Plain Wrapping

Time has flown it seems faster than usual...Busy with spring activities that come bunched up in everyday life...Sometimes with no ribbons or bows tucked round the day. Just plain wrappings will have to do for most hours of my life recently...The very hot weather has made me long for the coolness of the past several weeks, where all the roses were happy in their opening of fresh buds of color and grandeur...The bird bath however is still being sought after by a variety of winged creatures including the birds...And of course the feeders are emptied every other day by birds of song and rivalry...The hummers almost touch my face with delight when I come to refill their sweet red water...The baskets full of cascading flowers hang from tree limb or other metal crooks that make the "bird sanctuary" so lovely to behold as I spend my morning worship time outdoors on the cooler mornings...praises to our Lord who gives us seasons in our life as well...Today seemed like a hot dry spell...Needing much water of the Spirit to refresh me from wilting in the heat of the day...Both spiritually and physically...Tonight I do feel nourished and my droopy edges have been uplifted by God's grace...Praises and thanksgiving ascend even in a brown paper day...

Coincidence

The pondering for many days had been in how I want to re-vamp my cook book and how to go about it...The jotting down in my journal all the things I'd like to see in print have been whirling around in my brain for many days...Then I wrote it all down again, the very next day I was in one of our Big Box stores in the area perusing through the books and there before my eyes was the concept...Printed, finished, completed with however some minor details, it wasn't my work nor did it feature what I had tended to think was the theme I had wanted to celebrate...Was this a coincidence or was the Lord seeking to speak to me in words of assurance that the idea was timely and perfect for the market now for cook book sales and reader interest...Wow. was I ever amazed, pleased and challenged to continue to seek the path that I had thought was the right one laid out before me...What an affirmation...Now the hard work begins...Doing it! So my prayer is that I will be able to allow the Lord to complete the work He has before me...There is a song, built on a text of scripture... "He who began a good work in you, is able to complete it..." Paraphrase of Philippians 1:6 So the work begins.

Before the Day Ends

Time is fast fading into a new month called April...A month that brings showers and delightful hues in the colors of display from flowers, trees buds unfurling in all their beauty and fresh spring green on the black oak leaves to begin a canopy over my walking path. Even the pine needles are fragrant and bright green. The lawns smell good after being mowed, the weeds send out a sweet aroma after the mower runs a path to walk on...Spring is here... Just returned from a wonderful Prayer Retreat up in the mountains. The time spent there was refreshing and precious to my soul. Visiting with old friends and new. Praying together for mutual needs and concerns...Reaching out to those who were hurting. Using James 5:13 and onward as a format to pray with and for others and the same in return to nurture and help heal the broken places in our souls...Praises for a new and glorious day with sunshine, clear blue sky...Help me remember before the day ends that I will continue to praise you no matter what happens, for I have just come from a mountain top experience back to the low-lands of life, and the troubles have come already...I will keep looking up to Jesus and not be dissuaded by what I see around me...Praise His name forever...

It's Been A While

Wow, it has been several months since I've been able to be on my blog...Travel, commitments, house guests and a failure to remember how to connect with my password and other small matters have kept me from a weekly visit...Thankfully it is nice to be home, sharing news and views and a slice of life from my pasture. Just returned from a delightful short visit with two of my grand-girls. One had flown with her husband and young daughter from Texas, the other had flown from Oregon for a gathering of family and friends...Delightful moments to cherish and remember with photos from the newish camera that we purchased to take pictures when we went to the Galapagos Islands. We went there on a mission trip to help build a school for the many children who live on San Christabel Island. It is almost the end of March and the spring flowers are blooming in the yard and buds in the trees and on a wooded path where a previous neighbor had planted daffodils. Their bright yellow bonnets made me smile as I walked past on my morning walks with Grayson who is still growing at 15 months. The new tulip tree which has the most beautiful pink buds and blossoms was brought home from the nursery today and our yard man will plant it on his next visit. The spring green of the black oak trees is almost golden in the glow of the early morning sunlight. Wonderful to be alive and bask in the beauty of the freshness of the season change from winter to spring...And of course we just celebrated in music and scripture the beauty and thankfulness of the resurrection morning...It has been awhile for some who haven't been committed followers of Jesus...Praise our Lord that He welcomes us back the minute we turn toward Him. The free offer of mercy is given to all as found in Isaiah 55:1-3 "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money;come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and labor for that which satisfieth not? harken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me, hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (KJV) Oh Jesus, I come to Thee, for it has been a while.

