The Romans Road

Dear readers, You who do not yet personally KNOW the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior; my prayer is that, after you leave Darling Hill today, you would please take a walk 

on the “Romans Road” by reading 

Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23 and Romans 10:9,10

…these verses are only a few of God’s riches!

I pray that your visit to the hill has left you with the Word of God and that His Word and God's Spirit will do the convicting work in your heart, leading you into a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Gross Post

If you really HATE spiders, don't scroll down too far. 

I am serious...this is a serious spider!

and I wouldn't blame you if you don't want to look.

There is a story that goes along with it. Last Friday evening we had eaten down at our house and I was taking Mom up to her place so that we could go to bed. Lately we have had a very LOUD exhaust on our vehicle because, though much work was done on the car, the exhaust was the least of its problems. Due to this, I have been parking out at the end of Mom's driveway so that I do not wake her early in the morning if I have to leave before she gets up. I say all this to express how THANKFUL I am that the Lord put it in my mind to drive Mom up to the house, then I would park at end of driveway and walk in (as she and I usually do). That particular evening Mom was having a sore knee, thus I was to drive her to the door... When we got there, the lights shining on the doorway, she started toward it and said, "What is THAT?!" On the threshold was the hugest spider I've ever seen in 53 years - my whole life! I did not dare just let it disappear into the grass, as I had to know what kind it was! Running to the back door, praying as I want, I got to the kitchen and grabbed a rubbermaid tub and the dustpan. With goosebumps, and Mom holding the flashlight, he eventually ended up in the container, which we pierced holes in AND taped shut! Needless to say, he spent the night out on the back porch. In the morning I could get on our computer and look him up. So, my PRAISE was that the Lord did not have Mom and I walk the driveway, as we may not have seen this guy and he could have easily slipped in through the doorway when we entered! As most of you already know (if you peeked) he is a WOLF SPIDER. Scroll down if you really want to see...

Just in case you don't, I will also tell you that I took him to the Post Office, where I work on Saturday mornings, covered the container with a napkin and let people know that they could look if they'd like. Most people did. I learned many stories about wolf spiders from my morning customers. One of them even caught a small spider from outside the PO entryway, which we dropped in for Wolfy, in case he was hungry. They did squabble a little but he did not eat him. Two of the customers relayed stories of their apartment building being infested with these spiders (same apt. building) and one of the ladies had reached into a nest and been bitten several times, ending up in an extended stay at the hospital, where she nearly died (she may have been allergic). The internet did say that their venom is not deadly but can cause much site pain and swelling of lymph nodes, worse if you are allergic.

wolf spider's bodies can measure anywhere from 1" to 3". This one was about 1.75 inches long.

 This next one's perspective is a little off, as the ruler being in foreground doesn't really show his true measurements. I wish I'd taken one from the front view. He was WIDE also.

A fuzzy picture, for a fuzzy spider...yes, they have hair!

We let him go in a field FAR AWAY, down the road.

So, that's your gross post for the day! Thanks for stopping by Darling Hill. I HOPE this won't keep you from visiting often!

Love and Thankfulness

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus...made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men...he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:5-8

The sermon I just listened to leaves me almost breathless as the speaker, the pastor from Victory Baptist in Simpsonville, SC attempted to explain in a human, limited degree, what it must have meant for Jesus to do this. He gave illustration after illustration of missionaries who left everything to serve the Lord, unto death. I cannot express exactly how it convicted me of what I have not left for Him. This speaker is correct, as is our Pastor, when they say that we, Christians in America, have no concept of what it means to leave all and follow Him. I pray that the Holy Spirit keeps bringing this up to me and that I will learn the lessons, dwell upon Christ Jesus' mind and, in love and thankfulness, go out and serve Him more fervently. Please, revive my heart, O Lord!

Fair Time! and a Prayer Request

It's hard to believe it's time for the World's Fair already! Though we can tell by the temperatures that it's getting toward frosts at night. This is what I've been working on for an entry. I have not heard back from the "fair people" as to whether it can be entered, as it measures 28" X 50".

I was driving along the road one day and, sitting out against a guardrail was this HUGE frame with a print in it, one of those nondescript fruit prints. Right away I got a vision of a huge painting; turned the car around, parked and threw the print in the back seat. This is what developed. We've titled it "American Cabin". Obviously in folk art style, it shows Syd (with beard and favorite haircut), his fishing vest on and pole in hand. Sturm and Ruger are there in the foreground and our last dear dog, Ranger, in the background (as he so often was; silent and watching).

This photo is somewhat dark, so it's hard to see little Sturm peering through the grass in front of me. There is only ONE place in our house that this will fit. Once the wall going up the stairs is painted, that is where it will hang, at the top of our stair landing. It's fun doing folk style, as there's plenty of margin for "error" - and you could just call it "artist license"!

I'll take a picture of Mom's entry as soon as we are sure of what it is. She has a LOT of pieces to choose from, as she created such lovely things all of her life.

