Happy Valentine's Day! It's Not Too Late, Is It?

 I may be a little late in wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day. I started to write this early this morning, but then got busy with everyday "life" and couldn't get back to it until now! 

I hope you have all had a beautiful and wonderful day, even if you didn't do anything particularly special or "valentiney".   We don't do anything big...just exchange cards with each other:

And I found it interesting that we both picked out cards that had a similar theme..."Our Journey Together" and writing our "love story"...that we've been "writing" and living together for going on 53 years, (well, already 53 years if you count from the time we met and started dating).  

I've often said that someday I was going to write a book about our life together.  And that card that says "the best love stories are the real ones God writes with His love, grace, and a miracle or two for trusting hearts..." pretty well says exactly what I feel about our life's story.  Especially the "miracle of two" or three or four or a whole lot more...we've had a bunch of miracles throughout our life together...and yes "I love our journey together."  

Yep, that's the truth!!

Oh, and for you who are "The Adventures of Lily Grace" fans, she wants to send you a Happy Valentine's Day wish too!

Here she is with her pet doggy "Bailey"...

Lily gave little boxes of "Conversation Hearts" to all of the family for her Valentine's wish for us.

And she wanted me to share them with you...not sure what all of these say. They use a lot of those initials for words like BFF, and TTYL, and some others, but there's still some good old fashioned ones too, like "Dream", "You & Me", "Laugh", "nice", and sweet little messages like we remember, like "Real Love", and "Only You".

So sweet and fun...remember them?

And I apologize to Lily's fans that we haven't had any recent adventures. Just haven't gotten back into my "groove" yet since we were sick for three weeks and still just not as perky as I'd like to be, but I am thankful to be getting stronger every day. God is so good.

Okay, how about a scene from Still Waters Pond to close this out?  The Canada Geese were floating around enjoying a beautiful sunny morning.  The air was pretty cool, but the sun was warm and they seemed to appreciate the peacefulness of the pond.

Sure beats the other afternoon when whey decided to challenge each other to see who's the "bull goose around here"...

Yes, I believe mating season has begun, and the male geese do get aggressive and possessive about their mates...maybe this is their way of celebrating "Valentine's Day".

Okay, I guess I'd better leave it at that!

I hope and pray that tonight you will hear the love song that the greatest "Valentine" one could ever ask for will be singing for you...

"By day the Lord directs His love,

at night His song is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life."

Psalm 42:8, NIV

"The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV

What a beautiful way to end this sweet Valentine's Day...knowing that the One Who loves you most is directing His love toward you and rejoicing over you with gladness, quieting you with His love, and rejoicing over you with His song.  There could be no greater love song than that.

Happy Valentine's Day (Evening)!

Sunday Evening Praise

"But each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing His songs, praying to God who gives me life."

Psalm 42:8 NLT

Couldn't let the day pass without sharing these few thoughts and blessings.  As most of you know, tomorrow I will be having some surgery.  Outpatient...nothing life threatening.  But there is always that little anxiety of the "what-ifs" nagging at one's mind when they undergo any kind of surgery. I would be untruthful if I said I didn't have any kind of fears...but I know the One who holds my life in His hands, and like the Psalmist said above "each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me..." so I need not fear.  And how appropriate that I received this lovely cobalt blue "pitcher" today...you may recognize it as a vintage Avon bottle from the 1970's era...yes, that would be correct. I used to have one just like this. And this evening my married son called and said he found something that made him think of me and of his childhood, and he couldn't wait to bring it over to me.  I was so surprised to unwrap the little  parcel he handed to me and find this beautiful bottle, and yes, I remembered it right away. He said when he saw it he immediately went back to his childhood and remembered seeing this in our bathroom for many years. He just had to have it give me.  I have no idea whatever happened to the original bottle that I had...we've moved so many times it probably got lost or given away or broken...but seeing this, and the love in his eyes as he wanted me to have it tonight of all nights, before my surgery tomorrow, what just such a blessing to me that I wanted to cry.  

Just a few other little notes before I head to bed early because we found out tonight I have to be at the hospital tomorrow morning by 7:30, which means we have to leave here by 6:30 a.m....

Lily Grace sends her love to you all, and she says she is going to be a very good little Brownie Scout while I am recuperating and help in every way possible.  So you know I am in good hands... 

And this praise report:

Here is a picture of our niece Shannon you've been praying for.  My sister actually took this picture as Shannon showed up at my other niece Debbie's gift shop for a visit...

"Miracle child" we are calling her...

And then last but not least, seems like drone photos are making the rounds these days. Here is an aerial photo of our beautiful little church campus:

Yes, it really is this lovely and peaceful and wonderful.

And you can see for yourself that we love to sing praises to the Lord and we have a wonderful preacher who teaches from the Word of God faithfully:

Pastor Dave was preaching from Colossians, Chapter 3:18 – 4:2

 and our choir was singing 

"Take it to the Lord in Prayer" and "Let Us Have a Little Talk with Jesus"

"What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything, everything to God in prayer.

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear.

All because we do not carry everything, everything to God in prayer!

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus, let us tell him all about our troubles

He will hear our faintest cry, and he will answer by and by

Now when you feel a little prayer wheel turning

And you know a little fire is burning

You will find a little talk with Jesus makes it right, it makes it right.

Oh, are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a heavy load of care, load of care

We should never be discouraged when we can take everything to God in prayer!

Oh, can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share

Jesus knows our every weakness, take everything, everything to God

Take everything, everything to God

Take everything, everything to the Lord in prayer.

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Take it, take it to the Lord in prayer.

Take it to the Lord in prayer"

Amen!!!  No matter what you are going through, "take everything, take everything to the Lord in prayer!!"

I may be away for a little while, but just keep me in your thoughts and prayers, and I will be back just as soon as possible! Love you all. Good night!!