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!
I live in Victoria, British Columbia. We have had a seeminly long and wet winter with colder temperatures than usual but there is now evidence of spring with the colorful spendor of crocus, snowdrops and daffodils. The cherry trees are in full blossom and soon the evidence of God’s incredible artwork will be in full array as other flowers and shrubs come to life in majestic color. I am forever thanking God for allowing me to live in this part of the world where I can appreciate the beauty in awe of His creation. I am, however, a Texas girl at heart having been born and raised in the Lone Star state and love the bluebonnets and oak trees but am happy that I do not have to be on the lookout for snakes – only cougar and bear!
Yay! Victoria – one of my favourite places! I’m not too far away from there, so this is from one Vancouver Island siesta to another here! I grew up near the Rockies and hated the snowy winters there – so happy to live in a balmier climate now.
We have had a cold winter, had our snow days, and it’s been a chilly, windy start to spring, but our cold snaps were nothing like back east – you all have my sympathy.
I’m waiting for the sun to bring its warmth so I can sit on my back porch and breathe in the scent of the cherry blossoms and my yellow roses. And I can’t wait to walk along the sandy beach and just watch the waves and the tide roll in along the shore.
Now, if only the deer would look both ways before they cross the road in front of me… 🙂
Central Indiana. One may not think it is very beautiful, but I really love it here. We enjoy mid to high 80s in the summer, 70s in fall with so much color, and new life in the spring, after really snowy and cold winters! The older I get, the less I like the cold, but the snow is so pretty when it’s fresh. I love the many farms we have in this area. Wonderful old farmhouses with big red barns and tall silos. We grow wheat, and corn, and soybeans in this area, so the fields are miles wide and long. We are only an hour from Indianapolis, so we don’t have far to go to be in a big city, too. I grew up in the Houston area, so this is really different for me, but I love it!
My name is Kelli and I live in the middle of California in the San Joaquin Valley. We are surrounded by the most beautiful mountains but we very rarely see them because of smog in the hot summer months and fog in the winter. This year we’ve had very little rain, which is a concern, but it’s allowed us to see these beautiful mountains a lot. We are trusting God that He will provide during what looks to be a very dry summer. Anyway, everything is blooming right now and driving my daughter to school is heavenly as I roll down the windows and smell the orange and cherry blossoms that grow in the fields we pass on our way. If you were here, Miss Beth, we would stop at a strawberry stand on the side of the road and buy a flat of strawberries picked that very day. We might even eat one or two on our way home before washing them 😉 They are so yummy this year!! Access to fresh produce and fruit is one of God’s blessings to those of us who live here. I’m pretty sure I’m not a country girl, no matter how cute those snake boots are, and living here gives me the best of both worlds – the fresh produce, beautiful sights and wonderful blossom smells of country life and the shopping and nice restaurants of city life.
Which city? I’m in the valley myself – Fresno, but I know all the little towns along the way.
Hi my name is Kimberly and I live in northern California.
Chico, Ca is located at the northeast edge of the Sacramento Valley. (Beth I can’t wait, I will be going to see you in Stockton in June.)
We have a beautiful park named Bidwell park. I absolutely love the bike riding/horse riding/running/walking paths at Bidwell Park. There are tons of trees zillions.
In those tons of trees, tons of singing birds.
Singing birds Rock! The creek running through the park is beautiful and also make the most beautiful sounds.
You can ride/walk all day and not explore the same path. The paths go for miles & miles and miles!
What I also love where I live is we get to experience all 4 seasons. It is rainy today but the other day after a heavy rain the sun came up and God gave us a double rainbow!
Kimberly, saw where you live and wanted to tell you that I’ve been to your beautiful town a couple of times. My brother lives in Chico. Love Bidwell Park! I’m from Texarkana, Arkansas.
Your farmer’s market on Thursday evening and Saturday morning is awesome.
Swirling in the scent of citrus blossoms. Phoenix, AZ
I am so blessed to live in the coastal mountains north of San Francisco about three hours. We get cooling mist from the ocean even in the midst of July and it is so gorgeous I have no words. Seeing the sunset through the mist with all those colors is beyond description, and standing on the ridge looking out towards the ocean (that we can occasionally get a glimpse of but not often), it looks like Rivendell if you see it at dusk when lights are just starting to come on. Oh, how I love it here!
I am visiting San Fran (and other parts of California) very soon and cannot wait! This just upped my excitement!
