You Don't Know What You've Got 'til It's Gone

Have you ever heard the saying “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”?

Bonus points if you also sang “…they paved paradise and put up a parking lot" after you read that.

So, my husband makes our bed every morning.

And not because it’s a chore I have given him (our marriage doesn’t work like that- I’m not his mom, afterall). Honestly, he just has good habits. He is a blessing! He also takes out the garbage and recycling every week, and he puts away clean dishes sometimes. And he doesn’t throw his clothes on the floor, ever. (Yes, we are happily married. Sorry ladies.)

Jimmy, you’re good people.

Back to the topic at hand.

It is a gift to me that he makes the bed. But most mornings I think nothing of it. It’s just something he does. I only seem to notice it on the rare occasions when he doesn’t make the bed.

And then I’m annoyed.

I won’t say never, but I don’t regularly make a point of thanking him for making the bed all those days/weeks/months/years, even though I really am thankful he does it. But I sure do complain in my head on the few days when he doesn’t do it. Because then I have to do it.

Because who leaves their bed unmade, amiright? (Not judging if you do. But seriously, go make your bed.)

But that thought made me consider: what else am I taking for granted? Do I do the same thing with God? Do I just assume His blessings are going to continue? Have I ever even stopped to count all the ways He has blessed my life? Do I make it a habit of regularly thanking God for ANYTHING? And I mean really THANKING Him with my words- not just feeling grateful in my heart.

Because I can feel grateful toward my husband for making the bed, but that doesn’t mean He knows it. He likes to feel appreciated. It is good for me to say it to him. It is a practice in humility, and it trains my heart and mind to look at the blessings in my life.

Perhaps you’ve also heard the phrase “What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you thanked God for today?”

Would you have anything at all?

(Who are these people that come up with these piercing statements?!?)

We become a people of entitlement when we are unthankful. We expect things to continue a certain prosperous way because “that’s just the way things are”. But it really isn’t. We aren’t even promised tomorrow. There is no guarantee the blessing you have today will be there tomorrow. And it’s okay. It really is. God certainly knows what He is doing. It always for our good and His glory. It’s not JUST for our good, or to make our lives easier, or better. Everything always comes back to His glory. 

But how often do we mention the glory of God to others? When we aren't mindful that everything He gives us if a gift, we can easily become complainers when something we enjoy stops, or is gone. When we're only left with the basics, and we don't count those as blessings, because they're 'guaranteed'. (But they aren't.)

I encourage you today to make a list of all the things you are thankful for, and tell God about it. And if they include specific people, tell them too. You just might brighten someone’s day who really needs a boost. The scripture is full of encouragement for us to be thankful.

Psalm 100
(1) A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
(2) Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
(3) Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
(4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
(5) For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 107 says four times about various scenarios “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and his wonderful works to the children of men!”

See, it isn’t even about what God has DONE, so much as it is about who He IS. First we need to be thankful for His character, and then thank Him for the things He has done.

When was the last time you thanked God for who He has been in your life? Do a quick search of the word ‘praise’ or ‘thanksgiving’ or ‘worship’ and see if that might help guide your thoughts in what to say to God in thanksgiving for who He is. I’m sure it won’t take long before you are just pouring out praise to our awesome God!! He is certainly worthy.

Psalm 28:7-8
(7) The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
(8) The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

Psalm 96
(1) O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
(2) Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
(3) Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
(4) For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
(5) For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
(6) Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
(7) Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
(8) Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
(9) O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
(10) Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
(11) Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
(12) Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
(13) Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

Psalm 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.

Giving With Nothing to Give

It is hard to give something if you don´t have anything. When I first started college, I was on the “work scholarship” program. That meant that I slaved for the college for less than minimum wage to get my bill reduced.  It also meant that I never got paid with actual money.  It really bothered me that I could not tithe from my earnings. Since it was a “Christian” college, I asked them if I could apply ten percent of my earnings to the local church at the school.  That was a no-go. I had no money to give. Nothing. Nada.

