What can we do?

This has been my question of late.
I have found that when I have day after day of simple pictures posted on my blog, that my heart is working on a particular something that must be examined. Then I can finally sit to study and explore and can open up to share with you.
This is not an easy thing for me to do, but I know someone out there must have some of these same feelings at some time and feel like good can come from laying out my imperfections and hopes.
So here we go....

It is our practice in this home to have family bedtime prayers.
Each of us takes a turn talking to God, thanking him for our blessings and making our requests known.

I have found myself fighting tears and pleading with God so much lately on behalf of others.

I bet you have a list similar to mine...

a man who's young daughter is fighting Leukemia
a family who is yearning for adoption of children in a system designed against them
a woman who has lost her husband and is herself in the hospital
a woman who has lost a child and is worried for the one she now carries
cities devastated by storms in need of help and healing
people in need of jobs, who have been in need for sometime
and
and
and....
so very much to ask God to work in.
Then prayer time is over and I get back to my suburban life and feel like I am doing nothing all over again.
I was needing some encouragement on this matter and thought you might as well.

We have to serve and love where we can.
I cannot leave my family and go to Joplin or Japan to touch lives there.
I have to choose to serve here in ways that are possible for me as a Mom of 3 children who need me here. (You have to serve and love where you are.)

I know there are opportunities here for me that I am neglecting.
Things that I can be doing which are so far into my zone of discomfort that fear and doubt that keep me from doing them.

I don't want to be that person....
I don't want to desire to love and serve for the Lord then pass up chances when they are presented because of my personal weaknesses and fears.
I have got some growing up to do and fast, because there is too much need in this world.



I must,
you must...answer the call, do what we can;
then we have to be okay with that being all we can do, and sit down to pray some more.

Do where we can, pray where we can't.

Do where we can...hmmmmm?
I can use words to encourage many of these people.
I can visit the hospital.
I can put together a pile of clothes for those in need.

That is it!
What a measly ridiculously small list of cans.
It almost makes me sick to my stomach.
But wait, we still have to factor in prayer.
Suddenly there is hope again for the amount of change you and I can effect.

James 5:16b-18
The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Proverbs 15:8b
the prayer of the upright is His delight.

Psalms 34:15
15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.

Phil. 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalms 145:17-19
17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds. 18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.

1John 5:14-15
14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.


My prayers choked out with tears are requests for healing and respite from pain. Prayers for change in what seems like a path of frustration for people who do love God. Prayers to understand HIS will in situations that seem fraught with only heartache.

I find myself in a constant struggle of seeing what I think is best in a situation and knowing with faith that God's will is perfect and right.
Pleading for change while knowing that the outcome, whatever it may be, is for his purpose.

I want to keep these thoughts from Proverbs close to my heart
16:4 The Lord works out everything for his own ends

16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

19:21 Many are the plans of a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails

21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.


So?
What can we do?

Do where we can and pray where we can't.

Well I suppose for the most of us, that means a little more of the same.
And, for some of us that means more of reaching outside of our comfort zone into where Christ would have us be.

Well, I have a whole lot-ta boring for you late this evening.
BUT, on the other hand I did get out my camera and take notice of the light today, which frankly is my mission!
If you are entertained then that is a side benefit.

First for you, my new (costly) ignition switch and key!

The light and shadow on that really caught my eye!



There really is a "magic" hour when the light is perfect for portrait taking!


Even happy snails look fantastic right around 7 p.m.

That is all I've got!
shrug!
sigh!
Hey, there is always tomorrow!

Lots of color...

I can't seem to find a good run on consistency!
I know it is supposed to be "color Thursday", but sometimes that just doesn't work with my day.

This is bound to be another crazy rush about day so I shot off some photos early and I am now rushing to get them up so I can get out the door.

Here is my shot from yesterday, when I finally got the camera out.

My dear husband is very patriotic, so I can always expect to see our flag waving proudly certain times of the year!


A sweet friend of mine has been itching my ears with tales of this flower for 3 days now!

This morning found her driving by with 2 stalks of the blooms for my photographing pleasure!!




I ♥ when plants look like a

don't you??



Shelby says "Hi!!"

Actually that is her squirrel chasing face, but man oh man it looks like a happy grin to me!!

Sorry to rush you through all of that, but it is what it is!
Have a wonderful non color Thursday blog friends!!

Blurry or not??

Sorry, not much time for you today!!
I kinda have to do the Mom thing this afternoon, not to mention the housewife thing...which does include cooking supper.

So, in that case I promise (without my fingers crossed behind my back) to take out my camera in a while and snap some photos. In fact I will even work on the skill I will show you that I was attempting to work on the other day.

Creating sharp images in motion as opposed to creating blurred images in motion.
The super-realist in me wants, craves, desires above all else super sharp crisp images always!!
I know with the other part of my brain that there is more to picture taking than that and know I must pursue perfecting the blurry kind.
The first thing I must do is attempt to control the adrenaline output and do more than just click the button "hoping" for something good.
I will show you my adrenaline shots anyway...and you will know that really I was just trying not to get trampled by this stampede of horses every time they came by!!!

I set my camera to shutter priority, which means I told it how fast I wanted it to see, and it would choose for me the aperture. This helps to be able to capture motion without guessing on both things.
I set it at 1/80 and got this:

The camera chose an f/stop of 10

I switched it to 1/3200 which is getting close to as fast as my camera can go (arrrggghhh)
and got this:

f/stop 1.8...as small as it will get, or technically I think that is actually as big as it will get. shrug!!


See the difference???
Blur at 1/80:

f/stop 10



1/320:

f/stop 5.6 This larger number means more of it will be in focus!! NICE!


Well I hope you learned something there...I sure did!
Focus, and work on skill not just fear and hope!!!
I will be practicing this some more, cause I just happen to know where these horses live!

Got Milk?

Hey!
The picture I took today is poorly done and not blog worthy, so I will take the time to tell you a short horse tale!

I will begin by introducing you to Eve!
She is the pretty brown and white painted pony closer to you in this picture.

She is supposed to be working on getting some training done, but she has other ideas about the needs in her life right now.

Eve is just over a year old and was penned in a pasture yesterday with other ponies her age and up to two years older.

Her Mom...was wandering about in the field just next to this one well within spitting distance!
Maybe I should modify that to say neighing distance!

Eve called out loudly, and I mean loudly, to her Momma...and her Momma came trotting over.





It was really sweet how they communicated over the fence.




Momma seemed to get finished "talking" and turned to stand along side the fence, seemingly unaware of her baby.


At least that is what I thought until I walked around to the front of her!!!



Ohhhh ho! Eve was determined!


And she thinks I am crazy for telling you this story!


See ya tomorrow, for I must rush off now!!

Back at the ranch

More where that came from tomorrow!

Another busy Sunday

I made pizza four lunch today, and headed out to the garden for some veggies for toppings.
This was my haul!! Mmmmm, mmmmmm!


I then headed out with some friends to take some time taking pictures!
It was nice to meander around and click away.

As we were leaving we drove by this cute little restaurant and were astounded at this gorgeous dog.


I was brave enough to roll down my window and snap off a few frames.

Well, it is late....see ya tomorrow!!