A walk down our lane would take you past beautiful Palm trees and lush flowering bougainvillea bushes. Our area is diverse in ethnicity (like heaven will be!) and is the last stop before the Florida Keys. Homestead, Florida is a bit of paradise to me:)
I live in Fresno, CA. It is the 5th largest city in CA but most people simply pass through on their way to Yosemite or Sequoia Nat’l Park (home to the largest trees in the world). Both are 1.5 hours from home. We are more known for what we grow…everything. As one of the highest crop producing counties in the nation (#1 is just south) we provide raisins, navel oranges (those in the stores in January), pomegranates, stone fruits and so much more to the nation and the world. On a clear day we can see the snow capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The people here are salt-of-the-earth folks and our farmer’s markets are like no other.
Pomegranates! So delicious. I eat them ALL the time!
From my porch swing,
When I tell people I am from ND they say at first enthusiastically….. “Oh, you have those beautiful Black Hills and Mt Rushmore!” I clear my throat and say no… I live north of that and then all is quiet but I can read thier minds!! That large expanse of nothingness but plain prairie as far as the eye can see and wind chills that defy any sense of logic!! The state that has the Badlands to it’s credit but even that does not sound good!!!!
This time of year, yes, everything is a muted shade of brown, gray and black. Winter has gasped it’s last and there is only a ghostly appearence of winter at all in the small mounds of snow that has not melted around the tree belts as yet. We worship trees in ND!!! Most farm steads got into the Soil Conservation Program of the years after the dust bowl days and now there are trees around most every farmstead. I live in the rolling priaires of the mid section of ND. In summer the rolling hills look like oceans of green waves brought on by gale force winds on the sea. A breathtaking scene unfolds as you gaze upon a flax field blooming in the most unbelievable periwinkle blue next to a field of canola blooming in the brightest yellow your eyes can take in without watering, come early summer. In Aug the fields are ablaze as the sunflower’s bright yellow face follows the sun’s course across the sky. The eagles and hawks soar high out here as the blue skies seem to stretch to oblivion.
You will never find a friendlier folk here as Dakota means friendly!! We boast as being named the happiest place in America right now with the Bakken bringing more people here than Moses lead to the promised Land! You can tell the oil tycoons they have farmsteads with shiney new out buildings and prosperity written across the way. For most of us, though, we need to lock our doors now when we always left them open years back incase a neighbor might need to use your phone to call for help. When you go through a tough time, do not be surprised to see and army of neighbors with huge farm equipment showing up to help you with your field work. A neighbor will bring you a freshly baked cake and “No Peak Chicken” when you get home from Mayo clinic after finding your son has a lethal form of leukemia.
When you are burying the best dog you ever had the neighbor will stop by and cry with you as you lower the body into the earth that gave it life to begin with.
The weather here scares off most but the hardiest souls but those who stay find a treasure rare to find this day in age.
We would be most proud to show you this all again Beth when you visit us in ND again we are all praying soon!!!!
Love ya to the moon and back!!
Betty M
I live right down the road from you, Beth, in beautiful Nassau Bay – across the street from NASA. The NASA grounds has a herd of wild deer, so most mornings and evenings I see them munching on grass right next to the jogging track! It’s nice to have a little wild life right in the heart of the big city. Then I look the other way and see Clear Lake, with sailboats and pelicans flying. As a native Houstonian, this is my favorite place I’ve lived in the city so far.
My name is Vanessa and I live in Tampa, FL. It’s south of Orlando about an hour in a half and north of Miami about three in a half hours located on the west side of the state. The weather is warm year round with a fair amount of humidity in the summer. If you want to see the bay a short drive to Bayshore Blvd is all you need to do and you will see the longest continuous side walk in the US as well. If you want to drive a little further to see our beautiful beaches you only have to drive about 45 minutes to Clearwater, FL or St. Pete, FL. Love it here!
Beth,
I am a South African whose life has been inspired and changed by your ministry for more than 10 years. This began while living in Cape Town, South Africa.
I now live in Franklin, TN…Nashville, Music City, beautiful rolling hills, blossoming trees and wonderful people!!
Love walking this road of faith with amazing woman of God like you!
Thank you for the difference you make!
Central North Carolina, with weather that can not make up its mind.
