This blog is for my insights on life, the Bible, hiking adventures with my grandson and whatever is important to me
These entries are from my hike along the Catawba River. The flowers I notice along the river are not always the same. Different ones catch my eye at different times. The wildflowers are beautiful to observe and enjoy .
My entries for Cee’s FOTD Challenge from 8/22. Hope y’all enjoy.
God bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.
My grandson turned three on July 25th and had never met the majority of his paternal relatives including his paternal great grandmother. His paternal great grandmother lives in Japan and hasn’t been in this country, at least not for a very long time. She recently got on a plane in Japan and flew to South Carolina. She is here because her daughter, my grandson, Coleman’s paternal grandmother, is extremely ill. She doesn’t seem to know where she is, hasn’t been eating for weeks before she was taken to the hospital. Her lack of substance and her alcoholism has destroyed a lot of the normal bodily functions, like walking, her organs, and her breathing to name a few. At this time, she has not been given a sufficient diagnosis and was sent to a rehabilitation facility. This does not make since to several people, but the only person who has any say in her treatment is her husband. She is on oxygen, is unable to walk, even for short distances like to the bathroom. Prayers would be appreciated on her behalf.
Most people that cross Coleman’s path on the trail or out and about know he is not usually shy, but very friendly and says hi to everyone. That was not the case today when he met his paternal great grandmother for the very first time. He backed away, hid behind me and didn’t say anything for a long time. I’ve never known Coleman to be shy. Coleman’s dad, David picked her up from his dad’s home and brought her to our home. The meeting was in familiar surroundings, but a strange person in his home seemed to baffle him. It took some coaxing to get him to sit next to her.
Since Coleman has a very strong attachment to me, I left the room to try to help him not to cling to me, but to allow him an opportunity to get acquainted with his paternal great grandmother. I feel gratitude that Coleman was given this opportunity to meet her. Thankfully she does speak a little English as her primary language is Japanese. My grandson’s father does not speak Japanese, it was not taught to him when he was growing up.
Thankful for the short time Coleman had to spend with his paternal great grandmother. Maybe she can come again to visit him while she is in the United States.
God bless. Thank you. I appreciate each and every one of y’all.
Here’s my entry for John’s Cellpic Sunday
God bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
Today as Coleman and I hiked along Timberline Trail at Anne Springs Close Greenway we saw several groups of Mushrooms. Several of the hikers in the hiking club enjoy taking photos of mushrooms. Some refer to them as shrooms.
A Mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruity body of a fungus. They are typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. Most mushrooms have a stalk (aka a stem), and a cap, which is usually disc shaped.
The mushroom helps the tree extract minerals and water from the soil. In exchange, the tree supplies the mushroom with sugar compounds. An interesting fact is that mushrooms are genetically closer to humans than plants. You might wonder how that can even be possible. Well, I wonder that too. It is something I never knew before. It is always beneficial to keep learning new things. Below is a list of amazing facts regarding mushrooms.
I try my best to make sure that Coleman, my grandson, does not touch any mushrooms we see out on the trails. One question to ask: “Is it okay to Touch a mushroom?” There are many common mushrooms which contain toxins, so one needs to be cautious about touching them. It is important not to touch mushrooms growing in the wild. Why you might ask? They may be rare species which should not be damaged. It is difficult to tell if a mushroom is toxic, so it is pertinent to instruct your children to not touch or play with mushrooms. Mushrooms are typically fragile; therefore, it is best to leave them untouched. Touching them may damage or discolor them dye to the oils that are present naturally on our skin.
God Bless. If you come across wild mushrooms, think twice before touching them. You never know the harm that touching them might cause. Thank You for stopping by. I appreciate y’all.
My entry today for Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge (FOTD). A, I think, beautiful Tea Rose Hybrid.
I originally took this photo of a rose from my garden back in September of 2013. I loved having a small garden back then, but unfortunately I am unable to have one at present.
God bless. Thank you. I appreciate y’all.
Brashley Photography blog Mid-Week Monochrome challenge. This week I decided to post Monochrome pictures from my past.
I love to research my ancestry and visit my ancestral cemeteries when possible. It is fun for me to look back and enjoy the memories.
God bless. Thank you. I appreciate y’all.
