Blessed Rain

"Today is a beautiful day for ducks", as they say...It is also a beautiful day for filling the streams and wells!

Praise the Lord for the wonderful rain. When I would awake in the night it sounded glorious to hear blessed rain falling on the roof. So far it has rained all morning, but looks like it is brightening up out there now. I would not mind another full day or two of gentle drizzle.

In thinking about rain I tried to find some photos that would keep me in the rainy day mode. I find that I just don't take many pictures on wet days!  

This lovely little duck was in brother, Dennis' pond last year. The pond is dried up right now.

Not a happy day to remember in the Northeast, Tropical Storm Irene.
It makes for a good rainy-day picture though

It's truly "a great day for ducks"!

"For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good; and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:45

I thank the Lord for His faithfulness to His children and for His kindness, even toward His enemies. The greatest demonstration of God's love toward all of mankind was sending the Son, Jesus Christ, to shed His blood upon Calvary's cross, thus opening the way to reconciliation with the Father.  "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Praise the Lord that, in whatever situation we find ourselves, God is always there. He was there first! Jesus suffered in all points, like we have (yet without sin!). Nothing comes as a surprise to our Heavenly Father and He has control of all things. God never does anything wrong. There is nothing in which we can "charge God with folly".

As I meditated on these thoughts earlier today, I realized that I have absolutely NOTHING to complain about. Complaining, for a child of God, is a form of charging God with folly. It is my "little way" (which is not 'little') of saying that He has made a mistake in this, or that, area. Praise the Lord that 'He remembers that we are dust'. The psalmist does speak of "pouring out my complaint" to God through prayer. I am glad that we can come before a personal God, with 'open face' and am thankful that He understands us, totally. I never want to make excuses for sin though.

The world says, "into every life a little rain must fall", as though these rainstorms are only trials. Knowing the Lord as Savior means that we can look at rainstorms as a great blessing!

I hope that you readers in the West and mid-West are getting some of these raindrops too. I do remember to pray for you who have been without water for so long. Take care and thanks so much for stopping by Darling Hill today!

Once, in a Blue Moon

It's a beautiful Labor Day weekend. We have had two great campfires with family. There was plenty of sweet, roasted corn on the cob Friday night.  I believe I counted 15 of us. Of course, no party of ours is complete without dogs. There are seven of them here this weekend, though 8 on Friday night! Koba is the newest addition. She belongs to Bobbi Jo (niece) and Danny, but Sturm and Ruger want her to move in with us.

Koba, so proud of her corn husk!

obviously, everyone had to take turns checking her out...

 and holding her.....

Ruger says, 'Can I hold her now'?  He was so very gentle with her

                                                     

                                                                     Niece, Vello's friend, Abby

                                       

                                                 Sarah with Koba.

As we sat around the fire, I hear brother, Kim, say..."Cyndy, bring your camera if you want to see Grammy up a tree!"
Here is what I saw...

hmmmm! what have we here?

Uh-oh! I think Aunt Cyndy spotted us!

"helloooo"

Great Grammy with Beth, Tristan (hiding) and Lucius

She's 83 but has LOTS of energy. I hope I have this much when I'm 33 years older than now! Truthfully, I hope that the Lord has come to take us all home before then, but IF I'm still here, I'd love to be this spry. The grand kids and great grand kids have such fun with Gram!

The blue moon was lovely, though so hard to get a photo of. I did manage to get one of last night's horizon. Check out the fire - doesn't it resemble an evil cat, with his huge tail in the air and an ugly face? Still, I thought it was beautiful.

We spent a beautiful Lord's Day together around the Word of God. Pastor was teaching from the book of James. "I will show thee my faith by my works". What practical teaching James gave about the out-working of one's faith in Christ!

I hope you all have a good Labor Day. It is nearing the end of Summer (I call the entire month of September "summer"). Sarah, Mom and I were talking about how quickly time passes, we were bemoaning it, actually...but the Lord has impressed upon my heart during the last few days...why look at it in a negative way? He is just bringing the day of the Rapture quicker!! "Even so, Come, Lord Jesus".

Thanks for stopping up to Darling Hill!

"Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee ; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Psalm 40:5