Springtime in January & a prayer for the new year

This was my view of the south pasture today from the upstairs porch. My favorite pecan tree, and look how blue the pond looks! Today was a balmy 75° here in the Arklatex. T-shirt and sandals weather. Kind of like a mini vacation from winter without having to travel anywhere. Tomorrow promises to be the same, but the weatherman says next week will bring back our more conventional January freezing nights. I took advantage of the break from winter (and from chill-induced knee pain!) by opening all the upstairs windows, turning on some music and painting the walls in my husband’s studio/office-to-be. I love painting, be it the artistic kind or the wall kind. I was having a blast, and so was Bailey, darting here and there on the plastic drop cloth, pouncing on imaginary creatures. At various times during the afternoon Ray, Henry and Trixie wandered in and out, just checking up on what I might be doing.


Here’s today’s view of the river from the upstairs porch. I love that late afternoon golden light.

Lately I've been listening to the daily broadcasts by Rev. Alistair Begg, a gifted Bible teacher at Truth For Life. Several days ago he closed his sermon with this prayer by St. Augustine. I think it's a fitting prayer for the beginning of a new year, so I'd like to share it with all of you:

O Lord, to be turned from You is to fall,
to be turned to You is to rise,
and to stand in You is to abide forever.

Grant us in all our duties your help;
in all our perplexities, your guidance;
in all our dangers, your protection;
and in all our sorrows, your peace.

And may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the Love of God our Father,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore.

Amen.

- St. Augustine