Ok, Sisters, your replies to the previous post have inspired me to pen this one. As I read through your comments to our walk through the woods, I was stricken with a fresh sense of awe over the lovely grace of God to tie our lives together in Christ from so many different locations. We are a clickstream from a spider web in thousands of ways but this screen can also become a coloring book of connect-the-dots for people who love Jesus. Last night when I did Bibby’s Secret Closet with Annabeth and Jackson, I gave Annabeth one of those CraZArt Spiral Art sets. You know what I’m talking about:
Since I talked in the previous post about where I live, lots of your comments referenced your own surroundings. By the time I’d noted the locations of the first six, I practically had a lump in my throat. The gift I gave Annabeth last night popped right back into my mind. Your comments swirled the page like geographical Spiral Art, and of the sacred kind, bright and multicolored. Just take a look at a smattering of them and behold a glimpse of you. Each of these sentences are copied and pasted from comments to the last post that took us on a walk through the country.
I live in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and we are just waiting for Spring.
I’m here in the Mid Atlantic on the shores of the Delmarva Peninsula where the winter won’t loosen its grip and we still have snow on the ground when we should be about ready to cut grass for the first time this season.
Next time, let’s do a walk in New Zealand!!
I have been out enjoying our Spring weather too because before we know it we will be trapped indoors with the air conditioning here in Az. (Arizona)
We are still waiting for it here in Ohio—it snowed yesterday!
My family has the privilege of owning a cabin in the NC mountains and it’s a little slice of heaven on earth. (North Carolina)
Wave surges are shockingly high – my fair Island will be swallowed up in the storm surges. So thank you for the glimpse of Hope in Spring.. -6 C wind chill feels like -29 just in case we thought we might like to put our face outside tonight… (I loved this one because I don’t have a clue where it is but it’s a “fair island” and COLD. Thank you, Iris! You took me there through your words without my even knowing where I’d gone!)
I love long walks in the country, but being from Illinois, I don’t quite have the same scenery you have (and might I say in a whining voice…I also don’t have your TexMex), especially those slithering things (except the black snakes).
l appreciated, being a California girl, all the references to various snakes, and remember the “rattlers” we used to see all the time…now living in Costa Rica, snakes have taken on a whole new meaning: we have some deadly AND aggressive snakes here, not shy, like the rattlers, but snakes that will actually “hunt you down.”
Living on the Portage River for nine years in MI, I experienced lovely spiritual moments: our giant blue heron flying low down the river, a white mother swan swimming down stream with a baby swan on her back, a shy deer family eating apples from under our apple tree. precious moments I’ll treasure now that we are living in the desert in AZ. (She goes on to identify Fountain Hills, AZ)
Thanks for the refreshment…still feels like winter in PA…longest winter ever! (Pennsylvania)
Your back woods look alot like mine up here in Central Saskatchewan – except for the fact that we’re still layered in a few feet of snow.
Loved taking this walk with you! I love your wild woods! They remind me of the woods around here in TN. (Tennessee)
AHHH where were those boots last night? We had a black snake on our porch and here in my neck of the woods in Uganda…
Come on, somebody! Give the Lord some praise! Is that gorgeous, or what??
So here’s what I want you to do if you feel like participating. Leave a comment telling us where you live and, if you don’t mind, add a description heavy on adjectives so we can picture ourselves there with you. I am looking so forward to this!
I’m so blessed to serve you, Sisters. The beauty of sisterhood in Christ is a work of divine art. I kept thinking that last week at the Colour Conference in Sydney because my friend, Bobbie Houston, has been so phenomenally used by God to gather a sisterhood of servants around the world to aid the poor, the oppressed, and the abused. We are a part of the same sisterhood because we are also in Christ and called to do some good in this weary world.
What an honor to seek Him with you. Unity is not about lining up on 100 points of doctrine. It’s about faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the holy Son of God, born of a virgin, crucified for our sins, raised from the dead, and returning to take His Throne. If that’s what you believe, you’re blood to me. I think sometimes the stuff of unity is all the sweeter to Christ – not when we already see eye-to-eye on all our doctrine but – when we don’t. Sometimes just agreeing that Jesus Christ is Lord is bond enough. When we only agree to love people and walk with people just like us, that’s tantamount to making our goal to become more like ourselves. Ick. Somebody else can have that. I’m trying to figure out how to forget myself, not make a mirror out of every woman of God I see. I want people to sharpen me, to cheer me onward when I’m discouraged or harassed, to make me think, and to keep me growing. A mirror can only make me more like me. Give this girl a seat by the window and let her capture the features of Christ gathered from the faces of many.
OK, rescue us all before I get sappier. Let’s hear about your locations!
