Tuesday, September 6, 2011

This is a DAY the LORD has Made.


The glory that is nature.


   Sometimes, LIFE, can get us all down. We listen to the NEWS, and hear about fires in Texas, floods in the South, Earthquakes in the US Capital, more troubles in Japan and the world's unrest. Sometimes the little troubles, that attack each and every one of us, each day, every day, can get to the best of us. Some of us have family sickness, others have money woes, and we all fight Demons that seem to be  beyond our control. I have these Demons, I suffer from depression and often worry about self worth. I fight it a lot,BUT, I usually  win. Today is one of those days. I woke up, after a pretty good nights sleep, looked in the mirror and actually liked who I saw. I felt like someone should take my picture.. But no picture of me, instead, a trip into my world, where there is beauty all around. I have to ask myself, why be depressed, when you see such wonderful sights, day in and day out? Just walking from, My Old Historic House, to work, is a real picture book of constant beauty.Every changing floral displays, amazing trees, and that mighty Mississippi River, that just keeps on rolling by.If we could only see this, be happy and not worry,life could be a much easier and a better place.Life is not always that simple,but, we must keep a good outlook! And keep the Faith.






Angels wings.

I pass this on the way from work, only yesterday it was bare, today it is in full bloom. 



Only God can make a  tree. 

Tree shaded country roads, leads to beauty everywhere.


    I took a ride and had my camera by my side. I have to admit, I am kinda lazy and just snapped photos out the car window. Down country, tree shaded roads, in and out of hidden gardens and over hill and vale. I had no agenda,just out looking for beauty. I passed the town graveyard and for some reason, the car just turned in. I find this place sad, but peaceful and I know some day ,we will all end up in such a resting place. Old forgotten grave stones, stand beneath giant trees ,and bright new ones loom above them, as one continues through the gravel path that leads me in , where some never come out.
   I spotted a dead tree, killed by a tribe, of a million or more strong, termites.One life had to end so others could continue, So true, in this life we are in. A giant bug nest of some kind, wrapped around a tender trees branch, again, making death so life can continue. The chain of events in all life, depends on others and with out one, there would not be the other.





Nature is alive and well here.

Stop and rest a spell.

Forgotten and neglected. We will all end up like this someday.

Ancient, giant trees loom in the graveyard above the tomb stones.

This is the gate into the graveyard,sometimes there is no gate out.

    I am not a very Religious person. I am not saying this because I am proud of it. It is just the path I have chosen at this time. I grew up in the Baptist church, with a mother that  read the Bible daily and lived life by it's word. I have trouble with the organized church,  I see it more as a business than the teaching of the Lords Word. This is my take, please do not let it effect you. I find I am closes to God : under a tree, in a garden, by a lake side or even in a field of weeds. As, This is the World, the Lord, has truly made. I find beauty  every where I go. Sometimes the decay and destruction has over shadowed it. Look hard and there is something, that will speak to you ,as the beauty of God's hand. In a crack in the sidewalk, I saw a snapdragon,  full grown and in  bloom. To me, that was more wonderful and grand, than a garden full of snapdragons.
    I hope you enjoy my little road trip,out and about in my home town, Clarksville,Mo. Please come some day, for a real tour. I will load you up, along with Sissy Dog, and you can see the beauty and the wonder that is all around , here in my world. I have to remind myself of this often, and fight for, more bright and sunshine filled days. I hope your life is running smooth and you too are seeing, all  the beauty, that the Lord has made.
     Richard, from, My Old Historic House, the porch light is always on.
   
A giant ball of rusted barbed wire adorns this garden.

I am not the only person who likes rocks. This stack was along the road side.
This is my country.

A patch of weeds, in seed, making life new for the coming season.

The tree lost it's life so the termites could survive.It's natures way.

Net bags, made by insects, will slowly suck the life from this tree. The tree must die, so the bugs can continue on.

The bounty of nature at our local farm stand.

TRUST!



I mentioned this banana tree before. It was a stick when I painted it this spring. From a stick, this tree has grown.

This is the day the LORD has made!

35 comments:

Divine Theatre said...

He loves you more than you know. So do I!
I feel the same way you do about religion. "My God is better than your God" makes me cringe.
Go to the garden with Sissy...

xoxo

Andie

Stacy Leigh said...

Beautiful Richard!! You are such a good writer you brought some tears to my eyes :) We love you too!!

Bruce Barone said...

...Let us rejoice
and be glad in it...

