I can’t speak to my father any longer, but now, my shelter is the memory of him. God bless all the fathers on Father’s Day.
Category: People
People – St. Patrick’s Day
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of my grandfather, half-Irish, on his mother’s side. She was born in Galway County, Ireland.
The clover isn’t out yet. A few more days of warmth and the shamrocks will begin to emerge. I always find a four-leaf clover or more in the yard.
Share this:
People – Thank You to Those Who Have Served
In the USA, today, the last Monday in May, we set aside the day to honor our fallen veterans and others who provide outstanding service to others. In that vein of thought, I am using my Mr. Lincoln rose against blue and white to thank those who have given their all and also the men and women who have served.
Mr. Lincoln roses seem appropriate for this week’s In A Vase On Monday challenge. Thank you to Rambling In the Garden for Hosting this weekly challenge. I enjoy taking part in it.
Mr Lincoln’s roses are classic red roses with an outstanding fragrance.
God bless all who have served their countries with humility, honor, and strength.
Share this:
Plants and People – Gratitude
We stopped at the local grocery store on Saturday to pick up a few things. As we walked through the parking lot, a voice called, “Are you hungry?” We turned and saw a fellow townie and an old elementary schoolmate of mine. This person has always been so very generous to us. When we had a pond, he brought me beautiful fish for it, and once, he carried a hefty landscaping rock into our yard. He watched over work done on our sidewalks and front yard when we had to have repairs.
Our friend asked us if we had a bag, and we said yes, and he said bring it over to my truck. We did, and he filled our bags to overflowing with sweet potatoes and the most beautiful cauliflower and broccoli I have ever seen. We had the vegetables that evening steamed lightly until tender. Oh my goodness, they were not only beautiful but scrumptious. My favorite was the purple cauliflower and the chartreuse broccoli. Do you see as I do and find the broccoli resembles small Christmas Trees when separated? I will find and grow the broccoli seeds next year. Thank you so much to our generous friend.
Postscript: I looked up this broccoli, and it is called Romanesco Broccoli. It is considered less bitter and a bit nutty in taste compared to regular broccoli. It also can be nibbled on raw and is perfect for a holiday Charcuterie tray.
Share this:
People – Veterans Day
Share this:
People & Quote – John Henry Newman
John Henry Newman – (1801 – 1890) “John Henry Newman was a Roman Catholic priest and cardinal who converted to Roman Catholicism from Anglicanism in October 1845.” ~ Christian Quotes.
I took this quote to heart. It is a failing of so many of us that we don’t continue to pursue our dreams because someone, or even ourselves, has found fault with what we do. I needed this today since I am working on a project I had set aside for years. It is a bit draining, but it has also made me laugh, and even enjoy, the words I had put to paper. It helped me realize I had created something not bound to the time I’m living in now.
What is meaningful to me is the background of this quote. It is a macro photograph of a piece of watercolor I was not happy with and tore up. I have a whole basket of these scraps, collected for over twenty years. I tweaked the photo a bit in LunaPic and was pleased with the Autumnal appearance of the result.
Don’t be absent from the classroom of your dreams, learn their lessons, take charge and make them count! Do everything feasible to succeed.
Share this:
Place & People – Habitat/Pollinator Garden
Autumn is here, and winter approaches; I find this time of year ideal for planning out the next growing season’s projects. Here is a good one to consider, perfect for individuals or clubs, a good service task for those in 4H, the Boy/Girl Scouts, and various Youth Groups.
Our pet service provider is a person who, besides giving excellent care to our cat, does good for our community too. The Tall Pines State Preserve Pollinator Habitat, planted by Barbara and other volunteers, does what the sign says: provides food, water, cover, and places to raise young. The place is a perfect environment for birds, butterflies, animals and insects.
At one time this land was sunburnt grass and weeds. Now you will find hundreds of flowering plants in the area. Many desolate pieces of ground have the capacity to be turned into a pollinator paradise. This is another way to help nature along in this age of urban sprawl and the diminishing habitats of so many of God’s creatures.
