Friday Feature ~ Saturate Me Again

Hard to beat the vibrancy of yellow daffodils

*Still not doing well with neck.  Found out today that my vertigo/ear problems are related to the neck problem.  As a result, posts take me a considerable amount of time to create, because extended periods on my PC aggravates the symptoms.  I can only work on them for short periods every few days.  Thanks for your continued patience and prayers.  I have an MRI scheduled for next week.

Last July, I posted a poem called Saturate Me ~ Wanting More of God.  The poem with pictures was one of my more popular posts.

I decided to re post the poem, but use different photos that tie in with the message.  I used two photos that I took of daffodils, and then adjusted the colors for the effects using the Hue/Saturation panel in Photoshop Elements.

Daffodil cluster faded ~ I left the little bug

 I removed all the yellows, rendering the daffodils void of color.

Daffodil ~ bent and faded

Apart from Christ, my life is void and without meaning.  Apart from Him, I am nothing.

Saturate Me ~ Wanting More of God

Humbly,
I submit
To Your cleansing.
My life,
I surrender.
Forgive Me,
  Make my heart brand new.

Quietly,
I listen
  For Your voice.
My spirit,
I yield.
Fill me,
Help me follow You.

Suddenly,
I discover
Your presence.
My desires,
I relinquish.
  Saturate me,
That I resemble You.

Daffodil ~ looking like it is bowing, now vibrant again

“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
John 3:30

I want God to continually saturate me with His presence ~ over and over again.

*Do you have a favorite of the photos?  I always love your feedback!

If you want to see more photos of daffodils, I encourage you to visit a site by my friend, Teri Mett’s, as she featured them in her latest post:
Bungalow Retreat

For similar posts, go to Friday Feature

Words and photos by Sue Nash © 2014

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Friday Quotables ~ Repentance

Crosses along the highway ~ photo taken as we drove past

REPENTANCE:
It is not something you do to make yourself feel better before God,
It is something you do to make your obedience better before God.
****

by Sue Nash © 2014

From Proverbs 28:13
He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

Blessings on your weekend!

Friday ~ One Word Description

La Jolla, California seals 

Today’s feature is all about a word.  I have one word to describe how I feel.

The problem is that my word is not actually a word (or at least one that I can find through any search).  The photo of the seals that I took last year while in California is a hint.

My one word description is:

Kerplutzed
See, I told you that it wasn’t a word, but it just fits!

ker-plutzed  ~  adjective

: a sluggish feeling of being washed out
: a sudden urge for weekend recuperation

Examples of KERPLUTZED

*Sue is kerplutzed from the physical strain of car travel last weekend, and then coming home to an ever busy schedule.
*The best remedy for feeling kerplutzed is a heaping dose of weekend rest!

(from Sue’s dictionary)

Do you have one word to describe how you feel today?  Perhaps even a made up one like mine?  I would love for you to share it, and even though you cannot post a photo to go along with the idea, maybe you could tell us what a picture of it would look like!

BTW ~ Some of you may find me whiny to complain about needing rest, since I just got back from a beach vacation last weekend.  Our trip was restful; however, travel is very hard on me physically due to my neck and back issues.  The older I get, the harder it seems to bounce back from traveling. 

Blessings,
Sue

For similar posts, see Friday Feature

Friday Feature ~ One Voice by Sadie and Sophie Cuffe

One act of kindness can warm the heart like a yellow rose does a chilly day

Today’s Friday Feature is a guest post by my wonderful blogging friends, Sadie and Sophie Cuffe.  Please check out the links to their blog and some of their published works at the bottom of this post.

I hope that their words warm your heart as much as they did mine! 

One Voice
by Sadie and Sophie Cuffe

According to the weather forecast, the temperature might make it to zero for the daytime high.  Nevertheless, yesterday morning we braved the 25-below-zero wind chill and cleaned off last night’s light snow from the car windshield.  The sun had only been up an hour-and-a-half, yet the snow on the window had started to melt.  Some still remained in the shape of Antarctica, but the edges had thawed and short sparkling rivulets ran into the sunlight.  We quickly scraped away the remaining snow and went about our business, but throughout the long, cold hours the image lingered in our minds.

After an overwhelming day, we returned home and let the quiet warmth of wood heat seep into our souls and bodies.  Grammie used to say, “It’s a hard old world out there.”  Sometimes we know where she was coming from: it’s hard to remember we’re not in this alone.  There are days you wonder if anyone really notices or cares.  On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes it’s hard to keep from becoming as frozen in heart as the snowdrifts, as we wonder how much more we can give before we have nothing left.