All photos ©️gfpacificbee. Photo Credit: Debbie L Waters
God Bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
My entries for Cee’s FOTD Challenge. I hope you enjoy them.
God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.
The sound of flowing water is calming to the soul. It can calm you spirit, help you to relax, and improve your sleep quality. I enjoy being near the flowing waters at the river and lakes. Do you? My grandson loves to be near any outdoor body of water. He enjoys watching the water flow, but he loves playing in it more. He loves to jump in water or throw things like rocks, tree limbs, or whatever he can find and watch them make the water splash.
The Bible often speaks about water. It uses water as a symbol for faith, salvation, and provision. Water is used as an example of our relationship with God.
When I see the river or lake waters flowing, I am amazed at the wonders of God’s creation. The natural calming effect the sounds of the flowing waters have upon me. It is truly miraculous how it all flows together for our benefit.
Take the time to enjoy nature and if possible watch the waters flowing from a lake, river, or stream and let me know how you are affected by them.
God bless. Thank you. I appreciate y’all.
Couldn’t pick just one. Catawba River and Coleman. Love ❤️ them both.
God Bless. Thank you. I appreciate y’all.
God bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
Brashley Photography blog Mid-Week Monochrome challenge
God bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Moving Water
God Bless. Thank you. I appreciate y’all.
“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
~ Harriet Beecher Stowe ~
Never means that at no time in the past, present, or future; on no occasion; not ever. Simply put it means that we will never do something; not now, not ever. So don’t hold your breath for me to change my mind. I will never give up.
The Bible speaks several times about the term never. It speaks of what God will never do. The following is just a few of the things that God will never do.
“ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
—- Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV (New International Version)
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”
— Hebrews 13:5 ESV (English Standard Version)
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”
— Psalm 55:22 NIV
“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee.”
— Isaiah 49:15 KJV (King James Version)
“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
— John 10:28 NJKV ( New King James Version)
If God never gives up on us, how can we give up on ourselves? We need to follow God’s example and NEVER give up.
You may think life isn’t fair, what’s the point in going on? The point is your life is worth it, it is not over. Never Give Up! God has a purpose for your life, a reason for you being on this earth. Sure, you may fall, but then pick yourself up. You may stumble and when you do, stop, recover your balance and go on with your life. No matter what life brings you, always remember to Never Ever Give Up.
There are a few positive things regarding Never.
The list could go on and on. Let’s always remember to think positively and Never Give Up.
God bless. Thank you. Stay strong. Keep learning. Keep growing. Be confident. You are loved. You are worth it. Never give in to the war within. Remember I appreciate y’all.
God bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.
Today, August 9th is National Book Lovers Day. It is a day to encourage the joy and fun of reading. It celebrates literature and books, encouraging people to out down their smart phones and to simply enjoy reading. It harnesses all the excitement which bibliophiles feel about books into one celebration.
National Book Lovers Day is an unofficial holiday observed to encourage bibliophiles to celebrate reading and literature. You might ask what is a bibliophile? Simply put, it is a person who has a great appreciation for or collects books. This term I have not been familiar with, but I suppose you could say that I am one. I love books. I love reading books. I love the feel of an actual book in my hands and prefer a physical book to an eBook even though I do read eBooks on occasion.
It is unknown exactly when or how National Book Lovers Day became a part of the calendar. It is noted that people have been carrying around books with them for centuries. At one time books were extremely large and expensive so only the wealthy were able to afford owning them. Today books come in a variety of formats for the Book Lovers to enjoy. There are many different genres, authors, and books from various time periods. Book Lovers have the option to choose from thrillers, romance, non-fiction, and graphic novels. There are many subdivisions to each of these categories as well. Personally, I love to read Amish fiction, both romantic and mystery novels.
Books are easily accessible for everyone on computers, smartphones, tablets, and kindles, as well as the trusty old common paperbacks. As I stated earlier, I love the feel of a book (paperback or hardback) in my hands. I love to turn the pages while I am reading. Reading on my computer or smartphone just does not give the same feel, the same thrill or enjoyment for me while I read.
