Thursday Thankfulness and Friday Foto Friends Again!

 I keep putting these two days together because otherwise I'd probably never get either one of them done! Even when you don't think you have much going on, it seems like there is always something there to take up your time and keep you away from doing things you had hoped to be able to do! It's called life, and I am happy to have it, so I am not complaining...just trying to stay focused and on task.  Some days it is a real challenge. 

Like the other day, a cold front was moving in again, and so it rained most of the day.  The temperatures were still warm until midnight that night, and then it plummeted down to 32 degrees by yesterday morning.  But before that happened, I went outside and enjoyed the beauty of the rainy day... 

I have this little pathway through the woods down to Still Waters Pond...kind of special little "sanctuary" along the shore where I can observe life on the pond without being seen.  Kind of like what hunters would call a "blind"...

I have a nice view of the big island in the pond from there.  There was a time when it was so dry that I could "almost" walk across the water there to the island, but I soon found out there was no walking on this pond no matter how dry it is.  The bottom is pretty much just black muck, due to years of the decay of the lily pads and other organic matter that settles to the bottom and just continues to pile up year after year. Yeah, that experience was pretty yucky mucky! So now I will just settle for enjoying the beauty from the shore

While standing there in my little observation spot I couldn't help but notice the lovely raindrops dripping off of the pine needles. They look like diamonds sparkling in the woods...or little fairy lights.

If I had a better magnifying lens on my camera, you would be able to see the reflection of the world around us in these raindrops...such an amazing little microcosm of the natural beauty around us.  Only a very creative and awesome Creator could design such wonders for us to behold!

I was mesmerized by these little droplets...

It's the little things that God provides and surprises us with that speak to my heart and help me to know that He is all around us, in everything we see...God's fingerprints are all over His creation!

Even this spider web in the tip of this little bush has a special kind of beauty!  

Yes, I love a rainy day on Still Waters Pond probably just as much as a sunny day! It all has its own kind of beauty.

You know, even the rainy days in our lives have a way of bringing out a special kind of beauty as it washes away the cobwebs of our minds and helps us to see things more clearly...

I kept seeing something disturbing the water under these bushes, so I had to get nearer for a close up, thinking some kind of fish or turtle or something interesting was hiding there. But when I got up close, I realized it was just the raindrops dripping from the trees into the water and causing a ripple effect.  Sometimes it's the little raindrops in life that can get our attention because of the ripples they send out...

In this case, seeing those ripples from a distance made me get outside and take this little walkabout and enjoy all of the beauty of the rainy day, rather than staying inside and missing the little ripples of joy that God had in store for me to behold and appreciate.

Like these little yellow Carolina Jessamine flowers that are already blooming! I had no idea they were blooming already!

I literally danced with glee when I saw them opening up their sweet little blossoms in the rain!

 Yeah, it's the little things that make me smile!

Like these interesting little mushrooms...tiny umbrellas for the little insects and maybe even a fairy or two to sit under and stay out of the rain...

No, I didn't see any fairies under the mushrooms...but still...that doesn't mean they aren't there...LOL.

Psalm 147:7-11

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;

Sing praises on the harp to our God,

8 Who covers the heavens with clouds,

Who prepares rain for the earth,

Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.

9 He gives to the beast its food,

And to the young ravens that cry.

10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse;

He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,

In those who hope in His mercy.

So, the next morning we woke up to 32 degrees, but the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day even though it only reached 50!  I know for most of you who are under so many inches of snow and freezing temperatures every day, that's nothing at all...but to us here in Florida, we feel every degree it drops below 65! LOL.

This was the sunrise yesterday morning...

The Sand Hill Crane family were out there on the pond as usual...

And just like that they picked up their big wings and flew away for the day...maybe they went somewhere in search of some warmer weather! LOL.  

But they were back in the evening just like clockwork and spent the night out there on the little island...

You can't see them in these pictures of the sunset last night, but they were out there...

Psalm 147:12-14

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion!

13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;

He has blessed your children within you.

14 He makes peace in your borders,

And fills you with the finest wheat.

It was a beautiful end to a cold, but lovely day!

Oh, we did take a walk yesterday to check on the wild plum blossoms, to make sure the cold weather didn't hurt them...and it appears that even more blossoms have opened up and look quite happy to be 'alive' and well!

I take this as the promise of Spring...even though winter may be here for a little while yet, spring is on its way.  We need to remember that when we feel like we are stuck in the frozen barrenness of winter's storms...spring will come...God is always,  always with us, no matter what the weather, no matter what the season of our life...rainy, stormy, frozen and barren of hope...

