Give Thanks

 Thanksgiving came and went and this blog was silent. But my heart is NOT! Oh, we have been on some of life's interesting roller coasters but the Lord has been right by our side through it all. Still is. Always will be. And for that I give Him thanks. A really huge one, if you know what I mean.

Do you remember the song "Give Thanks"? It brings up wonderful memories for me and it still touches my heart when I hear it. Have I been blessed? It's to the Lord that I owe all my thanks. Am I going through pain? That, too, is something I should thank Him for. Not an easy thing to do.

Wow, it's a gift I can give Him. GIVE. Give thanks. What a wonderful gift for me to give Him this Christmas! Can I do it? I want to. It will cost alot. In fact, it's more than I have. But that's what I want to give Him. That's what I CAN give Him. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." (Phillippians 4:13)

To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. (Psalm 30:12)
 

 

Favorite Frosty Fotos

The frost has a beauty all its own. Sometimes it looks rather ethereal...
like some mysterious beauty that has sprung up overnight.

I could add "Friday" to the title since these were taken on that day, but I can't since today is Tuesday.  But I don't think that will take away from my right to post these.

 



I'll really wondering now if my rose will survive. The next few days will tell.

 

Each leaf outlined by frost and sun.

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Did you ever see cuter fuzzy birdseeds?

Love, love, love that morning sunshine with its light n' shadow
on the frosty ground.

Rose leaves, droopy with their cold burden.

No words to describe the beauty here...

Ever-faithful Shelly doesn't let the cold temps keep her away.

 

The porch post, outlined by fuzzy frostiness. Ever seen a white wooly-worm?!

It looks like jewels in the grass to me. I did NOT color-enhance this.

There is still some Fall burst of color on our street. The Bradford pears seem
to be the first to flower in the Spring and the last to boast their color in the Fall.
Is there a life lesson here??

The frost looks like a background of snow for this portrait of the
Magnolia leaves.

I love the blue hue before the sun hits the scene.

A solitary birdseed casts its shadow to the west as it faces the east.

Have you detected that I like this angle??



Oh! Methinks m' heart shall faint for the beauty of it all...

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

                                                          -F. Pierpoint



Wooden Roses

In trying to focus in on some beauty around me, I decided to give these wooden roses a photo session. They got it for free so I heard no complaints, they were such willing and cooperative subjects. The sun also worked well with me, giving the natural light that is seen in these photos. Apart from the black & white one and another "warmified" one, they are all pretty much their natural color.

 

These roses were given to me by a brother-in-law (Thank you, B!). Please scroll down and enjoy the following 23 photos of my wooden roses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The photo above and the one below are my favorites.

 

Trust Brings Peace

 

There is unwavering peace today…

when an uncertain tomorrow…

is trusted to an unchanging God.

                            -Ann Voscamp

 

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 Corinthians 13:12)

 

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:

 because he trusteth in Thee.

(Isaiah 26:3)

"And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward."
(II Corinthians 3:4)

 

Psalm 62:6-8

 

He only is my rock
and my salvation:

He is my high tower;
I shall not be moved.

 

With God is
my salvation

and my glory:

The rock of
my strength,
and my refuge, is in God.

 

   

 
 

 



Trust in him at all times, ye people;

Pour out your heart before him:

God is a refuge for us. Selah

(This and the previous photos are of Pilot Mountain, in North Carolina)

The Magic Of A Sunny Frosty Morning

Yesterday we had our first frost of the season, at least here at our house. Other areas not too far away had their first one several weeks ago already. Interestingly, today was colder than yesterday but there wasn't one ice crystal to be seen! Go figure.

So. You know how I like to share a few pictures of the beauties around me that bring me joy. No sense in keeping them all to myself, now is there?

The sun, enhancing light and shadow, always adds magic to a frosty morning.

 

Sunrays, sunspots, a bit of low-lying fog...some of those magical details.

 

A sunlit corner on the front steps.

 

Shelly, a neighbor cat, is a normal morning visitor.

 

A dead leaf alive with beauty.

 

 Sparkling ice crystals on the porch railing.

 

It appears that my one budding rose will survive this first mild frost.

 

There's a certain beauty on ground level...fallen leaves on brown and green grass with the sun creeping up behind.

 

A leaf beautifully outlined by the frost.

 

For some magical reason...my favorite photo from that morning.

 

Have you ever seen little frozen balls of dew on the tips of grassblades? Magical!

 

"By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened."

(Job 37:10)