Repurposed Flowers

One of my neighbors, Jen, works at wedding venues, various meetings and gatherings. Often after the beautiful wedding or gathering is over and lights are dimmed “a star of the night- a flower”might just be a galore of beautiful but maybe tired and droopy flowers left on tables. And, their “purpose” is over.

Often, a Bride, Mother or other will still be around as the tables are being cleared and goodbyes are being said and they will ask, “is there someone that can use these flowers?”

My neighbor, Jen, will say, “I would like to take them to my neighbor that I know will repurpose them”. Interestingly, I’m the neighbor and I was never asked about my new duty. I woke up one Sunday morning with a porch full of beautiful flowers wondering what is this?

I found out pretty quick that I had been gifted with beautiful flowers to do as I pleased.

I bathed in their beauty, danced with delight and thought how could I be so blessed to be gifted like this? I was told it was midnight on a Saturday night when all were very tired and workers looking and yearning for their beds yet stopped by my porch and left vases and boxes of flowers. What must I do with them?

My prayer went something like this, “Oh Lord. What am I to do with these? They need some work to survive!” Of course call Debi, she works in flowers all day. Why give her another job I thought? And, who are they for? Then peace came when I whispered, maybe half-hearted, “who are they for? “

Another neighbor had recently loss her husband. We didn’t know them well and had watched the funeral party coming and going and thought, comfort her Lord and went about our days. To be honest *1)he wasn’t a very likable old chap to some of us.

Oh yes, yet Debi made his widow a gorgeous vase of flowers. She conditioned the flowers and arranged them like only designer Debi could do. We wrote a card sending our prayers and words of condolences to a grieving widow. They were delivered to her door just at a moment when encouragement was much needed. We received a beautiful response. 🙏

Yes, a vase of repurposed flowers has opened a flood-gate of many more flowers and we have added *2) spiritual-purpose written notes to soothe the soul and heal the bones.

New ideas and various venues for their use. Some not able to keep fresh but dried and used for teaching children in various organizations among other deliveries of surprises when one just needed to know, “God always cares”!

*1) “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/pro.16.7.NKJV

*2)“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/pro.16.24.NKJV

It’s been such a joy to be a part of repurposing flowers for the purpose of being used as the hands of Jesus to encourage one another. I hope I will often call to remembrance the following scripture when wondering how to help others when gold and silver are not readily available. Or, at least amounts I’m willing to part with.

“Acquiring wisdom is much better than gold, and acquiring understanding is better than silver.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭16‬ ‭CEB‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/37/pro.16.16.CEB

Jam Recipes by Fay Cooper Davenport

Fay is a native of Columbia and Raleigh, NC. She grew up in the Columbia area with parents and grandparents making jams among other home grown fruits and vegetables they grew and canned. She married, travelled and lived in various places while making Raleigh her family home. She was a reading teacher @Raleigh and now retired. She is still trekking to her Mom’s beach area in NC to continue their family tradition of canning with her Mon and sisters and extended family. Always fun to get her family recipes. Hope you enjoy. If you have a special recipe please share!

Fig Jam, shared by Fay Davenport
Strawberry Jam by Fay

Gentleness-Fly Fishing Va

Gentleness/fly Fishing in Va

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV)‬‬

“Gentleness” has great strength and power”! That is what I learned from my Mother. And, she being the Mother of eleven others! I have not particularly paid much attention to this word, “gentleness”, recently because I haven’t seen or heard much about it.

Recently my youngest son became very interesting in fly fishing. I began to marvel as I watched the gentleness in this sport from all aspects of the people involved. Seemly, they spoke and lived differently than the harshness I had become accustomed to recently in sports, news, and often church. I was finding myself gravitating more to this sport and it ‘caught me’ when I saw the gentleness of words and actions that soothed my soul, “Catch and release.” Then a grandson of my Mother, being a grown man and grandfather himself sent me a page from his journal about the love he had for his grandmother. It started out, “she was a gentle lady! I had tears of joy because he could not have been more accurate about my Mother.

Jesus surely understood the life of a fisherman. He even called some from their vocation to come and help give life to mankind. Surely, something to think about! Then I remembered my Mother grew up in a family of commercial fisherman on the Albermarle Sound.

Jesus’ said “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” was an invitation to his first disciples, who were fishermen, (Matthew 4:19)

I started this blog a few days ago and got busy before I finished as I continued to look for words to release after I knew I had caught, “gentleness”.

Then, just last night Sunday, 10/12/25 I received this email from Debi Chaves;

“I listened to a sermon by Begg on this…thought I would share what the overview said about gentleness.

“Although listed among the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness is an aspect of Christian character that is often neglected. Alistair Begg explains that biblical gentleness is not a natural personality trait but strength under control, pictured perfectly in God’s disposition toward His children and the humility of Jesus Christ. God forms gentleness in us through difficult circumstances as we learn to submit to His Word and grow in the practice of living with consideration for those around us.”

Pastor Alistair Begg said it well. Debi, our friend and Ricky, the grandson, shared stories on gentleness. My Mother lived “gentleness” well! It’s a practice very needful in our world today that some of us believe as we practice, “catch and release”. WOW! Just WOW! Turn WOW up side down and it spells MOM so my 5 year old Granddaughter taught me just a few days ago! WOW MOM! Thanks for releasing gentleness into the world! I want to “catch and release.”

