Spring

Sowing in hope: My lovely planting day

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I planted bulbs on Sunday.   I planted them in hope.  I planted for the joy of  life and color and beauty in my yard.   The gladiolus will grow five feet tall so I placed them in the rear to shout with firm conviction “Hello!  I’m over here! ”   The coolest thing about the glad is they are cutting plants and I think that means they grow a lot and love to be cut and shared. 

The next are gorgeous peony.   They grow ’bout 3 feet tall with full sweet rose like faces you’ ll want to kiss them all. In front of them are callas so pretty, slim and sweet.  Their graceful flutes endear me and really speak of chic.

The crocosmia, a zesty red, call humming birds to come and that means fun and noise and flutter beneath the summer sun.

For now the bulbs are all tucked in beneath the fertile beds and I will water, feed and search each day for their pretty little heads.

When all are up and the choir sings I’ll send their pics your way and you can judge if my dream came true from this lovely planting day.

Spring! Praise to the Giver of life!

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In Jesus we live and breathe and move and have our being.  In Him all things have been made and hold together and without Him nothing exists that was made. 

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He is the exact image of the invisible God. Jesus,  You are the penultimate Artisan.   You made everything to contain Your music and dance for the joy of being.  When Moses asked what You called Yourself You said I AM.  For every need You fill.  You are  Water to our thirsty,  Light to our dark,  Bread to our hunger,  Life to our death,  Hope to our despair.  You are  Father to the orphan.  Home to the homeless, Friend to the lonely,  Strength to the weak.

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You speak into every season and we welcome YOU into our Spring.  We say thank you as You welcome us into Your Spring!

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Bless the Lord O my soul

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And forget none if His benefits.

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Who crowns each moment of my life with something of sweetness and love to remind me that He is good.  As the water reflects the sky and hills,  may my thoughts not become dull or weary with Your faithfulness O my God.

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You have planted so many abilities and unique talents in each one of us.  All of creation speaks to your heart to bless and see us thrive where we are planted.  Give me eyes and heart to recognize and affirm the giftings I see in myself and others. 

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I see flowers filled with busy bees gathering pollen to mix it up with other plants bearing flowers.  Without  this interchange where would be the fruit?  Where  would be the  honey? What is it that is helping my life accept and gain blessings and sweetness from others?  Could it be the activity of the Holy Spirit?  Yes.

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You lead me beside quiet waters to restore my soul.  I am grateful for times less busy, less demanding yet I haven’t appreciated when those times have been forced on me from illness or when my abilities are no longer needed.  I have felt sad, frustrated, sidelined, useless.  I forget you are not a silent observer.  You wept at Lazarus’ funeral even though you knew all along you would be calling him back to life from his tomb.  Easter is coming.  I need to daily rise from the ashes of my disappointments.  I know because You live, Jesus, I also live.  I live.  You came to turn my chaos  onto order; my self pity into purpose.  You are my Good Shepherd.

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As flowers strain to catch the sun rays and thrive when basking fully in its light, I ask for a constant infusion of Your Light in my thinking, my heart, my choices.  King David said “Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere.  My heart and soul cries out for You, the Living God.  Your words are water to my soul.”

Stones: Reminders

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God told Moses to whitewash rocks and write His words on them to be a perpetual reminder of His character, His laws, His love, His purposes for it is out of the doing that His goodness, protection and health will flow into their lives. 

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The Aposle Paul urged his church family in Philippians 4:8 to discipline their thinking to focus on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy.

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A few years ago I whitewashed stones and wrote Paul’s words on each one then placed them in my garden to remind me.  Sometimes it pricks me when I find myself being grumpy and whiney.  Those words become my map calling for a redirection in my thinking and attitudes.

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The stones have become weathered and the messages worn over the years.  Its time for Spring cleaning, renewing vows and applying again the words of life.