I want to take the time to thank all authors for their inspiration, their dedication, their research, and thought inspiring words they put to print so that I may escape to another realm, to be inspired and learn life lessons from their vast knowledge. Thank y’all for being dedicated authors who desire to write wholesome faith-based novels that continue to relate and captivate the interest of not only me, but many others also.
God Bless. Take time out of your day to read. Read a book, a magazine, read online or pick up a book in your hands and take pleasure in reading. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank You! Remember I appreciate y’all.
Coleman used my cell phone. iPhone 13 Pro Front camera— 23mm f2.2. ISO 250 1/40s
God Bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
Have a blessed day. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.
Public Art, what is it? Have you noticed any when you’ve been out and about? I’ve been noticing Public Art more and more the last several years. Almost everywhere you may wander there seems to be some form of Public Art to enjoy.
Public Art is art in any media whose form, function and meaning are created for the general public through a public process according to Wikipedia.org. Simply put it is art located in public spaces for the public to enjoy and admire. Some forms of public art are murals and sculptures mounted on buildings or other structures. They are usually large scale and highly visible on the street.
West Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States of America. It is nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwest region of North Carolina. The town was developed around the Virginia-Carolina Railroad depot in the early 1900’s.
West Jefferson’s art district features an array of colorful murals that are interesting to look upon and are part of the Appalachian Mural Trail. There are distinctive public art and numerous galleries. West Jefferson offers pedestrian-friendly streets. There are several bump-outs filled with attractive green and flowering plants adding beauty.
I visited West Jefferson, Ashe County, North Carolina in August of 2017 when I went up to Deep Gap, North Carolina for a family reunion. I made a long weekend of it and enjoyed seeing the sights after my reunion. The streets truly were pedestrian-friendly and the sights were amazing to look upon and admire. I was able to watch cheese being made which is a craft all its own.
Photo Credit: ©️DebbieLWaters @gfpacificbee
God bless. What Public Art have y’all spotted? I’d love to see them shared. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17 KJV (King James Version)
The Bible speaks often about friendship and what characteristics qualifies a true friend. Do you have a true friend, a best friend who is always there for you? A good friend is a blessing, but not everyone has one. You may have had one at one time, but life got in the way and you may no longer have one.
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
~ Proverbs 18:24 NKJV (New King James Version)
Ever wonder if you are the reason you do not have true friends? I never really gave it much thought. I have online friends, but can’t say they are close friends. I have had work friends, but they were never close friends. I have friends I’ve known since my childhood, but distance limits the closeness of the friendship.
A friend is a person who has a strong liking for or trust in another person. Good friends handle conflict respectfully and respect boundaries. True friends may have differences of opinions, you might upset one another, but they will tell you the truth and let you know if you’ve crossed a boundary or hurt them in any way. Do you have a true friend?
You might ask what qualities a true good friend should have. The following list are examples of those qualities of a true friend.
A best friend is a blessing from God. Is one who will forgives as Christ forgives. Is someone who prays for you continually. Is willing to risk their life for you.
I am thankful for the friends I have regardless of whether they are near or far away. They are all close to my heart and I treasure their friendship.
Thank you God for the friends you have given me, for the sharing & the praying, for the laughter & the encouragement they bring to me. Thank you Lord for their presence in my life. Please watch over them and bring hope and blessings to them. I trust you, Lord, to protect them, comfort them, and surround them with your loving arms. Lord, help me to be a better friend & remind me to pray for them continually. Amen.
God Bless. Thank You! Do not ever forget I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
Did you see what my grandson, Coleman and I spotted on our afternoon hike? It is amazing what you can see out in nature if you keep your eyes open and observe your surroundings c l o s e l y. The only problem with our observations is that Coleman tends to speak real loud when he spots an animal that he scares them into running away.
God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.
The Anne Springs Close Greenway has a Trail Passport program that members and visitors may choose to participate if they so desire. The Trail Passport booklet is a guide for your benefit to assist you in exploring the over 40 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trials. The Greenway has 26 unique trails and points of interest. The Passport provides an easy way for you to keep track of which trails you have accomplished, and which trails you have yet to complete.
To earn the Passport Certificate, you need to participate in the Hiking Challenge. The following are the requirements for the Hiking Challenge.
