More on Proverbs 31

What a full and rewarding day it was here today! About 11:30 this morning we went to the fairgrounds in Centreville to hear our kids and some of their friends play praise and worship for the Christian festival that was held there today. They have practiced so hard for a long time. Their band is called "With Abandon." They were the opening band and it was a beautiful day for those who came out to join in the fun. We had so many other things to do that we left shortly after they were done playing, but enjoyed hearing them and seeing a few friends that were there. I thought they were great, but I'm a bit prejudiced as a mom!

When I got home I decided to ride my bike over to a friends house about 1/2 mile away to attend her garage sale. Business was a bit slow so we had a nice little visit before I rode on home. That gave me a little extra exercise as the wind was against me all the way to her house. Real good workout. I had walked for about 1/2 hour this morning and so coupled together that was good exercise.

When I arrived back home I quickly set to work papering Mom's west kitchen wall. Rhiannon had recently painted it bright, true red on the bottom. I bought a fine print blue and white paper for the upper part @ $1/roll!!!! Yes, it was a bargain. I put that up in just a few hours. It went together really nicely though the print was so tiny it was a little tricky to match. What a beautiful, fresh look it gives the kitchen and so far the whole project, even counting materials I decided not to use, is about $30. I had bought a paper border for $1/roll as well, but we decided to put up chair rail instead. That's the only part left to finish. Mom's kitchen has white cupboards with a tiny beading stripe in them. We have decorated the room with accessories of a farm kitchen. Some antiques, mostly in the primary colors, sit above her cupboards. There are bowls, tin signs, wicker chickens, plates, milk bottles, and old pie plates. All in all, it's one of my favorite rooms in the house. The decor could be described as "1930-40's farm kitchen." Mom was able to secure an old enamel top table several years ago with two matching red chairs that are now in mint condition after a friend touched them up and recoverd the chairs. The table has a red design. It completes the whole look. I intend to put some blue and white dishes on the newly papered wall along with the feed sacks that were already hanging there. Her red-checked curtains on the window were a nice accent.

As soon as I got done, a knock came on Mom's door and old friends we hadn't seen in a long, long time had come to visit. The daughter is my age and we hadn't seen each other in over a year, maybe longer. If she's reading this, she can comment and make herself known if she wants!!! We walked out to the English garden and sat in the center and visited. It was a lovely day for garden sitting! We had the nicest long visit and it was truly a highlight of my day! As we sat there, numerous hummingbirds flitted by visiting the many flowers, coral bells being their current favorite. Many were the ruby throated varieties. They look like jewels floating in the air. Wonderful!

After our friends left we grilled chicken on the deck and I made a "kabob" out of onions, peppers, and tomatoes. It was yummy with a sauce I concocted out of stuff in the fridge. Rhiannon did up the dishes and I went out to do some little garden chores. I used a poison ivy killer on some of that weed that had come up between my flowers. I hope this will do the trick without killing the flowers. It had come up between the leaves of echinacea and a liatris. I really am trying to get both those flowers going in profusion and don't want to lose them. I was trying to be really careful. After that I sprayed the last of my insecticidal soap on my potatoes and hollyhocks. It's expensive stuff, but totally organic and harmless. It seemed to control potato bugs in other years and so it was worth the price.

What's new in the garden? The peonies opened yesterday as well as a little miniature rose. I picked a quart of strawberries today--the first ones!! Wow, that seems early. They are certainly tasty and the bed is loaded with berries. I noticed some of the flower seeds I planted are coming up; morning glories, nicotania, bachelor's buttons.

Just a little side note. For those of you who have read "The Fields of May," I have a few little tidbits in there leading up to some events that occur in the sequel. Did any of you pick up on that when reading the book? I'm curious. If so, let me know. Since I'm working diligently on the sequel and the third book, I'm wondering if anyone had ideas about how the story might continue to unfold while they were reading the first book. I am dedicated, though to not giving out too much detail on the contents of the next one, so you'll have to read it to connect the two stories!

A few more thoughts on Proverbs 31. Clint's grandma, Sally, an avid gardener, once told me something I'll never forget. She joked about how she often thought of verse 14 of that chapter every time she went out to her vegetable garden to pick the crops. Her garden seemed a long way from her back door. She said she thought of the phrase, "she brings her food from afar," while she was hauling all those beans, corn, tomatoes, etc., in to the kitchen. I think of that often when I'm in the garden. I suppose it was really ringing true all winter as I trudged out to the chicken coop to gather eggs in sub-zero weather. It seemed like it was "afar" for sure! Well, we should be able to apply the tiniest phrases of the Bible to our lives, shouldn't we?

How about a few thoughts from verse 23--"Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land." This woman's diligence, wisdom, and virtue even helps the rest of the family. It almost sounds like her good qualities help to elevate her husband in the eyes of others. After all, what would it be like for a man of high character to have a wife whose life was characterized by foolishness and lack of discernement? It would certainly reflect negatively on him. This challenges me to be mindful of how I behave because it reflects on my husband and my family. A good wife is a blessing to a man. I am working on being a blessing.

Verse 25 reads, "strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come." I want to be clothed in strength and honor, don't you? I want to know there is a time of rejoicing coming for me. Living in wisdom clothes you in a very profound way. Even though the rewards of right living may not be immediate, there is coming a time when the righteous will flourish and our God will set right all the wrongs. His people will receive their reward and things will be run the way God intended. This is a day we can all look forward to with joy. Let's ponder the wonderful reward of being a child of God who can look forward to many future blessings as well as the glories of a wonderful day like today! Blessings, LORI

Comments on Proverbs 31

We've certainly had the weather extremes here in Michigan! One day this week it was 85 degrees and humid and the next day in the low 60's, chilly and damp. We've gone from frost at night to summer weather and nearly back again in just a few short days. Today we had a lovely, even temperatured May day. I hung two or three loads of laundry out on the line and the stiff breeze dried things quickly. But the last load to go out was retrieved just before a few sprinkles hit. The sky became very dark, covered with clouds that reminded me of a blanket. It grew a bit chilly and I thought we were in for some major rain and weather change. Just about then Clint and I were heading to Three Rivers for dinner to use up some gift certificates and do a little grocery shopping. By the time we got there, the sun was shining and the weather looking very pleasant again. Amazing. Everyone in Michigan always says, 'if you don't like the weather, wait 20 minutes; it will change!' How true that's been lately!

