Blessings – Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

RDP: Friday – Thankful/SATURDAY — PUMPKIN

Out of Hardship

Comes Blessings

For the past few months, we have been in unrest. I live with my daughter and grandson whom I take care of while she works. Up until recently (like three months ago) her husband (who never liked my being there) was also in the home. He moved out leaving my daughter with a whole heap of debt and a rental amount she could not afford without his assistance. He really didn’t think he should contribute to the financial obligations before he moved out and definitely didn’t think so afterwards even though his name was also on the lease. this made it difficult for my daughter to find another place to live; one in which she would be able to afford. Thus, creating extreme hardship and high levels of stress and anxiety.

***A Pile of Pumpkins***
***Ready for Children’s Pickin’***

After much searching and reaching out to anyone and everyone she finally found another place for us to move to. Just one catch, the landlord was still working on the house, and she didn’t have the financial resources to move in immediately. Therefore, we had additional expenses of staying in a motel for a week until everything could be completed to satisfaction. during this transitional period my grandson was missing several days of kindergarten and speech class.

So, what do you think I did? Since we couldn’t provide transportation to his school, I took him to enjoy one of his favorite pastimes, hiking. Coleman and I went hiking three days in a row to his delight. In the mist of trials, it was a blessing to enjoy being out in nature spending quality time with him. Our motel for the week was a short distance from his favorite hiking place, Anne Springs Close Greenway. Therefore, where else would I take him but to the Greenway, of course. These Pumpkins were seen on our fourth day of hiking. They were situated at the Lake Haigler entrance to the Anne Springs Close Greenway. The Greenway also had other fun Fall/Autumn activities set up for the children to enjoy. During this week we visited three of the five entrances to the Greenway. Each entrance offers different trails and activities for visitors to utilize and enjoy.

I am extremely grateful for my daughter and her strength and persistence in searching and locating a place for us to live and feel at peace. Home is the nicest word in our vocabulary right now. We are all thankful for having a home to live in. Thankful to be out of the motel. Thankful to be out of turmoil. Thankful to be relieved of a heavy load of stress and worry. I know, all our troubles and worries should be laid in the hands of God, our Heavenly Father. It is difficult sometimes to lay everything at his feet and not continue to worry.

We (mostly me) still have a tremendous amount of unpacking to do but alas, it will all get done in due time. I am still processing the fact that we have a home to live in. Understanding that we are all safe and can relax and enjoy our home (it is a rental, but it is our home for now). Coleman has his own little room, with his own bed (he had been having to share mine). He has a fairly good size yard to play in and we don’t have to worry about him not having enough space to run and pay. This home is a blessing, and I am truly thankful for being allowed to share it with my daughter and grandson.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Saturday_Pumpkin

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Friday_Thankful

Camera: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Pumpkins) Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA; Home) Cramerton, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting with us. Thank you for sharing your time ana thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

Grateful, Thankful, Blessed

I am so very thankful, incredibly grateful, and unbelievably blessed. Hurricane Helene has passed by causing tremendous havoc and damage to surrounding areas within two hours or less from our current location. It saddens me to see the many online postings of the damage and destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.

Even though Hurricane Helene was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone while it continued moving northward after landing in Florida, the National Hurricane Center called it’s effects as “catastrophic, historic flooding.” The “catastrophic historic flooding coverage occurred over parts of the southern Appalachians. The flooding within my surrounding communities is devastating affecting many friends and families across the areas.

It saddens me to hear about the deaths and injuries caused by Hurricane Helene. Last count I read was approximately 44 deaths have been reported across the Southeast as a result of this storm. In my opinion, even one death is too many. I do know that God is in control and everything is going to be fine.

We were just a small group of the greater than 3.8 million Americans which had the unfortunate experience of dealing without power for several hours all across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois.

Our local dams are overflowing, many streets have been flooded, others have collapsed leaving thousands stranded and unable to return to their homes or jobs until alternative routes can be provided or roads can become assessable once again.

I am very thankful our immediate area had minimal flooding and damage. I am incredibly grateful we were not without power for more than ten hours yesterday. I am unbelievably and abundantly blessed to have a Heavenly Father who watches over us and understands our needs, our anxieties, and our sorrows before we even acknowledge them ourselves.

I am sharing photos from public websites showing the flooding and damage to surrounding areas within a short distance from us.

***Before/After standing on I-40,***
***looking down at US 74***
***with the Blue Ridge Parkway bridge in the distance.***
***Asheville, NC. -Matthew***

Asheville, North Carolina

Chimney Rock, North Carolina

Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina

“I have a lot to be thankful for. I am healthy, happy, and I am loved.”
~ Reba McEntire

God Bless. Stay Safe. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Blessings: Who are they for? Part Two

The third of the Beatitudes is “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)” Who are the meek and why they blessed? Someone who is meek is humble, gentle, soft, and quiet. A meek person will be patient and self-controlled. Just because a person is meek, it doesn’t mean they are weak. In actuality, they are very strong. A person who is meek has self-control and are following Christ’s example.

A look at the fourth Beatitude, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)” What does it mean? At first glance you might think it would refer to the physical aspect of being thirsty for drink and hungry for food. However, this verse is not referring to the literal thirsty and hunger for physical nourishment, but for the spiritual nourishment of righteousness. What is meant by righteousness?

Righteousness is “acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin.”
http://www.Merriam-Webster.com

This tends to mean that a person who hungers and thirsts after righteousness has a strong desire to live a Godly life. A desire to strive to live and act like God would want them to live.

