Blue Morning

Today I noticed a blue-jay near my window. When I opened the blue shear curtain to take a picture, I scared him away…but then noticed a small field mouse that he had been picking on. It was huddled into a tight ball until the jay retreated, then he straightened out and trembled furiously.

He hopped a couple of times and fell over often.

I felt such a compassion for the poor creature and wanted to do something…yet knowing that any interference on my part would not benefit….He is now sitting still against the wooden border of the house where the butterfly bush is.

I've no idea where the Jay is now…or why it was picking on the field mouse in the first place.

I am saddened by my witness of such violence at my peaceful window this rainy morning...and

once again I am reminded of how all creatures must suffer upon this earth...because of us.

 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:18-23

Before publishing this post, my attention was once again drawn to the scene outside my window...the little field-mouse was gone, and a curious visitor was investigating the spot where the field mouse was sitting before going about with his own business...

Green Afternoon

 The forest trail beckoned to me.

    I took a walk through the woods...The cedar boughs still dripping from the morning's rain...everything washed clean and fresh...The smell of the 

       wet earth was pungent, but pleasant.

...A silent hooded figure, I moved quietly  along the edge of the swamp...with my two companions...The  black dogs sniffed out the tracks of deer on the trail...only their prints left upon the lush ground now. 

I broke my silence as I walked and said aloud the Lord's prayer...with each step I prayed accompanied only by the sound of wildlife and of the dogs as they bound along the forest path...

 Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

 Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.

 Give us this day our daily bread.

 And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.

After spending some time in quiet meditation, I climbed back up the path leading to the cottage. 

 Nearing the cottage, I found the body of the tiny field mouse frozen in death.

I picked it up with two branches and placed it atop a soft pile of dead leaves on the hillside beyond the blackberry bushes and cherry tree.

~Blessings & Love~

and remember, we are...

~NEVER FORSAKEN~

Summer fun with family

It's been two weeks since I've posted.
I'm well, but have been very busy...We went to visit our daughter in Indiana for a few days, and had a lot of fun seeing our granddaughters and spending time with all three of our girls too!
We attended our daughter's bridal shower, and met several of her friends as well as her fiancee's family for the first time.
Our soon to be Son in Law coaches a high school baseball team.We attended their state semi-final game, and had a great time watching them play!
We also went to a nice park with a zoo for the kids...Well, actually the adults had just as much fun too :)
Here are a few pictures:

Me and Sam at her Bridal shower...Me wearing a set of rabbit ears, courtesy of Jeff. 

Our oldest daughter, Ginny demonstrating how to play with this water globe at the zoo...

And here she is demonstrating how to play in the interactive prairie dog tunnels...
(I told you the adults had fun too!)

The grand kids had fun playing with the otters. 
(I had to climb into the underground opening to get this shot)

Here's the granddaughters...Our daughter Sam knows the owner of the hotel, so she got a good deal on a suite with adjoining rooms for our family.

 Jeff, Sam, and Sarah at the restaurant. We had a very good lunch there shortly after we arrived in Indiana.

Me and the girls later that day in the city of Lafayette.

Here are some shots I took as we walked around the city...Praise the Lord I was actually able to walk all the way around the main block and then some... I think I tired the kids out!

We came home last Monday, and then my sister and her husband visited on Tuesday.
On Wednesday Sarah went with me to my oncologist appointment and met my doctor and nurses while I had a checkup and Herceptin infusion....They teased her about inheriting my 'clumsy gene' when she walked into one of them...I almost collided into the doctor shortly afterwards as I was making my way (with my IV pole)...to the coffeepot!...It was the second time that he and I were on a collision course...though not that same day.
My blood counts remain quite low, but that is to be expected...everything else is great...In fact, my latest echo-gram two weeks ago showed that my heart is doing even better than when we began...My oncologist and the sonographer are baffled...But I'm not...God is not just protecting my heart from damage...He is creating a clean heart and renewing a right spirit within me...This test result is only a physical manifestation of that and I believe there is far more going on within my spiritual heart and soul.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,    
and uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51)

Speaking of hearts, one of my best friends is in the hospital recovering from a heart catherization today. She is doing well, and will need no further surgery...also to the dismay of her doctors...What can I say, except...
 GOD IS SO AWESOME!

Well, I hope you have enjoyed taking a tour with me today!

I am also working on a new blog that I believe will be easier for me to keep updated, as well as a pleasant place to have you visit...I am keeping this one up, but when the new one is completed I will be posting on there...don't worry I'll provide a link so you don't get lost.

~Blessings & Love~
and remember, we are...

~NEVER FORSAKEN~

My Birthday and more about the fawn.

Yesterday was my 49th birthday...I  woke up to a birthday song sung by my favorite hound dog! 
I had coffee with my friend Ellen. 
When he got home from work, Jeff took me out for dinner...we ate at a park. 
All the girls called to wish me a happy birthday...
Then I had a nice conversation with my sister on the phone...Lotsa laughs throughout the day!
It was a really nice day and I enjoyed it...It's hard to believe that this is my last year that I will be in my forties...Wow!
Time keeps on slippin' into the future.
Now about the fawn...
Here's a funny story about the little fawn that was stolen and then returned to his Mama:

Jeff's boss was working on that road last week and seen the fawn's mama jump over a wire fence, but when he looked closer he saw the fawn with his head stuck in the fence, and the little guy just laying there totally exhausted...Jeff's boss untangled him from the fence, and picked him up to move him away from it when he realized he wanted to take a picture, but his phone was in his truck. So he carried the fawn (who was still pretty tuckered out) over towards his truck...but as soon as he got close to it, the fawn started to kick and struggle like crazy!
He promptly set the fawn down and the little guy ran right to his Mama!
So for everyone who was worried about whether the fawn learned to be afraid of people from his kidnapping experience...
Well, I think he did!
I can just imagine the little fella being picked up and carried to another vehicle and then saying "Oh NO...Not this again!

To read about the fawn getting kidnapped- I wrote about it-  Here 



~Blessings & Love~
and remember, we are...

~NEVER FORSAKEN~

A Twisted Tree

A twisted tree grows where once a fragile sapling stood.

A beauty borne from unyielding force as purposed for it's good.

Looking upward t'ward the assembly of coiling braided branch

the passerby runs a hand along the rough expanse...

"I'll not soon forget you for surely I can see

You are the most unique and interesting tree!"

Photos and poem by Lisa Stager

UPDATE ON THE FAWN

The conservation officer called this morning to tell us that the fawn has been returned to his Mama!
Hopefully Mama will keep a close eye on him, and maybe teach him to avoid human beings from now on.

Isn't it sad to think that wild animals like this need to avoid us for their own safety?
Once upon a time we walked side by side with the animals...they weren't afraid of us, didn't need to be. 
This is just another reminder of how much was lost because of sin.

All the animals of the earth, all the birds of the sky, all the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the fish in the sea will look on you with fear and terror. I have placed them in your power. Gen. 9:2 

God provided a perfect world for us to live in, with plenty of good food taken from the earth. Animals were not our food, neither did we need their skins for clothing....And then the devil showed up and the first man and woman chose to listen to him instead of to God...Now everything in this world is unbalanced!

But things will not always be like this.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the

first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and 

the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, 

coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud 

voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling 

place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with 

them as their God.

 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” 

Also he said, “Write this down,

for these words are trustworthy and true.”  Rev.21:1-5

In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all.   Isaiah 11:6

Someday soon!

~Blessings & Love~
and remember, we are...

~NEVER FORSAKEN~