Good Morning from the New Jersey Shore!
Rainy day here today but delighting in the hope that
April Showers will bring May flowers.
Had a cold snowy winter. Being a WINTER girl I enjoyed it.
Enjoy walks along the ocean and hopeful in seeing the
recovery from Hurricane Sandy which devastated our area.
Noticed so many robin red breasts this year in everyone’s yard.
Sometimes as many as 20. Love the story of the little bird God
created all black until it flew down and dipped its breast in the
blood of Jesus at the foot of His cross. And from that day forward it has had it’s red breast. Precious . . .
I live in Owasso, OK. Never heard of Owasso? We are the suburb just north of Tulsa, home to our famous Rams and, of course, Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood. Our claim to fame 🙂 It’s a typical early spring morning, everything still brown and boring, but the promise of color is just around the corner. I have certainly lived in prettier places….(shout out to my hometown in MO! and our former home Tuscaloosa AL….gorgeous country!) but God has seen fit to transplant our family here.
So I am “blooming where I am planted”.
It promises to be a warm day, probably up in the 60’s and 70’s, here in my small town just on the northern edge of Kansas City, Missouri. right now, though, it’s crisp and cold, with frost on the roof tops and car windows. I love the way the sun peeks over the house behind us that sits just a little higher than ours. it splashes all over the backyard where our 2 dogs Walker and Jimmy (named after Walker, Texas Ranger and his sidekick Jimmy Trivette), romp and play and wrestle. what warms me as much as the morning sun is the sight of my man standing on the deck watching those 2 pups, coffee in hand.
it’s a glorious morning and I am blessed!
thank you, Abba.
I am a Minnesota girl who lived in deep, south Texas (McAllen) for seven years, and am now pastoring a church in Wisconsin with my husband for the past eight years.
Here, the natives seem to forget every single March, every single year, that in Wisconsin, March is NOT spring yet. Everyone is longing for it! Looking for it! But, much to the disappointment of the masses, the days are still slightly chilly and the nights are downright cold.
Fortunately, we’re starting to smell spring in the air. Robins are flitting up and down through the trees, a sure sign that spring is definitely on the way. I imagine them finding their mates and building their nests, ready to lay those beautiful eggs. The bald eagles are busy as well, sturdying up their nests for their little ones to hatch. And I can’t wait to see tiny ducks and goslings waddling around near our beautiful Fox River, which should happen, fittingly, around Mother’s Day.
And the sure sign spring is here in northeast Wisconsin? Particularly around my city of Appleton, peppered with many of Dutch origin?
Hundreds and hundreds of tulips blooming, in every color of the rainbow, in every garden and window box in sight.
To spring! And the reminder of God’s faithful renewal, bringing life from what was certain death.
Greetings Beth: My corner of the world is Angola, Indiana. We are just a few miles from Ohio, and Michigan -so it’s called the Tri-State area. Our small county of Steuben has over 101 fresh water lakes. This is a very beautiful summer resort area with all the lakes. Lots of crystal clear water for fishing, boating, skiing, or swimming. Our town is about 13,000 but triples it’s size in the summer when all the lake residents come. I grew up on the family farm and took many walks with my border Collie “Lady.” I loved the spring when the violets, jack-in-the-pulpits, May apples, Dutchman’s britches,trilliums, and many other wild flowers filled the woods with a rainbow of color. This was a short frame of time. Once the trees sprouted their leaves my rainbow said, “see you next year.” My dad and I would hunt morel mushrooms. They reminded me of a sponge but rolled in flour and fried in butter till crisp — yummmmm!! Lady would chase every chipmunk, ground mole, or bird that would come close. Once in a while if we were lucky a deer would be looking back at us in the distance. Now — age has limited my walks to smoother ground but I will never forget the beauty God painted for me each Spring in the woods.
I’m Pam and I currently live in Knoxville for a second time in my 47 years. I find myself in the midst of a reluctant spring that keeps getting stalled by blasts of winter and a heart’s desire to feel newness shower over me to cleanse the mire that threatens to overwhelm my very spirit. The past few years have seen six addresses and a season of unrest that leaves my eyes scanning the horizon for a place of peace and tranquility I am not sure will come my way any time soon. I do take joy in seeing God’s handiwork and His promise of all things being new, including my own new creation status.
I live in Columbia, MD, west of Baltimore & north of Washington, DC. It’s slightly raining this morning but about 30 degrees warmer than it was a few days ago. Looks like spring may be on its way. I don’t mind winter though. I grew up in Iowa.
As Beth said, our unity comes from our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ & His Lordship. As I heard a pastor once say, “There are major things & minor things in following Jesus Christ. Don’t major in the minors”.
