Tamara Henion Photography

We moved to Florida to take a pastorate as newlyweds.

I <3 the beach. Days off, as rare as they were, were always wonderful because we drove out to the beach!

HOWEVER, I sorely missed my favorite time of year. If God’s autumn can make a parking lot look this good, imagine just how much I missed it in the south.

My brother, on the other hand, loves Florida no matter the season and could care less about missing any fall or winter changes around here.   Poor guy!

How about you? What’s your take on Autumn?

Hummingbird style Hide and Go Seek. Can you find it? Look how flawlessly he’s camouflaged!

Really it was a comical sight watching me chasing this little guy around. More than not I forgot I ran out there with the enthusiasm of capturing him on camera, but then I was stunned by the fascination of its whole (tiny) being.  Literally he disappeared as he flew toward the crepe myrtle. I watched him, followed with my eyes and chased with my feet-up close and personal-but still I couldn’t see  him! I clicked away knowing I’d play hide and go seek with my digital images on my computer. And, there he is! Incredible.

I did watch and get some other shots of him too, but I stood in amazement of God’s creation. Every single detail of one of the tiniest and most vulnerable birds leaves nothing to chance.  Nothing. We read the account of creation in Genesis, but we assume so much. Too much. God knew what it would take to protect this guy as well as allow him to live life, and he made it so.

An incredible game of Hide and Go Seek!

There are some days I meet with my girlfriends and I just adore them and that time together.  It’s a double win day when my little guy and his fast friend get together for some play time.

This morning he was walking the dog when I went out to the car. My cell phone was flatlining and needed to be charged asap, so the car was calling (me since no one else could). Ha, ha!

I plugged in and smiled as I watched my very own Dennis the Menace make his trail around the yard, sidewalk and road with his dog. That kid has fun no matter what he’s doing!  While I was waiting for him to return from inside, I backed out the car so I could pick him up at the door more closely.  His little face fell in panic as he watched the car in reverse climb the driveway slope.  I smiled and nodded affirmation that he was coming with me and that I wasn’t leaving him.

Trudging along the sidewalk I could tell I was in trouble. “MOM! You scared me to death. I thought you were leaving me.”

Click. Seatbelt fastened and I said, “You know I wasn’t leaving  you. Although it looked like it was a bad thing for you, I was really just getting in a better position to pick you up at the door.”

I totally understood my son’s wrong conclusion. I am always getting  my own thoughts and perceptions in the way of what God is really doing! What looks to be a roadblock to me so often is really just the Lord orchestrating my life the way He wills it. I’ll pick you up at the door.  I’ll have to remind myself of this, a lot.

Is 55:7…Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.…