Amazing!

i saw the link for this video of an underwater volcano erupting near Tonga, and was too intrigued not to watch it.  Click here for the link.

My thoughts, though, were something like this:

“AMAZING!  But Dude, do you realize you are IN.THE.WATER.ABOVE.A.VOLCANO.WHILE.IT.IS.ERUPTING-are you mad?!?!?! MOVE THE BOAT!!!”

Am i alone in this thinking? :-)

i do have to add that only God could design something as incredible as underwater volcanoes.

And those are my thoughts for the day.  Y’all have a nice Saturday.

Just long enough!

Well, we’re back.

Already.

Didn’t we just leave?

Oh, yeah.  We did!  i guess those long weekends are just never quite long enough.  But, this one was long enough to sleep really good in a bed with big, fluffy pillows and warm comforters for two nights.

And just long enough to let us watch “Gran Torino” with Clint Eastwood one night (recommended!) and Best Picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire” the next.  (HIGHLY recommended!)

Long enough to have popcorn for dinner two nights :-)

It was long enough for us to grab a late night pizza at our favorite place, Bearno’s.

Long enough to have Ms. Garmin direct our route all over that gorgeous countryside, so we could enjoy even more of it in a shorter time.

The weekend was long enough to let us have a little bit of warmth, followed by a lot of cold and snow.  Which gave us just enough beauty, while allowing just enough safety on the roadways.  (Unfortunately, i couldn’t take pictures and drive.  But it was amazing.  Icicles on limestone walls?  Stunning!  Snow-covered trees?  Heavenly!  i so wish i was a photographer!  i hope my mental camera had plenty of film!)

The wintry weather worried us just enough to get us on the road a little early, missing our favorite “vacation church,” but cleared up just early enough that we were able to catch a service at a never-seen-before church that we enjoyed, too. (Clicking on that link will show you a tiny glimpse of what we saw all weekend!)

We had just enough time to get home before dark, and see the kids before they went to bed.

i guess maybe our weekend away was just long enough, after all…

Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful weekend with My Man.  i am abundantly blessed.  It is always such a joy to be able to step back from the daily grind and slow down.  Look around.  Actually notice the surroundings.  Be given the time to have an actual conversation, free of constant interruptions.

My prayer now, Father, is that my readers will have the same opportunity to find a few minutes, hours or days to rest.  Relax.  Enjoy the beauty surrounding us that You created, God.  To see You, in all Your Glory, and praise You.

i pray that they will be able to spend that much needed quality time with their spouse, and reconnect as a couple.   i pray that they take the time to enjoy being together.

Thank you, Lord, for knowing just what we need, when we need it. Thank you, Lord, for knowing exactly when we’ve had just enough…Amen.

Robins in the Rain

We’ll pick up where i left off yesterday. i had just witnessed a brief, yet spectacular sunny rain shower.

Mere moments after those few drops stopped falling, my yard was covered in birds. There were at least ten of them, mostly robins, and one little bird wearing a vibrant blue feather-coat. He’s the one who caught my eye. i sat still, watching, wondering where they all came from. It is just early February, after all.

That’s when i saw it. Nearly every bird was tugging a worm from his dark, earthen home. i was amazed that just a light misting was enough to draw those worms to the surface, and even more amazed that so many birds were able to find a meal so easily.

Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? ” – Luke 12:22-26 (NLT)

Photo courtesy of Truk71 on flickr

 

i was witnessing a real-life example of God’s provision. Maybe i needed the reminder.

Maybe right now, with our economy in turmoil, the stock market all over the place, retirement savings disappearing, jobs being lost….maybe right now we all need the reminder.

We so easily forget that God is all we need. That He is our Provider. He doesn’t want us worrying about anything, because He has it all under control. All we are asked to do is trust that God will take care of our needs, so we can get on with the important stuff – living life!

So what about you? Do you trust Him to be your Provider, or are you wasting time looking for worms when it hasn’t rained yet?

The Heavens were Proclaiming!

My sky looked like this much of the day yesterday.  A little rain was predicted, and a little rain is what we got.  i noticed at one point when i looked outside that the sun was shining, but a light shower was falling stright down to my parched yard.  (“The devil’s beating his wife,” my mom used to say when it was raining and sunny all at once.)

i love it when it does that.  Nature is just so amazing!

This scene reminded me immediately of one of my favorite passages: 

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
      The skies display his craftsmanship.
 Day after day they continue to speak;
      night after night they make him known.
 They speak without a sound or word;
      their voice is never heard.
 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
      and their words to all the world.” – Psalm 19:1-4 (NLT)

Sometimes we are so busy with all our plans we don’t take the time to “stop and smell the roses.”  Or smell the most perfect, natural perfumes ever created.  Or watch the rain fall in the sunshine.

Regardless of how busy we are, all we have to do is take a moment and look around and see that God is with us.  He’s made sure the heavens and the earth will remind us that He’s right here!

Yes, Lord – the heavens surely proclaim Your Glory!  Thank you for giving me eyes to see the beauty you have given us to live in.  Thank you for giving us ears to hear nature sing praises to you.  Thank you for allowing us the pleasure of smelling damp earth after the rain.  God, may you slow us down long enough in our hectic lives to notice…Amen