image via dj-soul.deviantart.com
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King.” is 52:7
The deeds you do may be the only sermon some hear today! (St. Francis of Assisi)
Blessings on your weekend, fromtheheartofj
Outside in …the world shouts in a cacaphony of voices…
image via frankrondon.com
Inside out…the small still voice within steers our steps.
image via askgramps.org
Outside in…relentless forces push and pull in confusion and deceit…
image via nowimastatistic.com
Inside out…flows forth the waters of grace that transform our senses to taste and see how good the Lord is.
image via njtu.org
Outside in…the spirit of the world.
image via davidicke.com
Inside out…the Divine Indwelling
image via oneyearbibleblog.com
How will you choose to walk this day?
“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Co 2:12
It’s not that God doesn’t answer our questions..
image via quickregister.net
It’s more..
Do we have the COURAGE to ask the questions that need to be asked?…
image via allinthis.com
And the HUMILITY to accept the answers?
image via citymaxblog.com
“Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my concerns. See if my way is crooked then lead me in the ancient paths.” Ps 139:23-24
Palms waving…”Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.”
image via ibtimes.co.uk
Cloaks laid down to honor the King.
image via vermontgear.com
The King up on a lowly donkey entering Jerusalem to do His Father’s will…
image via ubdavid.org
Ascending upwards to His throne…
His throne up on the Cross.
image via yourcrossdaily.com
Will we too in gratitude and humility lay down the cloaks of our lives?….
And follow Him who chooses the Cross as His throne?
“Rejoice heartily, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, Meek and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.” Zech 9:9
And so I was walking in the park….
Rounded the bend and ran into…
A SMILING duck! And he looks a bit mischievious too!
Have you ever had an animal smile at you?…you can’t help but smile back!
image via cyburbia.org
image via mrspeeksfarmhouse.blogspot.com
image via panoramio.com
Charles de Lint, Canadian author and folk musician, said, ” I want to touch the heart of the world and make it smile.”
May your weekends be filled with smiles given and received!
Blessings on you and yours, FromtheheartofJ
When we forget to worship….
image via apologos.com
we forget who we are.
When we lose sight of God…
image via telioscorp.typepad.com
we lose sight of what we are.
His Image and His likeness.
(this is what I am listening to today : )
Take Me into the Beautiful by Cloverton
“Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen 1:26a
The ins and outs of our everyday lives…our routines…our patterns…
Do you see the EXTRAORDINARY in the ORDINARY of your daily “slice of life”?
How quickly our vision dims at the beauty before us….The beauty in the ordinary.
Is it…”Oh no, here comes a new day?”
image via fromtheheartofj
Or, the beauty of the morning light splashed upon the pillow?
Is it, “Is the back yard flooded again?!”
image via fromtheheartofj
Or the depth of reflection in a mud puddle?
Is it, “Busy, busy day…no time to cook dinner.”
image via fromtheheartofj
Or the joy of conversation over take-out?
The things that matter most are treasures hidden in our unique “slice of life”
I have been abundantly blessed to participate in the “Slice of Life” Project e-course taught by talented, beauty seeker, Seattle based photographer, Darrah Parker.
image via www.darrahparker.com
With Darrah’s assistance and inpirational encouragement, photographers from all over the world (thanks to the internet) have reclaimed the beauty of the ordinary of their lives through the lens of their cameras. There are pros with fancy cameras all the way to beginners with point and shoot or camera phones all learning and being blessed by the sharing of the ordinary turned extraordinary…a beauty treasure hunt.
Darrah on her website www.darrahparker.com shares about the class,
image via www.darrahparker.com
“Have you ever wanted to stop time? Hold a moment in your hands? Capture a slice of your life and turn into a treasure? In the Slice of Life Project, you will dig beneath the surface of your everyday life with your trusty camera by your side and unearth the beauty that has been there all along.”
“The Slice of Life approach to photography is a way of seeing, noticing, and appreciating the nuances and details that make your life special. It’s a way of embracing and honoring the imperfections in yourself, your loved ones, your messy kitchen, and cluttered shelves. It’s about saying that your life is just right the way it is.”
“This workshop will not require the perfect camera or fancy lenses or knowledge of ISO, aperture, or shutter speed. It won’t even require you to get out of your pajamas or make your bed! It will only require you to show up with a camera (ANY camera), an open mind, and a creative spirit.”
Registration is now open for the next class beginning April 6…take this 6 week retreat and rediscover the beauty in your life! Go to the website www.darrahparker.com for more details.
Beauty leads to wonder and awe…beauty leads to gratitude…beauty leads to praise!
And we were created to be a people of praise and thanksgiving!
May you be blessed this day with the recognition of the beauty in your life!
You knit me in my mother’s womb…
image via canadatop.com
Stitch by stitch.
The way you intertwined the DNA with which I am created…
thednastore.com
Is Your Divine Design.
And you saw it as wonderful!
You outlined my days. You numbered them.
NOTHING about me is a mistake!
I am part of the Heavenly Father’s “Designer Collection”
image via designersense.org
And I wear His label!
“You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you. When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth. Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one came to be. How precious to me are your designs, O God.” Ps 139 13-17
funny dance1.png
Dancing with the feet is one thing…
but dancing with the HEART is another!
(a really fun video I’ve came across on a fellow blogger’s site…I wasn’t able to go back and find out which one…so you who shared this thank you!
What if we all began the day with such “spring in our step”? This video made me want to go skip down the street.
Would you join in the dance?
May it bring a smile into your Saturday.
Blessings.
image via fromtheheartofj
This REALLY tickled me…I may be royalty because I am a child of God…but I don’t think this would go over well with hubby!
Frank A. Clark (1911-1991) is best known for his one panel, one liner sermon, newspaper cartoons entitled “The Country Parson”. He evangelized thousands of loyal readers with his faith based humor. He once said…
“I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it.”
Oh yes…if I had my way….
image via fromtheheartofj
It’s said that cupcakes are “God’s apology for muffins”.
Unfortunately, medically, my cupcake days are over…that is unless someone has a really good recipe for gluten free, grain free, sugar free, dairy free cupcakes! (goodbye desserts, pastas, cheeses, homemade breads, grits, gravies, Captain Crunch, and pizza, etc…sigh, sigh, sigh and a tear or two) It’s said when life hands you a lemon, make lemonade…and I agree with Mr. Clark. Why not find a bit of humor in the tough stuff? I still love cupcakes..a lot…but now I really love baking them for others. And the wackier and more colorful the better. Cupcakes really DO make people smile…and that is so much sweeter than any double chocolate, swirled icing, marshmallow creme filled cupcake.
“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold new things have come.” 2 Cor 5:17
through Him with Him in Him... 