Pondering this month about life in the garden, no matter how we live, by that I mean the circumstances of our lives. We are to blossom. Some of us bear small showy flowers in abundance or large in abundance. Others bloom once in their lives and it is finished. 

The problem as I see it is that often we are not aware that no matter where we are planted we add to the world.  What made this real for me this week after the death of a dear friend was the sight of some poppies growing in a crack in my driveway right under the garage door. Minuscule little plants with tiny flowers. Growing through the concrete with no visible sign of soil. Hmm that made me think about God and how He uses each one of us in different ways. The purposes of God are beyond explaining and there was no obvious to me,  reason for those wee flowers to be there, as right next to them are some huge poppies planted in good soil. But God is the giver of life and He numbers our days. More than that He plans ahead of time the works we are to do. 

Ephesians 2: ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I have no answers  as life is unfolding day by day. 

My dear heart and I are celebrating our 50th anniversary next Saturday. Why do we have so much time together and others with less baggage get the shortened version. Maybe it takes this long to unravel the parts that need the redemptive work of our God.  We are blessed with our children, their spouses and 4 wonderful grandsons. A church family that loves us and friends who stand with us during the unfolding of the senior experiences. Health can become an issue with surprising swiftness, pain can come to stay in the body parts, and what matters most is the ability to count the blessings each and every day. Sharing the joy with each other. Making new friends can be a delight and maintaining contact with friends and neighbours a true heart warming experience. It seems so much easier to tell them you love them with a sincere heart these later years. The busyness of life is diminishing and the yearning to have no regrets each day makes love and forgiveness the path of choice. 

^{Psalm 105:39} He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give light at night. ⁴⁰ They asked, and he brought them quail; he fed them well with the bread of heaven. ⁴¹ He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.

There are some things that bring joy to my heart, Quail being one of them. I bought a cement set of mother and babies quite a while ago, like several years earlier. My neighbour and I discuss them fairly often, she hates them as they dig up her garden, I  love the way they run and talk to each other and I don't mind that they make a mess as I have two dogs and they certainly do. There was this fantastic stand in at the Salvation Army store the other day with three burls and a root of sorts. I jumped at it and brought it home. My quail were needing paint and fixing so that was my project last Friday. I will be setting these darlings out in my garden and hopefully the quail will enjoy them as well. I just have to seal their cotes and let it dry and then they will be au natural, at least in my mind. 

My newest family of Quail guaranteed to stay put.

There are so many joy givers in my life, in my garden and surrounding me. The trees will be pruned soon and as they have been neglected they should be much happier. Gardening will be beginning soon and that will bring me some much needed exercise. There are so many chores to begin, planting all my begonias will start soon. They do so much better if I start them in my kitchen but oh the clutter, each year they survive and I have more and more. If I were to have one wish is they could smell like  a lily or gardenia. Maybe I just want too much. The perfection of the blooms is amazing and they are so elegant, I plant them right outside my dining room window  past the quail and the humming birds flutter around there at meal times. 

Spring in the garden

James 5:7-11

 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9 Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!  10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. NIV

There is a time of year that life awakens afresh, my heart sings and the birds chirp, the quails run around and the sun once again shows it's lovely face. The snowdrops present their pure white faces under the fallen leaves, pushing aside the clutter to be fresh and new again. The garden is always patient, no matter the winter snow or storms or winds. Broken branches, broken trees, lying waiting for the sun and rain to complete the breaking down into soil or at least a living home for bugs, animals and plants. Leaves lying waiting for the rain to beat, the sun to shine and break them into great new soil. 

I wonder why I am not so patient, wishing for the next step in the journey, wishing for the surgery so Don could enjoy his meals and we won't be so anxious waiting for the choking to end. The truth is we don't even know if that will accomplish the desired results. We will get the call and make plans to go to Vancouver for the week sometime in the next few months.  

 Not so Don, he patiently passes each day, just pleasantly waiting the next directive from me or the Dr.s. Patience in the face of suffering, endless headaches, not much sleep at night, every day an endurance test  and doing his routines. He cuddles with the two white snugglers who adore him and wait patiently for him to arise each morning at 11 as is his habit. Dancing around in glee as he appears, waiting to see if he forgot that they had their wake up cookies and just maybe they will get another one. Breakfast and cuddles with the main man on the recliner. Their days are simple and delightful. 

The winter wind blew in our daughter in January for an extended stay. She brightens up our lives and brings a form of spring, many phone calls, lots of friends, busyness and adventures each day. A life force that cannot be denied is present when she is in a room. Laughter is always at the ready, stories are endless and new friends made as she presents each of her friend with their lives and stories.

I will persevere in this journey of living in the presence of spring's arrival. Expectant and cautiously optimistic, planting again the seeds for the crops to harvest later in the year. Spring is coming and clean up begins. I want to be patient and established in the Lord, not fretting, not fearing, standing firm for what is right, unafraid, and dear Lord, make me holy as you are holy. Celebrating each day and enjoying the moments. Waiting for the moment that He comes in His glory. Maranatha! Even so come Lord Jesus.

The Soil in My Life

^{Mark 4:26} He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”  ³⁰ Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ³² Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” The Message

What is the soil of my life actually like as I ponder the New Year. I've noticed over the years that changes happen. In the beginning I used to turn the sods over, sift all the soil to remove the rocks, many wheelbarrows of those heavy things. Hours of working with the grandsons and Emma from next door. We learned many things about each other as we dug and turned and added compost and other things before the plantings.  I used to think my spiritual  soil was like that and I worked so hard, taking courses, reading books, listening to speakers, trying to root out those stubborn traits of self-will, anger, irritation, abruptness, the rocks of  self-righteousness, and self-justification. It was hard work turning my will and life over to God especially when I had to help Him so much. 

Now it is much easier, no sods to turn just layer newspaper and pile on the new dirt that comes from composting. I have several composting bins and they are not done all that well but every second year I have the rich black stuff. I love to spread it around. I know that if I were more disciplined that I could use it every year. It seems I have so much else to do that I don't fret about it just do what I can day by day. It is easier now for the soil in my life is softer, more loving, more gentle, kinder, less angst railing against injustice and evil. I think aging does that. I am learning to treasure the moments of joy in each day, delighting in every moment, encouraging my dear heart as the headaches seem to increase weekly. The unknown is still present but this moment is fresh and new and full of promise, if not for great expectations, then the presence of the Living God for each new adventure. 

To be honest I am not making any new beds and am actually attempting to decrease the areas, allowing for fewer weeds to take root. It is like that for relationships as well. I no longer harbor hurt feelings or annoyances and save them up for the week to rehash all that others have done to me. It is such a waste land of energy and joy stealing. I treasure those that phone and visit and know that others are all busy in their lives and are not deliberately avoiding me. I am blessed with a family of fine young, and not so young adults. One special younger grandson, who painted me a tree of life for my Christmas present. A wonderful reminder that trees grow only with good soil and dear Lord make my life that good soil. You know the right mix in my life to bring forth fruitful soil.