The truth of God's love, the Encouragement we all need and occasional humor
Author: anitashope
Retired Quality Manager but still have the "Why" curiosity drive so I am turning my love for Christ and nature into my new why chase and am trying to discover more of His word as it relates to His love for His creation.
Good evening friends. It is time again to share the beauty you find concerning stonework. It can be actual stones, fancy blocks, or concrete. When I started this challenge I was wanting to share old architecture across the world. To me it has a different class to today’s modern streamline structures. So, share the beauty of old that you see.
Today I want to share corners. Inner edge corners and outer edge corners and this week I have two different buildings. Both have very intricate details in concrete as they swoop around in their perspective direction.
This shows concrete, stone and brick
The details in all the levels and the corner pieces. I cant imagine what it would cost to build something like this today. I was not able to find a date for this building.
Amazing details here as well, especially at the inner corner. Come join in the the fun and share the beauty that you see. Remember to include the badge from above and the tag for Amazing Stonework but most of all have fun.
And in closing I remind you of the power of kindness. Let it move with you wherever you go.
On Mondays and Fridays I send out a little encouragement to remind us that even though this world can give us troubles, we have an advocate to help us traverse these trials. I pull in scripture with pictures for these encouragements because they help me visualize better. Today I want to remind all of our deliverer.
Good evening friends. What a glorious day today we had here in the midwest. It was a true reprieve. Webster describes reprieve as : to give relief or deliverance for a time. And today with the little bit of rain we got Sunday and the front finally moving through, it gave us a much needed but short reprieve – after all it is June and legally summer for the northern hemisphere. It was 72 when I left the office today – 72!! This time two weeks ago it was 92 . Thank you, I will take this short deliverance from the heat. Deliverance is an interesting word. We think of getting something delivered to us or delivered away from us that makes us relieved in some way. I like to think of the quiet but powerful deliverance we get from God. The Psalms are full of the messages of deliverance from the troubles of this world. God protects us – I picture a cleft in a rock or a cave with Jesus standing protectively in front of that opening. Nothing harmful is getting past Him to us.
We are delivered…for all time. Hard times, difficult times and sad time still come but we are given peace to survive them.
The only thing is, it requires trust. And for some, that can be a hard thing. Sometimes our lives blow up in our faces so much we have little trust to give. But if we can get there, it is the most surprising thing to feel and comprehend. There is not anything you can compare it to here on earth for it is not from earth – it’s from heaven.
So trust in Him, believe He loves you, even when we may not seem loveable – He still loves us. He loves us when we feel on top of the world and when we are shattered and scattered across the floor. He is always close at hand, you just have to reach out to Him and he reaches down to you.
His hand is always reaching for your hand, regardless of where you are in your walk with Him. At the beginning, in the middle…wherever you are.
So be encouraged that you don’t have to do this alone. You have an advocate to walk beside you. There are even times He will carry you because you just don’t have the strength. He will never leave you.
Remember his profound kindness to you and try to always be kind for others who are struggling.
Since the fall of creation, the planet and its many species have been at war with each other. Some fight to establish dominance, some fight to protect their homes. When we think of war, we think of people for they are the most ruthless and demeaning of all but I want us to think of smaller territories…basically the back yard.
Google Pics
Since March I switched from the suet feeders to the seed feeders. I have been enjoying the various birds that come to my yard and through switching feeds around, I have settled on Saffron seeds for two reasons. One squirrels don’t like them and various birds that I consider take over birds (Grackles & sparrows) are generally not a big fan of Saffron. Yes, I lose some of the other birds I enjoy watching but the ‘war’ seems to be less intense. While sparrows are cute and cuddly, they come in swarms and deplete the feeders before anyone else can have any so, sorry guys but you are pigs.
Even sparrows watch in amazement
What I did not expect to see was the war between the Blue Jay and the Robin. While I do have a ring of peanuts for the Blue Jays and the Woodpeckers, I have a platform feeder with Saffron for the Robins and the Mourning Doves. The rest of the feeders are tube feeders filled with Saffron.
