A Different Perspective on Life...and /or The End of the Fence Saga

I know many of you enjoyed reading about our "Fixer Upper" Fence project...(Click HERE if you missed it), and now I feel like I have to give you the final episode and we can be done with this story...We could probably name our new fence "The Eyes Have It"...

This Owlie face is smiling at me every time I open the gate...

And these little Sand Hill Crane faces remind me of our many such birds that live in our neighborhood:

(Doesn't everyone see faces in their fences? Surely it's not just ME!)  (maybe I have been living in the woods too long...)

So, moving right along...
All of that demolition of our old fence resulted in many piles of discarded old fence slats, broken, brittle lattice, vines and general debris scattered and piled in several places throughout our back yard.

My original thought was that we would eventually have a big bonfire, (or several big bonfires) to get rid of all that stuff...but with the current drought in our area there will be NO burning for a long time.  So we couldn't leave it here forever...I mean, it was a mess...rusty old nails, staples, scraps of wood, just a too much to ignore or overlook...

So finally we determined to get it all loaded up and take it to the county landfill, which is about 40 miles away.  Thankfully, a friend of ours loaned us a flatbed trailer to haul it all:

The guys loaded it all up and wrapped it securely in tarps, secured with bungee cords, etc., and off we went.  The trip to the dump was thankfully uneventful...had to stop once to resecure the tarp and bungee cords, but that was all.  Hubby and I followed our son just in case he ran into a problem.

Anyway, once we got to the landfill, they had to weigh in to determine the fee for depositing all of this lovely stuff, and then they had to drive the truck and trailer up onto the high mountain of trash to unload all of the stuff.

photo courtesy of http://www.marioncountyfl.org/departments-agencies/departments-o-z/solid-waste/marion-county-baseline-landfill

 I sat in our car down below and waiting for them to return, just listening to the radio and basically not paying much attention to anything around me, except to watch for them to return.

Then all of a sudden I heard the familiar call of an eagle, and looked up and saw two eagles soaring above me, coming from the top of the landfill with some kind of materials in their talons, apparently for nest building or something...didn't look like food...but I wasn't quick enough with my camera to catch a picture then.  But you can bet I whipped out my camera right away and watched and waited for them to return, and here is what I finally was able to capture:


Yes, there was a magnificent eagle, sitting high up on the "mountain" of trash...sharing the view with quite a few buzzards and other types of  birds, each waiting for their share of the "goods"

 See the eagle flying?

 There were so many birds flying overhead I couldn't keep track of them all...many vultures, eagles, hawks, sea gulls...

But this eagle kept going back to his 'kingdom' of trash...

Isn't he magnificent?

Oh, look!  Here's two of them together...for a moment...

And then he's all alone again...for now...

 Wow!!!  Those few minutes watching those magnificent birds just "flew" by (no pun intended...), and before I knew it, the guys were coming back down the "mountain" and were there waiting for me to catch up with them and head back home.

They had stories of driving through and walking upon mountains of putrid trash to unload the trailer and couldn't wait to get home and get rid of the stench...and I had stories of seeing that "mountain" of trash from a totally different perspective...enjoying the view of some of God's most powerful birds ever created, going about their daily routine of gathering food and materials for their home and family and soaring above the stench and ugliness of that mountain of trash...

Sometimes they say that life is what you make of it.  Some look at their lives and see only bleakness and misery and sorrow (and mountains of trash).  Others look at the same situation and see God's handiwork and beauty in the midst of the storms and difficulties of life.  I am trying to  learn to keep my eyes focused on the Lord, and no matter what garbage piles up around me...if I just look up I will see the handiwork of God on the mountaintop...

Deuteronomy 32

10.  "He found him in a desert land 

and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness;

He (God) encircled him, 

He instructed him,

He kept him as the apple of His eye.

11.  As an EAGLE stirs up its nest,

hovers over its young,

spreading out its wings,

taking them up,

Carrying them on its wings,

12.  So the Lord alone led him,

and there was no foreign god with him...."

Wow!  All of that from going to the county landfill...and finally finishing the fence project once and for all!!! Amazing how God has little lessons on life out there for us...if we just look UP where the eagles are!!!   Have a blessed day my friends!!!

