Photo-A-Day - Day 8!

"Crazy" - anyone crazy enough to go sledding? ;~) Heehee!!

Photo-A-Day - Day 7!

"Unique" - A story of 4 quarters!

The story starts with a pair of shoes. Canvas ballet shoes to be exact. The shoes were bought so that we could do our shows at various nursing homes in our area. Though something was overlooked, and we found out that we had overpaid. 

My ballet instructor gave us 4 quarters in change so that we were even. The quarters were left in an envelope - completely forgotten - while the shoes were used for our shows. 

One day, it was a dismal day, and we were in a rough patch. It was that day in which I found the 4 quarters. A glimmer of hope on a depressing day. The quarters were then forgotten after the rough patch was over, and it was lost in a sea of envelopes. 

Every Mother's Day, our Church hands out baby bottles for a local organization that is pro-life, and does so much with the little they have. I've personally raised money for them before, and sometimes through miraculous ways! We took home a baby bottle last year but we never took it back on Father's day, so we slowly added change throughout the year to it.

Today I stumbled upon the envelope with the 4 quarters. Its time for them to go where they are needed next, and they are now in the baby bottle for New Hope. As I dropped them into the bottle, I saw that the bottle is almost full. On Father's Day, we will take the bottle to Church, and from there it'll go to New Hope, to bring new hope to those who are needing it most!

Those 4 little quarters have brought hope to many! Through the shoes that we use at our nursing home shoes, encouraging me through a dismal time, and finally to bring hope to women who need it most! 

God is good! :~) <3 God is so very good! 

Psalm 111 (ESV)

Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
    studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
    he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy;
they are established forever and ever,
    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people;
    he has commanded his covenant forever.
    Holy and awesome is his name!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all those who practice it have a good understanding.
    His praise endures forever!

Photo-A-Day: Day 6!

"Special" - I bring you two photos! I was trying to figure out something special to take a picture of when this little birdie caught my eye!

Photo-A-Day - Day 5!

"Clever" - a clever place for the nap! Out of sight, out of mind, & out from under foot!

Photo-A-Day - Day 4!

"Sunny" - an iris blossoms & blooms in the beautiful bright sunlight!

Photo-A-Day - Day 3!

"Smiley" - strike a pose!

Photo-A-Day - Day 2!

"Dry" ~ nothing like a dry pretty path to skip through the garden upon!

Photo-A-Day for June!

My poor neglected blog....lol I've been battling migraines so I haven't felt up to doing much blogging. So as I pulled it up so I could start this post, I was shocked to see that I'm getting close to 25,000 views! Less than 500 to go! Anywho, to revive my poor blog I decided the most sensalogical thing to do was a daily thing for a while! So for the month of June, I'll be doing a photo-a-day challenge!

1. Wet

2. Dry

3. Smiley

4. Sunny

5. Clever

6. Special

7. Unique

8. Crazy

9. Red

10. Orange

11. Yellow

12. Green

13. Blue

14. Purple

15. Words

16. Sky

17. Person

18. Place

19. Thing

20. Growth

21. Adventure

22. Life

23. Treasure

24. Action

25. Up

26. Down

27. Over

28. Under

29. Past

30. Future 

Today's is "Wet" so I bring to you a raindrop laden peony from our garden!

Puddles!

After a much-needed day of rain, puddles were everywhere! 

Following the puddle stream down the road.

Oooh, this puddle looks good!

What do you think, Ansel?

My boot!

Even the little puddles are fun!

Who's the handsome kitty in the puddle?

Hmm....

this one???

Here's one that's my size!

Testing the waters....

Splash!! Perfect!!

We even had a couple double rainbows!!

And the clouds after the storm were beautiful!!

Overcome

(the neighbor's cat)

There is a cat. She's a cat of our neighbor's, but she has decided that she needs to be as annoying as possible to us and our cats. She's a sweet petite thing I will admit, but she thinks that we're now part of her family. I think she'd live with us if she could. How did she get this way? Subtly, very subtly.

We knew she was our neighbor's cat, so when she came in our yard the other day, she was welcomed warmly. A mistake on our part, I will admit. We enjoyed petting her, and watching her roam our yard. And within a few short hours, we realized our mistake. She doesn't get along with our cats for one thing, and when we tried to get her out of our yard, she refused.

When her owner came, he tried to take her home a couple different times, yet she still returned. She sneaked herself into our yard and next thing you know, she'd be laying in the middle of the garden, or staring down one of our cats. Now trying to keep her out of the yard is proving to be a difficult task. We like the sweet kitty, but she needs to stay with her family. Today alone I've already had to shoo her home a few different occasions.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. ~ 1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV)

Sin and temptations are the same way. They worm their way into our lives, and when we realize what's happening, they can be a pain to remove from our lives. Just like the cat, we need to be on guard for when the temptation returns. It's not a sin per-say, but something in my life that is like this is stubbornness. Oh, can I be stubborn!

Over the past several months it's something I've truly noticed, and with some prayer & work on God's part, I'm slowly trying to overcome it. Let me say it is so easy to be stubborn. In fact it's painful not to be stubborn. So then I have to make a choice, do I stay stubborn or do I yield & submit? It's hard to decide sometimes, but God's way is best.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. ~ Ephesians 6:21 (NIV)

If you just leave the sin and temptations in your life, it's just like letting that pesky cat roam into your yard and doing nothing to remove it. But, if you pray, stand firm, and remove them, then bit by bit, you can overcome them. Some of them will be pesky and continue to test you. Stubbornness is still testing me, and quite possibly always will. Three verses come to mind.

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (ESV)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. ~ John 16:33 (ESV)

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ~ 1 John 5:4 (ESV)

So today I challenge you to take some time to think, pray, and ask God what in your life needs to be removed. What do you need to overcome? It is a hard, yes. But! It is worth it!