Monday Monday~"This Is My Father's World"

Happy Monday!  After a busy and somewhat difficult week/weekend, I am happy to be starting a new week. Our calendar looks relatively free (so far), and it looks like a good week to try to let my mind and body relax and recapture the joy and beauty of the world around us.  We started out the morning by taking a little ride down to the Kenwood Boat Ramp, because there's a good place to walk around for my hubby, and a good place for me to get close to nature and just enjoy what the Lord has provided. And He didn't disappoint this morning. (He never does!).  

This very familiar old hymn, "This Is My Father's World", came to my mind as I was writing this and looking at the pictures that I took this morning at the boat ramp, and also some taken in our own yard this morning and yesterday afternoon.  Maybe you can listen to the music while you look at the pictures.

This is my Father's world

(Little Blue Heron)

And to my listening ears

All nature sings, and roundly rings

The music of the spheres

This is my Father's world

The birds their carols raise

The morning light, the lily-white

Declare their maker's praise

This is my Father's world

I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees,

 

of skies and seas

His hand the wonders wrought

This is my Father's world

Oh, let me ne'er forget

Vulture

That though the wrong seems oft so strong

God is the ruler yet

This is my Father's world

Why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King, let the heavens ring

God reigns, let the earth be glad

This is my Father's world

He shines in all that's fair

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass

He speaks to me everywhere

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and the music.  Especially these last pictures of our Blackie...the giant flower in the zinnia garden...I was mildly scolding him for laying on my flowers, but he was so cute, I couldn't be very mad at him...He just wanted to enjoy smelling the flowers along the way. 

The blueberries are on my own bush.

I picked this many ripe ones this morning...

And there are still many more ripening for the future!

I enjoyed them on some yogurt and granola...

The pictures of the Baby Bluebird in the birdhouse shared above and then the empty nest is actually a sad story. I hesitate to even share it, but it's all apart of the cycle of nature. Sadly, I witnessed a very large crow come and snatch that precious little bluebird right out of that window not too long after I had taken that picture. The parent bluebirds rapidly zoomed into action and chased the crow, who was still holding the baby in his beak, out across the pond, where they had quite a battle, but I am sorry to say that the poor baby bird did not survive the fight, and the parents flew back home to the nest bereft of their child. As far as I know that was the only baby they had from that clutch of eggs.  However, I have noticed that they have been coming back and checking out the birdhouse again, and perhaps they will start another nest.  I removed the old nest from the house, because they won't build on top of it.

I am sad about the bluebird, but I love the way the parents have come right back to start again. I don't know whether they will be successful this time or not, but they are not easily discouraged. They have a 'calling' to "multiply" and "replenish" the Bluebird kingdom.   So they get back to work, building their nest.  They did grieve...I saw how they chased that bad crow and tried their best to rescue their baby, but when they knew they couldn't win that fight, they came back home and said we'll try again.  

Sometimes in life that's what we have to do as well.  We can't rescue every child, we can't keep bad things from happening in this world. We can't stop the process of aging, no matter how hard we try. But we can keep trusting God for every new day. We can count the blessings we do have, and rejoice in the Lord for each new day.  Because when we take the time to count our blessings, we realize that we often have more reasons to Praise God than we do to feel sorry for ourselves. 

Psalm 103 KJV

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

I bet if we tried hard enough, we could find 10,000 reasons to praise Him!  

Okay, on that note I will close this for today. I am trusting God for a good good week...one day at a time! How about you?  

 

Tuesday 4~ Hello May!

 First off, I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers for our Blackie kitty when we took him to the vet yesterday. He did remarkably well getting into the carrier with barely a meow or two. And then he was exceptionally good at the Vet's office:

Oops! He gained a pound since last year! He's a whopping 13 pounds!

Turns out he has a very bad flea infestation. The flea collars just don't do a thing, and apparently neither did the previous OTC flea ointment that we'd tried to use. Also I was told that this year has been really bad for fleas probably because of the extreme drought.  Anyway, they gave him some prescription strength flea protection, to be administered monthly. He also got his annual rabies' shot, and he was good to go!  I truly do appreciate all of you who prayed for him and were concerned. He really was a very good boy through it all, and he was VERY happy to get back out of his carrier and back onto his home turf.  

And he's back to his old tricks...He decided to explore the Pamela's Victorian Cottage Farm Scene...

After knocking down practically the whole farm with the wagging tail, he decided to just turn around and play with the farmer and his farm family...

Even though I'm sure they were all afraid they were going to be eaten by a huge monster from outer space, it turns out he was only curious and no real harm was done. Soon he was off in search of a cozy place to curl up and sleep, and peace and quiet reigned once again in the village of Pamela's Victorian Cottage and farmland.

