Bloom

I don't have a huge back yard...but it's big enough.  Big enough for grandbabies to play in.  

Big enough to relax in.  Big enough to keep us really busy keeping up with it!!

It's big enough for growing too.  And blooming!

There's this gate in our yard that doesn't like to stay open.  There's also this pot.  

The pot has been around for years.  I don't even remember where it came from.  

It makes a really good "fence holder opener".  It's full of dirt and acorns.

It's also full of cracks.  This pot has been through hot Summer days, Autumn afternoons, 

blizzards in the Winter, and, ahhh, Spring time!  

It's been slid back and forth....and battered by small children and their toys.  

It's no wonder that it's full of cracks!

We should have thrown it out long ago.  

Sure glad we didn't, because this little plant thought it was 

the perfect place to bloom!  

I noticed it the other day.  Just growing happily right through the biggest crack in the pot.  It's certainly not the ideal growing location.  It's definitely not the prettiest pot it could be growing in.  But it's where the seed landed...so it's blooming right where it's planted!  

Hmmm....seems I've heard something like that before. 

Sometimes we're just called to bloom where we're planted.  

That can be harder than moving on to something new.  

Sometimes where you are is difficult.  But, where you are is never an accident.  

God himself put you there...with a lot of thought and care...and for a purpose.  

Blooming...and growing...out of a crack in a pot.  Not ideal surroundings!  

But don't let your surrounding stop you.  There's always purpose.   

This tough, little plant brought a smile to my face.  

I was delighted to see it thriving in spite of its surroundings.  

It made me happy!
See that!  A purpose!!

By the way...this sweet little plant is a Wild Violet.  

I looked it up online, and most websites call it a difficult or persistant weed.

I say "Bloom On" little weed!!  You're welcome here anytime!! 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 

give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Note To Self

source

Choose Well

I found this on Pinterest and then visited Facebook to read more about it.

 

It's so totally true!

 

 

Sure hope your weekend is full of good choices!

I'm going to work real hard to make sure mine is!!

 

 



Roots

 I was looking through some photos on my computer the other day and came across these three.  I took them, at a Farmer's Market, on my last trip to Pennsylvania.  I loved the tables full of cut flowers...I've often thought how nice it would be to have a flower market near by.  Fresh cut flowers on the table all the time. That would be lovely!  

Then I started "googling" about cut flowers and this quote came up in one of my searches.

“The terrible danger of our time consists in the fact that ours is a cut-flower civilization. Beautiful as cut flowers may be, and much as we may use our ingenuity to keep them looking fresh for a while, they will eventually die, and they die because they are severed from their sustaining roots.” (The Predicament of Modern Man, 1944, pp. 59-60).

Then I started thinking about "sustaining roots"....what roots am I attached to?  

Thankfully, as a believer I know where my roots run.

 "As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in Him, rooted and built up in Him and 

established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." 

Colossians 2:6-7  

  Cut flowers are beautiful...but they fade...and they die. I'll still enjoy picking up a bunch or two from the flower markets every now and then.  But most of the time I think I'll work on the roots I have in Jesus Christ.  One of the best ways to do that is to immerse ourselves in His Word.

"When we read and study Scripture it serves as a lifeline with the Lord. 

Our roots go deeper and deeper into good life-giving soil, and we drink from living waters".  

source

"Happy the man who...delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night. 

He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields fruit in due season, whose leaves never fade."  

Psalm 1:1-3

Think I'll go "water" my roots.

Have a joy-filled weekend!!

Good Stuff!

You can always find good stuff on Pinterest!

Pinterest - WORDS

Have a joy-filled weekend!

Words to Live By

Pretty flowers from Katie's yard...I spent the afternoon helping her with a project last Sunday.  I had to sneak away and take some photos of all the beautiful blooms in her backyard.

There was color everywhere!

This is the day the Lord has made. 

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Words To Live By

Happy Weekend!

source for free printable

Note To Self

 

"Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Ephesians 5:20 

 

 



Words To Live By

I found an awesome Pinterest board.

 

It's called

Daughter of My Heavenly Father

 

"All For the Glory of God! I am the daughter of a King who is not moved by the world,

for my God is with me & goes before me. I do not fear because I am His!!"

 

The quote is the description of the board.  A board full of awesome, uplifting, encouraging words...and some pretty pictures too!  I think you'll love it!  Here's a peek......

Beauty4ashes

 

"Strength"

 

"Joy"

"Rest"

I love adding this kind of encouragement to my own Words to Live By Pinterest board.  It's so helpful to have all these different "words" gathered in one spot.  It comes in handy when I want something special to add to a card I'm sending...not to mention when I need a quick dose of encouragement for myself!
Have a wonderful Monday!





Favorite Find on Etsy

I still have my Etsy Gift Cards, and this sign is high on my "I Think This Is It" list.

I love the colors and the size...but mostly I love the sentiment!

 

The shop is called The House of Belonging.

There are a lot of really great signs in this shop! 

 

 

 

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!!

 

Happy Birthday to my friend (and co-worker) Joan!! 

Hope you have an extra-special day!

 

 

God Gives Life

I have this little Maple tree growing in my yard.  The seed it started from flew across the neighbor's yard and landed in this pot many months ago. This is the first time the leaves on it have changed color.  I thought I'd find a little poem about a maple tree to include with this photo but instead I found a website called 101 Object Lessons For Kids.  The author is Patricia A. Meinerts and I think the object lessons are wonderful.  They're geared toward 4 and 5 year olds....so you know I'll make good use of them! 

