"Consider the Lilies"

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: They neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" Matt. 6-28.

It happened. All ten of the buds are in bloom. The first pictures shows 7 and today all are open. Isn't it beautiful? Enjoy!

Today I got an e-mail, and it just struck me funny, so want to share it with you folks. Really--it's true. Yesterday in our devotions there was an article on old age also --so am sharing that with you too



It wouldn't be funny if it weren't so true... Julie Andrews turned 69 and to commemorate her 69th birthday on October 1, actress/vocalist Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP .
One of the musical numbers she performed was "My Favourite Things" from the legendary movie "The Sound Of Music."

Here are the actual lyrics she used:

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favourite things.
Cadillac's and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favourite things..
When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.
Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favourite things.
Back pains, confused brains, and no need for sinnin',
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',
And we won't mention our short, shrunken frames,
When we remember our favourite things.
When the joints ache, When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.


"Land of Eternal Spring" devotion of June 10--

J. Robinson McQuilkin, pointed out that
God has a purpose in letting us grow old and weak:

"I think God has planned the strength and beauty of youth to be physical. But the strength and beauty of age is spiritual., We gradually lose the strength and beauty that is temporary so we'll be sure to concentrate on the strength and beauty which is forever. And so we'll be eager to leave the temporary, deteriorating part of us and be truly homesick for our eternal home. If we stayed young and strong and beautiful, we might never want to leave.

When we are young, happily occupied with all our relationships an activities, we may not long for our celestial HOME. But as time passes, we may find ourselves without family and friends, afflicted with dim vision and hearing difficulties, no longer able to relish food, or troubled by sleeplessness or lack of remembrances.

Here's the advice I give myself: Be grateful that, as the apostle Paul wrote "God gives us richly all things to enjoy" in life's summer and autumn. And rejoice too that with the onset of life's winter we can anticipate that we'll soon be living in the land of eternal spring.

The promise of heaven is our eternal hope.

So you folks don't have to worry about us. for the Father waits over the way-To prepare us a dwelling-place there.

activity

These pictures may not mean much to you--but to us they are our day to day activities. We find satisfaction in small things.

If you look hard enough you will see -1004- little airplanes that have dropped from our maple trees and have sprouted in our gutter. We have had a wet spring and I tell you all the--5497 -airplanes have all found a place to grow. The lawn mower does a good job of spoiling there growth..

Three years ago I set out an Easter Lily. Well, it hasn't bloomed since that. Look, it has ten buds on this year. PATIENCE Ladene. I had that once in Bella Vista, and before they bloomed, the deer ate the buds off.

The neighbors cat always uses my flower bed for her bathroom. Well,--I got disgusted with that, so set three mouse traps. Two days in a row they snapped and now the problems over. I should have thought of that long ago.

It's time to bale hay. No one live in the duplex next to us. Kirk Wright, who owns it , lives in West Fork. He used to live here, but he remarried and the single girl who lived in the other unit, got married. It has been standing empty since a year ago Dec. Kirk comes every so often and mows, etc, but hasn't been here since last Sept. While I was in the Hosp. he came and mowed and also did mine. He did that often. Then we had that ice storm-so I dragged all his bigger tree limbs to the road for pick up, but he hasn't been back yet. Well- I won't report him. We are used to seeing hay fields. We grew up with them.

And that's about the news for now. If you want more I will have to make it up.

Found it

A few blogs back I mentioned a favorite poem of GrandpaVZ- but could not find it. Well here it is.



Around the Corner I have a friend

Around the corner I have a friend, in this great city that has no end.
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on, and before I know it, a year is gone.
I never see my old friends face, for life is a swift and terrible race,
He knows I like him just as well, as in the days when I rang his bell,
And he rang mine --but we were younger then, and now we are busy, tired men.
Tired of playing a foolish game, Tired of trying to make a name.
'Tomorrow' I say! I will call on Jim-just to show that I'm thinking of him.
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes, and distance between us grows and grows.
Around the corner, yet miles away, 'Here's a telegram sir,' 'Jim died today.'
And that's what we get and deserve in the end-
AROUND THE CORNER-A VANISHED FRIEND.

