Happy Resurrection Sunday

Matthew 28:6 (NASB)

He is not here, for he has risen, just as he said. Come, see the place where he was lying.

Luke 1:47 (NASB)

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

Have a blessed Easter!

(Re-blogged from 2015)

Random 5 Friday

To participate in R5F, just make a blog post and share 5 random facts about you, your day, your pets, your kids, whatever! Then link up at A Rural Journal.

Here's my 5--

1. The photo above has been posted on the blog before but this past weekend my husband had an 8x10 printed out and framed for his office. Be still my heart!

2. 100 Years of Langley happens this month and I'm stoked! Can't wait to see up close and personal the airplanes the USAF will be showing off. The sounds of freedom fly over our home daily!!!

3. I didn't get a lightening photo last week. We only had high winds and rain. Phooey!

4. This moma isn't ready to not be 'first in your affections'. Do you know where the reference comes from?

5. Goodwill had an explosion of amazing art on Saturday!

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Thanks again, Nancy, for starting R5F back up.

   Hope y'all have a great weekend!    

Resurrection {Sunday}

The Sound of Freedom

An F/A-22 Raptor, one of three that flew over our car as we were house hunting. It's difficult to get a clear image of one of these amazing jets with my camera, 

as they are bookin' it! I love living near an USAF base!!! 

 FLY-FIGHT-WIN

God bless our military and their families!

Thank you for YOUR service!!! 

 And just to JAZZ it up a bit...

  Sharing @

Happy Veterans Day

2 Timothy 1:7 

 “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

Golden hues

A recent sunset in rural NC. 

I know it seems a little early to post an image that looks so much like autumn but I promise I took this just the other day. There was a breathtaking sunset as my husband and I were driving home from our anniversary dinner. He graciously pulled over so I could take a picture of what our Lord painted for our good pleasure.
 
The works of His hands never cease to amaze me!  

He has made everything beautiful in its time. ~Ecclesiastes 3:11a


~Happy Snapping~

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{Sunday} A re-posting

This verse meant a lot to me this week. 

When I feel as if I am drowning in worries, He is there in Spirit and Truth.

I can turn to Him all hours of the day or night, finding solace in his gentle arms. 

He lifts me up when I am down. He gives me strength to face life's difficulties. 

Sometimes I forget how easy it is to turn to Him instead of trying to solve things on my own. 

Do you ever do that? Try to carry the burden yourself? 

Isn't it so much better to rest in His tender mercies and lovingkindnesses?

~ Have a blessed day in the Lord ~

 I'm reposting this one because I have been thinking a lot about my daughter, Amy, and missing her beyond words. But the Lord is ever faithful to send me into the path of a dear friend who knew just what I needed to hear, and who gave me a precious hug to get me through.

Isn't He good like that?! 

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Notice the Dandelion

~Have a blessed day~

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Happy Resurrection Sunday

Matthew 28:6 (NASB)

He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.

Luke 1:47 (NASB)

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

Have a blessed Easter!

Quiet Time

I was thinking the other day about when our children were little, I would have them lay down each afternoon from 1-2:30pm. When they were very young it was nap time. As they grew older it became quiet time. They needed this hour and a half each day to settle down, regroup, and rest. Naturally they balked about having to do this until they reached a certain age. Then they couldn't wait! It meant uninterrupted reading time, or just playing with a toy without little brother wanting it. 

Come February, we will only have one child living at home, and he is almost an adult. In fact, he will be in March. You would think that leaves plenty of 'quiet' in the home, and it does to a certain extent. But the quiet I am talking about is different. It's intentional, which was my One Word for 2014. While I failed miserably many times and should have been more intentional in my words, writing, and worship, I feel like just having chosen the word made me more aware that I needed to be intentional about these things. So in that respect, it was a success.

As 2015 begins, my one determination this year is going to be a daily quiet time with a nice cup of tea. I want to find rest in the Lord as found in Psalm 131:1-3:

O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.

Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.

 I just love that picture of a child resting against its mother. I remember doing this with my mom. I felt safe, protected, and shielded from harm but most of all I felt loved. My own children did this many times and I know the contentedness I felt when they did. Imagine how our Father in Heaven must feel when our soul rests in Him!

I want to make sure I take time each day to absorb the stillness of a moment; to compose myself and rest in quiet peacefulness. 

I wasn't even going to choose a word this year but it just came to me while writing this post; quiet-like. :)

Soooo.... 

My One Word for 2015 is Quiet.

How about you? Do you have a daily quiet time? If so, what do you do; read, nap, or something else?

A New Beginning

I can't believe I am starting a photography blog.

I have always had a passion for photography; since I was a small child, really. My older brother was a photographer and I used to sit on a chair in his darkroom when he would mix the chemicals needed to develop the film.

It was the coolest thing to see those images appear, as if by magic, onto the paper. I'm not a naturally patient person, but I could sit there and wait with expectation for quite a while.

I remember getting my first point and shoot. Lots of silly pictures were taken with my boyfriend (now my husband), and later our children. I still have most of them packed away in drawers and boxes.

Now that the digital age is here, I use a bridge camera and my photos are stored on multiple SD cards, thumb drives and discs. I think right now I have over 18,000 images on my computer. Most of those never get edited because they aren't very good.

Why do I save them? I'm not really sure. I guess in one way, they are a part of me. My journey. It changed in 2012 when my oldest child passed away. I needed an outlet, an escape. I needed to know that God was still there in the midst of my sorrow. When I walked out into the world with my camera, I could see beauty where I thought there were only ashes.

