Great Gardens

We can find inspiration in the most random of ways. This morning my inspiration came through a Nursery truck that was driving past. It had the words, “Great Gardens Begin Here” written across the side. That was the claim and slogan for this local nursery. It occurred to me that this could also be the claim and slogan for the Bible, with the “garden” being our lives.  Our gardens can be “great” when we allow God to be the Gardener, helping us to grow and flourish into an abundant display for His glory. God’s Word is the seed, our hearts are the soil, and praise, prayer and fellowship are the water that is so necessary for continual and healthy growth.

LORD, Help my heart to be fertile soil, letting Your Word grow in my life and change me. May I blossom into a beautiful display of Your love, peace, hope and joy. May my life be a reflection and testimony to the work of the Ultimate Gardener.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

Matthew 13:23, ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears 

the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a 

hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Honeysuckle Day

This morning as I took a morning walk before church I prayed, “Dear LORD, help me to notice the beauty all around me, lift me eyes and make me aware of all the sights, sounds and smells that surround me; help me to feel Your wonderful Presence and live surrendered to You today. Help me to not be consumed by the menial tasks that demand my attention, but instead put You first, to make You my number one priority and let all the rest fall into place. Thank you LORD, for Your peace which surpasses all understanding.  In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Today I didn’t stop to smell the roses, but as I continued my walk I encountered the sweet fragrance of Honeysuckle floating around me. I leaned in close and held a blossom from the vine up to my nose, gently inhaling its’ intoxicating aroma. May my Honeysuckle morning set the proper tone for a Honeysuckle day, a sweet fragrance of peace and awareness of God’s Presence all day long.

2 Corinthians 2:14, But thanks be to God, who always leads us in

 triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

Wave Princess

Today my aunt and I ventured to the beach for another outing. This time I brought my Boogie Board along for the day in hopes of catching a few waves. I know this sport is often reserved for the younger crowd, but maybe I fit the bill since I like to consider myself young at heart. My board is pinkish purple in color and is actually called “Wave Princess”. I sat with my aunt awhile, warming my body in the bright sunshine, building the courage to enter the brisk water. It wasn’t long before I left the comfort of my chair and the safety of the sand, and with my board in hand I made my way to the waters’ edge. It was chilly as my feet stepped in, as my legs made their way deeper into the water, and as the waves splashed completely over me. I let out a shriek as the cool water shocked me for a brief second; soon the temperature felt perfect for such a warm day, refreshing and heavenly.

As I stood there facing the approaching waves the same song came to mind (last week it was the verses about God’s wave of love crashing over me); this time the lyrics that played in my head went like this, “You make me brave; You call me out beyond the shore into the waves”. I was reminded that God often calls us out of our comfort zone into a new ‘adventure’, sometimes one that we’re eager to jump into, other times one we’re very reluctant to join and even try to decline with a “No way”, or a polite “No thank you”.

Remembering that whatever God calls me to, whatever opportunity, situation, blessing or problem, relationship, or task, He is always with me, He’s beside me and will never leave me; that makes me brave, even willing to face the seemingly impossible. He makes me brave enough to get out of my comfy chair and step beyond the shore into the waves. He makes me feel like a “Wave Princess”.

Hebrews 13:5-6, for He Himself has said, “I will never   desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” ⁶ so that we confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.

Side by Side

We are never too old for fun and adventure, and what a joy when we find someone to join us in doing something very spontaneous and out of the ordinary!  For some strange reason since we moved into our house I have wanted to sleep out on our balcony, and until recently I had not been able to find anyone to join me… imagine that! My always adventurous sister was sleeping over a couple of nights ago and as we stood in the backyard looking up at the stars I mentioned my desire to sleep on the front balcony and to my surprise she immediately volunteered to join me that very night. I was filled with giddiness and glee! I excitedly ran to find the sleeping bags and pillows and a couple of thick blankets to cushion the floor. We quickly got our pajamas on, went out onto the balcony, and climbed into our sleeping bags. We lay there like kids, side by side in the dark; talking heart to heart, giggling like young girls, staring at the Big Dipper which spread out in the sky before our very eyes. We heard the crickets chirping and the frogs croaking, a fountain trickled in the distance, random dogs let out a bark now and then, and a cool breeze gently blew past, barely brushing over our faces.

Two adult women, both sisters and friends, choosing to sleep on a balcony when two perfectly comfy beds awaited inside. Was what we did practical? Was it well-planned out? Was it even considered normal? Absolutely not!!! And that’s what made it so much fun!  I thank the LORD for the joy that is found in the spontaneous, out of the ordinary things, and I thank the LORD even more, for my sister who was by my side in this wacky adventure. It was perfect that after all these years, she was the one who camped out, side by side with me.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, ⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.¹⁰ For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. ¹¹ Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? ¹² And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.