A simple walk down the driveway gave me ample reason to be at peace with whatever is sent my way.  Earlier today I took Maggie, our little Pomeranian, to dogie daycare and found out that the person who runs it has just been diagnosed with cancer.  It was a stinging realization to just how life can change in the matter of a day.  Her life matters.  I know what to do. 
But, in the meantime, right here under my nose is Gods grace poured out and showered down in every small detail. 
A mother robin is out gathering worms for her little ones.....

and another mother sits under cover, waiting the arrival of this years babe.  Her one year old is sitting with her.  They see me and off they run.  Bop, bop, bop!

The wedding area is coming into it's own.  I can see the brides path right through the middle of the green lush cathedral landscape.  We have a few weeks before the big wedding day in this spot.

A wild iris peaks out at me....with more just around the bend. 

Each one a little different.....

...but related to the other.

A little further down the driveway a large mighty maple tree looms ....

and I stop to gaze up at its grandness.

Ahh...there is Bart face to face with a blue jay....he looks at me and looks at the bird.....

..then another bird twitters in.  They spread in opposite directions and ....

Bart scolds! 

It's ok!! 

The eye is....

...the lamp of your body....see the light.? Love the light.....................

...within........

....and upon.

Speaking of light within.....we are so excited to meet our new little "light" soon!

There will be big blue eyes!

Happy Easter! He is Risen!

Sweet resurrection!! Because of this, we ALL have such REAL HOPE!!

John 20:1-18 (New International Version)

The Empty Tomb 1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene 10Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"
"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
16Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "
18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Let Heaven and Nature Sing!

The sweetest story ever told and one that changes lives forever!

God Bless and Merry Christmas! Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,

18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Taken from Bible Gateway.

Santa Lucia and The Angel!

Santa Lucia is celebrated on December 13th. The story is told that Santa Lucia was a beautiful Christian maiden who lived many centuries ago in Rome. Because she refused to give up her religion to marry a pagan, she was burned at the stake by order of the Emperor Diocletian. Her saint's day falls on December 13, a day that was celebrated even in pre-Christian Sweden as the beginning of the Festival of Light-Winter Solstice, the day when they say that "the sun stands still."
We are going to attend a vespers service at a local Orthodox church this evening. After the service there will be a Santa Lucia celebration. The church will be warmly lit with candles, the air will smell of incense and several young maidens will come into the sanctuary wearing white dresses, candles on their heads, and bearing plates of cookies. It will be a joyful time!
The picture below is of our daughter, when she was the Lucia Queen, several years back. It is a fond memory! Laura Jane is wearing her Aunt Christine's white velvet wedding dress. Christine is with all the other saints now. She was given the name "Lucia" when confirmed into the Orthodox Church and before going to her final home.

My mother, the angel. This is a most prized photo and priceless, to say the least! Mom was born in 1910, and the youngest of twelve children. Her mother took the time to get her into this angel dress and take the picture. You can see that my mother was not all that thrilled with the pose but she was trying her best! It's just the sweetest picture to look at! I imagine there was a Christmas pageant, and mom was the angel come to bid "Glad Tidings of Great Joy, For Unto Us A Child Is Born!"
May you all hear the message that my mom brings, "Christ is born!" May you have a very blessed Christmas season!!

Prayer Power by Peter Lundell

A blog tour to help strengthen your prayer-life

In Prayer Power, author Peter Lundell shares his own personal struggle with communicating with God and provides insight from examples in Psalms and the gospels for Christians to examine to bulk up their prayer life. Lundell ends each chapter with growth gauges and suggested prayer activities to encourage and establish routine prayer time. You'll find his honest approach to prayer refreshing, his transparency encouraging and his instruction helpful and practical.

