Friday Foto Friends and Thankful Thursday

Tomorrow is what we call "Friday Foto Friends", even though there isn't a real link up any more for our friends to gather...but many of us still do this just because we want to.  When we have something good to share with you, we don't want to keep it to ourselves, right?

This is a very lovely spot we discovered in our "journeys" around the community where we are hoping to relocate in the near future, Lord willing...

These particular photos are at a special park/boat ramp in a housing development where we are looking...

I always love to take pictures of the trees reflecting in the water whenever I can.   I'm pleased that these photos were taken with my cell phone camera, since my other camera is no longer working. Not too bad, huh?

This is what old Florida looks like...I'm so thankful there are still such places to enjoy the natural beauty of our lovely area...

I'm thankful for the hope that God gives us as we continue in our search for the right future home...

No, we haven't sold our current home yet, but we have had some close "calls" recently, getting our hopes up...and we have felt very encouraged that good things are right around the corner...

Here is another very special place that we have discovered in our journey...

We keep praying and waiting and seeking God's voice and plan in all of our searching.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NKJV)

11. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

12. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 

13. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

Matthew 6:33  (NKJV)

33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

Psalm 9:10

"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;

For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He shall direct your paths."

Psalm 13:13-14

"But I have trusted in Your mercy;

My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

Because He has dealt 

bountifully with me."

Psalm 16:11

"You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

I hope you have enjoyed these words of hope and encouragement along with these beautiful pictures of the scenery in and around where we are hoping to find a new home in the near future.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers as we continue our search. May we stay on the right path always and never veer off course.

Stay tuned for further developments as God directs...

Hope you have a blessed and beautiful weekend. I guess we are getting close to the 4th of July celebrations next week. I haven't even thought about it yet, and normally we have a big hoopla at our house. Perhaps I need to start thinking about something other than our house search/sale, etc., and see if anyone wants to come celebrate with us...

Hope you have a safe and happy Independence Day celebration!!

Remember, "Freedom isn't free!!"

Sermon Notes: Listening to The Right Voice

Today was a special day at our little church, in several ways.  First, we honored and prayed for a member of our church who is also a law enforcement officer....a first responder.  It was such a joy to have this young officer's whole family come forward to show their support as the Pastor prayed for his protection and blessing upon his life and service.  We are so very thankful for our law enforcement personnel. They are always there for us, ready to protect and serve.  The very least we can do is show our support and pray for their safety.

Another blessing of the day was that these two dear friends from our previous "Home Bible Church" and Ladies' Prayer Fellowship came to visit our church today. This picture is from another time and place because I forgot to take their picture today, shame on me!  So, just for the record, no we don't have church on the river.  Might be nice sometime, but that wasn't today...

And the other special thing about today was that my hubby was the "guest" speaker.  As you've heard me say previously, our pastor is retiring, and last Sunday was his last Sunday to preach. However, he and his wife are still worshiping with us through next Sunday...we're just giving them a little break so they can sit and worship with us from the pew for a change.

And so, with all of that in mind, here are the sermon notes from today's message, as best as I could transcribe as my hubby preached. No, he didn't give me a copy of his notes...it was up to me to listen carefully!

So here goes!

Our Scripture lesson for the day was Matthew 22:23-33.  This is a passage where Jesus is answering some questions from Sadducees.  You may wonder what exactly is a "Sadducee".  Here is the definition as found from Dictionary.com

Sadducee

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noun Judaism."a member of a Palestinian sect, consisting mainly of priests and aristocrats, that flourished from the 1st century b.c. to the 1st century a.d. and differed from the Pharisees chiefly in its literal interpretation of the Bible, rejection of oral laws and traditions, and denial of an after life and the coming of the Messiah."

(My note: I've often heard pastors explain the reference to the Sadducees as those religious persons who did not believe in the resurrection, and so they were so "Sad, you see".  )

Anyway, the Sadducees were trying to trick Jesus into giving answers to difficult questions regarding marriage in the afterlife, even though they personally did not believe in an afterlife.  

Jesus is very patient as He deals with people who are blinded from listening to the wrong voices and not understanding the scriptures.   See how He responded to them in verse 29:

"You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures 

nor the power of God."

This is a message for us today.  Listening to the wrong voices will blind you to the truth.

God's Word is here to lead us and guide us in all of life's questions.  We need to use God's Word to find the truth.

Jesus is our only Hope...Jesus is the way to heaven. He has the answers we are looking for.

Why did Jesus take His time with the Sadducees? Think about how many times Jesus had to correct people in the Scriptures for their wrong assumptions and ideas.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler came to Jesus by night to ask Jesus about the miracles and signs that Jesus was performing. He recognized that Jesus could not do these things unless He had been sent from God, but he truly didn't understand the bigger picture of Who Jesus was.  Jesus carefully explained to Nicodemus how to be "born again"...and then shared with him His purpose for coming into the world in the famous verse  found in John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

God sent His Son into the world to redeem the world...

