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| New Life! Hubby holds Ellie. |
Another gorgeous day with just enough rain to enable me to sit back, relax and let God water my beautiful garden.
New life springs up as roses and day lilies bloom.
About the same time my brother was dying, new life is born to our nephew and his new wife.
Ellie is perfect!
Blessings continue as cicadas buzz through the day.
Let August begin with AWESOME!
#3988-#3990:: I love warmth, much to the chagrin of most of those who know me. This is my 'happy' time to linger on the porch and sweat a little. I catch up on Old Testament reading as I prepare for another Lord's day. I breathe, reflect, make notes for my life, enjoy the moment.
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| These Hydrangeas were destroyed by the cold winter two years ago. This year they are HUGE! Love 'em! |
#3991-3993:: The bread of life. The Word of God. So much more filling and lasts an eternity. A beautiful day to visit our dear couple in skilled nursing. It's her birthday. Her hubby visits for the day and then is driven home. A great celebration with family in her tiny room.
#3994-3996:: I dive into creating documents and relieve my mind of so many details. Ahhhhh, feels good. Love getting back into God's Word and digesting my 'daily bread.' The garden calls me into the warmth of the day as sweet wind soothes my soul.
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| A friend had this in her blog. Can any of us go one whole day without computer, cell phone texting, whatever? One day a week I take a break. I love the mental silence. My brain BREATHES! |
Last night's rain makes for easy time in the garden. So beautiful!
#4000-4002:: WOW! Over the past three years I have found 4000 wonderful words to say about this world with which I connect. Amazing! Each new day brings another surprise. Today I met with dear women who MAKE time to gather 1-2 times each month. Just gathering together, much less the conversation, makes my month! After hearing stories of 'life' after accidents, health issues, challenges, I am heartened that God made us so resilient, especially when we turn to Him daily.
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| The Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe had wheat growing in its planters. Perfect 'crop' for the summer. Even the most modern hotel is adobe. I continue to reflect upon our brief visit so filled with blessings. |
#4006-4008:: Breezy and cool as we visit another MD - all ok. Heart soars after last night's debate. Most provided solutions instead of skirting around issues. Carley glowed with crisp, clear solutions. God is leading/guiding the decisions of those who truly care for this country. In God We Trust.
#4009-4010:: Cool and breezy makes for few Japanese beetles today! Time to read, reflect, chew on God's Word. Nice! Prep for the Lord's Day. Words seem inadequate for the power of God's Word.
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| This has nothing to do with anything but when I saw this tree in Santa Fe I smiled. It reminded me that this tree is alive, waving its needle covered branches, and is speaking to me. |
Our Lord, the Bread of Life! AMEN!
#4011-4012:: We digested hard words today. Are we picky eaters? Do we find excuses not to like certain passages in the bible that do not agree with our 'appetite'? Do we say 'I'm not hungry' once too often so we get out of the habit of bible reading? Do we 'pick' at another person's interpretation or meditation of God's Word instead of looking at the original passage of scripture? Is it difficult to 'chew' as we age? Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. Whoever chooses to consume ME will have eternal life." It's hard to chew on scripture when the days are so full but I feel so healthy each day I do so. Lord, keep my soul healthy with your presence in my life.
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| Dad is loosing his spunk at 100+ but still looks just as handsome as this picture. He's sleeping loads, eating less and disconnecting from the world. Dad is definitely in God's hands right now. |
#4016-4018:: My brother shares details of his visit with dad to make sure he is getting good care . . . its the best! But, dad, over 100 yrs old, seems to be slipping away at one moment and rallying the next. He so much wants to live as his body gives way to the pull of God's eternal hand on him. We hope dad enjoys a few more months of life!
#4019-4021:: It felt right. It was time! I had the energy.
I did it! I got rid of loads of clothes and shoes in my closet.
I've been wanting to do this for so long. Feels SO GOOD!
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| LOVE my garden! |
#4025-4027:: Read, write, ponder, dig in, doodle, sweat . . . praise God I am able to do these things on this hot day. I pray for those who are struggling with illness or overwhelming challenges. God is good, all the time . . . but sometimes some of us enjoy more blessings than others. A good day!
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| These bloom everywhere: From Santa Fe to Lancaster. Love 'em! |
#4031-4033:: I realize that I may one of few at church who knows the potential we all have in Christ to touch others with the power of God through Eucharisteos . . . thanksgivings. In all things be grateful unto Him and bless His name. Wouldn't that also pertain to informal gatherings at church? The church should be a safe place for those who are challenged by the world? I praise God that I can pray over the church and give praise and thanksgivings that point to God in Christ so that those who enter the church building, for any reason, may feel the loving touch of the Lord in their midst.
#4034-4036:: A grand adventure to Costco with a delicious chicken caesar salad in the same place!
Can't beat that. We stock up on monthly supplies and pray for rain to break the heat. A little cloud came late at night . . . for 30 seconds! Thank you, God, for 30 seconds of rain. Now, can we have more?
