9/22/2012

A Picturesque Country Church


My husband and I went a few days ago to a church we'd never been to before, only an hour away. It was such a charming place, not only the picturesque church which was at least 100 years old, but also the surrounding countryside. Not to mention the pastor and his little flock!...so friendly and warm.

My camera was immediately begging to be put to work, so I happily obliged. I hope you enjoy these photos (in no set order) as much as I do.

A little closer look at the three crosses.
 


I just kept taking pictures from every angle, it looked so lovely any way!

 


 

I will end with my favorite one below. Perfect.
 
"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."
(Psalm 122:1)

9/16/2012

Pretty Enough To Eat


Aren't these so pretty? Whether the light is shining behind or in front of these beautiful glass canning jars, they are a sight for sore eyes...or maybe for a hungry tummy. Pickled beets, pickled cucumbers and spaghetti sauce...thanks to a sister-in-law for this gift from her creative culinary hands!
                                                      (And please click on the photos to enlarge them!)

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." (I Timothy 6:17)
 
 

9/13/2012

Amazed And Grateful

I noticed today that the number of my visitors has passed the seven thousand mark. Not sure from what date that count is but it has been at least two years.

The Lord has blessed, I am grateful for the opportunity and enjoyment of this blog. Thank you, my viewers!
(Pardon my personal application of the following verse...)

"The Lord hath done great things for us me; whereof we are I am glad." (Psalm 126:3)

 

9/11/2012

Have You Watched the Fairies?

When I was in grade school I had a teacher who often required me to memorize poems. The following is one from which I still often remember some of the lines (not that I believe in fairies, of course)...
A "fairy".

Have You Watched the Fairies?

Have you watched the fairies
when the rain is done,
Spreading out their little
wings to dry them in
the sun?
I have, I have!
Isn't it fun?

Have you heard the fairies
A diamond in the center of my Rainbow Plant...
all among the limes
Singing little fairy tunes
to little fairy rhymes?
I have, I have,
Lots and lots of times!

Have you seen the fairies
dancing in the air
And dashing off behind the stars
to tidy up their hair?
I have, I have,
I've been there!
               -Rose Fyleman

The past few mornings when I was taking pictures in the sunny, dewy outdoors, I thought of this poem. See if you can understand why...


From a distance, one would never dream that this simple flower held such breathtaking loveliness. In reality,
it's only about one inch across.

I just can't get over how beautiful this looks with the teeny drops of water...
T
 
I never tire of trying to capture the full beauty of drops of water on leaves. Haven't quite succeeded yet.

 
This picture gives me the warm fuzzies. :)
> One cannot know the beauty of the tiny details unless he looks really closely! So much for calling it the humble weed!
Que nada!

Spider webs with drops of water are TOO beautiful for words. I should have saved this pic for a later post just about webs but I couldn't resist putting it here. How cute wouldn't this be for a fairy's house (without Miss Spider, of course)?!
Did I already say I love drops of water??
 
Aren't the delicate, intricate, tiny details SO amazing? Makes me smile and look up to my Creator and say "I LOVE YOU!!". I believe that only the eyes of His children can truly notice, admire and appreciate these things more than anyone else can.

Have YOU watched the "fairies" where you live??

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (I Corinthians 2:9)

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

9/01/2012

Bits Of August

I feel VERY behind with my posts here, like a large part of my life has gone by and I have little or nothing by which to remember it. I have decided to post some photos which kind of represent some of  our August activities.
                                                          
Not sure how I'm going to decide that, I guess it'll just happen as I go along. Is that too laid-back?...you organized people, you? *smile* And they won't necessarily be in the order that they happened but, rather, in the order that I find them in my photo library here on the computer.


Do you like the pretty couch-by-the-window in the picture above? I just love the little pastel-colored cushions on it.This was in a house where my husband was tuning a lady's piano. I just wanted to keep going around in the house taking pictures but decided that would not be a recommendable thing to do.

