WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

CAPACITY

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--CAPACITY

Five minutes to free-write about it

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Who would have thought these wildflowers on my balcony still had the capacity to keep blooming even when the temperatures have dropped considerably, we've been having frost warnings, and they stopped getting watered after I brought the rest of the plants inside.

I'm guessing there are many of us who don't know what we have the capacity to do until we are faced with the very thing we fear, make it safely to the other side, and "I can't" becomes "I did it.".

Such is what happened to me several years ago as a result of faulty reasoning and a decision driven by fear that led to a far scarier outcome (almost two weeks on a ventilator) that I almost did not pull out of, and that could have been avoided had I not been so afraid. But God was good, and not only spared my life, but He also used the experience to teach me valuable lessons I might not have learned otherwise. (If you are interested in reading about it, you can click on this link to my post entitled Do Not Be Afraid.) 

The two things I learned the hard way through this experience were to trust God instead of my own intellect, and to turn my fears over to Jesus and lean on His strength instead of my own whenever I don't feel I have the capacity to handle something I am about to face.

A third thing as well. Life is so much less stressful when I remember to do the above two.

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Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.  (Isaiah 41:10, NLT)

Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. (Psalm 55:22, NLT)

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7, NLT)

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13, NLT)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT)

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. (Psalm 119:165)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

REAL

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--REAL

Five minutes to free-write about it

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All I can think of right now is how upset I feel, and that I have no one but myself to blame.

One of my constant prayers is for the Lord to make me supersensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and most of the time I listen when I feel one, but yesterday I did not.

Yesterday I went for a much needed haurcut. I booked ahead online, and the person I really wanted to see did not have anything available. I didn't want to have to wait any longer as I had already put off getting the cut for way too long, so I booked with someone else. 

It was someone I had wanted to try because of the good reviews I'd read about him--including one about a mom who had brought in her daughter who was really upset with the haircut she had gotten, and how he had been able to fix it for her and make it look real good. 

As I was filling out the form, I felt a check in my spirit, but I did not listen. I did not believe it could be real. Why would it be, when I had really wanted to try him before, but back then he wasn't available, and now he was?

When I got to my appointment, I explained what I wished my ideal haircut could look like, but also that I realized it was not possible because of all the cowlicks I have. So just the best he could do without leaving me with cowlicks sticking up on my head. 

I also requested that it would be something I could just wash and let dry without having to do any styling.

The end result was a real delight. It looked beautiful and too good to be true. He had been able to achieve a look that no other stylist had been able to do. When my daughter came over for lunch, she too said how good it looked. But would it be real?

I was starting to have some faint misgivings. To me, the proof of a good harcut is what it looks like in the morning after I have slept on it. That's when I can really see if it is real or not.

Well, alas, as the picture shows, it was not real at all. What was real, was the check in my spirit prompting me not to make the appointment with him, and to wait until I could get one with the other stylist. 

Lesson learned the hard way.

EXPLAIN

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--EXPLAIN

Five minutes to free-write about it

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I can't explain how the plague of lanternflies that were swarming my windows, balcony, and outdoor plants suddenly disappeared without a trace (literally overnight).

Or how this dying spider plant I put out on the balcony to speed up the process... 

...miraculously rallied, despite becoming infested by said lanternflies.

Nor can I explain how my very good friend who has been sober 26 years, loves the Lord, and has the strongest faith of almost anyone I know, has gotten derailed and seems to be headed off the deep end. Or why another friend's son who seemed to be doing so well suddenly OD'd.

Five minutes are not enough to tell it all.

God's thoughts are not our thoughts, or His ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). But of one thing we can be sure. Even when nothing seems to make sense, we can trust that He is in control and weaving everything together according to His perfect purpose and plan. 

My questions were not answered with any explanations,  but this little poem showed up in my devotional as I pondered these things during my quiet time.

Overheard in an Orchard

Said the Robin to the Sparrow:

    "I would really like to know

Why these anxious human beings

    Rush about and worry so."

Said the Sparrow to the Robin:

    "Friend, I think that it must be

That they have no Heavenly Father

    Such as cares for you and me."

(Elizabeth Cheney)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

WOW!!

Watching the super moon emerge from behind the trees was a sight to behold. All I can say is wow! (It would have been perfect for Friday's FMF prompt "thrill.") 

