Be Still...Amazing sight...

"Happiness held is the seed; 

  Happiness shared is the flower."

                                  -John Harrigan

"Be Still and know I am God." -Psalms 46:10.  I know the Lord was speaking this word to me Friday.  It was one of the first things my eyes, mind, and spirit encountered that day... first in Jesus Calling.  "Let the radiance of My glory shine upon you, as you wait on Me in confident trust.  'Be still and know that I am God.'"  Then I encountered that verse two more times before noon that day.  He always confirms His word (rhema).  Three times in one day is a lot of confirmation, but I was being prepared the night before.

I do not think it was coincidence that I did this edit just the night before.  I think it was a God thing.  The iris is from our backyard, and after the edit, I thought it needed a phrase to complete it.  "Be still" is what I chose.  Fitting too.  Our family is going through a new season, and encountering some challenges.  Sometimes it is hard for me to be still, and let God be God.  I like what Oswald Chambers says, "Invest your faith in the character of God."  What do I know about God's character?...I know God is faithful, patient, trustworthy; causes good to come out of everything, goes before us, and has our backside.  His ways are right, true, and bring life.   I just need to be still, and let Him do his thing...and know He is God.   That calms my heart, and mind.   

  

His glory fills the earth.  His blessings abound...He thrills with His creation.  I am thankful to be a part of it.  Look at what is just down the street from my house.  What an amazing sight!  Just glorious.  The field filled with these Gaillardias is gorgeous, and breath-taking.  The empty field across the street is just as gorgeous...it is filled with these flowers as well.  Two fields, just down the street from my house.  Amazing.  Isn't God good!

Look closely at the right flower to see the bee busy collecting pollen!

I know there are a lot of pictures of the flowers, but I love them all.   I want to share their beauty with everyone.  

Be blessed!

On the road again...

"On the road again...

I just can't wait to get on the road again,

goin' places that I've never been

seein' things that I may never see again."

-Willie Nelson

I have a friend, Gennean, who is a hobby photographer like me, and likes to take off for places known, and unknown in search of great photos.  Our husbands like the fact that we have each other which means they do not have to go on these trips.   We both love the wide open landscape of New Mexico, and it is truly "the land of enchantment."  One of the places we visited was the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital Cemetery just outside of Ft. Stanton, NM.  (est. 1899)

Laid to rest are 1725 merchant mariners, armed forces veterans, their family, and staff.  There are even British veterans...apparently, they were sent here it hopes of recovering from tuberculosis.  I guess they did not make it, and were buried in the cemetery.  It was a beautiful, but sobering sight.

Notice the little dog statue in the middle of, and at the bottom the headstone.

I found these memorials to be of particular interest...

Love the cross, the flag, dog tag, and key

up close...

The love and care that the family has for this individual is so evident.

I was really drawn to this one because of the rocks in the heart shape, and the statue reminding us to be silent.

Someone put a knitted cap on the head of the statue.  So cute... I bet it was a child that did this.

textures: kk_pumpkin, kk_confidence, (softlight 100%), kk_framed (multiply 61%)

presets: kk_golden days, kk_prairies, kk_walnut

We found a group of riders (horseback riders) that were camping not far from the cemetery.  I liked their horses.

They obviously like each other...

We saw interesting buildings...

loved the signs...

and a marvelous rock... I love rocks.

outside of Lincoln, NM...one side...

another side...

and yet another side...

 And then, there was a roadside remembrance of a loved one...this one was obviously a child.   Gennean told me it is custom to leave a penny, or some object to show you have visited the memorial.  We left a quarter, since we had no penny.

And best of all...a chicken hawk who had captured a snake for its next meal.

photo edited by Gennean Hendricks

Our trip netted us a wonderful outing, and some great photos.  I'd say we "scored."

I am linking up to Kim Klassen's texture Tuesday.

Warren...as Elvis...

Every year our church choir puts on "February Follies" as a fundraiser.  This year, our February Follies happened the end of March, because it was cancelled due to a huge winter snow storm.  Warren has participated in the program for many years now, and this year he portrayed Elvis Presley, who he claimed, was not dead...but put in an old folk's home by Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson.  

Elvis (aka Warren) is not dead after all...

Explaining where he's been all these years...

He has sort of let his hair go to "pot".  

I love my "Elvis" 

Easter...Twins...

"Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia

Sons of men, and angels say, Alleluia

Raise your joy, and triumphs high, Alleluia

Sing ye heavens and earth reply, Alleluia

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia

Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia

Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!"

                                   -Charles Wesley

To me, it seemed like Easter came very fast.  It was January...then Easter.  I have much to get caught up on, but I will start with the latest, and save the rest for other blog posts. 

I was able to make a trip to NC to see Luke, and the twins.  It was a very busy, but great trip.  Mostly, I am going to let the pictures tell the story, after all "one picture is worth a thousand words."  

The story begins...

Tate...I think this was his "smile."

Sawyer...how I wish my focus was spot on, but when there are active boys, it doesn't always happen.

 I think the boys rode every toy they had...tricycles, trucks, but this gator, and their two-wheeled bikes seemed to be their favorite.  Sawyer was the first driver.  I was a little leery of his driving skills, but soon found that he kept the steering wheel so the car will only go in a circle.  Whew!  No chasing them down the driveway.

Saturday was a little chilly, but that did not keep us from playing outside.  

Then it was Tate's turn to drive.  Again, my stress level went up, but I found he drives just like Sawyer...in a circle.  Again...relief.

Here they are on their bikes.  They are not very good drivers on them either.  

Tate

Sawyer

They liked to bang front wheels together...I think it is a guy thing...they like to crash.

I tried to get some pictures of them doing ordinary things...their blankets are favorites.  (Sorry, Sawyer's was not in focus, so I just have Tate).

Swimming is a biggie for them...they love the water...

Sawyer

Tate

 After service on Sunday, the church had a huge Easter egg hunt for the kids.  Eggs galore were just out in a field.  When the whistle was blown, the kids could go gather the eggs...that had nothing in them.  At the end of the hunt, the kids dumped them in a container, and got a sack of goodies in return.

Notice that all Sawyer's eggs are orange...

Here, he is going through his eggs, and picking out the peach colored eggs... and getting rid of them by leaving them in the field.  Only orange eggs for Sawyer.  I wonder what that means... that he likes the color orange?

Tate, on the other hand, likes all  colors.  I don't have many pictures of Tate since Luke took him around...I had Sawyer.

All the boys...

More fun with bubble blowing guns...

I love how they are holding hands...

Not quite in focus, but hey...like I said they are boys.

How do you like their smiles...one should never tell kids to smile...

Good times...good times...

I even got a nice photo of a white squirrel...a little out of focus...it must by a male squirrel! 

"For every crucifixion, a resurrection is waiting to follow..."  - John Ashcroft

Be Blessed.