I was finishing my house cleaning this morning as usual for a Friday. After I got a few chores done I decided to make time to go put out some perennials for sale by the road. There were more garage sales down our road and on the roads close by so I thought today was a good day to offer plants for sale. I potted up a few of things like various groundcovers, yarrow, daisies, a rose, etc. I also put out a basket of hollyhock seeds tied up in little sandwich bags. After most of the chores were done Mom and I went to meet Rhiannon for lunch. By the time we got back, I noticed that several plants were gone, so I checked my "donation" box. Some generous person left me $8 for seeds and plants! I was thrilled! Wow, all that for just a little work--work that I enjoy, no less! The plants would have just had to be thrown out or I'd have had to hunt to find more spaces for them. These were all plants that had multiplied out of control and were overrunning their boundaries throwing out all kinds of shoots. So I felt like that was a pretty good return on excess plants. I have saved the little plastic pots that I buy perennials and even annuals in for the last several years in anticipation of selling plants. Now all those excess plastic pots sitting in the barn are proving valuable.

I noticed other people today had plants out for sale. Maybe this is a trend. Most folks price theirs, but I feel it's easier to trust folks for a donation. That way I can pot starts of all different sizes and not feel I have to make many different price calculations or leave change out for people. It works really well. A few years ago I really made a lot of money using the same method and putting extra garden veggies and fruit out. People are usually very generous and I've not had any trouble that I know of with anyone taking the money that is left out there.

I was glad to find a few grocery bargains tonight. For all of you who like convenience, how about creating a little of your own? I've been canning beef ever since Clint's grandmother showed me how to do it years ago. I watch for sales on round steak and buy about 12 -15 pounds of it when it's lower priced. I trim off the fat and cut it in little cubes. It's easy to can in the pressure cooker and then we have already-cooked meat that can be made into casseroles, beef and noodles, barbequed beef for sandwiches, etc. It's been a great time saver for me on many occasions. It makes its own wonderful juice right in the can and that can be used for gravy. Rhiannon just informed me the other day that we were running low on canned beef and I should watch for a sale. Well, tonight I found some. It went in the freezer and when I see another sale, I'll add to it again. Then when there's enough I'll can it in pints. I can fit 18 pints in my pressure cooker and that's alot of little meals! it's really not much work and the convenience is great. I sometimes like to just put things in the freezer for time's sake, but if we ever were to lose power for a period of time, much can be lost in a freezer. The canned goods will weather nearly any type of unforseen conditions! So it's nice to have a little store of both canned and frozen items.

Well, that's my encouragement for the day, but what does that have to do with anything of lasting spiritual value? While I thought of these things that characterized my day, I am reminded that just doing the everyday tasks has spiritual value. After all in Proverbs 31, the chapter we ladies are all so familiar with, the virtuous woman was doing everyday tasks and being called virtuous because of it! This woman is described as "bringing her food from afar," (verse14). She also provides enough food for her household and all her maidens (servant girls?), (verse 15). Provision and preparation of food is a major task she involves herself in. Permit me a little side note here--I mentioned going to a funeral yesterday. My husband has pastored for 17 years and in those years he has done an amazing amount of funeral services--about 74! I have noticed that people are often eulogized with remembrances of food they served. Yes, it's true! People love to get together and eat and I've heard praises given for moms who cooked for the family, grandpas and uncles who grilled chicken, etc. This happens over and over! Food is a unifying factor helping to create times of quality fellowship in families, friends, and churches. So, it stands to reason that a very virtuous quality for a woman is to involve herself in food selection and preparation. I have to admit that's a hard one for me. I'm not the greatest cook and I have to sort of force myself to plan for meals and then cook them. I much prefer the ideas in verse 13, "she seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands," or verse 22, "she makes tapestry for herself, her clothing is fine linen and purple," and verse 24,"she makes linen garments and sells them and supplies sashes for the merchants." Well, we all have our specialities!

Another intersting verse in this chapter says, "She considers a fields and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard," (verse 16). I was thinking about that today after $8 came in for excess plants. I hurried to dig up some more to sell with verse 16 frequently running through my head, "she sees a field...." I sometimes think we need to be looking for those little opportunities, especially in this economy both to save and to earn.

So much more could be said about this lovely chapter. It holds so much wisdom in every verse. I am challenged by it. Some verses are easier to live out than others. When I take the time to remember its admonitions, my daily tasks seem less mundane and I can sometimes look at them with a fresher perspective and realize they are of spiritual value even though it might be the same task I did yesterday and last week and every other week of my married life (like dusting!). The simple truth is that if no one does those mundane things, life is less pleasant for the family or even harder. For instance, what if everyone was so busy being "spiritual" that the laundry never got done? No one would have clean clothes. It's a no-brainer. Yes, there's lasting value in the simple chores of a household. I hope this is an encouragement to someone today. Blessings, LORI

70's Dress and Garden Pictures

Finally got a few pictures on here. Clint was kind enough to take a little time the other day to photograph me out in the English Garden in the newly finished 70's dress. I regret that the colors are not as vivid in these photos, but you get the idea. Even a few days later, the garden is in fuller bloom. All the shasta daisies are out and many other flowers are making a debut as well.

Do you like the curtains I put around the bed frame? Kori gave me those and they lend a real nice look to the whole scene out there. I am enjoying them and intending to rig up some sort of hanging system to place the many matching curtain panels all around the 3 open sides. I plan to tie them back to the poles most of the time and let them down for sun control and a bit of privacy for studying out there. That project remains yet to be done.

Today we were very busy at a funeral. Clint officiated and there was a lunch afterward with lots of family and friends to visit with. We got home about 3:30. I set to work straightening the house and doing a little cleaning, getting a head start on tomorrow's work. After I got done I took a walk to the woods. There were some berry bushes blooming and I thought I could get some little buds for my flower-pressing projects. Years ago a cousin helped me pick the very tiny little buds from a wild bush. I pressed them and the pale pink colors held well. I used these little buds in nearly every picture I made, but eventually ran out of them. They looked like little rose buds. Well, they were, come to find out! The berry buds look nearly like them and have a pale pink cast if you get them at the perfect stage of development--too far open and they have already turned white. Then I rounded the corner of the woods and there were very, very pink buds on a large bush just waiting for me. They are wild roses. They look so much like the berries that I had mistaken the berries for the flower I wanted. I picked many of them as well as alot of other flowers and leaves, came in the house and got them all pressed.

