Spring florals

Good afternoon! Although it is rainy here today, again....I am drawn to the beauty of spring.

I love spring time and all the new flower blossoms. The only problem is that most of the flowers don't last long enough for me.

I am reminded of Isaiah 40:7,8.

"The grass withers, and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the LORD. And so it is with people. The grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever."

My life is like a flower ~ here for a time, then gone from this earth, but I know I will live again. My eternal home is in heaven.

The other promise is that God's Word will last forever! No matter how we may be persecuted, or how our freedoms may be removed, God promises that He will safeguard His word.

Still, I do wish the blossoms would last longer. They are so pretty and make me forget about everyday stresses. To hold on to the memories longer, I take photos. I have posted many at

http://naturespeaking.shutterfly.com/

I hope you will visit me there, too, and leave a comment.

summer's end

Teachers have returned to school; tomorrow will be the first day for students. The beginning of sschool symbolizes the end of summer, yet we are just now getting some good summer weather! I am glad I am just a substitute teacher. I am not ready to return to school. I am trying to go off an anti-depressant.... I'm not sure if it was working as it should have; I'm not sure if I should go off it now....

There is so much to do - not just things that should be done like the normal household chores, but fun things - crafting things, yet I sit or read or do nothing. I have much I want to do, but the motivation isn't there.... I can just sit and look at life around me - the trees, flowers, birds, etc. Why? I don't know. Why am I even writing this?? Who cares? I guess that is why I have been so quiet here. I don't have much to share, or if I do, I don't have the follow through to do it. I haven't got any great words of wisdom or encouragement or comfort. I haven't got any deep thoughts to share.... OK, I will share this:

I have been reading Ezekiel as I try to continue reading through the Bible this year. I have been reading a lot of fiction about the Amish. I think I am drawn to the quiet, peaceful, non-materialistic, simplictic lives they lead. Two books I have recently finished are Hidden by Shelley Shepard Gray and Anathema by Colleen Coble. They both dealt with domestic abuse (not within the Amish families) too. I went shopping with a friend yesterday and we found some wonderful buys on flowers. I bought over $80-90 worth of flowers & 2 shrubs for $16.00!! Now I have some color on my front steps. On the way home we stopped to take pictures of flowers that look so pretty. Does anyone know what these are?

8/27 - Thank you Sarah for letting me know the name of these flowers..... Cleome or Spider Flower. Yeah! I'm so happy to know!!!!

Finding Spring

It has been awhile since I have been on blogland, partly due to being away on vacation. When we left, there was still snow on the ground - lots of it. How nice to return to no snow!

We traveled to DC for 3 days and then spent 3 days in York, PA. It was so beautiful - flowering trees and flowers, warm weather (in PA), and time to explore. God's creation is so marvelous. I just had to share the tulips and pansies in DC.

Spring finds us here in the Northeast, too. Crocuses at my son and daughter-in-law's home.