Winter doesn’t want to let go; Spring has unapologetically made her entrance. Blooms and buds are everywhere – the Weeping Willows with their specks of green, the Bradford Pears and their snowball-like blossoms, the Cherry Blossoms are just starting to show their bright pink, daffodils are in full swing, and the grass everywhere looks a little greener than it did last month. Still, amidst all of this resurrection of color & life… Tuesday we had snow, yesterday we had clear blue skies, bright sunshine and a chilly wind, and today we have a slightly warmer 60 degrees with cloudy skies and a good chance of rain.
So when we walk around here, we get to experience a montage of seasons colliding!
I live on the outskirts of Lebanon, OH. Its a quiet town with the oldest still working inn in the state of Ohio, the Golden Lamb. We live in a small subdivision with a big farm behind my back yard. So beautiful at night to step out and see all of the stars shining so brightly and hear the cows mooing. We have all 4 seasons, but winter is definitely having a hard time letting go and letting spring in. In 20 minutes time I can go north or south and hit big cities that have most any shopping or dining experience we could want.
Love the Golden Lamb! Used to live in both of those big cities north and south of you….so had plenty of trips through your lovely town.
I live in a little town in northeast Arkansas. We are surrounded on three sides by flat farm land waiting to be plowed and planted once it drys out. The 4th side rests against a ridge, supposedly brought on by a big earthquake years ago, providing us some wonderful woods, filled with wildlife. It provides us with some elevation compared to all the farmland. We love our springtime! Bradford pears are blooming, as well as forsythias and daffodils. The dogwood trees are just around the corner, as well as the azaleas. We have to enjoy the spring, because when the heat and humidity come, the mosquitos aren’t far behind, chasing us into our homes by dusk. Come walk with me sometime!
Agot here from Philippines… Tropical Island…composed of 7,107 island with beautiful beaches, active volcanoes, lovely landscape. 🙂 thank you for all that you are ms.beth. Yes, your ministry has reached this far! 🙂
Hello Beth! I love here in the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon, where less than a block from my house are protected woodlands right in the city limits! Last week it was warm, sunny and mild. The camellia, forsythia, daffodils, and flowering trees are all abloom. Today, however, it’s gray and rainy, which is what makes western Oregon so lush and green.
Winter and Spring are still duking it out here in southeastern Michigan. Winter is winning. My backyard is solid ice. Makes picking up after my friends a real challenge. Instead of griping, though, I’ve decided to trust that God has a genius reason for this perpetual winter. Maybe a bug free summer, maybe a bumper garlic crop in my little garden…
West Virginia and it is beautiful here. We have had wonderful snows but I see hope in the crocus blooms. God is so good
I grew up in southern, CA where you have mountains and oceans just minutes away. I loved driving with friends to the coast and rolling our windows down and let that salty sea air fill our senses! And then to walk along the sandy beach watching the waves crash and feeling the mist on our faces, what a gift to behold so much beauty, to see the mighty waves and think about how Gods thoughts towards us are more than the sand under our feet. Now my Husband and I have followed Gods call to another kind of ocean, we moved to a small town in Kansas where you can behold the waves of wheat as far as the eye can see! We love working with Youth and serving The Lord in His ministry!
I just returned from a wonderful walk in south Denver, CO. the view of the Rocky Mountains is majestic, and I’m continually filled with wonder at God’s creation. What a state I live in!
Georgia is swapping winter and spring day-by-day. Fragile cherry blossoms and Bradford pear blooms tell us spring is here on a day the sun is warm and jackets stay home. Then the next day my son asks me to turn on his electric blanket at bedtime because it will be 20 degrees at night. When we arise the next morning, we still leave jackets at home and wear winter coats!
I live in Birmingham, Alabama. We have amazing seasons! My city within Birmingham is known for it’s Dogwoods. They are just beginning to shows signs of hope for spring. It’s rainy today and cool. After a very cold winter for us, we are searching for any signs of spring we can find…then comes the old delightful pollen which can be totally overpowering. No washing of porches until the pollen has been washed away! I love seeing the fresh new life green emerging on some of the trees now. So fresh and clean. The crickets and birds are really calling out these days. Grass is turning green around the edges…there’s hope!
Greetings from Way Up North, Wisconsin where we have COLD and SNOW with a little COLD and SNOW mixed in!! ;o}
On my island I live in Dorado Puerto Rico the weather never changes! It’s 85 and sunny everyday. I miss the fall leaves, and the cool crisp mornings. I miss sitting outside with a light jacket enjoying some warm Starbucks!! However seeing the turquoise water splashing on a white sandy beach with a fruit Frappe isn’t bad either!
