Category Archives: Photos

God’s Gifts Of Spring!

Standard

Winter Snow Melts…

Spring Flowers Bloom…

New Life…

A New Song!

Born Again…

All Creation brings Glory to God…

3-19-13 Walk 014

“God in His kindness gave each of us different gifts…”

Romans 12:6 GWT

3-20-13 Walk 010

 “He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what He has done and be amazed.

They will put their trust in the LORD.”

Psalm 40:3  NIV

3-1-13 Class Trip 017

“Every good and perfect gift is from above…”

James 1:17  NIV

3-1-13 Class Trip 041

“For God’s gifts

and His call can never be withdrawn.”

Romans 11:29  NLT

3-1-13 Class Trip 030

“It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts.

He alone decides which gift each person should have.”

1 Corinthians 12:11  NLT

3-1-13 Class Trip 206

“Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15  KJV

3-1-13 Class Trip 058

“…the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23  KJV 

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 082

 “For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not your own doing;

it is the gift of God…”

Ephesians 2:8  KJV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 177

“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit…”

1 Corinthians 14:1

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 179

“As each one has received a special gift,

employ it in serving one another,

as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

1 Peter 4:10  ESV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 182

 “Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.”

2 Corinthians 5:17  KJV

3-9-13 Walk 010

“Jesus answered him,

‘Truly, truly, I say to you,

unless one is born again

he cannot see the kingdom of God.’”

John 3:3  ESV

3-9-13 Walk 042

“And He who was seated on the throne said,

‘Behold, I am making all things new.’

Also He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’”

Revelation 21:5  ESV

The Gift of Salvation is Free…

The Motive for the Gift is…

Nothing more than the…

Grace of the Giver!

Grace is a gift…

All Life is a gift…

Including Eternal Life…

Receive God’s Gift by Faith…

And Be His!

Illuminating Blogger’s Award!

Standard

Thank you!

I’ve been nominated by http://seasonsgirl.wordpress.com/ for the Illuminating Blogger’s Award!  It’s my first nomination…and I’m so excited and honored!  Seasonsgirl’s blog has been an inspiration to me since I started my blog in July last year.  Her posts are kind, gentle, and lovely…she honors God in all that she does!  I feel warm and fuzzy…welcomed and loved…when I read her posts…you’ll love her blog, too!

So thank you Seasonsgirl for reading, liking, and commenting on my posts…and for the nomination for the Illuminating Blogger’s Award!  I know we’d be great friends…if we ever meet in person…you could teach me all about your awesome life on a ranch!

I love all your photos, your life, your pets, and your animals!!

light bulb concept

So now the rules for the Illuminating Blogger Award…

The Rules:

Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you (see above)

Say a few words of gratitude on your blog and follow the link (see above)

Share a few words about yourself and pass on the award to 5 other bloggers

About Me!

Christian, Wife, Mother, Minister, Teacher, Drama Team Director, owner of a Crazy Siberian and a California King Snake…Italian from NJ living in FL with lots to say…who loves to serve the Lord with JOY, write-write-write, and take beautiful photos of God’s awesome scenery!!

Anything I do is a ministry to Jesus, so I pray you’re blessed by my blog…whether it’s a Scripture, my favorite contemporary Christian music, a kid’s Bible object lesson, teaching a life lesson, my photographs, or something humorous to get the outrageous JOY out of life that God meant for us to have!

I love sharing it all!!

Five Worthy Nominations For The Illuminating Blogger’s Award:

1.  I love author Bella Grace’s blog, http://walkingonwaterwithgrace.org/  Founder of Walking On Water Ministries, Walking On Water, or WOW…a ministry built on faith, hope, trust, and more importantly LOVE.

She loves the Lord, she’s my sister in the Lord…I feel loved when I read her posts, and also when she comments on mine!

2.  I love OverwhelmedByJoy, http://overwhelmedbyjoy.wordpress.com/about/  She’s a wife, mother, friend, and more…also a patient, who makes a conscious decision to choose joy, even though permanently disabled.  She’s a caretaker for her mother.  She chooses joy because this is the best option.  Because the other option. . . is not an option.

