Friday's Finds: {no. 35/10}

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{Welcome to Friday's Finds! For those of you who are new to this blog and/or just poppin' in - Hello! and welcome. On Friday's I like try to feature "a find" of no particular value or sentiment, no reason or rhyme and yet, exactly for all of those reasons I just mentioned.}


Today's Friday's Finds. 

A Wagon- Dragger. {snicker}

Little Brother.  Big Uncle.  Same dude... spending time with Big Sis, Little Nephew and Little Niece.

Thanks bro -  you're the best!  Thanks for taking time out of your afternoon (on a day off of work) just to "hang out".

Now Joel.  Can you truly say you feel like you're "draggin' your wagon", after this?   I mean, you know we totally wore you out.

~#~#~#~

Friends.  If you don't know about or personally use this phrase, then I'm so sorry.  You've got to hop on... and get with it!!  I love this phrase and use it all of the time.

If you're with me and you do use this phrase - regularly - say:  Amen!!!!!!!!!  Any questions?  email me...

Have a wonderful weekend, wagon and all.

Leafme alone - I'm changing {Part Three}

{Part One} {Part Two}

Welcome to Part Three

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There is life that will re-birth itself. Spring is the expression of that fact. Life springs new - so they say. But, what is re-birthed?

New dreams, goals, desires, passions... of course!  The leaves on a tree are just the outward expression of life going on inside the tree itself.  It's actually the ROOTS of the tree that are the underlying (no pun intended) foundation to this tree's ultimate health and well-being.

The roots are hidden.  No one (really) sees them.  They are down deep; ever searching, ever seeking for the right nutrients on which to feed itself.  If they were exposed, or even just uprooted, in a "planned sense" to place itself elsewhere - what would happen?  {It} would die.  It cannot be expected to live, flourish and continue to in a whole new environment - the way it had once lived.

God, the Author of life, has "planted" this tree in his place of choosing.  Where he knew it needed to be - best.  Yes! trees do get "transplanted" and they do get taken down or die - He allows change to a happen upon and within this tree, but not for it's soul purpose of destruction...it's always for a good reason and all within his timing and design.

The reminder for me today is this:  I am a picture of this gnarled, old tree.  The outside of me may look like I've been through it all.  I'm weathered.  Maybe tired.  But it's what's on the inside that counts.  Flexible for change to continue in and through out my life.  It's true!  Life as we know it is ebbing away...

And, as I see it - dreams will fade, passions will dissipate, goals maybe are not achieved - like the leaves, never to be picked back up and put back on my branches to remain.  I must wait for God to rebirth in me more of the same...other dreams, goals, desires...just as vibrant and full of passion.  I cannot cling to my past.

However, I CAN get rid of the "nests" - the stuff that hinders the growth of my life.  I CAN learn to accept the challenges that come with standing tall, strong, immovable amidst the the storms that arise from time to time.  I CAN choose to remember the "other" trees in the forest who need the same support and strength that I do.   (To stand alone brings cause for greater stress as I try to bare up under the pressure...)

You know, we're all in this together.  Some of us at different times and seasons.  But we all go through the same regiment in the purpose and plan that God has for our lives.

 ***

There is something very beautiful about this analogy.  It isn't about me at all.  It's true, I do matter and I am needed.  I am important.  I do have a purpose.  I do belong.  I am loved.  But, it isn't about me...
Did I "plant" myself where I am at?  Not really.  Although, I helped.  Do I have reason to believe that I could be any different if I uprooted myself to elsewhere; moving myself out of my current lifeseason, meaning living situation, job or relationships?  It COULD be done... but... if it's out of the will of the Lord, it is not right.

                                          

Think about this for a moment...

In the light of eternity...life here on this earth is meaningless.  God is the Author and the Finisher of our faith.  He is my reason for living.  He purposefully sent his own son to die on a tree, so that I might have life eternal.

The essence of my life is this:  To be found worthy of the calling that he has placed on my life.  To enjoy God forever.  To continue to yearn for a deeper relationship with him.  To be immovable in my faith - rock solid.  To mature in and through these seasons of change that he allows, purposefully, to happen for my life.

Today - You are raising up a whole new generation.  If you forget everything else you just read, don't forget that statement.  You are continually planting seeds. 

Are they rich deposits? 