I noticed pairs of bluebirds and cardinals flitting around the yard this evening. Very pretty. I enjoyed watching them fly back and forth from the clothesline posts to the deck and out to the English Garden. They often land on the post by which I am standing in the picture. Their singing is wonderful.

I've been working rather diligently the last few days on both my books. They are actually both sequels to "The Fields of May." I am trying to push myself to get them ready for publishing. It's a big job, but so rewarding in the end. Don't know how long it will take. The second in the series is basically done, except for typing it up. The third is still under construction. I work on that one when I feel inspired, since it's still in the writing stages! I guess I got inspired yesterday!

In my last blog, I wrote a bit about the love chapter in 1Corinthians 13. The next day while I was reading the Bible I decided to try to memorize some verses. I started with the first few verses of Ephesians. I noticed more really important things about love in that chapter as well. In Ephesians 1:4 we read: just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. I found that really interesting. It seems to be indicating that we can be holy and blameless if we walk in love or "in Him" we are holy and blameless; but to be "in Him" is to walk in love. Heavy duty thoughts. Staying "in Christ" means walking in love. Just a lot of thoughts to ponder in one verse. I've thought about that for a while and still have the feeling that there's more to discover there!

Just a little note on the dress for you fashion and sewing fans. I don't know what the fabric is for sure, but it is very lemony-yellow and lightweight with a patchwork-style print of darker greens and even a little orange. The bodice laces up and is edged with ecru and white lace. I got the fabric for a very low price, like 88cents/yard or something. The cuffs are light green lace from a curtain I purchased for this project and the flounce lace matches. I realize the dress is very formal, but it is the most comfortable dress you could imagine. It swishes really nicely and just feels elegant. I think I constructed it for less than $20. I have much of the curtain fabric left to use for something else.

Garden picture notes: In the second picture I am standing by the entrance gate to the garden. It sits on a bit of a slant to the house. I have clematis climbing the gate on my right (just opened in bloom 2 days ago-after the picture!) and a very fragrant honeysuckle on my left. I confiscated that from JT and Kori's house where honeysuckle grows in such abundance that if you drive in their drive when it's in bloom, the scent is immediately distinguishable. The big bush to my right in the picture is a pale pink old fashioned climbing rose. It's very hardy and shoots out starters everywhere. It grows fast and is very lovely. The first picture is a view from the east side of the garden not too far from the gate. I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my garden and sewing projects! Blessings, LORI

A rather warm day here in Michigan today. I spent some time this morning getting the vegetable garden tilled. I thanked Clint for getting the tiller fixed; it's surely making my job easier. I am able to keep the vegetable garden so much cleaner with its help.

I planted three more tomatoes to make up for the ones that appear to be frost-bitten. In some of my work around the barn last week I found some old seeds that were given to me by a gentleman that came to our church a few years ago. He is now gone home to be with the Lord, but he was a pure delight to have in our church family. He was saved at about age 85 or so and Clint and the elders baptized him in Perrin Lake! He drove several miles to get to our church and was never late, actually arriving early for Sunday School each Sunday. I found that to be amazing. With all that distance to come, he showed up many of us who have a hard time making it to church on time when we are only a few miles away! His dedication was amazing. He gave me packet after packet of heirloom bean seeds to plant. For several years I planted them and tried to carefully mark them, saving some each planting for next year's crop. It's a lot of work to get into heirloom seed-saving. I admired him even more after I tried to do it! I decided to plant some of them again this year. I am running out of the originals that he gave me and so I have to be very careful to save them this fall when the crop is done. So, before quitting on the vegetable garden for the day, I planted a row of the seeds he gave me.

I noticed the strawberries are only days from ripening. It will be a treat to have fresh berries again after the long winter.

Later in the afternoon I worked in the English Garden. I was amazed at how many weeds had popped up just since yesterday. I had most of the garden weeded and looking pretty good. I watered and that really gave the weeds a boost. I spent quite a while out there in the sun weeding today. It's really looking good. I spread the last of the cocoa mulch. Some critter was eating it right from the bag. I hadn't opened the bag yet, but let it lay in the grass behind the garden. Something ate two holes in it and scattered some little bits of the mulch. I thought I better get the rest of it in place today.

Early this evening it began to rain. We are experiencing a nice steady, gentle rain. Just perfect for gardens. It's a soft rain and that's just right. This will really give all my seeds a boost. In the last few days I've planted the tomatoes, beans, nicotania (flowers), bachelor's buttons, zinnias, morning glories, and cleome seeds. Most of my green beans are up as well as potatoes and onions. It's amazing how fast stuff grows once it pops up and warm days mixed with the right amount of rain occur.

In the last few days I've been reading in 1 Corinthians. Today's reading was chapter 13, the famous love chapter. It struck me once again that I have a long way to go to arrive at being a "loving" person. I noticed at some time in the past I had penciled notes in around the chapter indicating that you can check your self on whether or not you behave in love by simply asking the descriptions of love in the form of questions. For instance the one that really hit me today was, "...is not easily provoked." Am I easily provoked? I had to answer, 'yes; much of the time.' There. Now I know when I do that I'm not acting in love. Then there's plenty more to check as well. "Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;" do I rejoice in truth? "Love suffers long and is kind..." do I suffer long; am I patient; am I kind while being patient or am I just enduring with clenched teeth? Ouch. Well, you get the idea. This chapter is a classic example of a scripture that is so familiar that we tend to overlook it because we nearly have it memorized. We hear it read at almost every wedding we've ever been to. But upon careful examination, we can really dig into it and get some deep truths to challenge our lives.

I got to knit a little bit this evening. After all, it's raining and you can't work outside all evening like most summer evenings. Seemed good to get back to a waiting project. I hope to post more thoughts on love tomorrow as well as some pictures if I can get my act together. Blessings, LORI

Are You Ready for Eternity?

It's a busy weekend around here. Still with all the busyness, I've found time to relax that is unlike most weekends. With Monday being a holiday, I got my cleaning job done on Saturday. Right after I finished cleaning, Ran and I intended to go to town for a few minor supplies and lunch. We were on the way when I got a call to go estimate for a few new cleaning jobs. That held up us a bit from our excursion, but I got that done and then we were off to Sturgis!