Hannah, the mom of the amazing prophet Samuel, had nothing. She found herself in the un-Biblical yet common marriage with multiple wives. The other wife had children, making her culturally relevant at the time. She tormented Hannah every day. Their shared husband seemed sincere, but he clearly lacked understanding even telling Hannah that he, himself, was better than having seven sons. Hannah could not even give an offering to the Lord without her husband giving her something to offer. She was barren and had nothing to her name.


What did Hannah do? She went to the Lord and begged for a son. She did not do this with the attitude recorded in James 4:3, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” No, when she asked the Lord for a son, it was so that she could give him back to the Lord.  She really loved God and wanted to be able to offer Him something. But she owned nothing.

When she went to pray, she was misjudged and falsely accused by the priest of being drunk. Here she was pouring her heart out to the Lord when the one person who should be the most compassionate showed her the least amount of understanding. Later he asked God to grant her request, probably feeling badly about how he had treated her.


God answered Hannah´s prayer giving her a son. She did what she had wanted to do all along; she offered the most precious thing that she owned to the Lord. God later blessed her with five more children. She was no longer barren having nothing to her name.


Looking at the beginning of the story, though, Hannah really did give something.  She gave the Lord her heart. She wanted something tangible to demonstrate her love for the Lord, but He was already happy with the love that she was giving Him. Of course, He answered her request for a son and blessed her afterwards anyway.


Even after college, there have been times that I have felt that I had nothing to give. Of course, tithing is a Biblical principle, but it only works if you get money. I need to remember that the Lord does not count tangible stuff like we do. He looks at my heart. Is my desire to give something to Him? If I ask Him for something, is it for selfish reasons? Or am I asking for something so that I can give it to Him, use it for Him, and be a blessing to others?


Hannah is a hero of the faith. Her son Samuel transitioned God´s people from the time of the judges to the time of the kings. In fact, he anointed the first two kings himself. Hannah´s gift of her heart, her son, and her service to the Lord are an inspiration and a comfort.

Patrick and Vicki Weimer in Iceland since 1999

Sourdough English Muffins

Sourdough English Muffins

These are one of the things that we miss the most while on the field! So, of course, we tried to find a recipe that satisfied our craving! 

Super simple directions, and the ingredients are easy to substitute. Both make this recipe a win for me. Plus, they taste amazing!!! 

Dump the ingredients into your stand mixer or bread machine. 

Allow ingredients to come together to a smooth dough. This shouldn't take more than five minutes. 

Put the dough into a large bowl, and put it in the fridge overnight. The dough will almost double in size, so make sure your container is big enough. Cover your bowl with a damp towel so that the top of the dough doesn't dry out. 

The next morning, or 8-10 hours later, roll out the dough to about 3/4 inch thick. Depending on the size you want your muffins, cut out your dough. Dip both sides in corn meal or flour. Let the muffins rise for 30 min to 1 hour. 

Heat a cast iron pan or a skillet and put a little bit of oil on the pan, just to help with the browning. The muffins will rise as they cook. Once the one side is browned, flip the muffins. Once both sides are browned, check the inside, opening with a fork. If done, remove muffins from pan, and continue cooking all of the muffins.

Enjoy warm and with butter or maybe toasted with butter and jam. 

Amber Wells 

Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬

Better to Ask Forgiveness than Permission...right?

Have you ever heard the phrase: "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission"? Have you ever said it?

I hope you wouldn't be that rude.

It is usually said (somewhat) in jest by a person who wouldn’t actually do the thing they're suggesting, even if they really want to, because they know what they want to do is wrong and possibly hurtful.

However, it shows they are contemplating doing whatever it is anyway, because it is something they really want to do. And they throw out that phrase to a friend, or a group, and will possibly decide how to proceed based on the reaction of others.

Scenario:
Perpetrator: ”I hate how dark the dining room seems. My landlord has not given me permission to tear down a wall in the rental house, but I really want an open plan living space. Well, better to ask forgiveness than permission, am I right?"

Friend: [looking at Perpetrator speechless] “Yeah, I don’t think that’s a good idea. You should call your landlord and discuss it first.”

[Perpetrator proceeds to knock down wall]

(Just to clarify- this is the wrong thing to do. Saying something afterward such as: ”By the way- I knocked down that wall between the living and dining rooms. I think you're gonna love how it looks! And sorry it cost more than I expected, but that’s what rent is for amiright?” and then waggle your eyebrows up and down. Even if you are on the phone.)

