Snow Like Wool

On Sunday my husband and I saw our first snow in 5 years. To those of you who are used to seeing it every year and even measure it in feet instead of inches, you will wonder why this is such a big thing to us or why it is considered such a blessing. But the rest of you will probably understand.
Without many more words, I now offer to you some of the 200+ photos that I took, mostly within one hour. Had to do it quickly because the sun was threatening to melt away my photographer's paradise! I will make about 3 posts with these snow pics since I have so many. Wouldn't want them to go to waste, now would I?! The ones I'm posting today remind me of the verse in Psalm 147:16:

"He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes."
Now, deciding which ones to post!

The sight that greeted us on Monday morning. Words can't describe our admiration!

Here comes the sun! I had to work fast...

This branch loaded with snow was extra lovely. Thank you to our next-door neighbor!

I mean, have you EVER seen snow that looks as much like cottonballs as this?!

New Blog Title & A Bouquet Of Roses

I guess I don't need to announce it but I am. I wouldn't want you to think you were on the wrong blog and go elsewhere! Today I am officially changing the title of my blog to Rena's Pink Roses. Since Ana started out being an anonymous name...well, I'm not really anonymous anymore. Everyone who knows me knows who Rena is! I know, it'll take awhile for you to get used to it, it will for me, too. But for one or two reasons, I thought it best to change it. My DH protested but, after all, this is my blog and, well, he really does let me do what I want with my things. What a guy!

That said, I'll make you happy with this photo of the dozen red roses that my DH gave me today (oops, yesterday!) for Valentine's Day. Didn't I just say, what a guy?! He's the best.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

I know that's the beginning of a little children's prayer (which has at least 26 versions, I learned here!) and there is also a network of photographers by that name which has a very touching ministry. But did you know there is a verse in the Psalms which says almost the same thing?
"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)

I have often said that "home is where my bed is". My husband and I, as missionaries, are often traveling around to different places and churches, and of necessity we have to sleep in other beds. Some are comfy and some are not but I am always so happy to get home to my own bed! I'm sure that most of you feel the same way.

However, I do recall one time several years ago when I spent the night at a colleague's house enroute to traveling elsewhere. In comparison to my bedroom at home, this bedroom just seemed so extremely comfy and luxurious, I just felt so....blessed! So much so, that I cross-stitched the above verse from the Psalms and gave it to my hostess later on.

How wonderful to know that no matter what our bed is like, we can sleep in peace and safety knowing that the Lord is ever awake and watching over us. He never slumbers or sleeps but graciously gives this to His beloved ones (Psalm 127:2). With such a promise and with such sweet peace in our hearts, no wonder we can "lay ourselves down to sleep"!

                                                                    Sweet dreams!

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time in the corner of a little yard there lived a little patch of clovers, a very special little patch of clovers. It was special because it was different. Most patches of clovers come with 3-leaf plants and once in awhile you may be "lucky" enough to find a 4-leaf one in the middle of the patch. If you're lucky. And, oh! you might even find a 5-leaf one! 

Well, this patch was indeed lucky. Look! Can you count how many leaves are on each plant? Of course not, how silly I am, we need to take a closer look. So come with me...

Oh! There's one! In fact, I see at least three! Could there be more than that? Can it be that this patch of clover has several 4-leaf plants? Oh, it cannot be true, it just cannot be true! They say that you have only one chance in thousands to find one!

Now the owner of this patch of clover was a man named Johnny. He was quite proud of it and let it grow for several months, never cutting it when he would cut the grass in the rest of the yard. He tended them with tender, loving care, he did.

Every once in awhile he would say "Have you noticed my patch of clover? Come and let me show you!" And so with joy he would point out how many 4-leaf clover plants there were in the patch. Indeed, there were many, it was quite amazing!

But one day he decided that he should cut the little patch of clover. He would be moving away and knew that the new people would want to cut it down-and so he did it himself. But before he did that, he picked out all of the 4-leaf ones and his wife put them in a little vase to keep them as long as possible. And there they lived happily for many days, turning yellow and dying one by one until there was only one left of the 58 that came from the little patch of clover which had brought much joy to the man named Johnny.

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time..." (Ecclesiastes 3:)

God's Breath

Frosty Morning

I've heard that in the halls of old
They plated everything with gold-
The chandeliers, the pillars, floors
With spoils from their latest wars.
Yet all this splendor cannot be
As rich as what is given me.

For every night as soft we sleep
Out in the dark, and midnight deep
A beauteous miracle is done
Before the waking of the sun;

And if I wake just at the dawn
I catch a glimpse of what went on:
Each leaf is clad in crystal cloak,
The grass glimmers in fairy smoke.
The rudest bramble, tinged with rust
Is sprinkled well with diamond-dust.

The thorn, the tree, the hidden flower
Are glittering with a silver shower
And things that never caught my eye              
Are regal in their shimmering dye.

This miracle is but for those
Who early from their beds arose
And I can say I'm wealthy quite:
My world is gilded every night!                        -Rachel H.(from her delightful blog!)

By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. (Job 37:10)

Hope

"For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease." (Job 14:7)

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD." (Psalm 31:24)

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." (Psalm 42:5)

"But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." (Romans 8:25)    

An Album of Beauty Spots

If it wasn't for seeing spots of beauty in my day, some days would be a bit depressing. That's what being down physically does for one! I've had a cold and cough that is going away so gradually it's barely noticeable by me, much less by others. Anyway, here are a few beauty spots in my life that the Lord has sent my way these days, not in any particular order...

Waterdrops that look like ice.

A spotlight of late afternoon sun on a rockingchair.