Lunch was late and we were both really hungry by the time we got to town. After eating we went to the store and I got three cards of buttons for the cuffs on the 70's dress. I spent much of the evening finishing the dress. I really like the outcome! I was able to wear it to church this morning with a necklace my mom had gotten me a while ago. The neckalce matched perfectly. People gave me many nice compliments. At first, Clint thought the dress might be a bit formal for church, but I assured him that people understand that I'm a little "different" with my styles and they are gracious to me on that! It's true, it looked like an old 70's prom dress. One lady commented to me, 'I love your dress! I'd wear that style if I could!'



What's blooming around here? Pretty much everything! Wow, is the garden enjoyable right now! One lonely little pale pink rose in our yard and no others, but most every iris in every color is out with coral bells, sweet william, and so much more, even a dark purple clematis. Loving the look of it all!



We had a sudden, unexpected death happen yesterday. A distant cousin of Clint's and member of our church had a heart attack and died very suddenly. Clint was working on his sermon with the scanner on in his office when he heard the rescue squad called to an address that sounded vaguely familiar. He grabbed the phone book and looked it up and sure enough, it was this gentleman from our church. Clint called the family and was told what was happening and he headed straight for the house. This was a shock and certaily not what we expected to start the Memorial Day weekend. So this week our church family will be involved in helping with another funeral. This gentleman and the man whose funeral we hosted last week, were cousins. How unusual for this to occur.



When a death happens suddenly, it always reminds me that we all need to be ready. Most of us have no idea how many days we have on this earth. It's so vital to be ready to meet the Lord, for we truly don't know when such a thing can happen. Salvation is a free gift and we are wise to take advantage of it, not putting it off for some time in the future. Hebrews 9:27 says "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."



In our years of ministry Clint and I have been part of serving at an unusual amount of funerals. Of course, it's mostly Clint since he does the preaching and meeting with the family, etc., but I have witnessed a few things at the bedsides of dying people as well. Clint even works for a nearby funeral home part time, serving as an usher. He really sees alot of different customs, situations and so on. I remember one experience when we were called to the bedside of a terminally ill person. We met with her and the family to pray. She was saved and looked forward to meeting Jesus. Some of the family were resisting God's call to them at the time. It was so sad to see someone reject God's offer of salvation with excuses like, 'I'm not good enough.' No matter how much explaining we did, they didn't seem to understand that that's exactly why we need Jesus! We're not good enough--but He is!



I've also seen people refuse to answer the pointed question, "Have you ever accepted Jesus as your saviour?" I have literally watched a person avoid this question on their deathbed while God held the keys to eternity in heaven with Him right before them. Very sad indeed.



Thankfully this gentleman that passed away yesterday was ready to meet Jesus as well as the person whose funeral we had last week and so many more we have known. If you know someone who needs to understand the saving grace of the Lord, don't hesitate to pray for them and take every opportunity to tell them the good news of Jesus each time when the Lord leads. We truly don't know how suddenly death can come causing a person to step into the next realm of eternity.



Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have gone on before us. It's especially obvious to me this year in light of the recent deaths we've experienced in our church family. I hope you will have good memories of loved ones as you celebrate this holiday. But most of all, I hope you will be sure you are ready to meet the Lord and that those you love have heard the Gospel.

Blessings, LORI

Times and Seasons

Another beautiful May day in Michigan. It was quite warm here though and the wind was relentless again. The hot, dry combination quickly dries out the flower beds and garden. Great weather for clothes drying, but tough on garden flowers after too many days of it in a row.

I was privileged to start out the morning by having my devotions out in the English garden. Clint got my favorite bench hauled out there a few days ago. It sits within the bed frame along with a little side table, the wicker chair and a wicker table. I pinned the curtains shut on the east side to block the sun and it was lovely! I got to read my Bible and pray accompanied by the songs of a couple of wrens and some other birds that I couldn't name in the fencerow. A hummingbird kept flitting from my spirea to the coral bells. It was Edenic.

Actually it took me a little exra time to really get quiet enough to commune with the Lord because I was distracted by the scenery. I had to take a little time to just soak in the loveliness of the surrounding flowers and nature sounds. But while I was adoring the flowers the thought occurred to me that I wish all of them could bloom continuously. But that's not the way it works. Very few flowers are continuous bloomers, and then they still take a rest in the winter. So there is a season, a time for every thing. Most folks are familiar with those verses from Ecclesiastes. (Ecc. 3:1-8) "To everything there is a season...."

After a while I read my chapter for the day and spent some time praying and writing in my journal. I use various booklets or notebooks for journals. The one I am currently filling is one that is very nicely leather bound, decorative and matches my Bible cover. Rhiannon got both the Bible cover and the journal for me. On the bottom of each blank page in this journal is a Bible verse. As I was writing I glanced down and noticed the verse for the day. It was Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in its time..." That was really neat! It dawned on me that God planned a time of beauty for every flower, plant, tree, etc. There is a flowering season and then it's finished for the year. Just yesterday I commented to Rhiannon that I needed to get busy pressing the little white blossoms of the spirea because they are essential to almost every pressed flower picture I put together. I remember saying to her, "You have one chance and one chance only and then that's it for another year." I've been really conscious of that this year. Maybe it's because we had such a long winter and cold drawn out spring. It seemd the season of flowers would never come. Maybe it's because I'm getting older and I am realizing how short life really is. Whatever the reason, I know I'm enjoying my favorite month so much more this year; constantly aware of each little phase of beauty.

This Bible verse and the thoughts about seasons got me to thinking about how that works for people. I think the Lord gives us seasons in our lives as well. I want to be so aware of the seasons and the divine appointments God has for me. I don't want to waste an opportunity and fail to bloom in the season I am in. Sometimes I even get frustrated waiting for the next season to unfold. That's when it becomes hard to enjoy the season you are in; you're always looking forward to the next! For instance, in the natural, I don't want to miss enjoying all the beautiful irises right now just because the hollyhocks aren't out yet! Do you know what I mean? There's just a definite drive in me to be careful not to miss doing what I should be doing when the Lord opens the doors of opportunity. I hope you feel the same. Remember what Esther was told in the middle of a time of deep distress and fear, "....Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) Even though things around us may look dim at various times in our lives, we are appointed for a time such as this to be God's servants and messengers.

It was a really full day of fun and work. Rhiannon and I had Emma over for a day of fun. She and I walked out to the chicken coop and also to the flower garden as well as playing with her toys and reading her favorite books. It was a great day of being an Aunt and Granny. Rhiannon returns to her job tomorrow and this was the last day off for a while so we spent it with Emma.