Good Friday Reflections At the Cross

Update: I added this video below on 4/3/18, which is a video of this same cross, with the sun rising behind it on Easter Morning, 4/1/18.  Since this link comes from Facebook, I'm not sure if everyone can open it...but it is worth a try. I wanted to preserve it here with these other pictures of the same cross.  I did not take this video...it came from the camp website.

https://www.facebook.com/warrenwilliscmp/videos/10155449541667405/

It's Good Friday...and all day I've struggled with what to write.  

The cross of Christ is where my mind and heart have been.  

This is the day that we remember Christ's crucifixion upon the cross...how He suffered and died to save us from our sins and give us eternal life.

These pictures are of the floating cross at the 

Warren W. Willis Youth Camp in Fruitland Park, Florida.

It was at this very cross that I fully surrendered my heart and life to the Lord as a teenager,

and committed myself to serve Him all the rest of the days of my life.

The hymn, "At The Cross", by Isaac Watts says it best.  

1. Alas! and did my Savior bleed
   And did my Sov’reign die?
   Would He devote that sacred head
   For such a worm as I?
2. 
   

Refrain :

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

And the burden of my heart rolled away,

It was there by faith I received my sight,

And now I am happy all the day!

1. Was it for crimes that I had done
   He groaned upon the tree?
   Amazing pity! grace unknown!
   And love beyond degree!
2. 
   

1. Well might the sun in darkness hide
   And shut his glories in,
   When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
   For man the creature’s sin.
2. 
   
   
3. Thus might I hide my blushing face
   While His dear cross appears,
   Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
   And melt my eyes to tears.

4. 

   Photo via https://www.facebook.com/pg/warrenwilliscmp/photos/?ref=page_internal

   
   
5. But drops of grief can ne’er repay
   The debt of love I owe:
   Here, Lord, I give myself away,
   ’Tis all that I can do.

   • 

     Photo via https://www.facebook.com/pg/warrenwilliscmp/photos/?ref=page_internal

     
     
   • Refrain :
     At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
     And the burden of my heart rolled away,
     It was there by faith I received my sight,
     And now I am happy all the day!

Remember friends, It may be Good Friday today...but rejoice! Easter's coming!!!   Praise God!!  May your Easter be filled with joy and  many blessings.  

Joining up with my friends at Breathing in Grace for Friday Foto Friends.  

The Secret Garden Chronicles-Anointing Jesus' Feet

Today our "Lovely Ladies of the Lord" met at the lake for a time of prayer, fellowship and encouragement from God's Word.  The Lord could not have chosen a more beautiful and peaceful setting than this...

And thanks to a kind fellow on a motorcycle, who just happened to drive up as we were trying to take some pictures of our group...he immediately offered to take our picture so that we could all be included.

After a time of prayer and then feasting on our bagged lunches (and "Twinkies", thanks to one of the ladies...a first for me! I kid you not! Pretty good...), we opened our Bibles to the Story of Mary of Bethany anointing the feet of Jesus, in John's Gospel, 12:1-11.  We talked about what a loving and tender moment this was... 

3.  "Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped  His feet with her hair.  

And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil."

and then how Jesus defended Mary's actions when criticized by Judas...

John 12:7

"But Jesus said, "Let her alone; 

she has kept this for the day of My burial."

We wondered how Mary knew that Jesus was about to be crucified and buried, when the others seemed to be still so oblivious to this...and we were reminded of how back in the book of Luke 10:38-42, we were told the story of Martha and her sister Mary when Jesus came to visit them in their home...and remembered how Martha complained to Jesus that she had to do all the work while Mary 

in verse 39

"sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word."

And remember how Jesus kindly rebuked Martha in verses 41-42:

"Martha, Martha, you are worried and 

troubled about many things.

But one thing is needed, 

and Mary has chosen that good part,

which will not be taken away from her."

I wonder if Mary was learning even back then what Jesus' purpose on earth was...to "seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10).  

Maybe Mary had paid better attention to everything Jesus was teaching them...and she understood that in order for Him to save us from our sins, He would have to be the only perfect sacrifice...

I also noticed in John 12:2 that when Jesus came back to visit them in Bethany, "they made Him a supper; and Martha served..."

So here again, Martha was busily working to make sure everything was served just right, and Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet again...this time she was anointing His feet with her most prized possession, and was wiping His feet with her hair.

