Reasons to be thankful

 Hello Folks ~ I pray that you are staying well, that you are finding things to do, enjoying the good and the beauty in each day. 

Let's see, I am thankful for a surprise food/goodie bag from a dear friend this past Sat. Hard not to hug each other, but we refrained from doing so.

It's been two weeks since I've been 'out'. I need to start up my van and let it run for a few minutes. When this health situation is all over, I've a story to tell you. Right now, I've just the beginning of the story, ending hasn't happened yet. It is something I am thankful for, not something I was looking for.

 I am thankful for prayer. Something I can do for the whole world at this time, thankful for prayers for myself from others.

I am thankful I have been blessed with this little home. Thankful for gardens to work in, in the company of birds, butterflies and bees, and for the wonderful scents that fill the air. I'm thankful for my 4 feline girls.

I just changed the sofa cover from fall/winter, to spring/summer. Not showing the rest of the room in the photo below, this 'mess' is enough.

 

 The above made me feel cozy, below makes me feel happy.

 
 Miss Tork has been displaced from her bedroom wicker chair where she sometimes naps, because of clean laundry piled in it. I woke up from a nap the other day, and there she was up on top, that made me laugh righ out loud. She's such a good girl and a comfort to me.

 I've started working in my main front garden, didn't feel like working outside today, need to do things indoors like fold and put away 3 loads of laundry. (I'm a procrastinator.)

Front path before

After - not quite finished with this path, as I've only done up to the garden gate. That black bag is full of weeds, trimmings, etc. Sidewalk and road are to the left out through the gate. Maybe 6' to the sidewalk and another 10' to the 5 lane road. The traffic has certainly been a LOT LIGHTER now that we are to stay home, no school or much work traffic, and no going out to eat or out on the town.

 

Now here is the main path into this garden. Still needs work but I did make forward progress. Before and after. I need to pull the 'faux' grass path to the right, to make it more centered. It has shifted.

Now for some floral eye candy. I am so thankful to have these 'beauty blessings' in my life, especially now. I won't name them, too many. May they bring some joy into your lives, and hope for a brighter future.

I've read up on building up immunity and ordered a few things. Vit C ascorbate (best), elderberry syrup, echinacea/goldenseal, VitD3 with K2, Manuka honey, nutritional yeast, Cal-Mag Citrate Effervescent Powder Supplement with Vitamin C for Stress Relief, I think that's it. I have some herbal teas, I have Moringa powder that I need to put in capsules, more procrastination. :-)

I've been watching a lot of uplifting, inspiring, encouraging you tube videos. Plus gardening videos, the British bake off series, and nature documentaries. I read my Bible and devotionals and  of course pray.

I want to share 3 verses with you, in  hopes that they will encourage, comfort and give you hope.

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 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10 KJV

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 NIV

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deut. 31:6 NKJV

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Love, hugs & prayers,

FlowerLady

 

Casting all your cares

Good morning Friends ~ I pray that you are all well and finding enjoyment and contentment in this time of 'isolation'. We may be isolated from physically being with others, but let's not completely isolate ourselves but reach out to each other, encouraging, loving and praying for one another. 

Today I want to share a devotional I received yesterday from 'Grace Gems'.  My dear husband gave me the link to this website many, many years ago because when he saw it he thought it would be something I would like. I do and have been blessed over and over again, especially since God called him home 7 years ago. This particular writing was written in 1864, it is beautiful and comforting. It is based on God's caring for us.

A little less than a month before my husband left this planet, I came home from work one day, and as I came in the door, he called out to me from the bedroom. "The verse for the day is, 'Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you.'" Every time I hear or read that verse found in 1 Peter 5:7, my heart is blessed and encouraged at that memory and in the beauty of God's caring for us.

May you be blessed and find comfort in this beautiful writing.

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From: 'Grace Gems'

 I am the object of God's tender, paternal, and ceaseless care!

