Signs of Life

I took all but one of these photos last Monday when the sunshine beckoned me out of our Hobbit hole. That’s not to say that this suite is a hole. It’s a very nice basement suite. However, we are partially underground. Thus, my dad refers to us as ground dwellers for good reason.

Every year our concrete steps become very green with algae due to the abundance of wet weather we receive. So a good power-washing in late Spring is always in order.

When we moved into this suite one of the first things I did was to paint our dusty-pink door a beautiful dark grey. To each their own, but a pink door was not for me. I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t so taken by it. Both Andrew and our landlord were pleased to see it get a few fresh coats of paint.

I found the photo. (April 2013) Wow! We’ve lived in this suite for almost 7 years now! Where does the time go?

My second photo failed. I meant to take a snapshot of the buds on this tulip tree out front, but I guess I didn’t have my camera set to macro. The buds were blurry, and everything in the background was sharp. It looks like daffodils, tulips and some crocuses will be standing proudly at the foot of this beautiful tree.

As I was attempting to get a shot of the buds, this is when I spotted my eagle. If I had a better camera you’d get a better pic, but I do love the sky in this photo. Look up! Look way up! Can you see it!? I know…… it looks pathetically small–that is, if you can even spot it. Even so, this makes for a great analogy: Even something as tiny as an eagle in a huge expanse of sky can surely turn a searching eye.

There were no crocuses blooming in our yard, so I took a few steps onto our neighbors properties to capture these pretty purple crocuses, as well as, the yellow ones that I used for my title photo.

One of our neighbors was a ways behind me with her dog. I’m sure she was wondering about me. It was only a few steps! It wasn’t as if I’d raided farmer Maggot’s field and scampered off with some mushrooms! (It’s a Lord of the Rings reference.)

Don’t search for a bird in the photo above. After my attempt to take some photos of my flighty friends, I spotted this nest and thought it would make for a lovely sighting instead. I did capture some images of my nesting neighbors, but my zoom capabilites truly are terrible and they just wouldn’t let me close enough for a decent snapshot. Unfortunately, I’m no Snow White. Birds don’t flock around me. They take to the hills!

Our next-door neighbors rose bush is starting to sprout it’s new leaves. I can’t wait to see it get buds and bloom! They just planted this bush last summer.

The photo above gives you an idea of our street. We are packed tightly together, but it’s a really nice neighborhood. The focus of this photo, however, is to give you a glimpse of my favorite trees; The ones standing there in the background bent by the wind. Or maybe it was the weight of snow that bent them. Nevertheless, apparently trees are strengthened by wind.

There’s an analogy in there too. I like to think that it’s how life’s weighty trials can bend us in prayer. If they don’t prompt you to pray, surely they’ll prompt friends around you to pray. I guarantee it! Thankfully, Jesus has spotters out there with eagle eyes, and ears like… moths? Apparently moths have been named for having the best hearing. Huh… whoda thought?

Before I came in from my walk I checked the temperature. I should have done this at the onset of my walk. I dressed too warmly. So, let’s see… it was 8C. Or about 43F for all of the non Canadian/British folks. Thank you, Lord, for a bee-You-tiful day!

This is one on my favorite verses. It ends on sort of a dark note, but it’s only part of the story; We know that those who allow Jesus to be the author and finisher of their story do recieve their happy ending. ❤

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Romans 1:20-21 (NIV)

“It is implied here that in order that people should be responsible, they should have the means of knowledge; and that he does not judge them when their ignorance is involuntary, and the means of knowing the truth have not been communicated. But where people have these means within their reach, and will not avail themselves of them, all excuse is taken away.”

Barnes Notes on the Bible