Thursday, July 29, 2010

Thursday's Child Has Far to Go




















Thursday's child has far to go...


Did you know there are 2 versions of the poem 'Sunday's Child'?  I didn't till just now.


So how did I learn this random fascinating factoid?  Well... I wanted to share this photo I took last night, of this cute, soft, teeny, baby bunny, which I delivered from the jaws of death (Petey again!).  And since it's Thursday... the line above came to my remembrance and certainly seemed fitting for this little critter.  I hope he hopped far away to safety.  I've seen no trace of him this morning.   So God speed little fella, and beware of our backyard, there lurks a seemingly friendly pooch with a strong hunting reflex!  


Anyway... here are the two versions of Sunday's Child (and I am Sunday's child, by the way)
                 
                      1  (old fashioned version)

Mondays child is fair of face,
Tuesdays child is full of grace,
Wednesdays child is full of woe,
Thursdays child has far to go,
Fridays child is loving and giving,
Saturdays child works hard for his living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.


                   2 

Sunday's child is full of grace,
Monday's child is full in the face,
Tuesday's child is solemn and sad,
Wednesday's child is merry and glad,
Thursday's child is inclined to thieving,
Friday's child is free in giving,
And Saturday's child works hard for a living.


We can all be Sunday's children by the grace of God....so don't let a poem define you, especially you Thursday kids!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

how much time to heal all wounds?

Isaiah 30: 8-26
8 Go now, write it on a tablet for them,
inscribe it on a scroll,
that for the days to come
it may be an everlasting witness.

9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.

10 They say to the seers,
"See no more visions!"
and to the prophets,
"Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.

11 Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!"

12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says:
"Because you have rejected this message,
relied on oppression
and depended on deceit,

13 this sin will become for you
like a high wall, cracked and bulging,
that collapses suddenly, in an instant.

14 It will break in pieces like pottery,
shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
for taking coals from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern."

15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.

16 You said, 'No, we will flee on horses.'
Therefore you will flee!
You said, 'We will ride off on swift horses.'
Therefore your pursuers will be swift!

17 A thousand will flee
at the threat of one;
at the threat of five
you will all flee away,
till you are left
like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
like a banner on a hill."

18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." 22 Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, "Away with you!"

23 He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. 24 The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel. 25 In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. 26 The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

chariot clouds


chariot clouds, originally uploaded by Az~Kate.
Hooray! The monsoon, with the beautiful clouds have arrived at last! Can you see the tiny little sliver moon in that photo? I took this picture a few years ago, it's one of my very favorites. :)

Happy Monsoon!

Totally off topic, I am extremely annoyed with trying to format my blog with the new background... first I lost all my 'gadgets', now I can't post large photos without them being cut off!  Someone needs to give easier instructions on changing backgrounds!  (my old one is still on, embedded underneath the new one.  I can't figure out how to get it off!)  ugh!  Good thing the sky is pretty... it calms me down.  

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Birthday Cake Parade

Happy Birthday to ME!


















(I'm home alone having a very special, birthday pity party)  So I thought I'd share the joy with my throngs of followers.  (I really don't want throngs, so that's not what I'm pitiful about, ha ha)   No, I'm having a pity party over the fact that for the last few years on my birthday I've CRAVED birthday cake, and not gotten any.  I don't remember all the reasons why, but it just didn't occur.  This year I, unfortunately, will not have cake either.... because I'm very frustrated with the extra poundage I've acquired of late, and so I won't eat it.  So I decided to throw myself a 'If I Could I Would' have these cakes, all of them, a picture cake parade!

I collect antique teapots and tea cups, so here are some darling cakes from that genre...

Victorian-esque and feminine.  (I'll have this one in the parlor, thank you!)


















This one is a funky and cute tea party cup cake!


















This is my most favorite 'tea cup' cake of all... pretty and whimsical!






















Now, these here are not cake... but I actually prefer cookies in real life and these are simply tea-lightful!  (help yourself, dears!)














Leaving the 'tea' theme, how about this fantastic cake!  I'm amazed at the gorgeous cakes that 'cake artists' are making these days!  (my mother once made me a pink circus carousel cake, complete with tiny carousel horses, that was the envy of all the girls in the neighborhood... it was enchanting!)


















As I am an avowed Nature enthusiast, I would like some cakes that honor my love of God's creation as well...

I love this one featuring twigs and birds.














Oh, perfect!  This one matches my new blog layout!  (sorta)

















What amazing detail... so many things I love on this one!


















So those are all very festive and beautiful to look at, and probably quite tasty.  But the truth is, for cake which I would faint, and then lick the platter clean... we must incorporate CHOCOLATE... lots and lots of it.
I'll take these 3...

traditional, rich and classic...













Modern, dark and studded with truffles!..



















Yellow cake with chocolate frosting was my most requested as a girl, still LOVE it!














Where's the candles?  All 52 of them.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Mercy and Truth

I am thinking about the beautiful picture of God we are given through scripture of His amazing character... only God, it seems, is able to perfectly extend mercy while never compromising truth.  I just did a search at Bible Gateway of the words 'mercy' and 'truth' to see how often the 2 words are paired.  Nearly every reference (23 of them, total) is in the context of describing God.  What a wonderful reminder to those of us who love the hard black and white solidity of truth, that truth alone, is well... cold and hard, at times.  Mercy is necessary... it's the sugar that helps the medicine go down.  And what a wonderful reminder to those who are certain that compassion, grace and mercy are the pinnacle attributes of a godly person.  Mercy without truth becomes enablement; dysfunction, tender comfort for the terminally ill (spiritually speaking) but leaving out the cure. (Cures can be painful, you see... and those gifted with great mercy and grace are reticent to inflict pain of any kind.)

I have a feeling the pairing of the words 'grace' and 'truth' would turn up many such verses too... verses that illuminate what God is like, and Who He is.  The pain He allows needs to be accepted in context with His great mercy and grace... both are necessary for wholeness, deliverance and freedom.  One without the other falls short of the goal, misses the mark.  God's Spirit is hovering over His children seeking to form us more and into Christ likeness.  I need to be more conscious of the fact, and deliberate in adjusting my attitude to the scriptural truth that both are necessary in me, to reflect a complete & accurate likeness.  Lord, may I more and more grow in my ability to shine forth a witness of God's truth and His mercy. 

Psalm 25: 9 The humble He guides in justice,
         And the humble He teaches His way.
 10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth,
         To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
 11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
         Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.


John1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.



      

Monday, July 12, 2010

more than a song


more than a song, originally uploaded by Az~Kate.
Just a little photo I took today. There's a story behind the title of this picture and the title of the hymn, but I'll have to write that up some other time as I need to get out the door just now to babysit. :) Hope my 2 readers are doing well! Hugs... K