Some News Update and Something New!

 Thank you all for praying for my brother in law Art yesterday afternoon...thanks to many prayers, here he is arriving home from the hospital later in the day:

This is what my nephew Dave wrote on his Facebook page when he got to the hospital to check on his Dad, my brother in law Art.  

"Quick update! I won’t post the photo of his laceration but it’s about 10” long and a little over 1/2” wide. The story of what happened is even worse. He was actually hit from a guy on an E-bike. When I asked my dad what happened? He said he left the parking lot walking across the street towards the building and he said he didn’t see anything while he was in the road and he said the moment he stepped onto the sidewalk and was about to reach out for the door. He saw something out of his right peripheral and a guy on a E bike slammed into him. It knocked him backwards and he hit the concrete pillar as he was going down. He said the guy was “cruising.” he said the guy did stay and was talking to the police as he was being loaded in the ambulance. There was also another gentleman who knelt down and kept my dad talking until EMS arrived. Thankfully there is no bleeding on the brain, no swelling, and no fractures. They will probably staple him and send him on his way this afternoon. Thank you so much for all the thoughts and prayers."    

Which is exactly what they did, as you can see in the picture above!  I said we are thankful to God for protecting him, and also thankful that he has such a hard head! LOL.  This could've turned out so much worse, so we are very very thankful indeed.  Again, thank you for your prayers for Art and still also for my sister Doris as she recovers from pneumonia. I think she's getting better because she's posting pictures of flowers and birds in her garden on Facebook as usual, so that's a good sign! Praise God!

I was reading our friend Myra's post yesterday here Respice, Prospice: Today, and she was waiting for a delivery truck delivering her new dishwasher. They gave her a window of time between 8 a.m.-8 p.m.! So much for doing anything else that day!   And I started to reply in my comment to her that I was also waiting for a delivery all day, but I decided to wait and write what I was going to say in my comment to her and put it here on my own blog post because it was becoming to voluminous of a comment to put on her page! So this is what I did: I opened up a "new post" page and wrote the following so I wouldn't forget it:

"Save this for my next post...

Oh, and speaking again of deliveries, I am actually waiting on a delivery of a new camera. My old good camera keeps refusing to work, and as it was a refurbished one in the first place, I have no way to repair it. After I missed taking photos of a Baltimore Oriole this morning!!! A very rare sighting here in our area!!! I was very upset. So much so that hubby said, "Why don't you order yourself a new camera?"  I said because they are too expensive.  But he found one online that sounds a LOT like my favorite old camera, and the price is not astronomical for a new camera, and he insisted that I order it. It's a late Christmas present, he said. After I hemmed and hawed...I ordered it"

And so, later in the day it finally arrived!

And here I am in my "best outfit" (LOL), holding my new camera...

And doing what I promised I would do,

 the first picture I took was of my hubby, taking that picture of me with my camera!

There, that's more like it...Thank you, sweet hubby, for this very wonderful gift! I told him it could be Christmas, my birthday, our anniversary, and everything else for the year! He knows how much it means to me to be able to take good pictures of the birds and bees and flowers and trees and everything else that my cell phone camera can't do at a distance, and so he wanted me to have this so I can keep sharing pictures here with YOU!

Now I just have to figure out how to use all the little buttons and dials and things to make it work like I want it to...so that will be my new "hobby" for a while until I figure it all out.

Meanwhile, I went outside and started taking pictures of everything I could see. It was a very bright sunny afternoon, and so the lighting wasn't great for really good pictures at that time of day. I may have to try again this morning, and I am hoping that "Baltimore Oriole" comes back to visit so I can take his picture this time!!

Here's some weeds and flowers and things in the woods around Still Waters Pond:

That same little lonely daisy is still blooming!

This looks like a new Maple tree starting to grow!

When I came back to our yard the Sand Hill Crane family showed up for the photo shoot!

They must've heard that I needed some good subjects to photograph with my new camera! 

It was nice of them to pose for me while I tried to figure things out....

Aren't they such magnificent models?

Okay they said, enough photos...let us get something to eat!

We threw them a little bird seed in thanks for their cooperation!

Later on I tried to see how it would do at sunset. There really wasn't any "magnificent" sunset to capture on this evening, but at least I could watch the sun going down...