I did some research and found that Jays and Robins generally have strong animosity towards each other but will nest in the same tree. Coming from the south, I am well aware of tactics of Jays and always thought the Robins to be the gentle bird. Not in my yard. If a Jay dare show his face in my yard, the Robins come out of nowhere and run them off. Its quite comical. The obvious leader of the Jays in this area is quite large and beautiful. He is a large male that is a good bit bigger that the Robin – no matter, he runs from the Robin.
Is he around…not back there…not on the ground…
Yes…Success
I write a lot in my blogs about being kind to all kinds but you can’t train out instincts of nature. One day we will all get along, but not today. So until, that day, try to always be kind. You will be surprised of the encouragement you will spread.
Sammi Cox tells us with her challenge that Weekend Writing prompt is a word prompt to get your creativity flowing. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments. Word Prompt is:
Unknown
Unknown meal
The hawk’s next meal is unknown to him as he soars effortlessly on the summer breeze. He sends out his shrill call to his mate or fellow hawks as they all float in the upper air drafts of the sky while scanning the earth floor below in search of an unknown victim that will be their next meal.
While all life is precious, the rules of nature are always at play. So it is always important to share kindness wherever you can, for some are victims and some are just plain lost.
The café began to feel like her only real home. Carrie looked out at the lights as they blinked on the sign, Lou & Rachel’s Café. The pain and fear were still very real. She glanced down at the ugly scar that snaked across her left forearm and down her hand.
“Your awfully quiet tonight,” said Rachel. “You okay?” Rachel was well aware of what this day was. It had been six years to the day that her sister’s family had been in a horrific accident with Carrie being the only survivor of six in her family and two teenage boys whose car exploded upon impact.
“I am old enough now to have processed what happened and begin to heal from it. But I can still see in it my mind, hear the screaming of tires, the breaking of glass and that horrid smell of burning flesh. Will I ever be fully healed? I sometimes wish I had died as well so I don’t have these memories.”
“Emotional and psychological healing takes an infinitely longer time and in some cases you just learn to live with the memories by pushing them out of your mind. You will get better. What does your therapist say?”
“She is pleased with how well I have done so far but she knows there is still a lot more healing to do. Thank you for taking me in. I cant imagine doing this alone.”
“Have you thought any more about the community college?”
“Some. My therapist is good friends with the Dean of the College, so they understand my situation. Due to my injuries, I may never be able to play the violin again but I could teach. I just don’t know if that is enough or even a wise thing to do. Or do I really want that?”
“Well, as I am sure what others have told you is that at least you could be back in music. But I fully understand if that is not enough or if its is too hard to separate from what you wanted for your life. I will be here to support whatever you need.”
“It’s funny but the love and warmth of this little café has helped me heal better than I think anything else could have.”
“That is because of the love of this little town. They loved your family and only want the best for you. They too will support any decision you make. You have a lot of love here. Plus they are always here for my cherry pie. It is to good to be true,” she chuckled.
“You are right about that,” she chuckled herself. “I know the love of this town. I can feel it. I just got to get a direction.”
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. It will happen when its time. Just breathe.”
Carrie smiled at her aunt as he walked back into the kitchen. She knew the love here was strong and was so thankful for the café being her new home.
Good evening friends. Hope your week has been good. Have you ever questioned if you were doing things as God needed you to. I think we all have from time to time and after I read my Thursday’s devotion, I questioned myself enough that I had to run it by Pastor Rob. I think it’s normal to ask those questions for when we get so comfortable never to ask, then that may be a troublesome sign. And it’s funny to me how God usually finds a way to answer those questions, either through someone, a song you may hear or something that you read. When I read last night’s devotion before going to bed in Jesus Calling’s Evening edition, I had to smile at God. In paraphrase…
He is pleased when we ask questions of concern of our walk, for asking is a collaborative way of living that he had in mind for us when we were created. The more we collaborate with the Spirit, the freer we become. Freer to live in and love extravagantly and to know Him with increasing intimacy. Sarah Young
I love the comparison of a Christian to a caterpillar as we change and grow to become a beautiful butterfly in His eyes. I had this short piece below published in an anthology last year, The Sound of Brilliance, that reminds me of our struggle sometimes as a Christian being somewhat bound in a dark harsh world.
