Just Not Fair
This yard is not fair
Much to hard to get the food
Don’t taste good anyway
I tried being kind to squirrels but they kept eating holes in my feeders, so I got rid of the peanuts and put nails in the tops of the boards so they cant jump to the feeder from the fence. The feeder pole has a slinky on it to keep them from climbing up. Sorry guys.
But we must always try to be kind as much as we can.
The Love of the Light
I have but one day to live, that is all I can give
As I stretch out my petals with stiffness like metal
My stamens stand tall, reaching for the bright ball
As my life shines in light, a journey worthy to fight
For we come to this light, with hopes of it’s great might
Carelessly spending our life, without regard to any strife
If we waste the beauty of great light, we will live in the darkness of the deep night
Beauty can create emotionless gall, for petals will wither before they fall
Enjoy the beauty of the great light, soak up its warmth before it comes night
I have but one day to live, that is all I can give.
Anita Neal
Check out Cee’s post to see the other flowers she took while playing with her camera and remember the beauty of nature around us. As beauty of nature makes you smile, remember the kindness of the smile comes for you and share that kindness with others.
We Will Stand Firm
I stand and stare at the silvery pool that was left by the outgoing tide. The beauty of its simplicity is in stark contrast to the darkness surrounding it and the menacing sky above as the storm moves on to other lands. This seems reflect my life for now, small pools of silvery beauty while the remainder of life storms all around me. A cold threatening darkness with winds of change that threaten to blow me down. But yet I remain standing, breathing, as I take in this silvery beauty of hope.
I am reminded of the power of strength given from above that helps us stand firm through all storms of life. God’s outstretched hand is ever present, ever guiding, and ever comforting. He reminds us all though his word – “I will never leave you” – and this encouragement gives us the strength, the determination and the hope to remain looking at the silvery pool even though the storm of life may rage around us.
We will stand firm.
Sue Vincent’s weekly challenge is a great way to put words to pictures with writephoto prompt. Come along and join in on the fun and stretch your imagination along with the rest of us.
For visually challenged writers, the image above shows a beach in the half-light, bounded by dark dunes and holding a silvery pool of water that mirrors the sky.
As you take in the beauty of life as it surrounds you, remember to always be kind. Kindness has a beauty that far surpasses the darkness that may be around you.
I do love my yard during the spring and summer months for all the many birds that come to visit. You can tell the difference in the younger ones who have not fully fledged out yet or got their adult colors. This morning George stopped by with his high shrill and really upset the other birds. George is a hawk. My phone does not have a good zoom and cropping made him fuzzy but still he was beautiful.
Here is a picture I took yesterday and the sun made a neat effect. George is on the stump of the tree in the center. Hopefully by Christmas I will have a real camera with a true zoom lens where I can really play.
Since I live close to a state park, we have more than the normal wildlife. Deer will walk down the street like they own the place and groundhogs will zoom through your yard as well. Here is George flying and squawking at his other brother George as they search for food.
Although my pictures are not great, they do show the beauty of nature all around us. This beauty reflects God’s love of creation and wanting to share it with us. So when outside, take in all the beauty around you and when you see something special, smile and know this was a gift given for you to enjoy.
And as always be kind…to all kinds.
There are pictures that get posted here on WordPress inspire many to write amazing words to fit the pictures, then there are those of us (like me) who see beauty in the pictures and try to encourage others of what I see in a less professional but heartfelt way. The picture below is from Irene Tron, at Coffee Creek Watershed. This picture brought me a sense of peace, something this world needs desperately right now. May you feel the peace come through my words in my adaptation of the 23rd Psalm, and may we, all across this world, learn to find peace as God had intended.
Beside His Stream
God, the gentle shepherd is our caring guide
we do better following Him than our own selfish pride
He leads us by the quiet waters, refreshing our soul
Lying on green grass, us lacking nothing, is His goal
He guides along the right paths for His name’s sake,
while we struggle and flounder with mistake after mistake.
He never leaves our side even in the darkest of times
We fear no evil as it surrounds us, for into His lap we do climb
He prepares to secure our needs, even with enemies near
He pours forth His love, from overflowing cups so dear
His goodness and love radiate through the days of our life
as we dwell in His house and forever feel no strife.
Anita Neal, adaptation from Psalm 23
The 23rd Psalm is know by many, even some who do not really follow the word. This small Psalm by David shows that as we follow God and obey His commands, we then have hope for eternal life and security.(NIV notes)
As you feel the peace of God, remember to share that peace and kindness with others.
Cee’s wonderful prompt of Flower of the Day gives us such great opportunities to see the many flowers others post from all over the world. It is such a fun prompt for me.
My flower today is my lilies – my red ones are now opening up fully, I have them in two separate spots in the yard. But coming soon are my daylilies. The buds are really full this year.
Come join in and show us the beauty you see in flowers and such. And as always, remember to be kind.
Here in the US, tomorrow is a special day honoring Fathers. We honor mothers in May and fathers in June. Some of us had wonderful fathers, some did not but regardless, the memory of them is there. I am not sure any of us had the perfect dad, they are only human but I believe the majority of men really wanted to do their best and should be honored. I am enclosing some pictures of my father and grandfathers in honor of this day and hope they all now they were loved and appreciated.
My father as a young man. I love the clothes and shoes of that era and know I would never see any of my boys dressed this way. As a young man my father was a typical young man, youngest sibling of seven. My grandfather was a banker but he was also a farmer raising white face Herefords. So dad spent a lot of time on the farm with his horse Romeo, a paint.
I never really knew my dad’s dad as he died of pneumonia when my dad was in high school only a few months before penicillin was discovered and available for use. But I do have some fun stories like him coming home from work and all seven children hanging in the living room and his comment would be where is everybody, which translated into where is Marie(grandmother).
With me being the youngest of 4 and my father being the youngest of seven, I did not get to know these grandparents very well and was closer in age to my cousins. But my mothers parents I got to be very close to. My mothers father, Buckshot, was a Pure Oil truck driver and a farmer. He would bring his truck over for Sunday evening meal and we would climb all over it. There are also many fond stories and event from visiting the farm. I recently wrote and published a book that highlights some of those stories.
I know from being a parent myself, that it is no easy task and some handle it better than others. I think my father and grandfathers were awesome and I honor them this Father’s day. Happy Father’s days gentlemen. You are remembered and loved.
Remember always to be kind. Even when life may have dealt you a hard time, kindness can help you heal as well as heal those you show kindness to.
Good morning all. I bring you a little encouragement this morning as some of us are beginning to be able to get out a bit and try to resume life…cautiously. We are having a beautiful morning today but it will get hot as the day goes forward, so I bring you some early morning freshness from my yard and some heartfelt expansion from my morning devotion.
The pictures below are from my own yard this morning as the flowers are starting to open and express their beauty as God had intended.
New gutters were installed…a new roof was added….still there is a leak between the housed and the gutter. Fine. I painted a board to catch the drip so it slides down instead of banging down onto the egress window.
Remember, even in your frustration, you can still be kind…
Come join in with Linda Hill‘s One Liner Wednesday and have some fun.
For the Love of 