June Caedmon's Blog, page 81

Inspired by. . . Living water

Inspired by. . . Living water

 

Jesus replied to her, "If you only knew what God's gift is and who is asking you for a drink,

you would have asked him for a drink. He would have given you living water." John 4:10

 

My garden brings me such JOY.

 

 

The flowers are vibrant, alive, and growing!

 

 

They don't grow by accident. Their care is intentional, and takes effort.

They need both water and sunshine to survive.

 

They same is true in my life.

In order to be vibrant, alive, and growing, I need {Living} water and {Son} shine!

I like to think of it as, soaking in the Word and prayer (time in the Son-shine).

Both are intentional disciplines that take effort.

Are you feeling sluggish? wilted? Are the weeds of sin choking you, and stealing away your JOY?

 

 

The word of God will revive and sustain you. It will make you vibrant and alive!

Time in prayer will guide and direct you.  It will help you grow and blossom!

 

 

Into a beautiful garden that brings JOY to both God, and to those around you.

 

Blessings,

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by . . . a place called home

Inspired by . . . a place called home

As the flat lands gave way to timbered peaks, and the highway began tunneling under the mountains, rather than zipping over the top of them, our anticipation grew. We were nearing our destination.

We had come to this place, nestled in a spot where the Smokey and the Blue Ridge stand face-to-face, in search of. . .

. . . rest? peace? a home-away-from-home?

 

 

Yes, all of these. A home-away-from-home where we could put our responsibilities aside, for a brief time, and rest. Rejuvenate.

We didn't find what we were looking for.

 

 

Instead what we found was a lesson – one we're still learning.

 

 

I'm going to share more about what we're learning in an upcoming post(s).

Sometimes, the very thing you're looking for is where you least expect to find it.

 

I hope you've enjoyed my 'flower art" today.

Here's a look at the elements I used.

The texture is Bonnie's 'Age It'

Please click over to the Gallery to see all the beautiful art hanging there this week.

 

Blessings,

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by. . . reviews

Inspired by. . . reviews

The Literary Maidens have posted a review!

 

 

Click on the book cover to read what Madi has to say, and for a chance to win a free copy of Heart's Desire!

 

Double your chances of winning! Visit Goodreads and enter to win there, too!

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Goodreads Book Giveaway Heart's Desire by June Caedmon

Giveaway ends August 10, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Here's an excerpt from Heart's Desire to whet your appetite:

 

“Ride to New Orleans? Have ya plum lost your senses?” Curly sputtered.

“Have you got a better idea?” The adrenaline wasn’t pumping quite so hard now, and Melinda realized that her idea was risky.

“Take the train, send a wire.” Curly suggested, clearly flustered by the turn of events. “You’ll never make it there in time on horseback.”

Melinda’s first thought had been to take control of the situation. But she knew that was sometimes her downfall. Lord, show me what to do, she prayed as she considered Curly’s suggestions.

“Curly? ‘Thet you?” A small man dressed in a suit peered around the side of the barn.

“Hello, Jerry. Got something for me?”

“This wire came in a couple of days ago for Mr. Elliott. Can you take it to him?”

“A couple of days ago!” Curly nearly shouted at the man.

“It wasn’t anything urgent,” the man defended himself. “Just a list of items from his fiancé. I’d have ridden out with it if it was important,” the man huffed as he walked away.

Curly cringed when he saw the look of determination on Melinda’s face. “Now I know what yer thinking but…”

“The next train to New Orleans doesn’t leave until tomorrow morning,” Melinda said, heading for her trunk. “And after witnessing that scene, we obviously can’t trust the wire service. If I ride all night, I can get to New Orleans just after the boat docks. It will be close, but if any horse can do it, Charger can.”

Finding her trunk, Melinda opened it and pulled out a pair of trousers and an overcoat. Not waiting for a response from Curly, she slipped inside the carriage to change.

“Blast that Jerry and his late telegrams,” Curly muttered as he put the shades down to give Melinda more privacy. “Mr. Elliott will have my hide for this!”

Want more? Visit the author at junecaedmon.com

 

Have a wonder-filled day,

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

 

Inspired by . . . something old

Inspired by . . . something old

I like old things. I'm, sort of, drawn to them in a way, I guess.

Barns, furniture, houses, people.

There is a history, sometimes even a mystery, to them.