Here in Bristol, Tennessee it’s raining, gray, and chilly. But, through the mist and fog, I can see the Dogwoods starting to bloom, raising their literal “white” flag to winter and completely surrendering us to the hope of spring. My car, covered in yellow pollen earlier this week, let’s me know that warm weather is just waiting to break through and free us from the cold and snowy winter that has held us in its grip for months. I want to trade in my puffy jacket for an Easter dress, my wool boots for flip flops, and earmuffs for sunglasses!!! I do believe that I have been bitten by the “spring fever bug”!!
Hi! I’m writing from South-Central Pennsylvania. A little town called Spring Grove, to be exact. A peek out the front door gives a view of Main Street, which is always so busy these days, though I can remember a time when it wasn’t always that way. It’s still cold here. And today it’s raining. But I can find joy in that! Because as I make my way to the back of the house and plunge my hands into the soapy hot dishwater, I take in a view very different from the first. My yard doesn’t look like it belongs to a house that sits on Main Street, thank goodness! It’s quiet back here. The sound of cars slicing through the puddles is barely audible over the sounds of a few defiant birds who’ve decided that THEY WILL SING regardless of the fact that it’s raining and regardless of the fact that the wind is still cold enough to cut right through to your bones. I imagine they sing because they see what I see…haphazard splashes of green throughout my otherwise brown lawn, tiny green-white buds emerging ever so hesitantly on all the bushes and trees, and the slightest hint of life in my wildflower garden. It’s been a long, hard winter here in PA. But I can sing…just like the birds…because I know it’s almost over. And this rain is sort of drab, but I’m clinging to the fact that it’s essential to the calling out of the beauty around me. So today, I thank God for the rain. And for the little reminders that we’re almost there! We almost made it!
Clinging to hope here in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania!!
Spring Tx, my woods is a very small lake teaming with wildlife and great sunsets. My happy place.
Spring has arrived in Portland, OR. It’s one of my favorite seasons here; wild weather changing from sun, to rain, to hail, and all in a single day.Seeing big fluffy white and gray clouds sailing through the sky, double rainbows, and longer days brighten my spirits. It’s also incredibly beautiful for the vast number of flowering trees–pink, white, rose, and the daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and most amazing Daphne which can carry you along on its gorgeous scent down the street. Today is forecast for heavy rain, meaning when I get to the beach I will be treated to a stormy and wild weekend, cozy and majestic. The Lord has truly blessed us this year with beauty that lifts the soul. Thanks to you and bless you. xo
I live in Eufaula, Alabama where it has rained and rained rained…..and we are all ready for some of those glorious balmy spring days!!!
I’ve only lived in Michigan for just under two years, but my love for lighthouses makes it great place for me to live. Michigan has the most lighthouses of any of the fifty states, and I love to take weekend excursions to visit as many of them as I can and climb the ones that are open. Whether it is the view over Lake Michigan or looking over Lake Huron into Canada, I’m always reminded of how much I need the Father’s perspective to guide me through the dark times.
Hi,
My name is Nancy, but I tend to go by Jaycie or Jcee, simply because I always wanted to go by initials, and since my first two wouldn’t work, took up my middle and last initials. Sounds awkward, but, nj, sounded even more awkward.
Thank You, Beth, for that extra special walk through the woods yesterday. You’ll never know in a million years what it meant to walk with you and so many other beautiful lovelies in Christ. Know, like myself, many out there have been walking through/or are walking through some stormy seasons, but as You proved yesterday, GOD’s beauty continuously grows, in one way or another, thrilling us more each time with His sovereign faithfulness. Yesterday was a shaky day, so the best I could to was ride a white horse (imaginary;) through the fun and breath-taking adventurous woods. Not too fond of any kind of snake, so I chose the steel boots, even though I was riding. And might add, the horse was dressed in full armor, shoed in bronze. To say the least, it made me smile and laugh, while joy filled my tatteredly spent soul.