She’s so inspirational, wise, and caring…I love her blog!

3.  I love Adam J. Holland’s blog, http://unorthodoxepicure.com/  because he’s so opinionated, and makes me laugh, laugh, laugh every day…by making me think about everyday things in a funny way!

He doesn’t consider himself to be any quirkier than the next guy, but his family, friends and fellow bloggers disagree. He’s a chef, so his recipes are awesome!  Check it out!

4.  I love this new blog I just found…or maybe Kimmy found me! http://kimmyg01.wordpress.com/ Her blog includes spiritual topics that interest me…women’s ministry, Christianity, Christian living, and inspirational poetry…I’m lovin’ it!

5.  I love http://becomingcliche.wordpress.com/about/ because she talks about teaching topics that interest me!  She has a snake…and…ya gotta love her writing!!

She said, “Since my “About Me’ portion is getting more hits than my actual blog, I may as well not waste an opportunity.  I am a snake-keeping, thrift-store loving mother of three. I work as an educator in a zoo and do a bit of free-lance writing. My pet peeves include wet clothing buried in the hamper and little popcorn kernels that get stuck in my teeth. Most days, I have the attention span of a gnat!”  Check out her blog…you’ll have fun!!

I love all my blogging friends!  Thanks so much for making this a joyful journey for me!!  God Bless!!

Free As A Bird!

Standard

“So if the Son sets you free,

you will be free indeed.”

John 8:36  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 097

“Jesus said, ‘You will know the truth,

and the truth will set you free.'”

John 8:31-32  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 193

“because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit

who gives life

has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:2  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 114

“For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord

is the Lord’s freed person;

similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.”

1 Corinthians 7:22  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 115

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then,

and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 116

“In my anguish I cried to the LORD,

and He answered by setting me free.”

Psalm 118:5  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 130

“The LORD lives!

Praise be to my Rock!

Exalted be God,

the Rock, my Savior!

He is the God who avenges me. . .

who sets me free from my enemies.”

  2 Samuel 22:47-49  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 001

“But thanks be to God that,

though you used to be slaves to sin,

you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching

to which you were entrusted.

You have been set free from sin

and have become slaves to righteousness.”

Romans 6:17-18  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 024

“Be sure of this:

the wicked will not go unpunished,

but those who are righteous will go free.”

Proverbs 11:21  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 026

“But now He has reconciled you

by Christ’s physical body

through death

to present you holy in His sight,

without blemish

and free from accusation.”

Colossians 1:22  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 027

“For this reason

Christ is the mediator of a new covenant,

that those who are called

may receive the promised eternal inheritance–

now that He has died

as a ransom to set them free. . .”

Hebrews 9:15  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 130

“Set me free from my prison,

that I may praise your name.”

Psalm 142:7  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 140

“He upholds the cause of the oppressed

and gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free,

the LORD gives sight to the blind,

the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,

the LORD loves the righteous.”

Psalm 146:7-8

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 141

“Sin is no longer your master,

for you no longer live under the requirements of the law.

Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”

Romans 6:14 NLT

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 142

“We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare;

the snare has been broken,

and we have escaped.”

Psalm 124:7  NIV

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 055

“The Spirit and the bride say,

‘Come!’

And let him who hears,

say, ‘Come!’

Whoever is thirsty,

let him come;

and whoever wishes,

let him take the free gift of the water of life.”

Revelation 22:17  NIV

Yipee!!  We’re free!

Freedom in Christ…

It’s a free gift!!

Take it!

This is Just Duckie!!

Standard

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 151

The sun setting on the pond on the golf course…

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 152

The warm breeze blowing on the water…

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 157

Causes moving ripples of light and color…

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 158

And shadow reflections and mirrors…

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 150

He almost doesn’t look real…

3-10-13 Walk 3-11-13 Beach 113

But he is!