 

SOOC

 

We found this charming cabin in Mars Hill, North Carolina. It had been moved from its original location, and now sits in the middle of a college campus. It has a story. A history. Looking in through the windows, it's fun to imagine what might have happened inside those four walls.

It's not just that I'm getting older. {heavy sigh} I've always been interested in the "story" behind the person, place, or thing. And I don't think that it's just my personality.

The story is what connects us. Knowing the story is what makes us real, rather than just another face in the crowd.

 

Textured with Kim's AutumnBurst

 

Our individual histories matter. They are made up of the people, places and things that help tell our story.

There are so many broken and displaced people today that don't have, or don't know, their story. They have no identity, no hope.

The value of human life is diminished when we begin to see only faces in a crowd, rather than individuals in community.

The history of our nation matters. It has shaped the moral and ethical boundaries of the last 200+ years.

Those boundaries are now being re-drawn.

 

Textured with Kim's backin

 

Perhaps you're pleased with where the lines are falling, or perhaps not. Here's the way I see it:

 

I can't change the world.

But I can make a difference in the history of a few {precious} lives.

I have to be willing to see the person behind the face.

And I have to be willing to care about the people God cares about.

 

Keep smiling at those people who don't smile back!

 

Blessings,

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by. . . a worm

Inspired by . . . a worm

Finally, and thankfully, today we had rain!

I know some of you out there are wishing the rain would stop, but here in TX we were nearing stage III water restrictions and are very thankful to have it!

And it has been HOT. The draining kind of hot that drains your energy and leaves you feeling like a limp dish rag. Yuck!

If you've been reading this blog lately, you know I've been spending some time in the book of Jonah.

Jonah could relate to this heat we've been having. And he appreciated the shade God provided for him.

 

"The LORD God made a plant grow up beside Jonah to give him shade and make him more comfortable. Jonah was very happy with the plant."

 

"At dawn the next day, God sent a worm to attack the plant so that it withered."

 

But God had one final lesson for Jonah, and I think it is one we can all learn from.

 

"When the sun rose, God made a hot east wind blow. The sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he was about to faint. He wanted to die. So he said, "I'd rather be dead than alive."
Then God asked Jonah, "What right do you have to be angry over this plant?" Jonah answered, "I have every right to be angry-so angry that I want to die."
The LORD replied, "This plant grew up overnight and died overnight. You didn't plant it or make it grow. Yet, you feel sorry for this plant.
Shouldn't I feel sorry for this important city, Nineveh? It has more than 120,000 people in it as well as many animals. These people couldn't tell their right hand from their left." "

 

There is much about Jonah I don't understand. I'm sure there are theologically profound points in this text that I have missed. But what God seems to be saying here, to me at least, is:

"I want you to care about what I care about."

 

And I have to ask myself the hard questions. The convicting questions. What did I get angry about today that caused me to miss an opportunity to minister to someone in need? Was I busy fretting over some thing only to miss the Lord, standing quietly nearby, His hand held out, offering me a blessing?

And I have to act on the answers.

It's not human nature for us to want what God wants. To care about what God cares about, to see what He sees.

But we can.

By taking the time to align, and re-align ourselves to His Word we can begin to care about what He cares about. See what He wants us to see. Do what He wants us to do.

It is a process.

A journey.

It is, in and of itself, a blessing.

What is He asking you to care about today?

 

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by. . . a good read

Inspired by. . . a good read

A sweet blogger friend recently introduced me to Goodreads.

Whether you're an avid reader, or someone who reads only occasionally, I encourage you to check them out. If you don't have a lot of time for reading, Goodreads is a great place to read reviews and recommendations so you're more likely to pick a book you'll enjoy. If you're an avid reader, it's a wonderful place to connect with other readers who enjoy the same types of books, read reviews, give reviews and. . . oh, did I mention the giveaways?

 

There are lot's of giveaways at Goodreads! And now through August you can enter to win a copy of Heart's Desire!

 

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Goodreads Book Giveaway Heart's Desire by June Caedmon

Giveaway ends August 10, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

 

In fact, I'm giving away three copies! So tell your friends!

Are you on Goodreads?

I'd love to connect with you.

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June's bookshelf: read The Rescue by Lori Wick The Knight and the Dove by Lori Wick The Princess by Lori Wick Beauty by Robin McKinley The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
Share book reviews and ratings with June, and even join a book club on Goodreads.

