A Fresh Perspective

This tree in my neighbor's yard is gorgeous! I walked over the other evening to get some snaps. She doesn't know what kind of tree it is. Jerry said it gets berries on it in the winter. Whatever it is, it is definitely beautiful! Anyone know?

There was an interesting article in my county newspaper the other week. I already knew what the author wrote about, but it was a good reminder since I'm having my 2nd knee replaced on May 2nd. I will be recovering, once again, and this article helped me prepare my mind.

                                The flowers are full and bright, alive with cheer and color too.

The title of Lois Szymanski's article is "Getting sick can help you to see fresh perspectives." Well, that doesn't sound real interesting. But it can be true. It depends on you.

When I write a note to someone who is going through a recovery period, one of the things I share with them is to immerse themselves in God and enjoy special time with Him as they recover. A time has been appointed for you to rest and be quiet providing the perfect opportunity to seek God's presence.

I enjoyed each snap I took. There were several ways to look at the tree, all providing a unique perspective.

The author suggests practical perspectives such as taking stock of friends and family. You find out who you can count on to help you through. You also discover the joy of small kindnesses, the appreciation of nature, and the complex healing powers of your body.

The small number of days you must live through as your body recovers provides rest, quiet, finding out what you are thankful for, and perhaps, moving your spirit to be more perceptive of fellow family and friends during difficult times.

We all are sick at one time or another. You receive much more when you purposely react in a positive nature and learn what really is important in your life.

I'll miss a few posts while I'm recovering. I hope to return to you refreshed and eager to share with you the beauty of a life that's filled with God's Hope. And I'm looking forward to the day I won't have to use a walker and cane anymore, even though Jerry got me this great ride at the Mount Airy yard sale last Saturday.

Words

Words . . . I just can't get enough of them. It's time for some more quotes to cause our mind to consider words. No snaps this post, except one at the end, just food for the mind and soul.

"If there is no God, nothing matters. If there is a God, nothing else matters." H. G. Wells

"You never know when someone may catch a dream from you." Lowrie Marshall

"Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time." Martin Luther (Ah . . . my baby leaves!)

"An ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head knowledge." Charles Spurgeon

"The Bible is the only book whose author is always present when one reads it." Unknown

"Writing is not easy for most of us. Dr. Gaines Dobbins . . . was a prolific writer. Someone said to him: 'You must enjoy writing.' He responded: 'No, I enjoy having written.'" (Right on!)

"hmmmm . . . why is 'phonetics' not spelled the way it sounds?"

"Read the Bible for whatever reason you can accept and take the rest on faith, and you will live and die a better man." Abraham Lincoln

"I will speak from my heart, for it's thoughts are best." Charles Spurgeon

"It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest and living close to nature." Laura Ingalls Wilder

"For God's people, the Bible is the most important book in life. Though written by forty different writers from Moses to John over a period of 1600 years, there is a perfect harmony throughout all 66 books. This is proof that the book is truly 'God-breathed' and that the real author was the Holy Spirit." Kenneth W. Osbeck

"A heathen philosopher once asked, 'Where is God?" The Christian answered, 'Let me first ask you, where is he not?' John Arrowsmith, 1602-1659

"hmmm. . . .how come 'abbreviated' is such a long word?

"On your knees you are taller than trees." Jan Beck

"Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you do learn, my God do you learn." C. S. Lewis

"'Just living is not enough,' said the butterfly. 'One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flowers.'" Hans Christian Andersen

"Everyone wants to receive a blessing, but not many want to be a blessing. What does it mean to be a blessing? It means affecting the lives of those around us for their good, which in turn brings honor to God." Joe Gibbs

"The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are." C. S. Lewis

"God always seems to choose broken pots so the water can get all over the place." Mark Lowry

"I have no desire to move mountains, construct monuments, or leave behind in my wake material evidence of my existence. But in the final recollection, if the essense of my being has caused a smile to have appeared upon your face or a touch of joy within your heart . . . then in living - I have made my mark." Thomas l. Ode, Jr.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"It's never too late to be what you might have been." George Eliot

"I like to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." George Washington Carver

"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." Coach John Wooden

"Long walk part of gift." Cheri Fuller (Every effort done for another is a gift.)