    ("Comfort for the Desponding--Words to Soothe and Cheer Troubled Hearts!" 1864)

"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you!" 1 Peter 5:7

The Christian's life is very much made up of cares and comforts.
Cares spring from earth--comfort comes from Heaven.
Cares prove him a sinner--holy comforts prove him a saint.
Cares flow in from a variety of quarters--true comfort from only one quarter.
Cares come naturally--but comforts come supernaturally.

Cares must be cast on our God--or they will prove a burden too heavy for us. They will depress us, bewilder us, and make us wretched. But here is our comfort--we have always ONE to care for us, and the very One which of all others we would wish to do so, "The Lord cares for you!"

God cares for whom?
For you, who are born again by the Spirit.
For you, who are strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For you, who are placed in humble circumstances, being numbered with the poor of this world.
For you, who are compassed about with so many cares, and who enjoy so few comforts.
For you, who are surprised at your many fiery trials, as though some strange thing had happened unto you.
For you, who are worried and harassed by Satan, who, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour.
For you, who are persecuted by the world, and hated by men for your Savior's sake.
For you, to whom Christ is precious--as He is to every one who truly believes in Him.

God's care extends to every Christian . . .
  the young and the aged,
  the weak and the strong,
  the poor and the wealthy,
  the doubting and the confident.
Believer, He cares for you!

Who is it that cares for us?
It is the Lord, the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy;
who is so great--that we have no adequate conception of His greatness;
who is so good--that it is impossible fully to set forth His goodness;
who is so glorious--that no sinner can see His face and live.
It is He . . .
   who created all things with His word,
   who governs all by His wisdom,
   and upholds all by His power.
His resources are infinite,
His compassion is exquisite, and
His patience is astonishingly great.
He enters into all the circumstances of His redeemed people, is ever present with them, and rejoices over them to do them good.

The angels obey Him,
the seraphim adore Him,
and all creation glorifies Him!

But though He is so exalted, so holy, and so unspeakably great . . .
  He cares for you--as vile as you are.
  He cares for you--as sinful as you are.
  He cares for you--as depressed and discouraged as you are.
He cares for you. He cares for you individually, and according to the circumstances in which you are placed.

What does He do?
He cares for you!
He thinks of you!
He watches over you!
He sympathizes with you!
He feels the deepest interest in you!
He ever seeks your welfare!
He infallibly secures your good!

Your misery touches His heart,
your needs lie open to His view,
and your cries enter into His ears!

He cares for you more than for the proudest monarch on his throne!

He cares for you--and His care is CONSTANT!
It is not fitful or occasional--but ever the same.

He cares for you--and His care is PATERNAL!
It is the care of a father for his child--the child whom he tenderly loves, and for whose welfare he feels the deepest concern.

He cares for you, and His care is PERPETUAL!
He will never care for you less than He does at present.
When old age weakens you,
when poverty pinches you,
when death appears just before you--
He will care for you as much as He does at this moment.

He cares for you--and His care is BENEFICIAL!
It prevents innumerable evils--and secures the greatest possible amount of good. His care is more advantageous than the care of the kindest father, though that father were monarch of the mightiest empire, and possessed unbounded wealth. The care of God is of more value than the care of all His creatures combined.

He cares for you--but His care is MYSTERIOUSLY EXERCISED!
It benefits us certainly--but secretly. It conceals itself behind the blessings it brings, and the evils it prevents.

He cares for you--and His care is SPECIAL!
It is not the care which He has for the beasts which perish, or the unbelieving sinners who die under His frown.

He cares for you--and His care is PARTICULAR.
It is care which extends to the very hairs of your heads, which, are all numbered--and to all the events and occurrences of your life, however minute or commonplace!

Beloved, here is our comfort. We may lose the care of an earthly relative or dear friend by death--but the Lord ever lives; and while He lives, He . . .
  ever loves us,
  thoroughly knows us, and
  never ceases to care for us!

Here is the ground of our confidence for the future. We know not where we shall be, nor what we shall be--for we know not what a day may bring forth. But this we know, that God will care for us, and, caring for us--He will fulfill His precious promises to us.

