{ Friday Foto Friends #124 }

Hello, Friday Foto Friends! I HOPE everybody's had a great week.  My hubby isn't feeling well and I didn't get many pics this week so I'm just gonna share this one that is appropriate for Good Friday.

HOPE each of you has a very blessed Easter celebrating our risen Savior!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

{ Faith }

 In our pastor's message yesterday he placed emphasis on this Bible verse.....

It took me back to something that happened this past Saturday. I was at our daughter's house alone with the kiddos. Everything was going fine, they'd eaten lunch and suddenly we heard our youngest grandboy crying. It was that cry that tells you something is definitely wrong. He came running to me from the hallway and I asked if he'd fallen and through his tears, he nodded his head. I asked where he was hurt, then I saw the blood coming from his little mouth. He had fallen and bitten his tongue. Well, this Nannie was scared. I scooped him up and took him to the sink and had him sip on water and gently spit (sorry if that's TMI). He was fine with doing what I asked until he saw the blood. Long story short, it quit bleeding really quickly and was just a small cut. Praise the Lord. And, why do these things happen on my watch.....
but that's a whole nother story.
This sweet boy had complete faith that I'd help him when he was hurt. After the initial being scared (both of us), he wrapped his arms around my neck and snuggled up with me in the recliner. 

That's exactly the kind of faith I should have in my heavenly Father. I need to have the confidence that He's hearing my prayers when I run to Him, consoling me in my hurts and struggles,  and working it all out for my good and His glory! Even when life situations can get scary (like when Silas got hurt then saw the blood) and we're not sure what's around the next turn we can be assured that Jesus is already there waiting with open arms to hold us and calm our fears and give us peace.....
if we'll only keep the faith!

HOPE everybody has a Marvelous Monday!

{ SONday Morning Song - Reckless Love }

I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

HOPE your SONday is awesomely blessed! 

{ Being Punny }

If we're friends on Facebook, you might have noticed that I've been trying to post something funny each day. This somewhat took the place of my daily gratitude that I'd been sharing. I'm still looking for things throughout my day to be thankful for - little joy bombs that I know only God could drop into my life.  As each of those things happen I do try to whisper a "thank you" to Him.  Maybe some don't understand why I went from posting one to the other. Not that I need to explain, but.....

in posting my daily gratitudes I felt that I was sharing some very personal things in my life. Some of those things I think God wanted me to keep between me and Him if that makes sense. And,  I can't even really tell you how posting a pun each day got started, other than I truly believe that's from the Lord, too. You see, I can be a bit on the sad side at times, a trait that can be traced back to my childhood/heredity so as I look for things to be grateful for each day laughter has become one of the things that bring me happiness and joy to my heart -  

two things that for me go hand in hand!

Happy Saturday, Friends!

{ Friday Foto Friends #123 }

Where in the world did the last week go? I can't believe I've not posted anything since last Friday's Friday Foto Friends.  My blogging seems to have been somewhat put on the back burner with so many other things going on around here lately. HOPEfully, I can get back to a more regular schedule soon.

In the meantime.....

look what built a nest in a nearby tree.

Yes, that's a hawk.

I dug out my better camera but the fotos still aren't the best quality.   I've been fascinated watching this bird of prey get up off the eggs to stretch her wings and reposition herself.  

  

Thanks so much to everybody who's so faithful to link up here each week.  I'll try my best to visit each of you sometime over the weekend.

Happy Friday!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

{ Friday Foto Friends #122 }

I'm turning into my Mom talking about the weather all the time, but, Y'all, this is so true for East Tennessee weather this week.....

We've had rain and snow and cold and wind and clouds and sunshine and warmer temps all in just a matter of days!  The poor flowers are so confused.  Here are a few that are blooming in our yard right now.....

Tomorrow it's supposed to be near 70 with the "S" word in the forecast for next week!  

Okay, Folks.....

weather rant is now over.

😊

HOPE everybody has a great weekend!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

{ Wednesday's Word - Happy }

happy

 feeling or showing pleasure or contentment

As many of you know our grand-girl is from Uganda and her background is a sad one leading up to the time she was adopted into our family. Although she was young when our daughter and son-in-law adopted her she still has some scars and we don't even know what many of those are because she was abandoned. With that being said, this girl laughs all.the.time! She and her little brother stayed with us for a while yesterday and she kept giggling and laughing over things that didn't seem all that funny to me. So I asked her why she laughed so much. Her reply was.....

"I guess because I'm happy!"

There was a lesson there, Folks, and it didn't go unnoticed by me.....

because I sincerely believe it was meant just for me!

"I sing because I'm happy.

I sing because I'm free.

His eye is on the sparrow,

And, I know He's watching me!"

{ Friday Foto Friends #121 }

Thank you all so much for your feedback on my post yesterday, "Fasting".  My reasons for fasting are definitely for spiritual reasons - to put my focus on God and off of myself and anything that's getting in the way of my faith walk with Jesus!

