Consider the Lilies...and Roses too!

Dear dear, Hearts!
Have you been slowing down to smell the roses in your life~ the flowers and the blessings and THANKING GOD????
I sure have!!!!
It has been a most lovely week! My best birthday gift was knowing Eleonora was home and the Gollner family could all be together every night! Every time I hear Sarah's voice there is such joy and gratefulness to be home enjoying Eleonora and being with Philipp again. Eleonora is quite content and continues to make little noises encouraging us all !
Do pray as now they will prepare to move to Chicago at the end of next month for a year and we hope Elizabeth can fly back to help with the drive.
The above picture is our sweet smelling " Cecil Brunner" Rose Arbor into our garden. This was another gift from GOD this week and a surprise since this was only made and planted 3 years ago with a dear friend. This week I had a special surprise luncheon with my own dear family ( whom I am EVER GRATEFUL FOR!!!!) and separate surprise visits from friends far and near ( thank you Dana Lee, Cynthia Jean and Tammy Lynn ~ ALL a joy and delight!) and was able to have tea at both arbors in the front and back among the roses.
Wish you all could come for tea and "smell the roses " with me here. I actually had the same rose bush in my back yard as a child and it has always been my favorite~~ the smell is truly heavenly and one little bloom will fragrance a whole room!
Let me share with you a poem from one of my favorite devotional books, Daily Strength for Daily Needs:

"THEY do not toil:
CONTENT with their allotted task
They do but grow, they do not ask
A richer lot, a higher sphere,
But in their loveliness appear.

And GROW and SMILE, and DO THEIR BEST,
And unto GOD they leave the rest." Marianne Farmingham

Lovingly,
Ruthie
growing hopefully in GRACE , smiling, and doing my best
and leaving GOD with the rest
How about you?
Do STOP and smell the roses with me...TODAY!!!!