard gift for him.

For dessert we did have some more strawberry shortcake, although this time I actually bought a Sara Lee Pound Cake at the grocery store on the way home to keep it simple.  These are the few remaining strawberries that I didn't chop up and add sugar to for the dessert. This is strawberry season in Florida, and so we enjoy them as much as possible while they are fresh!

That is my mother's Pyrex bowl, which of course nowadays seems to be a collectible item, so I thought I'd show it off.

She actually had these two sizes of the turquoise colored bowls, and also those two Pyrex pie plates below:

They are very special to me, because my mother baked a LOT of pies in those pie plates, and they were ALWAYS delicious!!  And I also remember her putting homemade potato salad in the big bowl.  Sweet memories.

When we went outside to say good bye to the "boys" as they each left for their respective homes, I noticed that the Carolina Jessamine flowers were starting to bloom already!  

(The Sunflower is where our sweet Sunshine kitty was buried).

I love these early reminders that spring is on its way. However, this week I'm afraid these little flowers will get a bit frozen!  

Oh look! There's a honeybee!!!

Yes, the warm temperatures we've had these past few days have fooled the birds and bees and the flowers and the trees into thinking that spring is here...

I'm afraid Mr. Honeybee will have to go back and hibernate in the hive a little while longer after today.

Still, we are thankful for the promise that spring will come...we just have to endure a little more winter until it's time.  

Mr. Great Blue Heron was sitting in the tree overlooking the still VERY Still Waters Pond.  

I have a feeling he was sitting there praying for rain to fill up the pond once again, so he can continue to enjoy this place has his favorite fishing spot.  I do hope his prayers are answered!

This was the sun setting over the pond last evening (picture taken from inside the house). It was still close to 80 degrees. By the same time tonight it will be in the 30's. 

Psalm 74: 16-17

"16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;

You have prepared the light and the sun.

17 You have set all the borders of the earth;

You have made summer and winter."

I thought I was about through writing this post, and then I noticed these birds out in the pond...a Wood Stork and a Little Blue Heron...finding some water in the midst of the still Very Dry Still Waters Pond!

Isaiah 43:18-21

“Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

19 See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland.

There was also a Great White Egret over on another puddle...see his reflection in the water???

20 The wild animals honor me,

the jackals and the owls,

because I provide water in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland,

Then he flew over to join the Stork and the Little Blue Heron and also a Black Crow...

to give drink to my people, my chosen,

21 the people I formed for myself

that they may proclaim my praise.

How wonderful that they found the water that God has provided for them in this barren wasteland of a pond!!!

Whatever your situation today, I pray that you will be able to look around and see how God is still providing "a way in the wilderness, and streams in the wasteland"...even in the midst of difficulties, whether they be weather related, or due to health or finances or family crisis of any kind...perhaps God is doing "a new thing"...something even better than ever before...we just need the eyes of faith to see it and believe it...and then to claim it by faith and give God the praise and honor and glory... 

Psalm 75:1

"We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!

For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near."

Amen.

Okay, finally done! And it's still morning!! Enjoy your day my friends. Bye for now.