This is my favorite...I love how the sun looks like a star in this picture:

And with that I will close for today, or at least until after the sun comes back up this morning and I have something new to take pictures of. I'm sure going to be watching outside my "Room With a View" for that Baltimore Oriole to come back!!

Here's the words of Wisdom from God's Word that showed up today in my morning devotions:

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

"16 Rejoice always, 

17 pray without ceasing, 

18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Amen.

Have a wonderful day my friends!

 

Something New for My Friday Foto Friends

 

This morning I was reading one of my blogging friend's posts, Tales of the TCKK Family, HERE, and she (Cathy) was doing a  new photo challenge that I thought was interesting.  She links up with Kym over at A Fresh Cup of Coffee~ Everyday Images #53 to do this "personal photo challenge".  I guess there is one every two weeks, with several prompts for things to look for and take photos of and share.  So since I didn't have anything new to share today, I thought I would try to do this and link up with Kym and Cathy and others who are doing the personal photo challenge.  The prompts for this week are: 

calendar

doorway (quarterly)

letters

chill

hidden

plans

So let's see what I can come up with!  Of course, you know the calendar photo for me is already a regular event each month. Maybe I can find something new to share in the way of a calendar that you haven't already seen:

Not too fancy. That's our church calendar, one with the birthdays and anniversaries for the month,  and the other with the activities for the month.

Below is the box of cards that I use to send out birthday and anniversary and get well cards to members of the church each month.  That is a little ministry that I do for the church that keeps me on my toes, especially lately with the number of people needing get well cards! 

Doorway

I just switched our door wreath from Christmas to a Valentine decoration, which will probably stay up through February.

And when we think about doorways, of course the title of my blog is "Closed Doors, Open Windows", so things having to do with doors are things that I tend to gravitate towards...like this collection of doorknobs:

Letters

I am assuming you mean letters, as in "letters of the alphabet" ?  This made me think of a little bag full of blocks that I've had for years and had stashed them away in a cabinet. So this was a good opportunity to bring them out:

Each side of the block has a different letter on it, and if you arrange them correctly, you will find four different messages!

Sometimes it's challenging to rearrange them and get them in the right order.  Finally I got smart and penciled in a very small number in the corner of each block so that if you put them in that order, all of the messages will be in the correct order for each side.

Chill

Still Waters Pond early in the morning, when it was 39 degrees outside.  That's a way to get "chilled" if you step outside to take a picture!

Hidden

There's something hiding behind that photograph of my great-nephew's graduation picture on the bookshelf in our living room:

Oh, it's this beautiful handmade music box, created with love by my father many years ago:

And hiding on the back is his little note: "Handmade by Bill Mursch,12/90"

It was a Christmas gift to me that year. I think he made one for each of his children.  The little upside down sticker says "These Foolish Things", which is the song that it plays when you wind it up. 

Plans

When I started to write this post this morning I had no special plans for the day. Just figuring out what pictures to take and share was my only plan...and hubby had another plan...He wanted pancakes for breakfast...so here you go:

This used up the last of the frozen blueberries that we got from the Blueberry Farm here in town last summer. So I guess my next plan will be to buy some at the grocery store until we can get the good fresh ones again from the farm when they are ripe!

Regarding "Plans", here's some words of Wisdom from God's Word:

Jeremiah 29:11 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.

Proverbs 19:21 NIV

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,

but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 16:9 NKJV

9 A man’s heart plans his way,

But the Lord directs his steps.

Just as I was about to close this post, I got a call from my niece, telling me that her father, my sister's hubby, was out running errands, and was stepping out of a store and someone on a bike or e-bike or something ran into him and knocked him down and he hit his head.  Thankfully he didn't lose consciousness, but he's at the hospital getting checked out to make sure there are no internal injuries, especially in his head since hit it so hard.  Apparently whoever knocked him down did not stop.  And my sister now has pneumonia and can't go to the hospital to get him, so thankfully his son is available to go get him.  So please say a little prayer for my brother in law Art and my sister Doris. Thank you so much.  Sometimes the "plans" we have for the day just don't work the way we planned. Praying that God will speed healing to them both.  Amen.

Thank you, Kym, from "A Fresh Cup of Coffee", for these photo prompts for today. I enjoyed finding the pictures and I hope you will all enjoy them too.

Wednesday Treasures

Okay, shall we?

Do you need a "quiet moment" right now?