The Best Eraser

We read something at our morning devotional that is to good to keep to ourselves. It has to be past on.

What is memory? What is this faculty that enables us to recall past feelings, sights, sounds, and experiences? By what process are events recorded, stored, and preserved in our brain to be brought back again and again? Much is still mystery.

We do know that memories can be blessings--full of comfort, assurance,--and joy. Old age can be happy and satisfying if we have stored up memories of purity,--faith,--fellowship,--and LOVE. If a saint looks back on a life of Christian service and remembers the faithfulness of HIM who promised: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb. 13-5), his or her sunset years can be the sweetest of all.

But memory can also be a curse and a tormentor. Many people as they approach the end of life would give all they possess to erase from their minds the past sins that haunt them. What can a person do who is plagued by such remembrances?

Just one thing. He or She can take them to the One who is able to forgive them and blot them out forever.

He 's the One who said, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Heb. 10-17"

You may not be able to forget your past. BUT the Lord offers to blot out, "Like a thick cloud, Your transgressions." (Isa. 44:22)

THE BEST ERASER IS HONEST CONFESSION TO GOD.

Isn't this just the best advice ever.? The weather is great today- and I'm ready for more of it. Dave and Elaine are coming over latter this p.m. we plan to go out for early supper, and then play a few games. SJ is doing well, and like someone said- "He's just not at home often any more."

PRAISE THE LORD

A stillness lay upon the earth, as in the eastern sky-the signs appeared in coral tints, that day was drawing nigh; Yet 'neath the shadow of the hill there stood a Roman band, To guard the tomb of Christ my Lord, as Pilate gave command.

But hark! and earthquake rends the rock, the guards fall to the ground; An angel rolls the stone away and Death no more is found; For tis the resurrection day, And Christ in victory - steps forth from out the shrouded tomb - in immortality.

O, hallelujah, HE arose who once was crucified; HE lives, He lives, and I through Him - am fully justified; The bars of Death He tore away, and Satan and his horde are conquered by the living pow'r --Of Christ my risen LORD!

In triumph now He treads the earth - Which once received His blood, And fragrant beauty bursts anew--Like blossoms from the bud, As men behold the mystery-- That He who once was dead- is now alive for evermore- Just as the Scripture said.

And now the centuries have passed , The world in darkness lies; Yet we behold the day unfold Across the morning skies, For Christ who rose to heav'n above Is coming back again, And we shall rise as He arose, And with Him we shall reign.

"The Resurrection and the Life" In Christ the Lord we see, For Life hath overcome the stroke of Death on Calvary; In Him the Victor o'er the grave We stand identified, We live who love Him, since He lives Who once for us hath died.

Then sound His praises from the heart All ye, His ransomed host, Give glory to the Father, Son, and to the Holy Ghost; Awake, O world, to welcome Him Who, from the gates of pearl shall come " with healing in His wings" Love's banner to unfurl.

Behold, He standeth at the door, Then haste thy lamp to trim, Lift up thine eyes in gratitude O Christian, worship HIM! He breaks the fetters from the soul, New life through Him is born, Then praise the living Lord of Life-- On this fair Easter Morn!

This comes from one of moms old Ideal books -- March of 1955. May all of you have a blessed Easter--one of the most beautiful, wonderful, most important event in the Bible -for us-just for the taking.

Me again

Today looks like another nice day. I was just reminiscing while listening to wonderful Easter ,taped music, playing in the living room.

My dad was a great April fool prankster. Not a year went by that he didn't get us some way or another. That's one thing I tried to continue in our family, but I was a failure compared to daddy.

April 1-1997 Cindy called Evonne and said--Mom broke her neck and Evonne said- "April Fools.". No-she really did, replied Cindy. Sometimes I wish it had been an April Fools joke. That little accident made a lot of changes in my life.

The most hurting thing of the whole thing was learning to do some little things again that my grandchildren had no trouble with. Ex. Turning nuts on bolts-putting pegs in holes-moving rings on dowels-etc.

Not really having physical pain really helps when it come to having a burden placed upon you -or having a stint put in- or burning yourself. Anyway- I'm still here and having new challenges every day and thankful for it all. GOD is so good. And that's not April Fools.