windowsill

“The voyage of a lifetime starts at the windowsill.”

~Khang Kijarro Nguyen

~

Recently, as I was going through my photo files, I found quite a few windowsill shots.

I didn't realize I had so many of them so I decided to include them in a post.

So often I'll walk into the kitchen and find the late afternoon sun filtering through the petals

of whatever happens to be in the vessels (or the vessels themselves) that's sitting on the sill...

...and creating such a lovely still-life display that I have to stop whatever I'm doing
and go grab my camera.

Sometimes, depending on the time of day, the scene is more of a silhouette...


...and sometimes it's just fun.

~
As you can see, my windowsills are quite shallow.
You can be sure that the farmhouse will have nice deep ones. 😉

AT MY WINDOWSILL

Early in the morning,

When all is still,

I sit and wait

At my windowsill,

And watch the sun

Come over the hill,

To paint the sky

With beauty and skill.

~Linda B. Ross



Most of the photos I came across were taken of my own kitchen windowsill 
but I found a couple from other places as well.

Remember our beloved cabin in Virginia?
These colored bottles always made me smile as I caught the sun sifting through them.
When we moved out, I gave the blue ones away to Adam and Carrie.

Now I get to enjoy them sitting in their windowsill when we come visit them.

It's always fun to change things up for the seasons.
Anyone else ready for fall?

"Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are window through which you must see the world."
~George Bernard Shaw

BOUQUET

Today, while I was busy at my tasks

She came to me, and proudly held to view
The flowers she had gathered, with the words
"See Mommy! I have picked them all for you."

I smiled with high delight, and gathered close
The limp grey weeds, the wilted dandelion...
And placed them all in water, in a vase
Upon the window sill to catch the shine!

I often think, Lord, this must be Your task
With prayers and deeds we bring to You each night,
How poor and small they are, they fall so short!
And yet, how beautiful within Your sight.

To understand our aims, unworthy deeds ...
And bless the "flowers" shining through the weeds!

~Charmain Blattner

"Give me a window and I'll stare out it."  

~Alan Rickman

So tell me...what's in your windowsill?


Sharing at:
Amaze Me Monday

God's Timing is Always Perfect

I seem to be talking about best laid plans a lot lately.

Remember the trip to Tennessee that didn't happen last month?

That was kind of like the tip of the iceberg.

Yes, there was sickness on both sides and it was God's perfect timing...
 ...because He already knew all about it.

God's timing is always perfect.

Anyone who reads my blog knows of the plans we have for our retirement.

They included selling our home here in NC this spring or summer,

moving to Tennessee and live in our RV for a while
while we build our farmhouse in Adam's meadow in Haywood Hollow.

Now I am not one to share a lot of health information about myself...

mostly because I have always been quite healthy and rarely had many issues. 

You know how at church when they ask for prayer requests?

Well, I really struggle when it comes to asking for prayer for myself.

I am really struggling just writing this post.
But I think of you as my friends and thought I'd share with you what's going on.

So back to best laid plans...

Without getting into all of the gory details (you certainly would not want me to share them),

just let me just say that a health issue from a decade ago has decided to revisit me.
Back between 2007-08, I had a very sick gallbladder that resulted in a biliary stricture.
That meant that bile was backing up in my liver and making me jaundiced and very sick.
Several stents in the bile duct and removing the gallbladder and I was all good...

...for ten whole years!

Fast forward to August 2017, right before my brother passed away.

I started getting sick and was all too familiar with the symptoms.
Another stricture had indeed formed, another stent was placed,
and then removed this past November.
So about a month ago when we all got sick, what I thought was a nasty stomach bug wasn't.
I knew I needed another stent so last Monday it was put in place...
...a different kind this time that can stay in longer.
(This is done by an endoscopic procedure, just so you don't think I was cut on all those times.)

I get to keep this one for at least 6 months, maybe longer...
BUT...and that's a big but...I have to stick around a while, as it would seem.
You just can't up and leave your trusted doctor who has been there from the beginning...
and your insurance when you need it most!
Nope, can't do that!

I will know more after I see my doctor in six months.

Until then, we will continue on with the plan...
just knowing that the timetable is a bit off from what we had hoped for.

Here's the good news...it gives us more time to get it all done. {{smile}}

God's timing is ALWAYS perfect.

Where Am I Going?

I have to admit, there are times when I have no idea!

Have you ever felt that way or am I the only one?

I mean, I do know that ultimately, I am going to go to heaven one day.

But where am I actually heading on my day to day journey?

There are days when I feel like I'm traveling in the fast lane—not by my lifestyle...

...but like life is just passing by so quickly.

Or sometimes it seems like I'm headed down a one-way street,

not being able to get to where I need to be.

What is the reason for this out-of-nowhere, random question?

I will blame it on my new phone.

Yes, my peeps...I have actually joined the ranks and gotten an iphone!

I know, I know...it's about time I got with the program, right?

My dumb little phone has done me well all these years, but it was time.

And what have I been lusting longing for most after seeing many of YOU using it?

The Waterlogue App.

So I was going through some of the many photos I've taken so far

 and decided to give this random shot that I took on my way to work one morning

the Waterlogue treatment.

Oh my...

That road seemed to take on a whole new meaning and I just couldn't stop looking at it.

I'm not really sure why, but it had a way of making me take stock of my life.

Some days I might feel like I've pretty much got it all together,

but there are just as many days I know, unequivocally, that I do NOT!

I look at that road and it reminds me that I should be farther along on my journey.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 

"This is the way; walk in it."

Isaiah 30:21

Thank you, Lord, for your holy spirit that convicts us me...not condemns me...

...but shows me what is it that I need to do—the things that I do have control over,

to make a difference in the lives of those that I come in contact with.

So...I fret a little and pray a lot.

 But here's what I do know...

...after God...

 I may not always know where I am going 

but I do recognize when I have been lagging behind.

I am thankful for the holy spirit's conviction and for the sweet grace of my Savior. 

I came across this poem that kind of puts it all into perspective, 

~

Life is a Journey

~unknown

Life is but a stopping place,
a pause in what's to be,
A resting place along the road,
to sweet eternity.

We all have different journeys,
different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
but never meant to stay...

Our destination is a place,
far greater than we know.
For some the journey's quicker,
for some the journey's slow.

And when the journey finally ends,
we'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
together with the Lord.
~
So yes, I've been having some fun playing with my new iphone...
...and isn't it just like God to use technology to get His message across?!

I follow Jesus so I shall not walk in darkness, but I have the light of life.
John 8:12

Sharing at

Spiritual Sundays