• We are born into Ruin
• God presents to us Redemption (through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross)
• and then God provides Regeneration through the gift of the Holy Spirit

In Matthew 22:31-32, Jesus tells the Sadducees that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Jesus speaks of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the present tense. They are still living.

The power of God came to you in a message that is a love letter from God to mankind. God's Word.

The outcome of reading and understanding God's Word is glorious.  

One day we will share in the glory of God in heaven with innumerable people who have gone before us...and the angels who are also innumerable.

Jesus reminded the Sadducees and all of those who are blinded by this present world..."You don't know the power of God..."

The Sadducees were wrong in their assumption that there was no resurrection or afterlife.

But God wants to help you understand the truth. He wants to save you from ruin (your sins).

Pray for an enlightened mind by the power of God's Holy Spirit.  

The power of God is here to help the helpless and the hopeless.

God may ask us one day, "How many people did you talk to about Me?"  We should be about our Father's business and sharing the good news of redemption from the ruin of our life through Jesus Christ, and the regeneration of our spirit through the power of God's Holy Spirit.

Be like Jesus.  Read and know God's Word. Share the truth.

Our music director sang the following song for our special music today:

The Touch of the Master's Hand...

Once we've been touched by the Master's Hand, our life takes on new meaning, purpose and value. We are priceless in the eyes of the Lord.  He gave His life for our lives...He took our ruin, redeemed us and made us brand new...(regeneration).  The Touch of the Master's Hand!

I love how God put all these special things together today. Even the song that was sung...it was not in collaboration with the sermon, and yet, God did bring it all together.  Sometimes we just have to sit back and see what God has laid out right before our eyes!! 

Sermon Notes: FUMC, Interlachen, FL, Rev. John F. Steiner, 6/23/2019

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.

Friday Foto Friends Little This and That

It's Friday! And I haven't been posting much lately, because I've been busy with a "little this and that".  So I think I will just share the pictures I've been taking so you can see what I've been up to.

Just for the "record"....this spider web in the Secret Garden looks like it says it is a "45" rpm record...do you see that little bit of stitching in the center that looks like it says 45? That's what I think, anyway! I wonder what song the spider was singing as he spun this web? 

He really stretched this web out there in the middle of the garden, ready to catch unaware critters in its strands. So glad the sun was shining through and got my attention before I was the victim!! I would not have made very beautiful music if I'd been tangled up in that web, I can assure you!

This was my favorite pic of the week. The Swallow Tailed Kites have been extremely active this week.  Here you see what I believe is a young kite sitting on the lower branch.  The mother kite was sitting above it, and these other kites came diving in to try and disturb them, I think...Or maybe it was feeding time. Quite an action shot, huh?  I have a video of them on my facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/pamela.m.steiner/videos/pcb.10214383344484091/10214383335603869/?type=3&theater

And this Osprey was giving me a good look over as I walked by...

Hubby decided to do some mowing in between rain storms this week:

I love how this pot of flowers that my kids gave me for Mother's Day is still blooming and making me smile every day:

I am NOT smiling that my favorite camera is stuck in the "on" position, but I cannot actually turn it on or off to make the lens go back in. I've checked the batteries, etc., done everything I can, and it will not work. So I've had to put it aside while I contact someone who may know what to do.

 Meanwhile, I found another camera that a friend had given me when I had a similar problem before. I dusted it off, put in new batteries, and decided to go try it out. My hubby, "the ham" posed for me:

I went to my usual favorite spots for pictures to see if I liked the results from this camera...

It's okay, but not as clear and concise as the other camera.

But these Oak trees are still stunning, don't you think?

Last Friday we went to meet some dear friends and family for lunch. Here I am with my friend Paula and my sister Doris.

And here is my brother in law Art and my hubby John.  They were the "daily specials", according to the sign behind them.

My friend Paula gave me a little gift...this hanging solar lamp...for the Memorial Garden:

Or perhaps for the Secret Garden:  It is something she had ordered as a potential birthday gift for me (but my birthday isn't until September), but she thought it was a little small and not what she thought it would be from looking at it online, but she couldn't send it back, so she gave it to me now anyway. I love it.  It will remind me to pray for my friend Paula, as she got some disturbing health news this past week and may be having some serious things ahead. Please keep her in your prayers.

And then earlier this week I made a little trip down south of here to visit another dear friend, "Evelyn",  who lost her husband to cancer last year, and we try to stay in touch as often as we can.  We met at a restaurant southwest of Ocala, "Red's"... they have this goldfish pond out in the yard and many people feed them...

And here we are taking a "selfie" of the two of us.  We are like two sisters from different parents. Been friends for about 40 years. 

Around the yard of the restaurant there are other interesting artifacts and beautiful nature...

This is alongside the Withlacoochee River...

Anyone still use this kind of lawn mower?

This looks a good place to say, "The End"

This past week's visits with dear friends, both of whom have lost husbands to cancer, really makes you stop and think about how quickly life can change.  We need to always be ready to share the love of Christ with others, and also be sure that we are ready to trust Him with whatever comes our way.  I am so thankful for my sisters in Christ who have been there for me, and I pray that God will always help me to be there for them as well.