Also did alot of watering today to keep things from succumbing to the blasting hot winds. I re-potted a few stray flowers hoping to sell them with all the garage sale traffic that will be up and down our road tomorrow. Planted the first of the yearly seeds in the English garden as well. I add a few annuals to each year to fill in with color while the perennials go through their various stages of bloom.

I hope today's thoughts on seasons and times were challening to you. I know they were to me when I first began to ponder them. Blessings, LORI

I took a break from gardening today...kind of. All I did was water. We are having a beautiful sunny day with brisk wind and that's drying everything out in a hurry. But that's not the reason I took a break. I finished the touch-up painting on my mom's kitchen wall this morning and that involved using three different colors and waiting for it to dry, etc.

While I was painting, Rhiannon made up three batches of jelly. Two were black raspberry and one was blackberry. The berries came from our fence rows last summer. It was way past time to get them out of the freezer and into jars! It turned out well, but jelly-making is a lot of work. It's especially challenging with dark berries. Much washing of utensils and wiping of counters, then bleaching the sinks and cloths. Lots of work before it's all said and done. But the reward is well worth it!

Well, the economic downturn has finally hit the preacher's household. Clint is now a part-time pastor for the first time in 17 years. Yesterday was his first day on part time. We are fine with the change this will bring to our lives, although it will mean tightening up a bit with our spending. I suppose that means you can expect more money-saving tips on my blog as I discover ever increasing ways to cut the budget! Many churches and ministries are suffering financially right now and this is nothing that is unique to us.

Many people have been asking me lately when the sequel to "The Fields of May" is coming out. Well......I'd like to say 'real soon,' but truthfully, I don't know. Here's a little update. When I wrote "The Fields of May," it took me quite a while and I really took my time. I started about 10 years ago and then never pushed myself to publish it. It was all in handwritten journals. I had no working knowledge of a computer in those days. The sequel is in the same form, written soon after I finished the first book. I have been working all winter off and on to commit the sequel to type from the journals it is in. It's a very slow process as alot of editing happens at the same time and frankly, I've just not been too diligent about it. At the same time, suddenly this winter I got a brainstorm of ideas for a third book to add to the series and spent much time writing on that. This one will carry the lives of the characters even further into the next generation and several of the "scenes" draw on my experiences in travel. That's a little hint that I'll leave for you to read when it comes out! That one will go faster since I am writing it directly on the computer and no handwritten journals will have to be copied.

Another complication to the sequel is the fact that even after it is typed, I will have to purchase a newer updated computer program and re-do it somehow. My program is not exactly perfectly suited to what is needed in the publishing world. So that factor slows the process down as well. Also finances figure in. Pray for me if you think of it. I'd like to move ahead on this since there is interest from many readers of "The Fields of May" for more in the series.

The garden changed "faces" again today. Many lavendar irises popped open as well as some daisies. It's really nice out there. The "herbaceous border" is in full bloom with lots of lavender, white, and purple irises open right now. For some reason those in the border open sooner that the ones in the English garden. Other little flowers are peeking in amongst the tall irises vying for attention. I'm really happy with the look of that border this year. Other years it seemed scraggly, but now it's pretty full and impressive. I do have a few concerns for when the irises are done. I hope something else that I've forgotten pops up to take their places. I try each year to divide things from the English garden and bring them out there to fill in. It's always exciting to see what come up that you hadn't remembered.

I lost all but three of my sixteen tomato plants. First they got drowned the day after they were planted, then they got frosted, then scorched and wind whipped. I guess in a sense, if you combine all those factors it was kind of like being freeze-dried. I suppose they will have to be replaced. I wasn't looking forward to another investment in plants.

Longing for an Eden

Hey, I wanted to include some scriptures for what I wrote yesterday. Be sure to read 2 Corinthians 11:14 to the reference to Satan as an "angel of light" and also read Matthew chapter 13 verses 3-9 for the parable of the sower in which Jesus refers to some of the "seed" being choked out by thorns.

I thought I had weeded enough yesterday, but amazingly there was more to do today! Another busy day around here. The weather was incredible--the kind of days we were longing for all winter. The sun shone brightly all day with a brisk breeze accompanying it. Rhiannon finished the deck and it surely does look nice!

I had intended to take a day of rest today. I am very poor at taking one day per week to rest as the Bible instructs. I could see almost right away that that was not going to happen. I did get to sleep in a bit but after Bible reading and prayer, I set to work cooking the berries I had gotten out of the freezer yesterday. I wanted to get jelly made out of them before the next round are ready. We have blackberries and our favorite, black raspberries in super-abundance here in our fencerows. These were frozen last summer and I never got the jelly made. We have been out of our rich, purple, family favorite--black raspberry jelly, for some time now and we've been suffering through several jars of homemade strawberry jam instead! Anyway, I got two huge cookers full of berries cooked and ready to drip all night. Tomorrow I hope to finish the process and have several more jars of new jelly on the shelves by evening.

After that, I decided to hang out a small load of wash. No resting yet. As soon as that was done it was nearly time for lunch. I did a few other small tasks and then fixed Clint's lunch. Rhiannon and I needed a tiny paint brush for touch ups on Mom's new red wall and we headed to Centreville for a few items. We did get the paint brush and purchased a few pepper plants and a squash plant and three bags of cocoa bean mulch for the English garden.

When we got home I started in the process of more weeding so that mulch could be placed. What fun I had! I really enjoyed working with the wonderful, chocolatey-smelling stuff. I got many problem areas weeded and spread with beautiful dark, organic shells. It will help plants stay coralled, keep weeds down and reserve moisture around the plants. I also discovered that a woodchuck has decided to dig huge holes in my English garden. This cannot happen. I will not tolerate such a visitor who delights in ruining my hard work and investment. He will have to be discouraged from making his home there. When I first saw his handiwork in the south bed, I thought I had dug up a plant to transplant, forgetting to re-fill the hole. Later in one of the north beds, I saw another larger hole and knew I had not done this twice. I became suspicious and called Clint out for an investigation. He confirmed my worst suspicions. This probably also accounts for the few plants I've been finding neatly lopped off at their tops. Hmmm..........