Mary knew that Jesus was going to die, because she had sat at His feet and listened.  She paid attention to everything He was telling them, and the Lord impressed it on her heart to do this loving deed for her Master, Whom she loved.

We asked ourselves today, "What would WE have done?"  Would we be like Mary, giving the Lord our richest treasure; lavishing fragrant oil upon His feet and wiping them with our hair...or would we still be like Martha, quietly serving, which is not a bad thing in itself, but missing out on the greater blessing because of our constant busy-ness...or would we be like Judas...critical and condemning...calling Mary wasteful and too extravagant? (see John 12:5-6)

How often do we hold back our BEST gifts, and keep them for ourselves rather than give them to Jesus, lay them at His feet for His glory and honor...our talents, gifts, praise, worship and adoration...

Do we offer these gifts up freely to the Lord, or do we hold back, criticize those who do, or stay so busy we have no time for such "nonsense.'

As we approach Good Friday and Easter Sunday, it is a good time to reflect on our attitude about serving and worshiping our Lord.  

• What is my BEST gift that I can give Him? 
• What am I holding back?  
• How can I change my critical spirit and open my heart to lavish my costly oil upon the beautiful feet of Jesus, Who gave EVERYTHING for me???

Lord, help me to no longer hold back the precious gifts You've entrusted to me.  Help me to open my heart, home, and hoarded treasures to give to You as I honor and glorify You and lift You up in praise.

Thank You for this beautiful picture of Mary anointing Your feet today.

And thank You, Lord, for the amazing sign in the sky that we noticed as we sat there together thinking about how to better worship You.  It was a blessing upon our little group as we sat in awe of You and felt Your Presence as You wrote Your love message to us in the sky.

These pictures may not look like much to you, dear readers, but to us today it was a glorious sign in the sky of God's Presence and pleasure over our little group.  At the very tip of this cloud/vapor was a beautiful teal color, and a little bit of other hues following in its trail.  The photograph does not do it justice at all...but to us it was so lovely...right when we were talking about the anointing of Jesus' feet for His burial...it just appeared in the sky and we noticed it and were in awe.

There was no sign of rain or other vapor, but the color in this was so striking we could not miss it.  We all acknowledged that it was a gift from the Lord to us at that moment, showing us His glory.

Thank You, Jesus...You are my King, My Lord and Savior...

"You Are My All in All..."

"You Are My All In All"

Na na na…holy

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising again I bless Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Worthy is Your name
Worthy is Your name

What precious gift can I lavish on my Lord at this time of His passion...He poured out His very life for me...what can I do to show Him my love?  Something to ponder...for all of us.

Be blessed, my friends.   Jesus is worthy of our praise....

Our Fixer Upper-Fence Project Continued

If you have followed the recent saga of the Steiner house  "Sequel to Demo Day at Our Fixer Upper fence project, you know that we replaced just the front section and gate of our dilapidated privacy fence that surrounds the back courtyard of our home in the forest.  We had a lot of fun as a family with the original Demo Day, and the subsequent installation.  Our original plan was to wait and complete the rest of the fence a little at a time, as we could afford it.  Well, thanks to Uncle Sam and our unexpected income tax refund, we decided to go ahead and finish this project before the rest of the fence totally collapsed.  So, without further ado, let me show you what the Steiner family has been up to this past weekend:

 It started on Thursday afternoon, when the Lowes' delivery truck brought our remaining 13 sections of fence and deposited them in our yard!  When the delivery man called to tell us he was on his way, and that he was driving a semi-tractor trailer, and he asked if our road was a through street or a dead end, I had to stop and think. We are the first house on the road, and then there isn't another house on this particular road for about 2 miles, after traveling through a very winding, narrow, dirt, tree-lined forest road, which then ends up on what is known as a "key" into the lake...there are other homes there at the lake point, but no, there is no place to turn around such a big truck.  So he said he would figure it out...and a while later I could hear him coming down the road...backwards all the way to our house from the highway, which is about a third of a mile.  He had to be a pretty good driver to do that...

 Then, when I saw his truck, I understood why he brought such a big truck! Duh!!! He needed a forklift to get our fence panels off the truck and into our yard...I was afraid we were going to have to help him carry them from the truck...shows you how much I know about this...

