An Altar Of Praise

It happened on Friday.

Sleep had overtaken him in the middle of the day... the driver of the white sedan.

Mercifully, we were all on the inside when we heard it. Screech, thump, then... CRASH! Three pairs of feet practically flew down the steps and over the blazing hot concrete walkway... slippers forgotten in our mad rush.

The vehicle had veered across from the opposite side of the road (screech!), rode over the edge of the drain (thump!) and lunged forward through shrubs to take on the concrete wall that surrounds our yard (crash!). The wall won.

Unhurt, but more than a little shaken up, he found his way out and I ventured to ask, "Are you OK?" He nodded.

It was then that it hit me. I had stood at that very spot too many times to count with friends who were waiting for a ride. My disabled friend had pulled her car over right there to talk with me many times. That bit of pavement is the place where conversations begun on the inside generally end as friends who had parked there prepared to leave, and - on this side of the eternal world - we will never know how many times our lives were spared by Divine intervention while standing in that very place.

Today, I pause to register my gratitude to Jehovah God for lives spared... the driver's, ours, and the life of every other person who has ever lingered in that place. I praise Him for His unparalelled goodness to undeserving mortals and stand in awe... humbled by His grace.

This post marks my feeble attempt at building an altar of praise to the One who holds all our lives in His hands. His mercies truly are new every morning.

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Have you seen His hand (even in retrospect) turn aside circumstances in order to spare you and yours? I am inviting you to join me in building an altar for passers-by in this generation and generations to come. Go ahead, register your gratitude... and add a stone to the altar. :)

SHHHHH...

"Silence can be misunderstood

but...

It can never be misquoted."

- source unknown

I Know It's A Hot Pepper, But.....

..... what variety is it?!

The photo above is approximately one-half of the original size, and I have no idea if I should have waited longer to pick it, but - since it was almost touching the ground (the plant is very small) - I figured that this would be as good a time as any. :)

It smells extremely 'fiery' as it is, and I am seriously wondering if I will actually be able to use it in anything. Muy caliente! I have never seen anything like this in my neck of the woods, and the package of seeds that I had used was marked "hot pepper mix" (not very helpful).

So tell me.... what variety of pepper is it? Should it have stayed on the plant for a longer time?

Oh yes, one more thing... Is it actually safe for consumption? :-SS

Yet A Little While...

DH and SJ found this poor little fellow on their walk this afternoon....

My photos don't do him justice really (the areas on the underside of his wings that appear white are actually a shimmering silver). Beautiful!

As I gaze at the butterfly's lifeless form, I am saddened that such beauty has to return to dust, but encouraged by these words...

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." - Revelation 21:4

I keep going back to this promise again and again, because it puts this present life in perspective. Words like fleeting, brief and temporary come to mind... and because THIS is temporary, my priorities should reflect an emphasis on the 'things of the Spirit' (Romans 8:5).

This week, as I rest in celebration of His creative and redemptive work, I praise God for His precious promises... and I live in hope, knowing that He is not "slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you, because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins. "(2 Peter 3:9, GNB)

Hallelujah! We can be sure of what we hope for, and absolutely certain of what we believe!

There is light (and lots of irridescent butterflies!) at the end of the tunnel, for "yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." (Heb 10:37)

Here is one more for you...

"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13)

Be blessed!