You know, if it wasn't for that one small acorn there would never be the mighty oak tree that stands today.

There once was a planting.  A watering. And now... a new life.  And God, is the one who sustains that life.

Grow in his grace!  It is only by his grace that you are here today.  Yes, seasons my come and go but HIS grace is unchanging.  Find joy today in knowing and understanding that FREEDOM.

Oh look, another leaf has fallen...

: : Another good read on this subject, can be found here, from Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Leafme alone - I'm changing {Part Two}

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In a sense the gnarled, old tree is coming to an end of itself...only to realize that seasons really do come and go.   He knows that winter is coming.  He dreads that season too.  It's bleak, bare, dismal and so long in leaving.  He cannot fully comprehend the WINTER season that is barreling just around the corner.  In reality, winter is probably the most significant time of year for this tree to learn to appreciate.

But can he?  Will he ever?
(Part One, here)

Welcome to Part Two

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Winter '09

 When a tree is totally stripped of his leaves, he cannot help but notice that he is "naked". 
I see it as a picture of "Reckless Abandonment".  Stripped of ourselves, from ourselves to someone else as in God our Heavenly Father.

The snow that falls is the only comfort and beauty this gnarled, old tree has to look forward to.  It's a perfect covering; pure and white, laid fresh and clean and somehow a holy hush appears against the blackness of the usual winter scenes that this tree normally endures.

There is LIFE that will rebirth itself inside this tree.  Spring is the expression of that fact...

To be Continued...

HOWDY!!

Well hello everyone out there in blog land, it is that time again. It has been quite a while since I have had a chance to write. 

If you're fairly new to visiting Treasured Up and Pondered.  Hello to you from Bevy's other better half.  My name is Scott and I try to write a post every Second Day of the month.  We like to call these posts - Scott's Second Sayings.  Thanks for stopping by.

Things are going a lot better around the ole' homestead now that this latest exam is done. I am not sure if you all recall the last one of the last minute situation with it. The exam facility was not open on the day that I had scheduled and thus we had to postpone several days, and then take them after working all day, two days in a row. Well about half way through September, I tell Bevy, " Well that is the next book finished" to which she replied "I am still realing over the fact that you passed two in a row in consecutive nights, and now you're done with the next exam's book? I feel like your trying to sneak one in on me.".................YEP!   BTW, thanks for prayers and encouragement, as these really do wear on Bevy A LOT!

Well I did pass, my exam on Saturday, with a 835 out of 900, while needing a 750 to pass. This one was a cool one, the only thing I did not care for was that I could not find any study material for it, and what I did find was a student manual, not a full, self-study manual. As well, I usually spend three months per exam, and this one we stuffed into two. The reason I could do this, is it was a alot of info mixed from several other exams I had already taken. This all to the avail of to answer a question that has been asked of Bevy and she has not dared ask me, for fear of what the answer may be. HOW MANY MORE???? Well that depends on how you look at it. Technically three, but this breaks down. 1 is to finish my MCSA. The other two are just updates, which one to update 2003 to 2008 and other Vista to 7.

The last time I wrote I meant to say something about one of our bathrooms. This is for all those folks that have come to visit and have had to deal with the downstairs shower water pressure (or the lack there of). Well, it is not no more. Bev's sister Gladys was here (a few months ago) and we knew it was still weak pressure, well about three nights after she left, I took a shower after getting a hair cut and half way through the shower, we hear this big bang. Immediately the pressure was enough in the shower to chase you out. Now I have to keep the "throttle" in and not out all the way. We never did find out what the big bang was, but ever since - the downstairs shower has had GREAT pressure. Just kinda funny I find it.

I will admit, Gladys came to visit again last week, and I forgot to inform her about the pressure.  Oops.
So even for those that come from out of state, well no more running the 500yd dash to get wet in the downstairs shower.

