Dear Reader:

Yesterday was a “freeze frame” day for so many different reasons…beauty, cool sixties, dappling sun with elongated shadows, sapphire skies,  football games, family, and friends…and yes, fun pranks from fabulous friends! 🙂

Yesterday was the complete package of the best of life rolled up into one perfect day.

Anne and “sneaky” friends (from church and her neighborhood) came up with this adorable prank using stockings and shoes from different people. When I initially got home about mid-afternoon yesterday… I didn’t even see it.

I rushed in unlocking my side, quickly, carrying two ice cream Sundaes to get them in the fridge before they melted…Anne had texted me wanting to know when I would be home …she  said she wanted to drop by to see the garden and drop off some peanut butter cookies…she just forgot to mention the prank. (Huummm…I wonder why?)

When she arrived we chatted for awhile….took a tour of the garden, side yards and front yard circling back to the front porch again…I kept going on and on about “Big Red” and all its buds…and as I pointed to some new buds leaning towards the “B&B” side…Anne suddenly yelled…”What is that!!!!!!????” 

My gaze followed Anne’s pointing fingers….the legs of and shoes of something were squished, it appeared, under the storm door on the B&B side. For a spit second…I thought someone had really broken in the other side while I was gone… and something terrible happened.

I screamed as  loud as I could…admittedly using a four letter word that falls under the category of profanity…the only thing that improved this optional word choice… being rendered, loudly, from my lips…was that I did add “Holy” before saying it. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Isn’t it wonderful that life has so many surprises for us….to keep us on our toes and enjoying the unexpected moments…especially when they turn out to be just plain Halloween fun.

After Anne left I returned to the back garden…the afternoon shadows had grown quite long. As I sat on the bench, still chuckling to myself about the prank and remembering the fun day that preceded it…while I relaxed… one very long, dark shadow steadily crept closer to my feet…like a child playing “shadows” in yesteryear…I involuntarily lifted my feet onto the bench as the shadow hit the toes of my shoes.

Suddenly I remembered the true story I heard once…about the 23rd Psalm and a young girl who was terrified of the fourth verse-“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” 

One day the girl confessed to her pastor that she didn’t like that passage or idea in the 23rd Psalm…that she was scared of shadows and it made death even scarier.

The pastor calmly nodded, took her hand, and lead her outside where the slanting sun was casting it own shadows on the church parking lot. He started playing fun shadow games with her…making funny shadow animals…getting her to start giggling.

“What is the most important thing needed to make a shadow?” he asked the girl. She thought a second and responded…”The sun?”

“Exactly!” beamed her pastor…”Without the sun…there can be no shadows. So think about it…not only does there have to be a bright beautiful sun in this line of scripture to make this shadow in a valley, you are, also, told you are not alone…you are with God holding His hand…and He will protect you from harm.”

“Feel better?”

The girl nodded and never pictured the “Valley of the Shadow of Death” again without the sun beaming down brightly with God, walking by her side… holding her hand.

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

So until tomorrow….

“Today is my favorite day.” Winnie the Pooh

Photos of my “perfect day”

Rutledge…”Mr. Defense” and Lachlan…”Mr. Offense”

Part-time Coach Dingle…Walsh for Rutledge’s team

Barbecue, Football, Family, dogs, and laughter….

Tommy and Mary Ross. Kaitlyn’s niece,  watching Lachlan play…both carrying dogs…it was a little chilly early yesterday morning-even for Pip and Atticus… but Fabulous!

I took birthday over to Mollie a little early…her birthday is today! 🙂

A Shout-out to Mollie today…Happy Happy Birthday!

Such a beautiful month for a beautiful girl to be born in. 

And each year the seasonal month gets more beautiful …just like our Mollie.

Enjoy your next trip around the sun, Mollie, and return with even more tales of wonder and awe next year!