Lake Pictures

In God We Trust

“...The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ ”
– Benjamin Franklin

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.”
–Thomas Jefferson

"As Iron Sharpens Iron, So a Man Sharpens the Countenance of His Friend"

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a hand of a faithful friend will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness blow the rest away." - - George Elliott

I leave this afternoon to spend two nights with two very dear girlfriends at the Lake. I'm looking forward to the sweet fellowship that we will have. I think what I treasure most about these two sweet ladies is that our friendship is based on respect, brotherly love and friendship love. Here are some qualities along with related Scripture that describe these beautiful ladies:

• We can "let our hair down" around each other. We feel safe and comfortable with each other. There is no need for pretences. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." ~ Ephesians 4:32
• We trust one another completely. We keep each others best interest uppermost in our values. We do not betray things that have been shared in confidence. "A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret." ~ Proverbs 11:13
• We share our innermost fears, anxieties, burdens, insecurities and questions. "Carry each other burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." ~ Galatians 6:2
• We are honest with each other even if it hurts - even if it wounds our pride. If one of us is going down a dangerous path we will not hesitate to sound a loving but firm warning. "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses" ~ Proverbs 27:6
  
• We take personal responsibility for the relationship and will not allow it to deteriorate even in the aftermath of heated disagreements. Until the air is cleared and the relationship is restored we will not rest. "First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." ~ Matthew 5:24
• We encourage one another, not find faults. We build each other up and never attempt to put the other person down. "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." ~ Hebrews 3:13
• We are faithful prayer partners. We intercede on behalf of each other. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." ~ James 5:16

God has placed these two women (among others) in my life and they are one of the greatest gifts I could receive. I pray that I am wise to nurture the friendship we have and never do anything to threaten our relationship.

The Greatness of His Might

Dragonflies and Butterflies

I waded in the river bed and watched the ripples gleam,

And stood with arms outstretched and my feet submersed in the stream.

An upward glance revealed the sun above the cliffs and trees,

Its golden warm caresses only broken by the breeze.

I closed my eyes and reveled in the whooping of a hawk,

While wond’ring what its call might mean if it could truly talk,

When fluttering past my lashes and then twice around my head,

An iridescent dragonfly consumed my thoughts instead.

My eyelids sprung wide open and I instantly could see

Its dainty body hover, then decide to land on me.

Photo Shoot with Pres

After work this afternoon I had the pleasure of babysitting for my friend, Michele. Her daughter is precious and very photogenic. Angela and I had fun taking pictures and playing with her at the lake and at the city park. Before returning Presley to her mom we stopped by CVS to print the pictures for her. (Click to enlarge)

Our Trip Home Part II

I took over 200 pictures this weekend. Here are just a few more from our trip.

Our Trip Home

We had a wonderful three days with my dad this past weekend. It was great seeing other family as well. My dad and I spent some time riding around and taking pictures. My sister has a lovely home and the wildlife is amazing around their home. We are back home and it's back to work tomorrow. Here are some photos from our weekend.

Tobacco Barn in Gadsen County, Florida

Tobacco Barn in Grady County, Georgia

Corn Crib that is at least 81 years old

An old country house in Grady County, Georgia

Going Home

In just a few more hours we will on the road to Tallahassee! It's going to be a great weekend seeing my dad and the rest of the family.