seeing hearts

Coffee Deli coffee treat.

Coffee spill,

or maybe a map of Australia?

Dessert caramel heart.

Chick-fil-A waffle fry.

My brand new climbing rose bush.

Just FYI...

I don't attach any spiritual or metaphysical meaning to "Seeing Hearts."

I don't see it as a message from heaven or Bubba.

It is just something I enjoy doing.

It's fun looking for them.

They are everywhere.

Lucy sent me the first and third hearts.

She sees them too.

💗

 

lasagna, podcasts, & a tornado warning

Friday, July 27, 2024,

A day of food preparation and catching up on a few podcasts.

A stay at home day except I had to make a mad dash to the nearest grocery store.

I did my "big" grocery shopping on Thursday but, of course, there were items I forgot.

I was making homemade lasagna for our Saturday night family dinner.

I listen to podcasts while I cook and clean my house.

It makes the chores go quicker.

I was catching up on John MacArthur's series on The Tribulation.

So interesting!

He is an amazing scholar and teacher of God's Word.

He handles the truth carefully and presents it masterfully.

Does anything make your home smell better than a pot of green peppers and onions 

sauteing on the stovetop?

Here it is all done and chilling in my fridge.

The smaller one on top is gluten-free for Lucy...

(a labor of love).

Lasagna takes a good part of the day to make and assemble.

It is worth it when ingested.

Being tired and ready to relax,

I sat down in my Stress-Free chair to watch a DVD movie...

The Chosen.

It didn't turn out to be a stress-free evening.

It didn't look like we would receive the nightly thunderstorm so prevalent in the last few days.

When David called and said,

"Are you alright?"

I said "Yes, what's up?

He said,

"Savannah is under a tornado warning, 

the sirens are going off all over the city

 and we need to take shelter in a safe area of the house."

A tornado had been spotted out in the marshes on the Southside.

I didn't know any of this.

What ensued next was a frenzy

We all started texting each other to check on statuses.

One text was coming in on another.

My movie was still going and I had to power that off.

I never went to a safe place.

By the time I got a semblance of control of the situation, the danger was over.

The lightning and thunder became a circus in my house again.

I could still hear a low rumble later when I was drifting off.

Thanking God again for His mercy and protection.

Nobody was hurt,

no destruction was reported.

Just another wild and crazy thunderstorm in South Ga.

This one came fast with no prior warning.

🌪

Lu's latest bouquet ~

"Things which eyes have not seen and ears have not heard,

And which have not entered the heart of man,

All that God has prepared for those who love Him.

For to us, God has revealed them through the Spirit; 

For the Spirit searches all things, 

Even the depths of God."

1 Corinthians 2:9&10

💗

These are beautiful words from God's word that make my heart soar.

We have a future and a hope in Christ. 

We can't even comprehend the glory that awaits us in heaven.

Do you love Him?

Is He real to you?

If I know you I pray for you every day!

 I pray that you will know Him and the joy of His Salvation.

💗

"For God so loved the world 

that He gave His only begotten Son 

that whosoever believeth in Him 

shall not perish but have everlasting life." 

John 3:16

💗

 

that storm last night.

Enki called it dramatic.

I called it wild and crazy with a touch of frenzy.

No one on earth could produce the light and sound and rain that fell upon our town last night. 

The sky got dark and ominous late in the afternoon.

The storm took a while to arrive.

David's family was coming over for pizza, Caesar salad, and homemade brownies.

They had been at Hope Heals Camp in Alabama all week.

I was eager to hear their stories.

The storm was forecast to arrive at seven.

We had plenty of time.

We ate and fellowshipped and came back to the table for dessert.

They left me with a clean kitchen and only a few things to do before it was time to relax.

I wouldn't relax for a while.

The storm was scheduled to be here at seven.

It arrived at eight.

It was still going strong at nine.

Midtown Savannah got 6 inches of rain.

All the normal roads that always flood, flooded.

The lightning and thunder were unrelenting.

It was flashing in my bedroom non-stop like the circus had come to town.

 The thunder rolled and roared like fireworks on the 4th of July.

Rain was beating crazily against my bedroom windows.

I was sure at one point it was raining inside my house.

I have never experienced a thunderstorm like that.

Ever!

This morning dawned beautiful. 

The sun came up and outside was glistening like diamonds.

The fury had moved out to sea and dissipated.

I thanked God for protecting us as I drifted off to sleep. 

I didn't lose my power

(So grateful).

I slept like a baby and woke refreshed.

The storm was the talk of the church this morning.

Wow, just Wow!

More is predicted for this afternoon but not as fierce.

We'll see.

I can't imagine there could be any more lightning or thunder or rain left up there.