And then we realize life is like the sun on the frozen windshield.  No matter how cold and lonely it is in the wilderness of this world, we’re never left twisting in the subzero wind.  Time and time again, God has sent the warmth of a voice in the wilderness into our life just when we need it.

Today it was His voice in our hearts whispering across the chilly organ with a steady warm mother’s love that has enveloped us since our first breaths.  His voice melted the frosty selfishness in us and we answered, “Thank You for letting me be a daughter today.”

It’s not about how big life is, it’s about the power of the small kindnesses in our lives.  It’s about listening and seeing the effects of one moment and one voice.  Sometimes that voice is as quiet as a smile drying our tears, or as gentle as a soft rain filling our parched souls.  As writers, that voice in the wilderness of criticism is often the gift of a simple comment that gives us the strength to keep on trying.

The older we get, the more we see the vital need for the heart-shine of kindness and encouragement in every encounter, every word we speak.  Not only will it spread warmth to our relationships, it’ll keep our hearts from growing cold.  This year we want to be one voice for the Son.

*Posted with permission from the authors, Sadie and Sophie Cuffe

For more of the Sadie and Sophie’s writing, check out some of their published works:

Arrow that Flies:
Blood Brothers in Christ Book One

Warrior’s Journey
Blood Brothers in Christ Book Two

Faith in the Shadows
The Wainright Trilogy Book One

The Seekers
The Wainright Trilogy Book Two

The Heart Knows
The Wainright Trilogy Book Three

Hard Country: A Western

It is also not too late to jump on board with the Cuffe sister’s newest serial fiction series:
Children of Promise
(Josie just keeps landing herself into more and more predicaments!)

*****

Please check out other Friday Features here

Friday Feature ~ Rhonda K. Holland

Illustrations about the truths from God’s word can come from almost anything, even inanimate objects.  As shown in her latest book, Pots, Pans and Prophecies, my featured author does just that.  She explains how just like ordinary cooking utensils do not dictate the process, but are instead the containers for producing delicious meals, we must likewise yield our lives as vessels, in order for God to fulfill His wondrous purposes through us.

Today’s featured author, speaker, and longtime friend of mine is,

 Rhonda K. Holland
*Rhonda’s books and DVD studies are available for purchase by clicking the links.

Pots, Pans and Prophecies is the third of Rhonda’s books in the Kindle the Power series.  Using her engaging writing style, Rhonda takes participants on a journey with Mary, the mother of Jesus.  In it, she shows how Mary’s life precisely modeled that of a yielded vessel of honor for God’s use, and how He chose for her for this marvelous calling because she was clean, accessible, willing, and able to take the heat. 

However, Mary’s call was not without problems.  Like her, after receiving a promise from God, we may face delays or difficulties.  These hard ingredients can bring discouragement, causing us to lose sight of the revelation.  As sour or bitter ingredients are often necessary components of tasty meals, though, life’s hardships are many times needful lessons God uses to grow our trust in Him.  Just like for Mary, He wants us to continue believing, as we wait in anticipation of the promise fulfilled. 

Written as studies, Rhonda travels extensively in order to present her books as seminars and minister to groups about each one.  However, they are also great when studied alone or along with her DVD’s.

I studied her recent book alone, but included my mom when reading another,
Coins, Covenant and Character, which is a study about restoration based on the woman with the lost coin.  Rhonda’s insights from the Lord in this book are remarkable.  She describes, then shows how He wants our own lost coins restored to strengthen our covenant walk with Him.

I have not yet read her first release, Giants, Grapes and Grasshoppers, but am looking forward to doing so.  From the description on the website, this study, on facing our personal giants by abiding in the shadow of the Most High God, is sure to further equip us for spiritual warfare.

Kindle edition here

 Rhonda is not only a wonderful author, speaker and minister, she is also a delightful person and friend.  Although we attend different denominations, we are like-minded in our passion for Christ, and for seeing a mighty move of the Holy Spirit in these troubled times in which we live. 

Whether from reading her earlier books or her newest, Pots, Pans and Prophecies, Rhonda is sure to alliterate her messages straight to your heart, through her encouraging insights and life-changing messages of truth.  

Sue Nash/2014

*Images and information given used with permission from Rhonda K. Holland

 

Friday Feature ~ Ointment and Perfume

Today’s feature will be another walk down memory lane, this time with one of my posts from last January.  Originally written in 2010, I expound upon a verse out of Proverbs.  Follow the link below.