People who use this phrase in their actual lives, and not in just Hypothetical World are selfish. Do you disagree?

Maybe you think that’s an extreme example. Okay, maybe it is. Let’s put it in another light, shall we?

Your teen is invited to a party on an afternoon they know you need the car to go to work. (Let’s assume you work second shift. Yeah, I’m sorry too. I'll talk to you imaginary boss and get you moved to first shift pronto.)

Instead of discussing things with you like a rational adult, your teen takes the car without permission, goes to a party you know nothing about, and makes you late for work because they had to drop someone off on the way home.

When confronted they say something like: “Well, I didn’t want to bother you. I knew you were napping, and if I woke you up, then you wouldn’t have enough sleep to get through your shift. And dad wasn’t here to ask, so I thought I could just go. It was at Sarah’s house- you LOVE Sarah. I planned to be home on time, but Joe needed a ride home. I don't know what you're so worked up about. Sorry.” [And they proceed to roll their eyes and toss the keys on the counter before leaving the room.]

They haven’t actually said the phrase “Better to ask forgiveness than permission” to your face, but they’re clearly implying it through their actions.

And they aren’t really sorry, are they? Maybe sorry they got caught. Maybe sorry you’re going to have a serious conversation with them when you get home from work. Most definitely sorry they will lose driving privileges. But not sorry they went ahead without permission, and had fun.

And that's the big issue I have with this phrase- that the person saying it is being flippant. They are choosing to do what they want because they know if they ask for permission, the answer will be ’NO’. And instead of risking that, they proceed, hoping everything will go well, and they can ‘ask forgiveness’ from the other party.

And that always ends with them really trying to convince the other party they did nothing wrong.

You can ask me how I know this to be true, but I’ll just tell you. The ‘Perpetrator’ many times was me. Oh, not in the above scenarios exactly, but in some similar, and definitely in some much more hurtful.

But if I’ve learned anything since becoming a Christ follower, it’s this: that isn’t how loving relationships work.

You can’t do whatever you want, Perpetrator, and then expect that the logical result will be that the offended person HAS to forgive or accept your actions in order for life to proceed smoothly. That’s a wrong and selfish expectation. And if you are a follower of Christ, it isn’t biblical, either.

Asking for forgiveness means that I recognize what I’ve done as wrong, and I am grieved over it. I am in a place where I have been convicted, and humbled, and truly seek to restore relationship and make changes going forward.

Not sure what that looks like? Go read Psalm 51.

Let's strike this phrase from our vocabulary, shall we? I have heard it from missionaries, other Christians, friends, and previous co-workers. And it's just not okay.

Flippant isn't a fruit of the Spirit, and has no place in the life of a believer. We need to be a people of integrity. A people who act with thoughtfulness, who seek God prior to acting, and have the best interest of others at heart.

That's how Jesus shines through us as a light in the world.

Psalm 15
(1) A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
(2) He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
(3) He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
(4) In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
(5) He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Galatians 5:13-17
(13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
(14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
(16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
(17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Colossians 4:5-6
(5) Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
(6) Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

1 Corinthians 13:4-6
(4) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
(5) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
(6) Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Redeeming the Time

Redeeming the Time. This was the theme for a ladies conference I attended in March.  Little did we know how much we needed this reminder in the coming days.  During the conference we had little WiFi, there was some talk of this virus going around the world, but for the most part we all unplugged and enjoyed the time with fellow Christians, time in the Word, and time in God's beautiful Creation.  

"Redeeming the time,  because the days are evil."  

Ephesian 5:16

Looking back I can't imagine a more perfect theme for the conference. When we all went home from this lovely weekend away our world as we knew it was different.  For many of us this was the last real fellowship we would have for months.  Who would ever have thought that the ENTIRE world would go into lockdown.  No sports activities, no coffee meet-ups,  no dinner at a restaurant, no church.  For those that said, "I just wish we had an extra day in the week"  or " I just wish I had more time at home, " well, you now have all the time in the world.  What are you doing with it?  Are you redeeming the time?  Are you making the most of it?