So now, let's get to the Tuesday 4 meme for today, shall we? Here we go:

Hello May! 

Welcome friends!
This weeks Tuesday 4 in memory of our frien d Toni Taddeo is from Mary who blogs at Visits With Mary. and it's all about the month of May. Thanks Mary!

1. May’s First Glimpse — What is the very first thing you notice or feel when May arrives each year?  

It starts getting warmer here in Florida! There is more of a feeling of early summer in the air...the birds are singing in the trees, flowers are blooming, the trees and grass is getting green, and people are more active outdoors, planting, mowing, enjoying some fresh air before it gets too hot to stay outside!


2. Simple May Joys — What small pleasures do you look forward to in May — flowers, breezes, routines, or traditions?

We enjoy getting out early for a ride in the country or to take a walk before the day gets too hot and humid. This morning we took a ride to the Kenwood Boat Ramp and saw some signs of spring and new life:

This is all new growth since the waters were drawn down in the lake/canal/river over the winter, and now they were released from the dam in late March, and everything is growing back green and beautiful. Do you see the dragonfly in the picture below:

There was a Limpkin walking along the shore, looking for something good to eat.

These turtle egg shells could mean that the turtles already hatched and went back into the water, or it could mean that some predator dug them up and had a feast...I don't know which, but I hope the turtles are safe in the water...

If you look really closely, you will see a little bird flying close to the water...That is a Belted Kingfisher bird skimming across the water looking for fish:

He's also in this picture:

I love to see the reflections in the water of all the new growth in the trees

Mother's Day has always been a special day, even though it is tinged with sorrow since the loss of my own mother 20 years ago this week (May 7, 2006), and then the loss of our dear son Matthew 12 years ago this month, May 25, 2014. Those two losses in the month of May make it a difficult month to get through, but I am very thankful to have had such a wonderful Mother to teach me how to be a "lady" and woman of God. (I will write more about her in another post this week), and I was very blessed to have been the mother of our precious Matthew, who was special in so many ways from the moment he was conceived...but I'll write more about that later this month also.  

Regarding traditions, normally we do something special on Mother's Day as a family...go to church and then the kids usually help prepare some good dinner so I don't have to do all the work. However, this year we are doing things differently. Due to work schedules, etc., we can't all be together on Sunday for Mother's Day. Son Scott came over this past Sunday and we enjoyed a time of visiting over a fried chicken lunch (picked up at the grocery store after church) just with him, and since he has to drive so far to get here, we decided that since Benton and Rose can't be here next Sunday, we decided that our Mother's Day with Scott was this past Sunday, and then we are going to go out to lunch somewhere (maybe at the beach!!!) this coming Thursday with Benton and Rose to celebrate an early Mother's Day.  Then on Sunday, I'm not sure yet what hubby and I are going to do. Going out to eat on Mother's Day is not always a good option since the few restaurants that are near us will be very crowded.  It may just be a day of rest!

3. May Memories — Do you have a favorite May memory from childhood, family life, or recent years?

I remember that Mother's Day when I was growing up was always special. We ladies would each wear a flower or little corsage...something colorful in honor of your living mother, and a white flower if your mother was already in heaven. Actually, I think the men were supposed to wear a little flower in honor of their mothers too, but I don't remember for sure if my brothers ever did that.

Also, May 16th was my parents' wedding anniversary, and for their 30th anniversary we four adult kids went together and bought them a new frost-free "harvest gold" refrigerator with an ice-maker, to replace the old refrigerator that they still had to manually defrost and use ice trays to make ice...remember those days?  Then, for their 60th anniversary, we did it again...this time we bought them a new almond colored refrigerator to replace the 30 year old harvest gold one and bring them more up to date.  Sadly, my mother passed away a few years later, just prior to their 64th anniversary, so she didn't get to enjoy the new refrigerator for very long.  My Daddy lived about 5 more years after her, and the refrigerator was still going strong when we ended up selling their home after he passed away.

Also May was the month for graduation from high school...That was certainly a momentous day and the beginning of a whole new era in my life.

4. May Intentions — What gentle goals or hopes do you carry into this new month?

"Gentle Goals"....hmmm,  I have to think about that one.  At my age, all my "goals" have to be pretty gentle. LOL. I am enjoying watching my gardens growing and praying that they will  yield a big harvest. I have to think about what I'm going to do with all that yellow squash and zucchini and tomatoes!  Maybe there will be enough to share!  

Hopes: I hope and pray for peace in our world and even here in our nation. There is so much unrest and division. That grieves my heart.  But I realize that peace must begin with me. I can't force others to live in peace, but I can look for ways to create a peaceful home and the places where I dwell...

Here are some good verses from the Bible to help us find peace of mind:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".

John 14:27 (NIV): "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid".