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| I tried to capture a picture of the grasshoppers I find in the garden this time of year. This is the closest I've gotten. |
#4037-4039:: Not a cloud in the sky, breathless air, soaker hoses work from sun-up for several hours to keep the garden blooming. Brave flowers stand tall and tell the world, "our beauty will not wilt for we are strong and our roots are deep." Oh how we need to tell ourselves the same words. Our roots are deep in God's Word so that we can stand strong against the adversary. Amen!
#4040-4042:: Wheeeee! A trip to Hershey was a delight! Beauty, blooms in baskets, and most important, CHOCOLATE! How can anyone live very long without chocolate? We tasted chocolate from all over the world and wandered in the
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| Perfection is not my garden. This plush hotel must have someone who waters this array each day. |
#4043-4045:: Rain, rain and just a tad more rain . . . gently soaking into parched plant roots. Just an hour but we are thankful for the little drips here and there. A cloudy day brought more of this watery delight by the bucket. We had a little lake in our normally dry valley behind our house. A long conference call set the stage for the next several months of work. Dad's voice was nice to hear. God is Good!
#4046-4048:: Cool. Smells so clean. Plants, bugs and birds sing happy! Storm clean up makes for a clean front walk. Words on paper flow freely as I consider the 'choice' I make daily to follow Christ. Since the beginning of God's creation we
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| Nestled in the middle of nowhere is a beautiful little church surrounded by this cemetery. It seems like a quiet place during the week. Take rest, ye souls who lived and breathed and made a difference in your day. You've earned this quiet place. |
#4049-4051:: B R E A T H E in the cool air of morning. What a glorious day! Great day to clean up the garden and saw dead limbs. Love it! Time to pause, reflect, stretch the kinks out of my body, deslumping exercises! WOW! What a difference. Mind, body, soul . . . filled up to full today. Yes!
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| I love this cup created by Mary Engelbreit. "It's good to be queen!" AMEN |
Because Joshua was so revered and because he spent years mentoring a vast number of leaders, they also made the choice to cling to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus was sent to us by the Father to show us the blessing of making the same choice, to believe in the Son of God in order to live eternally. Why would we choose otherwise when eternal life is LIFE forever!
#4055-4057:: Oh JOY! Two scheduled appointments were moved to another day. I sit on the porch, feel the embrace of a warm breeze and drink in the sounds of cicadas and bull frogs and squeaky bird songs. My soul begins to rest and b r e a t h e d e e e e e p. It's good to feel like a 'queen,' when I sip tea from one of my favorite cups.
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| Words to remember on tough days. |
We rely so much on our surroundings for support that we get in a dither when a stock market in China plummets. "Trust in the . . . Lord . . . with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge HIM and HE will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
The world has been tipped up-side-down the past decade and sometimes all we can do is trust and pray and keep moving forward with the Good News that Jesus Christ was sent by the Father so that His life, resurrected, would give us life.
Stock markets are fine but we never know their outcome. Jesus Christ remains my focus because I always know His promised outcome for those who love and believe in Him.
#4061-4063:: Where does the time go? Fresh air, cool breeze, sunny skies and the garden make time fly around here. Mentoring a fabulous employee is so fun because she picks up on new techniques quickly. Oh to be young and quick and able to embrace new challenges . . . at least I am embracing new challenges with JOY!
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| It is not too often that we see black-capped amish women. Most sects wear a white organdy cap, especially on Sundays. We are still fascinated by all the variants of Amish dress. These women linger a little longer as they walk home from a full day of Sunday services and gatherings. |
#4067-4069:: I was surprised that I had a wool blanket over me this morning as it was just about 60 when I sat on our little porch. The season is changing and I am not quite ready for the change. Just like age, change creeps in 'on little cats' feet' [in reference to Robert Frost's poem, "fog creeps in on little cat's feet."] The mind goes way back to my lingering days when I could pour over poetry while having plenty of time to enjoy daily scripture study.
I now am S L O W E R but more steady perhaps?
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| I've always loved these words from Mary Engelbreit. Although I often say 'I'm fine' when I am not, I am actually truly undeniably FINE! |
#4070-4072:: The mind scatters everywhere as I wake. I focus on first things first. The mind calms, my imagination withers, I am back to earth. Creativity went wild as I create new ideas for church school and the kids. God is so good. I breathe deeeeeeeep. My soul is now at peace.
#4073-4075:: There are rules to follow and there is a 'rule' of life. Rules, such as the ten commandments, are meant to draw us into closer relationship with God and our neighbor. Human rules the Pharisees created becomes so arduous that their purpose drove people away from a tighter relationship with God and neighbor. Rules are good but we need discernment to remember that loving God and our neighbor is priority. Rules are meant to create discipline which frees us to look beyond our own small world. Discerning good rules vs. arduous rules is so daily. . . but worth the challenge.
So ends August! Sigh. Hot and dry but so
S U M M E R . . . which I adore!
A calmness to live with Gratitude . . . A Quiet JOY! Mary Engelbreit could not have said it better.
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