New Beginings-Again

The year is brand new. 2007 has gone from my world forever except for memories fond recall. The holidays are behind us and what a delightful time it was. Family gathered for both Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and festivities. Had 15 guests at the Thanksgiving Feast...My son Chris made an extension to the table that would sit 16 comfortably...What fun it was to decorate it and I used real pumpkins, Cinderella type purchased at a farm some miles away that had these beautiful bluish-green, pumpkin color...All in all the table was inviting and it was so good to have friends and family gather for this much loved holiday...I left the table in it's long addition and put together Christmas tree boughs down the middle with candles galore and a pretty sitting reindeer for the center piece which I removed this morning and took the table down and it is now in the regular size and shape for my dining room...With the new rug placed under the table legs which is a nice holiday addition which I will leave...Christmas day brunch was a delight since we usually celebrate on Christmas Eve...But this year we choose something different too by choosing names..It was hard for me to stay faithful with the one gift idea...But all in all it was special to create new memories during this wonderful time of the year in which to celebrate our Lord's birth over 2000 years ago...And now it is time for new beginnings-again...Some of which I've made many times before... I still seek to follow that Star that led the Wise Men to Bethlehem so many years ago. I've made that commitment anew on New Years day...Lord please help me to be strengthened by Your Spirit to remain faithful day after day and year after year. I seek to open the door of my heart. Please come in to sup with me... For I hear Your voice call through Your Holy Word. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20 Praises forever and ever, Amen

Not Remembering the Past

We are almost to Graysons eleven month birthday. He is huge and has been neutered, weighing in at over 125 pounds so far. He has another 6 months or so before he no longer is considered a puppy. He eats well his puppy chow, made for pups that have large bones and he is sleek and shinny with a massive head and huge white teeth, which he doesn't use on people, just tree limbs, tennis balls, old shoes, old leather objects like gardening gloves or anything he can get his teeth into. He starts "dog college" tomorrow night and has already learned to heal, sit and down, but has a hard time "staying". We walk an hour each day and that helps him be socialized more with car noises in the distance, neighbors dogs and any other distraction that can happen. He is learning. I'm learning. And good things are beginning to happen. The challenges have arisen too. It has been many years since our last Dane puppy. We have noticed that we don't have the energy we did in the past. So I'm thankful my choice has been to see the good improvement that Grayson has made. Not remembering the past bad behavior. And it reminds me that is how the Father in heaven has looked at me. Not remembering the past, when I have been distracted by anything that came my way and I lost my concentration on what He was trying to teach me. Yet He still focuses on the person I will become by His marvelous grace. Praises forever and ever, Amen

The Fragrance of Fall

The smell of rain on the dusty leaves creates memories in my mind of the farm and all the creatures that dwelt amongst the pasture fence lines that were their habitat. I see Jubilee who was my rescued burro. Brando our son's horse of many years, happy with his pasture mates, the other horses that boarded at our place. The fall rain that created new shoots of green to sprout forth after several days of wet sky's for the sheep to graze upon. Even the dogs and cats were sniffing the cool crisp air. The fragrance was as perfume. Now the apple and pumpkin pies will be baking and the rooms here will be filled with other aroma's of the season.
The autumn spices in the candles are being lit on rainy evenings.The pumpkin decor is on the front porch with appropriate colored mums. The wreaths of leaves are hanging from the front doors to greet everyone that visits. Thank you Lord for the changing of the seasons...and the gift to be able to smell.