The Perfect Storm

Those who know me know that I love to observe the weather. Some also know that I have tried capturing photos of lightning. Yesterday, with our electrical storms in the area, I tried again.

Here, the storm is approaching...

An hour or so later, I made the attempt with my camera...

After several attempts like that, I finally got one! You can't see the streak of lightning,

 but I sure got the full flash effect! I was thrilled that I "happened" to click the shutter

at the right second...

(no photo editing done here)

It looks like it is daytime but this was taken only a few seconds after the previous photo,

 one hour after sunset. I researched a bit and discovered that a flash of lightning 

averages one billion volts but can have as much as six billion! I don't know how many volts

this one had but, this I do know, the Creator of this lightning is my all-powerful God and I am blessed

beyond measure to know that He is in control of my life and can do ANYTHING!

The voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world:

the earth trembled and shook. (Job 36:32)

He covereth His hands with the lightning, and giveth it a charge that it strike the mark. (Psalm 77:18)

Final Frost Fling

Well, we HOPE it's the last one! Right?...all you waiting-to-plant-my-garden people? It gave us a little beauty and a little damage but, of course, several photos to post, too...

The morning was cold, down to at least 32, and the schoolkids had to bundle up...

...I had to bring our tomato seedlings inside the night before...

...and many new leaves of the outdoor trees and plants got frost-bitten.

But the frosty scenes were beautiful, it looked like a dusting of snow.

Aren't the ice crystals lovely? Looks like white fur growing on the deck railing!

Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

(Job 38:29)
He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? (Psalm 147:17)

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?!

Rain

Let the rain kiss you.

Let the rain beat upon your head

   with silver liquid drops.

Let the rain sing you

   a lullaby.

The rain makes still pools

   on the sidewalk.                    

The rain makes running pools 

   in the gutter.

The rain plays a little sleep song

   on our roof at night.

And I love the rain.

  (Langston Hughes, April Rain Song)

Last night the rain began, one of those "soft soakers", and it was still raining this morning. So I walked around the yard to take pictures of what the rain was doing, part of the "embroidery of the earth", a description of nature that a friend shared with me this week.

 

                                                    Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving;

   Sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

Who covereth the heaven with clouds,

Who prepareth rain for the earth,

Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

(Psalm 147:7,8)

Merry Christmas!

(click on above picture to enjoy it more!)

HUH??

Well, this is the first week of winter here,

it's the 25th day of the month,

 the weather is getting colder, foggier and drearier (is that a word?),

which often makes my husband build a fire

in our fireplace...

AND the poinsettias (mine) are in full bloom!

This all makes me come to the conclusion

that this could be Christmas.

At least I can pretend it is.

And why not? Christ's birth is worth celebrating all year long!

Merry Christmas to all!

(I might even play some Christmas music

 and make cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate...)

Perfect!

It was beautiful today...

blue sky, clear air, sunshine,

and a perfect temperature of 72.

It just has that look and feel of Fall coming around the corner,

which it certainly is, in just four more days!

I might be a tad prejudiced,

but some of my plants are perfect, too.

Like this one in a hanging basket...

Look at the little purple flowers at the end of some of the vines

(click on the photo if you're past 40, ha).

"Perfeito!" 
Do you want to see another

perfect little hanging basket?

I know you do...

Well, not everything in my world is perfect.

There are certain burdens, problems and challenges around me.

And, for sure, there are many people in distant

and not so distant places that would not consider

their lives to be perfect right now in any sense of the word.

But one day the world of those who believe,

  love and obey Him will be completely perfect,

 for we will be with the One who is perfection Himself.

He has prepared a perfect place for us

and I am perfectly sure that it will one day be my heavenly home.

"But the path of the just is as the shining light,

that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

(Proverbs 4:18)

"He is the Rock, His work is perfect..."

(Deuteronomy 32:3)

Observing The Weather

To give you a break from flowers...

Some of you know that I like to observe the weather. Nothing compared to how a certain brother of mine is, I'll have you know, but the temperature, precipitation, clouds, wind, storms...wow, what a fantastic demonstration of God's creative power!

My Dad used to go outside during storms and just admire the wind and lightning and rain...and we were right there by his side, learning to do the same. Only many years later did I discover that my mother had a certain fear of storms but she somehow managed to hide that fact from us. She said she didn't want us to develop that fear, too. What a wonderful Mom!

For those of you who also enjoy weather, here is a little "thingie" that shows our current weather as well as the forecast for the next few days...for what it's worth.

Curitiba, Brazil Weather Forecast

"Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He

 in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

He causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;

He maketh lightnings for the rain;

He bringeth the wind out of His treasuries."

(Psalm 135: 6,7)

Warmth

During these days of record-breaking cold here in our area of south Brazil I have been reminded many times to be thankful for having at least a house to live in, warm clothes to wear and a small fireplace in our living-room....things which the homeless or poor do not have. Although it seemed that we got a chill in our bones that would linger for a bit too long, I tried to maintain a spirit of thankfulness to the One who cares for His own. In addtion to these physical blessings there is also the warmth of His presence...

I remember in Nov '06 when I found out that I had cancer. The next morning I took my cup of coffee and sat down on the outside steps to contemplate His plan for my life...or death. Although the temperature was hovering around freezing, I did not notice the cold. His presence with me, His promises to me from His Word and thoughts with which He filled my mind and blessed my soul...well, they warmed me inside and out! I often remember those miraculous moments and give Him thanks.

"And He said, My presence shall go with thee..."-Exodus 34:1 "For the Lord God is a sun and shield...Psalm 84:11