On the website Patricia has a tab called "About This Project".

It's a good read. It begins with:

"Many people feel uncomfortable talking about God. Some wonder if He exists. The Bible has no such doubts. It starts out in Genesis with the words, “In the beginning, God created….” At the end of that chapter, it says, “God saw all that He had made and it was very good.” Genesis 1:31. God is very able, all-powerful and knowledgeable, and full of love for what He made, including all of us.

One of my purposes in teaching children has been to try to help them see and appreciate this great wonder-working God."

The link that led me to this website is her object lesson on Maple Tree Seedpods. 

I've included most of it below.

Maple Tree Seedpods

By Patricia A. Meinerts

Also Called Samaras, Winged Fruit or “Helicopters”

Aim: To help the children: to know that God loves life and gives it generously in many interesting ways; to appreciate Him; and to trust Him.

Verse Illustrated: Genesis 1:11 “Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.”

Presentation: Show maple seeds (samaras) and demonstrate how they fly like helicopters and can stick on noses when they are fresh. Discuss God’s abundance and our response to it.

Interest Getter: What is this? (Drop a “helicopter”. Let the children see how it spins around.)

Lesson: This is the seed of a maple tree and is often called a helicopter because of how it flies. It’s real name is ‘samara’. Can you say that? Samara. Why do you think it flies like this? God made things that fly long before man made airplanes! But why did he make this one? What is this? Yes! This is a seed. It is alive! (Open seedpod and show children the seed) Give it a little water and it is sure to grow. God loves life and He wants these maple trees to keep growing, somewhere. These little samaras can float and go all kinds of places and plant new trees. If you plant a stone, will it grow? NO! God put life into seeds. He loves His creation and used seeds to keep it going. Do you know how many of these seed pods one tree has? 10? 100? So many! We cannot count them. God gives life and He gives it abundantly. He is generous.

He also puts little extra surprises in His creation. If the samaras are fresh and you open the thicker seedpod part, they are sticky inside and will stick on your nose. (Demonstrate). Samaras are fun playthings!

Application: God gives and gives generously. He made this world and wants it to continue. As you go around this week, see if you can see any seeds on other trees. They are there, but they are all so different you may not recognize them. Look carefully and you will see more of God’s wonderful surprising gifts of life! Tell us about them next week.

Conclusion: Who would have thought that a great big maple tree would come from a little flying helicopter! And that one tree would make enough seeds to plant thousands more trees! Not me! Only God is so clever and great that He can do that. And you know, He gives life to us, too. Life now, and wonderful life with Him in heaven forever, after we die, when we trust him as Lord and Savior!  He is truly the great generous creator God! Let’s thank Him for His goodness and for life.

The Lord's timing is always perfect. 

Maybe a certain 93 year old would like to hear some of these object lessons?

Note To Self




pinterest



Words To Live By

A sign in my garden.

Simplify

I'm still trying to focus on and apply to my life this year's "one little work".

"SIMPLIFY"

Something I've realized is that no one can really SIMPLIFY their life until they've learned to be content with what their life is.  Then they need to work within that contentment to weed out what isn't necessary. Maybe finding a more simple life in the process.

"...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.'

Philippians 4:11-13 

Thank you Regina for my new SIMPLIFY picture. I love it!

Words to Live By

dayspring.com



"All He Is, He Is For You"

Note to Self (and others too)

I really enjoy visiting the Dayspring website. Of course you already know that if you visit here regularly!  Sometimes I find the cutest things ~ like these cards!!  Aren't they adorable?!  Yep, had to order these!

This is my Father’s world,

And to my listening ears

All nature sings,

And round me rings

The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world:

O let me ne’er forget

That though the wrong

Seems oft so strong,

God is the Ruler yet.

Maltbie D. Babcock

Note To Self

Note To Self

etsy

I've been struggling with getting back into a consistent, daily routine of reading the Bible.  
A friend suggested that I choose a (short) book in the Bible and read it every day for a month.  I chose Philippians for the month of September. 
It's becoming a habit and even my old brain is starting to absorb what I'm reading each day!

Dayspring

I love to visit the Dayspring website.  They have wonderful FREE ecards that you can send to your favorite people. You can shop (or just browse) in their online store. There are several other websites affiliated with them ~ like (In)courage and Meet Me In The Meadow and Heart To Heart With Holley.  You can subscribe to some of them and receive beautiful devotionals in your email. 

That's where the devotional down below came from. 

Carrying any heavy loads today? 
You should read it ~ it will lift you right up!

You're Carried by Love


I rest my head on the pillow without much rest in my heart.
To-do's swirl around in my mind.
Tasks fall heavy on my shoulders.
I silently pray, "Lord, give the grace for me to carry all of this."
It seems I hear a whisper in response, "Ask instead for the grace to let Me carry you."


I once saw a child carrying a rock too big, determined to take it home. Sweat beading, little feet laboring. Then Daddy came and swooped up His girl. Joy. Giggles. Grace.
She still held the rock but it no longer weighed her down because someone held her.


I fall asleep with a smile...thoughts as light as love.
Dayspring - Heart to Heart with Holley

Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:4 NIV