I feel as if God has given us a huge blessing, and I want to make the most of it.  Sure there are things to clean and declutter and Netflix to binge watch...but there are other important matters to tend to - our relationship with our family and with God.  I wish I could say when all this went down that that was my main focus.  Nope, I went into the cleaning and decluttering mode with a bit of Netflix and Facebook (ok, a lot) on the side.  Then I had a few days where I just didn't know what to do with myself (quarantine hangover maybe?) and I began to think of our conference and the theme - REDEEM THE TIME. I was not redeeming the time.  I was squandering it.  I felt incredibly guilty.  But no time to waste feeling guilty, I needed to ask for forgiveness and REDEEM THE TIME God had given me.  

I wanted to focus on two areas - my relationship with God and my relationship with my family.  It was time to put my phone down and truly redeem the time.  Sure there are still dishes to be done, laundry to be washed, folded, and put away, floors to vacuum, stuff to tidy, but more importantly there were/are souls in my home that needed tending.  Please know, I have not "arrived," I still have work to do, but I made the first step and am making a conscientious effort to love on my family more and be more intentional with my moments...to ahem, REDEEM THE TIME with my loved ones.  I will say I am so enjoying church at home on the lounge with my family.  I will probably miss this most when we start our "new"normal.  

The next area I am focusing on is my relationship with God.  Yes, a missionary/pastor's wife of many years still needs to work on their relationship with God.  This is an area that a Christian never comes to a point where they no longer need to work on it, you don't just arrive and are holy, it's a continual, daily habit we need to work on until the Lord calls us home.  My heart's desire that "I may know him" (Philippians 3:10).

How does this look?  How does one work on their relationship with God?  Well, the first thing is to study your Bible.  Not just read it, but to also study it.  Get in there, read, research, study.  Get to know God.  I recently read a book that has changed the way I read my Bible.  It's called, "Women of the Word, How to Study the Bible with both our Hearts and our Minds" by Jen Wilkin.  I don't often recommend books because every person is different and what may affect one person in one way will not affect another.  But this book truly helped me learn new ways to study the Bible and has inspired me to read and study the Bible more.  

Growing closer to there Lord also requires time spent in prayer.  Why is this such a hard area?  I've heard many messages and read many articles about prayer.  Because of that I'm convinced it's not just me that struggles in this area.  It's a struggle for many because it requires time and effort to pray.  Sounds silly, right?  We're just talking to God, why does that require effort?  Because we cannot see Him and because we are not as close to Him as we think we are.  It requires dedicated time.  Here are a few ways that have helped me stay focused in my prayer time.  

• I schedule a time.  It's like a date with just God and me.  I work hard at not missing this time and also not being late.
• I make a list.  I have an ongoing prayer list and I have a weekly list.  When it's written out I can be more focused.
• I remove distractions.  I try to find a place where I know I won't be interrupted.  This place changes daily.  Sometimes it's in my room, sometimes it's in the car on my way to the grocery store.  Wherever it is, I remove as many distractions as possible.

I'm sure you can add to this list, but I wanted to share how God has been working on my heart during this time.  Remember, none of this took God by surprise.  He knows the beginning, the middle, and the end.  He has a plan and purpose.  We simply need to trust Him and REDEEM THE TIME.

Just wanted to share this photo from a recent walk with my kids where we were 

REDEEMING THE TIME.

Rumble Strip Warning

Have you ever driven off the road a little and experienced the lovely rumble strips?

And then had a heart attack because it sounded like a monster-movie-sized wasp was now in your car, or had possibly picked it up and was shaking it?

(Asking for a friend.)

Those rumble strips are there for our safety. If we start to fall asleep, or God forbid, are driving and looking at our phone, we can veer off the road. It's not hard to do at all! It can even happen when you're wide awake and looking at the road the whole time. But that jolt will get you back in the center pretty quickly!

Sometimes it feels like there's magnets in those strips, drawing the car to that side of the road. Especially if your spouse or travel partner has fallen asleep in the passenger seat, and you're tired of being the only one awake.