Oh robin, sweet robin...

A "bally" cardinal on a cold but sunny morning.

Not in focus but I love the look on a granddaughter's face as she looks at her dad.

My new pot of pansies. More about those later!

My new bird feeder and its first visitor, the lowly sparrow.

Golden sun shining through raindrops on the window.

A North Carolina sunset.

A North Carolina sunrise.

Stained glass church windows on a Sunday morning.

Bird on a roof...with little white "floaties" in the air, outlined by the sunshine.

Leftover Christmas poinsettias that a church gave us.

A sunflare that my camera caught as my husband drove out on a cold, sunny, Sunday morning. I had to stay home because of
my cold but this picture brightened my day!

 "...to give unto them beauty for ashes,
 the oil of joy for mourning,
 the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..."
(Isaiah 61:3

Taste Test

A grandson eating his lunch at our house. Let me assure you, he found
that little bowl of food to be very good!

I was noticing my "viewers" number  reaching 5000 this week and thought that I'd like to post something to celebrate that. Well, this doesn't really have much or anything to do with that-but then maybe it does. You can decide...

The past few days I've been battling a royal cold (my first in perhaps 7 years!). Today I'm finally seeing some improvement but not without first experiencing that stage of not being able to taste. My husband thinks that's strange since he's never been blessed by the absence of this (not fair, I say!), but...well, that's beside the point.

My 2 favorite Brazilian desserts. Only by tasting them will you
ever know how heavenly they are!

Now those of you who have experienced this know that your motivation for eating goes down quite a bit...which I realize CAN be a good thing. But when you're hungry it's NOT!

Where am I going with this? Well, it reminds me of that wonderful verse in Psalm 34:8 which says "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." If we don't taste the food, we don't know what it tastes like. If we don't taste (trust) the Lord, we won't know how good He is.

I'm sure there's always room for my trust in the Lord to grow, but the bit that I've done during my life has been more than rewarded! "The Lord is good" is not just a trite statement. It's the truth!

My Feathered Friends

I've been enjoying the birds that come to our back porch. And, yes, that's the seed with which I keep them supplied. Feeding God's creatures, that's my job. And pleasure. Here are a little pair of doves and of cardinals, birds which come now and then, although not near as often as the sparrows and juncos. But they all are a delight to see and I am honored to have them for my daily guests!

Now for Mr & Mrs Cardinal...

        I love the comical little masked face of the male. Makes me laugh just to see him!

These simple but beautiful creatures teach me much about their Creator. I'm sure that if they could speak my language they would tell me that it's SO very easy to trust God to care and provide for them!

^"But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee."

(Job 12:7)

A Bouquet Of Pink Roses

Just before we left Brazil in December we attended the wedding of a lovely couple. I was delighted to see the bride's bouquet...

Really, the bride was as lovely as her bouquet but, given the generic nature of my blog, I won't post her picture as well. Perhaps I should have given this post the title of "Wordless Wednesday" for no words are really needed. The Lord's blessings are often meant to share with others so that is the purpose of sharing this photo. It's too beautiful to keep just for myself. Enjoy!

"...whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

Are You Blind??

Do you see beauty in your life? Look closely...

and yet more closely...

If you see no beauty

then you are blind.

"Come, behold the works of the Lord..."

(Psalm 46:8)

"The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind,

the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down,

the Lord loveth the righteous."

(Psalm 146:8)

A Better View For The New Year

Someone needs to reward me. I went 20 days without a camera. Not on purpose, mind you! No, I've tried going just a few days without and it just doesn't work. This time it was of necessity because I did not own a working camera. But my DH and kids came to the rescue, they gave me a new camera for Christmas!

And so now I am one happy camper as of 6 days ago. Not that I wasn't happy but I am definitely happiER!

So here is the first picture I took with my new camera. In my excitement I wasn't holding it very still but, even then, managed to get a decent photo. What a great camera to cooperate like that!

On the next day I took this one. Do you get the idea that I like taking pictures of birds? Indeed, I do.

               I've taken many Christmas photos...thinking of the fotocards I can make in about 11 months. This was an artificial tree borrowed from a daughter. She said the angel on top was my mom's...which suddenly gave it great value in my eyes.

So, photographically speaking, in starting out this New Year I definitely have a better view of things! But my desire and prayer is that spiritually I will, too. As I look to Him and His Word I believe that I will have that. He helps me to see things clearly and in a more beautiful way. The lens of His camera, if you'll give me permission to describe it that way, will certainly give me pictures of high resolution.

"Open Thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law." (Psalm 119:18)

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

Christmas: God's Pursuit Of Man

"At the heart of the Christmas message is the wonderful truth of God's pursuit of every one of us."      -J. Stowell (Our Daily Bread)

"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son,
born of a woman,
born under the Law, 
so that He might redeem those 
who were under the Law,
that we might receive
the adoption as sons. 
Because you are sons,
God has sent forth the Spirit
of His Son into our hearts,
crying, Abba! Father!” 
                         -Galatians 4:4-6 (NASB)


How thankful I am for God's relentless pursuit of me. He did His utmost to provide for my salvation, to bring me to Himself. What love! What grace! What an unspeakably beautiful gift!


Every December I am saddened and gladdened all at the same time. The beautiful truths of the Christmas story are more than enough to gladden the heart and soul of all who take the time to think of it. But the ignorance and neglect of those truths are so very obvious as we mingle with the Christmas shoppers, watch TV or even look for items that refer to the real meaning of Christmas! However, we don't need to dwell on the sadness but, rather, on the joy of the Good News of salvation which is for all.


A Merry and Blessed Christmas to all who are reading this!