My Corner of Maine

I live in a little fishing village on the coast of Maine. Life moves at a pretty slow pace and we like it that way. Most people have more than one occupation. My husband for example is a preacher and a lobsterman, true story. There are other things he does, but I don't want to overwhelm you. We have on occasion traded lobsters for fresh veggies from a neighbors garden.

My husband's accent is as native to Maine as it can get. I don't have an accent as I was born in Connecticut and lived there until I was six years old.  

The big news this week is the "Abigail" has been launched for the season. If you're curious about the "Abigail" you can see what happened last year here: The Abigail is Seaworthy

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction in our hometown, like the time I was driving home on a rural road I've traveled thousands of times over the years. I saw an object in the road, I knew wasn't an animal. There was no time to react. I hit it and was forced to pull over while this unknown object dragged and grated on the tarred road.

I got out of the car and discovered a metal colander. Yes . . you know the kind you drain pasta in. I couldn't move it, it was truly fetched up under my car. I called my husband (thankful for cell phones), and I asked him to come help and bring something long. He arrived in his pickup and pulled an oar out of the back (the kind you use to row a boat).  It was touch and go but he was able to unfetch it.

When I got home, I did what any responsible woman would do - I posted it on facebook with a picture of the colander to see if anyone knew who it might belong to. Here's what I wrote: 

Found: If anyone lost a metal colander in the Wiley's Corner area today, I have it. I didn't intend to stop for it, but when it fetched up on my muffler, I was forced to pull over. Kim, it was right near your house, perhaps it's yours. I called MacGyver Bill, and he came with an oar and got it unfetched.

You can imagine the fun my friends had with this story. I kept it for a few days, and even though some of my friends claimed they wanted it, no one came for it. I have a picture of it, but will warn you, it's not for the weak.

This weekend my little town has an annual celebration with lots of festivities planned. My mother is looking forward to the events as her home is in the center of town and she has a front row seat to everything. Here's a photo below of a previous parade. My mother's house is on the right in the photo.

I hope you've enjoyed this little glimpse into my world. Not my typical blog post but I've enjoyed sharing this. Have a blessed day.



A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.
Proverbs 17:22

Free Nautical Printables

Free Nautical Printables for you. Click for largest size, right click and save to your computer.  Enjoy!

There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number living things both large and small. Psalm 104:25

The Abigail is Seaworthy

I live in a small fishing village on the coast of Maine.  One of the many hats my husband wears, is that of a lobster fisherman.   His lobster boat "The Abigail" is stored in a prominent place at our home for all who drive by to see. The detriment to that is the barrage of questions from townsfolk . . when is the boat going in?  ..is the boat in yet?  Are you not fishing this year?  

You see . . not much happens around here, and we're all kind of laid back (some more than others).  So a lobsterman's boat which gets launched late in the season, is a topic of conversation.  

Today was the big day.  I surprised my husband by being at the dock to wait the arrival of the big truck and trailer hauling his boat.  

backing down the boat ramp

For as many people that have discussed the boat being in or out of the water, you would think there would have been a big crowd.  Ironically, it was just me, Bill (hubby) a few seagulls, and the guy driving the truck. Of course we didn't make a big announcement that it was going in.  If we had... well, I'm sure it would have been standing room only.  

Getting closer to the water

 

Bill jumped out of the truck to climb aboard the boat

He's had this boat for a long time.  When he first got it, he didn't tell me it would be named after me.  He proudly showed me the lettering on the stern. My first thought was the letters were so big no one would need binoculars to read the name.  I felt the only thing missing were the neon lights around it.

My daughter,  (a teenager at the time) sensed my embarrassment and said to Bill with firmness . . "If you were going to name a boat after someone, you should have named it after someone who would appreciate it."  Evidently that was her.  I've gotten accustomed to the name and big letters over the years.  

I know this look, he's saying with his eyes - -
I know it's seaworthy, I'm sure there's not a problem, please pray 

Splash!  See the hand waving . . that's the signal all is well

Still waving, all is well!  The Abigail is seaworthy!  

As I was waiting for Bill to arrive at the dock, I enjoyed the quietness of the morning watching the rippling of the water, and the various birds.  I thought of our state slogan "Maine, the way life should be"..  I looked down at the skiffs tied to the dock and saw "Mike" painted across one of them (far right). I liked the simplicity of it.   

Bill's just a regular guy who grew up in this little community from birth and was raised by his grandparents. He has a typical Maine accent (I don't as I lived in Connecticut till I was 7).  On Sundays he hangs up his oilskins for a suit and tie, as he's the pastor of the church in the center of town.  

Not my typical blog post, but I thought you'd enjoy reading a little bit about my supporter behind "Little Birdie Blessings".  A man who helped me be the woman I am today. 

Those who go down to the sea in ships,

Who do business on great waters;

They have seen the works of the Lord,

And His wonders in the deep.