Share this:
Pages & People – The Warner Sisters
Left to Right: Susan B. Warner, Anna B. Warner, William B. Bradbury – Photos courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
After reading Book One of Then Sings My Soul, I was happy to see there were two more volumes. Written by Robert J Morgan, a pastor who loves hymns, the books brings to life the history of each song. In Book One and Two, on the left side of the page is the hymn, the facing page is the history of author and sometimes the composer. Book Three goes into more depth on author and hymn. The story of the Warner sisters is in Book Three.
Have you ever wondered about the author/composer of ‘Jesus Loves Me?’
The author of the words is Anna Bartlett Warner. (1827-1915) Her poem was composed for a novel called Say and Seal, written by her sister Susan B. Warner. (1819 – 1885) The sisters lived in a house on Constitution Island, near West Point. I learned their history in the third volume of Then Sings My Soul. I have all three volumes of these wonderful books. They are filled with hymns and history. The stories are inspiring; I read them in the morning as part of my devotions. I have finished the last volume of the series and would definitely purchase a number four if it is ever written.
The composer of the music, and the well-known chorus is William B. Bradbury. William Bradbury wrote the music for many hymns, a few you might be familiar with are: Just As I Am, Sweet Hour of Prayer, and My Hope is Built on Nothing Less.
Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.
Refrain:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me! This I know,
As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to Me.”
Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.
Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.
Share this:
People & Prayer – Charles F. Stanley
Dr. Charles F. Stanley left this world in April of this year. He has been a blessing to me and to many people all over the world. This is just one of his many quotes that can change a life. This quote came from his book, The Gift of Prayer. I believe as Dr. Stanley wrote, mighty changes can be expected when we, in faith, dwell with God through prayer.
Share this:
People – Happy Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day! I photoshopped an image of my father as a child, probably taken somewhere in the mid-1940’s, within a field of dandelions. The reason behind my whimsical tweaking of an old photo: dandelions spread their seeds far and wide, and Dad spread the Good News and served God throughout his lifetime. His smile never changed, and he was the type of person strangers would approach if they needed help in a crisis. I want to be like Dad and spread the GOOD NEWS in every way I can, until my earthly smile dims and my heavenly smile is born. God bless you all on this special day.
Share this:
Pages/People/Philm – Legends
I am near the end of Killing the Legends – The Lethal Danger of Celebrity – by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. The book is excellent, there are many facts included I did know, and several new insights into the lives of all three men of which I was unaware. The book is so well-written you read along at a quick pace. The book has a few photographs, but not many; I would have enjoyed more photos.
As far as the legends are concerned, I was always fond of one, disliked the other, and was a bit ambivalent about the third. My feelings haven’t changed much after reading, and I realize I should always trust my instincts.
ELVIS was one of three films that lured me into a movie theater in 2022. The other two, Downton Abbey – A New Era, and Where the Crawdads Sing were the others. I enjoyed the latter two, but ELVIS was my favorite. Where the Crawdads Sing was a close second, and after I saw the movie, I bought and read the book.
I am reading Chicken Soup for the Soul – Best Advice I Ever Heard, now, and loving it. A few days ago, I read chapter 51 by author Laurie Davies. Her topic was advice she received from a teacher on how to overcome her fear of elementary school recess. “Walk out onto that playground like it’s yours,” the teacher told her. This is advice I sure wish I had lived by in the past when uneasy or thinking myself out of place. Maybe in my senior years I’ll manage to live by her wise words. That brings my thoughts back to Elvis. He owned the stage he performed on, but through most of his career, offstage, he was owned and controlled by others. He couldn’t escape the web they wove, and was, in the end, consumed by the prison of success.
Share this:
People & Pages – Throwback Thursday/Shirley Temple and Dr. Seuss
Last week I purchased this beautiful book on Shirley Temple. Written by Jerome Beatty and published in 1935, the book is as lovely as the subject.
I loved watching Shirley Temple movies as a child. I still love them in my adult years. Last week, thinking back on the sweet stories, I realized that there were some scenes in the movies that would be deemed politically incorrect in our current age and state of affairs. While there are some portrayals that might need to be explained to a child in today’s politically correct climate, it would be apparent to even a six year old that no harm toward anyone was intended by what is now considered questionable moments.