The Greenway has a Trail Map that is a guide to let you know where the trails are located and from which Greenway Entrance is best to take for your desired trail. My grandson loves to carry a Trail Map with him whenever we go for a hike. When he looks at it you would think he knows exactly what he is looking at and can figure out which way he wants to go next.
While some members choose to participate in the Hiking Challenge, there are many that do not. Completing the challenge is not something that everyone accomplishes, however, it is well worth it. It takes dedication and determination to complete all twenty-six (26) trails consisting of thirty-six (36) miles of hiking, biking or horse riding in the Greenway.
My grandson, Coleman, picked up a Trail Passport on one of our visits to the Greenway. He indicated that he wanted to participate in the Hiking Challenge. He did not let his young age deter him from taking up the challenge or completing the challenge. He loves the outdoors and loves to hike and spend time out in nature with me. Coleman just recently turned three. He completed all 26 trails of 36 miles in the Hiking Challenge before his third birthday. He is amazing, but then again you might say I am biased.
Some trails in the Greenway are as short as 0.4 miles while others are over 3 miles in length. On some days we combined several trails and we hiked 5-6 miles. Was he tired by the end of the hike? Definitely, but that never stopped him from keeping going and finishing each day’s hike. After completing each day’s hike, he would lift his hands up and yell “I did it.” He really loves hiking and would do it every day if he could.
Congratulations Coleman! You did it. I am proud of you, your love of hiking, the outdoors, and your determination to succeed.
God Bless. Thank You for stopping by. Take time to enjoy the outdoors. Take a hike, a walk, admire God’s creations along the way. I appreciate y’all.
“See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before me.”
— Isaiah 49:16 NKJV (New King James Version)
No matter how we feel, God has never forgotten us, and He never will. We might at times feel lost and alone, however, we are never alone. Jesus Christ is always there with us. We are always on Christ’s mind. We might not think about Jesus constantly, but he always thinks about us. He is concerned about us. He loves us. He always watches over us and will never abandon us.
You might be like me, or you might be stronger than I am. Putting up barriers or walls, shielding ourselves from our troubles does not prevent Jesus Christ from seeing us, remembering us, loving us, and being our constant friend and companion. Jesus knows all our thoughts, He knows all our troubles, all our circumstances, and He loves us anyway. He will never stop being there for us or loving us. Always remember that Jesus is a loving, compassionate God that is committed to us one hundred percent. His love and compassion never waivers. We are His children, just like any parent, He will always be devoted to you, stand by you, and love you forever and ever.
God Bless. Never be afraid to turn to God. He already knows everything about you, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Thank You for visiting. Remember I appreciate y’all.
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
— Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV (English Standard Version)
“He may not get up and give you the bread, just because you are his friend. But he will get up and give you as much as you need, simply because you are not ashamed to keep asking.”
— Luke 11:8 CEV (Contemporary English Version)
Persistence is the act or fact of stubbornly continuing to do something. It is being extremely determined to accomplish a task regardless of how long it might take. When you are persistent, you might fail along the way, but you learn that in your failure you gain another opportunity to learn. You will learn to overcome any challenges you might face.
This is a wonderful quote, and it is so very true. Obstacles, problems, and circumstances may try to stop you, but the only person that can is you. Be persistent. Never give up. Keep trying over and over again until you succeed.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
— James 1:2-4 NIV (New International Version)
Willpower is possibly a tremendous incentive to enable you to push yourself harder and make you continue to strive for more. It is what gets you up after you have fallen, or experienced failure. It gives you the gumption, the resolution to forge ahead on your road to success. That is what is known as persistence.
You and I may at times feel like giving up, succumbing to our failures, but we need to Never Give Up and always be Persistent in every area of our lives. Why? Persistence is a virtue we need to cultivate. It is hanging in there and keep pressing on Irregardless of how tough our circumstances might be. It is at those times when we persevere that we are able to grow and become more spiritually mature in our lives. Perseverance, being persistent, builds a strong character within us. We develop a strong character by overcoming difficulties in our lives, sticking to our goals despite the difficulties, thereby making us stronger people in many aspects of our lives.
Let us all keep being persistent in our lives. Never Giving Up, but continually striving to become a better, stronger person by not giving in to our failures. Let us learn from our mistakes and grow through our perseverance.
God Bless. Thank You! Never forget I appreciate y’all.
