wings of refuge

                                                                       Source: spic.kr via Joyce on Pinterest

May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, 

the God of Israel, 

under whose wings you have come to take refuge. 

Ruth 2:12:b

          

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!

People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 36:7

Surely he will save you

from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night, 

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, 

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

Psalm 91:3-5

yesterday's storm

Before Strike's game got started we all got chased away from it by a storm - albeit a beautiful storm. Fun tho' .... driving in and out of it along the edge of it. Strike captured this pic on my i-phone.

thoughts re: struggling

  

                                                       Source: essentialingredient.wordpress.com via Joyce on Pinterest

²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome." Genesis 32:28

***

¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

***

transformed - metamorfoo -  to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure

There's an old legend about a man who watched and watched and watched a butterfly struggling to force its whole body thru' a tiny hole in its chrysalis Finally the man thought he'd help the butterfly and he slit the chrysalis just enough to allow it to emerge easily - which it did! But ... the butterfly never was able to fly.

The restricting chrysalis and the difficult struggle to emerge from it were critical elements of the plan God had for that butterfly. Both were designed to force the fluid from the butterfly's swollen body into its wings so that, when the time was right, it would be ready and able to fly (enjoy freedom!).

***

⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:4,5a

creativity simply defined

Source: designworklife.com via Joyce on Pinterest

just hangin' around

This fella seems to like hangin' out in our backyard

"wordless" wednesday

Perhaps the fact that I was at a loss for words is the very reason I was "drawn to the garden" as I tried to think of how we might attempt to comfort and encourage our friends as they mourn the sudden death of their son. And perhaps it's also the "why" behind why we ended up on their doorstep bearing bulbs and seeds of all things. Bleeding Hearts. Forget-Me-Nots. Sunflowers. Morning Glories. I hope/pray that in time, as butterflies, bees and birds interact with the "something beautiful" they're designed to become, such interactions will serve as timely encouragement (when they need it most) to draw near to God and rest assured that in doing so He will draw near to them.

⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.

James 4:8

visitors

Not sure if they're finally finding our feeders - or if it was just that I was enjoying a very low key day and so I noticed them more than usual.  Whatever it was, I sure enjoyed their company today.