Another interesting garden development was added today. I remembered that I had a bag of 6 sheer off-white curtains and two super long matching scarf swags that Kori gave me last year. I set to work twisting and draping them around the posts of the bed frame that sits in the middle of the garden. (See profile picture--I'm standing with my hand on the corner of the bed frame!)They billowed romantically in the breeze. Very beautiful. This little touch creates a wonderful exotic ambience to the garden. It reminds me of the pictures of the gardens and courtyards of Arabian tales. I hung only the long scarves and hope to rig up a system to hang the six curtains around the canopy frames on the bed so they can be pulled back or let down for shade and privacy. Sometimes I like to sit out there and write or read and need a bit of protection from the sun. I think these curtains will help.

Right now the garden is about to burst into a glorious display. Some of the white daisies opened today and the irises are going to be out before the week's end. Also blooming are perennial bachelor's buttons, a pink honeysuckle, the pink cup and saucer flowers. Nearly everywhere in the garden the bright, vivid blue forget-me-nots are creating a low, mist. Two sizeable spirea bushes are nodding their heavily laden branches of white like yards of lace. A dark burgundy sweet william opened today and its velvety flower is stunning. Also blooming is a dark blue delphinium and several violas.

While I was out in the garden today, the atmosphere was so relaxing. The blue skies and those curtains billowing in the breeze were just breathtaking. Add in the incredible bird song of several different species and you had a tiny paradise going on in a corner of my yard. All I could think of was that Eden must have been like this only prettier and larger. I pondered how there is a drawing in the heart of man that causes us to want to create these replicas of Eden. Of course, we were created to live in perfect harmony, communing with God on a daily basis and enjoying His creation. It was all perfect until sin ruined that garden paradise. Is that what drives we gardeners to such lengths to create beautiful settings--our longing to return to an Eden? God has left us a witness of Himself in creation (Romans 1:20). To some of us, gardening is a way to draw closer to Him. The setting out there today was so serene, beckoning one to rest, relax, and enjoy God's grace. How thankful I am that one day, even though all that we now see will pass away, God has promised to take those who love and serve Him to a paradise that is beyond compare. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "but as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'" Even though the English garden was today one of the prettiest places I could think of being, it pales in comparison with what the Lord has planned for the saints when we meet Him face to face to live forever with Him in eternity. Are you planning to live there one day? If so, you must make your reservations now. Confess Jesus Christ as your saviour and you will be God's redeemed child that will one day live in this glorious home that the Bible speaks of. He loves you so and wants you to be there! Blessings, LORI

Weeding in the Natural and the Spiritual

Had a lovely day today, though it was very busy. I worked at my cleaning job from 8am to noon. When I got home, I fixed a bite of lunch and waited while Rhiannon finished all she could do on her latest project--staining the patio. It looks so nice, but she ran out of stain. That meant we needed to make a trip to town for another gallon plus some rollers to finish the job.

She had also put the final coat of red paint on my mom's west kitchen wall this morning before starting on the deck. The girl was so diligent today! When I got home from my job, the laundry was on the line as well! Wow, what a blessing!

After she and I went to town for the supplies, we came home to finish more work. She took the next several hours to finish all she could possibly do on the deck while I potted the last of my flowers for the porch and around the chicken coop. I took all my leftover flowers and put them in old baskets that hang out at the end of the chicken coop roof. I purchased two old egg baskets at an auction a few years ago and they make great hanging "pot holders" for flowers out there. I also usually plant some morning glories and stretch strings to the overhanging roof so they can climb the back end of the coop. It gives the coop a nice country look.

I took a little time to weed the English garden late this afternoon. It never ceases to amaze me how weeds seem to mimick the flowers they grow near. I don't know if it's my imagination or not, but it seems to me that certain weeds like to stay by cerain flowers--the ones they most resemble!! Could it be that they flock together because they are of like characteristics? I mean broad-leaved flowers tend to attract broad-leaved weeds, and so on. Maybe the growing conditions that make a similar looking flower thrive do the same for the weed that looks like it. Today I pulled countless handsful of this one nasty weed that insists on thriving year after year in my garden. It seems to be most plentiful on the west side, although there are spots on the east beds where it thrives as well. I find much less of it on the south bed. It grows from underground runners and pops up nearly anywhere. If I fail to get it pulled in the early stages it grows to a tall red-seeded head. That's what I pulled today. The red-heads full of seeds look strangely like my coral bells that are about the same height right now and are ready to pop open at any moment. This weed was thick among the shasta daisies, still mostly unopened, but also currently about the same height. It was difficult to pull the weed without destroying the flowers in the process.

This weed thing reminds me of how the devil likes to operate in our lives. It seems his tricks are to mimick something good so we'll not notice that we're being induced to sin. The Bible calls him an "angel of light" because he is a master of disguise, appearing to be appealing with his temptations. Like the mimicking weeds, if he can hide among the corners of your life, mimicking something harmless or even good; he can gain a foothold and maintain his position until you discover him and take measures to weed the sin out.

Another valuable lesson from gardening: weed out the areas of your life frequently so that the good things of the Lord (like pretty flowers) can have a chance to grow. Jesus spoke of the conversions and lives of people and in doing so, he mentioned that some well-intentioned folks who hear the Gospel get choked out by the weeds of the world before they get to full harvest. Let's be diligent to remember the truths of a garden and apply them to our lives.

I've noticed we've been having such lovely skies this month. Beautiful clouds seem to alternate with the glorious sunshine making picture perfect, "painter-worthy" scenes. When I wrote "The Fields of May," these lovely days were what I had in mind for many of the scenes. Are you enjoying the many shades of green against the blue, gray, and white skies of this month? I hope so; I certainly am. As well as the many lovely flowers creating a riot of color right now, the greenery and skies are making a wonderful backdrop to be enjoyed! Blessings, LORI

Hi, everyone! Lovely weather we're having, though a bit cool. I had to cover plants last night and probably will again tonight as well. Hoping for warmer weather. I've discovered that warmer temperatures, for the most part, make everything in life easier with the exception that they do create yard work!

I have lots of my favorite flowers blooming right now. The lilies of the valley are out and the spirea popped out yesterday. Irises are opening and soon the shasta daisies will follow. We bought two really nice cup and saucer flowers and they are loaded with blossoms. Very pretty.

For a couple of days we had lots of rain and I feared for my newly planted vegetable garden. Sometimes seeds can actually wash away if the rains are intense enough. I think we made it through without a problem. My tomatoes and melons look like they held up ok. My neighbor has a garden that's largely under water right now and I feel sorry for them.

