Favorite Flower Foto Friday #1

I know. It's Saturday, not Friday. But I was going to do this yesterday and it didn't happen so I'm posting it today. It might be any day of the week when you see this anyway so it doesn't matter, does it?! This is something I want to do every week, if possible, but I promise it won't always be about flowers. Seeing as how I've only taken about 300 pictures during the past couple of weeks (not counting the many that were deleted) it's pretty difficult to choose just one. But here we go...
And aren't you glad it isn't another pink rose? ! These callalilies, or "cup of milk" as it's translated from Portuguese, were part of the arrangement I made for the reception table at a recent musical recital. My first flower arrangement! I quite enjoyed it so don't be surprised if a new "passion" has begun!
Please note the interesting detail of the little "tail" on the one callalily! Precious.
One other interesting detail is that I now have a callalily plant and it is blooming. You might see more fotos similar to this one in the near future. Aren't you happy about that?!
Thank you, my patient readers, for "bearing with me in my folly".

"Like Them That Dream..."

Answers to prayers are sometimes like a fulfilled dream. I am rejoicing today over the victory experienced in the life of a dear Brazilian pastor's wife who is also a sister and friend. It centers around her sister who was discovered NOT to have cancer although everything pointed to it as being just that. Our God is amazing and still does miracles! In her written testimony, Lídia referred to some verses in the Psalms....

"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad." (Ps 126: 1-3)

Pink Rose Collection #1

It has been one year since I began this blog, a year of many enjoyable (and a few frustrating) moments as I have written and posted about God's many gifts and blessings to me. If you, my readers, are being blessed even just half as much as I am through these, then I consider it well-worth my time. Honest! You currently come from 74 cities in 25 countries. I am amazed, overwhelmed and humbled and do not take that lightly for it places a huge responsibility on me as I think of the possibilities. Interestingly, I have never mentioned my collection of pink rose items, something which began shortly after my increased attraction to pink roses. So today I am beginning some posts which show some of those items that are located in various corners of our house. This one is on a small shelf in the kitchen. The mug was a gift from one of our daughters and the gravy holder was one of my mom's. The green goblets? One of the few of our wedding gifts that remain!

Pink Rose Painting

This is my imagination...of me painting a pink rose. [smile}

God's Two Sides

For several years now I've been attracted to a study of "God's 2 sides": the strong and the soft, I call it. His strong side would include His holiness, justice and power. In His soft side is seen His love, gentleness and provision. The study of Scripture shows us so much more about both of these aspects of God and they have been a great blessing to me.

We can look around us and see more than one thing that

illustrates this.

The ocean with its calm waters that softly lap on the shore...

...or with its powerful, impressive waves that crash against the rocks.

There's another illustration that may be even better-that of a father holding his newborn baby. What strength are in those arms to protect his little one but what softness to handle it with gentleness and love!

"Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." (Isaiah 40:10,11)
(1st & 3rd photo: internet)

In Kings' Palaces

Proberbs 30:28 is probably referring to the spider's web but I thought of this verse when I saw the "palaces" that these two spiders chose for their abode. This spider chose my light pink, smell-like-a-baby rose. Indeed, a good choice! This other one opted for the darker pink one. Here she is on a soon-to-open bud..
And here she still is about two days later as the rose is quickly opening. Do you see her?...down towards the bottom of the rose. And yes, this is the same spider. The sun was glaring on it in the above photo.
Oh, we can hardly see her! Let's zoom in a bit more...
We can hardly blame them for choosing such lovely palaces, made by God Himself. The Proverb says that she is one of the "four little wise things on earth"!

"There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise... The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces." (Proverbs 30:24,28)

Oh, I Want To Know You More

 "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (I Corinthinans 13:12)