⛆⛈🌧⛈

 

first bloom

I spotted a little bud one day and the next day it was in full bloom.

Shocking!

My climbing rose bush is flourishing.

Look below to see how much it has grown.

I need Lucy to get home from Hope Heals Camp to help me tie this new growth back to the trellis.

What a wonderful gift this has been.

Amanda was here this week.

We threw caution to the wind

 and took in all the sights, sounds, and restaurants we could get to in three days.

We talked and laughed and just enjoyed each other.

It felt like the good old days.

We spent one morning with Anna and Sadie.

Sadie is the family baby.

She is five months old and changes every time I see her,

We went shopping and out to lunch at the Chicken Salad Chick.

Of course, we had to hunt down some fresh Georgia shrimp

for Amanda to take home.

We have the most delicious shrimp fresh from the ocean available right here in Savannah.

They cannot get good shrimp in South Florida.

She left yesterday morning to get back to her boys.

My house feels empty and quiet and so do I.

Here is a picture of me in the 100% linen shirt I bought when Amanda and I visited the 

US Virgin Islands a while back.

It is so me...all ruffles and bows.

I took this picture and wore it to church last Sunday.

I 💗 linen and ruffles and bows!

I didn't get a single picture of us together.

We were too busy and too tired when the days ended.

I am always so thankful when my daughter comes to visit.

I searched and found a picture of us I really like.

Amanda and her mom in paradise.

That was the trip where we took an excursion over to St. John 

and I bought the shirt in the picture above.

 

ranunculus

Lucy brought me a small bouquet of ranunculus

My vase.

Her light blue velvet ribbon.

I think they are exquisite...

maybe my new favorite flower.

Ranunculus are so fragile but packed with color.

They have row after row of petals just waiting to open.

This one stem leaned over and dropped a few.

They look almost too perfect to be real.

I will never be able to grow Ranunculus in Georgia.

They like to grow in spring-like temperatures of about 55 degrees.

They do like bright light.

We have plenty of that.

I thought I would do a short study of Ranunculus on this cloudy Saturday afternoon.

💗

I am in the middle of cooking a large meal for my family.

I've been marinating some pork tenderloins.

I made a big tray of my Savannah Red Rice and I snapped some green beans.

Dessert will be apple turnovers with Blue Bell ice cream.

I'm loving the things that God has given me today...

Family,

Good Food,

Beautiful Flowers,

The anticipation of an afternoon thunderstorm

Looking forward to Amanda's visit next week,

God's Word,

(I've been meditating on Psalm 19 for the last few days)

It will be the subject of our sermon tomorrow.

"Rejoice Always and again I say Rejoice!"

Philippians 4:4

There is always something to be thankful for.

Sometimes I just love to come here to my blog and name a few of them.

Our God is so good all of the time.

💗

 

consider the lilies (flowers)

💗

I bought a metal trellis for the climbing rose that Lu gave me for Mother's Day.

The rose has grown enough to start her on her upward pathway.

This is so exciting to watch!

Here is the picture from back in May when we first put her in the ground.

🠟

"Consider the lilies,

 how they grow;

 they neither toil nor spin;

 but I tell you, 

even Solomon in all His glory 

did not clothe himself like one of these." 

Luke 12:27

🠝

Jesus speaking to His disciples about not being anxious.

Taken from Luke 12: 22 - 34

 

some pics from Lu's graduation party

Seems like I'm always hanging balloons for a party.

🎈🎈🎈 make everything more festive.

 

Our beautiful Lucy.

What a joy she is!

💗

The party was a drop-in from 2 to 4.

We served lots of mid-afternoon snacks and cold drinks and fruits and veggies.

The spread was laid out on my island.

Why oh why didn't I put the dish detergent and cleaning sponge under the sink???

Table flowers.

I used candles and old pictures of Lu lying casually on the table for the runner.

I didn't get a picture of the tablescape.

I've said this before...

I can't "host" a party and take good pictures.

Our church family.

Gus and his friends enjoying the snacks.

Kids upstairs in the "Kids Apartment."

They got out all of the toys in the closet and had a fun time.

Thanking God for the blessing of Lucy O"Quinn Cleland.

What a celebration!

What a good time of fellowship.

The verse in front of the vase of flowers...

"Be still and know that I am God."

Psalms 46:10

💗

 

Happy Independence Day

True Freedom

Jesus said,

"If you abide in my Word,

then you are truly disciples of Mine;

and you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free."

John 8:31 &32

True and lasting freedom can only be found in Christ Jesus and His Word.

Any other freedom is tenuous at best and will eventually end.

Trust Jesus.

The freedom found in Him lasts for all of eternity.

💗💙💗💙💗💙