In Matthew 5:7, we find that the merciful receive blessings. It states, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.” It refers to someone who shows mercy to others will also themselves receive mercy.

The definition of merciful is someone who is caring, compassionate and gentle with discipline. God bestowed mercy upon us when He gave His only son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us. Showing mercy to others illustrates a reflection of the heart of God, our Father in Heaven. A person who is merciful is kind and forgiving of others, regardless of how they have been treated.

The sixth Beatitude Says: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)” What does the Bible mean, in this passage, regarding the pure in heart? Pure means to be clean, blameless, and free from guilt. Those who are pure are those who are being sanctified by God’s refining.

Being pure in heart entails having a singleness of heart toward God. It is marked by an uncompromising desire to please God in everything we do. It is a reflection of our soul, not just our outward behavior. It also means that a person is totally committed to God, goes all out for Jesus, not wishy-washy but fully fears and loves God with their whole heart. They hold themselves accountable to God and strive to do the things that will bring Glory Him.

Matthew 5:9 (NKJV)declares, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Who are the peacemakers? Are they just police officers, our armed forces? Peacemakers can be ordinary people like you and me.

Peacemakers are the ones blessed in the seventh Beatitude in Matthew chapter 5. What is peacemaking? What are the characteristics of a peacemaker? Peacemaking is the process of bringing about peace especially by reconciling rivals, those in opposition, into agreement. Jesus Christ is often referred to as the Prince of Peace. He is a peacemaker, bringing peace to individuals and the world. He restores the soul relieves our tensions and troubles and brings happiness to our human souls.

Characteristics of peacemakers:

They are kind and compassionate
They Help others
They wait their turn
They share
They do what they are asked
They tell the truth
They listen, speak quietly and follow the rules.

These characteristics are from children’s perspectives, but they apply to adults as well. A peacemaker hates fighting and tries to stop arguments. He/she will never be in trouble with anyone and is the kind of person everyone loves. He/she is a very quiet person and never gets angry with people and situations. He does not demonstrate negativity, instead he/she is very positive in their outlook.

Peacemaking doesn’t mean passivity. It is the act of interrupting injustice without mirroring injustice. It is the careful, relentless pursuit of reconciliation and justice. It seeks to bring about a revolution of love. You can help to bring about peace in your home, in your local communities, and in our global community. We can make every effort to do what leads to peace.

The eighth Beatitude states: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10).” This verse reminds us of our calling as those who are separate from this world and our desperate need to renounce the idols of being liked, freeing us from a life of slavery to the opinions of others. Jesus was one such person who was persecuted for righteousness’ sake. In 1Peter 2:20 Peter explains this way: “If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”

Persecution is a painful emotionally, psychologically, and in some instances, even physically. It means to be harassed or punished in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict one to suffer because of their belief. Missionaries are an example of types of people who are persecuted for their belief in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

No matter what you should always stand up for what you believe. Never let anyone take your belief in God away from you. You might not have recognition here on earth for your beliefs, but you will be rewarded one day by God in Heaven.

God bless you and keep you safe. May God grant you the desires of your heart. Stay strong. Remember I appreciate y’all and thank you for visiting.

Blessings: Who are they for? Part One

What are blessings? Is everyone entitled to receive blessings? Showers of blessings from above, promises of love, and seasons of refreshing. A few of the words are included in a song entitled “Showers of Blessings” by D. W. Whittle aka Daniel Webster. The song, referred to as a hymn, is based on Ezekiel 34:26-27.

The Bible says quite a bit about blessings. Many of those passages instruct us to Bless the Lord. Why do you think God instructs us to bless Him?

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Psalm 103: 1-5

In this passage alone it repeats twice that we should Bless the Lord. Repeating something is emphasizing its importance. Hence, it is to our benefit to comply and follow as instructed. What benefits do we receive from blessing the Lord? First off, what does it mean? To Bless the Lord basically means to praise, exalt, and worship Him. It is coming humbly before the Lord God and recognize His great richness, strength, and graciousness. We are to speak admirably of the Lord. Praise and Honor Him for His greatness and goodness.

I won’t go into all the benefits the Lord graciously give to us, but I will list a few of the here.

The Blessing of Abraham – We shall prosper, and we shall be a blessing.
The Power to Get Wealth – To be a blessing to others.
The Blessing of the Lord
Wisdom – All we need to do is Ask.
Prayer – ability to talk with God.

Thus, we see The Lord receives blessing, but who else is able to receive a blessing. In Matthew 5: 3-10, it lists various people who shall receive blessings.

Blessed are the poor in spirit –
Blessed are those who mourn
Blessed are the meek
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
Blessed are the merciful
Blessed are the pure in heart
Blessed are the peacemakers
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and speak unkind statements against you which are absolutely false.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, what does it mean? Does it refer to material poverty or to spiritual poverty? It is referring to our spiritual state. When we are poor in spirit, we recognize and understand that nothing we have is of any value, we have nothing to offer Him. Only Jesus Christ can make us worthy in God’s eyes.

Blessed are those who mourn, who does this refer to? Does this refer to those who grieve the loss of a loved one, or a friend? Though these are causes we may suffer deep emotional sadness, it is actually referring to our mourning our sin, our attitude toward sin, our realizing our need for repentance and forgiveness. When we feel sorry and terrible about sinning, then He will comfort us.

We will pick up with Blessed are the meek next time, so stay turned for further insights. God bless. Be a blessing to others. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

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