Psalm 107:23-24

Free Nautical Vintage Postcards

Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
Psalm 107:23-24

Rejoice ye with singing who trust in the Lord:
Go tell His salvation with happy accord;
He saith in His mercy to you and to me,
"Your sins shall be cast into the depths of the sea."

Into the sea, Calvary’s sea,
His love is an ocean, so boundless and free;
Into the sea, Calvary’s sea,
Our sins shall be cast into the depths of the sea.
~ Eliza Hewitt ~
1908

I hope you enjoy these vintage nautical postcards.  The words above by Eliza Hewitt, is actually a hymn titled Into the Depths of the Sea  which you can find **here**

Here are a couple more nautical shell souvenir postcards.  Click on the image for the largest size, right click, and save to your computer.

Thanks for visiting, I hope you have a wonderful week. 

This post is linked to:  Anything Blue Friday,

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Buried in the Deepest Sea

As far as the east is from the west,

so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:12

In the United States, my home state of Maine is the farthest point East, and California is the farthest point West. 

If you consider the universe, no one knows:

the distance between East and West. 

 It is as far as we can imagine

 and the points never meet.
I don't know about you, but that promise sure makes me feel good.

free for personal use or sharing

God wants us to confess our sins as he tells us in I John 1:9

 If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:9

This next verse is one of my absolute favorites about sin.  Living near the ocean, I can visualize this in a mighty way.

He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:19 (NKJV)

God casts our sins into the depths of the sea

There's a song we sing in Sunday School that goes like this:

Gone, gone, gone, gone,
Yes my sins are gone.
Now my soul is free and in my hearts a song.
Buried in the deepest sea
Yes, that's good enough for me
I shall live eternally
Praise God! My sins are g-o-n-e, gone!

Jesus took the punishment for your sins and mine when He died on the cross.  Salvation is a free gift for those who accept it by faith. 

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9

Have a wonderful week my friends.  Thanks for stopping by.

Thanks to The Graphics Fairy for some of the graphics used in this post. 

 

Peace in the Storm

He maketh the storm a calm,
so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet;
so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psalm 107:29-30

click for larger size ~ free for personal use

Welcome to another Scripture Thursday here at Little Birdie Blessings.  With Father’s day this Sunday, I thought I’d write my post on a nautical theme.  Living in a small coastal village in Maine, many of the people around me make their living on or from the sea. 
The verses above, can be looked at two different ways.  Literally, Jesus has the power to calm the storms, quiet the waves, and guide you to safety when on the sea. 

click for larger size ~ free for personal use

In another way, we can relate it to the many different storms that come into our life, be it:  physical, spiritual, financial, emotional, relational, and more.  Whatever your “storm” may be, reach out to Jesus for your help.  He loves you more than you can comprehend and wants you to seek Him for peace amidst your storm. 

I came across this old hymn titled The Haven of Rest, written in 1890 by Henry L. Gilmour.   The old hymns have such powerful meaning and many were written out of the personal storms the hymn writers experienced.  As you go through your storms, rather than asking God WHY, ask Him HOW it can be used for good. 

My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying,
“Make Me your choice”;
And I entered the “Haven of Rest”!

I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
I’ll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
In faith taking hold of the Word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul;
The “Haven of Rest” is my Lord.

The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus, who’ll save whosoever will have
A home in the “Haven of Rest.”

How precious the thought that we all may recline,
Like John, the belovèd so blest,
On Jesus’ strong arm, where no tempest can harm,
Secure in the “Haven of Rest.”

O come to the Savior, He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
And say, “My Belovèd is mine.”

Scripture Thursday ~ God IS Love

For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

Hello my friends ~ welcome to another Scripture Thursday here at Little Birdie Blessings.    With Valentine’s Day approaching, I have been thinking about the topic of Love.  Not so much about the romantic kind of love with cards, flowers and chocolate (although that is nice), but the kind of love that God has for us.  The kind of love that is incomprehensible, and unconditional.  

There is a hymn that has been running through my mind constantly this week that sums up the only way I know how to describe the kind of love that God has for us.  The hymn is titled O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus, and was written in 1875 by Samuel Trevor Francis.   As a teenager contemplating suicide one night on a bridge, he experienced a spiritual awakening and went on to author many poems and hymns.  He compares Jesus’ love to the mighty ocean.   

winter morning view from my home, it was so cold that day,
what you see is known as "sea smoke"

I live in Maine in a small fishing community.  I know the beauty of the ocean, its vastness, might and power.  Over the years, many people right in our own community have lost their lives to the powerful force of the ocean.   In our area, it is the strongest force of nature.   

view from Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o'er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o'er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
'Tis an ocean vast of blessing, 'tis a haven sweet of rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, 'tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Samuel Trevor Francis ~ 1875 

1^st John 4:8 tells us that God is Love.  God IS love, he defines love, his nature is love, his attributes are love.  God loves us so much that he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sin.  His love is personal, never changing, no beginning or end; he knows and loves you individually.  