Today was really busy. Actually the whole weekend was busy. We had a funeral in the family on Friday. A distant relative of Clint's passed away and Clint preached the service. We had a guest speaker this morning for church and then he came to the house for dinner. I spent most of yesterday fixing food. I baked rolls and made two homemade pies--butterscotch and chocolate. We are cream pie fans in this family and make them alot. I wrapped a bunch of potatoes to bake last night and fixed a salad as well. It doesn't sound like much, but added in with laundry, touch up cleaning, setting the table, and yard work, it was plenty. The church had our annual clean up day yesterday morning and early afternoon and I never even made it over there. I could never have gotten the dinner preparations done had I gone.

In addition to all that, I tried to finish the 70's dress. I came real close, but not quite close enough. I had wanted to wear it this morning. I am not exactly sure what the fit will be like until I get the zipper in and can properly close it, but I was not satisfied with the look of it. I hope the little finishing details will change all that. Countless times that has happened to me. I assessed a grament before it was all done and then thought I'd never like it. But a miracle of sorts sometimes happens when you get it all done, add the high heels, the fixed hair, the jewelry. It can transform an outfit! I am hoping for that on this dress. We'll see.

Well, have a nice week. I hope you are all looking for ways to serve the Lord each day as you work, keep your home, or do whatever you do. Remember all Christians are ministers--or should be, not just the pastor. Look for those divine appointments and use them to the fullest. Blessings, LORI

Long time, no blog! Well, I got real busy the last few days. We finished planting the vegetable garden on Thursday. We had such lovely weather that it was almost unbelievable. Rhiannon and I got busy and planted all our tomatoes, melons, and three rows of green beans. Now today it has rained so much that I hope things don't wash away.

Our weather cooled off a bit and there was certainly no outdoor work to be done in this rain. I hope it quits soon as it takes our yard a good time to dry out. The soil is predominantly clay and holds the moisture more than we'd like.

Yesterday one of my chickens came up missing. Yes, the chicken disappeared. I think a hawk took her away. The birds have been finding places in the fence to escape the pen and while I was gone to town getting groceries I suspect one of them got out and was vulnerable. Mom and Aunt Betty reported seeing several hawks yesterday and it stands to reason that one snatched a chicken. Now I am down to 4 hens. I got real nice eggs today, though, so I'm thankful for that. One was quite large and may be a double yolk. I am stockpiling the eggs since I think the chickens are not long for this world!

This morning Rhiannon and I got real busy and cleaned the house before we had to head to an 11 o'clock funeral. Our weekend is pretty busy, planned up with all kinds of events from start to finish. We have a guest speaker coming to church on Sunday and we will be having him here for dinner following the service. This means some extra cooking and preparation plus getting the house in order. Tomorrow I hope to pot the plants for the porch baskets and finish the 70's dress. We'll see if it all gets done. Sunday will be busy with worship practice at 8:30 and then service, company for lunch, and worship practice again at 4:00. Back to work on Monday and another week starts.

Not much else to tell right now except that JT, Kori, and Emma came over for supper tonight and we had a great time reading to Emma and playing. Hadn't seen them much all week and it's always great to get together.

Hope you will all have a nice weekend and enjoy the blessings of the Lord as you serve Him! Blessings, LORI

Keep the Faith and Pay Attention to Your Cakes!

Just a quick note today. It was a busy day around here. A lot of loose ends to tie up. The rain we are getting prevented very much garden work and that's ok with me! I needed a day off and the plants needed a drink.

We had to get ready this morning and take Daisy in to get her splint removed. She is healing up fine according to the vet and she was glad to get that thing off her leg. Aunt Betty is staying here for a few days and she and Mom met me and Rhiannon in Sturgis for lunch after Daisy's appointment.

Between the vet and lunch, Rhiannon and I found a little shopping time. I had just this morning been thinking that I'd like to cover the keyboard at church with a nice, rich looking, shawl type throw to both look good and also to keep the dust out of the keys. Occasionally we have problems with the keyboard that we suspect are issues of dust particles seeping into the delicate mechanisms of the keys. Sure enough I found the most beautiful, silky, burnout fabric on clearance for $2/yard! My first thought was for a shawl for myself. Then I asked the lady if there was any more in other colors. She showed me to a table where a stack of 2 more bolts both in different colors were waiting! One of them was actually more appealing to me than the one I had initially chosen for my own shawl and also is a perfect compliment to the colors in the sanctuary. So I bought them both. I will have to decide how I want to finish the ends. Years ago, like 30 years ago, a neighbor lady gave me a huge stash of real silk embroidery thread. It shimmers like nothing you've ever seen! I've never used any of it. Some of the colors are perfect for the one that will adorn the keyboard and would make lovely fringe. The problem is that it is hard to work with, incredibly fine and tangly. My hands are currently so rough from garden work despite attempts to smooth them that I can hardly handle the stuff without difficulty. What to do?

I found a little time to sew on the 70's dress today. I re-made the cuffs all out of the green lace and they are miles better than the first ones. Glad I took the time. I also got a little ironing done and some mending. Rainy days are good for that!

I made a cake that I intended to freeze for Sunday dinner. It was a caramel mix. I was talking on the phone and had put the eggs in the bowl with the mix. I walked to another room, still talking and left the cake sitting for a few minutes. Meanwhile Rhi mixed the cake and when I came back out the beaters sat there all full of batter and so I spooned the batter into the pans and popped them in the oven. After about 5 or more minutes, Rhi asked me if I was done putting all the ingredients in the mix. I looked horrified and asked if she had not finished it. She said, 'no,' she thought I did. Well, we yanked the swiftly baking, partially done cake out of the pans and decided it could be quickly resurrected. We put the batter back in a bowl and whipped it mightily after adding the missing ingredient--oil! It looked nice. Back in the oven. We got busy hanging pictures in her room and I forgot the cake. Suddenly I smelled it baking and hurried down to check it. It was overdone. Not burned, just overdone. It tastes good, but is too dry and didn't raise as well as it should have. I'll not use it for Sunday dinner. She mixed up a homemade butterscotch pudding and we'll cut the cake in chunks and mix it in the pudding. That will moisten it and make it useable. Oh, well.

