A Well-Watered Garden

Saturday was a drizzly, cool day.  It's July, folks!  I say that more for my benefit than yours.  Some of you are sweltering in triple digit heat and would be glad for some cool, moist weather, right?  We, however, have waited 9 months for our normal sunny, dry summer.  It ain't happenin'!

The Lord of the heavens and earth has seen fit to provide more moisture.  So I determined to remember the beauty of my garden, sun or not.  Sun was not in the Lord's plans on Sunday either.  It poured all day!

He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

Isaiah 58:11

Lilies

Shasta Daisy

Crocasmia and Clematis in background

Petunias

Foxgloves

Lily

4th of July Roses-Fireworks in the Rain!

Hollyhocks

Hydrangea

Autumn Joy Sedum

Mexican Feather Grass

I added this one to remind me that the Lord has given us several sunny days this summer.  

He is still on the throne and my hope comes from Him, not the weather.

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

I'm linking up with these blog parties:

Dayle at A Collection Of This And That

Internet Cafe

Katie Lloyd Photography

An Announcement...

of almost Biblical proportions!  

To us, anyway.

So without further ado, may I present:

Our granddaughter 

fresh from God on May 24th at 5:05 a.m. 

7lbs. 4oz., 18 3/4"

10 fingers.  10 toes.

Blue eyes, fine hair with hints of blond and copper.
Welcome to the world, little angel!

14 hours old
Here's the blow by blow:
May 23rd, 9:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.  Talking on the phone with D#2

Her:  "Been feeling something, contractions, I think, about every 1/2 hour since late this afternoon."

Me *trying to sound supportive, not anxious*: 

"You know your body.  You'll know if it's labor. 

Perhaps you could call your midwife to see if it is 'something'."

Her:  "Oh, I'll just see if they continue."

Me:  "Have you been timing them?"

Her: "Sort of..."

Me:  "Maybe you and [SIL] could start recording the times."

Her, sounding a little anxious and hopeful:

"Oh, we'll just see what happens."
11:30 p.m.-Phone call saying she's definitely in labor!

May 24th, 1:15 a.m.-Dear Husband and I are awakened out of a sound sleep
by a text saying "We're on our way to the hospital!"
6:15 a.m.- I'd just exited the shower.  My cell rings.
I run with it to the living room where Dear Husband is still reading the paper.
SIL says we have a
granddaughter!
She and Mommy are doing well.
My baby has a baby.
Selah.  Pause and calmly think of that, Karen.

DH and I headed to work for a few hours.  Then we drove up to meet her.

I keep telling myself:  This brand-new little girl is my granddaughter...

and his, too...

and now my Mom is a Great-Grandma!

4 Generations

Still can't believe what a miracle you are!

10 days old.  Wearing an outfit I got her.
Glamorous pink bow, a gift from her other Grandma.

Thank You, Lord, for this precious gift straight from Your loving hands and heart!

I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to You among the nations.

Psalm 57:9 Amplified

I know that several of you dear blogger friends have been 

checking up here for this.

Cate, Joyfull, Mary, Jo-anne "Blossy," Heidi, and Donna hope this was worth waiting for.

Thanks for sharing this joy with our family!

God bless you all.

Love,

Linking with
Time-Warp Wife for

Internet Cafe for

Courtney @ Living Well Wednesday

Iris @ Grace Alone for

Beverly's Pink Saturday

Charlotte and Ginger @ Spiritual Sundays

Even Solomon...

I [the LORD] will love them freely...

I will be like the dew and the night mist to Israel;

he shall grow and blossom like the lily 

and cast forth his roots...

Hosea 14:4,5

Our son and DIL gave me these lilies for Mother's Day.

I took this photo thinking I would use this verse for today's post:

And why should you be anxious about clothes?  

Consider the lilies of the field...

they neither toil nor spin.

Yet I [Jesus] tell you,

even Solomon in all his magnificence

was not arrayed like one of these.

Matthew 6:28, 29

But upon consulting the concordance of my Bible, I came upon the verses in Hosea.

I thought, "Wow, they will apply to Grandbaby!"

You see, our daughter is 3 days past her due date

and we're all a little anxious.

So this is the promise I rest on:

When God says it's time,

she/he will grow and blossom and cast forth her/his roots

deep into life with Jesus.

Abundant blessings to you, friends!

Love,

Linking with
Katie Lloyd Photography for Scripture & a Snapshot

Donna at The House on the Corner

Internet Cafe for Word Filled Wednesday

Worth More Than Sparrows

See her beak?  

Even the sparrow has found a home 

and the swallow a nest for herself, 

where she may have her young-

a place near your altar,

O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

Psalm 84:3

A hummingbird built her nest on the lower branch of our fir tree about a month ago.

