Photography, Alaska, Creation, Nature, Wildlife, Landscapes, Inspiration, God, Art, Beauty, Great Smoky Mountains
This morning, locked in winter’s frozen grip, Creation unhurriedly thrives, silently displaying God’s omnipotence.
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth, find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts”. – Rachel Carson
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
As tonight’s snowflakes began to fall Garfield’s big cousin strolled by to check out if we had any dinner leftovers for him to munch on . . . I love pizza . . . he went away hungry 😊
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
Gary is a long-distance friend in Minnesota who recently shared this story of what our world needs more of . . . spontaneous, un-selective random acts of kindness.
“Last week when it was really cold (-60 wind chill) a lady I know invited a stranger to sleep on her couch. A truck driver was going to curl up in his idling truck in the gas station parking lot. Different skin color, 600 miles from home, first job out of prison, not used to the cold weather but very used to the coldness of racial tension. By the time he left, the whole family (even her husband) had adopted him and he them.
I love her explanation. “I would never do a thing like that on my own but I just felt moved to tap this guy in front of me in the convenience store line and ask him if he had a place to stay tonight. Then I called my husband and told him we had company for supper and overnight. I knew it was Jesus moving me, I just knew I was safe, so I would not take no for an answer from the trucker or my husband.” A funny-moving story in real life not many will hear, but is somewhat common in some circles.
So, picture me this America. Land of spacious skies, freedom and home of the brave. At least you Jesus followers…how about “Love one another as I have loved you” John 13:34
Turns out our truck driver had found and followed Jesus in prison, but was adrift in the big cold world not having found any support. He found God’s warming love from an unlikely stranger on one of the coldest nights winter could bring. That saga will continue…”
“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
Matthew 25:37-40
Thanks Gary.
Worry is no joke! Its stress causes serious problems. Worry’s stress hormones in the brain have been linked to shrinking brain mass; lowering IQ; heart disease; cancer; premature aging; predicting martial problems; family dysfunction; clinical depression; and making seniors more prone to dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Some 500 hundred years ago, Michel de Montaigne said: “My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened.“ In 2015, long before Covid added to this world’s worried stress overload, an article published in the now-closed Huff Post reported on a study that confirms Montaigne’s humorous, but sadly spot-on quip.
In this study, subjects were asked to write down their worries over an extended period of time and then identify how their perceived misfortunes actually materialized. The results were as follows:
That leaves just 3 % of legitimate worries that most likely will happen just as imagined, regardless of whatever mitigating interventions may be implemented.
Perhaps there’s a tad of subtle credibility in Mad Magazine’s smiling, half-wit icon, Alfred E. Neuman’s motto. . . What, Me Worry? However, Alfred’s humorous motto is unrealistic, wishful thinking.
Truth is, some 2,000 years ago, One who carries the worries of each of us stated worry’s ultimate, one-day-at-a-time, remedy:
“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:31
Yesterday Kermit was relaxing at his VRBO (Vacation Rock By Owner). Overnight ‘climate change’ set-in dropping 4 “ of white stuff and the temps 40 degrees. Kermit quickly abandoned his rock, checking into Muddy Bottoms to hide out for the remainder of the winter.
Uncertainty is a certainty of Life. The new year has arrived with devastation . . . surging pandemic numbers; tornadoes; blizzards; hurricane force winds bellowing raging fires, all wreaking a wake of destruction and tragedy. Tomorrow, but for the grace of God, could find any of us ravaged by such unforeseen ‘climate’ changes.
Thankfully, unlike Kermit, we have the option to face this world’s ‘climate’ changes and avoid checking into in Muddy Bottoms to hide out . . . we can permanently book a VRBO (Verified Rock By Owner), verified since the dawn of creation to withstand any disaster . . .
“Rock of ages , cleft for me,
May I hide myself in Thee.”
Augustus M. Toplady
Be Blessed, and Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
Abba's Art 