Too many times we can feel helpless and out of control. But we can turn to the One who is fully in control and perfectly able to help in our times of need.
Psalm 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 68:6
“God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
One thing I never particularly liked about Halloween is the pumpkins. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, or any pumpkin recipe, I find gross. I also never particularly like jack-o’-lantern. Yes, some can be very cool to look at, but making them always grossed me out. I hated scooping out the insides, and then of course the jack-o’-lantern eventually rots. It’s just gross all around. I don’t like pumpkins. However, these pictures might make me change my mind.
Halloween is just around the corner, and I suspect there will be many Halloween parties this weekend. So far I have no Halloween plans, but my question is: do you? What will you be doing for Halloween? Do you have a costume in mind? I just love Halloween. Don’t you?
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Robert Frost, 1874 – 1963
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
I fly back tonight. At least tonight’s flight back is a little easier than my flight down. It will still be hard to say goodbye to family, but I will see them again at Christmas. It looks as if I will get back just in time for the first snow of the season. The forecast shows snow for Tuesday. It was expected to snow yesterday but it looks as if the forecast changed, and I don’t think they had any snow while I was away. Everyone tells me that this winter will be far harsher than last winter. We shall see.
WHEN THEY RING THE GOLDEN BELLS
There’s a land beyond the river,
That we call the sweet forever,
And we only reach that shore by faith’s decree;
One by one we’ll gain the portals,
There to dwell with the immortals,
When they ring the golden bells for you and me.
Refrain
Don’t you hear the bells now ringing?
Don’t you hear the angels singing?
’Tis the glory hallelujah Jubilee.
In that far off sweet forever,
Just beyond the shining river,
When they ring the golden bells for you and me.
We shall know no sin or sorrow,
In that haven of tomorrow,
When our barque shall sail beyond the silver sea;
We shall only know the blessing
Of our Father’s sweet caressing,
When they ring the golden bells for you and me.
Refrain
When our days shall know their number,
And in death we sweetly slumber,
When the King commands the spirit to be free;
Nevermore with anguish laden,
We shall reach that lovely Eden,
When they ring the golden bells for you and me.
Refrain
Early this morning, I left on a plane heading to Alabama. When this blog piece posts, I will be at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport scrambling to catch my next flight to Charolotte before then heading to the Montgomery Airport. Once in Alabama, I’ll have time Friday and Saturday to spend with family. The visitation will be Saturday night and the funeral Sunday afternoon. Then Monday evening, I will be flying back to Vermont.
It will be a whirlwind trip and a sad one, but at least I will get to see my family and spend some time with them. I will also get to see my kitties, Edith and Lucy. I plan to get in some good food and some sweet tea while I’m there also. So while it is a sad occasion and a sad trip, there will be some pluses along the way.