On that same day, the lady took us to a lovely little restaurant nearby and again I wanted to click, click, click with my camera. Here's a picture of the outside and then another on the inside, the fresh flowers on our table. Usually it's only when someone pays our way that we have the privilege of eating in such a lovely little place. S
o I considered it a very special blessing from my Friend that day.                                                                                    




On to other places...like the picture on your left.

I know, right? Where was I, you may ask. On one Sunday after the evening service of one of the many churches we've visited over the past 8 months, there was a special "social" for the pastor's wife's birthday. Wow, it looked like a wedding reception! So much good finger food to eat...plus the cake.

Would you believe I did not eat any cake? Ha, I was much more attracted to the other little goodies.

We also enjoyed some great fellowship that evening, getting to chat with some old Bible college buddies. The Lord is good to give us this blessing, such an encouragement during not-so-perfect days.


Not every place, however, is full of comfy pillows, fine dining and iced cupcakes. One day found us visiting a brother-in-law in the hospital who was recovering from a near-death experience. We rejoice to say that he is now doing much better.   As much as we don't like to go to hospitals-whether to visit or to stay there ourselves-I for one certainly thank the Lord for the great care one receives there and for the great medical advances that abound. Imagine even as little as 50 years ago...!



A few weeks ago I began giving piano lessons to a granddaughter. However, we haven't been able to do more than two...between our traveling and their traveling! We'll have to see about continuing this next week. Can't let such excitement about learning die down!

 Last week I bought some lovely, blue silk flowers to place on my parents' grave. Hard to believe they have been gone for more than five years. I am looking forward to the day when I'll see them again!
 
My husband and I spent four days helping his sister with her garage sale. Although it was sometimes hard work, I really enjoyed this. It was a coolish, foggy morning on the first day. Fun! And may I say it was also a great success. The Lord surely blessed.
 
 
Aren't these dolls adorable? I heard them asking to have their picture made so I
happily obliged. I mean, I've never taken a photo of a benchful of dolls. How could
I pass up this chance?
 
 
 
Although there are other pictures I could choose from, I'll let this be my last for now.
This week we began to baby-sit one of our grandsons again-now that school
is back in session and this service is needed sometimes once again. Did I say service?
I consider it a privilege to do this. Besides, he's a pretty good boy. 
Here, he had just pulled a towel off his head under which he was hiding. He said he was
a monster but he's too cute to be that!

 
"Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart,
  for consider how great things He hath done for you."
                 (I Samuel 12:24)


 
 

8/29/2012

Back In Business

I was discouraged because of not being able to post pictures here. After trying everything I knew to do, including deleting "cookies", I decided to use the new blogger interface, whatever that means. I mean, I was happy with the old one, why did they have to change it? I'm a person that doesn't really like to get out of my comfort zone.
 
That said, the new one worked...although I sure don't see any improvement over the old one! In fact, it takes longer. Maybe just because it's new to me.
 
So. This is the photo I experimented with to try and get it to work so, hey, I think I'll just leave it here. The flower isn't perfect since it was beginning to get old but the color sure is rich and beautiful. And the butterfly...can any words describe the beauty of it?? Such an intricate design. And the blue...I think it would make a great stained-glass window!
 
O...k. I wanted to type below the photo but I don't know how. It'll take me awhile to learn all the details of this new way of posting.
Rejoice with me, for I have found my way back to you out here in cyberspace. Yay.

8/20/2012

His Peace


I am having some problems posting photos here to my blog, that is one reason that I have not added anything recently. This rose is an old one from here and not from my computer. I am not sure what I need to do to resolve this.

