7 Quick Takes:: Labor Day, the End of Summer, and the Start of School

--- 1 ---

  

Labor Day is over, and somewhere, the "Fashion Police" have decided that an individual cannot wear white after this day.

I'm not sure why.

However,

these are great shoes, and rather than surrender them to the "Fashion Police" until next summer,

I made a change.

 

I followed a tutorial on Pinterest,

and I made these shoes using permanent markers and rubbing alcohol!

I love them!

Sort of makes me think of the way God works in our lives.  He takes plain, ordinary sinner like you and me, 

and He turns us into saints.

Of course, we are all a work in progress,

but one day we will be the perfect flower in God's garden.

Our Mother will take us to her Son and present us with great pride and joy.

Let us pray that we open our hearts to Him so that he will take over our lives, splash us with great color, and make our souls beautiful,

turning each one of us into saints.

"To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 1:7

--- 2 ---

 Of course, Labor Day was fun.  We were together as a family.  We spent time together.  We enjoyed each other.  What more can you ask on a day of rest and fun!  I can only say, "Thank you, Lord."

"At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people."

Jeremiah 31

--- 3 ---

In Minnesota, it is state law that school cannot start before the day after Labor Day.  This year the first day of school was  September 2.   I am a retired teacher.  I remember those insane, hectic first days of school.   Now, I am so happy not to be there!  I enjoyed my job, but the day I walked away from the school without my name tag, without access to the internet connection at school, I never looked back.  There is a time for everything, and my time as a teacher was over.  I don't regret retiring.  I am happy I did.  The one thing, though, that I looked forward to every year is  the first day of teacher workshops.  That gives me such great joy not to be there!  It reminds me that I am happily retired.  It reminds me that God is good, and that He has blessed me abundantly. 

"We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;  ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;"
Romans 12: 6-7 

--- 4 ---

The start of fall is also marked by some of the most beautiful flowers of the season.

These flowers burst into being in the midst of the
HOT

and 

HUMID

days of summer.

Even the bees find them enticing.

Do you see the bee on the flower?

 These flowers hint at what will be ours in heaven.

But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

1 Corinthians 2: 9

 

 --- 5 ---

Social Media is an important force in our lives now.

What if?

What if Jesus posted in Social Media?

Would you "like" His Posts?

Would you follow Him?

No matter what, 

would you follow Him?

Do you follow Him?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. "

John 14:6

 

 --- 6 ---

 The fruits of summer are being seen now.  Farmers Markets are full of delicious, home grown goodness.  I made some jelly using blueberries and chia seeds.  Absolutely delicious!

The basil has grown large enough to pick and process to make cubes of pesto that we will enjoy on the coldest of winter days.

More delicious goodness!

"You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you."

Psalm 128:2 

--- 7 ---

All too soon, the bright days of summer will become the soft days of autumn.

There is already less light in our days.

In December,

there will more dark in our days than light.

The seasons change.

Even now, I can say that we are headed toward spring again!

Each day, each season has it's purpose.

Spring is the time for new growth.

Summer is the time for harvesting that growth.

Autumn is the time for nature to slow down and begin to rest.

Winter is the time to wait.

"There is a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;"

Ecclesiastes 3:1

 

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