THRILL

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--THRILL

Five minutes to free-write about it

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Love the picture Kate chose to go with this week's FMF prompt. The dog looks so happy. I wonder what's thrilling him (or her) the most--the view, the feel of the wind blowing in his face, or maybe both?

What would give me that same feeling? 

Definitely not gliding down a mountain full speed like Kate, or jumping out of planes and off high bridges like my granddaughter. Even just the thought of going on a roller coaster gives me chills rather than thrills.

What does give me a thrill though is the awesomeness of God's creation. The majesty of a sunrise or sunset, a double rainbow in the sky, the colors of spring and fall, a beautiful bird or butterfly. 

(Short break here as I went into my archives to look at my sunset pictures and pick a couple of my favorites to share with you all here.)

How can anyone look at these skies and doubt the existence of God?

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Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy. (Psalm 65:8, NLT)

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftmanshup. (Psalm 19:1, NLT)

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20, NLT)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

BIRTHDAY BRUNCH

Today is my birthday, but we did most of the celebrating on Saturday.

My daughter made a delicious brunch of baked scrambled eggs, crispy home fries (roasted in the oven), homemade sourdough bread, brioche, sausage patties, sourdough cinnamon buns, hot apple cider, and an assortment of fruit.

I didn't think to take pictures, but this is a shot of my leftovers that I had for breakfast the next day. The eggs were so, so good--really light and fluffy. (This is the recipe.)  

These are my two granddaughters who live in the area...

...and their children. (The two girls belong to the sister on my left, and the three boys to the one on my right). 

I had lots of help opening birthday presents and blowing out the candle on my cupcake.

Some pretty flowers from one granddaughter's garden.

A wonderful grandson-in-law who detailed my car for me. He did an amazing job.

The two great-granddaughters made me homemade birthday cards. 

The 9-year-old made a tiny one in a tiny envelope. 

I was very impressed with the envelope. But maybe that's just me being a biased great-granny.

We all got a kick out of her younger sister's card because there is a story behind it. 

Years ago, before there were any great-grandkids, I started a tradition where my grandchildren would measure themselves against me in front of a mirror when I came to visit, to see how close to being as tall as me they were. 

When they were all way taller and had gotten married and had children of their own, we continued the tradition with them. 

My oldest granddaughter, who is only nine, is already taller than I am, but her younger sister who made this card only comes up to my shoulder. However, in the picture, she is the tall girl with the long blonde hair, and I am the short little lady with hardly any hair, standing next to her. It makes me chuckle now, but I'm sure it won't be long before she really is that much taller than I am.

SPARK

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--SPARK

Five minutes to free-write about it

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It's funny how God can use one thought to spark another, and bring about the insight He wants us to see.

I have been attending a 12-week class on learning to hear the voice of God and finding freedom from the lies and strongholds that hold us back by replacing them with His truth. It involves a lot of journaling and prayer.

We are now about halfway through. Homework has centered on uncovering lies that have taken root in our heart; unhealed wounds that are still affecting us today and contributing to our personal struggles; and learning how to release the past so we can enjoy the healing and freedom that comes when we choose to forgive and live an unoffendable life. 

One of the things that is hardest for me to release and let go of is the guilt I feel over the emtional pain I caused my children when they were growing up. So when one of the group members shared the pain and remorse she still feels over some physical issues one of her daughters is dealing with that might have been averted if she had not been too wrapped up in other things to notice the early signs, I could totally relate. 

Days later, the thought that came to me when I was thinking of my friend and her daughter, was that God had been in control even back then, and it was part of His plan. He had allowed everything that happened, to mold and shape them into who they are today.

I thought of the words of Psalm 139:16 -- You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed (NLT). 

Today both mother and daughter are anointed women of God who are being used in powerful ways that would most likely not have been possible without the hard tests that preceded the ministries they are involved in now. From that perspective, there is no reason to feel remorse or guilt.

That sparked a thought that this insight was not just for her. It was for me as well. It was what enabled me to finally release not only my own guilt over the pain I had caused my daughter, in particular, but also be healed of the lies I had bought into as a result of my own unhealed wounds, and that were still affecting the way I respond to life today. 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

AFFECTION

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--AFFECTION

Five minutes to free-write about it

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This week's prompt has not sparked any thoughts at all. My brain feels numb.

I don't have much to say except that in this world where hate and dissension seem to be snowballing at an alarming rate, it warms my heart to see the affection these two boys have for their baby brother.