I loved, “Jesus Christ is LORD and that is bond enough!”
I am from Ohio, though born in CA. I so miss the Mountain ranges, the ability to go to many places like the ocean, or the mountains depending which direction I drove. But my Lord told me to be content in the State I am in. Maybe not what he meant! but for this comment, it is where I am heading with it. So to do this, I praise Him for the beauty where I live. Though no mountains close, I see them in the many cloud formations in the beauty of the sky’s. When I miss the ocean so much it hurts, I hear the roar in the wind blowing through my many pine tress we planted when moving here. When I miss my family more than I can stand, I pray and close my eyes and feel them through His spirit who is holding them close to His heart. And when I long for those who have gone on before I hold fast to His promise He is coming again soon to take us all who believe HOME! So this is my Ohio. Sorta different that others, but I now call it Home while passing through, till I finally get to my REAL Home I long for, to be with Jesus where my heart truly is! ♥
Cedar Rapids – everything is still grey here. We had snow on Monday, and the ground is still frozen. There is hope, tiny, feathery shoots of my daffodils are barely peeking out. I was raised in Austin, Beth, and lived near there all of my life until 2 1/2 years ago. You can imagine how I am longing for mt laurel, bluebonnets, and crepe myrtles. It’s been a very hard winter, even according to the Iowans. I’m LONGING for warmth and color.
Thankfully there are no snakes here in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. I have been outside all winter due to 5 horses – Sedona, Harley, Connie, Ray & Cocoa. Takes a couple of hours to muck the stalls and feed them. Sunny warm days will be a welcome sight for all 10 eyes. They are up to their ankles in mud. The grass is just beginning to turn green but too soft to let them out in it. In the meantime, they run and roll around in the arena like a herd of wild horses. So we patiently wait out the end of this gloomy weather in anticipation of the green grass that is to come…
Mariposa Ca…the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains…historic goldrush town…gateway to Yosemite National Park.
Good morning to all. So glad to see you back Beth we have missed hearing from you. I am from Decatur, Al. I live in the city so I mostly get to miss those snakes. Spring is trying to come. We have been having 42 degrees then 60 degrees. Really up and down. I hope we do not have a blackberry winter which is when we get our spring going and here comes a cold front and it takes a toll on our flowers. You can look out my window and see 3 beautiful Johnson Pear trees they are awesome. They have white and blooms that are falling and it looks like it is snowing so pretty. We also have a plum tree in the front yard that is blooming with pink and they will get red. I have lost a few flowers because I put them out to soon. I love spring and fall. You can keep winter and summer but here we live we have four seasons. The sky is a beautiful blue with white clouds floating around. Unfortunately the pollen really gets me. Sometimes I just pull up in the car and sit there and admire the beauty. So crazy but it works. You can not look outside without see God.
I am praying for some early pre-April showers this weekend to get rid of the remaining snow here in southern NH – it’s been a loooonnggg cooollllddd winter and we are looking forward to Spring. I know the rain will bring a bit of a mud season, but that’s ok. Crocuses will come up with tulips soon to follow. Think Spring!
In SW Virginia we still have snow higher in the mountains. I’m waiting for the redbuds to bloom. Their purple blossoms against the new bright green leaves are my favorite spring thing. Last night driving to SC I saw the first ones. It made my heart sing! Thank you Lord for these beautiful trees and that Spring has come!
I live in the small town of Beatrice, Nebraska.
This is the 14th place I’ve lived .
I have hiked the north Georgia mountains wading across cold streams, swimming in clear cold pools till my lips turned blue. Then sitting on a gigantic rock, in the sun, to warm myself while swarms of colorful butterflies lighted softly around me and on my outstretched arms. I remember how their landings tickled and it was hard to remain still. Could this be how the phrase “butterfly kisses” got started.
What I miss most about walks in Georgia are butterflies, dogwood trees and azaleas.
I’ve watched the sun rise on the beach when i lived in Florida. The breathtaking display of color against the sparkling water ushered a new day in with magnificent splendor.
I miss sunrises on the beach, but not the heat of the day.
I’ve lived in Houston and witnessed the power of hurricanes in the gulf bring deluges of rain. I remember wading through knee deep murky water to enter my new house just purchased that day. The winds were blowing so hard you could not escape the rain even with an umbrella. Umbrellas were quickly rendered useless, flipped inside out by the steady gusts of air.
The walks I miss most in Texas? I always enjoyed walking through vast lakes of bluebonnets. There are so many in fields and on hills growing together in the spring. When you stand at a distance they really look like bodies of water. I miss the yearly photo ops those dazzling blue beauties provided.
