How Does Your Garden Grow?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

Ahem…. it doesn’t.

Tried a garden plot, spot and pot…..  never seems to grow.

I’ve read books, magazines and asked the old timers in my community.

Once was told I couldn’t kill mint….. ahem, it never grew!  So, I added a little fertilizer and killed it.

Dead.

Deader than dead.

I gave up for a few years.  But now I am determined.  I just want a salad.  Nothing big.  Nothing real special.  Just a salad.

I saw on Pinterest a few months ago, a picture of dresser drawers turned into shelves.  That was right up my alley insanity.  A friend was moving and had thrown out an old dresser.  I begged her for her drawers….. that’s DRESSER drawers!!!  Geez!!

Anyway, I obtained these drawers and well…… they were too heavy for my walls.  I didn’t want to waste them nor my friend’s generosity.  So, I did the next best thing…..

Garden Drawers!!

Crazy I know.  But, why not!  Just maybe I will actually have a fresh salad that I ACTUALLY grew!

Enjoy your weekend!  God bless…..

Sermon in a Potato Chip Bag

Teachings of humility…. That’s this week’s Bible readings.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

    “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

  “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14

Humble yourself before God.  Don’t have the attitude of “being all that.”

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:24-28

Humble yourself to serve others.

If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.  But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:9-11

Humble yourself by taking the backseat.

I ask around the lighted candles, “What does it mean to be humble?”

Respect each other.

To serve others.

To put others before you.

The mother-teacher in me had to take it a little further….. I think it is an attitude.  You can’t go around thinking you are all that and a bag of chips.

Mark pipes in…… Because you will find out that you are really just a crumb in the bottom of the bag.

God Bless…..

 

Green Thumb Prayer

As a child, I spent many hours at my Grandma Cannon’s house.  She is the inspiration behind my God and Grandma series from long ago.  She is the reason I am frugal and from her own great wisdom, I learned a great deal about family and life.

Last night, I watched a documentary.  I know I shouldn’t have…… ignorance can be so blissful.   A couple of years ago, I read the book, Eating Animals.  I swore off eating animal products.  Then wouldn’t you know it….  higher gas and food prices drove me right back to buying it because of the cheaper costs and the idea of getting more for my money.

After last night’s documentary, “Food, Inc.,’ I can not continue to do so.  I watched with my mouth wide open at the chemicals added and that washed the food I serve my family.  I gasped in horror how “grass fed” was defined.  The image still haunts me. I couldn’t finish it.

I went to bed crying.

I cried for the treatment of those animals.  I cried out of guilt for not continuing the healthier organic meals.  I cried out.  I felt sick, mad, and ignorant.

Ignorant because I fell into believing our food is safe.  I want to believe the cute farm pictures on the packages.  To believe happy cows are what I eat.  The ugly truth….. though, emerged before my eyes.

I prayed.  I prayed hard.  I prayed that my family and friends will understand my guilt.  I prayed that the conditions of the farm factories are righted.  I prayed for forgiveness.  I prayed for a green thumb.  Grandma’s green thumb.  She could make anything grow.  I haven’t had the success.

I prayed for guidance and for wisdom.  Prayed for motivation and perseverance.  Let’s face it…… Mark and the kids will feel deprived.  I prayed for their palates to change and want the fresh good foods.  I prayed for the time and money it would require.  I prayed for it all.

God bless…..

Precious Mother-to-be

Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Isaiah 1:5 MSG

Round womb where love grows.

Laughter and joy pilled out and filled the room…..

God’s creation.  God’s precious gift.  A beautiful woman with child…. a joyous heart , a leaping heart, a grateful heart…..

She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly, You’re so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed! Luke 1:40-41

Hands resting on the fullness, caressing the precious gift….. did Mary do the same?

Stories told from friends of “When I was……”  Love poured out over the mother-to-be.  Rekindling memories of holding that dear sweet baby.  The sweet milky breath, the warm cuddles, the rocking gently in the wee hours……  watching, protecting, and teaching…..

And like toddlers, they will get up and fall down, get bruised and confused and lost.  Isaiah 28:13 MSG

We kiss boo-boos.  Wipe away tears.  Love the hurt away.  Just as God does with me daily.

Stories of love and wonder shared.  Did Mary have such an experience?  OR was she isolated and shamed?

Long expected joy will soon enter this world.  Joy birthed from pain.  Pain suffered for a new birth to be thrust into this world. Such joy.  Marvelous joy.  God fed joy.

When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there’s no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. John 16:21-22 MSG

A baby born in a manger.  Given gifts for a king.  Under Mary’s care, grew into the man, the miracle worker, the lamb of God…… His birth.  His pain and death.  Our joy birthed.

The Shower Gift

If you haven’t already done so….. run out and get this book!!

It is full of shower gift ideas!  I made my dear friend the stroller bag and a ribbon ball.  I cut, sewed and awed in just over 2 hours!!

Enjoy this beautiful spring day!!  God bless

My Little Faith

Dear God…..I have such little faith.  The walls are so deafening silent.  My heart torn and taken with my children.  I heard Your message Sunday on worry.  Oh, why then do I worry?  James said to do and not just hear.  Yet, that is exactly what I have done.  I’ve done nothing but worry.

My mind isn’t on studying your word this morning.  It’s laced with the remains of an empty crouton bag and imitation bacon bit jar.  Lord, I am so sorry for my little faith.  Paul said he didn’t understand why he did things that he did.  I, too, don’t understand.  I want to do right but seldom do with food.

Oh, Father, God, please ease my worry.  Help me to do the right thing not the easy thing.  Empower my choices and lead me away from the food temptations. Forgive me for not doing and having such little faith…. Amen