Life is a little lonely here these days. Our flurry of summer ministry activities is over and some of our children have traveled while others are busy with their lives. There are a few details of life that are seemingly trying to get me down but, thankfully, the Lord never leaves us and is always right here to give us the peace and joy that only He knows how to give...no matter what.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27 NKJV)

8/07/2012

My Olympians

I love watching the Olympics, whether the summer or winter ones. The amazing things that the human body can do is certainly something to be admired and we should all recognize our Creator's power in that. During theses days of the 2012 London Olympics I was wondering what I could post here that would be related to that and so decided to post pictures of my own "future Olympians" (mostly grands). *smile*

         High-jumper Blake. Or is this trampoline? Gymnastics? Fancy skateboarding, anyone?
                                                             Trampoline gymnastics. Go, Nat!
                                       (Tri)cycling. I think Ju will try anything...like her mom.
                                             More gymnastics, apparently. Bianca never stops.
                                       
              Just...jumping here (watch this, Granna!), but Gabe likes any activity that lets him MOVE!

                                                     Scootering. Brenham is a brave one!

                                  Basketball. Oh wait, that's soccer! Matheson goes for it all.
                       Maybe...weightlifting? For sure, Jude will be healthy enough to try anything!

                                                            High jump. Go, Miqueias!
Truth be told, as much as I love to see my kids and grands physically active, I'd much rather see them spiritually active. Oh, that we ALL would put as much effort into our spiritual lives as we put into our physical lives.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things
 and be in health,
 just as your soul prospers.
(III John 1:2)

8/05/2012

In Him We Live

While working on making bookmarks for someone, I was encouraged by this verse. We can't do anything without God. Even those who don't know Him or put Him in first place in their life have that very life and strength because of their Creator. Why is it that we think we owe Him no gratitude, no love, no giving of ourselves to Him? He SO desires and deserves it!

7/31/2012

I See Red

                                     No, not the red of anger but, rather, the red of blessings.
                                                 Red roses from my DH on my birthday...
Red cherries from my grocery store on two occasions (when the price was right)...

Both very beautiful, both brought me joy, both were just a couple 
of the many "pink roses" I enjoyed during this busy month of July.
Blessed be the Lord,
 who daily loadeth us with benefits,
even the God of our salvation.
(Psalm 68:19)

7/18/2012

Rose Show Album

Instead of posting many photos of the rose show I went to last month, I'm experimenting and posting an album of it! Hope it works for you here, courtesy of Shutterfly.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Build your own high-quality photo books at Shutterfly.com.

7/06/2012

He Gives Me Joy

Several years ago I heard this song and fell in love with it. It is sung by the John Marshall family and without instruments. Perhaps it came into my life at a time when I was more spiritually sensitive and hungry for a deeper joy and so impacted me in a greater way. For sure, only those who have experienced the joy that Jesus Christ gives are capable of truly appreciating this beautiful and touching music.

 "...for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10b)

    "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11)   

7/01/2012

Sunday Song: I Know Whom I Have Believed

I am being blessed these days as I read through a hymn-history book I bought a couple weeks ago, mentioned in this post. A certain hymn was brought to mind recently and I wondered about the story behind it. It wasn't in my book so I researched and found it on various sites. If you love knowing the history behind songs you will enjoy reading this one. For those who are voracious readers, they also elaborate on the truths expressed in this hymn.
And for those who just love to read the lyrics, here they are. They are totally Bible-based which, of course, is what we need for our spiritual knowledge and growth.

        I Know Whom I Have Believed

1. I know not why God's wondrous grace 
   to me he hath made known, 
   nor why, unworthy, Christ in love 
   redeemed me for his own.
  
Refrain:
   But I know whom I have believed, 
   and am persuaded that he is able 
   to keep that which I've committed
   unto him against that day. 

2. I know not how this saving faith 
   to me he did impart, 
   nor how believing in his word 
   wrought peace within my heart. 
 
3. I know not how the Spirit moves,
   convincing us of sin, 
   revealing Jesus through the word, 
   creating faith in him.

4. I know not when my Lord may come, 
   at night or noonday fair, 
   nor if I walk the vale with him, 
   or meet him in the air. 
     -Daniel Webster Whittle
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God...
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (II Timothy 1:8,12)