Out here where my lovelies live, there are red birds chirping all around the back yard. A white picket fence guards us none whatsoever from the small creatures, or slithering varmints. But it does keep the cattle out, that can be seen, when peering off our back porch to the pasture behind. Actually we’re surrounded by woodsy trees and pasture at every side. Even our long entry has been made straight up the middle of a pasture. When I came driving in, sickly, my mini Aussie went banana’s over these big black four-legged creatures and their new babies. I sware, this dog thinks she’s been made to drive cattle and would get out there right in the middle of them if we’d let her. She’s still just a pup, 14 mths old. Sometimes, if your ears are perked one can hear an unusual stampede. These black cows don’t take likly to the lonesome albino deer that roams the pastures out here. Now, the cattle next door have all but taken it in as their own, it’s accepted there. But for some oddly reason, it tends to keep thinkin’ the grass is greener on the other side. Bless it’s heart, reminds me of someone very close to home.
Sometimes, we also hear those beautiful woodpeckers, pecking on the house. That’s when a lovelie threatens to get the gun. But, never does; jus shoes it away. There are ponds on every pasture and loads of pecan trees. Blueberries grow somewhere around here, but I’ve yet to find them. There’s also an apple tree somewhere up in the north pasture but the worms seem to always get to them first. There are snakes, but praise God, I’ve never had the joy of running onto one! As of late, a nearby neighbor got himself a big cougar. And well, some how the big black bears have found their way from Arkansas to Oklahoma. Just another reason, wouldn’t go out for a walk at night here. Actually, haven’t been out at all since the drive up to these lovelies home except for a Dr’s visit. Not able to get out in the chill of the wind, it sets off pain. But sure have enjoyed seeing some sun, and feeling its warmth piercing in through the windows. My Aussie has had some fun drives up into the pasture and imagine she does jus’ like she did when entering these gates–yelps her head off.
Anyway, it’s amazing to hear and see how vastly GOD stretches HIS beauty, even in stormy seasons. HE is all sovereign, unpredictably extravagant, and wonderfully faithful.
Again, “thank you, Beth,” for sharing something so sacred and precious. And, “Thank you,” to all of you who have shared a glimpse of HIS divine beauty.
I’ll end with some scripture read during this morning:
“But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice; let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them; let them also that love Thy Name be joyful in Thee.
For Thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt Thou compass him/her as with a shield.”
Ps. 5: 11-12 (KJV, The Open Bible)
May The Christ, The Son of The Living God bless and keep each one of you and yours. May His peace and favor rest upon you, your families/homes, ministries, and businesses. Peace and grace to all of you from Abba God, our Eternal Living Father.
P.S. Though winter still tries to peek in upon this land, one of my 80 yr old lovelies had the jpy of picking her first freshly bloomed yellow flowers from her yard. So spring has tried its best to spring.
How fun! Here we go … my daily excursions, when its not too face-numbing cold out and snow dancing sideways, include views of God’s glorious Rocky Mountains, with a beautiful lake nestled on the plains nearby. Our majestic purple mountains, topped off with their white snowy peaks, never fail to amaze. The ever changing blue hues of the lake is a sanctuary for wildlife … and for me, daily thankful for His beauty: He made all of this out of nothing, He surely can care for my boys and I. My most treasured times are the summers here, and the breathtakingly gorgeous sunsets. As the sun begins to dip on the horizon, rays of light from the heavens shoot forth behind clouds clothed in colors of splendor. For this I am grateful.
My boys and I live in Arvada Colorado … I look forward to seeing you in the summer. 🙂
As spring rolls in here at Casper, WY – I am fortunate enough to live not 30 steps from the bank of the North Platte River. I too, love to take my Red Heeler and German Shepard mix dog, Dax, on walks around our acreage. I am often greeted by geese and ducks making their way down to the water. Right now the sun is shining, but I can look across the river and still see snow on Casper Mountain. Spring is on its way – but in Wyoming it’s just a little slower.
Richland, Washington
Many think…oh yeah, the rich, luscious northwest. But, where I live it’s shrub steppe, junipers, tumbleweeds, and the meandering Columbia River. The general area is called the Tri-Cities, but my town is mostly known for the Hanford Project (think atom bomb, plutonium, middle of nowhere because we don’t want anyone to know what we are working on). 🙂 When I was little we would drive through here on our way to California from the Spokane area and I would think, “Who would ever want to live here?” Then in college I lived for a year in Santa Fe and fell in love with desert landscapes, sun, and mild winters. Now I call my home this rugged, sunny, agricultural mecca. We have asparagus, onions, potatoes, grapes (wine industry), and beauty that stretches out in glorious sunsets and minute details that you only have to ‘be still’ for a bit and you will be flooded with so many intricate examples of the Father’s hand (quail, apple blossoms, blue heron, bald eagles…the list is endless)
My husband and I say that we have condo living at super affordable housing prices. Just across the street and down the hill is the crown jewel of parks (Howard Amon), the bike path, river shore, shops, and restaurants. When the season begins, the farmer’s market is less than a five minute walk from our house. In the summer we bike all over with our kids…to the library, swim lessons, Dairy Queen, various parks, and so on. 🙂
God has richly blessed us.
