Savoring Summer #39: Stone Axe Creek

July 9, 2020February 13, 2022 ~ Beth ~ 2 Comments

IMG_1833 edit.jpg “Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life.” (Romans 16:3-4)

I love how in most cases in this passage, Paul specifically mentions why he’s grateful for each of these friends, or how they have been a blessing to him. In your prayers today, try making a list like this yourself, if you can, of every person from your church! I found this to be such a joyful exercise.

“Thank you for ________; he cheerfully takes out the garbage every week at church. Thank you for ________; she is such a faithful prayer warrior. Thank you for _________; he always encourages me to dig deeper into my Bible. Thank you for __________; she gives so generously…” and so on!

And if there’s someone who you don’t know well enough to mention, take note; it might be time to change that!

P.S. See this original post for info about this photo challenge and more about this reading plan I’m using this summer for the book of Romans (and I’d love to have you join in!)!

About the photo: Most days we hike to this creek for our daily exercise; most days we pause to skip rocks or watch sticks go in one end of the culvert and come out the other, or, if we’re lucky, spot a sunning turtle.

The Colors of Summer

September 2, 2017 ~ Beth ~ 5 Comments

Whether the calendar says so or not, the last day of August always seems like the last day of summer to me—and seeing that always makes me kind of sad. Nothing against fall or even the coming winter, mind you. I truly love the changing seasons. It’s just that summer in Minnesota is somehow just a little briefer than the other seasons, and I never quite manage to get in all the swimming and fresh peaches on ice cream that I want to before it’s time to pull out the sweaters and hot cocoa again.

As sort of a solace for this, I decided to look back over my photos from the summer months to remind myself of what we did do—and in the process, I found a rainbow. See if you can see it, too!Red is for ripe wild strawberries discovered along fence rows, sweet and warm with sunshine…

and roses outside of bakeries that smell of gingerbread…

and poppies along the chicken coop.

Orange is for a monarch butterfly, minutes old, clinging trustingly to my wide-eyed daughter’s finger…

and the one weed in my yard that I don’t mind…

and flower arrangements in my mother-in-law’s bathroom.

Yellow is for the elegant beards of irises…

and the freckled faces of the lilies along the porch…

and the not-quite-so showy roadside weeds that nevertheless delight the avid, amateur flower-pickers in my family.Green is for sun-dappled woodland ferns…

and black-eyed Susans not quite open…

and water droplets on nasturtium leaves.Blue is for swan families floating on riffles of water…

and plump round berries the color of the sky going plink-plunk in pails…

and bobolinks singing on telephone wires against the morning sky.Purple is for brilliant masses of fireweed…

and stormy skies at sunset…

and blue flags along the creek.

“You [O Lord] have established all the boundaries of the earth; You have made summer and winter.” (Psalm 74:17)

Fall Color Tour 2016

October 16, 2016October 25, 2017 ~ Beth ~ 1 Comment

Ah, peak of fall. We just finished that splendid time of year in which they mark little roads around here with signs designating them as part of the “Fall Color Tour”, and if you take one, you should be prepared to drive very slowly. That is, at least if I’m in the car and have my camera along (wink).

Now, alas, the wind has taken most of them to the ground. If you missed it, however, you’re in luck—because I did all the hard work for you and took pictures of the best spots. I hereby invite you to sit back, enjoy a mini tour from the comfort of your chair, and join me in praising the Lord for the autumnal beauty of the earth. (Not included is the sound of wind rustling through leaves already fallen, the wonder of leaves falling all around like glorious confetti, and the mingled fragrance of gentle autumn sunshine and rain showers. My apologies; try to use your imagination.)“Shout joyfully to God, all the earth… Sing the glory of His name; Make His praise glorious… Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!…All the earth will worship You, and will sing praises to You…
They will sing praises to Your name….Come and see the works of God, who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men…Bless our God, O peoples, and sound His praise abroad.” (Psalm 66:1-5, 8)

For last year’s fall colors, and some fun memories of my grandpa, see here.

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