Psalm 147: 15-18

15 He sends out His command to the earth;

His word runs very swiftly.

16 He gives snow like wool;

He scatters the frost like ashes;

17 He casts out His hail like morsels;

Who can stand before His cold?

18 He sends out His word and melts them;

He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.

Now Here's the first part of Psalm 147 that I quoted above:

Psalm 147:1-6

1 Praise the Lord!

For it is good to sing praises to our God;

For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted

And binds up their wounds.

4 He counts the number of the stars;

He calls them all by name.

5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;

His understanding is infinite.

6 The Lord lifts up the humble;

He casts the wicked down to the ground.

I find great peace and comfort in these verses. In the midst of a lot of turmoil in our world currently, it is comforting to know that God is always in control, and we do not need to fear what the future may hold.

I hope you enjoyed this little walkabout with me around Still Waters Pond and beyond. 

Now,  back inside, here's some other stuff that's been going on, so you know I'm not just outside running around sniffing flowers and looking for fairies under mushrooms...

Hubby wanted some cookies, so I baked some chocolate chip cookies with walnuts today:

And yesterday, while it was so cold outside, I was warming us up inside by making a pot of beef vegetable soup:

(This was the leftovers, ready to cover up and either put in the freezer or just save for dinner today...which is actually what we ended up doing. It was even better tonight than it was last night! And there's still enough left for lunch tomorrow!)

Now here's my funny "rant" for today...I received the next two items as gifts for Christmas...notice anything unusual about these items?

Now, I certainly mean no disrespect to anyone who may be "vegan". That is a personal decision each person should make for themselves based on whatever reasons seem important to them.  But whoever heard of "vegan" shoes?  Or "vegan" hand cream?   I'm not sure exactly what that means...my shoes certainly aren't capable of eating meat or vegetables...so why should they declare they are "vegan"?  And the hand cream...it's vegan also?  It only eats vegetables?   Then perhaps I shouldn't wear these items while I am eating my vegetable BEEF soup...or chomping on a big hamburger or bacon and eggs...I mean, seriously?  I guess I don't need to worry that I will suddenly be eaten by my vegan shoes or my vegan hand cream, since I certainly am  not a vegetable...I am quite "beefy" in all the wrong places! LOL.  Inanimate, non-consumable items now have to be labelled whether or not they are "vegan"????  Again, I do not want to offend any of my vegan friends or family members (and yes, there are several in our extended family, and that's fine...it's their choice, and they have never tried to influence the rest of us either way, and we respect them for their choices as well.) But I do believe that labeling inanimate, non-food items as "vegan" is going a bit too far. It may even be an insult to the vegan community, as if they don't know what items are made with animal products or not.  I may get some disagreement comments on this post, but I do hope they will also be respectful.  I am not being critical of those who choose to be vegan...but it's more about this new trend we are seeing in marketing...catering to special groups when there really isn't a real need for it. Maybe I am just out of step with the times...but to be honest, this is the first time I've ever seen a pair of "Vegan" shoes and a tube of "vegan" hand cream in my life time.  I have a feeling it won't be the last.  

However, I think I need to share this verse for my own edification as well as for others:

"Be completely humble and gentle;

be patient, bearing with one another in love."

Ephesians 4:2

Forgive me, Lord, if I have stepped out of line here or have offended anyone inadvertently.  I pray they will forgive me and also realize that I just found this to be something very different and surprising, and wanted to share it because I found it kind of funny. No harm was intended.   Amen.

Good Night my friends. 

I pray you are safe and warm and healthy and happy, wherever you may be.

May the peace of God be with you always.

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.

Friday Foto Friends - Just Horsing Around

Well, today is Friday Foto Friends day, and I haven't really taken any new pictures that most of you haven't already seen this week, so I was thinking about one of my most favorite and interesting jobs that I've ever done back in my "younger" days about twenty years ago (exactly! 1997!), and I thought you'd like to go back in time with me.  Actually, I wanted to post all these pictures for my dear friend Beth, who was responsible for me being in this job in the first place.  Beth was my "boss", and there could be no better "boss" than my dear friend, along with her sweet hubby Curt.  So, without further delay, let me show you these pictures, and I can tell you more about it as we go...

Yes, that's me, petting one of our more popular rides...a huge draft horse.  Sadly, I've forgotten all the names. I hope Beth will remember!

Here's Beth...one of my most favorite people ever!!

Curt is the big guy in the middle with the purple shirt. My son Benton is on the right, and I forget who the other fella was in the white shirt. One of the helpers.