Sometimes we just need to step away from the world and spend a little bit of quiet time alone...

Maybe not totally alone, but perhaps alone with the Lord...

or maybe alone in the sense that we are allowing God to speak to us as we sit quietly and wait for Him to guide us in what we should be doing or writing.

I needed to do this...today my tummy is actually feeling a bit "uncomfortable", and I am praying it's not a bug that's going around, because hubby is complaining of similar symptoms.  I decided to drink a cup of "Cozy Chamomile" tea, as it is supposed to be good for calming the tummy. 

So I am sipping it as I write. 

"Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress;

Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer."

Psalm 4:1

We took a little walk this morning in the woods. We haven't been in a while because it's been so cold or we had other things going on. It felt so good to get back out in nature and stretch our legs and enjoy some rather chilly, but fresh air.

These little pine tree "flowers" are blooming...a sure sign that spring is not too terribly far away!

I saw this one lone little yellow wildflower blooming actually beside our pond the other evening while I was out waiting for the sunset...

I almost missed it...as you can see it was quite camouflaged...

One blossom blooming on the azalea bushes...

And raindrops on the poinsettias looked like crystal beads:

We haven't seen much of "Pretty Kitty", a.k.a. "Gray Kitty", lately, so I was happy to see her come visit on the back porch this morning.  She was watching my foot movements through the glass door, and when I made a move toward her she took off...

But at least we know she's okay and looks healthy. I think she must belong to someone...

Thankfully my hubby's cousin Linda called us again this morning from California to let us know that they are still doing okay. They are still back in their home, but she said the devastation all around them is terrible. They are wearing masks because of the ash and pollutants in the air.  She said also that because their house was one of the few still standing in their neighborhood they had been opening it up to firefighters to come in and use the restroom and get a drink and just rest for a bit.  They are very very thankful that their home has been spared.  Also, I may have mentioned before that they had already been planning to put their house up for sale this month because they already have a place ready to move to in the mountains of north Georgia. With this fire all around them they weren't too sure now what was going to happen and if they would be able to sell their house as planned.  However, their realtor has assured them that there are so many people now looking for homes that they should have no problem in selling their house pretty quickly, so they are going ahead with their plans to make preparations for moving.  They are extremely thankful to God, and also to all who have been praying for them. She was very comforted that they have actually heard from friends and people that they haven't heard from in many years, people who called to check up on them to make sure they were safe.  So even though it has been a very stressful and scary time, it has been a time for reconnecting with family, friends and also with God.  God works in mysterious ways.  We continue to pray for so many others who have lost everything and who are struggling and hurting so very badly. May God provide for their comfort and healing as well.

This was the sunrise this morning...

I wrote on Facebook when I shared these photos early today:

Psalm 118:24  NKJV

24 This is the day the Lord has made;

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

While I've been sitting here writing, I just learned that one of our church members, who had some major surgery yesterday, is home, and they said there was no sign of cancer! So that was a big praise!  And another member had surgery on Monday to remove her bladder because it had a cancerous tumor in it, but because the tumor was only in the bladder, by removing the bladder she is cancer free.  

Lately we've had way too many people in our church being diagnosed with cancer. It's hard to see so many having these issues, and we pray for them as they recover and deal with the aftermath of surgery and whatever other treatments they may need to have. In one case, the cancer is already too far involved, and the person has opted to not have any treatment and is preparing to live each day to the fullest until God calls him home.  

It would be easy to get anxious and maybe even a bit angry over so many suffering or having to alter their lives considerably due to these illnesses. 

I draw comfort and wisdom from this Psalm...

Psalm 4:4-8

"4 Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,

And put your trust in the Lord.

6 There are many who say,

“Who will show us any good?”

Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

7 You have put gladness in my heart,

More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.

8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

With all of the crazy stuff going on in the country, around the world, and even right here in our own little church and community, it is good to remember to "Put your trust in the Lord."  Don't let anger over injustice or disaster cause us to sin. Pray for those in peril, but trust in the Lord.  "For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" ...therefore, I can "lie down in peace, and sleep."  

Well, I do feel a little better now. My tummy is settling down, and hubby is asking what's for supper.  I hope you've enjoyed this little moment of quietness and putting things in perspective, so to speak. 

Those are my treasures for today. Thank you for spending this time with me.  