I will have to admit my walks while living in Wisconsin are my favorie, especially in winter. There is such a quiet hush to the world as millions upon millions of pure white flakes blanket the earth. The air is crisp and clean. The flakes that fall softly on your face feel tender and sweet, like love falling from the sky.
Yes this is the walk I miss most. I always followed them by sipping hot chocolate under an electric blanket sitting on my front porch swing and gazing at the glorious display, remembering because of Jesus I have been washed whiter than snow.
I have yet to discover a favorite walk in Nebraska but adjusting to a move takes time. So for now I walk many places I have not been before. I know I will soon discover my new favorite walk, perhaps along a river, or through a park. Only God knows!
One thing I have discovered, no matter where I walk the spendor and wonder of who God is and what God has created never ceases to amaze me.
We are trying to warm up here in Des Moines, Iowa, snowed two days ago, but it’s all gone, at least for now. But we’re still wearing winter coats.
Loved what you wrote Beth at the end of your post about Jesus Christ is bond enough for all of us.
Let me start by saying I love to vacation in the mountains, places with tall trees, waterfalls, rivers and rain, but my home has my heart. I’m a west Texas girl. Most people call it God forsaken, but they have never noticed the cactus in full bloom. Nothing (except pump jacks & windmills) stands between you and the sky when it is on fire with the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Have you seen a full moon on the horizon-WHOA! Did I mention the sun rays coming out from behind the clouds? I always envision God’s glory when they appear. Let’s not forget the nights when it looks as if God has thrown glitter into the sky. Yes, we know the number of stars that are there. Lastly because we are blest with so much dirt, there is a heavenly smell you will never forget when the rains do come. Yes, the sandhills are a favorite place to go at night with a full moon (watch out for snakes); dig down deep in the cool sand with your toes. The critters are too numerous to name (horned toads, my favorite). So next time you drive or walk through west Texas, open your eyes wide, God has not forgotten us.
Good Morning Beth,
I live in Medina, MN and I must say, Mary Lou has a much more positive attitude about the weather than I do! I’m done with the snow, sleet, freezing rain and below zero temps this year. That’s why we are in Scottsdale, AZ right now and although we had a huge snake removed from the back door yesterday, I’m loving this beautiful country! Sunny, warm, nice breeze, clear skies, beautiful hiking trails (we hiked Tom’s Thumb & Pinnacle Peak yesterday and the day before).
I’m looking forward to some days like this at home…. in a few months.
We are looking forward to your April visit, we’ll be safe and warm inside Grace church, so we don’t need to worry about the weather then. Wish I could promise sun and warmth, but I know better. 🙂
What I can promise is that our committee has been praying for you and the whole team and will continue to do so – it’ll be a powerful weekend!
Blessings~
Karin
We are an odd sort, the hubs and I. We are in our early 50″s and we are native born California”s.
He was born in the Central Valley (the agriculture area) and I was born and raised in San Diego. We ended up in South Orange County in a beautiful community Laguna Niguel. We are 15 minutes from the ocean and we enjoy being out and about in all the beach areas. My hubs is pondering and researching about getting his Captain”s license to sail. He did a stint in Alaska”s Bering Sea salmon fishing in the summers between college. The ocean has captivated our hearts and to see the way our Lord shows off his amazing artistic talent in the form of sunrises, sunsets, rainbows, parts of the sunset over the ocean when it appears he opened up a slice of the heavens and dropped diamonds from them directly in the sea (he did this particular feat when my heart was breaking) it’s so like Him to speak directly to me that way. I love our Jesus.
I’m writing this from north Texas, close to the Red River and the border of Oklahoma. The winds are fierce here and we are quite desperate for rain. I also live ” in the country” and I love it. I have been a city girl all my life. Because of my husbands desire to do a little ranching, we made the transition. Rattlesnakes keep me aware of my footsteps, and instead of the very wooded terrain of your home we have mesquite trees. Because of the wide open spaces sunrises and sunsets are spectacular! Thankful for your sweet ministry, Beth!
I’m at home in Apple Valley, Minnesota after spending the worst of the winter weathering every extreme with my elderly Mom. We both survived another winter and I am anticipating tasting sweet fruit from seeds planted in tears. I did not plan to spend the winter with mother. God just sort of whispered in my heart to tell her
“I will never leave you or forsake you” and to take her by her right hand through the hard times. Now I am at home and I just put out corn meal to give the invading tiny brown ants something to take back to their home to chew on. Do you think it’s true that ants cannot digest corn meal?
