“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27

There have not been a lot of extra photographs this week – especially when balanced against the ready supply generated during and immediately after the trip to England. But I do have enough for a belated “Five Photo Friday” post for those who need their photo fix.

First up is Max, just outside the front door at Maul Hall. I intended to capture the brilliant color of the fall leaves, but instead the photo is all about texture, from the “Wandering Jew” (Tradescantia) to the Loriope to the Golden Retriever to the feathery Japanese Maple to the massive pines.

Then – and I love this image (above) – Rebekah talking via video with Andrew in Bahrain. We all reconnected so beautifully in the U.K. and it is difficult to find convenient times to talk now with the eight hour time difference.

Next in the gallery, even though it includes some garbage cans, I really like the photo of the tree – changing from green into red – in front of our neighbor’s home, taken in the misty early morning.

The fourth is this image of my parents, enjoying a beautiful afternoon on the porch. I hesitated to share at first, but it captures dad so accurately at this particular moment. Watching dad’s decline is such an agonizing slow motion time lapse observation, and it’s been like this since I returned from England. Please pray that he knows, and experiences, more and more of the peace that only God can bring.

Finally I have this gem of a recipe improv. Rice pilaf with mushrooms and vegetables, then some large shrimp stirred in. Of course I began the operation by sautéing onion and garlic, before building up from there.

Just a handful of photographs, representing life that is so varied and interesting, even during a fairly run-of-the-mill week.

This may be a cliché but it always rings true: Life is good. So let’s be grateful; and, always, live like we mean it – DEREK