Scanning the sky…

HIBISCUS
…scanning the gray sky for a sunbeam.
Even in stormy weather it looks up,
seeming intuitively aware that the sun is still there!

When we’re in the midst of stormy times in life,
let us remember that God still reigns –
and let us look upward and seek His face!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For as the waters fill the sea,
the earth will be filled with an awareness
of the glory of the Lord.
Habakkuk 2:14 NLT
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hope in the Storm

You are my refuge and my shield;
your word is my source of hope.
Psalm 119:114
NLT

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Remembering all the people affected by recent tornadoes and other storms.
Praying for safety and protection from storms still in the forecast!
♥
Click on the link below for a related post:
“Sometimes He calms the storm…
and other times He calms His child.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Insta…what??

Instagram!!

Hi, y’all!
I’ve been missing y’all lately!!
Due to the important priorities of “LIFE,”
I haven’t had much time recently to visit my fav’rite blogs…
or to do much blogging myself…

…but I have discovered a quick and easy way
to share some of my photography and especially enjoy the photos of others
through the technology of INSTAGRAM.

Below are a few of my recent entries…

If you aren’t familiar with Instagram,
it’s a photo-sharing application that has been developed for iPhone users.
I understand there’s an Android app in the works, too.
That’s good, because lots of my friends have Android phones!
=)

Playing around with Instagram doesn’t replace the challenge and reward
of taking and editing camera-quality photos.
However, it’s a fun way to capture and share those “Kodak moments”
(or should I say “iPhone moments”)…
and to enjoy such moments captured by other people around the globe.

If you’re an Instagrammer, I’d love to follow you!
Please leave your IG username in a comment below
or look for me @littlethingsoflife –
and make sure you let me know who you are
so I can follow you.

If you don’t have an iPhone or just don’t “do” Instagram,
you can find my photo feed online here:
INK361

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Always remember the beauty of the garden,
for there is peace.
Author Unknown
♦
You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Isaiah 26:3 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sunday Evening Smiles

We got RAIN today, and that has brought smiles to everyone in our little part of the world!!!

Of course, we are still in a severe drought, but this is the first really soaking rain our community has had in months –
and we are very grateful.
We enjoyed watching the birds splashing in the water.
I’m sure the rest of our resident wildlife had a refreshing day, as well!

- – - – -

I found a news article online yesterday that was really special.
Our daughter shared it last night on her blog.
I’m going to be a copycat and post it here!

I don’t think she’ll mind –

This is a beautiful “Cinderella story”
that won’t take long to read,
but I’m pretty sure it will warm your heart.
There are some cute pictures, too, of a beautiful young lady.
Check out her story here at “Dreams Come True.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thank y’all for stopping by to visit Little Things.
May your life be filled with little blessings, little chuckles,
and little deeds of kindness (both given and received)!
♥
I hope you have enjoyed your weekend…
and that you have had at least a few little reasons to smile.
Have a good Monday, everybody!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sunset

I could call this photo collection “Sun on the Run”!
Many of my photos are taken through the car window, while driving down the highway.
Our usual road trips are 8 to 12 hours long,
and if we stopped for every photo-op, we would never get to our destination the same day!

Such is the case with these photos.
We weren’t on a major highway, but we were in heavy traffic –
and there was not an opportunity to pull off the road to focus.

Anyway, the view was very interesting that evening.
It looked as if God were swiping a giant paintbrush back and forth across the sky.
We watched Him paint as we drove along!
The first three photos were taken along the edge of the
Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson, MS.
The others were taken after we got around the “Rez” and back into local traffic.

These pics aren’t as professional as those of some of my fellow bloggers,
but I hope you’ll enjoy!

FYI –
You can speed up the slide show by hovering your mouse over the first photo
and clicking through with the arrows.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

To enjoy some stunning sunset photography, I suggest these from my blogger friends –
WARNING: You may need some UV protection for a few of them!!

Theresa @ Thirdhandart’s Weblog
E.C. @ Enjoy Creating
Dianna @ These Days of Mine
Lissa @ When I Ride
Mayfielder @ Fenland Photos

…and I have to add this sunrise post, also!

TexWisGirl @ The Run-Around-Ranch Report

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thank y’all for stopping by to visit Little Things.
May your life be filled with little blessings, little chuckles,
and little deeds of kindness (both given and received)!
\ \ \    / / /
…and remember to look up every morning and every evening
for a new and unique view of the heavens.
We’ll never see two ‘rises’ or ‘sets’ exactly the same!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Crepe Paper Petals

If you’ve seen my drought pictures recently,
you might have an idea why this is a beautiful little scene to us(!)

We woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of raindrops on the roof!
The thunderstorm didn’t last long,
but we got maybe half an inch of rain –
the most we’ve had in quite a while.

This morning the ground under the crepe myrtle trees was decorated
with what look like little crepe paper petals washed off the branches by the rain.
If you look closely, you’ll also notice that the driveway still looks damp
instead of dry and dusty, as usual!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thank you, God, for Your refreshing gift of rain.
Thank You that, in Your time, You will send us more!
♥
…and thank you all for stopping by to visit Little Things.
May your life be filled with little blessings, little chuckles,
and little deeds of kindness (both given and received)!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Be Prepared!

♦

It really makes you stop and think, when you see this on your local news reports:

♦

TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, 80 percent of wildfires occur within two miles of residential neighborhoods and suburbs.  State officials said that when weather conditions make wildfires more likely, people should prepare by taking the following precautions:

• Keep firefighting tools handy, such as a ladder long enough to reach the roof, a shovel, a rake and buckets.

• Place connected garden hoses on all sides of the house for emergency use.

• Know all emergency exits from your house.

• Learn all routes leading out of your neighborhood.

As fires actually approach, take the following actions:

• Park your car facing the direction of escape.

• Shut off gas at the meter. Only a qualified professional can safely turn the gas back on.

• Turn off propane tanks.

• Place combustible patio furniture inside.

• Seal vents with pre-cut plywood or commercial seals.

• Wet down or remove shrubs within 15 feet of your residence.

• Place lawn sprinklers on roof and near above-ground fuel tanks. Wet down the roof.

• Close windows, vents, doors, blinds and non combustible window coverings. Remove flammable drapes and curtains.

• Close interior doors and windows to prevent drafts.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

♦   ♦   ♦   ♦   ♦
“WORK as though everything depends on you; PRAY as though everything depends on God!”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
♦   ♦   ♦   ♦   ♦

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thank y’all for stopping by to visit “Little Things.”
May your life be filled with little blessings, little chuckles,
and little deeds of kindness (both given and received)!
♥
Please keep in prayer the people of Texas and all other areas
who are struggling to survive and recover from disaster…
and all the brave firefighters, law enforcement personnel,
and other first responders who are in the fight.
“Thank You, God, for watching over all of us!”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~