Last on the Card or photo on your phone challenge from Bushboys world for July 31st. My last photo for this challenge is from my iPhone13Pro. Hope y’all enjoy the photo.
God Bless. Thank You. I appreciate y’all.
The
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God Bless. Take time to Go into the Woods with Family or Friends. Thank You for stopping by. I appreciate y’all.
All photos were taken by Debbie L. Waters, (c)2022@gfpacificbee.
God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.
Let’s celebrate the 69th anniversary of the National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. It was on this day 69 years ago in 1953 that the United States of America and North Korea reached a ceasefire agreement. This is a time to remember the many American troops which is estimated to be around 50,000 who died in the conflict and more than 100,000 soldiers were wounded and thousands of prisoners of war.
My dad never talked with me about his time in the U S Navy or his time serving during the Korean War. I wish I knew more, to have asked questions while he was still alive. I honor my dad’s service to America, remember and appreciate the sacrifices he made for our country. My dad was fortunate to not have been wounded or made a prisoner of war, however, thousands plus were not as fortunate. I remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who were wounded, and those who were captured and held prisoners of war. Our Korean War Veterans should be remembered, honored, and appreciated for their service to America and the freedoms we have because of their service. My dad, Nornal Hule Waters, served in the U S Navy from the time he enlisted on September 24, 1948, until his release on September 12, 1952. He was a hospital corpsman stationed on the USS Consolation during his service in the Korean War. While he was aboard ship serving his country, his brother, Eddie Woodrow Waters, was service on the ground in the mist of the battleground. My uncle was wounded during his time of service in the Korean War and was awarded the Purple Heart. I am proud of my Korean War Veterans and will continue to remember and honor their service.
The Korean War was fought on the ground, in the air, and on the seas for three years before the Ceasefire Agreement was signed at Panmunjom in 1953. North Korea has at times refused to recognize the armistice. This on-off engagement has historically been frustrating for world leaders. Both South Korea and the United States of America hold observances remembering the armistice in which they honor and remember the veterans who served during the Korean War. Let us all remember and thank our Korean War Veterans for their service as we should do for all our servicemen and women.
God Bless America. God Bless y’all. Veterans and active-duty military, thank you for your service. I appreciate your service and your sacrifice for our country. Thank You!
God Bless. Thank you. I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
Johnbo’s challenge: Cell Pic Sunday
God Bless. Thank You! Remember I appreciate y’all.
Contentment is a state of happiness and satisfaction. Are you content and satisfied with your life? Am I?
Contentment is being happy with what you have, who you are, and where you are. Do you respect your present reality? Do you appreciate what you have and where you are in life?
I have to admit I am not always happy with my life right now. I wish things, my circumstances were different. I accept my present reality and I do appreciate what I have and where I am, but that does not mean I am always content. I do dream of a different reality, but making that dream come true isn’t the simplest of things.
Did you know there are 4 States of Contentment in life? I hadn’t realized that before. What are those states you ask? Let me tell you.
“ Life is about balance. Be kind, but don’t let people abuse you. Trust, but don’t be deceived. Be content, but never stop improving yourself.” —- Zig Ziglar
I really like this quote. We definitely should not be so content that we become complacent. There is always room for growth and improvement in our lives. If you are discontent, understand what you should avoid and take steps to change your circumstances to strive to become a better you.
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” —– Philippians 4:11 (NIV)
In the Bible, Paul faced many circumstances that he could have been discontent with, but instead He lend on God to be content regardless of his situation.
I am content whenever I am at the Greenway or near the lake at a state park, or near the local river. My grandson, Coleman, is the most content when he is out in nature hiking or near a body of water such as a lake or river. His favorite place to be outdoors is at Anne Springs Close Greenway a few miles away from where we live.
Where are you most content? I challenge you to continue to grow and improve yourself. Embrace change and enhance your life with joy.
God Bless. Thank you for stopping by. Remember I appreciate y’all.
For our second day of hiking Dogwood at the Anne Springs Close Greenway Stables Entrance, we began on the Dogwood Trail on the right side after passing through one section of the horse stables.
But before we began hiking, we stopped to enjoy the Sweet Black Eyed Susan Seeds and the honeybees feasting on their nectar behind the Gibson House.