Come Jesus, come!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

PICK A LIE

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--PICK

Five minutes to free-write about it

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I'm still picking perfect little tomatoes off the tomato plant on my balcony, despite it already being mid-September, and the hordes of lanternflies that are continuing to swarm--not just all over the plants on the balcony, but all over my windows as well. 

The lie I believed in late spring when I put it out on the balcony and the plague of lanternflies arrived and devoured most of its leaves, was that there was no way it would survive--let alone bear any tomatoes. And yet it did.

I'd been thinking about that as I struggled to complete my homework for one of my Bible studies on the topic of recognizing and breaking free from the lies we believe, and had been grappling to discern what on my list really was a lie, and what I wish was a lie but really wasn't. 

And then I saw this week's prompt, and the first thing that popped into my mind was, "pick a lie." So the lie I am picking is that I've messed up my life and missed out on God's good plan for it due to the poor choices I've made, and now it's too late. 

It's easy for me to beat myself up when I think of the squandered time, talents, and opportunities that led me to where I am today. However, the truth is that "[God] saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in [His] book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed" (Psalm 139:16, NLT).  None of it came as a surprise to Him.

The truth is that each one of us is a Divine original, created by God for a special purpose that no one else can fulfill, and I am exactly what and where I need to be for this particular moment in His plan. The very things I feel most remorseful about are the very things that led me to Jesus.

Another truth is that God does not measure success in numbers. If I reach that one person He intended for me to reach, allow Him to use me to bring hope to that one discouraged heart, or lead that one soul out of the darkness and point him or her to Jesus, then my purpose will have been accomplished and my life not lived in vain after all.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

LEGACY

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--LEGACY

Five minutes to free-write about it

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One of the legacies I think I may have handed down to my children, and they to theirs, is a love of doing puzzles, and also of playing games, which is usually how we end up most visits.

The puzzle (on the left) was given to me by one of my granddaughters. It has to be one of the most difficult puzzles I have ever done. My daughter and I have been working on it for months. Finally, in desperation, I sorted the remaining pieces by shape, thinking it would make it easier.

Today I learned a very important and timely lesson from it that was just perfect for the bible study homework I have been working on, which is about recognizing and breaking free from the lies we believe and replacing them with God's truth. 

Five minutes is not long enough to go into details. (I will do that on my other blog--At The Foot Of The Cross--when I'm done with this post.)

In short though, there was one puzzle piece I had been searching for, for a couple of days, and was convinced must be missing, because there were only two small sections of shapes that could fit it and I had looked through both of them multiple times. At this point I was convinced the piece must have fallen off the table and gotten vacuumed up or something, but decided to look through those pieces one last time, and voilà, there it was. 

YESTERDAY'S MOON

Last night's eclipse was not visible in my neck of the woods, but the moon itself looked amazing. A gigantic, perfectly round, ball of light. 

At first I could not fnd it because it was so close to the horizon rather than higher up in the sky where I expected it to be. But then, just as I was about to turn around and head back into my building, I caught a glimpse of it that took my breath away.  It was the biggest, brightest full moon I have ever seen. 

Unfortunately, neither my cell phone nor my camera captured any of the detail on its surface, but I did wind up with some interesting, unexpected effects, such as this shot on the right that looks as though there are several other small "moons" below the real one. 

BEHIND

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--BEHIND

Five minutes to free-write about it

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This week's prompt has me thinking of my to-do list that keeps growing, and the many things I'm behind in.  It's time to acknowledge that there's no way I'll ever be able to get to it all, and some prioritizing is in order. Like back in the day when I used a planner. Everything that needed to get done had a time slot, and the time slots got filled in in order of priority. 

One thing that I'm way behind in is reading blogs I follow. Some of my friends post so often, if I read all of their posts, I would never get to the ones who don't. And yet I would like to read them all. It's hard to have to pick and choose . Sometimes the posts of those who write less frequently get lost in my blog reader feed and I don't even see them, because their posts get pushed so far down the list by the frequent posters.

That's what happens to my posts too, I think. Since I rarely post more than once or so a week, my posts get pushed way down the list as well, causing them to be missed by several of my regular blog friends. 

Every now and then though, I am surprised by someone who hasn't visited in a long while not just leaving a comment on a post, but even on an older one. It is always a pleasant reminder that God is in control. If there is something He wants someone to see, He will find a way to bring it to their attention, and no algorithm or anything else will be able to prevent it from happening.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY