Another big storm is in the forecast tomorrow, so today, I cleared the fallen leaves off my backyard to keep them from clogging the floor drain and standing water. When I finished the work, I took some time to enjoy my clean backyard. Suddenly I found my white gerbera daisy has already bloomed. Then the lantern flower our neighbor gave us looked a little withered, but it also formed a small “lantern,” which is beautiful! Then I looked at my hydrangea, seemingly dead from the cold but quietly started to grow new buds on each branch as if it couldn’t wait for the spring to come and then show off its beautiful state.
Seeing the growth of these plants, one cannot but marvel at the beauty and power of life. Although it has to endure the cold winter, the leaves and branches may wither and even be pruned, but life needs the alternation and cycle of the four seasons to grow and become splendid. The same goes for our life. It has its ups and downs, but it is all part of a cycle that will bring us to a place of growth and understanding. After the tempering of the cold winter, it will become stronger and know how to cherish spring’s warmth, grasp summer’s sunshine, and then get a bumper harvest in autumn. Yet through all this, our God, our Father, the best Gardener, is with us. He prunes us, tending to and providing for us through the good and bad times.
Life on earth is beautiful and powerful because the God who gave it is loving and powerful. He truly makes everything beautiful in its time.
Chinese Version (中文版本)：
“神 造 萬 物 ， 各 按 其 時 成 為 美 好” （傳道書 3:11）
天氣預報明天會有另一場大風雨，所以今天我清理了後院的落葉，以免堵塞地漏和積水。當工作完成後，我滿意地欣賞一下被我打掃乾淨的院子。突然間我發現我白色的非洲菊竟然已經開花。然後鄰居送我們的燈籠花雖然看起來好像有點凋零，但卻也結了一個小小的“燈籠”，非常好看！然後再看看我那似乎已經被冷得枯死，連葉子都乾了的繡球花，卻已經悄悄得開始在各個枝子上長出了新芽，似乎迫不及待地等到春天的到來，然後再展現她的美態。
看見這些植物的生長，不能不讚嘆生命的美麗和能力。雖然要經過寒冬，葉子會有枯萎，枝子會有枯乾，甚至被修剪的時候，但生命就是需要四季的交替和循環才能得以成長和變得燦爛。我們的人生也是一樣。它有起有落，但它都是一個循環的一部分，讓我們成長。當經過寒冬的熬煉，才會變得更堅強。懂得珍惜春天的暖和，把握夏天的陽光，然後得到秋天的豐收。然而在這一切的中間，我們的神，我們的天父，那最好的園丁，一直和我們同在。祂把我們修理乾淨，灌溉和供應我們的需要。
地上的生命是美好和滿有能力，正因為那賜生命的神是充滿愛和能力。
It’s the new year, and I wanted to restart something that I did ten years ago — keeping a thanksgiving journal to count my blessings daily. But instead of posting it on Facebook as I did ten years ago, this time is on my blog. God’s love and grace exist in little things around us, which are only noticeable through a thankful heart. I am looking forward to a year of thankfulness. And may my Daily Grace blog also be a blessing to everyone who reads it and be a source of inspiration and motivation for all of us to be more mindful and thankful for the small blessings we often take for granted.
Raisins & Apples Bible Devotional & more 
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從很多的環境中, 我們看到神設計萬物都有時間及作用. 秋天的落葉, 冬天的枯萎, 春天的再生到夏天的旺盛; 真的讚嘆這造物主奇妙地將一切放在其中.
當思想我們的人生時, 祂何嘗不是用很多不同的環境去琢磨造就我們呢? 透過一切事情, 不單止使我們經歷祂的同在. 並且使我們在不同環境中學習及明白這位使萬事互相效力, 叫愛祂的人得益處的神.
越久越明白祂的愛不只是在我們覺得是祂祝福我們的時候, 並且在艱難困境中也是祂愛的設計
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