April 6, 2025 a thought for today,  We are all given our own song to sing. Native American Ute Proverb

My first upload for yesterday was one of this month’s  “glimmers micro moment” images. I chose this tree trunk with its ornament of gorgeous spring blossoms. 

The next upload is “next to you”. It’s Sweet Pea watching people as they approach and leave the grocery store. There is also one of the employees on a break in the small alcove opening behind the passing black car. 

Another upload for today is “my choice” one of my series of black and white images. This is one of my neighboring streets. 

The last upload for today is another of the days when I have a fourth upload
for the day. This one is “flowers”. This is an image from one of our churches small gardens. The rain has not been gentle on these daffodils but they still show natures gifts. 

Life today. We had our monthly Sunday communion service today. We had more than one new visitor this morning. That was nice and encouraging. I hope they will come back. We had a couple of children take communion today, I haven’t seen this often, but then, we don’t have many children in our small community situation right now. The children were with us at that time of service since we don’t have Sunday School on communion Sundays. 

I think the rain is finally leaving us for now. We had three days and nights of rain this week. The first night there was resounding and rolling thunder, awesome and full of almighty power.  The next nights and days rain but not so much thunder and lightening. 

My first upload for today is “my choice” which is another of my series in black and white. I have taken advantage of some of the pleasing sights at my church for three of the images in this edition of the letter/blog. 

This being Sunday there is little to nothing on my agenda. That is except for my letter and photos. Those are my counsel and therapy, I don’t consider them work. They are comfort and refreshing and regenerating. 

My six year old, $75 printer is ready for retirement. I am going to have to search for something new. 

The next upload for today is “comfort”. For me one of the many comforts that
I can think of is a hot up of tea especially chamomile. 

The word is weak.  Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. Thomas Carlyle.  The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. Samuel Johnson.  The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept. Thucydides.  Occasions do not make a man either strong or weak but they show what he is. Thomas a Kempis.  We are born weak, we need strength; helpless, we need aid; foolish, we need reason. All that we lack at birth, all that we need when we come to man's estate, is the gift of education. Jean-Jacques Rousseau.  He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak. Michel de Montaigne.  Sorrow is a fruit. God does not make it grow on limbs too weak to bear it. Victor Hugo.  Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak. Marcus Tullius Cicero.  One of the duties of fortitude is to keep the weak from receiving injury; another, to check the wrong motions of our own souls; a third, both to disregard humiliations, and to do what is right with an even mind. All these clearly ought to be fulfilled by all Christians, and especially by the clergy. Saint Ambrose.  The superior man is the providence of the inferior. He is eyes for the blind, strength for the weak, and a shield for the defenseless. He stands erect by bending above the fallen. He rises by lifting others. Robert Green Ingersoll.  Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful. Samuel Johnson.  Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause. Victor Hugo.  The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, became a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong. Thomas Carlyle.  However weak we are, however poor, however little our faith, or however small our grace may be, our names are still written on His heart; nor shall we lose our share in Jesus' love. Charles Spurgeon.  

The last upload for today is one of the “glimmers micro minutes”. It is a capture of the  hands of one of the girts at Sunday School as she is drawing a picture before our service starts to share with us. 

Article: I thought I would share a spring time phenomenon here since we are finally getting the full effects of the season. The title of the article is: What’s That Smell? The Stinkiest Trees in Columbus Are Blooming! The tree the article is talking about is “the infamous Bradford Pear tree, often dubbed the stinkiest tree in Columbus”. Apparently I haven’t had the pleasure of see this tree or at least not so I would have noticed a smell as is described here. According to the article the tree was a “darling of urban and suburban landscapes across the United States”. It was introduced to us from Asia in the early 20th century. It’s attributes were/are rapid growth and gorgeous white spring blossoms followed by “vibrant” fall foliage. The disadvantage of the tree is its “less-than-pleasant olfactory price” which apparently becomes noticeable in the spring as the tree blooms. People have described the odor in terms of “from rotten fish to overripe cheese, and even to more unsavory smells”. The odor comes from a chemical produced in the new blossoms is also found in “decaying animal tissue”. Their admirable qualities are counteracted by a cross-pollination that has led to “‘explosion’ of fruit-bearing trees” that are messy and invasive. This action disrupts the “local ecosystems”. According to the article there are efforts to manage and replace this tree. It went on to point out that people should try to choose native trees, this allows for “a healthier and more sustainable and less odorous environment”. So on a lighter side, it appears beauty comes with a price.

It will be an actual TV dinner (Stouffers) for dinner tonight. 

Joy 

                the hues, textures and patterns are the stand outs in this image