I live in Marion Indiana, which is smack in between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. We’ve had way too much winter for this commuter girl, who got much closer to Jesus on some hour-turned-two-and-a-half-hour drives this year. So looking forward to spring, as we live near a college campus and I adore walking through the grounds looking at the magnificent landscaping and flower displays. I’m doing everything I can to coax it here…from hanging out the Easter decorations to polishing my nails an obnoxious coral color. Ready for nights in the hammock and coffee by the fire pit!
Bonjour from the medieval village of Loches, France. From my living room window I can see the towering dungeon, but were we to walk for five minutes we could see the smallish château or the 10th century church, both of which are situated inside the royal city. Joan of Arc rode through the gates of the village in 1429 to urge the king to unite France so they could stand against the British.
I live in Colorado on a ranch. I wake each morning to a rugged view of Pikes Peak. I’m looking forward to the antelope that share the pasture with the cows. This time of year they are birthing their babies though it will be a few more weeks before we see them. Antelope moms watch their babies together. We’ve had groups of babies up to 30 in number. They hide down in the grass, and if you walk too closely to them, they all pop up together and run to another place and plop right down in the grass again hidden from view under the watchful eyes of the mommas. Looking forward to those walks…soon.
Dallas, Texas – will be a rainy day here. Dodging raindrops through traffic. =) We had a lovely day yesterday – bright, sunny, 80+ degrees. Our March weather has been like a roller coaster – up one day, down the next. I still keep my coat handy in case we have a chilly morning. Spring is coming!
Walking the streets of the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C. My office is on the 7th floor of a building just a couple of blocks from the White House and our rooftop deck overlooks the Washington Monument. Defining characteristics of late: Power and beauty mixed with fragility and anxiety.
Spokane,WA here. We’ve had a cold blustery winter but the promise of spring has finally returned. Everything might still be looking dead and brown but if you look close you can see tulips and daffodils starting to send up their little shoots. Red-breasted robins are out every morning trying to get those worms up out of the ground. We are getting above freezing most days and the bright sunshine feels amazingly wonderful on our Vitamin-D lacking faces! Thanks for taking us on your walk!
This will serve as a double entry as I live in Lancaster California, which is smack dab in the middle of the Mojave desert. It is very dry and our most common form of natural landscape is sand, cactus and tumbleweeds! However, we have imported every kind of tree, bush, plant and grass that you can imagine to make our desert look just the way we want it to. But, when I go for a walk, I like to get back to nature and hit the trails to look at and enjoy the desert the way God intended it to be.
Now, for where I am as I am writing this post and the contrast it will bring (at least i hope)to your mind! I am on a long awaited, much appreciated vacation with my brother and sister. They have taken me away to paradise to help me celebrate the fact that I am kicking cancers butt! I was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer(peritoneal) in November of 2011 and given 18 months to live. For a while there it looked like they might be right, but, praise God, I am now looking at the possibility of being able to use the R word in the very near future. Remission!!!! The word I was told was not in my future. But God had other plans! So now I am sitting in Waikalua, eating papaya, looking out on the white sand, blue water in four different shades and singing my life song “Overcomer”. God is so very good! And while I have been here, your words have come to mind on more than one occasion. I have listened to your study titled “Eat, Pray, Love” probably ten times over the last few years and now every time I see papaya I think of that study. So, since I have been here in Hawaii, every morning I have grabbed a cup of coffee, a bowl of papaya and my ipod and offered God up some papaya praise! Thank you for helping me keep praise at the forfront of my day while hear in Hawaii. I love you , sister Beth, Aloha!
Here in upstate NY, you have to choose to see the beauty in your surroundings this time of year. On my way to work this morning, I drove in a steady rain. Before i could mentally complain, I sensed God saying, “Listen.” And so I spent the next 40 minutes driving and enjoying the sound of the steady rain….and I couldn’t help myself but to dwell on all of the blessings in my life. This part of the country certainly has her time to show off….when spring gets in full bloom in late April, she is a spectacle! And in the fall, our fair state is shameless when the fall foliage stakes center stage. And although I have lived here most of my life, am left in awe when a leaf is so saturated with color, that I swear it will drip right onto the ground. But, not today. We wait, with nature, in great expectancy for spring….and the still of the woods behind my house seems as if it is holding it’s breath until the birds announce it’s arrival. And I can’t help but giggle, as so many days I, too, feel like that as we wait for Jesus to come back.
