Throw Back Thursday: Constitution Day

Today we Americans celebrate, even if only in our hearts, the 228th Constitution Day.

Remember how the government was once divided into three branches in order to ensure a more perfect union? That was back when there was liberty for all free thinking people's at our shores. Sure, it wasn't perfect. No man made thing is. But at least we had the ability to achieve freedom is so desired. Apparently though, after 100 plus years of chopping at the tree, it does not exist anymore. Our country has gone black and it may never go back.

We The People need to be especially careful about who the next President will be. Pray, and seek His guidance I humbly implore.

It's Been A Hard Five Days Night

Honestly, Hubby and I are dog tired this evening from five hard days of work. This post was going to wait until tomorrow but I'm so excited to share how good the carport looks now, I had to share. The house remodel is reaching the end. The only room lacking an upgrade is the guest bedroom. By mutual agreement, we have decided to possibly wait until after a short jaunt to South Carolina on the bikes. It will be a well earned respite from the persistent remodeling that has lasted nearly a year.

Here in the country, the carport door is often used as a front entrance. It's just a friendly way of letting people into one's home. The now 23 year old stick-built house and carport had been looking as tired as I feel tonight. The colors where faded, there where old spider webs seemingly glued to the ceiling, mold was everywhere (it's nearly a losing battle to eradicate mold entirely in the South but one must make an effort). I was weary of guests being weaved past filthy, tired looking walls.

First, the white ceiling was 'washed' via a pump spray bottle with a mild solution of bleach and water. Hubby performed this task and did a very nice job. It now sparkles as if there never was any dirt there.

Hang onto your hat ... here's the "after".

(Feeling kinda proud of myself here ... *giggle*)

How do you like the two-tone green/gray?

I wish I could claim this as an original idea 

but I learned this little trick from my always

creative step-mother Myra (now deceased).

She was ever so clever.

 Anyway, and just for fun, I found this tin replication

for an antique Hudson Granary Feed & Seed.

Obviously I had to have this!

And hopefully, dat's dat ... for now. *grin* The weather has turned lovely and cool in SE Georgia. It's feeling a bit like early Fall. We plan to roast a few weenie's at the fire pit this evening, and toss back a few whilst making plans for the future.

Hope your evening is also blessed. 

Sunday Post: Who Was Gehazi In The Bible?

I thought for this week's reading, I would continue with lessons from the GotQuestions.Org website.

I pray this lends understanding for all of us in God's Kingdom that our lives may please Him.

Question: "Who was Gehazi in the Bible?"

Answer: Gehazi is mentioned in the Bible a few times, in the book of 2 Kings, as the servant of Elisha the prophet. Gehazi is featured in a story about a Shunammite woman’s dead child whom Elisha raised to life (2 Kings 4:18–37) and later in a story about how the king of Israel restored that same woman’s stolen property to her (2 Kings 8:1–6). But the most well-known story about Gehazi concerns a sin he committed, the cover-up he attempted, and the punishment that followed (2 Kings 5:15–27).

The story of Gehazi’s downfall starts with a man named Naaman who commanded the army of Syria. Naaman was a mighty warrior, but had an incurable skin disease called leprosy (2 Kings 5:1). Elisha the prophet healed Naaman of his leprosy by the power of the Lord (verse 14), and Naaman praised God and offered Elisha a gift, which Elisha refused to accept (verse 16). Naaman departed for Syria, but Elisha’s servant Gehazi ran after him and told a lie in order to get Naaman’s gift for himself. In his lie, Gehazi invoked his master’s name, making it appear as if Elisha wanted the gift after all: “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing’” (verse 22). Naaman was only too glad to comply—he was happy to be able to give something out of gratitude for his healing—and he urged Gehazi to take twice as much silver as he had asked for. Gehazi went home with the silver and the garments, which he hid. Later, when Gehazi came before Elisha, he lied again in response to Elisha’s direct question as to where he had been (verse 25). It soon became apparent that Elisha knew the truth, its having been revealed to him by God: “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you?” (verse 26). Then came Gehazi’s punishment: “Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever” (verse 27). And, just like that, Gehazi was a leper.

Elisha asked Gehazi an important rhetorical question: “Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?” (2 Kings 5:26). His point was that the miracles of God cannot be bought. The power of God in our lives is not meant for personal enrichment, and God’s servants should not be doing ministry for the sake of earthly rewards. Every one of us should remember that it is not money that cares for our needs—it is God (Hebrews 13:5).

Gehazi witnessed a miracle, an undeniable display of God’s power that involved the redemption of a man’s health, life, and soul. But all he could think about was money. Naaman needed to see the grace of God in the free and abundant blessing he received; Gehazi destroyed grace by demanding payment.

“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), and “you cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). After years of seemingly faithful service, Gehazi fell. His sin began in the heart, as he covetedwhat Naaman was offering. Other sins soon followed in a series of lies. Gehazi would have been wise to heed Moses’ warning of long ago, “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Wordless Wednesday: Outside My Window

Tiger Swallowtail (male) on Butterfly Bush

Silver-Spot Skipper visiting Mexican Petunia

Not identified mushroom

(They're bright yellow if anyone knows what they are.)

Jackie Boy 'helped'.