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV): "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you".

Romans 8:6 (ESV): "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace".

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV): "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest".

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV): "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind".

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV): "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you".

 
Psalm 4:8: "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety".

And so with that I will close this post for today. I pray that you will find peace and rest in your life as well. 

 Happy May!

Tuesday 4~Simply the Best!

 Simply the Best!

Note from Annie, our Hostess: "Here is an older Tuesday 4 from Toni with a few changes I've made. I hope you enjoy."

I am scratching my head on all of these questions today. I am almost 76 years old. In 76 years of life, I cannot think of just one thing that was the best thing in each of these instances.  There have been so many wonderful things throughout the years...how can I possibly choose? I can barely remember all the things I've purchased or read or places I've been or TV /movies I've watched, let alone narrow them down to the best. There are so many different categories to choose from.  So I will do my best to come up with some appropriate answers, but I really can't say that any of these will be the very best...

1. What was the best thing you have ever bought?

Well, I was thinking perhaps our house, even though it's not perfect, it meets our needs and was an answer to many prayers.  But then, I thought how about my computer? It opened up a whole new world for me...and gave me a connection to people that I never would've known or met  or even heard about without this amazing invention. It also connects me to family and old friends that otherwise I would've lost contact with.   The other thing is my digital camera, but that was a gift from my brother when he felt sorry for me being the last person on earth who was still using a film camera! LOL. But then the cell phone came along with another camera, and that really opened things up! See? It's impossible to answer this question with just one thing.

2. What was the best book you have ever read?

Well, that one's easy: The Bible! It's a book that I keep on reading every day. It's a "gift that keeps on giving". It's a love story with a very happy ending. There's mystery, adventure, romance, poetry, everything you could ever ask for in a book...and it's  personal...written for each one of us...a love letter to us from God, through His Son Jesus Christ! It is the Word of God, inspired by God's Holy Spirit, and it is the Truth.  Other than the Bible, there is no other book to compare. I've read lots of good books throughout my life, and I even have collections of books that I loved, but none can compare to The Bible.

3. What is the best trip/vacation/holiday you've ever had?

 Again, it's impossible to narrow it down to one.  I've not taken many exotic trips to faraway places, (actually NONE), and throughout my whole life it seemed that the majority of our trips/vacations were to go visit relatives...grandparents when I was a child, and then to bring our kids home to visit their grandparents when they were children.  Those were our "vacations".  We did have some trips that were just vacations to different places, but I honestly cannot narrow it down to the best of any of them. I loved visiting my family as a child, and the trips we took to get there and back were wonderful. We camped in tents in the State Parks through the mountains, and waded in freezing mountain streams to find a perfect rock to bring home with us, we saw lots of sights along the way and played road games with my siblings as we traveled on the winding mountain roads and through the fields and woods and cities. I guess those special vacations that we took as a family when I was a little girl will always stand out in my memory as "the best".  This is a LINK to an older post about family vacations, with a surprise "visitor" in this post!

4. What was the best movie or TV series you've ever watched?

Again, I can't narrow it down.  I guess the movie would be "The Sound of Music". I can still sing most of the songs from it! I don't think I sound too much like Julie Andrews anymore, however.  TV: I remember enjoying watching Downton Abbey...and I did watch the last "movie" they did, but I was not overly impressed with it. It kind of fell flat if you ask me.  Oh, I loved the Anne of Green Gables original series...   As a child I loved to watch all the old shows, I Love Lucy #1, Father Knows Best, Leave it to Beaver...and there were SO many more.  I really can't narrow this down. Sorry!

So what would your answers be? Get blogging and let us know.

Those are my answers. I'll probably think of a bunch of other stuff once I hit "publish" on this one! LOL. Meanwhile. this morning we took a ride to the Kenwood Recreation Center/Boat Ramp. They finally have water again...Remember when I shared THESE photos in February? Click on the link.

Well, here's how it looks now. They opened up the dam again and allowed water to fill the river/lake. 

This "Little Blue Heron" was happy to be able to fish here again:

I love this tree...

It always makes me think of this scripture passage from Psalms:  (from "the BEST BOOK I've ever read!)

Psalm 1:1-3  KJV

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

And I found another little friend there...

Hello Mr. Squirrel:

He re"TREE"ted to a safe spot to watch me pass by! 

See? Without my "best purchase" of a cell phone/camera/and computer, I wouldn't be able to share these pictures with you. We wouldn't even know each other! 

Thank you, Annie, for coming up with these questions each week. I know it gets difficult sometimes to come up with good topics...and sometimes it gets difficult for us to come up with good answers...but at least we try, and that's all that matters!  It's all about making friends and getting to know each other better, and that's the best gift of all!

Have a blessed day my friends! You're "Simply the Best!"