Shortly after we began hiking along the Dogwood Trail, we came upon the Airport Pond. We enjoyed the views of the water and the reflections within the water. Whenever possible my grandson loves to play in the water either with his hands or his whole body. Luckily on this day it was just his hands.
After snapping a few pictures, we hiked on further down on Dogwood. My grandson, Coleman, loves to have his picture taken at the Trail Posts. The Trail Posts serve the purpose of letting people know where they are along the trail and which trail they are hiking on. Keeping track of the numbers on the trail posts allows us to know exactly where we are at and how much further we need to travel.
We proceeded onto the Blue Star after we had been hiking for approximately 1.4 miles. This trail contains several mushrooms of varying heights and sizes. I have to watch Coleman, or he’ll swipe at them breaking them apart. O try to teach him about varying things along the trail and that we shouldn’t disturb them. Also, that what is in the park should remain in the park and what we bring in, we must also take out with us. Leave No Trace.
The Blue Star trail is mostly natural surface with some plank bridges and a couple of swinging bridges. At Blue Star H27, Coleman stops to check his map. He likes to carry his own map instead of just looking at mine. We venture off of Blue Star and onto Hickory Trail which leads us back to Dogwood.
Once back on Dogwood, the trail leads us back to the horse stables and eventually back to our car (Mommy’s car as Coleman would say since I use her car to take him places.)
God Bless. Get Outdoors. Enjoy a hike, a walk, or any adventure communing with nature. Thank you for visiting. See you next time. Remember I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all. Photo copyright 2022 ©️DebbieLWaters.
” None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things with great love, and together we can do something wonderful”
— Mother Teresa
I really like this quote my Mother Teresa. Alone we might not be able to conquer the Goliath’s of the world and accomplish great things. That is true. It is also true that if we all work together, united as one, we can execute amazingly wonderful achievements.
Together by definition is being in or into one group, body, or place. It is being in partnership, walking or working with or near someone. Usually this means that two or more people are united for a common goal, whether in the workplace, walking about on a trail, or praying.
The word Together is my Pray a Word a Day word for today. Therefore, I am looking at what it means and how things might be better if shared or done along with someone else instead of alone. For the most part since by children grew up and moved out of my home, I have done things on my own except for when I was at work. I find that, sometimes solitude can be good for the soul. At other times, it is better to spend time with others, either working on a project together or enjoying the companionship of another at on a trail or for “coffee.” I do not actually drink coffee, but fellowshipping with another over food or drinks can bring enlightenment to the heart.
On our own, we might not have much to offer, but if every person around the world gave a little, doesn’t matter if it’s financial, clothing, food, their time or whatever, it’s the small things when done together which can be accomplished with great love.
The thoughts of Together, united for a common goal or purpose reminds me of a couple of songs. One song is entitled “We Are the World.” Below is just a small fraction of the lyrics of the song.
“There comes a time
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
, and it’s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can’t go on
Pretending day-by-day
That someone, somewhere soon make a change
We’re all a part of God’s great big family
And the truth, you know, love is all we need
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day,
so let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day,
just you and me
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Lionel Richie/Michael Jackson
We Are the World lyrics
(c) Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
The other song that comes to mind is a Christian song I learned as a teenager in my church youth group entitled “They’ll Know we Are Christians by Our Love” written in 1966 by Peter Scholtes found on LyricFind.com. I won’t go into all the lyrics with you here, I’ll let you look them up yourselves. The first line is “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord.” This line repeats itself and the third line is “And we pray that our unity will one day be restored.” The Lord God created the whole world and everyone living creature. we are of one Spirit.
Together we are strong. Together we can change the world. Together we can end hunger. Together can make a difference. Remember alone we can do little, but coming together is just the beginning, and working together we can bring about success in making this a better world for all of us.
God Bless. Pray for the world. Pray together for a better future. Work together to create change. We can succeed when we work together. Together we are Strong.
God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank you! Remember I appreciate y’all.
My hiking 🥾 buddy, Coleman, and I drove to the Horse 🐎 Road Entrance of the Anne Springs Close Greenway on Thursday. It turned out to be a beautiful day. We’ve been having rain 🌧 showers off and on lately. So time on the trail without rain 🌧 interfering with our hike was fantastic.