Don't look at me like that.

I have looked at these strips as an annoyance when someone else was driving and kept veering off the road for some reason known only to the secrets of the universe.

I have looked at them as life savers when we've been traveling for hours on end and I have blinked a little longer than I expected to while driving.

I have been completely oblivious to them when I am driving in my lane, and not veering off the road in either direction.

Did you know your spiritual life also has rumble strips?

When you veer off the road God has laid out before you, you'll hit some bumps. That's God's way of reminding you to get back on the road. I can't define what those bumps look like, because they are different for every person.

You might not recognize them at first, because you're 'driving' distracted and allowing something else to claim your attention.

Rumble is defined as: A continuous, deep, resonant sound.

If your attention is completely somewhere else, you might be able to ignore that rumble for a while. Maybe your tires are only barely touching the strips, so the rumble isn't that loud yet. But it's there.

Have you ever had that check in your spirit that perhaps you needed to change something you were doing? Maybe you thought it wasn't that bad, or wasn't hurting anyone, but God gave you a check. He started to rumble to get your attention.

And maybe you ignored it.

God will try to get your attention in that first veered-off place as long as there is road under your passenger-side wheels. This may look like someone else recognizing that you're going off the road, and stepping in to lovingly warn you. (Hence the passenger-side tires.)

And you may find that warning annoying at first, and not see it for what it really is- trying to keep you on the road and in safety.

However, veer off farther, and the warning seems to disappear. The strips are still there, but now under the center of your car, doing you no good because you've veered a little too far. You may think everything is fine at this point.

If you're not careful though, you'll wander a little farther, and the rumbling is back, now under the tires of the driver (you) in a last-ditch effort to wake you up before you go completely off the road. At this point you may also be kicking up dust on your passenger side, and flinging stones at the cars behind you.

So, whatever the reason you're veering, it's affecting other people. And it should most certainly have your attention now, with the rumbling being directly underneath you.

Keep veering, though, and not only will the rumble stop completely, but you will probably wreck your car. There are loads of thing to hit head-on once you're off the road.

Don't ignore the rumble.

Ephesians 4:17-24
(17) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
(18) Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
(19) Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
(20) But ye have not so learned Christ;
(21) If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
(22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
(23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

I need to be thankful for the rumble strips in my life, whatever form they take. I don't want to begrudge them or ignore them. I certainly don't want to end up wrecked in the ditch, hurting people on the way.

Hebrews 12:9-11
(9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
(10) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
(11) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Thank You, Lord, for always rumbling to wake me up when I get off the road.

The Peace That God Gives

Troublesome times are here.  Headlines every single hour of every single day can scare you death with talk of corona virus, death, political upheaval, tornadoes, storms, and economic collapse.  

There are a multitude of thoughts within me, but I can honestly say that I have peace during this time…not 100% of time.  Sometimes when I wake in the middle of the night the “pestilence that walks in darkness” can overwhelm my thoughts.  It is then that I must turn my thoughts to the One that has taught me so much about Himself.  

Japan is in one of the most earthquake-active areas of the world.  There is an earthquake somewhere in Japan every day.  This was something that was very difficult for me to get used to.  When we first arrived, they terrified me.  When I was on the subway, I thought, “I wouldn’t want to be here during an earthquake.”  When we were in a very long tunnel, I thought, “I wouldn’t want to be here during an earthquake.”  When we were on the 3rd or 4th level of a very tall highway, I thought, “I wouldn’t want to be here during an earthquake.” 

In the meantime, I was working on verses for my Knowing God study.  God spoke to me through verses I was memorizing and I realized that no matter where I was when that earthquake hit, God would know exactly where I was, He would be with me, He would still love me and He would still be good.

It’s those thoughts that give me peace during these turbulent times.  The same God Who is with me when the earth shakes, is the same God that is with me when my “world” is shaken.  He knows exactly where I am, He is with me, He loves me and He is good!!  I pray that the Lord will give you the peace that can only come from Him.  

__________

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” ~John 14:27

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah."  ~Psalm 46

*The photo is taken at a flower park.  The wisteria is so beautiful.  In Japan, it is called Fuji Flower.