Dear Reader:

My butterfly bush (Beauty Berry) is loaded down with grape-shaped clusters of berries. I sat outside for awhile yesterday looking to see if any butterflies were drawn to it  (since it is covered in purple clusters) but none showed up on my watch.

When I asked Doodle about this ….she said she hadn’t seen many butterflies…maybe they were waiting for it to cool down. The more I thought about it…the more likely that explanation is…I mean it must be tough flying through thick humidity like we are experiencing now…just better to park it for awhile until the humidity drops some.

I did see other flying insects buzzing around so apparently it provides food for a lot of nature’s “flyers.” Faith is reciprocal …the insects and butterflies depend on the bush to produce fruit for eating and the bush relies on the return of butterflies and insects to share in its bounty. A faith win-win situation.

And faith can be a win-win for us mortals in communion with God, too, if we just didn’t keep dropping the ball…or in this case our faith. I think I am doing good with my faith until something comes along to shake it up and suddenly my great faith becomes little and starts running away to find a place to hide.

I get so aggravated with myself when I hear that tiny (exasperated) voice inside me whispering…”Oh you of little faith.”  How many times have I questioned God and how many times has He proven His faith and love to me over and over again…only to discover that it is never enough when obstacles re-appear….”little faith” keeps wanting to pop out from its hiding place and yell “BOO!” as loud as possible at me.

I had this on my mind yesterday after church so God did it again…He provided two ‘God Winks’ with two little sets of verse from two unknown authors that spoke directly to me…hope you enjoy each as much as I did.

A traveler crossed a frozen stream
in trembling fear one day;
Later another drove across,
and whistled all the way.
Great and little faith alike
were granted safe convoy;
One had pangs of needless fear,
the other all the joy.

How powerful is that thought? Why do we humans insist on making life harder for ourselves than necessary…God has given us the bridge of faith to cross in any emergency…so we should be joyful  in His gift and let needless fear empty itself into the deep, dark crevice under the bridge.

Doubt sees the obstacles
faith sees the way.
Doubt sees the darkest night
Faith sees the day.
Doubt dreads to take a step
Faith soars on high.
Doubt questions ‘who believes?’
Faith answers, ‘I.’

So until tomorrow…Father…help us grow stronger and fearless in our faith…standing up for it with outreached arms stretching to the stars…yelling loudly “I have FAITH in You GOD!”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*Over the summer I decided that there was one wall in my “Happy Room” that needed a ‘renovation.’ I usually kept some kind of artwork/painting on it…but since I have Mandy’s beautiful painting on the other side of the room…I felt like I needed something different.

Here it is…the sconces came in over the weekend…and just completed the decor. Right now I have rocks/plants in the mason jars but I figured over the holidays I will add candles for a really festive look!