I live in a teensy country place called gable, sc. We live on farm land my husbands family has farmed for years. I’m sipping on coffe and looking out the kitchen window at various scattered oak trees that lead the way to the black river and the swamp beyond (stomping grounds for the Swamp Fox for those into revolutionary history). Spanish moss hangs in the trees and new growth is just springing up on the forest floor. It’s a rainy day and I’m sippin coffee while my sweet husband and baby (7mo) girl nap in the next room. They’re all worn out from watching a male (tom) turkey strut after a female (hen) through the yard this morning. We are rich in wildlife and poor on good coffee and grocery stores ;). How I miss arugula, Starbucks, and target, but I wouldn’t change a thing *grin*
Ansley
Hi from beautiful Door County in Wisconsin. I look out my patio door at beautiful Lake Michigan. Right now it is covered with ice with the ice fishermen fishing. Soon it will be back to its brilliant blue with waves hitting the shore. I wake up to this view every morning, thank the Lord for it & praise Him for His beautiful creation. I am so blessed!
Hello from Dow IL. We are about 40 miles north of St. Louis. I am a farm wife that is longing for spring to arrive! The guys are just itching to start tilling the ground to plant corn. I am also a school bus driver. We have had 12 snow days off school, which are usually a welcomed “fun day” but this has been a long snowy, cold winter that I would not classify as fun.
Leviticus 26:3-4
Beloved Beth,
As I sit on my back porch this Saturday morning in Ardmore, OK, trying to get a little “quiet time” in I can hear the sounds of my two little grandsons in the house laughing as they watch the “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”. I breathe in the fresh smell of the first spring grass being mowed as I hear birds sing their anthem of praise to the Creator and feel the warmth of the glorious sun on my face. Quite a difference from my quiet time at sunrise yesterday that was much cooler with a hint of rain in the air that never came to fruition. As much as I long for spring and the sight, smell and touch of all the beauty that comes with it, I have enjoyed the “cleansing” that I feel has occurred from the more than usual amount of snow, rain and cold this winter has brought. Cleansing for the earth and a cleansing of my soul that The Lord has done in me. So grateful for a God who loves me enough not to leave me as I am!
Praying God’s favor, love and protection over you and yours!!
Grace & Peace, sweet friend-
Cathy
I’m here in Tampa FL. It’s humid as can be. Waiting on more rain currently & under a tornado watch!
Sadly the humidity and mosquitos never left. We never even got a glimpse of winter. I’ve been here in Tampa almost a year…& although a Florida girl (never this far south!) sadly this heat and humidity made my 3rd pregnancy miserable. Thrilled to be blessed with our healthy baby boy and ready for some weather where we can at least swim in the pool!
Good Morning from the Florida Keys! Thank you, Beth, for giving us all this opportunity to see how “God’s Country” truly is everywhere! I grew up in the woods and fields and sure do miss walks like yours. The island (key) we live on is literally 3 x 3 miles – pretty crammed full of houses, roads, cars, and people. However, there is a saltwater canal about 20 feet from my back door – our escape!! Wish you all were here to jump in a kayak, grab a paddle, and in 5 minutes be floating through an ocean bay, ringed with mangrove trees full of great white herons, ospreys, and pelicans. The water is only about 5 ft deep and the sealife is amazing – stingrays and baby nurse sharks swim away quickly so you’ve gotta keep a sharp eye, and if we’re lucky we’ll spot precious little seahorses and shy green sea turtles. Pelicans and ospreys dive from way up high, making big splashes as they hunt for breakfast. The water is the clearest you’ll ever see – sea sponges and baby coral formations dot the bottom, along with the occasional lazy jellyfish. Tall herons wade the edges in slow motion till they spot a fish or crab – then they strike like lightning. I will always miss my Southern pine and oak forests, but God has faithfully shown me his beauty is EVERYWHERE! Have a blessed day all, wherever He has put you!
Here in Nashville, TN, spring is tentatively poking out her head…the weeping willows are gently arching with green buds and the dogwoods are heavy with beautiful white flowers. Even more glorious, the daffodils and cherry blossoms fill the landscape with COLOR after this long winter…just like our Savior!! I love spring because it reminds me of hope and newness after a dark winter of the soul
When spring comes to Lake of the Ozarks in mid-Missouri we anxiously await the blooming of the dogwood (thousands and thousands of them), redbud, Bradford pear, jonquils and forsythia. The jonquils are the first to bloom. As I go to work each day I watch for them on the spot where my great-grandparents built their house 100 years ago. They are still there and bloomed last week. We’ve had a rough winter so expectations are high this year. Bring it on! I have a friend when she looks at the spring blooms and the fall color says, “Good job God!”
