Pansies
-Kinsman*
We have had "warm" weather these last weeks. Today I saw tulips coming up in our south garden and I have seen Robins for a few weeks already. Robins sometimes stay for the winter, but I saw none until last week.
Pansies are wonderful flowers in the cool of the Spring and the cool of the Autumn. Try them sometime; they are some of my favorites. :o)
Enjoy the changing of the season!
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Celebrating with Thankfulness! :o)
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It is the branch that bears the fruit,
That feels the knife,
To prune it for a larger growth,
A fuller life.
Though every building twig be trimmed,
And every grace
Of swaying tendril, springing leaf,
May lose its place.
O you whose life of joy seems left,
With beauty shorn;
Whose aspirations lie in dust,
All bruised and torn,
Rejoice, though each desire, each dream,
Each hope of thine
Will fall and fade; it is the hand
Of Love Divine
That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks
With tenderest touch,
That you, whose life have borne some fruit,
Might now bear much.
-Annie Johnson Flint
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John 15:1-11
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."...
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-Yellowstone FB"Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong."
Psalm 37:1
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Never become extremely upset over your circumstances. If worry were justified, it would have been during the circumstances surrounding the writing of this Psalm...
..."Do not fret." Never get unduly upset! Stay cool! Even for a good reason, worrying will not help you. It only heats up the bearings but does not generate any steam. It does not help the locomotive for its axles to become hot; their heat is only a hinderance. The axles become heated because of unnecessary friction. Dry surfaces are grinding against each other instead of working in smooth cooperation, aided by a thin cushion of oil.
Isn't it interesting how similar the words "fret" and "friction" are?
Friction caused by fretting is an indication of the absence of the anointing oil of the grace of God.
When we worry, a little bit of sand gets into the bearings. It may be some slight disappointment, ungratefulness, or discourtesy we have experienced---suddenly our life is no longer running smoothly.
Friction leads to heat, and heat can lead to very dangerous conditions.
Do not allow your bearings to be heated.
Let the oil of the Lord keep you cool so that an unholy heat will not cause you to be regarded as one of the "evil men".
-from The Silver Lining
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Dear restless heart, be still; don't fret and worry so;
God has a thousand ways His love and help to show;
Just trust, and trust, and trust, until His will you know.
Dear restless heart, be still, for peace is God's own smile,
His love can every wrong and sorrow reconcile;
Just love, and love, and love, and calmly wait awhile.
Dear restless heart, be brave; don't moan and sorrow so,
He has a meaning kind in chilly winds that blow;
Just hope, and hope, and hope, until you braver grow.
Dear restless heart, recline upon His breast this hour,
His grace is strength and life, His love is bloom and flower;
Just rest, and rest, and rest, within His tender power.
Dear restless heart, be still! Don't struggle to be free;
God's life is in your life, from Him you may not flee;
Just pray, and pray, and pray, till you have faith to see.
-Edith Linn
2/15 Streams in the desert
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-Yellowstone FB: Winter Survival of Bison
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Today we are finally receiving a significant amount of snow. Almost six inches now and it is still predicted to continue into tonight.
It is so very beautiful for my "hungry" soul to watch as it covers the very brown world around us.
Everything is new today! Brand new!
I've fed the birds twice now. We don't see Blue Birds here as we live on the edge of town, but we have many others which always stay during the winter.
No school and for many, no work today. But I see a Furnace man next door and the mailman is delivering. I also know a certain snowblower who will be out in the late afternoon to blow the snow for more to gather afterwards.
The LORD God of the Bible in His Word has given all of us through time every chances to turn away from our sins. Sins which can be cleared, cleaned away if we only come to Him. Our sins can be washed away and then we are new and clean! When we choose to trust in Jesus, God's Son, to take our sins away--we are cleaned and renewed! Our life lived for Him is a joy and a peace for us!
Isaiah 1:16-18
“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Cease to do evil,
Learn to do good;
Seek justice
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow.
“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool."...
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Psalm 51:1-10
Be gracious to me, O God,
according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me."...
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...29 "Behold, the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world!...
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A life well lived can be seen in our faces. When the LORD is our Savior we can stand tall and we can help others because He is in our lives.
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Bison
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"Hard times create strong men.
Strong men create good times.
Good times create weak men.
And, weak men create hard times."
-G. Michael Hopf, from Those Who Remain
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