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
I John 4:10

taken at Sunset, notice the lone bird flying

There may be some reading this that do not have someone to love and share their days with, or you may have someone who loves you but doesn’t express it in the way that you’d like them to.  Remember Jesus loves you with an everlasting and unconditional love.  A love that it vast, unmeasured, boundless, free and as mighty as the ocean. 

There is wisdom in the words of this hymn.  If the lyrics have spoken to you, please follow the link below to the video.  I think this rendition portrays it in such a powerful way.   As you listen to it, picture the love of Jesus wrapping you with warmth and care.  

O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus

 Thank you for all your encouraging comments. 

He Giveth More Grace

He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.

Isaiah 40:29

Free Vintage Bird Graphic

Many of the old time hymns were written out of great affliction.  The stories behind most of them show extreme strength of the writer, which could only come from the Lord.    It's obvious many of these hymns were divinely inspired.  It's also obvious to me that the hymn writer's suffering was not in vain.  I suffer quietly (usually) with my health on a daily basis and these hymns bring such a comfort to me.  I find when I'm the weakest physically and emotionally, I'm the strongest spiritually. 

Free Nautical Vintage Graphic

The hymn He Giveth More Grace was written by Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932).  Having lost both parents before the age of 6, adopted, and later in her teens afflicted with crippling arthritis in her hands leaving her unable to play the piano and even open her hands.  She took to writing poetry by using her knuckles to type out the words on a typewriter.  She based the hymn on three scriptures, one is at the beginning of this post.  The others are James 4:6, and Jude 2.  Here are the lyrics to this encouraging hymn which I've clung to many times.

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials he multiplies peace.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Thank you for stopping by today my friends.  I hope you found the lyrics of this hymn to be encouraging to you.  Have a blessed day.

Liked with Brag on God Friday

 

Bible Verse Thursday ~ Light for our Path

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. 

Psalm 119:105

My Project Sample for Bible Verse Thursday

Living on the coast of Maine, I’m surrounded by lighthouses. They draw a lot of tourists to the state and are a popular subject for photographers. The lighthouse has a significant purpose, which is to steer mariners in the thick fog or darkness of night, away from cliffs, reefs, shorelines and other dangerous areas. The lighthouse will sound a signal and shine a beacon of light on and off to lead ships to safety.

God’s word the Bible is our lighthouse – a lamp for our feet….a light for our path, a beacon of light to help us find our way. We just need to look to it to be shown the right way. There’s a song that says it well, titled The Lighthouse.

There's a Lighthouse on the hillside,
That over looks life's sea
When I'm tossed it sends out a light
That I might see
And the light that shines in darkness now
Will safely lead us o'er
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
My ship would be no more.

And I thank God for the Lighthouse
I owe my life to Him
For Jesus is the Lighthouse
And from the rocks of sin
He has shown a light around me
That I could clearly see
If it wasn’t for the Lighthouse
Where would this ship be?

As the challenge hostess for Bible Verse Thursday at Christian Paper Crafts, I bring you another challenge this week.  To memorize this scripture from Psalm 119:105.  An easy one to commit to memory, and... to make a project  following the theme of this scripture. You can use this scripture on it, or another scripture of your choice.  You can link your project up here:  Bible Verse Thursday.

My project was made using stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs which offers the most wonderful assortment of scripture stamps and accessories. 

The lighthouse below is practically a hop, skip and a jump from my home.  I've photographed it many times, but this one is my favorite.  Notice the boat passing by.  This popular location was used to film a scene from the Forrest Gump movie.  More importantly it serves it's purpose well, still lighting the way for many.

I am linking my project in this post to an Our Daily Bread Design blog challenge - Anything Goes.  Have a blessed day my friends.  Thanks for stopping by.  

Happy Monday to You

Free Vintage Postcard ~ Wednesday

This is a fun vintage postcard above, which is part of a series of the days of the week.  Don't you think the way of corresponding years ago was much nicer than today.  I think this beats an email, text or voice message.  

The next image is a pretty congratulations postcard.  I'm going to use it on a card I'm making for a friend who recently retired, and a young lady who just had her 8th grade graduation.  

Free Vintage Postcard ~ Congratulations

I used one of the schooner images I had on here to make a Father's Day card for my husband and thought you might like to take a look.  

Father's Day Card I made for my hubby

Below is a scripture card I made with a passage from Psalm 107.  We handed these out to the men in church yesterday.  Yours free if you'd like, click on the image for a larger size.

Free Scripture Card

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, 

your ears will hear a voice behind you saying.  

"This is the way; walk in it.".  

Isaiah 30:21

Thanks for stopping by to visit and for all the kind comments you leave me.  I appreciate each and every one of you and love to see your happy faces on the side of my blog.  Have a blessed Monday my friends.