“…It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth…

Salvation is found in no one else,

for there is no other name under heaven

given to mankind

by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:10-12  ESV

Don’t let anything distract you…

From seeing that Jesus is real, too!

You Know You’ve Embraced The Florida Lifestyle, When…

Standard

Lido Key 12-12-11 113

This is your “cloudy” day!

2-19 to 2-10-13 Gilchrist & First Baptist Outreach 081

This is your lunch guest!

2-5-13 Lanai 001

This is your backyard!

(With a pool an “expensive hole-in-the-ground!”)

Where a live alligator has visited you on your lanai after the hurricane…

Before the lanai screen could be replaced!

12-31-12 Walk 019

This is you, everyday…

  Not just on your day off!

1-16-13 Walk 021

You expect your year-round weather to be “not so hot,” “hot,” “very hot,” and “intensely hot”…

12-31-12 Walk 020

Another baby boomer, who just retired, has just moved in next door to you…

And you know their grandchildren have already embraced the FL lifestyle, too!

Jane's house 11-14-11 005

Your sailboat “dock ornament” is taller than your house…

3-12-13 Yankee Game! 049

You look forward to March…

So you can see your favorite NY team!

3-12-13 Yankee Game! 117

Play the FL favorite during Spring Training!

3-12-13 Yankee Game! 146

You enjoy being with so many New Yorkers, again!

3-12-13 Yankee Game! 149

And you wait for Joe Girardi to smile!

3-12-13 Yankee Game! 121

“Cause his team WON!!!

3-12-13 Yankee Game! 163

And you truly believe Jesus is a Yankee fan!

Lunch Will Be Served On Our Front Lawn! Hope You Love Fish!!

Standard

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 012

“Hey!  Is this where the party is???”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 016

“Oh yeah!  Lunch is served!!”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 023

“We’re big birds!  We want more!!”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 024

“Oh, they’re so greedy!!”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 025

“Who me?  What do you mean???”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 030

“I’m ready for my close-up!!”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 035

“Did you have to invite these two guys???”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 038

“Watch it!”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 039

“Humph!”

1-19-13 Birds on the lawn 040

“Okay, lunch was delicious!  Let’s be friends!

See you tomorrow…

Same time, same place!!”

Thank you, God, for Your fine-feathered friends to delight us!!

Dead Lizard!! Dead Lizard!!

Standard

12-12-12 102

I had the most amazing conversation with a little boy on a bicycle, while I was taking a walk around my neighborhood last week!

I was just past the new construction site I told you about in a precious post…

Haven’t Seen One Of These Around Here In A While!!”

12-22-12 053

12-26-12 005

12-26-12 011

I was listening to my inspirational Gospel tunes on my iPod, and thinking…

“Things are progressing nicely at the construction site!”

My Dad was a carpenter, so every step in the building process interests me!

I remember as kids, my Dad would ride us by every house he had built, and proudly say, “I built that house!”

I perhaps didn’t appreciate it then, but after having built all our houses over the years…

I appreciate it now…

Great job, Dad!!

Anyway…

Suddenly,  this little boy, perhaps 6 or 7 years old, came barreling at me on his bicycle…

While I was thinking, reminiscing, and listening to my music…

Shouting, “Dead Lizard!!  Dead Lizard!!”

I pulled out one ear bud…

And said, “What!?!”

He repeated it again!

“Dead Lizard!!  Dead Lizard!!”

“Where?”  I said…

He pointed up ahead…

“Want to see it?” he asked…

“Of course!” I said…

I just love kids!!  Don’t you???

I see people on my walks all the time…

Mostly those walking their dogs…

I don’t walk mine, my husband does that…

Because my crazy Siberian pulls my arm out of its socket!

It’s not a calm walk!!  Ha!!

Anyway, I talk to a lot of people on my walks, pet their dogs, say “Have a nice day,” etc.

And not once has anyone said anything as amazing as,

“Dead Lizard!!  Dead Lizard!!”

That’s why I love kids!!

So the kid on the bicycle turned his bike in the direction I was walking…

And raced to show me the way to the dead lizard you see in the photo!!