I hope you all enjoy all the pictures that Bevy takes for posting. Well they are for family too, but she does do a lot of "need pics for the post". Recently I really have been enjoying the one of Caleb in the monkey PJ's. Oh- BTW- babe, that is not Curious George. I have a co-worker at work that loves monkey's so just had to send her a copy of the pic. ;)
.....OK, never mind. I just tormented Caleb to read the tag and they are Curious George registered......
You know as much as I go through about "Oh I am going to post about this and that", when it comes time I can never recall. I need to just make myself a list. You think I would have one, since we have list for everything else. There is one thing I would love to touch on. THANK YOU ALL for my 38th birthday wishes, I will be enjoying them NEXT year and that is all I am going to say about that.  ;)

Well as far as us as a couple, we have lots of things happening and going on as I am sure all of us do. Three hunting trips are planned, and that will most likely be all my hunting for the year. Bevy will be assisting a friend to do a Pampered Chef party here at our house, as our kitchen is alot more suitable to crowds. I will be starting my next round of studies, but with the holiday season on us, I am going to expand this over four months and try to take at the end of Feb. This way I can have some "holiday" time.

Well, I hope all is well and we will talk to you all again, Lord willing, next month! 

~Scott

PS:  I hope you placed your VOTE -today!

Leafme alone - I'm changing

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What?  You laugh.  You ask. What kind of title is this?   Well, how many times have you had to say that or you've wanted to? You're willing to admit that you currently find yourself in a really hard season.  You're thinking your better off left alone...

Maybe you're a mother (young or old) who, like myself, struggles in mothering.  Maybe you find yourself living with or facing a life-altering illness and it's scary.  It's your finances or job loss or a family member - causing a season of uncertainty. 

Yes, "Leafme alone- I'm changing" might be a play on words, but see for yourself what this could possibly mean for you.  

You're about to read an analogy that might "leafyou" to change your mind about what sort of season you find yourself in. And, hopefully you'll come to realize that you are NOT in this season alone. 

 Welcome to Part One.

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This gnarled old tree stands among other trees in a large wooded area.  Seasons come and go.  But in this particular season, change has been hard for this old tree.  He has forgotten his purpose; his reason; his being a part of this wooded area.  So important. 

 I represent this tree...and so do you.

As I sat at the base of this old tree, I watched the "dead" leaves falling all around me...never in this life to rise again.  These leaves could not be picked back up and and placed back onto the trees branches, exactly where they had fallen from.

In a sense, these leaves represented something.  They represented dreams, goals, desires; life itself. 

And, at times, even those English Walnuts fell, taking even more leaves along with them, as though they were the unexpected blows to this gnarled, old tree's outlook on life.

Stronger winds began to blow through the wooded area, taking down even more leaves.  The essence of this tree.  To do what?  To strip this tree of it's outward beauty?  To give it a sense of worthlessness?  To rob it of it's glory?  To betray it's purpose?  Are not leaves just that?  For beauty. A purpose for shade and shelter. A representation of life.  Are not dreams, goals, desires also a part of our life?

Is all of this to say that this tree is not important?  Not needed?

No!

Then WHY complain about the seasons of change?  This gnarled old tree just groaned out at the thought of this pattern of events... there was no stopping to this change thing going on here.

His branches bent and broke as the storms threatened his very being.  He wanted to hang onto his leaves... to keep his stately stature; to look untarnished; to have a sense of maturity without the rendering.

Oh yes! The squirrels.  Had they not made their nests ~their homes ~ here in this gnarled old trees hollows?  Was he not enough - for them?  They say "Home is where the heart is" but inside is nestled "stuff"... collected through the years...things like memories, heart-ache, burdens, grudges, intentions, regrets.

It's hard to part with the comfortable.  The norm. The what that has become "of sentimental value".  It's home, but HOME?  Really?

And, the birds.  Had they not found delight in his lofty branches?  Sure.  He welcomed them; they tickled him - the "lighter" things of life.  They were his fantasy world...and certainly not a burden for his strength.  The only care that they delivered was that they had sung their freedoms over and over in which they could just take off and fly away.  How he envied that fact.  If only he could just take off and fly away to some "other place in this world". 

But he could not.

He could not even appreciate his own freedoms.  He didn't even know he had any.  Why? 

Whatever had caused this season to be so different this year?

Did the other trees of this particular wooded area ever feel this way?  Sure, they did.  Think about all those leaves again.  They have fallen, are falling and will continue to fall until ALL is stripped away.  In a sense this tree is coming to end of itself..only to realize that seasons really do come and go.

He knows that winter is coming...he dreads that season, too.



Winter - 09

 He cannot fully comprehend the WINTER season, that is just barreling around the corner.  In reality -winter is probably the most significant time of year for this tree to learn to appreciate. 

But, can he? 

Will he?

To be continued...