Life began to have meaning again. The sun rising over the treetops warmed my skin and my soul, and I wanted to capture the moment, hold on to it. So I took a picture. Then another and another.

I joined a FB photography group (Take 52) after watching a video tutorial explaining how to use my new camera, a Nikon Coolpix P510. That's right. No DSLR yet, but I have a dream of owning one someday. This has been a great group for learning and stretching my skills. Enough so that I have gained the courage to start this blog and share my passion for nature, for the glorious beauty God created!

Hence the name, HIS World...as I see it.

I discovered I enjoy making graphics from my photos, too.

I really just want to share the beautiful world around me, the things I see everyday, whether they be fantastic or strange.

Until next time...

{Sunday}

Diligent means constant in effort to accomplish something; 

attentive and persistent in doing anything:

    a diligent student.

That is what we are required to be, according to 2 Timothy 2:15.

Today I ask myself... 

Am I being diligent?

Am I giving my all, without tiring, to the study of God's Word?

What about you, my fellow sojourner in Christ?

Are you indefatigable when it comes to the study of God's Word?

 I desire to be, and I hope you do, too.

Have a blessed Sabbath!

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Sunday Stillness

{Sunday}

In John 15 Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other."

Have a blessed Sabbath!

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Sunday Stillness
Scripture & a Snapshot

Caught my eye

On Sunday morning I went to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. When I saw how the early morning sunshine was peeking through the bamboo blind and highlighting this pretty blue vase with Wildflowers, I was immediately sidetracked.

I did an about face, picked up my camera and proceeded to spend 30 minutes taking photos, moving the vase to different areas of the kitchen. Would it look good further away from the window? Maybe across the room? What if I take one flower out and try to capture the beauty on the white tile counter top? 

Not too many came out good enough to even edit, but I was quite pleased with this one. A little tweaking in Picmonkey and voila`.

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I saw this quote on a friend's blog post and it couldn't be truer.

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayward sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 

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Have a beautiful and blessed day in the Lord!

{Sunday}

I was reading the following devotional from Elisabeth Elliot and it really made me think about my attitude toward things I don't want to do, but that God has placed in my life to do. 

I'm copying it here for y'all to read because I think the website changes daily and I can't find where there is an archive of past devotions. With no infringement intended, I am linking back to the original post below.

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Elisabeth Elliot's Daily Devotional

Title: How to Do the Job You Don't Really Want To Do

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

Certain aspects of the job the Lord has given me to do are very easy to postpone. I make excuses, find other things that take precedence, and, when I finally get down to business to do it, it is not always with much grace. A new perspective has helped me recently:

The job has been given to me to do. 

Therefore it is a gift. 

Therefore it is a privilege. 

Therefore it is an offering I may make to God. 

Therefore it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. 

Therefore it is the route to sanctity.

Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness. The discipline of this job is, in fact, the chisel God has chosen to shape me with--into the image of Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for the work You have assigned me. I take it as your gift; I offer it back to you. With your help I will do it gladly, faithfully, and I will trust You to make me holy.

Daily devotions courtesy of Devotions.org, a ministry of Back to the Bible.

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I'm sure I'm not the only one who can relate to the devotional above. Let's face it. Sometimes the Lord calls us to do things we just plain don't want to do. But just because we don't want to do it, doesn't mean we should have a bad attitude. 

Scripture is pretty clear...

~ Colossians 3:23-24 ~

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

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And I like what she said about the discipline of the job being the chisel God uses to shape me/us into the image of Christ! 

Clay in the Potter's hands, so to speak. 

So here's to each of us having a right attitude, a willing heart, open hands, and a moldable character to become who we are meant to be.

Can we do this?

Yes, we can!

How?

That's how.

Have a blessed Sabbath day!

:::

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 The Enchanting Rose

Two years ago today...

Our precious Amy went to be with the Lord. 

I look forward to this day...

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; 

and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, 

neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

~Revelation 21:4

Until then...

In God is my salvation and my glory: 
the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
~Psalm 62:7

Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is supposed to be a happy occasion but for many it is not. It brings reminders of a mom or a child who isn’t with us anymore. It is easy to get lost in our own grief because it is such an all encompassing emotion. When you’re in the midst of those early days and weeks, perhaps even months and years,  you’re apt to walk through life with blinders on, singularly focused on taking one step at a time, not glancing left or right or up for fear you might fall.

Thankfully, there comes a day when you not only look up but out, toward others, toward life. Your eyes are opened to the beauty that still lives on in God’s creation. Perhaps you notice a single flower, a beautiful sunset, or hear a child’s laughter. Maybe these things bring to mind your loved one that has passed away, and you realize you no longer feel the heavy weight of grief. The kind that robs you of breath.

That’s where I am today. I can breathe again without feeling like I am suffocating. It doesn't mean I’m not deeply saddened. I am. I don’t have my mom or oldest daughter with me anymore, but what I do have is hope for the future. I see it every day in the eyes of my children and grandchildren. I feel it when their arms wrap me in a loving embrace. I hear it in their voices as they mingle together in laughter.

If you’ve experienced the loss of your mom or child, I pray that you are on the road to healing; to hearing and seeing all the Lord has for you. It’s a difficult journey to be sure. Know that we are in this together. I pray that you know how much you are appreciated and loved today, 

dear Mom's.

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

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Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of a good report – if there is any virtue and if there is any praise- think on these things. ~Philippians 4:8

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Sunday Stillness
Scripture & a Snapshot

{Sunday}

Thinking about my mom and daughter as Mother's Day approaches. 

The wisdom my mom passed on to me, precious moments with my daughter, 

and the fact that they are together for eternity. 

Have a blessed Sabbath!

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