Sunday Evening Spring Stroll

Good Sunday Evening, Friends! I hope this finds you doing well and enjoying a peaceful evening.

I've been enjoying some lovely evenings out by Still Waters Pond, watching the sun go down. 

Also enjoying the spring flowers that are starting to really bloom...namely, the Azaleas!

This particular azalea bush was a gift from my sister last year, but we got it planted too late for the blooming season last year.  Thankfully, it has grown and developed into a lovely bush full of blossoms this year!  It's still small, but you can see it is loaded with buds. It's making me smile for sure!

Something else that makes me smile is this patch of wild Sky Blue Lupines that is growing where we take our daily walks. I wish I could transplant it to my yard, but I'm not sure it would grow there. So hopefully it will continue to grow in this area where we walk and I can enjoy seeing it there.

And bring some home to enjoy as well:

I'm also enjoying these little wild purple "fairy flowers" (that's what I call them). They are a weed, but they are so delicate and sweet and I love to see them  growing.

In case you've missed me, I've been a little bit busy. Thank you all for your comments on my previous post, as well as those of you who have been visiting over at The Adventures of Lily Grace and left such sweet comments there. I apologize that I haven't done much answering of your comments, but I do appreciate each and every one.

Anyway, if you visited Lily Grace on Friday, then you know that I went to help out at our son and daughter in law's store on Friday, "Dixie Cottage".  They've been so busy trying to keep up with all the orders they have for painting furniture as well as custom orders, etc., and it's difficult to work on projects and keep up with the customers in the store at the same time.  So, since I was feeling a lot better I said I would love to try and spend one day a week helping them out at the store. Not sure if I will actually be able to do it every week due to other commitments, but I will do my best. The store is an hour away from where we live...in St. Augustine, and so it isn't that easy to just run in and help out for a while and go home.  It's an all day commitment.  But I do enjoy talking to people who come browsing around, and hopefully encourage them to buy something at the same time! 

Here's a few pictures I took of a few of the current items in the store:

Isn't that a lovely little desk, with all the interesting decor around it?

"Be Our Guest", won't you please?

I love the upholstery on these dining room chairs. My daughter in law selects the fabrics and does the re-upholstering of the dining chairs that they refurbish.  She does a great job!

Here's another cozy and lovely dining room setting. I wish I had a place for this:

Here's a cute little drop-leaf table and chairs, plus many other interesting items surrounding it.  They do custom painting of furnishings...you can pick your own colors.  But all that refurbishing, painting, and finding good solid used furniture to refurbish takes a lot of time and energy.  Thankfully they are young and able.  I wish I could do more to help out, but I'm afraid my painting and refinishing of furniture days are pretty well over. But I can ring up the sales! That's the fun part! Praise God!

It was a fun day...but I was glad to get back home to my own recliner (and bed!) that evening! "The old gray mare she ain't what she used to be..." LOL.

Today it was wonderful to able to be back in Sunday School and Church, after missing last Sunday due to a bout with vertigo.  If you would like to come along with me, here is the pre-recorded video of our choir singing an old favorite hymn, "Tell Me The Story of Jesus",  followed by a wonderful message from our pastor from Psalm 51, "Create In Me A Clean Heart, O God", click on this video link below.

Here are the words to this familiar song so you can sing along:

"Tell Me The Story of Jesus"

"Tell me the story of Jesus; write on my heart every word.

Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard.

Tell how the angels in chorus sang as they welcomed His birth

God in the highest! Peace and good tidings to earth.

Chorus:

Tell me the story of Jesus; write on my heart every word.

Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard.

Fasting alone in the desert, tell of the days that are past.

How for our sins He was tempted, yet was triumphant at last.

Tell of the years of His labor; tell of the sorrow He bore.

He was despised and afflicted, homeless, rejected and poor.

Chorus:

Tell me the story of Jesus; write on my heart every word.

Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard.

Tell of the cross where they; nailed Him, writhing in anguish and pain.

Tell of the grave where they laid Him, tell how He liveth again.

Love in that story so tender, clearer than ever I see.

Stay, let me weep while you whisper, love paid the ransom for me.

Chorus:

Tell me the story of Jesus; write on my heart every word.

Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard."

I can remember singing that hymn as a little girl, especially the chorus. I loved to hear the stories of Jesus then, and they have stayed with me all these years. I am very thankful to have been brought up in a Christian family that took us to Sunday School and church every week. But you know, it's never too late to start if you didn't get to go as a child.  Find a good Bible believing church and start going right now!  I was so excited to see that we accepted eleven new members into our little church today! That was really a blessing! 

 God is working in our midst, even in the midst of so much turmoil in our world today...perhaps even as a result of the turmoil in our world.  People's eyes are being opened to the truth that this world is not our final home, and we need to be ready for our eternal home.  Actually, today was also an amazing day in the life of one of our oldest members of the church, as she passed from this life into her eternal home at 6:00 a.m. this morning, following a brief illness. I believe she had just turned 92 in January. She was very ready to go and anxious to see Jesus face to face.  I couldn't help but think about her this morning as we were singing praises to the Lord...she was right there with Him in person, and I am sure she was rejoicing as she bowed before His presence.   