The main point of interest at this entrance is of course the horses 🐎. Seeing the horses 🐎 is a highlight for Coleman. He loves seeing and petting the horses 🐎. Visiting the horses was not our main purpose on this day, even though very pleasant. Knowing Coleman, we had to stop and visit with the horses before we could begin our hike for the day.
The Greenway Stables Entrance is also sometimes referred to as the Horse Road Entrance. The Greenway Stables are located at 1046 Horse Road, Fort Mill, South Carolina. On Horse Road you take a quick left on the road to enter the parking lot. When you first exit your car in the parking lot you will see the Gibson House. The Gibson House overlooks the pond and fields and offers a time for relaxing while watching the horses run. It is available for rent as a venue for wedding ceremonies, receptions, parties, picnics, and much more. Restrooms are located on the right-hand side of the building.
One of the paths to the trails is entered through the first horse stable location. After a short visit with the horses, we moved on down the path to the Dogwood Trailhead. We followed along left side of the Dogwood Trail. At this point, there were two choices to make to begin to begin the trail. We chose the path on the left. This trail passes through a scenic pasture area on the south end of the property connecting with Peach Loop.
Coleman has a fascination of having his picture taken by the trail posts. Capturing the trail posts also reminds us of where we’ve been and what we encountered along the trail. we connected to Peach Loop after we reached trail marker 7. The Peach Loop breaks off from Timberline and the Blue Star trails as well. Dogwood runs into Timberline, so if you are not familiar with the trails you might get confused on which trail you are on or which direction you need to proceed on when the trails signs say different trails. The Peach Loop route keeps you inside the wooded area rather than being outside the timber line for this section. The loop takes you back onto the trail you started on. Therefore, after coming full “circle” on Peach Loop, it brought us back to Dogwood.
Back on Dogwood the trail wound around and led us back to the horses and the Gibson House where we began our day. The sights along the trail are amazing. The dirt surface can become muddy after the rains. On this day the trails were pretty good. The only things we had to watch out for were the tree roots sticking up along the path. If you’re not watching where you are going you could trip and fall over a tree root, so be careful as you hike the trails.
Naturally, we had to stop along the way back to the car to watch the horses in the pasture grazing about. The horses are beautiful creatures, and the views are spectacular.
God Bless. Get Outdoors and enjoy nature. There’s nothing my grandson loves more than being out in nature and hiking the trails. Thank you for visiting. Looking forward to your next visit. Remember I appreciate y’all,
For our Wednesday Wanderings, Coleman and I visited a different local trail we had never hiked before. I had heard about the trail, and it really wasn’t that far away from us. I decided that we should change up our routine and hike something different, see what other trails existed in our area. With the yearning to change things up a bit, I drove us to the Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail.
The Catawba Inian Nation Greenway Trail is located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The trail is a natural surface trail which runs along the Catawba River through the Catawba Indian Nation Reservation. The trail is open to the public to enjoy and learn about the area’s Native American Tribe. The Catawba Indian Nation is the only federally recognized tribe in South Carolina.
The Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail is a part of the Carolina Thread Trail. There are three trails on this reservation that connect to each other. One trail begins behind the Cultural Center called the Cultural Center Trail or the Yehasuri Trail. The Loop Trail leads towards the Government Center before the Greenway Trail ends. The third trail is the Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail. This third trail is the one Coleman and I hiked. It begins at the Government Center. The trail has benches located in various areas along it for a chance to rest a bit or to just sit, relax, and enjoy the views of the Catawba River. Parts of the trail are packed with gravel; other parts are a natural surface. When we hiked the trail, the natural surface portions were muddy after the previous days rain. One had to be careful not to slip and fall in the mud.
The Yehasuri Trail hosts interpretive signage about the importance of the land to the tribe’s cultural as well as Catawba dwelling, a bark house, dugout trees, story circle and active archeological dig. The Catawba Indian Nation Trail is 1.6 miles in length. This trail follows alongside the Catawba River. There are plenty of spots along the trail to not just view the river, but as my grandson loves to do, get in the river and play around. The Loop Trail is 0.3 miles long. If you begin at the Government Center, you hiked down a long green grassy meadow for approximately 0.6 miles bringing you down to the river and the Catawba Indian Nation Greenway Trail.