Ointment and Perfume: The Costly Fragrance of a True Friend

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so does the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
Proverbs 27:9

I hope that you enjoy!

Blessings on your weekend,
Sue

Friday Feature ~ Remembering the View

Westminster, Colorado

Remembering the view from where we stayed in Colorado.  So lovely.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Psalm 90:2

Sue Nash/2013

Friday Feature ~ Christmas Carol Favorite

My husband and I have the same favorite Christmas song.  We both love O Holy Night.

Our favorite person singing it is also the same, but we don’t have a recording, since it is someone local at our church.  She sings it better than anyone we have ever heard. 

Our second favorite version of this classic Christmas carol is by Martina McBride. 

What is your favorite Christmas song?  Share it and a link, if you like, so that we can all enjoy.  Ms. Scrooge is trying to chill out about all of the holiday madness and get in the Christmas spirit!

Blessings,
Sue

Friday Feature ~ Letter to the Editor on Life

Today I would like to feature a letter to the editor (Clarion Ledger, MS) by my husband.  He wrote this in response to a Nov. 6, 2013 guest column by abortion activist Sunsara Taylor.  In her article, Action in Texas Intensifies Threat to Miss. Abortion Clinic, she expresses concerns that recent Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rulings, upholding anti-abortion legislation in Texas, may also threaten the abortion industry in Mississippi.

My husband writes letters to the editor regularly, but this one is my favorite.  He speaks directly to the heart of the abortion debate and offers a powerful rebuttal to Ms. Taylor’s skewed opinions on life.

Today’s feature is his letter,

When Does a Fetus Become a Baby

“I always wonder about someone who says, “The truth: fetuses are not babies, abortion is not murder, and women are not incubators.” And, “Abortion on demand and without apology.”

The only truth there is women are not incubators.

My question to Ms. Taylor is: When does a fetus become a baby? Does the fetus just vanish and a baby appear?

I have a grandson who was born at 24 weeks and was 1lb. 10 oz. He’s now 11 years old. He looked like a baby to me when he was born, although a very small and sickly one.

If he wasn’t born until 28 or 32 weeks, is that when he would have been a baby? A full-term baby is considered 37-40 weeks. What if a healthy mother was in a car accident at 36 weeks and the baby had to be taken out? When is the transition from fetus to baby. Even though it is out of the womb early, do we have to call it a fetus for another week?

A life growing inside a woman is a baby. That makes abortion murder. Call it what it is.”

Jim Nash
Nov. 25, 2013
Letter to the Editor
Clarion Ledger

Be sure to follow Jim’s blog, The Eagle Has Landed

 

Friday Feature ~ Byram Swinging Bridge, MS

The Swinging Bridge of Byram, MS

For some strange reason, I have a fascination with bridges.  It might have something to do with the fact that I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, a city with several bridges spanning the St. John’s River.

As a child, I remember being both enamored and terrified every time we would cross the river.  The massive bridges rose high above the water, and when we traversed one, I was never certain that we would make it across.  My blood pressure and pulse would both lower as soon as we made it over.

Despite my childhood drama, I still acquired a bridge preoccupation.

Recently, I began photographing bridges in Mississippi.  Thus far, I have only visited two sites, but soon hope to travel to others.  You may recall my Weekly Photo Challenge called Eerie, in which I posted a night shot of one of them in Vicksburg.  I’ll post more of those at a later date.

Today, I chose to feature a unique suspension bridge in Byram, MS.

Built in 1905, it crosses the Pearl River.  Listed on the national register of historic places in 1979, it was closed to vehicular traffic in 1987.

I loved the blue sky and bright clouds in the background

When I first discovered the Byram swinging bridge, it was still open to cars.  Back then, I was very young and rather crazy.  The big dare for locals was to accelerate quickly when approaching the bridge, then come to a sudden stop in the center, causing the bridge to bounce in a freakish rocking motion.  This was not the smartest thing to do, since the river below is often deep and known as a habitat for alligators.   I imagine the propensity for this prank is one of the main reasons the bridge later closed to vehicles.

With wire cables suspended from two towers, it anchors down on the river bank on both sides.

The combination of the wooden planks and the rustic cables makes for a very beautiful sight.

The Pearl River, as seen from the bridge

Bridges offer a link, connection, or means of coming together.  Christ bridged our way back to God.  By trusting in His sacrifice for our sins, we can become His child and then spend eternity in heaven.  Joining our lives with Him is our decision, though.

Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD
In a perpetual covenant
Jeremiah 50:5

I hope you enjoyed these bridge photos. I will post more soon!

Sue Nash/2013