Friday, April 20, 2012

FFF-April Blessings


I've had a beautiful week!  I hope you did as well.  On Fridays, I like to join a group of bloggers that focus on the positive things that happened in their week.

1.  We visited a site that I have written about before - The Bald Knob Cross of Peace.  (Click on the link to read about this wonderful landmark.) This time, we got there just before sunset. (Is it just me, or is late afternoon / early dusk some of the best times to take photos?)


Something new - a bench where you can sit and look over the hills.  If I'd been alone, I would have sat there a long time and communed with God.  It seems the perfect setting for a heart-to-heart with the Creator.


This field in front of the cross makes me think of the movie, "Sound of Music."  Can't you just see Maria dancing through the grass with her hands held high and singing, "The hills are alive with the sound of music?"


Here is the cross at dusk.  I was trying to capture the infamous "blue hour."  You can't tell, but there is an American flag in front of the cross.


2.  Another recent favorite highlight is time spent with my kids.  They are the best gifts God has ever given me!


Elissa, our oldest.



Malia - our baby!


Janae, our middle daughter, and Daniel, our son-in-law.


3.  We also visited another favorite of our places to go - Giant City State Park.  We had dinner at the lodge.  It's a tradition that anytime we visit the park, we must climb the water tower.





Jim and I and our young couple.


An amazing cloud picture from the tower.


Janae and Daniel in front of one of my favorite photo props, The Gyrator.



4.  Ah, well, the week ended and it was back to work.  I had a wonderful week at work, productive yet not too busy.  I enjoyed some organizing projects and played some gorgeous piano music as I worked in the afternoons. (No one was in the office most days - I have to have music to keep alert.)

After work, Jim and I went walking the track built at our local park.


There were some yellow flowers growing alongside the path we walk on.  Wouldn't you know the day I brought my camera, the city had mown them down!  (Jim said they were weeds, but they were pretty yellow weeds, nonetheless.)


Of course, Jim always walks faster than me ... one day, I will forge ahead!




I started this post with a picture of a bench, so I thought I'd end my photos with this pic of a bench along our walking path.


5.  I also had a busy week with posting.  It's a toss-up whether my favorite post was Hosanna Days or Sammy and Belle.

Bonus:  I couldn't leave without quote of the week:

In our rushing, bulls in china shops, we break our own lives.
Haste makes waste. The hurry makes us hurt.
… Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience “Top Time Management Secrets to Know” 4/19/12

May I suggest you click on the link and read the whole post?  Her words are like water to my soul - I need so much to quit the hurry. I think I am not alone in that ...



To those of you who hung in and read this long post, thank you!  If you would like to read other favorites, go to the blog, Living to Tell the Story, and meet our lovely FFF hostess, Susanne.

8 comments:

  1. I love that quote -- it's one I have underlined in my book! Isn't it funny, you don't realize how much you hurry until you slow down to breathe. Those summers and vacations always remind me...and Andrew's situation has certainly reminded me, too.

    Have a great week!

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  2. How wonderful to see your whole family this week! Looks like a great outing to the park with the kids. Lovely photos Jerri. Hope you have a good weekend.

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  3. Looks like a beautiful place to walk! I agree with you, our kids are one of the happiest things in our lives :)

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  4. No, it's not just you. That hour or two just before sunset is called "the golden hour" because the light is just gorgeous. Nice to see you and the family in these pics -- and that you got to enjoy some time with your family.

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  5. You have a beautiful family. I'm glad you had a great week and hope your weekend is fantastic!

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  6. That quote is so true! I need to make a conscious effort to slow down. The park looks like a wonderful place to practise just that. Love the pictures of your family.

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  7. That's such a gorgeous spot. A perfect place to pray.

    You have a beautiful girls and a handsome son in law! I agree with you - time with family is one of life's sweetest gifts.

    A good quote - taking a deep breath as I read it!

    xo

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  8. You had a greata week--visiting, walking, even working (I love finishing projects). Your girls are all beautiful! I know it's a blessing for you to enjoy their company.

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