Renee🌻

Let it Begin With Me-

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Peace on earth, good will towards friends!

“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him… We need not wait to see what others do.”~ Mahatma Gandhi

During this year, I have written several posts on “greater” vision, “tunnel,” “blurry,” “new,” “His,” and “distorted” vision, and (of course) “20/20,” vision.

If I hadn’t already been wearing some, I would have seriously thought I needed a strong pair of glasses this year!🤣 The things we have seen have made us question our own sanity at times! Some days were like living on an alternative planet!

One thing’s for sure, our “vision” has drastically been changed and sorely tested by empty shelves, destructive weather, rampant disease, rioting in the streets, political upheaval, nation divided and fear on every hand.

“Double vision.” Sitting by a window of a nice Mexican restaurant on the bay.

In my own town, since late December of 2019, we have experienced a record amount of bad weather and tornadoes. The first tornado flipped a car over into the ditch and took the roof off a home. All involved were fine, thank the Lord!

The second tornado woke me up in predawn hours, resembling the sound of a train rumbling along its tracks. There was a visible path from my niece and brothers’ homes running through the woods, southeast towards our property. It took half the roof off my oldest brother’s home and tree tops towards our home. That was the first of three tornados that day, which touched down one mile from my home. The other two tornadoes that formed, snapped trees like twigs, uprooted some big oaks, damaged roofs, homes and destroyed a few barns.

Stopped by the train on our way home.

Then along came Hurricane Zeta, August 28. It uprooted a few big trees in our yard, took more tops out of others, scattered billions of limbs and leaves and took half the top off our shed. Our home, for the most part, was ok. Again, a tornado coming through took the roof off my niece’s home this time, damaging the insides with rain, and my oldest brother’s roof was taken off AGAIN. There was a visible path toward our home once more.

With this year alone, 2020 held the record for 30 named storms. Hurricane Zeta made landfall on August 28, in my area, along with 11 others throughout the hurricane season. This beat 2005’s record of 28 named storms for the year —with the only difference of this year having 13 storms turn into hurricanes, compared to 2005’s 15.

A church damaged by Zeta

Yes, this year has been like no other! Even through all this craziness, I can truly say I’ve been blessed! God has given me wonderful friendships here in this community. I’ve had lots of nature walks, walks by the beach. I’ve learned to not take anything or anyone for granted, especially freedom to worship.

So with all this being said…

Let This Be the Moment Now

Where we rub our eyes and ask ourselves the question, what vision will we have in 2021?

I pray, LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH.
And LET IT BEGIN WITH ME.

The Peace That Was Meant to Be

And HOPE. Let’s not forget that one!

Happy New Year my friends!

25 comments

  1. Happy New Year Renee! I’m so thankful for the close friendship we’ve developed even in the chaos! Your love, support and encouragement is priceless. I’m so blessed by you my friend!💜🙏

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    • Happy New Year, Viv! My heart is touched and full at the same time! Thank you so much for your love, support and inspiration to me! It means a tremendous bunch to me! You are a blessing in my life! Love you! 💜

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  3. Yes, you have really been through it in 2020. We were fortunate that none of those hurricanes turned towards north Florida. We’ve had some strong straight-line wind storms and some people have had tree & roof damage. A tornado came through a small town just west of Jacksonville on Christmas Eve. Even with all the hardships, losing my job due to covid and not seeing my kids and grandkids for a year, I feel blessed to have not gotten sick or struggle with bills. This was a really great post! 🙂

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  4. happy new year and again I liked the video snippet – it brings so much to a post – :)\
    and cheers to better things in store for 2021 –
    and you area really did have some crazy storms and events come and go – we had that here back in 2003 and 2004 –
    oh and the reminder to “let it begin with me”
    whew – I think if more folks realized how powerful their impact can be on the mood and attitude of otters – well folks would offer more smiles and kindness –
    and if more Christians really knew the power of prayer – they would do it more – but I digress a bit here –
    happy new year amiga

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  7. I remember those storms coming in on you guys!! Just amazing, how many there were. It has certainly been a rough year, and there’s been much said about what 2021 may hold, but I know that we serve a God that neither leaves us nor forsakes us! I thank God for that… that even when WE are weak… even when the world around us is WEAK… the Creator of it, and us, is STRONG!! And He gives His angels charge over us, praise His Name! I couldn’t be more thankful to know HIm and to be HIS ❤ Thank you, as always, for sharing your beautiful thoughts and pictures! 🙂

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    • We are finally rebuilding the shed. Through it all, we were blessed! He is right there with us, standing strong for us! And oh yes, so thankful He gives the angels charge over us! I’m sure I have worried my poor guardian angel to a frazzle! I’m sure glad to be God’s daughter!
      Thank you, Stacey, for reading and sharing with me! Love you! 💜

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  9. Renee, I pray the storm and fire seasons will quiet down in 2021. I am not really affected by either, but I have experienced wildfires when I lived in Montana. May we all continue to praise God for His blessings.

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    • Hey V! It could because the first time I published, I did not notice it was publishing it to 2019! That happens sometimes when I go through my phone through “themes,” “support,” etc., all from my WP phone app. I had to go back and update! 🤦‍♀️ I’m just glad you found me! 🤗
      Oh goodness, I pray God gives us all the strength to make it through every step of the journey in 2021. 💜

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