 

Tuesday 4~ Winter Musings

 Winter Musings

Hello and welcome once again to Toni's Tuesday 4.

It's cold in these United States. Everyone seems to be chilly and some have blizzard conditions to contend with.

But I think winter is a time for us, as well as animals, to hibernate and takes things slow and easy. I think many find themselves a bit more sleepy than usual and maybe we are supposed to take the time to rest... Let's talk it over okay?

1. Do you find yourself a bit more lazy or tired as the nights get longer or does it not seem to do much to you? In general how are you doing this winter?

Yes, the longer nights, along with the time change in the fall, do make me want to go to bed earlier. It's hard to stay awake when it is dark outside. Having the Christmas tree lights on helped a lot, but now that I've taken all of that down, it's back to dark again, however, the days are starting to get a big longer now, so that helps.  In general, I am doing fine, but I think I am looking forward to spring now.

2. Do you appreciate the extra hours of dark that allow for more sleep, more leisure, less travel and hurry or not?

The thing is, whether it's dark or not, the schedule stays the same.  Even though we are retired we still try to stay on a regular schedule for going to bed and getting up in the morning. We just have to turn on more lights in the house. And during the winter days between Thanksgiving and New Years, there's no such thing as "more leisure".  The holidays create a lot activity and rush for me. Even though they are happy days, it is also a bit stressful.  Now that they are over maybe I can relax a bit more and not feel like I constantly should be doing 'something', whatever that is.

3. I know I love a hot drink on a chilly evening and the quiet of the streets outside as people stay inside more on cold nights. I feel more relaxed in the winter. How about you?

You've already seen this picture before, but yes, to answer your  question, I do love a hot drink on a chilly evening or afternoon. If it is evening, then probably either an herbal tea or hot Ovaltine. In the afternoon a regular tea with caffeine to help me perk up and keep moving is oftentimes what I need. Oh, those snowmen in the picture below have been put away now, and no more "Peppermint Patties" for me. LOL. Well...maybe there's still a couple of them available, but I'm trying to avoid them...

4. Do you ever gaze out of your window like Miss Kitty in the picture just watching the world go by? How do you find yourself relaxing on a chilly evening?

Well, you all know I do a LOT of window gazing from my "Room With a View",

But the scene outside is nothing like the one on that beautiful calendar! LOL. I wouldn't mind seeing a beautiful farm scene like that in the winter, but here in Florida where we live, this is what I see if I look out my windows in the evening...(actually these pictures were taken right now, at 6:30 a.m.)

That's what I can see that's left of the full moon in the early morning dawn before it totally descends out of our sight for the day...

It's hiding behind some trees, but that actually makes for a lovely frame around the moon, don't you think?

And this is the scene across Still Waters Pond. There is a highway on the other side of the trees and also a gas station/convenience store.  During the daytime we really can't see it that well, but at night the lights are actually kind of pretty:

Some of my pictures got a little wonky...

I guess I moved the camera and didn't realize it, but I like the pictures anyway, don't you?  I know Sandra over at MadSnapper will like these!

I love these, and couldn't do them again if I tried. They are total "accidents" that created something beautiful!

Oh, and that is the full moon picture...I guess the moon is in a hurry to descend! LOL.

These last two pictures are looking out the front door through the glass and across the street this morning:

My hubby was just saying that it was kind of nice to look out there and see some lights and life again. For a long time that house on the end never showed any signs of life, and recently a young family has moved in there with 4 boys, and now there is always a lot of activity over there.  The one young boy loves to come over here and ask if he can do some more yard work for us so he can earn a little money. We are trying to find a few little jobs for him to do, like raking and picking up branches. Maybe this summer we can let him do a few more things. He's very sweet and respectful, and we like to encourage a young person to be industrious.   So that is a nice thing that has happened in the neighborhood recently.

It's nice to have a little "helper" come and offer his help to us.  And Jesus also has promised us that He would send us another "Helper", that is, The Holy Spirit, to come and abide with us and help us forever!

Having God's Holy Spirit abiding with us is a great comfort, as He is also known as "The Comforter". It is comforting to know that when we believe in Christ, we are never alone! His Spirit dwells within us and is there for us no matter what we may be facing each day.  That is some good news!

John 14:16 NKJV

16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—"

Well, that's it for today's Tuesday 4. I hope you have a wonderful day today, and that you will be blessed and comforted no matter what this day brings.