I wish all you "pray-ers" would please pray for Syd. He went to work today, for one hour, then drove himself to the hospital, as he'd talked with his doctor last night and was encouraged to get to the office today and they'd try to work him in. He has a 10:00 appt. but if any openings come up they'll get him in earlier. His kidney started squeezing late yesterday afternoon. No vomiting or fever, so not an infection yet, but they need to get an ultrasound to determine what's causing this. It could be the large kidney stone, which has been laying dormant for a few years in there. Last they looked, it was too large to simply pass and we've known that an operation or another blasting could be the answer. Thank you for praying and I'll let you know how he's doing.

Thanks for stopping by the Hill. I hope you have a beautiful day!

The Harvest Moon

"And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;" Genesis 1:14

The internet said that the sun would set at 7:16 p.m. last night, so I called Mom to see if she saw a hint of Harvest Moon rising on her side of the hill, nothing yet. Hurrying through my supper, and watching the horizon through our west facing trees, I grabbed the camera at 7:08 and hopped in the car. Guess who I met half way up Darling Hill? yes, Mom. She was walking down to meet me, thinking I'd be on foot. With not a minute to spare we rode up, just in time to catch the moon escaping from behind this cloud!

...and these, from a slightly different angle, as I was getting into the car. Of course, on camera I just couldn't share with you the night-sounds; that of the nearby owl and dogs howling from the house below. It was a BEAUTIFUL moonrise. 2014 Harvest Moon.

Making Orange Juice Without an Orange?

Future Sunday School lessons (here, very abbreviated)

Lessons From the Epistles~

I value the things that were repeatedly and patiently taught me while I was a baby Christian. These early lessons were just the beginning of a lifetime of lessons. Our church is filled with children. These young people are on their way to Christlikeness! During this past year our lessons have been on walking, step by step. Today's thoughts were scribbled down while reading Ephesians 5. Simply, lessons from the Epistles. Sadly, even a Christian can try to walk the walk without relying on the Holy Spirit.

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." 5:18

...speaking to yourselves, singing with grace in your hearts, giving thanks always, submitting one to another...

all impossible in our own strength.

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

An interesting observation, I thought:
Don't keep trying to make a byproduct without the Source!

This will lead to a Christian life of frustration, disappointment and defeat.

You can't make orange juice without an ORANGE!



Out my window today:

While I was making lunch I kept hearing Mom talking outside. When I went to the window both times, these are the things I saw. Sturm seemed to be listening intently; Ruger too, as Grammy pointed something out to him.

Labor Day Labors

Today was a good one for just getting a few things done around the house...things I see as I'm already almost out the door, saying, "I'd better get to that one of these days soon". Syd is fighting a kidney stone with possible bladder infection too, but we're treating it as best we can till he can see the doc. He coated the inside of the bed of the truck first thing today and is now up and down the ladder doing a very special job ("before and after" at the end of this post).
hint:

As I was outside taking a few pictures I noticed that we're getting closed in by jewel weed (spotted touch-me-not). I hate to whack it all down because the hummingbirds just go from one tiny flower to the other. We really enjoy seeing them busily collecting their nectar this time of year.

There are all kinds of excuses for not doing some jobs! I was washing a few windows this morning and decided to just wait on the outside of this one. Check out the intricacy of this busy spider's webs! It's no wonder we have not had any moths in the house for weeks! These webs are just outside our front stoop. I'll admit, I check quite carefully at 5:00 a.m. when I go out with the dogs. I'd rather not run into this guy face-to-face!

I bought a broken hay rake at a local farm-yard sale a couple weeks ago. I wanted it for this corner and got it hung today.  The weathervane arrow had just been kicking around. I like it here.

My Sweetie and I could hear "snap...snap...snap" while we were sipping coffee outside during late morning. The dogs indicated that it was a near-neighbor. Sure enough, it was Mom, making her way down through the woods, picking up sticks and stacking them neatly in little piles (you'll see them ALL through her woods). She came down for coffee and then we had some chicken salad sandwiches and fresh tomato from the garden.

After we ate, Mom went on her way through the woods, snapping and piling all along the paths. A bit later the dogs and I went looking for her. See how neat and orderly these woods' paths are? it's like walking through a park. Sorry, some of the photos shaky because I had a little dog often pulling at my camera arm.

piles, piles, everywhere...

Then we found Mom, not in the woods, but taking a coffee break at her house!

She decided to walk back down with us. Here she is beside one of her piles. No, she didn't just put that HUGE stick on there! though it looks it in this picture.

this mushroom totally took over the top of the stump.

The blackberries are really coming along. Below is Sturm's first taste of a blackberry. Ruger eats them off the bushes. Sturm kept taking it into his mouth and then spitting it out and trying it again. He finally did eat it; after all, it's something to EAT!

Our apples are SO much more plentiful this year, but not as good as in past years.

When we reached the house Syd was JUST cutting the last piece to his project. One of these days I'll relate the "Syd loves Cyndy" stories.

He said that he decided to place it "right here"...no, he was just getting the nails started actually.

See those orange leaves up there? hmm!

BEFORE:

the Tyvek had really taken a beating, hadn't it!?

AFTER:

And don't we look pleased?! We are! very pleased, and THANKFUL for the Lord's provision!

connecting and finishing this wrap around deck/porch is the next project

We hope that you all had a nice Labor Day. Ours on the Hill was a blessing.