Garden Walk Williamsville {one of many I hope to attend this year} yesterday was beautiful, I only made it to about 11 homes because I only had one and a half hours for this {wish I could have made too all of them proably 30-40}, but I was determined to fit it into the weekend activities, along with the 2nd viewing of the house yesterday and signing contingent contracts and then a graduation party for my nephew. I'm pairing the garden pictures today with some of the scriptures and quotes from Randy Alcorn's book "Eternal Perspectives" the chapter on BEAUTY. Below photos are from but just one house, the back yard was spectacular, setting on the water, owner remarked how they see deer cross on the bridge and blue heron visitng, along with the ducks and geese.
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that willl I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire i his temple. --DAVID, Psalm 27:4
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. Isiah 6:3
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all lnations will come, and I will fill the house with glory," syas the LORD Almighty. Haggai 2:6-7
The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice." And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge.
Asaph, Psalm 50:1-6
How soon do earthly lovers come to an end of their discoveries of each other's beauty; how soon do they see all there is to be seen! But in Heaven there is with new beauties always being discoverd."
Jonathan Edwards, Heave: A World of Love
The attributes of God are to be seen in the visible creation, but they are to be seen in a brighter and superior light in the new creation. There is not one of the attributes of God which has no illustration under God's revelation of his grace. you shall be happy in you whole being if you can fully rejoice in that which God creates.
Charles Spurgeon "God Rejoicing in the New Creation" Sermon 2211
O Lord, I live as a fish in a vessel of water, only enough to keep me alive, but in heaven I shall swim in the ocean. Here I have a little air in me to keep me breathing, but there I shall have sweet and fresh gales; Here I have a beam of sun to ighten my darkness, a warm ray to keep me from freezing; yonder I shall live in light and warmth for ever Quicken my hunger and thirst after the realm above.
The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan prayeers and Devoitons
In heaven 'tis the directly reverse of what 'tis on earth; for there, by length of time things become more and more youthful, that is, more vigorous active, tender, and beautiful.
Johnthan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards; The Miscellanies
Give me to know that heaven is all love, where the eye affects the heart, and the continual viewing of thy beautyf keeps the soul in continual transports of delight. Give me to know that heaven is all peace, where error, pride, rebellion, passion raise no head. Give me to know that heaven is all joy, the end of believing, fasting, praying, mourning, humbline, watching, fearing, repining; And lead me to it soon.
The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God; but onlly he who sees takes off his shoes--the rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aurora Leigh
The most tragic strain in human esistence lies in the fact that the pleasure which we find in the things of this life, however good that pleasure may be in itself, is always taken away from us. The things for which men strive hardly ever turn out to be as satisfying as they spected, and in the rare cases in which they do, sooner or later they are snatched away...For the Christian, all those partial, broken and fleeting perfections which he glimpses in the world around him, which wither in his grasp and are snatched away from him even while they wither, are found again, perfect, complete and lasting in the absolute beauty of God.
Peter Toon, Heaven and Hell: A Biblcal and Theological Overview
All beauty in the world is either a memory of Paradise or a prophecy of the transfigured world.
Nicholas Berdyaev, The Divine and the Human
In glorified bodies we will enjoy a restored and improved Eden, a place of pristine beauty and unbroken fellowship...The new heaven and earth will provide an environmnet conductive to the most precious values we now know--just and loving relationships, fellowship, beauty, and significant activity.
Gordon lewis and Bruce Demarest, Integrative Theology
We do not want merely to see beauty...We want something else which can hardly be put into words--to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it. ---C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
I really enjoy these garden walks when someone opens their homes and share the creative beauty...I always walk away with some great ideas to try and incorporate into my own gardens if not now, someday. Sometimes you pick up a design idea, a plant combination, color scheme, etc.
Blessings, have a wonderful Lord's day, Michelle
