The Evidence...

July has been 'sit on your suitcase to close it' packed with activity, but then, next to December, it's the busiest month of the year! 
First,

Independence Day celebration!

Seasonal foods are always scrumptious when they are associated with certain times & not common. I love July 4th picnic fare! It's also when we have our first watermelon of summer. YUM!

& we always have homemade

"You scream, I scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!!"  (Who would have thought that that little ditty would ever live in infamy?!)

Family, friends, food, fun, &...

Right in our own front yard! 

A daughter's gift bouquet. Pulchritudinous!! 😊

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

We have had a wet & stormy summer so far, lots of days of one hundred percent humidity! The kind you can hardly breathe, a heavy sluggishness which settles on your body & even heart, making me feel as if I were wearing concrete shoes. (So thankful for air-conditioning; even a small window unit!)

But all of the moisture has brought many blessings.

& so much more. Everything is flourishing & thriving.

Our garden though, needs more sunny & hot days before we get some fresh vegetables. Can't wait for those sun-ripened tomatoes. & cucumber. & green beans. & corn. Oh boy!

It's already almost time for canning peaches & pears, making strawberry & blackberry jams. Almost.

July birthdays have all been observed, acknowledged, lots of the usual fanfare.

Many trips to our veterinarian because July is the month for  kitty shots, de-internal infestations, (or de-worming which sounds a little yukkier) & although it's not just in July, it just happened this month many times over, we also made many trips because of stomach ailments, nail-clipping (I leave it to the professionals so I don't end up in ER from kitty claw lacerations that can lead to permanent & visible scarring. Yikes! 😣), bottom shaving ( two of our kitties are long & densed haired. I will cite the above in parentheses.) Then, at separate times, two of our kitties were attacked by, the vet Dr. believes to be coyotes.

So all of our cats have to be quarantined to quarters for awhile.😿 It makes me sad too. The grass all around us is more than waist high to be safe. Hopefully, the mowers will come soon.

A bout with vertigo & starting physical therapy again because of back issues, rounds out this month.  & then,  the death of a dearly loved sister, a mother of three young children, wife of a husband who adored her, who valiantly fought a debilitating disease. Actually, this month encapsulates life. Some good, some joyful, some hard, some devastating, some heartbreaking days.

I'm sure with many of my readers also. So, here's the question.

In all of these things, how is your heart? Is it possible to give evidence of the love of & for Jesus in times like this?

Definition of evidence:

"Proof, confirmation, verification, testimony that something is real"

There is evidence of hard work. Harvest.

There is evidence of a dream when it comes true.

There is evidence of a seed planted when it produces its' fruit or flower.

There is evidence of a drawing when it becomes a house.

There is evidence that a horse has been here if you see horse manure.

The evidence that the mailman came is the mail in your mailbox.

The list is neverending. 

The first picture of this post is the evidence of the same picture in June's post, minus the rose. That picture personifies to me, the scripture,

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

The beautiful little rose is the evidence of what was hoped for & not yet seen.

All of humanity goes through personal & intimate life tribulations. As followers of Jesus, with the world looking on, we are working out what Jesus worked in. Those on the outside looking in, no matter their protest, desperately need to see 'Jesus with skin on '. Or, The Evidence.  

"Let your light so shine that they may see your good works (the evidence) & glorify your Father in heaven."  (Matthew 5:16)

Where there is light, there is no darkness. Where there is light we can see. Where there is light, things can grow. When we belong to Jesus, we are the 'light of the world'. We become 'SightLights'.

It's not just a declaration. It's a command. It is our responsibility to give evidence of our Christianity according to His word. 

Arthur Burt said, 

"If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"

Our lives is the evidence of our love for Jesus. Or not.

I don't want to be contented with "things hoped for, things not seen" though. It's a good start, but I want to get over to the evidence part. & we can. We all can. 

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you (things hoped for, things not seen) will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Then comes the evidence. & as I grow in grace & the knowledge of my Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, there will be more evidence. Me in Jesus & Jesus in me. My Evidence. YES!!

Raintree Perk of the Day:

The Evidence