 

 

Have a wonder-filled day,

Inspired by. . . God's mercy

Inspired by. . . God's mercy

 

Do you ever feel like you're in the belly of a fish.

Surrounded by water, with seaweed wrapped around your head?

 

"Water surrounded me, threatening my life. The deep sea covered me completely. Seaweed was wrapped around my head." Jon 2:5

 

And why are we here? Have we, like Jonah, run from something God has asked us to do? Run from His plan for our life, because we think we have a better plan? How often are we like Eve? Sure that God is holding out on us. And so we taste. . .

We are so easily deceived. Are we not?

And yet, God is merciful.

Jonah knew this about God.

 

"I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, patient, and always ready to forgive and to reconsider your threats of destruction."  Jon 4:2

Even in the pit of our own making, all we have to do is cry out to Him.

And we are lifted.

 

"He pulled me out of a horrible pit, out of the mud and clay. He set my feet on a rock and made my steps secure." Psalm 40:2

 

I don't know what the walls of your pit are made out of.

But it doesn't matter.

God can you lift you out of it.

Cry out to Him.

Reach. . . out to Him.

Trust.

Believe.

Have faith.

 

Blessings,

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

 

 

Inspired by. . . EarlK

Inspired by. . . EarlK

 

One of the things I love most about blogging is my fellow bloggers, their creativity, and the inspiration they are to me.

Many of you commented that my lily image from last week's post looking like a painting.

Then I found Earl's lovely submission when browsing through the Texture Tuesday gallery last week.

Earl's well done tutorial inspired me to play a bit in Photoshop.

 

 

No textures applied here. Just playing around with the artistic filters in CS2.  The inspire brush is part of a free brush set I gave away for my birthday last year. It's still available for download, here.

 

I was further inspired when I saw Stephanie's beautiful layout.  And decided I was long over due for one of my own.

 

 

Once again, on the background photo I used the artistic filters in CS2. I used Kim's deardreamer texture on the Biltmore photo. The scrapbooking elements are from Delicious Scraps.

It's been awhile since I've done digital scrapbooking. It was an enjoyable afternoon!

 

Have a wonder-filled day,

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by . . . Paul

Inspired by. . . Paul

 

 

 

This scripture is so inspiring to me.

For the good that I want to do, I do not do.

 

I do not live in a state of denial.

I know the truth of who I am.

Wretched woman indeed.

 

Knowing a saint like Paul experienced the same struggle against Self comforts me.

It gives me hope.

It encourages me to try again.

{and again, and again, and again. . . .}

 

I cry out in the same voice, "Who will save me? Who can save me?"

There is only One answer.

 

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

 

 

 

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by. . . lilies

Inspired by. . . lilies

I had the privilege of visiting the Vanderbilt estate, Biltmore, in Asheville, North Carolina this past week. The grounds and gardens on the 8,000 {not a typo} acre estate are breathtaking.

Here are just a few of the pictures I took at the lily pond.

 

Textured with Kim's Sybil

 

Textured with Kim's bentedges

 

Originally, a Star Maiden had looked down on her people and longed to be with them. Falling from the sky, she had first hidden herself in a white mountain rose. But she was too far away from the village, and became lonely. Then she hid in a prairie flower, but the trampling buffalo made her afraid. Finally, she floated over a lake and saw her reflection. This pleased her, and she floated down and rested like a canoe upon the cool bosom of the water. The next morning the lake was covered with great white shining star-shaped blossoms, with golden fragrant hearts.

“The night stars have bloomed again in the water,” sang the children, and hand clasping hand, they bent over the water-edge to dip their noses into the big, sweet, wonderful flowers. “Wahbegwannee,” the children sang. The White Star Flowers.

Then the winds caressed the white flowers' petals, and the birds kissed her golden heart. Through her long slender stems, fish guided their darting course, and upon her flat green leaves dragonflies sparkled like gems. The moonbeams wooed her by night, but she shut her heart and denied them entrance, for she loved only her people.

The heart of the Star Maiden grew full, for the joys and sorrows of her beloved people were at last her own. And the men sat no more around the council fire, but smoked their pipes on the shore in sight of the lily pads.  ~The Legend of the Starflower, excerpt from Starflower, A Novel

 

 

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

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