I live in Lake Stevens, WA. The view from my window faces west where on a clear morning, i can catch glimpses of the snow tipped Olympic Mountains. I love seeing the morning sunrises casting pink kisses on that view. I can also see the view of downtown Everett, WA with some of its tall buildings peeking out above low hanging clouds. I know a view of a city pales in comparison to the rich beauty of the Lord’s creation but something about seeing the city lit up at night touches my heart in a special way too. I guess it’s a reminder of all the precious souls that are made in the image of God of which He knows us all by name.
God bless you Beth!
I’m in Atlanta, GA. We’ve had a LOT of rain since fall began, so are anticipating a lush and lovely Spring! Daffodils lifted their heads about 10 days ago. Dogwoods are awakening, and Azaleas and Rhododendrons are beginning to leap out with glorious color!
Thank you, Father, that the dry and desolate seasons of our lives do end, the downpours in our lives have purpose, and when our eyes are opened to You, we find You in all Your beauty, singing over us. And, when submission to You has healed the broken places in our hearts, You gently nudge us off your lap and urge, “Don’t keep this love to yourself, Beloved! Everyone who crosses your path today needs to know there is hope, there is love, there is a future and a purpose for everyone who choose to receive.”
Hello from Michigan where we are surrounded by the Great Lakes! Coming off this very snowy and cold winter – spring is just around the corner. Living in Michigan you are never more than a hour from a lake. The “big” lakes are unique and beautiful with everything from beaches to bluffs. The Mackinac Bridge is magnificent and connects Michigan’s lower peninsula to its upper peninsula. God’s handiwork can be seen everywhere.
IDAHO. Weather has been bipolar to say the least. Very typical of this time of year. It can be so dreary that we feel as if we are in a black and white movie. But then we get a silver lining. A beautiful, blue skied, warm silver lining. Well, not too warm. The sun peaks out and shines upon us (insert angel choir singing “aaahhhhhh”) and everyone breaks out from the indoors. Like ants at a preschool picnic. Parks are full, ducks are being fed, bikers are out and runners are breathing hard. We do it all quickly and with many smiles during these few weeks because you never know how long it will bless us. It’s also very surprising how much nicer we all are with some Vitamin D. 🙂 Then the clouds come. Rain pours. Everyone hides. It rained all night and was very gray yesterday but this morning’s sunrise was gorgeous and the sky is beautiful as of now. Baseball games for the kids will be played with a 30 minute delay and life is good!
I live in Edgewater Florida…I often joke that Shel Silverstein wrote about it because it is where “The Sidewalk Ends” or at least it can feel that way! We are at the south east corner of our county. We’ve had a gentle winter…if you can call it a winter here in Florida. We live right on the east coast between the Space Center and Daytona Beach so we have a fairly steady warm east coast breeze. The sun typically comes out each day and even on our cold days (mid 40s) you can get a sunburn! Everywhere you turn you’ll see palm trees and pine trees. There is an abundance of wildlife and tons of interesting native plants. In fact, in my town the majority of our streets are organized alphabetically from A to Z named after different Florida trees. Today is a little overcast because of the rains coming from the gulf that will be here shortly. In the summer we either get rain every day as the two seabreezes meet or we are so dry we worry about fire! In general I absolutely love living here. If you were here we’d spend a day on our beautiful white sandy beach, a day at Canaveral National Seashore exploring “old Florida”, and of course a day at Disney World!
I enjoyed the stroll through your woods. Use to live in the hill country.
However here in lower LA (lower Alabama) the pollen has coated everything in its reach with a beautiful yellow thick dusting. Best to stay out of it. This is a peanut area so lots of farms. We’re 16 mile from the Florida state line and about the same for the Georgia state line. The Dogwood out front is in full bloom. Dothan,Al is a wonder small town.
I grew up in South Portland, Maine…now, I live in St. Petersburg, Florida. I absolutely love it here. We almost never have a day without some sunshine! Not a big beach person, but when I do go walk on the beach, it is breathtaking. God is so awesome. The sunrises and sunsets are glorious and when I am blessed to catch one, it makes me feel like He did it just for me!
Hi Beth,
I am from Brazil, leaving in Lisbon, Portugal. Spring is almost here. Temperatures in the 50’s but it has been raining more than usual for this time of the year. I’ve lived in the US for almost 10 years and reading your post brought me a lot of memories. Thank you for share your life and your love for Jesus with us.
I look foward to listen to your teachings one day in our Church in Brazil, Rio. We have a Conference every year in May called Herdeira (Hereiss).
God Bless you, love.
Monica
Hi sweet Beth,
Would so LOVE to walk with you in your woods, even though I am TERRIFIED of snakes!!
I’m a fellow Texan, from the small (but constantly growing larger) town of Oak Point. If you drew a triangle with Dallas and Ft. Worth being the 2 lower points, Denton would be the top point. I live about 10 miles east of Denton.