And this is my hubby (20 years ago!), when he came to visit me at the Stables:

At that particular time in our lives, we were in between our "real job" of serving in the ministry.  God had sort of set us aside from that role for a while to do some healing and restoration due to years of "neglect" of our own personal lives while ministering to so many others. You see, when you don't take time for REST and proper personal spiritual, emotional and physical care, you may "burn-out", or even "act-out" in strange ways....and God then has to take matters in hand and give you a change of pace, and perhaps even a change of "heart".  That change may come in a lot of different ways...and only God knows exactly what is best for each of us.

I like what Psalm 147 says:

3.  "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

4.  He counts the number of the stars.

He calls them all by name.

5.  Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;

His understanding is infinite.

6.  The Lord lifts up the humble;

He casts the wicked down to the ground....

10.  He does not delight in the strength of the horse;

He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

11.  The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,

In those who hope in His mercy."

And that's where we were...humbly hoping in His mercy...

 God blessed me with the privilege of working for my friends Beth and Curt during this time in a varied and fun role.  They happened to own and operate a couple of different businesses, one being a Housekeeping business for several large resorts in the greater North Conway/Jackson, New Hampshire area. Their other claim to fame and more fun business was operating a summer horseback riding stable at one of the local Bed & Breakfasts in this popular resort community, in addition to a horse-drawn carriage and sleigh rides business at another resort year round.  My primary role was to help with some bookkeeping for the cleaning business and marketing and reservations for the trail rides at "The Farm by the River".  (Link is to the current B&B and Stables, now under different management) My duties included everything from advertising, meeting and greeting the guests and helping people get ready for their trail ride, and scooping up the horse poop in between rides. (Talk about being humbled!) Most of all, I just enjoyed watching people have a great time, many of whom had never ridden a horse before, and being a part of a family of some of the kindest, sweetest, hardest working people you'd ever hope to meet in this life!

Here's a group of happy riders all lined up and ready to roll out...

From here on I will just post a lot of pictures of horses and some of the riders. I'm hoping this will bring back some happy memories for my friends Beth and Curt as well. They no longer operate this particular trail ride at this location, but they DO still operate another called "Riding in the Clouds" at "The Castle In The Clouds" in Moultonboro, NH.   Click this link for more info and to meet Beth and Curt and family for yourselves:   http://www.ridingintheclouds.com/

 That's me in the long dress ? Why? I don't know...but anyway, that's me taking a picture of the riders on their way out...

 That's Lucy, the owner of the B&B 's pet Weimaraner dog, running along to greet the horses

Can you see the riders way down there in the valley?  This was such a beautiful location.

Here are the horses at rest in the field after a hard day's work.

Aren't they all such gorgeous horses?  I loved being with them, although I was not truly an experienced horse-person.  My worst experience while working there was when I decided to give a child a pony ride, which really wasn't part of my job, but no one else was available to give it and I hated to disappoint the child...so I thought, "Hey, I can do this!"   So I managed to get the child safely seated on the horse (a smaller horse, not really a pony), and we started walking around the fenced corral with me guiding the horse, when all of a sudden the horse accidentally stepped on my foot!  Without thinking I yelled out loud and moved my foot quickly, startling the horse as well as the parents of the child who were watching from the sidelines.  I managed to regain my composure as well as control the horse...but it was a very scary moment for all.  I thank the good Lord that He was definitely watching out for that child as well as for me!  After that, I always had to tell anyone who came that they would have to wait until the professional horse guides were present before any pony rides could be given.

This is Jenna, who was the professional horse guide. I still don't remember who the other guy was!

It was a bittersweet day when summer was over and hubby and I decided to move back home to Florida to be near family and start over again with new jobs in a new direction.

  Curt and Beth brought me this farewell cake.  It was meant to be funny...but we were all sad that I had to go.

I will never forget this fun time at the Stables at the Farm by the River,

and I will definitely always remember my good friends Beth and Curt!  Thankfully we are still able to stay in contact through Facebook, which is a real blessing!

I hope you enjoyed this little trail ride down memory lane.  I must say it was the most beautiful place I've ever worked, even WITH the horse poop shoveling!
And it was definitely exactly the kind of healing and restoration that God ordered.

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

So, what was YOUR most memorable, interesting or fun job?  Perhaps you can share some of your memories here in your comments or in one of your blog posts. 

Now, trot over to Deb's page at Breathing in Grace and check out what our other friends are posting today for Friday Foto Friends! 

"Happy Trails to you, until we meet again!"

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans

singing "Happy Trails to You"

Who Remembers?