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Do all you can to live a peaceful life.

Mind your own business, and earn your own living.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (Easy-to-Read Version)

A Spider, A Katydid, and A Moth

The other night when scanning the patio for critters before going to bed, I saw this large spider web with a very active spider.

I went outside to get a few closeups. I think it is some kind of orb spider.

Taken with a different setting. The red is the siding on our house.

The spider was having supper by eating a bug that got caught in its web.

The noise from the “singing” katydids was almost deafening. I was sure I could find at least one in this dogwood tree. I could not, so just took a picture of the tree.

About that time a katydid landed on the ledge near the spider web. It appears to be a fork-tailed bush katydid. If you know what it is, please let me know.

When I opened the door to come inside, this pretty moth came in with me.

It looked so different with its wings closed.

Does anyone know what kind of moth this is.

If you check the comment below, E Vital solved my mystery. It is a buckeye butterfly. That is why I couldn’t find it among the moth species.

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The outside sights and sounds are beautiful at night.

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 When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart.

Ephesians 5:19 (Contemporary English Version)

Happy Birthday

To Our Favorite Debbie

We Love You

Dad & Mom

Youth Group Singing Program

At Church Tonight

I took all these pictures without a flash so when there was movement you will notice blurring and soft edges.

You would have enjoyed the beautiful a capella singing led by Gordon Gregory.

I Believe in God

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

Shine, Jesus Shine

‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

When All the Singers Get Home

A cute skit that focused on making Jesus the source of our focus rather than certain shoes, clothing, or a famous singer.

The young children were encouraged to sit in the front seats during the skit.

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My favorite song of the night was sung after the skit when the youth group returned to the sanctuary.

They stood in each aisle and on the balcony singing

We Are Not Alone

On and On We Walk Together

God is Our Refuge and Strength

Highest Hope

Two girls (front left and right) signed the last song, Amazing Love.

Closing prayer by one of our ministers Ron Copenhaver.

Your heart should be holy

and set apart for the Lord God.

1 Peter 3:15 (New Life Version)

Sunday School Class Picnic

Sunday evening, August 19

Our Sunday school class chose a beautiful evening for a covered dish supper at our pavilion.

These flowers were brought by Lorraine and Kathy Hess for the person with a birthday closest to this date.

Owen Zimmerman thought the playhouse needed to be swept.

Owen pitching horseshoes with his dad, Gary, who is one of our teachers.

In our church the Sunday school classes are set by age. That is why we all appear to be about the same age.  This is probably about 2/3 of our class. There were several who had other commitments.

Maybe I should begin this meal with dessert.

The hot things were still covered when I took these pictures.

Prayer before the meal.

We had a great evening of visiting and getting to know each other better.

Another shot of the great horned owl that came to visit that evening. The same one I told you about a few days ago.

“I am Alpha and Omega,

says the Lord God,

“who is and who was and who is coming,

the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:8 (J.B. Phillips New Testament)

Outside Our Front Door

Foggy Morning

Even in the fog you can see that some of the leaves are turning colors already.

Pine Tree

Rainy Morning

Crepe Myrtle

This cardinal caught my eye. It appears to be old, ill, or has some kind of disease.

This is the first summer ever that the hummingbirds are emptying our feeder.

They are busy all day long.

There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow,
There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow,
The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye,
An’ it looks like its climbin’ clear up to the sky.

Oscar Hammerstein II

The ears don’t seem exceptionally large for this time of year, but I almost feel like I must apologize to those of you in the midwest where the corn didn’t produce at all this summer.

Our house is on the far left – between the trees and the corn.

There are a few fields on my brothers farm that have the strangest corn this year. Some of it is much taller than others. The man who planted it said it is a new breed and this happened in some other fields he planted. He is puzzled too.

I think this is the tallest corn on the farm – it’s next to our house – and the tassels on top are invisible because of the way the sun was shining. It is somewhere between eleven and twelve feet tall – from the ground to the top of the tassels.

Yet you, God, are sovereign still,
always and ever sovereign.

Psalm 102:12 (The Message)