Friday, October 29, 2021

Notice the Blackberries

 Yet there shall be left therein gleanings,
 as the shaking of an olive-tree, 
two or three berries
in the top of the uppermost bough,
four or five in the outmost branches
of a fruitful tree,
saith Jehovah, the God of Israel. 

In that day shall men look unto their Maker,
and their eyes shall have respect
to the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 17:6-7

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Propped up in bed this morning, savoring a morning SoulSpace encounter with the Lord, my eyes opened and settled on a sweet little patch of blackberries sprinkled on the faded quilt.

I've got a thing for blackberries.  Don't ask me why.  Cherries, too.  But that's another post.

Anyway, I've been wrapping myself up in this well-loved comforter for years and never noticed this winsome pattern on this particular square.

And I was reminded yet again of the importance in noticing what's right in front of our noses.  Tiny details sprinkled through our days that serve to give a spark of joy, satisfaction, or whimsy.

One of the benefits of the two day Storm Bomb power outage was that most of the time our electronics were fairly useless.  Candlelight glowed in the rooms, the fireplace came to life.  There was plenty of time to finish up a small stack of books that had been patiently waiting attention.  Conversation over warmish take-out was cozy because no one was going anywhere.  

And then there was lots of outdoor time when the rain and winds finally washed out to sea.  Cleaning up storm damage and putting the gardens to bed for the winter.  Heading indoors to putter and rearrange and indulge in all those homekeeping tasks I love even as the sunlight quickly dimmed.  

I washed storm door windows in the dark.

When all was said and done, my Fitbit proclaimed 11,000+ victorious steps for the day.  The power flickered on and off ... and finally made up her mind to stay with us for good, just in time to check the fridge for salvageables and head off to bed.  

I'm giving thanks for all the little details God has allowed me to notice these last few days.  All is well.  What unexpected gifts has He sent your way this week?

Linda


dropping in to say hi to
Lisa  .  Cindy  .  Jeanne  .  Richella

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54 comments:

  1. I love blackberries, too, Linda, and have fond memories of taking my children and their friends around the outskirts of our old neighborhood to collect them. The quilt does look so cozy and inviting.
    May we take the time to notice something, even though we've looked at it on a regular basis, in a new way.
    Blessings!

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    1. The more my phone is not in hand, the more my eyes are opened ...

      ;-}

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  2. Washing storm doors in the dark??!! Glad your electricity is back on and that you can make a hot cup of tea. Thankful for protection for you during the storm.

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    1. You know how once I get going I don't stop until I fall over! Today is mellow ...

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  3. There's always good and bad to a big storm like that. I'm so glad you could see the good, too. (And I also love blackberries!)

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  4. I love your colorful, cheerful quilt, Linda. :) And Amen to noticing more of those "Tiny details sprinkled through our days that serve to give a spark of joy, satisfaction, or whimsy." I'm glad you survived the storm. Love and blessings to you!

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    1. I always loved a few snow days in a row ... staying home is bliss as long as there's heat and light and water and love.

      ;-}

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  5. Every morning I thank God for my steaming oatmeal with nuts and berries--mostly because it means I fought my way through another work-out and it's OVER! I'm thinking I should challenge myself to find the tiny details sprinkled through my exercise time that serve to give a spark of joy, satisfaction, or whimsy!! : )

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    1. Don't you just love a healthy breakfast? And Nancy, I'm impressed to hear about your early morning workout. Wow!

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  6. After many readings and hearing I Corinthians 13 love verses, I never consciously noticed this: “but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:3‬ ‭NLT

    I discovered that others would gain from my ministry or caring but I WOULD GAIN NOTHING. I am left weary, tired, empty if I don’t have love. So my prayer is that God will fill me with His love for others cause that is not always my motivation to serve.

    Love blackberries too. It sounds like a bunch of blackberry lovers pass through here. Glad your “dark” days brought serendipity.

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    1. Yep, I absolutely hear what you're saying, Buds. How did we ever think we could go full throttle ministering to others while not taking care of our own bodies, brains, and souls.

      You've taught me so much in life and ministry, friend. I shudder to think where I would have been without your wise counsel.

      Pass the blackberries, girl!
      xo

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  7. We really do miss a lot of blessings in our day—thanks for the reminder to slow down and notice the gifts God gives us in the details!

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    1. You're so right, Nancy ... the 1st choice we make is saying YES to God's loving invitation.

      Im glad you're here this weekend. Welcome!

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  8. It's always the little things in life that mean so much. I appreciate how you captured this, Linda, "Tiny details sprinkled through our days that serve to give a spark of joy, satisfaction, or whimsy."

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    1. Yep, all the serendipitous stuff is out there, just waiting patiently to be noticed!

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  9. I like blackberries ... and cherries. Our tree provides a few cherries each year. Also quite a few blackberries.

    God bless.

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    1. I knew you were quite the botanist, Victor. Enjoy your orchard this weekend!

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  10. We (my three daughters and I) went for a walk yesterday. It was about 75 degrees and breezy with clear skies. I tried to soak it in as best I could (the beautiful weather, the sound of my girls giggling, etc.). I'm always so busy, rushing from one thing to the next. I really need to slow down more and notice what is right in front of me.

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    1. You're so right, Shannon, about the whole need to slow life way back down to where it ought to be.

      Easier said, yes?!

