Fingerprints on Friday

Canadian geese seem to be everywhere this week, so the weather keeps changing and it must be time for their migration, just like all the Monarch butterflies we keep seeing everywhere. We saw this flock taking a well-deserved rest under this huge evergreen, and it was wonderful to observe these fingerprints of God, found in nature, to be enjoyed by us.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. ~ II Corinthians 5:7

The moon was so full and bright last night, it captured my attention so I attempted to take some photos through the clouds. The thin clouds showed a light orange glow, not sure if it's a halo effect or actual corona of the moon but it was beautiful and another fingerprint of God, a simple joy to watch last night.

Thankful Thursday

Some thoughts for this Thankful Thursday...so many simple joys to be thankful for today, but what does a chair have to do with being thankful, other than having a place to sit? This chair, along with 3 others just like it, and a table (that resembles more of an altar!) was given to me recently by some friends. I'm ok with the minimalist look I have here, but the thought of having them made me almost want to cook again...almost. It was their kind gesture that I'm thankful for, along with the sunshine again so I can continue working on them. I already glued the legs (Gorilla glue is awesome!) and sanded them down so I can add some paint and new fabric to these chairs and they will look...well, not like new, but maybe better. Also thankful that my little plants had the chance to bloom before the torential rains pummeled them.

"Let us draw a lesson from nature, which always works by short ways. When the fruit is ripe, it falls." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wordless Wednesday

Macro Monday

Yesterday my daughter and I had another good day of getting lost in the woods...umm, I mean collecting leaves and studying the trees. We found this beautiful oak tree, an American Oak, I think. Who knew there could be so many varieties of the same kinds of trees? This is a day of close-ups so I thought I would share these today...the American Oak, my beautiful daughter and my beautiful cat, Emily. If you would like to see more macro Monday shots, visit http://lisaschaos.com/.

Fingerprints on Friday

Deer are truely God's creatures, so graceful and beautiful to watch. The skies were clear and blue, the breezes were just right that day we saw these beautiful deer grazing in the forest conservation area. We were there to collect leaves and study the trees, but seeing these deer really made my heart sing. It was a mother with her two spotted little ones, looking so peaceful. I could have watched these deer for the rest of the day, and it was amazing that they would let us be so close to them. I'm sure these deer must have seen all kinds of people there, and knew they were safe from harm. These deer are some beautiful fingerprints of God, found in nature, to be enjoyed by all of us.

This is from Psalm 96



"Be glad earth and sky! Roar sea and every creature in you: be glad fields and everything in you! The trees in the woods will shout for joy."

Thankful Thursday - Our Lady of Sorrows

Yesterday was the feast day to honor Mary, "Our Lady of Sorrows" for her seven sorrows, so she is often depicted with her heart exposed and seven swords piercing it. She was such a lady of courage, strength, faith and love in her day, and that continues today in our hearts and prayers. Say an extra "Hail Mary" today in honor of "Our Lady of Sorrows" especially for those who need that intercession from the one who truely knows how to comfort the afflicted.

Hail Mary, full of grace!

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed are thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

St. Bernard wrote (1153) "Truely, O Blessed Mother, a sword has pierced your heart...He died in his body through a love greater than anyone has ever known. She died in spirit through a love unlike any other since His."

La Madre Dolorosa by A. Vonn Hartung

Wordless Wednesday - Emily

Smile with a Caterpillar on Monday

Each moment
of my gratitude-heart
is full of God-smiles.

This little caterpillar made me smile, so full of perserverance.

Shadows on Sunday

These are some interesting shadows for this Shadow Shot Sunday. My kids were having fun with their shadows after playing mini-golf at night, so these shadows were from the overhead lights rather than the sun. Then there are shadows from the window when my big kids (my daughter and her boyfriend) were learning to play poker. The last shadow is from Emily's sunbeam from the window, which makes interesting patterns on the floor. If you want to see more shadows, visit Hey Harriet.

Fingerprints on Friday

As usual during these hot summer months, there are always groups of people praying that the farmers get their rainy times at the right times for their crops. The ground was so dry that there were huge cracks...where living things should be growing...so the people prayed and the skies opened up with a good rainstorm this week, and God answered with a beautiful promise of better days with a rainbow. Then this morning, with a beautiful sunrise that colored the clouds a lovely shade of peach. The skies are a wonderful place to see fingerprints of God...some even refer to it as the heavens above and I still enjoy talking to the clouds, it brings me peace.

This is from Psalm 19...a psalm of David.

"The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into the earth,

their words to the ends of the world."