Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Brilliant sunshine today and a cool breeze this morning, but Friday we had a totally unexpected, (at least to me) thunderstorm, that lasted over an hour with strong winds and pelting rain! I know I just had the house washed, but believe me, it got washed again!
I noticed the high water mark around Lynch Lake, as I was on my way to church yesterday morning. It was about 4 feet above what the usual level is. That's a lot of water! God always answers prayers in a big way! My grass is finally growing and needs mowing, so, hopefully, that will get done this week.
I enjoyed a graduation celebration at Cheryl's house yesterday, greeting a lot of old friends and new people, with lots of food and laughter. Afterwards, I went to the park and noticed the grass has greened up more and the water was high again in the canal from the rain. An egret was just taking off in graceful flight and the usual anhinga was airing out his wings after swimming underwater. God is good!
I have been very interested in the story of how preparations have been made for the moving of a hundred year old oak tree to make way for construction. Every precaution was taken to move it on a dolly after the excavation around the roots was done, so I thought it appropriate for this devotional today...
From Quiet Moments with God:
"Other seeds fell into the good
soil and as they grew up and
increased, they yielded a crop
and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
Mark 4:8 NASB
The story goes that a century ago a German princess lay dying. While on her deathbed, she requested that her grave be covered with a large granite slab and that stone blocks be placed all around the slabs to seal the grave. Se also gave orders for the granite and stones to be held together with large fasteners made of iron. At her request, the inscription in the top of the stone read, " The burial place, purchased to all eternity, must never be opened."
Apparently during the burial, a tiny acorn found its way into the grave. Sometime later, a small shoot began to push its way up through t thin crack in the granite slab. The acorn was able to absorb in just enough nourishment to grow. After years of growth, the mighty oak tree broke through the aging iron clamps. The iron was no match for the oak, and the clamps burst, exposing the grave that was never to be opened. New life sprang forth from a deathbed and one tiny seedling.
Every day we are given numerous opportunities to take advantage of fresh new starts. New beginnings often come when something else has ended. When we allow sin to die in our hearts, we find new life in Christ. Perhaps it is no accident that the mighty oak, which is one of the tallest and strongest trees in the world, starts from a tiny little seed.
What seems to be the end
may really be a new beginning.
Unknown
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
