A shadow is defined as an area of darkness created when a source of light is blocked. 

Each morning I awake to amazing shadows. As the earth/sun move, the shadows change.

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. Psalm 57:1 

Each day there are shadows that keep the Light from shining fully in our lives. Through our time in the Word and prayer, God shifts the shadows to illuminate the Son through his messengers.

Praying for our shadows to be less and the Light to shine brightly.

Love this song!

Fresh Find: Beautiful champagne bucket that I would use in so many other ways. Pretty, pretty!

Miss D had a special date with her daddy to see the Rangers play. A special day for a precious young lady!

Fresh Find: Cute little cross body bag.

 Miss A competed in her first "team" gymnastic competition today. Here is her floor exercise routine. Her bar & beam routines were awesome, as well, but I just love floor exercise!

Fresh Find: Really enjoy mid-century and I like this!

I don't share my opinion on very many things. I share ideas, organization, dreams and visions; take them or leave them. I retire from drama or confrontation to keep my life scales heavier on the happy side.

I will fight for something that God gives me a passion to spend great energy on. 

I prefer encouragement over gossip. I've been hurt deeply by it and learned from the experiences. The Golden Rule, Do unto others as you would want done unto you. I am human, and I do slip and fall into the trap of gossip. The Holy Spirit always lets me know that I goofed. Forgiveness.

I have opinions, but if I were to start sharing them I would certainly surprise some and shock the rest! LOL

I will listen to other's opinions if they are encouraging, positive, moving forward, inclusive of others thoughts and ideas, not self-serving, and will enjoy every minute of listening. The opposite of these, please don't waste my time. 

So, you can imagine that election season does not fit into my happy place. Neither do most media outlets. 

I certainly spend time controlling what enters my heart, my mind, my body, and my soul. 

Actually, the Holy Spirit leads me in this. 

I'm blessed to have eyes to see guidance from the Holy Spirit as I am nudged here & there to take pictures to share. This yellow Hibiscus bloom makes me happy! I hope it does you, as well! Happy weekend!

Fresh Find: Cute Bulldog shoes!

These two words, thanks and giving, are the essence of how I was raised. I was taught to be thankful and to give. I'm blessed by so many wonderful moments of opportunity; gifts from God. 

Fresh Find: I have enjoyed the Brahmin bag I got years ago. It is a bucket bag. They no longer make it. They retired its pattern. Maybe this one will have to replace it. I always go back to carrying that bag. I love it.

Today Miss J (and her friends) helped me reunite squirrel #16 with its family!

Fresh Find: Cute ruffled playsuit!

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 says,

He presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. The landowner's slaves came to him and said, 'Master, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?'

"'An enemy did this!' he told them.

"'So, do you want us to go and gather them up?' the slaves asked him.

"'No,' he said. 'When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I'll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.'"

…

Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, "Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us."

He replied: "The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire so that it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

This makes me think about what seeds or weeds we plant in other's lives. Are we harvesting grain or binding weeds? Of course, the important lesson here is to listen up to God's calling to accept his gift of grace. Ears, listen.

Fresh Find: Sweet range.

Sisters are grand. We think our grand-sisters are super grand and most perfect! This first day of school was a special time. It was hard to be separated after all summer together!!!

I always thought that having a sister would be fun. I had a brother. He was grand, but he was seven years older, and I aggravated him and his friends. I bet I would have aggravated a sister, too. Or maybe the sister would have aggravated me.

When children with exceptionality can't fit into the mold of what others expect, we often see a disconnect from others. The child begins to close off from those who are to love them unconditionally because the pain of rejection is too much for little hearts to carry.

We must find a way to engage every child so that they feel worthy. I found this assurance in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Fresh Find: Cute scratch-cat-house~!

The Spirit of Jesus opens doors and closes doors.

In Acts 16:6-7 we read...Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

I don't know how the Spirit of Jesus allowed Paul and his friends to realize that the door was closed in their travels , but I'm sure he used people and circumstances just like he does today with us.

God closes a door, or two, or three, to get us to where we need to be. In this process, we may not understand why. We may be hurt from misunderstanding or rejection. There may be fear or sorrow attached, even great pain. What I know beyond a shadow of a doubt is that God closes doors for our good. He closes doors to move us to where we can best serve him. There is work to be done.

Whether you are behind a closed door, confused, or standing in an open door with nervous anticipation, God has this. Trust him.

Fresh Find: Cute storage/make-up box!

Today I have done little. God blesses me with days like this just when I need them most!

James & John, fishermen, casters of nets. Net-menders. Fishing is fun, but I doubt net mending was on the top of their list of things to do. As much as they most likely disliked mending holes with fish scales flying they knew that to catch fish there could be no holes. 

To reap, we must repair. Our heart rests and repairs between each beat. Our daily work burns out cells that must be repaired by a rest. Just like our physical "net" needs mending our spiritual one does, as well.

Often we are torn by strife that we knew nothing about until it creates a huge net hole. We get caught on snags of our making, too. No other animal knowingly hurts itself. Why do we? Because we don't mend our nets!

Our nets get torn by misuse and by disuse. Misuse and disuse constantly tear at our life net. We must mend it each morning before we set out to be 'fishers of men'.

Let's be good stewards of our net. Let's help others mend their nets.

Fresh Find: What amazing string art! A wonderful gift! Check this artist out.