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and lovely photos.
Laurie

Bohemian said...

Such a great Post Richard... I'm sure most of us can relate to it on some level. The Beauty that the Creator surrounds us with daily is something that I find to always pull me out of a dark place that I may be visiting in my head or emotions... and bring me back in Balance and grateful for all of our Blessings. I can certainly relate to your sentiments on organized Religion... I prefer Relationship with the Lord than a form and a fashion or label of Religion... which doesn't move me at all, but which Relationship with Him always has touched me to my core & made me a better version of myself in order to Honor Him for His Great Sacrifice, Love, Mercy and Grace. I would be in Heaven on Earth to walk that charming Path you Photographed... WOW, what Natural splendor you are surrounded by! I love to take walks but right now we're still exceeding 110 degrees daily so its not possible til REAL Fall sets in. *Winks* Thanks for stopping by my Post with your kind words... wish I could have been there to take your photo on this day you felt on top of the World!

Hugs... Dawn... The Bohemian

FABBY'S LIVING said...

What a beautiful post, so heart felt dear Richard...as you say, I needed this, these days aren't the best in my life, they're bringing me some depression too, but the beauty around me, created by God as you say, is what it always is!! Yes, God loves us and I often leave it to HIM, when I just can't hadle something and I also feel like you about HIM. Enjoy your garden trip with Sissy. Love, FABBY

Garden Antqs Vintage said...

You captured such beautiful images. You know life will have it's ups and down, but just know that God loves you through them all. If I were to share with you my financial woes right now you'd probably wonder why I haven't lost my mind, but I choose not to allow this difficult situation to get the best of me and to rest in God's peace. I know God's grace will see me through and I also know that there are those that are struggling with far worse than what I am going through. I think we should just pray for one another, even those going through the Texas fires, it's sad but then so is the flooding situation. You brought up a lot of great points and I just pray God will see us through it all!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

What beautiful photos....you live in a lovely place.

andrew1860 said...

Richard; Thanks for this beautiful post. And thinks for reminding me to look all around me for the natural Beauty of God that surrounds me every day.

Charlotte Wilson said...

Richard, I am finding that you are a poet and a philosopher. Have you thought of writing a book and illustrating it with your photos?
Thank you for reminding me of the beauty amid the chaos of the world. God is indeed a wonderful creator to have given us this beauty to sustain us until we can be with Him. Then who cares if our graves are overrun with weeds.
Have a wonderful week!

♥charlotte

Barbara F. said...

Wonderful, heartfelt post, Richard. You write so well, your photos are fantastic. xo

It's Just Dottie said...

Your post today made my day brighter and my heart lighter.
Smiles,Dottie

Ann from On Sutton Place said...

Well said. From the beginning to the end. Lovely photos as well. Have a wonderful week.

Babs said...

Richard, Thank you for your inspirational post. I,too, am closest to God in the outdoors. Please know that you mean so much to so many of us. I enjoy your blog and the joy and creativity you bring to it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and beautiful photos.
Hugs,
Babs

Marcia said...

Beautiful post today, Richard. We so often take all these blessings for granted. Thank you for reminding us of the beauty God gave us to enjoy while we are in this nasty old fallen world.

Your photos are especially amazing today!

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Richard,
What a beautiful and heart felt post!
To finish your quote..." This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad"

Hugs,
Debbie

Teresa@1800 Farmhouse Rd said...

Beautiful pictures Richard! You do live in a lovely place, and whether we realize it or not, most of us are surrounded by beauty.

xinex said...

Beautiful post, Richard. It's nature at its best. Who can ever deny that God exist with a creation like this? You live in a beautiful country....Christine

outjunking said...

Richard,
I see by all the comments written how many people you touch and I find that to be beautiful. I always enjoy your thoughts and pictures.
Lisa

Megan @ Restoring the Roost said...

I agree, sometimes we can see God best in the beauty of His creation. And you are right, sometimes we must choose to rejoice in the Day the Lord has made, regardless of whether we are feeling down and out. I pray you feel better and thank you for sharing this heartfelt post!

Curtains in My Tree said...

Amen Richard

my Dad just passed away yesterday and he was not a church going man my Mom was a church goer

I asked him several times through out my life if he felt like he would go to heaven when he died? he always said yes because he believed

well when he died yesterday morning , I said God is he there ?