"The size of one's home should never dictate the outreach of one's heart." Luci Swindoll

And I leave you with this song . . . "When God Sings" by John Colgin and Christy Sutherland

"The rustling of the wings of the angels The hush of the saints bowing down
Losing themselves in sweet submission There's nothing on this earth like the sound

"When God sings . . . the heavens fill with wonder
When God sings  . . it's a breath of holy thunder
When God sings . . . every note and every measure
Dances with His delight . . . in me . . . When God sings

"The whisper of the spirit as I'm praying The kiss of a soft summer wind
The force that makes the waves on the ocean Could He be singing over me again

"When God sings . . . the heavens fill with wonder
When God sings  . . it's a breath of holy thunder
When God sings . . . every note and every measure
Dances with His delight . . . in me . . . When God sings"

I think it's time to get another book of quotes! Not sure if this should be on my list!

A Shoe Farm?

"The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire."  Sharon Ralls Lemo

Hanover Shoe Farm. Have you ever heard of a shoe farm before? There must be a hidden meaning which I have been unable to discover from their website. Hanover Shoe Farm is a North American Standardbred horse breeding facility. It traces back to the early 1900s and continues into the present day.

In 2001 Hanover Shoe Farm set the all-time breeder earnings record regardless of breed with $21,372.418 in annual progeny earnings. The historic farm encompasses 2,426 acres and is home to 9 stallions, 336 yearlings and over 500 broodmares.

And they're right here in our own back yard, not Kentucky!

Last year my friend, Kim, told me about the farm. Visitors are welcome to walk around, in and out of the barns where those stallions are housed. In March I asked Kim if she'd like to visit the farm with me and we scheduled a date.

I confess to tweaking this snap as I hated all the mud and dirt! So I put down a little green grass for my enjoyment! Wish I could have gotten the head of the other foal. But one mare was having a good time and the other mare was very dirty!

It was cold. It was windy. It was sunny. Brrrrrrr. What a day! But we went anyhow and enjoyed our time horsing around.

I liked the way this foal was peaking under Mom's neck. A safe place to be!

There were several foals in the fields that we enjoyed watching. There was only one foal in the barns, still a little young to be out romping around.

If I remember, this one was two days old. But Momma was standing by, out of photo range on this snap.

 Meet Well Said, with his name on his "bridle"? (I'm not a horse woman so not sure if that's the correct name for the leather.) Well Said has brought in over two million dollars and his stud fee is $15,000. A very big guy!

We saw this lane when we were leaving, and I just had to get a snap of it. A cozy little barn and house with fields and horses a far.

On my way home I drove pass another horse farm in Winfield, just south of 26 on 94. I've taken snaps there before. There were several mares and foals in the field so I stopped and got some snaps of them.

These guys came over to see me when I stopped the car to get some snaps.



I've past this barn often on my way to New Windsor. I've always like the flowers on the side of it.

So if you ever hear of a shoe farm and wonder what it is, it's just another name for a horse farm! And this one was prestigious!

“Horses make a landscape look beautiful.” Alice Walker

Did I Know This?

Not only is April lovely blossoming tree month, but it's National Card and Letter Writing Month. I saw it somewhere on the web and thought, "Did I know this?"

The U.S. Postal Service created a limited edition forever stamp last year to recognize  it. I just don't remember seeing it. Of course, I was still in recovery mode from the treatments so maybe I missed it.

The Postal Service says: "Letter writing improves social and penmanship skills. More importantly, it helps create lasting memories with the people you care about most." April 1, 2015

Well you know what I think about that! You can email, text and twitter all you want, but writing a note or letter to someone sends multitudes of goodwill. Truly now, when you get a letter or note through the mail, don't you feel loved?

From Christine Alexander on dreamingincmyk.com: "The cherished act of opening one's mailbox in anticipation of receiving a handwritten note from a loved one has become obsolete.  Instant gratification has taken over our lives."

Remember my little bird carrying that hand written note to someone's home? A special, one of a kind delivery, that will touch to heart of the receiver.

The writer is a kind of evangelist, more subtle than Billy Graham, of course, but of the same stuff." Shirley Ann Grau

So please consider giving a gift of a note or letter to someone this month. You'll be richly rewarded just by writing it!

I hope you've been out and about this month enjoying the lovely trees. This is spring! What we've all been waiting for through the long, cold weather. (Well, except those who enjoy a good snow storm which I am one!)

Driving down to Mom's one spring day a few years ago, we passed the lovely street below. I said, "Whoa!" I had Jerry turn around so I could get a snap. Lovely indeed.

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 119:74: "May they who fear You rejoice when they see me; for I have put my hope in your word."

The snap below was sent via email with no identification. I like it! Let's dance! Spring is here!