I was so elated to find the book I began to wish I had all Shirley Temple’s movies on DVD. Would the cancel culture of the 2020’s rip away all evidence of her body of work? I researched buying a set of her movies, found what I was looking for, and placed it in my shopping cart to mull over a bit before I committed to buying. I wish I had bought the set right away.
Fast forward to this week.
Dr. Seuss…criticized, cancelled, perhaps banned. How can this be my world? I must have read Go Dog Go! to my sons well over a hundred times. I can still remember holding them on my lap as I read, and yelling out, ‘A Dog Party,’ at the end of the book. How could anyone sane cancel or ban Dr Seuss? They can’t…this is insanity!
As soon as the brouhaha of the Dr. Seuss fake fiasco reached my ears my indecision vanished; I went to my shopping cart to purchase the Shirley Temple DVD set. It was no longer available. My only choice was to pay $25.00 more for a similar set. Either someone bought all the available lower-priced versions, or the company itself was taking advantage of what they foresaw, as did I, would be the next sweet thing on the chopping block.
The moral of the tale: if you feel something is in danger of being cancelled, or might disappear, find a way to save and treasure it. I am happy to say, I have at least three Dr. Seuss books in the house. They aren’t the books in question, but you can be sure I will look for those in every thrift store I visit.
Share this:
People, Quote – Previously Posted – Peter Marshall
“Peter Marshall (May 27, 1902 – January 26, 1949[1]) was a Scots-American preacher, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and twice appointed as Chaplain of the United States Senate.”
Many thanks to the reader who yesterday commented on this post. She asked a question about a Peter Marshall quote from the book A Man Called Peter. Here’s her question if anyone knows the answer please comment below the post. Thanks!
“There is a quote by Peter Marshall in the book A MAN CALLED PETER that is something like this but I cannot find it: No one knows why one person fall for another but when that attraction becomes mutual, that’s God’s most potent chemistry. Anyone know where to find it? I am sure it’s in that book.” ~Jeanne
Share this:
People – Jack Hibbs
I had never heard of Pastor Jack Hibbs until recently. The Lord knows who, and what ministry, to bring into your life just when you need a bit of reinforcement. I think Pastor Jack Hibbs will have words of encouragement you might be able to relate to current circumstances in all of our lives. He doesn’t seem to be afraid to tell the truth about walking with the Lord and what’s going on in current events. There are many sermons to choose from easily available on YouTube. Here is a wonderful example of biblical wisdom.
Share this:
People – President Trump’s Christmas Address
Share this:
People – JFK – November 22, 1963
I was six years old, a student in Mrs. Johnson’s first grade class, attending school at Mount Pleasant Elementary in Easton, Maryland. I will never forget the day of the assassination. I will never forget the news coverage. At that time you could trust the press, they had integrity, or did they? I wonder what the truth really is concerning JFK’s death. Did he die because he spoke the truth and became an inconvenience to unseen powers? I don’t know…will probably not know until I reach heaven. In the meantime, I will go on living the best life I can, trying to preserve as much good as I’m able…and that’s my theme for the coming year. I’ll write a bit more about that tomorrow.
Share this:
People & Quote – D.L. Moody
“Few people have done more than Dwight L. Moody to evangelize lost souls and mentor and train the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.” Profile in Faith: D.L. Moody by Lyle Dorsett
I’m sharing a song today that I’ve shared before, but I think it is timely in these troubled times.
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” ~Mark 16:15
Share this:
People – Happy Father’s Day
❤ Happy Father’s Day Dad! I love you. ❤
Share this:
Phun – National Smile Day
It’s National Smile Day, not to be confused with World Smile Day, celebrated on October 4th. Every now and then I like to post a photograph of myself so you can see just who is writing this eclectic collection of blog posts. This photograph was taken by my husband. (You can see him reflected in my sunglasses.) We were gathered together with family for a Memorial Day Picnic.
Have a happy Friday and blessed weekend.