Have a blessed an beautiful day my friends. Hug the ones you love, and spend time with your friends as often as you can.

Sermon Notes: A Season of Change

This past Sunday was our Pastor's final day of preaching at our little church. He will begin his actual retirement in a couple of weeks, but yesterday was his last opportunity to preach the gospel to our congregation...and he gave us a powerful, challenging message from Jeremiah 29:11-23

The key verses are the most familiar to us:

Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV)

11.  "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

12.  Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 

13. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. 

14.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

We are in a season of change in our church, and here, above, God is giving a word of hope to the children of Israel, much like what He is giving to us today:

"Build, plant, pray..."  even though they were in captivity...

"You are here for a reason...God has called you here...to bloom where you are planted."

This community needs us to thrive despite transition and changes

We need to stand behind the new pastor...show God's love at work in this church...and remember the people outside.

God has great plans for us...

Have you ever felt hopeless and in despair?

God is with us always and forever...

Jesus told His disciples before He went away:

John 16:33  (NIV)

33 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

There is NO equal to GOD. Jesus is stronger than any of our fears. God is here...God is stronger than the gates of hell-stronger than death. 

We can have hope in the midst of troubles

Hebrews 13:5

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; 

be content with such things as you have,

For He Himself has said, 

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

God is pursuing us.  

We've been given great privilege and responsibilities.

Ephesians 2:8-9

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

The key to a great life is the decision to live for God. 

It was said that recently many, many people waited ten hours in line to ride the new "Harry Potter " ride at Disney.   Ten hours standing in a long line to ride a new ride...can you imagine?

As believers, we are living an adventure in our relationship with Jesus Christ...the adventure of a lifetime! Far greater than any ride Disney or any other theme park could imagine.

We need to humble ourselves and get pride out of the way...

"Seek Me and find Me...I will be found by you when you seek Me with your whole heart..."

God has plans to prosper you and not to harm you.

Accept and believe that God has plans for you...and it will be good because God will not do anything to harm His church...

Embrace the new pastor...It is God's will that he is coming here.

Have an open mind and an open spirit.  

Choose to look at the bright side of life

Choose to step into the unknown that brings in the future...

Share your unique gifts and graces with others...

Choose to have faith that God is in control...

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,

thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

Sermon Notes: FUMC, Interlachen, FL, Pastor A.C. Myers, 6/16/2019

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.

Skywatch Friday: The Birds of the Heavens

I thought I might join up with Skywatch Friday again.  I've been watching a lot of interesting birds in the sky around my neck of the woods this week.

The Ospreys have been very busy.  On my Facebook page today I posted a couple of videos of them calling to each other. I understand it is nesting time, and they are quite active in this area, building and tending their nests.

This Osprey was sitting across from our house, just enjoying the scenery.

Now, if this is a Swallow-tailed kite, his tail isn't quite as long as the others around here...and it seems like the others have been chasing him around. I'm wondering if he is just younger and hasn't gotten his full plumage yet?

Here is what they usually look like in flight:   See the difference?  They are fun to watch gliding overhead every day. They are nesting nearby, so we have enjoyed watching them more than usual this year.

This was the sky last evening...rather cloudy, with the sun shining through...

I realized later that my camera lens was smudged, so that it why some pictures look a little hazy in the middle. Sorry about that...

I just think these tall Sand Pines look so interesting against the gray sky.

Here is a link to more information about Florida's Sand Pine Tree.

Do you see the bird flying from the tree in this picture below?  That was a black crow. They were flying around, taunting the Ospreys.  They like to do that, you know!

 Just another view of the trees...

I don't know how some of these tall skinny trees are still standing. Actually, some of them do fall whenever we have any severe thunder/wind storms. It's not unusual to hear them cracking in the wind, and then when you go outside you can smell the fresh pine scent of a broken tree...

So this morning I realized it was Flag Day, so I put our flag out bright and early in the morning sun.

This Swallow-Tailed Kite sat across the road and tried to pretend he wasn't watching, but I saw him looking over his shoulder at me...

In my usual early morning walk I ventured to our neighborhood pond to see the sun breaking through the clouds and reflecting on the water.

I love the early morning sun and the blue skies starting to make their appearance as the clouds lift and the sun shines...

Good Morning Blue Skies! It's so nice to see you again! We've had a lot of rain this week!

Well, back down the road, and there's Mr. Osprey, waiting on me to come by.  Here's the other video I took this morning of the ospreys calling to each other.  They are VERY LOUD!

So, this was my evening walk and my morning walk...I hope you enjoyed walking along with me.

Psalm 104:10, 12

10.  "He sends the springs into the valleys;

They flow among the hills.

12.  By them the birds of the heavens have their home;

They sing among the branches."

Now, let us fly back over to Skywatch Friday and enjoy what lovely vistas others have to share.

Have a blessed and beautiful weekend!