Nearly Wordless Wednesday

As I mentioned last week, we are doing some landscape upgrading.  These palm trees were planted last week:

They are in line with four others that we planted three years ago. 

These four have grown so well in the past three years!  The wall is approximately 6 feet, so they are between 10 and 12 feet tall.  Here are a couple of our new ones, our 3 year olds, and our neighbor's 30 year old:

We also planted some irises in honor of Les' mom:

Our planter is full of life:

 

 

Our roses are exploding everywhere:

And then there's this beauty.  I've seen roses that cross pollinate and have two colors, but never one with such distinct colors on each leaf:

I hope Spring has sprung wherever you are!

Iris Morning

 

While I was out running this morning I saw several irises in bloom.  These were my mother-in-law's favorite flower and as we are heading towards Mother's Day I thought they were such a sweet reminder.

I do not believe that our loved ones are looking down on us from heaven.  The Bible says there is no sorrow nor crying (Revelation 21:4) so if they were to look down on this earth they would see plenty to bring them sorrow.

I think God sends us signs - little reminders that HE is looking down on us.  He cares about us.  Just as the iris blooms each year, there is joy and hope for those who walk with Him.

Checking In

I'm not sure how I have gone a month without blogging, but here I am looking at the final week of April and this is my first post all month.  I'll try to catch up over pictures.  

 

Trail running continues to be my #1 outdoor activity.  Colorful sunrises and green hills take up most of the photos on my phone:

Last Saturday, April 15th, was the wedding of Vivian Gonzalez and Michael Klann.  It was a beautiful wedding and the church was amazing!

We left the reception a little early so we could go home and pack.  Early Sunday morning we boarded a plane from Burbank to Salt Lake City:

After a three hour layover and a yummy lunch, we got on our next plane for our final destination - Nashville, Tennessee.  Les had a work conference and I tagged along.  I got in some much needed girl time with my dear friend, Lori Long.  We didn't take any pictures together because we were too busy catching up!  I love this picture in her kitchen:

On Tuesday morning I walked with Les to the Music City Center where his conference was being held.  Downtown Nashville is a happening place!

Lori picked me up around noon and we enjoyed lunch and another afternoon together.  We never run out of things to talk about!  Les had a perfect description after I said how refreshed I feel after spending time with Lori.  "She's not a drain, she's a charge."  We picked Les up when his conference was over, then headed to Doug and Lori's so we could get Doug.  The four of us enjoyed dinner at the Loveless Cafe.  We then drove part of the Natchez Trace Parkway.  We stopped at the Double Arch Bridge, also known as Suicide Bridge since more than 40 people have committed suicide from this location.  A barrier has recently gone up.  It was a beautiful Spring evening in Tennessee.

We checked out of our hotel on Wednesday morning and went back to the airport to pick up our rental car.  This was the only glitch in our travels and it was an hour of time we will never get back!  We finally got our car and headed to Cookeville.  This was the first time we had been back since Dolly's memorial service and it was good to see Bill.  We spent Wednesday evening with Lisa and her two girls, Galina and Leksi.  I took a total of two pictures - both of them selfies with their cat!  She wasn't impressed...

Les took Bill golfing on Thursday morning, then it was time to pack and head back to the airport.  It was a bit of a whirlwind, but family time is never a waste.  We got home around 10:00 p.m. Thursday night.  

 

After a long, wet winter, Spring is finally here and my flowers are blooming:

And now I'm all caught up!

Beauty Unfolding

It's only a tiny rosebud
A flower of God's design
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I
The flower God opens so sweetly
Would in my hands fade and die

 If I cannot unfold the rosebud
This flower of God's design
Then how can I think that I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day
And I'll look to Him for his Guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way

For the pathway that lies before me,
My heavenly Father knows
And I'll trust Him to unfold the moments
Just as He unfolds the rose.
- Author Unknown

These beauties are in our front yard today.  Many more are waiting to unfold.  Roses don't worry about how those around them are unfolding, they just patiently wait until it is their turn to bloom.  We can learn a lot from flowers...

Friday Fall Florals (Hawaiian Style)

I was out for a walk this morning and stopped a bunch of times because the flowers were so pretty!  We won't be seeing leaves turn red and orange, but there is a lot of beauty here.

When God Unfolds a Rose

I thought I'd share how much my roses are unfolding...

There have been times when I thought my prayers
Didn’t even reach the ceiling of the room
Where I knelt to pray
And a voice inside kept asking me
Did I think God was really listening
To anything I had to say
I just kept on a praying
And holding on by faith
Knowing God is always in control
And I waited like a rose bud in the garden
Only God can unfold a rose

When God unfolds a rose
He always gets it right
When the petals are in place
Oh, it’s such a beautiful sight
God knows when to hold on
And the perfect time to let go
So let Him have his way
And watch God unfold the rose

There are trials and tribulations
We must all go through
When it comes to heartache
We’ve all had our share
Oh, but when times are the hardest
We need to hold on to the promise
He said He’d never give us more than we could bear
So I’ll just keep on a praying
And holding on by faith
Knowing God is working for my good
And I’ll wait just like a rose bud in the garden
Cause only God can unfold a rose

When God unfolds a rose
He always gets it right
When the petals are in place
Oh, it’s a beautiful sight
God knows when to hold on
And the perfect time to let go
So let Him have his way
And watch God unfold the rose