We all have different gifts

While I was at home my favorite thing was getting to see everyone.  I was especially glad to see my sister and my nieces whom I have not seen for several years.  We talk on Skype but being there is different.  I am SO thankful for the time I was given to get to be with them, my parents, family and so many other friends.
We were sitting around on a Saturday night and I told everyone I needed to make a card holder for a bulletin board and right away my youngest niece piped up with excitement, "I can do that!" and set to work folding and taping paper.  I just love to see how God has created each person with different interests and gifts to do all the different things that need being done in the ministry of His church.

Hymn

The last line of these stanzas really spoke to my heart.

Come, Ye Disconsolate

Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish,
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal. 

Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
“Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot cure.”

Here see the bread of life, see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
Earth has no sorrow but heav’n can remove.

Two verses

I just read Deuteronomy 8:16 in the ESV and Moses reminds Israel that God "fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end."

I had remembered the part about the manna and the wilderness being for testing, but I had never noticed this phrase before.  The whole point was to do them good.  Wow, in my wilderness and testing I will have to remember that.

And here's one more:

Jesus says in Luke 10:19 " Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you."  Wow, ALL the power of the enemy.  Not just authority over the enemy, but we have authority over ALL his power!

Growing a Garden

 Some of the first fruits from our garden.

What a cute little watermelon!  It grows about 2 inches every day.

7-Up

It's always fun when you find something that reminds you of the good-ol-times.  Like drinking 7-up and going bowling!

Ants

This is what happens if you leave a pile of wheat on the ground.  It starts dancing!

The race for the ghecko

This is our National-Geographic worthy picture of the chicks chasing their sister to snatch of a piece of gecko meat.