So here they are, including one extra lattice piece to add to the Secret Garden area...(later)

So, here is the fence that needed to be removed and replaced...many slats were falling off, and those that remained were so thin, cracking and fragile, barely hanging on...some have been damaged by wandering bears who tried their best to get inside the courtyard to check out the bird feeders or just to look around...that's why we HAVE this fence in the first place...to give us a little buffer zone in the back yard  that is relatively "bear-free".

Also, all of these vines...wisteria, confederate jasmine, and honeysuckle, beautiful as the flowers may be, were getting extremely overgrown and especially intertwined and embedded in the fence slats, causing the slats to break.

Yes...VERY overgrown...

This is our back entrance to our house and courtyard...with the Secret Garden to the right under the huge magnolia tree.  Again...time, weather, and critters have pretty well worn this old fence out...

Not a very inviting or attractive entrance for our back yard neighbors...

 To begin our demolition of this part of the fence, we had to decide what to do with all the vines...

 So, our son Scott got the electric hedge trimmers and went to work...

Yes...he really went to work...bye bye vines...but they will grow back.  We didn't pull them up from the roots...(except in a few places where they were growing into the fence and we had no other choice)

And then the fence sections could come down.  We left up the inside lattice sections for now to hold the remaining vines up, but they will have to come down eventually because they are all quite fragile and falling apart as well.

This is the view of the Memorial Garden area without the privacy fence behind it. I kind of like it, but I still prefer the privacy and shade that the fence provides in that area. And I don't want the bears to come in there...just the one on the tree.... Ha Ha

More of the demolition of the old fence...only the lattice remaining holding up the vines for now

And here's the Secret Garden, without the benefit of the privacy fence behind it....not too secret anymore...and much too sunny for the ferns under the tree.  I fear they would all die without the fence to shade them from the hot southern exposure.

So now begins the replacing of the old with the new. Our wonderful two sons worked VERY hard two days in a row to complete this job.  We are SO thankful for them.

And we stay out of the way when one of them is holding a hatchet....

Hubby had the right idea...

Just so you know, I was helping them quite a bit. So was hubby. But we all had to take breaks now and then...

 Look at that mound of discarded vines!  Boo hoo...but they will grow back...

 Aren't these guys great?

 Finally calling it quits for the night.  Most of the work is done, except for the clean up of all the old fence and the vine/debris.  But that's for another day...

We still have a little work to do to finish the back entrance.  I want to put a sign above the gate...something to welcome our neighbors.  Trying to decide what to say.  Our son the sign maker will create something special.

This lamp post has never worked since we've been here. It's supposed to be electric, but we can't find any light switch that goes to it, and we've never been able to get it to light up.  So hubby suggested we put one of those little solar lights in it...and what do you know?  We have light!!  Now, why didn't I think of that???

So that is all for tonight!  Y'all come!  We'll leave a light on for you!!

On a further note...speaking of back yard neighbors...one of our very sweet neighbors brought over a delicious dessert for us this evening. We were totally surprised!  And it was VERY GOOD:

 She said I could share the recipe with you...also...she added some raspberries with the blueberries, making it extra delicious!  She brought it ready to put in the oven so we could enjoy it  hot after supper with some ice cream!!

That's exactly what we did...a great treat after all the hard work of the last couple of days...not to mention all the other normal activities of the weekend...church here at our house this morning, Palm Sunday...including communion...a beautiful time with the Lord today...seeing some answers to prayer in our little church family...so much to praise God for!

Now I am really ready to say good night!....Oh wait, if you are on my facebook, you may have already seen this, but I have to show you what we created for the Secret Garden today...(yes, in between putting up fences, etc.)

Now, before you say, "What's THAT?"...let me tell you....

 This lovely 1970's gold glass base was a lamp...which I found in the shed here when we moved to this house 5 years ago.  The electrical part no longer worked due to critters chewing through the cord, etc., and besides, who has lamps like this in their homes anymore? No offense if you do...so I've been trying to think about what to do with it for some time...and decided it would make a lovely bird bath for the Secret Garden...

So after painting all of the metal parts with a copper colored rustoleum, and reconfiguring the lamp base with a little plant stand to hold it, adding a terra cotta planter base and another turquoise flower pot for color...it became the latest addition to the Secret Garden.  I hope the birds will decide they love it!  If not, it can always be reconverted back to a lamp...

Pardon my clothes...I'm wearing my work shirt with paint on it...but that's from another story for another day...Good Night!!!