If God cares for us, then . . .
   let us cast all our cares upon Him;
   let us live in daily fellowship with Him;
   let us seek all our supplies from Him.

If God cares for us, then let us not dishonor Him by nursing our doubts, or encouraging our fears--but let us trust in Him at all times, for . . .
  His love is true,
  His care is constant, and
  His knowledge is perfect.

We shall never be without a divine friend--however trying our circumstances may be. We shall never be without a divine guide--however perplexing or difficult our path may be. The care of God is more than the care of all the angelic hosts. If the care of God is not sufficient to preserve, supply, and satisfy us--then nothing is.

May the Lord help me to believe this precious truth, to realize it daily, and to pass through the present world under the impression, "I am the object of God's tender, paternal, and ceaseless care!"

"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you. He will never let the righteous fall!" Psalm 55:22

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May God bless and keep you all safe. May we all be drawn closer to God.

Love, hugs & prayers ~ FlowerLady

Forward Progress in Secret Garden

Good Friday afternoon Friends ~ I hope you are all doing well, finding things to do in this mandatory 'down time'. I've been working outside, 2-3 hours in the mornings. It feels good getting things done outside before the heat and humidity really come down on us. Had a few sprinkles today, could use a good watering and we still may get a shower the way the clouds are looking.

My gift of groceries was just delivered a little while ago. Now I won't have to think about going out until the end of next week or the beginning of the next one. Last night I cooked up some brown rice with herbs, spices and olive oil, then mixed in a drained can of Navy beans. Pretty tasty and filling. I have three kinds of rice, and several different kinds of dried beans, so if worse comes to worse, I've got those to fix and eat. Beans are good for us. I do have some canned goods, and chicken and ground beef and ground lamb in the freezer.  Saving the lamb for Easter.

I didn't know until this morning what I would fix for my bday dinner today, and right now, dough is making in my bread machine for pizza crust. I have a good sauce, some Italian sausage, olives and the moz. cheese. Have the ingredients to make my bday celebratory drink also, a margarita. 

The scents filling the air here are wonderful, jasmine, roses, and two types of gardenias. There were birds, bees, butterflies and even a hummingbird visiting while I was in the 'secret garden' this morning. What a thrill!

Below are pics of the Tahitian Gardenia. This is wonderful!!!!

 

 This is how the 'secret garden' looked in October last year, and how it still was when I decided to take out that shrub in the front a month or so ago.

 

 This is how it looked on the 16th. Getting that shrub out of there took some time, roots I'm sure had gone down into the drain field, from out of the pot that the plant was in, that's why it was doing so well.

Next, from the 18th.

Today's look, still some tweaking to do, but I'm happy.

This tree limb above, came down in either 2004 or 2005 with those three hurricanes that we had. It is beautiful and my dear husband made a stand for it and it's bolted into the bottom, but after this many years, with decay, it's wobbly. I've got it propped up in the back with bricks, etc. and also with that piece of 2x2 on the one side. It feels sturdy today, and yesterday I saw a cat up on it. ;-)

Here are some more pics  of flowers, etc.

This is an epiphyte, they grow all over, with no help from me.

 

Front patio, which is still being tweaked.

 

A knockout rose.

 

Azaleas

 

Can't remember offhand what this is.

 

Reed orchids.

 

Thunbergia

 

 Ok, that's it for now. Be well, be calm, be thankful.

I do have times of 'worry attacks', but when they happen, I pray and thank Jesus for taking care of me. Reading Psalms 91  and other Bible scripture is wonderful for filling our minds and hearts with God's goodness and His promises to us. There are lots of you-tube videos that are spiritually uplifting, as well as plenty of devotionals, and ministers giving encouraging msgs. We don't have to fill our minds with all of the negative stuff that is being put out.

This experience will be a thing of the past. Going through it will teach us things, about life, about ourselves and about God, and make us appreciate so much more, things we might have taken for granted. We can do our part by staying home more, cleanliness, etc. Prayer works wonders too.

Thank you for all of your kind comments. 

FlowerLady