Trees, Trees, Trees--glorious trees! and thoughts and God winks

These trees are so beautiful--they are some of what I see on my walks--evergreen oaks have large limbs that can cover an entire yard. Our town is sometimes referred to as Tree City USA because many of our roads are built around the trees. We even have one road with a tree right in its middle. (this is not it!--this is another of my favorites)

The Spanish Moss is also so beautiful at this time of the year--I love the gray and the beauty of it!
I love being under these trees--the dark limbs with the lighter moss is awesome~!

Here is a pic of the wind blowing the moss and the dark limbs in their beauty.

Here is a close up:

I was reflecting today on true joy because of my reading in John 15: 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends

He tells us how to have true joy--by abiding in him and keeping His commands--in particular to love as He loves. I see that I have often in the past sought joy in so many other places and yet He has told us and shown us what really gives joy. I have found this to be true~~real deep inner joy comes from Him--from knowing and following Him.

Yesterday I experienced a neat God Wink---that is when God providentially puts something in your life and it is like He is winking at you---a touch of His love---Him saying--I see you--here is a little treat. I was delivering a CD of our church service to someone in the nursing home--the lady that usually delivers these CDs was in Haiti this week. So guess what? When I came to this particular lady in the home, I found out she grew up in the town next to my home town in CT.! Not only that, but she went to the same high school as my MOM!! in those days the surrounding towns had to travel for high school. It was so cool to talk about our love for those areas---and to think about this "coincidence"---I plan on returning next week to talk more!! ps--to appreciate this--you need to know I am living in SC!