I was standing outside in the morning sun outside of his room at the nursing home where he died and in a few quite minutes i heard the words my soul was singing

" My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the LORD"

you don't have to be a organized church person to experience GOD as you know

Janice

PAINTORDIG.blogspot.com said...

Remember God started this world in a garden. I love my church, but I also find God outside in nature. Your photos are so beautiful, you have a lovely town. And you know how I love pictures of old cemetaries!I think you should do a book too, you are such a good writer. The news of the state of our world depresses me to, so I just don't watch! Give Sissy a hug and kiss for me.

Pearl said...

I can certainly relate Richard, you are so positive and thats great. You sound lonely as I often get. Love your walk through pictures. Hugs, Pearl

Entertaining Women said...

I always find such encouragement in "Give thanks in all circumstances." I think that today, you are a good quality wine, and an effective witness of the love of our mighty God. Have you ever heard the saying, " Standing in a garage doesn't make you a car, and sitting in a church doesn't make you a Christian." I see that you hold on to your relationship with God for dear life. Holding on to Him is the only way that I ever know peace. Thank you for sharing your journey. Cherry Kay

Anna at the Doll House said...

How lovely to see the sunshine Richard and the beautiful fruits of nature.
Thank you for a lovely post.

Pat@BPM said...

Richard this is an absolutely amazing post!! Depression stalks me, at times, also. I know that may seem unlikely, but it is true.

As a spiritual person, I see we have similar thoughts concerning religion.

Your photos are gorgeous, I am inspired. I am going to take a walk next door and try to get a photo of our neighbor's jasmine. I've been admiring it from afar. It's growing on a white arbor and it brings me joy.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the lovely photos of flowers and nature. We are so dry and burned up here in Oklahoma that even my beloved geraniums have died of the excessive heat. We are also under mandatory water rationing, so my trees are suffering, too. It was so refreshing to see the shrubs in bloom and the view of the river. The local farmers are importing tomatoes from Missouri and Tennessee for our weekly farmer's market because it's been too dry to grow them here. And the okra is too tough; you can't even cook it tender.

But as you say, that's nature's way. We need to remember that we don't control the weather or the seasons. Everything has its time, and that's as it should be.

Thanks again.

Deb

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

Richard, beautiful post, beautifully said. I'm headed out to see what Mother Nature has in store for us today, it is one gorgeous day again. Hugs and Pat to Miss Sissy Dog.. hugs ~lynne~

cotedetexas said...

what fabulous photography, just gorgeous!

loved your comment on clutter. amen.

Joni

lvroftiques said...

Richard you are so my twin in so many ways! I ditto your feelings about religion. I ditto your feelings about the blues now and then. And I also ditto your feelings about what a lovely spot you live in. So much beauty surrounds you! And good friends abound! Vanna

Anonymous said...

This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us be glad and rejoice in it!
Hi Richard and that is just what you've done! What a beautiful heart felt post! I have always thought if anyone doubts there is a God - just look around you and all the beauty!
Thanks for popping in to see me and I'm enjoying moving my little magnet windows around each morning on my pretty Frenchy calendar!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

victorian parlor II said...

Oh Richard what beautiful pictures! God has created such beauty for us and he loves us even more!

Blessings,

Kim

The Tablescaper said...

Life has it's ups and down. It sounds like you've had more than your share of downs. You have so much beauty surrounding you. I hope that gives you joy on a regular basis.

- The Tablescaper

Susan said...

Richard, God is with you no matter where you are. If you find Him more in nature than in organized religion, then that's fine. He's right there with you even now. Take care,dear Richard. Susan from writingstraightfromtheheart.blogspot.com

Deanna said...

Blessings to you.
Richard, Reading this post was very heart warming. The older I have gotten and my desire to know God in a personal way has made my life have greater meaning. Life can be very difficult at times, and I go to the rock...God. He has comforted me in ways that no human can.

You've probably heard it before when it is said that christianity is about a relationship with God when other religions are about religion and doing things that mankind thinks will get them closer to God. Other religions where you gotta do works to get to God. But God's way is better. The way to God is through a person, Christ, not a religion or method, not by rubbing beads, mutilating self or works.

God's way to him is through Jesus and being filled with his spirit. How precious to sit and just talk with God about everything.

I've been to churches where I felt like I was at a broadway production in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dallas, Texas. Which was so wrong and missing the mark. I've had some beautiful experiences with God right in my Home. Where the spirit of the Lord is...is liberty.

God bless you.
The nature that God has made for us to enjoy is awesome.
d