In the crazy world around us, our prayers may too often seem ineffective. PRAYER POWER is the tool you can use to build a more powerful and dynamic life of prayer.Intensely practical and straightforward, PRAYER POWER helps you improve on thirty essential facets of prayer such as passion, routine, fasting, praying with others, listening to God, handling distractions, and spiritual warfare. In each brief chapter you'll be inspired by stories of people whose lives of prayer give us powerful examples.PRAYER POWER can be used as a month-long devotional, a prayer guide, or a reference for help in specific areas. Whether you're a new believer or think you've heard it all, this book's refreshing and honest insight will guide you to a deeper connection with God.

Peter Lundell, a former missionary to Japan, is a pastor at Walnut Blessing Church in Walnut, California. He has an MDiv and DMiss from Fuller Theological Seminary and is the founder of the Walnut Valley Pastors' Prayer Network. Lundell is the author of two books, and his articles have appeared in magazines such as Guideposts and Pray!

GRAND PRIZE BUNDLE INCLUDES:
(leave a comment for an opportunity to win this great package)

Prayer Power by Peter Lundell
When God Turned off the Lights by Cecil Murphey (Cec is one of Peter's mentors)
Committed but Flawed by Cecil Murphey
Also includes: Prayer Journal, Pen, and Candle

Please share this blog tour with other interested bloggers you talk with along the way this week! I will draw a name from all who have commented and send it on for the grand prize drawing at Willis Communications. http://www.kathycarltonwillis.com/ Publisher: Revell (1/1/09)
Language:English
ISBN-10: 0800732634
ISBN-13: 978-0800732639
240 pages
Retail: $12.99

After the August rain....

Things are becoming more green and blooming once again, almost as if it were spring! The violets have spread their seed and here I find new little plants to brighten this walkway! Off in the distance you can see the lawn becoming quite green and lush. Variegated Geraniums are among my favorite plants. The leaves alone are enough to keep me growing them and when the blooms have faded they continue to draw attention to themselves.
The Delphiniums have come back only in a smaller and less heavy bloom. The color is lighter and the plants have spread out. They are not top heavy and will last longer in the garden.
These little Pansy's are turning their heads up to say "Hi!" They remind me of my mom. She would talk to her pansy's like they were listening..and some say they do! I was given this red Jackson Perkins rose as a gift to remember my dear friend, Donna, who passed away two years ago. Last year it didn't do much but this year it's giving me some beautiful long stemmed beauties! Thank you Kim and Bette!!

Below is the "wedding lawn" and it is greening up quickly after the heavier August rain we had over last week. For those of you who have heard that we have a lot of rain and think we live with constant downpour....that isn't the case in the summer. And for those of you who live where there is drought, you know how much rain is appreciated when you get it. We almost feel that way all year long! There is a certain enjoyment that comes from rain...it is life giving and life sustaining! Light + Water = LIFE. My life is based on this concept of loving God(Light), listening to and learning His word(water).
Sunflower seeds were planted in July and they are about to bloom. It has changed the way the herb garden looks due to the height of these plants. The Sunflowers love the sun and they give protection to the other plants that appreciate a little shade. Next year I'm going to "back plant" shade plants in a full sun area by using tall specimens. In other words, shade will be created so that other kinds of plants that don't like the sun can thrive. Make sense? Have a great weekend!! It's the last weekend before school starts here in the Northwest and is commonly used for getting a lot of yard and house work done! I'm going to get started on mine now.

A thought to ponder....

August is a month when the flowers, vegetables and anything growing comes into it's own. I am amazed at what my little plants have turned into! I had to trust that the plants would grow and fill in the empty space. This is much like life and a thought to ponder!

These pictures were taken today after a light rain. The weeds are something to fight right now but even they are kind of pretty! I wish the deer would eat them!! The photos below are of one area and on the south side of our home.

Zucchini PlantsCosmos

Side Garden in Full Bloom
Transplanted Wild Piggy Back with Spider Web

Ivy and weed
More of the same garden

Black Eyed Susan
Salvia/Lipstick
"O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man who trusteth in him" and "The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament showeth his handiwork..."
Psalm 34:8 and Psalm 119:1