Simply Home Things

We visited a country store a few weekends ago. This little log cabin incense burner reminds me of my childhood. My uncle had one at their house. It is at their home where my family spent many Saturday nights and where we spent almost every first-day-of-hunting. Occasionally Aunt Jean would light the little balsam incense and I would watch the smoke waft from the chimney.  I can smell the balsam scent even now as I think and talk about it. I was happy to find one and rekindle those happy memories from my young life.

This little bear was made by our friend, Hannah. Isn't he so cute? He's made of burdock, which is such fun to work with. Hannah made many animals on Sunday afternoon. I was happy to get this little guy. Of course, I had a few rocks on the counter (after filling my most recent name-rock order, last post), so Bear had to be seated atop them.

A funny story about one other burdock creation...Mom and I made an owl a couple years ago. I had put a picture of it on the blog. It was quite life-sized and was perched in a tree near the road. Here he is:

He looked very real until one day, on our way to church, Mom and I were driving by and spotted Owly hanging upside down from his branch! A bad idea: Reaching up above your head to fix any burdock figure. I made this mistake and flipped Mr Owl upright, forgetting how many little burrs would come down around my neck and into my blouse! I squeezed his feet back onto the limb...then picked tiny prickles from my neck and hair (and stomach!) for the rest of the day.

What could be homier than a couple of cuddling puppies. Mom's been coming down for dinner here lately. Photos from a quiet evening in the cabin.

Sturm and Coco (she's been with us for a week)

This morning our neighbor across the road called. She was warning of a bear that just passed through her back yard. Ruger's been out all morning, with his nose in the air, but thankfully has not strayed further than our driveway.

Well, it's back to painting names on rocks, as I have another order to fill. The simple home things are wonderful, aren't they? It's these little things that make our house a home. Those of us who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have so much more to look forward to in our Heavenly home. It won't be these simple, earthly pleasures though. It sounds so different, reading this passage from the Old Testament book of Isaiah, as I am so used to reading it from I Corinthians.

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him." Isaiah 64:4

One day these old "home things" will be gone forever and born again believers will be with our Father in Heaven! -for all of eternity!  Thanks for stopping by our earthly home this morning.

Stranger in our Midst

Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

The Lord blessed me this morning from these promises from Romans 8.

I'm glad you stopped by the hill today, as you can see the lovely hibiscus that has come out on my back porch! The little tree seems to like it out here best. The overmuch rain had caused all its leaves to turn  yellow and fall off. Now there are lots of new leaves and blossoms! Yesterday morning it looked like
this:

you can see all the other flower buds too!

 Last night Syd told me to look out on the porch. The hibiscus flower was completely unfurled! So pretty!

I only take this one to show, again, how far across it reaches, and the pretty stamen. Sorry it's fuzzy

That was an exciting discovery. When I went to work and was sorting the mail, a man stepped into the lobby and said, "Do you have any coffee?" My co-worker, Dave, and I looked through the PO window and there the man stood. I said, "well, I could make you some". I think that took him by surprise --but then, I was the surprised one - to see that I didn't have any coffee with me. I'd run out a few days prior and had not brought any more from home! Anyway, in the fridge was almost a full cup of STRONG stuff which I'd planned on making iced coffee from. I heated it in the microwave while he told us that he is walking to Pennsylvania! -and has been sleeping outside. Neither Dave nor I got the whole story, but while the coffee was warming, the man asked me, "If you were to die today, would you go to heaven?" I replied (emphaticallly), "YES!" He said that he thought  I said that with alot of confidence and I explained to him that I knew the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior, so, yes, I would go to be with God when I die. He is also a Christian and said that he'd been giving out gospel tracts on his travels and that many people in this part of the country don't give such an affirmative answer. The man, Nick, continued to sip his coffee while we all made some small-talk, then he left.  Of course, after he left, I wished we'd asked him many more questions and that I'd had more food (or candy, or anything) to give him for his trip.

I do not know why God sent Nick along; perhaps so that he would have contact with Christians who would pray for him in his journey, perhaps to be a testimony for Christ to my co-worker, perhaps just as a real encouragement to me (as this truly did "make my day"). Syd and I are now praying for Nick and will be bringing him up for prayer on Wed night at prayer meeting, so that other believers will be praying him on his way.

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2

I pray that you have a blessed day, and THANKS for stopping by Darling Hill!