I’m in Long Beach, California where it is sunny and 63 degrees and birds are chirping but I grew up in my beloved Forks, Washington where it is mossy, green, glorious, peaceful and sacred there at all times of year no matter what the weather. And NEXT WEEK I WILL BE IN HOUSTON AND LAKE JACKSON FOR BUSINESS SO I WILL HOPE AND PRAY I RUN INTO YOU MAMA BETH!
I live in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri. I am close enough to the city to enjoy the theatre, symphony, opera and a multitude of restaurants but close enough to the country that a raccoon keeps leaving scratch marks on my back steps just to irritate my little Schnoodle.
A walk through my neighborhood would be a trip through what my mother-in-law calls the “land of kids and dogs.” We would encounter lots of friendly neighbors, dogs (mostly fenced), cats, squirrels, rabbits and birds with only the occasional raccoon or snake. Right now it’s 44 degrees and clear but we might get all the way up to 68 degrees with some sunshine on Sunday. God is good! Rain or shine!
I live in a rural-suburban area in West Michigan, near Grand Rapids. Think huge deciduous trees, lots of pines and spruce, woodland critters in backyards, fields of corn, vegetables and flowers… farms and farm stands within a bike ride’s distance of my own peaceful neighborhood with gently winding streets where happy children play. Lots of little lakes, and of course the Big Lake that looks and feels like an ocean. All four seasons, sometimes in one day, but my favorite days are when the sun shines warm and the air is soft and the sky is clear blue with a few puffy clouds and the thousands of birds sing freely and somewhere nearby where you are pushing your kids on a swing, a butterfly lands.
I live in the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, Kentucky. Waiting for more snow! Yup, it’s true what they say about Kentucky: If you don’t like the weather, wait a second, it’ll change. It’s 60 degrees in the morning and snow at night! Thanking my Lord for a harsh winter and the relief from allergies it brought! My favorite go-to verse: “Be still and know that I am God…” Psalm. 46:10. May the Lord Our Precious Savior bless you all this day!
Oh Beth,
By the way, Christ used you and your ministry to drastically change my life too. Later on, He blessed me of the utmost privilege to pray over you while serving on the prayer team under the leadership of MAB. Precious, priceless God-Breathed moments that I will always hold dear in my spirit and heart. I praise God for the works of Your Hands, Mrs. Moore. HE has used you and your ministry to win many a soul. And I give all honor and glory to HIM for that, and you, and yours.
“Thank you, Beth, for all the Spirit-filled inspiration; “Thank you, LPM.” May GOD continue to move you!
(After reading Marlene’s post, just felt compelled to add this. Thank you Marlene for speaking Truth, aloud and alive, so all can read!)
I am in eastern North Carolina, two hours from the beach and 5 from the mountains! Like most places it has been a long cold winter, but you can see the new life of spring peaking out in patches of green grass and new leaves on trees. There are random yellow daffodils blooming under the large oak tree in my front yard. I can hear birds chirping. And I can see the gardens being prepped for planting.
Also, this past weekend I was at the beach on a women’s retreat and we completed the Loving Well study. It was challenging and wonderful- thank you for your faithfulness. And also, many women had never seen you in person or on video and they fell in love with you! Your humor is wonderful! From Princeton, NC- we love you!
I live in Colorado Springs which is just glorious as we sometimes can get 4 seasons in one day, literally. Start the morning with snow which puts a vibrant white cap on our beautiful Pikes Peak. Then it heats up to about 65-70 with the sun so warm for a hike in the Garden of the Gods. Then dusk can provide some cooling shelter and in the evening it can go down to 40 degrees (even in the middle of summer) which is great sleeping weather. God has truly painted the most magnificent views I have ever seen, and I live here. I never grow tired of looking at our purple mountains when God moves the sun just right. I can’t really describe the beauty that is 20 minutes from me in every direction, wherever I am. I thank God everyday for bringing me here 22 years ago. You need to come see it for yourself. I am looking so forward to seeing you this summer with my faithful girlfriends!