"We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body 

and to be present with the Lord."

2 Corinthians 5:8

Well, I guess it is time to close this for the night. I look forward to hearing from  you and also to try to get caught up with you and your events. May God bless each of you and give you peace...Amen.

 

Some Thoughts About Lent and Current Events

 It seems like it was Wednesday just the other day...these weeks are flying by so rapidly. Today is actually Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. 

An interesting tree I found while walking this morning. Can anyone identify it?

 Lent is a good time for some introspection and spiritual cleansing and renewal.  A time to focus on our personal walk with the Lord and how we can draw closer to Him as we invite Him to purify our hearts and minds and restore unto us the "joy of Your salvation".  (Psalm 51:12)

 Hubby and I  took a walk this morning before the rains started...the skies were already looking quite promising of a good "cleansing rain".

And yes, the rains did come and stayed around all day. Actually, this picture below was taken yesterday when it was also raining...I wanted to sit out on our deck and watch the birds, and hubby took this picture of me sitting there...

Yes, I was sitting there in the rain, holding my umbrella and drinking tea and watching the rain and the birds... (I know, if you are on Facebook you have already seen these pictures)

This is what I was watching...this Little Blue Heron was tip toeing by in the rain...

 I love the patterns of the raindrops on Still Waters Pond...

 Hey, who are YOU looking at?

He moseyed on by and I soon had to to back inside as I was beginning to get a little damp

This morning, following our walk,  we stopped by our local Ace Hardware store. I realized that I needed to stock up on some bird seed before my surgery next week so that the bird feeders would stay well supplied for our birds so that I would have plenty of birds to watch while recuperating. (And they happened to have a good 2 bags for the price of one bag of bird seed sale going on.) 

As I was walking around the store I bumped into this cart and was surprised to discover this young chick looking out at me. What a sweet little face...

He/she wasn't alone, and they looked like they really wanted me to take them home with me...

I don't think they like being imprisoned in these cages...but I had to tell them I was sorry that I couldn't take them home with me. This one below looks like he is wearing an interesting hat, and his face just looks like he is really hoping someone will rescue him soon...I do hope they won't have to stay there much longer. They are getting too big for those cages...and they need to be free to roam a bit...

Bye bye little chicky. I do hope you will find a good home soon.

One other thing I was looking for was a bird house for the Bluebird that came by the other day. Thankfully they had one left, and I had a coupon to get 30% off, and so that was a great find!

So we came home and waited for a break in the rain that had already started to fall, and as soon as the sun came out we hurriedly attached the birdhouse to the tree where the Bluebird had been sitting the other day.  Now I just hope he will come back and bring the family!! That would make for some good entertainment while I am recuperating.

In our devotions this morning we read several scriptures that help us to understand the season of Lent. Here are the references for you to consider. I won't reprint all of the verses as they are lengthy, but when you have time you may want to read them for yourself:

Matthew 6:1-18; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Joel 2:12-18; and Psalm 51:1-19. 

I especially found the book of Joel chapter two to be very interesting. That is one book that we don't read very often and even though it was written for the people of Judah around the time of the "invasion" of a plague of locusts that destroyed everything in its path and impoverished the people, I found it rather prophetic and appropriate for our country today. 

With the concerns over the possible "invasion" of the  Coronavirus, this could well be applied to our nation today.    The subtitle over this section of verses reads: "Only Repentance Can Avert Invasion".    Interesting that our pastor also preached about repentance in his message on Sunday.  Repentance goes hand in hand with this season of Lent leading up to Easter.  Certainly something for each of us to consider personally and pray for our nation to consider as well...

12.  "Now, therefore", says the Lord, "Turn to Me  with all your heart, 

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning...".  

13.  "So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, 

For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; 

and He relents from doing harm...."

I hope that this Lent season will be a time of drawing closer to the Lord for you and for me as well. I am certainly trusting in Him to be with me during this time as I undergo surgery and then spend probably the whole season of Lent recuperating. I pray that I will be back up and around and ready for action by Easter.  But I hope to use this time to truly be restored both physically and spiritually as I rest "Beside the Still Waters"... Seems like God had this all planned, didn't He?  

Have a blessed rest of your week.  

"Zip a Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-a-Dee-ay"

"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh, my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's "actch'll"
Everything is "satisfactch'll"
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!"

(from Walt Disney's "Song of the South")

Does that happy little song bring back sweet memories of your childhood? It sure does mine...Uncle Remus and Br'er Rabbit...and singing "Zip a dee doo dah, Zip a dee ay!"

