|
Posted on 04/30/2021 10:23:24 PM PDT by JustAmy
|
My lawn is like concrete. Has been challenging digging in the edging for the lily garden. Got the edging in though. Took a few days in the heat. Planted about 3/4 of it and it’s shaping up nicely.
Have a good night
Heading off to work in the morning
đ«âïžđđ
Nite! Hope your lilies thrive and give you great pleasure! đș
Thank You!
I rode mostly around Plymouth and Bristol County, through a lot of farmland, cranberry bogs, and little towns.
Bible in a Year:
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
There are some images so powerful they can never be forgotten. That was my experience when I viewed a famous photograph of the late Princess Diana of Wales. At first glance, the captured scene looks mundane: smiling warmly, the princess is shaking the hand of an unidentified man. But itâs the photographâs story that makes it remarkable.
On April 19, 1987, when Princess Diana visited London Middlesex Hospital, the United Kingdom was engulfed in a wave of panic as it confronted the AIDS epidemic. Not knowing how the diseaseâwhich often killed with terrifying speedâwas spread, the public at times treated AIDS victims like social pariahs.
So it was a stunning moment when Diana, with ungloved hands and a genuine smile, calmly shook an AIDS patientâs hand that day. That image of respect and kindness would move the world to treat victims of the disease with similar mercy and compassion.
The picture reminds me of something I often forget: freely and generously offering the love of Jesus to others is worth it. John reminded early believers in Christ that to let love wither or hide in the face of our fear is really to live âin deathâ (1 John 3:14). And to love freely and unafraid, filled and empowered with the Spiritâs self-giving love, is to experience resurrection life in all its fullness (vv. 14, 16).Â
Reflect & Pray
When are you most prone to let fear stifle your love for others? How can you grow in experiencing and sharing the Spiritâs boundless love within those fearful places?
God of love, You are love, and to live in love is to live in You. I long to live with that kind of fearless, joyous love. Fill me with Your Spirit, and carry me ever deeper into Your love, until fear dissolves and Your love flows freely through me.
Sounds like a lovely drive!
|
Bible in a Year:
Do not despise the Lordâs discipline.
When I took a family studies class in college, we were asked to write a âfamily historyââa record of the key events that make up oneâs childhood. This included the patterns that characterized typical family life and the methods of discipline we experienced. We all had at least one instance of a parent misapplying discipline and leaving an emotional or physical scar. Understandably, traumatic experiences like these may affect the way we interpret our heavenly Fatherâs discipline.
In Proverbs 3:11â12, the wise teacher invites readers to accept Godâs discipline. The word discipline could be translated âcorrection.â As a good and loving Father, God speaks through His Spirit and the Scriptures to correct self-destructive behavior. Godâs discipline is relationalârooted in His love and His desire for whatâs best for us. Sometimes it looks like consequences. Sometimes God prompts someone to point out our blind spots. Often, itâs uncomfortable, but Godâs discipline is a gift.
But we donât always see it that way. The wise man cautioned, âDo not despise the Lordâs disciplineâ (v. 11). Sometimes we fear Godâs discipline. At other times we misinterpret bad things in our lives as Godâs discipline. This is far from the heart of a loving Father who disciplines because He delights in us and corrects because He loves us.
Instead of fearing Godâs discipline, may we learn to accept it. When we hear Godâs voice of correction in our hearts or experience conviction when reading Scripture, may we thank God that He delights in us enough to lead us to whatâs best.
Reflect & Pray
How do you recognize Godâs discipline? How do you sense the love of God in the midst of it?
God, help me to recognize Your discipline so that I can discover the freedom You offer.
|
Well some bad news here, we had a violent wind storm here at 5:45 pm and it blew out the 2 roof panels of my under-construction greenhouse and they were flapping in the wind (we later removed them, one is creased and one still use-able). These were the west side panels, the other side didn’t have any panels yet. Will need to order a replacement for the bent panel.
The hot tub cover which is held by metal pipes to the tub, flew into the woods and the attachment metal tore a hole and crack in the outer shell of the tub.
And...my many big flower pots, and green pepper pots are a mess. My zinnia garden....who knows.
I inspected the house roof and found no missing shingles.
I thanked God the house is OK.
I guess the worst wind was 70-80mph. Lasted too long for me, but probably less than 5 minutes. Lesser wind was going for a while and copious rainfall.
The greenhouse panels are expensive “Lexan”. I guess it was good we only had 2 of the 4 roof pieces on, and no other Lexan areas started (the wall pieces).
The house creaked bad when that gust came through. I am grateful the house and barn are OK.
đŹ
Oh, my goodness! I was hoping those high winds had missed your area. I’m just glad that all of you are all right. Insurance will help with the damage, right?
Well I looked up my deductible and it is $5000 . We will be under that in losses probably. I feel a lot better than a few hours ago. Was very scary.
I had a childhood tornado/straight line wind experience with harrowing memories that make such wind storms anxiety-producing. Our farm was leveled when I was about 10 years old. Thank God the house stood it and we all survived in the basement. But we emerged to see flattened barns and farm animals loose and some injured. Very traumatic. My poor parents must have been so devastated. We kids were scared.
It was 95 and humid today. Very oppressive. I skipped riding the horse today. Was way too hot. Tomorrow I will repair what flower pots I can, dice and freeze any ripe green peppers, and see what broken stuff I can trim off in the big flower garden.
Was a great garden year until today!
đ
You worked so hard on your garden for that to happen to it. I’m glad you’re over your scare. I have always been terrified of tornadoes, and have never seen one. I had an uncle who, if a storm cloud c!ame up, yelled TORNADO just to see me freak out. He was sweet with an evil streak. LOL
Thank God you’re OK.
As a former FL resident, I know wind can do some real damage.
Hearing the house creak like that was terrifying. Last night before dark I made sure we didn’t lose any roof shingles. Later I realized we were lucky the garage door didn’t buckle in, as the wind was coming from that direction.
Feeling a bit queasy this morning. Lots of stuff to clean up outside, like the broken plants in the big pots. Will just tear out the really badly damaged ones and store the pots in the shed for next year.
Big picture...the house is OK.
đ
Bible in a Year:
Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
From a manmade bridge on the small Caribbean island of Eleuthera, visitors can admire the stark contrast between the roiling dark blue waters of the Atlantic and the calm turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Over time, storms washed away the original strip of land once marked by a natural stone arch. The glass window bridge that now serves as a tourist attraction on Eleuthera is known as âthe narrowest place on earth.â
The Bible describes the road that leads to eternal life as narrow âand only a few find itâ (Matthew 7:14). The gate is considered small because God the Son is the only bridge that can reconcile fallen man and God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit (vv. 13â14; see John 10:7â9; 16:13). However, Scripture also says that believers from every people, nation, and societal rank can enter heaven and will bow before the King of Kings and worship together around His throne (Revelation 5:9). This phenomenal image of contrast and unity includes all of Godâs beautifully diverse people.
Though weâre separated from God by our sin, every person God created is invited to enter eternity in heaven by walking this narrow path of reconciliation through a personal relationship with Christ. His sacrifice on the cross, resurrection from the tomb, and ascension to heaven is the good news, accessible to all and worth sharing today and every day.
Reflect & Pray
How did you respond after hearing the good news? How can you be more intentional about sharing it with others?
God the Father, please empower me through Your Holy Spirit so I can show others the accessible path that leads to Your approachable Son, Jesus.
“The house is OK”
Praise The Lord!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