Mine is a country neighborhood, and when we go for a walk together, we’ll have to take Jack, my golden retriever. He’ll know we’re going for a W-A-L-K the moment we get out our tennis shoes, so there’s no fooling him. We’ll head out down our quiet little street and eventually get to a small pasture with the cutest little miniature horses you ever saw! We will, of course, have to stop and pet them. As we continue our walk, we may see a red-tail hawk making lazy circles above us in a bright blue Texas sky, or perhaps a little brown cottontail bunny sitting still as a stone in someone’s front yard, hoping we don’t notice him. (Jack will, of course. But he’s on a leash, so bunny is safe.) If we’re feeling ambitious, we’ll trek down to the lake (Lake Lewisville) and sit on the shore, watching the waves lap against the big rocks. The peace of that place will settle over us like a blanket. On the walk back home, we’ll pass by a pasture with the horse of my dreams in it. She’s a tall black mare, with an impossibly long mane & tail, and she moves like poetry in motion. If I whistle, she’ll come to the fence and let me kiss her velvet nose and stroke her neck. I call her Marabella, even though I have no idea what her real name is. As we finish our walk, we may share prayer requests and finish our time together praying for one another. Then, back at the house, I’ll offer you the sweetest glass of iced tea you ever had, and Jack will flop down on the cool kitchen floor, panting and happy. And I will hug your neck and ask you to come again soon!
Hello from, at the moment, sunny Tallahassee, Florida – we’ve had 24+ hours of rain, but the sun is shining! This is the home of the Florida State Seminoles, (though mine is an Alabama Crimson Tide family)! Spring has definitely sprung, the bright pink azaleas, white, lacy dogwoods, purple wisteria and cheery pink wild onions are all in full bloom. Evergreen trees grow low over country roads, creating a canopy draped with Spanish Moss – a true southern landscape. Right across the street from my home are two horses, one a deep chestnut brown, and the other a brown with white markings, like someone splashed whitewash from the fence across his back. They are grazing in the tall grass, oblivious to their neighbors watching. Birds are singing outside my window, praising their Creator for the sunshine after the heavy rains, and splashing in the puddles like kids playing in the nearby pond. Beth, I would love to bring you here to sit on my front porch with a tall glass of sweet iced tea, enjoying the breeze, the blooms,the birds and horses, and the fine company of Celina, the wonder-cat. Come on over a set a spell!
When I first read this, I was on my way back from a mission trip to San Juan, Guatemala, where the concrete block houses are squashed together running down the hillside and past a stream used for laundry, bathing and drinking. I was spending my days surrounded by malnourished children whose hearts are as needy as their stomachs. I was a jungle gym, referee, nose wiper, diaper changer, mother and sister under the pine trees and beside a bright purple Bougainvillea with the children and nannies. Now, I am home on Terra Ceia Island on the west coast of Florida at the base of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. My house is steps from a bay that reflects the sunshine. The grass is green from a week of rain while I was away. My front garden has roses, pansies and a gardenia in shades of pink, purple, white and blue, while my back garden has orange Nasturtiums and yellow sunflowers. In the side yard are three horses grazing on the grass and lying beside me four dogs of a variety of breeds. The orange trees are blooming leaving their fragrant scent in the air, but like at your home, the pines are wafting yellow pollen covering our cars and filling our lungs so I will mostly stay inside until they are done. I am grateful to have two “homes”. One here where I live and one where I left a piece of my heart with the children of Guatemala.
Green, lush, mountainous, flowing rivers, daffodils, colorful wildflowers, pine, fir and spruce trees, overgrown meadows and lots of rain describe our location in Clatskanie, Oregon, just under the Columbia River which separates us from the state of Washington. Our sons, 10 and 5 years old, chasing our very happy ducks and geese, playing ball with our border collie Gem, riding our goat, petting our pony (yes sometimes they alternate those actions) 🙂 and enjoying the crisp, frosty mornings, cool afternoons and summer-like sunshine begging us to plant some veggies earlier then we should! Oregon flip-flops between all the weather in a heartbeat so it’s full of surprises! Only about 500 foot elevation, we’ve had warm days already, play time in the parks, nearly a foot of snow last month, and a full rainbow ground to ground yesterday! Love God’s good earth and all it’s blessings!
Good morning from the so not sunshine state! my husband Harold an myself have been wintering here in Ceder Key Fla. the weather has been up an down an all a round. We are from the Little Rock Arkansas area. we travel in our Rv. we have seen so many peligons here it has been overwelming these guys have been around humans for so long they don’t even move out of the way. They are so funny to watch. The lighthouse’s in Fla have just been something to see. It remind’s me of God’s light in letting me to follow him where ever we go. be fore we head home to Ar. we will beable to see some more. some by boat an some by car. To see God’s hand’s in hes world that he has alowed us to see. God Bless.