Barn Yard Art and Prayer Wall in the making

A making of our Barn Yard Art and Prayer Wall for Autumn by Ricky
An update on progress of art

Surely, God is present in this place! 🙏 May this place serve as a spiritual awakening for everyone who witnesses this scene and offers prayers, whether in person, online, or as a vision. 🙏 I offer my prayer alongside yours:

Heavenly Father, please call your saints, children, into a listening, hearing, seeing, really seeing of “Truth”— Your truth. Knowledge with understanding – wisdom without fear – Doers of Your word – Please correct us that walk in darkness, correct our hearing, seeing, doing – deeds, words, actions – So many things seem out of focus – Even our prayers at times seem to be outdated for the needs of today – Our strength being weakened – words conveyed having no meaning in the battles of today – 

Holy Spirit, teach us about God, our creator, and make His truth known to us today. Just as when Thomas, a disciple of Jesus, Your son, doubted his resurrection from death, Jesus appeared and allowed Thomas to use his own fingers to touch the scars in His hands. Your love for him and us was revealed in this action of Jesus. He didn’t find fault with Thomas’s doubting but showed grace for his fading faith through His words.

Please intervene in our lapsed faith at times. The misunderstandings and the conduct that lacks love, as exemplified by the art of grace and mercy, need our intervention.

May this photo of Barn Yard Art in the making remind us of a story about another barnyard art offering lodging to a Mother and Father who were seeking a place to give birth to their son, Jesus.

Pull back the veil that we, your children, may see, as we change and do… In Your Holy Name, I pray…

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 (NRSVUE)

Prayer offers Love, Hope and Peace…

John 15:25 (NIV) Jesus spoke and said; “All this I have spoken while still with you.26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Peace to you and you and all we meet let us share our love and Peace!

Sunrise surf OBX

A Light for;

“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Corolla NC

Psalm 19:1 reads, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (NIV)

“because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I find it so easy to feast my eyes upon God’s Beauty such as this photo taken a few days ago by my son and texted to me in seconds. It’s great to see this view either in person or photo. I have a child like excitement in telling God how great he is and even humming Him an off key tune.

I even have a lower key hum in letting him know I love His Light and appreciate you and me, too as His creation and our light form. I believe as a Christian God created us in his image and for a purpose.

Yet, I find when I have to take my eyes off the beauty of nature and be the light so others can find their way to Jesus Christ by His death and resurrection, crown of thorns, and blood pierce side I way too often seem to lose my hum. John 19:34

I’m not proud of this admission yet I feel blessed that I can learn from my actions and words that I’m not being the light God created me to be and CHANGE! Pray for forgiveness, ask for wisdom which I will be given according to James 1:5.

And, I can expect to struggle a little or maybe a bit more at times with my new wisdom. But, then joy comes because a light for others to see comes!

A thought to ponder as I turn to the new, if I walk out to the beach as shown in this photo at noon today will I see the same light and reflection? Will I be disappointed or still marvel at God’s creation? Maybe that’s how it is with you and me! What does others see? I answer, let love grow where the seed of Jesse/love is planted. (Isaiah 11:1)

Sacred Pause-Place

Do you have One? That is, “a Sacred Pause-Place? Does it have a Voice? How do you know when it’s yours? Is it a high dollar car? Does it obey red and green or need a foot pedal because it’s color blind? Or, is it just a Desolate Place?

“The people follow the example of the Lord setting apart space for divine services as He did for the Tabernacle (Exodus 27:9-19). Jesus taught in the synagogue (Luke 4:15-16) and at the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13). The people gathered in open fields, hillsides, and near the sea.” (Matthew 14:13-21).

“Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Q What had Jesus heard that made him withdraw and go to a desolate place by Himself?

A“But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬-‭9‬, ‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Q What happen to Jesus after this? Did he have a Pause? Place?

A “Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; … he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.” Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭15‬, ‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Q How did Jesus get off that mountain and find another boat to get him safely re-united with his disciplines.

A “Very early in the morning he came to his disciples, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” They were so frightened they screamed. Just then Jesus spoke to them, “Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.”
Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭25‬-‭27‬ ‭CEB‬‬

Are we beginning to ID our Sacred Pause-Place!

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. Psalm 42:1

I have my “Sacred Space-Place”. Do you? If not, think about these words from the Psalmist:

“Be still, and know that I am God”! (Ps 46:10) You might ask me ‘why’ is ‘Be and know’? My answer, “I, God, will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”.
—Psalm 46:10 (NRSVUE)

An Abundance of Love

“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered;

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
—Mark 12:30 (NIV) And, Jesus added a second;

The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Vine in Vine thriving together

Vine in vine in fence thriving together

I would like to ask, “how does one do all this loving?“ Don’t forget to add the following to your equation;

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
—Galatians 6:2 (NIV)

I’ve tried to answer my own question and I was reminded of a song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither.

“When I pause in the hush of his holy presence
When I’m so still I can hear each whispered word
When I pause to pray I enter His cathedral”

We thrive together when we enter His Cathedral!