Trees

Good afternoon everyone~ Winter has arrived here on the Island and our trees out back were dressed in their snowy white garments after the storm we had last Friday. As much as I don't like the Winter, I have to admit, the new snow is beautiful and just brightens every thing up.

This is one of the pictures taken on our trip to Vancouver in January. That is me standing inside this massive tree trunk. One could have a picnic inside that tree, it is so big! I could not get over the size of the trees to be seen in British Columbia! Beautiful!

Today I would like to share a poem with you.

TREES

Many a tree is found in the wood,

And every tree for its use is good:

Some for the strength of the gnarled root,

Some for the sweetness of flower or fruit,

Some for the shelter against the storm,

And some to keep the hearthstone warm;

Some for the roof and some for the beam,

And some for a boat to breast the stream.

In the wealth of the wood since the world began,

The trees have offered their gifts to man.

But the glory of trees is more than their gifts:

'Tis a beautiful wonder of life that lifts

From a wrinkled seed in an earthbound clod

A column, an arch in the temple of God,

A pillar of power, a dome of delight,

A shrine of song and a joy of sight!

Their roots are the nurses of rivers in birth,

Their leaves are alive with the breath of the earth;

They shelter the dwellings of man, and they bend

O'er his grave with the look of a loving friend.

I have camped in the whispering forest of pines

I have slept in the shadow of olives and vines;

In the knees of an oak, at the foot of a palm,

I have found good rest and slumber's balm.

And now, when the morning gilds the boughs

Of the vaulted elm at the door of my house,

I open the window and make a salute:

"God bless thy branches and feed thy root!

Thou hast lived before, live after me,

Thou ancient, friendly, faithful tree!" ~ Henry Van Dyke

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you will come by and join me tomorrow for "Tea Time Tuesdays and Testimonies." Have wonderful day friends.

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Spiritual Sundays

"WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP." ~ Ephesians 2:10

We see it as we walk along the ocean shore, where steep cliffs meet with the rise and fall of the tides. The splashing of sand-and rock-laden waves have cut away at the towering sea cliffs. Day after day, night after night, the continual lapping of the ocean water silently undercuts the stone walls. Then in one sudden blow the entire structure can shift and fall thundering into the sea. On a daily basis, the wear and tear of water on sea cliffs is imperceptible, yet we know that every wave hitting the rock is washing away some of its hard surface.

Every person subjected to the endless wear and tear of life develops faults and cracks in their life. In God's hands, however, those stresses and changes become His tools for shaping our life for His purpose. As our lives are yielded to and shaped by Him, He creates within us the ability to resonate His presence.

The varied and often difficult experiences of life, given to God, are how He transforms each individual into something beautiful. The Holy Spirit can work wonders on the rough edges of our stubborn wills and hard hearts, conforming them to His own will.

Trust Him to take all that happens to you - both good and bad- and make you stronger and wiser, using you in His great plan. (Excerpts taken from "Tea Time with God."}

Thank you for stopping by today. Please visit Charlotte and Ginger at Spiritual Sundays http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/ There you will be refreshed in your spirit and meet some very nice folks. Please remember our sister Charlotte as she undergoes surgery on Monday.

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi