Hand of Protection and God's Goodness

On Saturday Ilene and I went to some yard sales.  All we found were some gospel CDs and a pair of shoes.  We went to a late lunch at Subway before going to Food Lion and then home.  We sat out on the deck with some tea to relax and enjoy the beautiful day.  I took some pictures of the flowers.  Then I decided to pick up some limbs and move them from the yard.  Before we knew it, we were working in the flower beds.  We got the flower beds cleaned out, pruned and plucked.  After that we went inside and got our baths.  Then I did some laundry because I wanted to wear a dress on Sunday that I had found at the thrift.

After the baths were done, we began working on the puzzle we have going.  We began hearing a beep that sounded like something had a battery about to die.  We thought it was the phone, so Ilene brought it to the puzzle table after the second beep.  Lo and behold the third beep sounded but it wasn't coming from the phone.  It was the alarm system stating there was a power failure which caused the alarm not to work.  Ilene called them and after checking a few things was told there must be an electrical problem.  So we told them we would call her back after we did some checking around.  Besides the alarm not working, the ceiling lights in all of the bedrooms were not working and some of the outlets in the formal living room were not working.

The only thing we could think to do was contact Ilene's granddaughter so she could contact her fiancee and ask him to come if he could and figure out what the electrical problem might be.  He is an electrician apprentice.  He brought his tools and began the process of elimination.  To make a long story short, he found that some wires had gotten too hot in one of the bedroom ceiling light's wires and had burned.  I was the main junction and caused the other problems in the other rooms.  As soon as he cleaned that up he got the electricity working again!  YAY!!  Thanks so much, Joey!  We told him we would take him to dinner sometime!

The thing that was so scary (after all is said and done) is the burned wires.  The house could have been burned down if God had not had His hand of protection over us!  Thank You, LORD, for your hand of protection!

A spirea bush, or you may know it as a bridal veil bush

Here's a close up of the beautiful flower clusters

And here's an even closer view of the bee working the flowers.

Front flower bed

More flower bed

Beautiful azalea bush

A mocking bird was singing a wonderful song that I captured on video, but the video turned out to be too large to upload.

Beautiful irises in 3 colors........white...........

burgundy

purple

Pinks, or sweet williams (I believe)

more pinks, my favorite color!

The burned out light receptacle

This morning as we were getting ready for church, 4 deer came cautiously out of the trees lining the property.  The one leading the pack got away before I could get my camera ready.  These 3 stayed pretty close to one another!

Right after church this morning, we headed to East Bend for the viewing of Ilene's daughter's father-in-law.  We had lunch at her house before going to the viewing.  We left there in time to go straight to church for the evening service.  It was a very long day!  The funeral is at 11 a.m. tomorrow, so we will leave here around 9:30 to be there in plenty of time.

Even though it was a long day, it was a good day in God's house, beginning with the Sunday school hour.  Calvin finished up his teaching through the book of Philippians.  Here are some of the treasures brought to my attention from chapter 4 today:
Verse 11 says, "Not that I speak in respect of want:  for I have learned, in whatsoever state (situation) I am, therewith to be content."  Calvin told us that the word "content" meant to be joyfully and thankfully patient.  Forgive me, LORD, for being discontent so often!
Verse 13 tells me how I can be content in all things, "I can do all things (in the will of God) through Christ which strengtheneth me."
When Calvin read verse 14, "Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction." it caused me to remember how the church treated Tim during his 5-year battle with cancer.  They were very supportive!  They "allowed" him those times of sickness, which were very few until the last several months.  And when he was bad enough that he needed brain surgery, they allowed him to take the time to recoup.  But he ended up passing away 3 months to the day of the brain surgery.  And then the church paid for his burial.  They didn't have to do that, but they did and I will be eternally grateful!

During the morning worship hour, Bobby preached from Hosea 3, comparing the love Hosea had for his wife, Gomer, and the love God had for the children of Israel.  Even after Gomer became a prostitute, Hosea was willing to buy her back, just as God was willing to redeem Israel.  Just as He was willing to send His Son to die on the cross in my place.  I don't know why, but He did!  We just need to embrace God's grace!

Come, Ye Sinners!

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy
Weak and wounded, sick and sore
Jesus ready, stands to save you
Full of pity, love and power

CHORUS:

I will arise and go to Jesus
He will embrace me in His arms
In the arms of my dear Savior
Oh, there are ten thousand charms

Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome
God's free bounty glorify
True belief and true repentance
Every grace that brings you nigh

Come, ye weary, heavy-laden
Lost and ruined by the fall
If you tarry 'til you're better
You will never come at all

On Sunday evenings, Bobby is going through the book of Revelation.  Tonight we were in chapter 3.  The one thing Bobby pointed out that I had never given any thought about was how verse 20 is talking about the church, not your heart.  "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  You've seen the picture of Jesus standing at a door and knocking and you are the one who has to open the door to let Him into your heart.  But the book of Revelation is written to churches (3:6; 3:13; 3:22).  This verse is not trying to get someone to be trust Jesus for salvation.  God wants His churches to heed His warnings.

Yes, it was a great day!  Here's hoping you have a marvelous week!