(thank you, Rebecca, for your reference to Matthew 6,  "WHEN" you fast, not "IF"!)

When I typed the #121 I immediately thought of my birthday which is January 21st.....

and that has absolutely nothing to do with Friday Foto Friends - 

just an example of how my crazy mind works.....

which is something that maybe I shouldn't have even shared with Y'all!

😊

It's winter once again in East Tennessee. I know I have no right to complain because I'm seeing some of my blogging friends who are snowed under and their temps are freezing!  Yesterday, we had snow flurries so Pappy and I took a little drive up to Gatlinburg and took a few fotos. It was kinda foggy but that's the reason our mountains are called SMOKY!

If you look closely you can see the snowflakes.

 

That's downtown Gatlinburg behind me.....

We saw this sign in a yard and I'm on the lookout for one of my own..... 

Looking forward to seeing the fotos Y'all share with us today! 

 HOPE you have a wonderful weekend!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

{ Fasting }

(Faithfully Fit)

I realize that fasting is a very personal form of worship.....

and I don't think it really sunk in with me until I typed that sentence that it truly is a way to worship the Lord, so I know that yet again He's speaking to me on this topic.

About a month ago I watched a repeat of the first service at our church (we attend the second service) and our pastor spoke about fasting. I've felt in my spirit God speaking to me about this for quite some time, even before that service. Yesterday - not once, but twice - the topic came up in my devotions and even in an e-mail about a retreat. 

The above are notes that I jotted down so that I could go back and ponder on them. I'm praying about exactly what/how/when He would have me start this practice. Again, I know it's personal, but do any of you fast on a regular basis?  Once a week?  On a certain day? Just when the Holy Spirit prompts you? 

If this is too personal to share, I totally understand, but I'm looking for some input from my precious sisters (or brothers)!

{ Wednesday's Word - Comparison }

comparison

1. 
   
   

   the act or instance of comparing

   • 
     
     

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
   • 
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
2. 
   
3. Do you have a problem with comparing yourself to others? I'm kinda sure ALL of us do that from time to time, maybe depending on something we're currently struggling with.  Social media can often be a big enemy to us when it comes to this issue, even to the point of who gets the most comments/likes on a post. 
4. (or is that just me telling on myself?)
5. 
   
6. Wanna know where my weaknesses are in this area? Oh, mercy, where do I even begin?
7. Hair.....
8. Weight.....
9. Housecleaning.....
10. Decorating.....
11. Ability to do a particular craft that I long to be able to accomplish!

 I felt the nudge to do a bit of research on the topic.  Wonder why?

😏

Yep.....

to show me how it can totally be a joy stealer in our lives!
(and these things I listed aren't ALL THE TIME, it just depends on how secure, or insecure, I'm feeling at the moment)

♥  ♥  ♥ that last little "sign"!

We're all special in God's eyes and He loves us more than we can ever comprehend. Shouldn't that stop the comparison train dead in its tracks?
Yep...
I think so, too!

{ Friday Foto Friends #120 }

Well, all that gorgeous weather we had last week has faded away and we've been living in what seems like monsoon season in East Tennessee. I'm hoping for some sunshine in the next few days!

I'm gonna share some fotos I took a few Sunday's ago when it was about 75 degrees.  Pappy and I took an afternoon drive to Douglas Dam.  There were lots of people out and about enjoying the absolutely beautiful day!

I'm guessing the water is way up since these fotos were taken.  Notice the flag was half-staff because of the shooting at the school in Florida.

This one is probably my favorite.

We are blessed to live so close-by to the Great Smoky Mountains!

HOPE everybody has a great weekend!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

{ God IS enough }

I have a tendency to have way too high expectations out of people. I guess that's a form of pride on my part something that kinda makes me cringe to think about because who wants to admit they're prideful, right? Most of my life I've struggled with my self-worth, too, yet another thing that's difficult to admit.  Over a year ago I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me, "I AM Enough". Now, wouldn't you think that at my age I'd already had that all figured out? It's something that I know in my head but the difficulty has been to get my heart to understand. I can blame these feelings on a multitude of things and situations and past experiences, but the bottom line is that I truly haven't been allowing HIM to be enough.  The Journey devotional from Lifeway has always been one of my favorites and I bought myself a subscription for myself as a birthday gift in January.  Here's what I read in one of the stories just this morning.....

"I have found true Love. 

I sit with Him every morning. 

We talk and I try to be a good listener. 

And when it's time to start my day, 

He helps me reach those hard to reach buttons like forgiveness.

 What a Friend I have in Jesus. 

He is truly enough." 

~Kathy Hutto - Journey ~

My heart has been so full of joy all day long resting in the promise that HE truly is enough.   

(I'm definitely not saying He won't have to keep reminding me, though!)