We live at 4,000 feet elevation in rural, farm country of Idaho. Everything in our yard is still brown and there are no green buds on the trees yet, but the snow has all melted in our valley. Sun Valley and the Sawtooth Mountains are glistening white with a seasonal average (PTL) of snow pack. Some days our walks involve ear muffs, fleece lined coats and rabbit fur lined gloves; but on a fair day our walks involve a bright blue sky as far as you can see, the antics of squirrels, the peaceful and lonely call of doves, scurring quail, occasional beauty of pheasants, deer that are getting almost too friendly, the lowing of well fed cows, rock chucks peeking up from their dens in the pastures or sunning on a large rock. When cattle are being moved it is fun to watch the horses performing their precision cutting out of some of the cattle for loading in trucks to be moved to mountain meadows for the summer. This time of year it is interesting to see which plants are brave enough to begin growing when the temps can still turn way below freezing at night. Why is it weeds are always the first green we see in our yard? However, on the positive side our neighbor’s daffodils are just beginning to peek out of the ground and that is fun to see. I heard a lawn mower the other day, so someone is getting anxious for summer to begin. Several neighbors have already tilled their vegetable garden area. Each year we are observing vegetable gardens increasing in size. Nothing tastes as good a home grown vegetables.
I live in Oak Point, TX. My backyard is woods that sound similar to Beth’s. We have deer, fox, raccoon, possum, owls, SNAKES, and the most beautiful songbirds I’ve ever heard. My favorite is the hawk and the way he soars above the trees. Spring is pushing through right now. Soon the trees will be gloriously green!
Good evening from Leeds, England! I’m sat by the Leeds-Liverpool canal. It’s a beautiful spring day but don’t be fooled you still need your coat as there’s a cold wind. I’m originally from a small farming village in Wales so this city always fascinates me. It’s industry that has thrived here for many years and this canal used to be the maiin transport link to the rest of England. If you look over the canal you can see trains going backwards and forwards all day this is now our main transport link! The city is behind us, full of people being busy but if you look to the canal you can see two ducks just floating leisurely enjoying the moment and the day….
Love from ‘across the pond’! X
I’ m in Richmond ,VA where God has kept us on our toes !
The freezing temps and snow take turns with balmy 70 degree days and the flowers are bloomiing through all this confusion . I’ve always told my children that flowers are God’s laughter so I’ve got to think He has a pretty good sense of humor. 🙂
Right up the highway from you Beth – it’s a gorgeous sunny day in Plano, Texas (north of Dallas).
What a great idea! The travel/geography nerd in me loves this, and yes, it’s so cool that there are God-loving people everywhere!
Greetings from Middle Tennessee, just south of Nashville! When I look out my window, I see a tree covered with gorgeous, snowy white blooms that are hard on allergy sufferers but are one of the first signs of spring. From where I live, I can easily get to bustling downtown Nashville, where I’m going to see a C.S. Lewis play with church friends tonight. I can also be in the rolling countryside in just a few minutes and “visit” with ducks, cows, and horses. In addition, as a history buff, I enjoy the numerous historic sites in our area, including a battlefield where one of my great-great grandfathers had a horse shot out from under him:(. In the fall, my favorite season here, you might find me driving down I-40 to Knoxville, where I grew up, to watch my beleaguered TN Vols attempt to play football:)! While there, I can visit my beloved mountains. Our scenery here has a peaceful, tranquil beauty and, right now, it’s slowly turning green! Also, we share with Texans and other southerners a love of the word “y’all,” so, y’all come visit any time!
Beth, I loved going on a walk with you the other day. Today in Des Moines, Iowa, it is sunny with a bright blue sky. There is a slight breeze and the temperature will reach in the mid 50s. The grass is still brown and leaves left over from the winter are in need of raking. The trees look bare with no leaves but I know spring is well on its way. I have seen a few robins and love to hear their singing in the morning!
I look forward to seeing you in Minnesota is a couple of weeks. I’m praying for you! With much love, Deanne
I’m back home in Moore, OK after living 10 years around the corner from LP offices in Lakewood Grove! I miss the beautiful pines but am loving seeing the seasons again. Moore is recovering from the tornadoes of last year with new trees planted, neighborhoods coming alive with new homes and businesses open again. I live in the flight plan of Tinker AFB and see AWACS planes flying so low and slow I’m sure they’re going to fall from the sky. I have a big pond out my window and I’ve watched it go from frozen and dead to gentle and green this month. I miss seeing you at Kroger!