While hiking the trail we came upon an area containing a balance beam of sorts, bars to lift up on or in the case of my grandson, Coleman, swing on. A little further down the trail Coleman spotted a slide. I’m not sure the slide was actually on the trail or on private property. I wasn’t actually sure. After I allowed Coleman to have fun sliding down the slide and left the area, that’s when I thought it might have been on private property adjoining the trail.
The entire length on the trail is 2.5-miles one way. We did not quite hike the full 2,5 miles. We turned around shortly after hiking 2 miles one way and hiked back up to the Government Center and to the car. Whenever you hike make sure you bring plenty of water to drink, a hat to shade the sun, sunscreen on hot sunny days to protect your skin from burning, and possibly a scarf or rag to wipe the sweat off your face on hot and humid days.
God Bless. Take Care and stay safe. Get Out in Nature and Enjoy God’s Creation. Thank You for visiting. Looking forward to your next visit. I appreciate y’all.
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
Proverbs 27:1 (NIV)
What does it mean to boast? It means to talk excessively with pride about one’s achievements, possessions, or abilities. We should not praise ourselves extravagantly in our communication, we should not be prideful. Proverbs 27:1 reminds us that we never know what tomorrow holds so it would be foolish to be boastful about our plans for the future. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:34
Along with not bragging about what we plan to do in the future or about what we have, we should also not worry about what tomorrow might bring. We have enough to think about each day without being anxious about what may or may not happen in the future. God wants us to rely on Him for all our needs today, and tomorrow, and in the future. Let Him handle everything and you will not need to be concerned about having enough to eat, having a place to live, or anything else because God will provide. You just need to trust Him that He will meet all your needs.
What are we to do instead of being anxious and worrying about our lives? We should Pray. Let God know what you need and be sure to thank Him for everything He has done for you. When you pray and release your troubles to God, He will give you peace far beyond anything you can comprehend.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians $;6-7 (ESV)
Remember tomorrow is not guaranteed, so never brag about your plans. Do not worry about the future. Trust God. He will take care of everything; He will always be there for you taking care of all your needs.
God Bless. Thank you. Remember I appreciate y’all.
God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.
The Fourth in our house was not a big day of partying or barbecuing or gathering of friends and family. It was an ordinary day for relaxation. However, my grandson, Coleman’s form of relaxing is to go for a walk. Short on gas money and his mom not wanting to do anything but rest, I took Coleman for a walk to Riverwalk Park so he could play.
You say walk, no problem. The only thing was Riverwalk Park, which is the closest park by the way, is 2.5 miles away from where we live. Think 2.5 miles isn’t that far. Be there in just a few short minutes, think again. Remember I said we walked to Riverwalk Park. Thinking about walking 2.5 miles makes it seem more exhausting, now wouldn’t you say?
Believe me, it was tiring. Not all of the route had sidewalks, so we walked at the edge of the road parts of the way. Did you do alright walking to the park? Absolutely, he is a trooper and had way more energy thank I do.
I know I said he’s a trooper and he is. I don’t know how he has the stamina to walk the distance, but he manages just fine even in the high heat and humidity we’ve been having. When we arrived at the park, he said “Yeah we did it.” Meaning we made it there. After opening the gate to allow him to play on the various playground equipment, I checked the weather app on my phone. Temperature when we arrived was 87°. You might think that’s not too bad, but factor in the high humidity and that’s a different story. The 97% humidity made it feel like 96°.
Did he have fun? He had tons of fun. Wonder if we walked back home. Think about that heat and humidity……No we did not walk home. Instead I texted my daughter and asked if she’d come pick us up. Coleman continue to play and run around the entire time we were there. He didn’t know that he wasn’t going to be walking back home. At least not until he saw his mommy’s car drive up. His reaction when he saw her car wasn’t hooray. It was “Oh No.” However, when I asked him if he wanted to walk home, he pointed to his mom’s car and said “mommy’s car.” Which no doubt meant he wanted his mom to give us a ride back and that was fine by me.
God Bless. Stay safe. Stay cool. Thank You! I appreciate y’all.