Since then we've had lots of rain, wind, and even 4" of snow.

I really thought she'd desert her nest after the snow.

Surely her eggs froze, right?

Nope.  

She has a job to do-hatch, raise, and launch those chicks out of the nest.

I realized the LORD Almighty was aware of that mother bird and her nest.

The wind and rain of life challenged my Dear Husband and me, too.

But we had an important task to do-

raise up the next generation of servants of the King of the universe.

By his tender grace and mercy,

that's what we did.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you.

Selah [pause, and think calmly of that].

Blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Psalm 84:4, 12

Happy Wednesday, dear ones!

Love,

Thank you to all of the women who host these fun, inspiring weekly Wednesday hops:
Linking with

Word-filled Wednesday @ Internet Cafe Devotions 

Scripture and a Snapshot @ Katie Lloyd Photography

walk with Him Wednesdays @ a holy experience
So sorry, Ann, couldn't figure out how to add your
wwHW button or graphic.  Could not find your email.
Please contact me so I can fix this.

Wordish Wednesday with Supermom

Wordless Wednesday @ Never Growing Old 

4/92, 3/11, ?/??

There is a date next to these verses in my Bible: 4/92.

Upon the sale of their stock brokerage firm, my Dear Husband and his business partner 

were obliged to live in California for several months to assure a smooth transition.

DH was stressed out.  He hated living away from me and our kids. The new owners were difficult.

He was passing through waters up to his nostrils.

I remember crying out to God for him.  

This passage soothed my worries.

I didn't realize then the significance of the word When.

God did not say, If.

I didn't know how many times and the circumstances under which

 I would come back to that passage during the last 20 years.

I don't know what the next years hold either.

I do know this, though:

My Heavenly Father was, is, and always will be there 

to comfort me 

and empower me with His love.

This afternoon, Mom told me she has to stay in the skilled nursing facility

for another week.  She's just not stable on her feet yet.

I heard disappointment, discouragement, confusion, and fear in her voice.

I felt powerless to help her.

Seems like the best I can do is call, listen, and encourage.

Last fall,  Mom, knowing we were going through tough times, 

sent us a card with this verse in it.

It was a reminder of the truth I learned so many moons ago.

The card has resided on the desk next to my computer since then.

Just don't have the heart to throw it away.

It came in handy again today.

If adversity introduces us to ourselves,

it's also an opportunity to draw closer to God.

Thank you, Lord, that You are near us

in the dark valleys as well as the mountain tops of life.

Please give our family eyes to see You in these circumstances.

May our confident hope draw others to You.

Amen!

May you have eyes to see Him this week!

Love,

Linking with

Spiritual Sunday

Shadow Shot Sunday
The Sunday Creative
Weekend Reflections

Scripture and a Snapshot

Best Posts of the Week
Watery Wednesday
Outdoor Wednesday

Word-Filled/Wordless Wednesday

Is that a zit on my nose?

 Here's lookin' at you kid!

What now??

Yikes, it's hot in here!

And I was worried about a zit?!

[Jesus said,] Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, 

what you will eat or drink...

Is not life more important than food...?

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, 

and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:25, 33

Just a little reminder to myself to

LIVE LIFE FOR JESUS

and not be fixated on food.

Be blessed today!

Love,

Linking with Word-Filled Wednesday & Wordless Wednesday

Me and Mary

Then Mary said, 

"Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord;

let it be done to me 

according to what you have said."

Luke 1:37

Ever thought about why Mary was able

to responded

"Yes!" 

so quickly

when the angel told her 

she'd become pregnant with

the Savior of the world?

I am not a theologian, but I think we find the answer

in what the angel spoke to her:

The angel told her she was a favored one

[endued with grace].

He said, "The Lord is with you!"

and that she was blessed [favored by God]

before all other women;

that she shouldn't be afraid because

she had found grace 

[the FREE, spontaneous, absolute favor 

and loving-kindness of God]

with God.

(All italicized portions are from

Luke 1:28-31

the Amplified Bible)

Oh, Lord,

When You called me out of darkness

into the marvelous light of faith in
Jesus, my Savior,

I, too, became Your handmaiden.

You are always with me.

You are able to calm my fears.

You endued me with Your grace and favor, 

not through what I've done,

but because of Who You are:

LOVE!

Every day You freely lavish

Your loving-kindness on me,

whether I acknowledge it or not.

You know that I'm struggling in

my walk with You.

Draw me closer to You

so that I may,

with Mary and all of Your servants,

say,

"Yes!"

to Your will and to Your way.

Amen.  So be it.

Love,

Linking with Word Filled Wednesday @ The Internet Cafe.
Join lots of other women who soak up the Word together.