A Monarch Task
The warmth awakens me but I am tightly bound. I can’t move. My life blood is pulsing through my veins, waiting to explode. My head is pounding and screaming to break free of this dungeon. Yet, I can’t move. As cracks appear at the top of this cell, bright light is filtering in. I push with my might against the wall, as the crack begins to grow. I feel the closeness of freedom. I can taste it in the air, and feel it in the warm light. Pushing again, the binding splits. I roll out of the slit, stretching, feeling the ecstatic of freedom. The warmth strengthens me for my mission, my colors furl out refracting the light on the leaves. Time is wasting, I must hurry, only six weeks of life at best.
And while we have longer than 6 weeks to live, the struggle is the same. We push against the hardness of this world and when we begin to feel the warmth of God’s love, the stronghold of the world breaks and we have freedom of life with the Spirit inside us. The Spirit then stands beside us and guides us as we go to face the challenges we run into.
God always knows our hearts and guides us according to His will.
So I encourage you tonight to not get concerned if you have questions about where you are in your walk, for we are at different places of our walk. But feel the peace of Christ in knowing you are not doing any of this alone. Be safe and have a blessed weekend. And as always, remember to be Kind.
More fun in my yard with Cee’sFlower of the Day. Today we have one of my old favorites, Lantana. While they both have spurts of yellow, one is more prominent orangey red and the other more pinkish red.
Fun with flowers always brings a smile. Smile often, be happy and scatter kindness.
Come join in again with Cee’sFlower of the Day and share you beauties of spring and summer. Today I will finish with the flowers I took of the Rose Garden. These were my favorites because their mix of colors.
Tropical Rose
Sherbet Rose
I did not see a name tag for these last two but I think they were my most favorites. The top one looks like it has a light in it. And the bottom one speaks for itself.
And as always, remember to share the beauty of kindness.
Flower of the Day is such a fun challenge. I enjoy seeing everyone’s photos. Today I am showing off my red and white lilies. I noticed last night that the red ones were close to opening and this morning they were wide open. The white one opened over the weekend.
The red ones have long narrow petals where the white ones, which are a miniature variety, have the more traditional shape, just small.
My day lilies have not even sent out spikes yet. Hopefully soon. I saw a post from Sally this morning about how people can go over board with EVERYTHING – but it did mention how plant life also feels pain. So as you take your photos of your beauties, be kind to them as well. All life deserves kindness.
Misha sat quietly as she listened to her grandmother rest. Her breathing was becoming labored but she waited quietly hoping for more wisdom from the stories she always told. Misha’s mother had told her the stories were not real, that they were just stories of hope of what heaven would be like.
But Misha knew different. Even though she was still seven years young, she herself had vision. And the visions she saw matched the stories she heard from her grandmother so many times. Before her grandmother had become so gravely ill, Misha had shared quietly with her grandmother her ability to see vision as well.
Her grandmother smiled brightly at her and her eyes sparkled with love. “Oh, my dearest Misha. Hold that truth close to your heart and let no one take it from you. It is a gift from God. Use it for the purposes he asks you to do. God will let you know when it is time.” And they shared many stories together of what they saw.
Misha watch the fluttering of her grandmothers eyes as she opened them looking toward the ceiling. “Oh, Lord, what a beautiful sight. Thank you for allowing me to see the beauty of heaven as I transcend to you.” And with that her grandmother breathed her last.
Misha stood and took her grandmother’s hand. “I will miss you Granmama. Thank you for believing in me. Enjoy the beauty of heaven that is now fully in your eyes.” Misha was fully at peace knowing where her grandmother was now, in the beauty of heaven wrapped in many layers of love. The sound of the door opening caught her attention as her mother came in the room.
“How is she doing today?”
“Today she is great. She has the true beauty of heaven in her eyes.”
Misha’s mother let out a horrid scream understanding what Misha meant, knowing now that her mother was dead.
But Misha turned quietly from the room knowing her grandmother was now more alive that she had ever been.
Come join in on the fun of Tuesday Writing Challenge and share your creative juices with everyone.