Soon, he turned back to me as I was apparently following too slowly!

“Come on!” he said…

“Can’t you run???”

Apparently he doesn’t understand age!  Ha!

So I walked a little faster to please him!

When we got to the dead lizard…

He proudly pointed to it, and said, “There it is!”

“Ahh,” I said.

“You’re right, it’s definitely dead, alright!

How do you think it died?” I asked…

“Did you run over it with your bike???”

In FL, little lizards run back and forth, and in front and around you all the time…

I remember when we came to FL for vacation, before we moved here, when my son was young…

That he went to grab one, and it let go of its tail to get away…

My son started crying, thinking he had killed it…

But we explained to him that it’s their defense mechanism…

And they can grow their tail back again!

Quite amazing little creatures, these “Lizzies!!”

So the little boy on the bicycle says…

“No, I didn’t run it over…

I found it this way!!”

I’m glad I came along for him to share his “find” with!!  Ha!

After we looked at it for awhile, I said…

“Merry Christmas, and thanks for showing me the dead lizard!”

And he turned to ride back the way he was going, and I continued on my walk…

Quickly though, he had another thought and said…

“When you go around the corner and see a black truck…

That’s my Dad’s truck…

Say to him, ‘Bryson said, Hi!'”

“Oh, you live around the corner?” I asked…

“We’re renting!” he said…

“Okay, I’ll tell him!”  I said as I continued walking…

He turned his bike around, and sped off ahead of me, to make sure I gave his Dad the correct message…

And beat me there!

Sure enough, there was his Dad washing his black truck!

So I said, “I’m supposed to tell you that Bryson said Hi!”

He laughed, that laugh that’s says, “Yup, I know my kid and that’s exactly what he’d say!!”

Bryson called to his Dad, “We saw a dead lizard!!”

His Dad said, “Great!

And Bryson, remember, stay where I can see you!”

While doing the “I’m-watching-you” motions…

“I know  that, Dad,” he replied…

And then he pedaled away, but on his own block this time!

So I said, “Merry Christmas, Bryson”

And he said, “You already said that!”

Yes, he’s right…I did!

Dear Jesus…how can anyone hurt a child???

My Princess Siberian’s Christmas Photos!

Standard

“Merry Christmas!!  Ahhh Whooo!

12-13-12Onyx 019

Well, they did have a Santa’s hat on my head, but I chewed it up!”

12-3-12 Onyx 005

Uh! Oh!  Evidence!

12-13-12Onyx 001

“And now I’m exhausted from all this photo taking!”

12-3-12 Onyx 004

“The boy quickly took this photo of me with a tiara on my head with his iPhone, while the Mom was holding me!”

Princess!

“I’m not happy!

Do other family members have to endure this indignity at Christmas time?

11-23-12Christmas Decorating 049

“I’m Outa Here!!

But, they do think I’m adorable, don’t they?

And I usually get some tasty treats, if I’m good!!

12-13-12Onyx 003             12-13-12Onyx 004                12-13-12Onyx 005

Is it this crazy at your house, too??

People can be sooo hard to live with, huh?

But, I hope you love your family as much as I love mine!”

12-13-12Onyx 006

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Christmas Things….

Standard

The Christmas Wreath I decorated with all my favorite “God’s Scenery” photos that  I’ve taken!!

The Christmas Tree I made decorated with all my favorite photos, and my favorite beach toppers!

My cute little Nativity Scene to remind me that Jesus is the reason for the season!

11-23-12Christmas Decorating 002

My table is set…the gifts are ready!

11-23-12Christmas Decorating 005

My Crazy Siberian Puppies have invited some friends to join them for Christmas!!

A perfect lunch with good friends!

12-1-12 Walka-Alligator lights! 042

Our light-up Christmas Alligator!!

12-1-12 Walka-Alligator lights! 045

Now you know we’re truly Floridians!!  Ha!

Have a Very Blessed and Merry Christmas, Everyone!

From Our House To Yours!