Well today was one of those kind of days...a beautiful sunshiny day...it actually felt like spring again after last week's dip back into winter.  Although I hear we may be getting some more wintry weather later this week...today was just "satisfactch'll"

Mr. Bluebird wasn't exactly on my shoulder, but the truth is, he was on my bird bath and then on my pine tree:

Imagine my amazement as I sat on the back deck just relaxing, and then this bluebird landed on the birdbath right in front of me:

He turned around and said hello to "Bobby" the Squirrel...

And then he said "Zip- a -dee-doo-day, zip-a-dee-ay" I'm flying out of here...

But curiosity got the better of him, and he came back a few minutes later...not sure if it was "Bobby the Squirrel" he was interested in, or if he wanted to get another look at the crazy lady on the deck with the camera:

Next he flew to the pine tree and sat there for a while, playing peek-a-boo with me.

I'm sure he thought I couldn't see him, so he was safe to sit there and take a peek at me...

 Oops, better turn my head and not let her get a good look at me...

Well, maybe just another little peek...

"I think I'd better fly up to that other tree and get where I'm safely hidden from prying eyes"

And so he flew away, but hopefully he'll be back another day. Now I need to find a bird house and get it fastened out there somewhere so maybe he'll stay and bring his wife and family...

As I watched that clip of that song above with Uncle Remus and the children, I noticed that there were many other critters skipping along with them as they sang. I didn't quite see all of those special creatures today, but I did see a few others that were interesting:

Early this morning the Canadian Geese were getting quite close on our shore, and they were being stalked by a neighborhood cat who just happened to be passing through the yard:

 She kind of crept alongside them for a while....

But then she was off to better hunting grounds and they stood and watched her go...

 I'm sure they were quite relieved...

And then later this afternoon these Suwannee Cooter turtles were sunning themselves on a log in the pond.

 They look quite content and peaceful just relaxing in the sunshiny day...

I noticed there was a little brown dog in the movie clip running alongside the children...and sure enough, this little brown dog came trotting through our yard this afternoon.  Not sure where he came from or where he was going...he paused for a minute and said hello, and I said hello back to him, and he sniffed around and off he went. My son says he has seen him come through the yard before. He seems to be healthy and friendly, so I assume he belongs to someone although I didn't see a collar, but perhaps he just goes on a daily run through the neighborhood. Of course there are leash laws that are supposed to keep that from happening...but sometimes little brown dogs just have to break the rules. I hope he stays safe and gets back home okay.

So now I am singing that little tune and having that "wonderful feeling"...it's a "wonderful day".

I believe the Lord gave me this happy little interlude this afternoon as I am beginning to prepare for my surgery one week from today. Today we went shopping to get some things stocked up here at the house. I am trying to get things organized here at home so it won't be too difficult for hubby to take care of things in my absence (or even when I am back home and still unable to fully participate for a while).

Yesterday at church I was so completely surprised, blessed and thankful that our Pastor called me and another gentleman, who is also going to be having surgery this week, along with our families and anyone else who wanted to come and stand with us and lay hands upon us as he prayed for us. It was such a beautiful and spirit filled time of prayer on our behalf, and I truly felt the Presence of the Lord, and just as Jesus laid His hands on so many throughout His years of ministry and healed them, I believe that Christ is still reaching His hands out to us through His ministers and people of faith and that there is healing in those hands. I thank the Lord for this blessing and gift.

Our pastor's sermon yesterday was entitled "Forgiveness is a Product of Repentance", based on the passage in Luke 15:1-10. One key verse was verse 10:

"I say to you that likewise there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Luke 19:10 says: "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." 

Repentance = "to change one's mind", "to turn away from something", "to make an about-face in your life."
Salvation is Christ's message. He is calling us away from what is destroying our lives toward what will totally change our lives.
"Repentance refers to practice of continual self-examination and turning away from anything that destroys or diminishes our relationship with God."
In Psalm 51, King David  is praying a psalm of repentance after his sin with Bathsheba.  In verse 3 he acknowledges his sin. In verse 4 he recognizes that his sin is against God. Sin has stolen the joy from his life.

• Sin steals the joy from our lives.  David asked for cleansing.  He repented of his great sin and asked God to restore the "joy of Your salvation." (verse 12) 
• Forgiveness is a product of repentance.  We receive forgiveness whenever we repent.  
• Repentance should be a part of our daily communication with God, for we have all sinned. 

In Exodus chapter 32 the people sinned when they made a Golden Calf and worshiped it in place of Almighty God.

• What are the "golden calves" that we have made and worship today? They can be very subtle...
• What keeps me from drawing closer to God? 

Perhaps we need to identify that Golden Calf in our lives and repent and turn back to the Lord.  And the Lord will forgive us and restore the joy of our salvation when we turn from that which is separating us from Him.

Sermon Notes: FUMC, Interlachen, FL, Pastor John Bennett, 02/23/2020

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given. I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously. Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said. Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear... That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts. So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

There is such joy when we know we are forgiven of our sins...and then we can sing along with the song above "Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay!! Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!!  I hope you have this great joy in your heart too!