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  11. I was just reading a devotional on Thanksgiving from Spurgeon this morning on it's importance. When you consider the Angels are praising God constantly. Worthy is the Lamb for all our praise and adoration. It's good to be stopped in our tracks and to be reminded of all we need to be thankful for. Love that quilt. Blackberries grew wild in our neighborhoods on the west side of the Cascade mountain range. My mother and father loved to visit in the summer to pick the berries and my mom would make syrupy preserves to sweeten her tea. Thanks for jogging my memories and the reminder to take the time to be thankful and productive!

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    1. Oh syrupy blackberry preserves in a big mug of tea sounds divine right about now, Ellen! Thanks for sharing your memories with us today. So sweet indeed!

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  12. Love this reminder to notice. And yes love blackberries too!

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    1. Looks like we're all berry lovers around here!

      Why am I not surprised?!

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  13. I try to notice what is right in front of me as well. I am grateful for cooler weather, getting the weeds pulled out of my day lily garden this morning (hopefully for the last time this season!), time with my loved ones, and improving health. God is so good!

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    1. There's something very therapeutic about weeding, isn't there, Cindy. I'm grateful to hear you're doing better in this season ...

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  14. Really enjoyed this post! Thank you for reminding us to watch for and appreciate the little things God sends our way😄

    * via text

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    1. Thanks for sending that lovely note of encouragement, friend! You guys are so very missed ...
      xo

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  15. Such a sweet post! I love blackberries too. Yes, we must remember to be thankful for the simple things.

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    1. And I so enjoyed your post today with all that autumn bounty. Beautiful indeed!

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  16. Black berries are delicious! The fresh blackberries are a bit pricey in my area, though. But once in a while I treat myself by purchasing a pint of black berries. Last night I stared at the sky for a couple of hours hoping for the Northern Lights. They did not appear but the stars were so bright! There is no cost to see God's sparkling nature all around us, except a pause from our bustling.

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    1. Lynn, hi! Yes, they are a bit pricey ... and in recent days, sometimes mushy.

      ;-(

      And yes, I stopped to star gaze a bit the other night instead of hustling right from the garage to the kitchen door. Stunning. Thanks for that nudge to look upward, friend.

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  17. I love that you found blackberries in your quilt after all these years, Linda! The gift that comes to my mind is listening to my daughter explain what she's learning in her physics class as we sit at the dining room table after supper. She understands physics and enjoys the subject matter. That was NOT my experience in high school, so hearing her talk gives me one of those glimpses into how she is wired that makes my mama heart so happy.

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    1. I listened to one of my grandgirls on the phone for awhile this morning. We laughed and caught up and I left the conversation feeling that grandmama-happy-heart that you're talking about, Lois.

      All will be right with the world!

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  18. YUM! I can remember a kid picking blackberries and picking them with my children. Fun times. Marty loves a good berry cobbler. In my neck of the woods blackberries are very pricy too. Your post made me smile and give thanks to our God for how he blesses us with so much. Even when the power is out! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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    1. A berry cobbler sounds mighty fine right about now, Cindy. If you whip one up, be sure to share the recipe! Sounds like you're a whiz in the kitchen.

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  19. My favorite part of any storm outage--the need to finish off the ice cream! I actually enjoy those off the grid times, Linda!
    Blessings!

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  20. So sorry to hear about the power outage but nice that you made the most out of it.

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  21. Glad to hear that you made the most out of the power outage.

    I'm also a fan of blackberries. When I was driving this morning, I noticed the trees' spectacular yellow and red leaves.

    Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. I bet you've got some scrumptious blackberry tea in your stash, Margie!

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  22. So sorry you were impacted by the power outage. We were spared on the North Shore. It is precious when we can discover the hidden blessings and delights in these times when inconvenienced and this post encourages me to remember to do so :)

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    1. So glad it didn't hit you hard up there, friend ... they're still cleaning up around here. What a mess.

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  23. I so often miss the very things right under my nose as well. So glad you noticed the blackberries; you'll always see them now. Sorry for the bad weather and its effects you got. :(

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  24. Linda, thank you for the reminder to look for the little things in front of our noses. My husband gifted me with a weekend away, and believe me when I say I NEEDED IT. On one of the days, I kept getting distracted by the little butterflies feeding on the nearby lavender plants. I was able to capture a couple of photos, which made my heart happy. And, He gave me other beautiful glimpses of His creation and reminders of His love too. And fog on Sunday morning that leant a stillness and quiet beauty to the place where I was staying. He pretty much left me in awe with all the ways He blanketed me with His love.

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    1. I am so happy that you had that much-needed time away, Jeanne ... and your experience of meeting God in nature warmed my heart.

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  25. You capture the beauty of a storm perfectly! The goodness and grace that can be redeemed from it! Time with one son - and a cup of coffee together; hugs for making another son an egg, country ham and cheese sauce sandwich; a blue bird just outside the window; a grandson who visited; time with my husband; a house full of people finding warmth, good food and fellowship in an upside-down world. So many blessings! Thankful to God's mercy and grace!

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    1. Just reading your homespun blessings made me smile with gratitude, Maryleigh. God is so good ... and sometimes those simplest of gifts are the ones that matter most.

      So glad you've shared.

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  26. Glad all is well post storm. It's always interesting how the little things become the more important things when we unplug and pay attention.

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  27. I love how your attention came to rest upon those blackberries. The quilt is lovely with just such details - as is life. Thanks for the reminder. So much beauty, so many moments of love, and hope, and beauty in the most ordinary of moments. Just now I'm loving the patch of light filtered through the curtains. Many thanks for all you see and share with me.

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    1. Isn't it amazing how sunlight peaking through gauzy curtains brings us joy, a reminder that all will be well ...

      Happy weekend, friend.

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