Tonight we start a new series at church. Clint will be teaching on the book of Colossians. Sometimes it seems in our Christian life that we are repeating things we've already learned or read years ago. Like I've read Colossians more times than I can count, but still there's always something new that the Holy Spirit shows us. As well as that, we usually can't name a whole lot of instant new knowledge that we gain every time we meet together as a church, but over time we can all testify that we've been changed for the better from our diligent attendance and study! It's as if you have to look back over your life and remember where you were compared to where you are; then you really see progress. Keep the faith and keep doing the obvious! Blessing, LORI

Encouragement!

Having a wonderful time in the nice weather we've been having. It was a bit cold yesterday, but today was absolutely beautiful. I hung out a load of laundry, took a long walk, fed the chickens, and worked in my garden a bit before getting ready to head to Portage to meet a friend for a late afternoon supper. Rhiannon and I had other errands to do in the "city" and so we left a little early and I got to visit my favorite knitting shop. I spent about an hour knitting on one of their "ribbons" that they leave in the sitting area. There are always several balls of yarn and all sizes of needles. Customers are invited to add several inches of their choice to the long scarf-like ribbon and when it reaches a certain length the proprietress hangs the ribbon on the walls. Many interesting ribbons adorn the walls of the shop adding exciting color. I can always pick out the areas I knitted. I try to do interesting stitches that I'll remember.

My friend and I hadn't seen each other for a year and so we had a wonderful dinner and conversation. Rhiannon joined us after she ran a few more errands. We got home in time to plant the new perennial I bought and the three JT and Kori brought me for Mother's Day. I think the perennials were Kori's idea and JT picked them out. I'm so thankful they thought of them. What fun I had choosing where they were to be placed. I will give them good care to help them thrive. It seems I lost some flowers over this hard winter and don't want that to happen again. With the ones Rhiannon bought me recently, this really helped fill the empty spots out there.

We stopped for a few groceries before we got home and I noticed that a few items I buy seemed to have dropped in price. Rhiannon told me she went out for a bite to eat after she dropped me off to see my friend and the place where she ate had lowered their prices. Well, I suppose a down economy naturally produces some positivie benefits. I remember my dad describing the conditions of the Great Depression to me. He said a loaf of bread cost around a nickel. Problem was; no one had the nickel! I guess that's why we're seeing price drops. You hear it all over. Everyone is having to lower prices to get business.

Not much else to tell. We are working hard around here to get outdoor work done and keep up with church duties and family time as well as keeping little part time jobs. Soon Rhiannon will go back to work and I'll lose my best help! I sort of dread that, but know it must happen. Oh, also today we got many of my garden items--chairs, bird feeders, oranments; hauled out to the English garden for the summer. We also loaded the tractor bucket with a few rocks that the next-do0r-farmer tossed out of the field yesteray. I am trying to border all the beds with large rocks. Someday we'll have that accomplished!

Rhiannon and I took a few moments to visit a particularly large greenhouse in the Portage area today. We have been wanting to go there since they specialize in roses. We were just amazed when we walked in. The entire first greenhouse was filled with the most vividly colored flowers I've ever seen. There were hundreds of them in hundreds of varieties. I saw an old friend there and I commented to her that if you worked here, you'd have to be in a good mood. Who could be surrounded by such constant loveliness without being encouraged? Our family has received encouragement from some unlikely places in the last few days; some good words from people we didn't even know. That just goes to show that Christians need to be "ready in season and out" (2 Timothy 4:2) to give a good word to someone, especially as directed by God. I wonder if I am always ready to be a bearer of joy and hope. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace ; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" Isaiah 52:7 I hope I have encouraged you today to be an encourager! Blessings! LORI

Garage Sale Treasures, Nice Gifts, Lots of Thread, and a Dead Chicken

We have had a busy weekend around here. After exercising and reading devotions yesterday morning, I got a call from a friend who had found the garage sale of all time for seamstresses! Her husband had bought me huge bags of crochet thread and embroidery floss at a sale that was just laden with old time needlework treasures and the owners were "dealing." Rhiannon and I had plans to head toward Three Rivers and this sale was on the way. We got there as quickly as possible.

When we arrived I hurried up to investiage the treasures. It was unbelievable. I saw a little chest of drawers and asked them what the price was. 'Just make us an offer,' was their response. I had $2 in mind, but was too embarrassed to suggest that and so went on to sift through the needlework items. There were literally boxes of old needlework pattern magazines and supplies. I was almost frustrated tying to get through them all. I saw an old classmate I haven't seen for about 20 years and I was trying to be polite and hurry through the books at the same time. I could not possibly scan all the items and so began looking for the old dime store crochet, tatting and various needlework books that I collect. I pulled out every one of them and set them aside filling a box of only things I was interested in. I ended up finding a jar full of embroidered rose appliques--they sell about three to a package for probably $2 in the stores. This jar was full of probably 50 of them in all colors. I use them on baby items. As well as that, I found lots of books, a brand new pair of jewelry pliers still in the package, two 3 or so yard pieces of fabric that was rather unusual and very pretty, an old dresser scarf stamped for embroidery, a huge bag full of zippers, and on and on. I bought lots of lace and notions. I got it all for $4. That included an old cosmetic case from a luggage set. I had just prayed for one of those about a week ago. I had one when I was young and they were so handy for traveling. They are hard-shelled and will hold a blow dryer, all the make-up you could ever want and bottles of shampoos, etc., yet they are very small and easy to tote. Just as I was leaving I was about to offer $2 for the dresser just as a man walked up and offered $2 for it and they said, 'yes,' as he loaded it on his car. Bummer. Missed that one.

After we left I realized I should have tried harder to look through some of the boxes of stuff for more treasures. Some boxes were so full it was hard to sift through them. When I came back they had them all out on the drive to the garage. I was thrilled since it was so much lighter out there and easier to see. Just as I started rummaging through the first one, the owner came up and said, 'we just sold all this stuff.' Missed again. Oh, well. I got some real serious treasures out of this stuff for a low, low price and spent much of the rest of the afternoon sorting through all the thread.

Here's an interesting side note. I have long ago declared myself, "The Queen of Thread." I honestly believe that if someone could measure all the thread I own; sewing thread, crochet thread, tatting cotton, yarn, embroidery floss, they'd declare me the winner for the state--maybe the nation--by quite a few yards. More times than I can count people have come to me and given me these huge quantities of thread, especially embroidery floss and crochet cotton usually from a loved one who has passed away or a grandmother who can no longer see to to needlework. I have one six drawer cabinet completely filled and grouped by color. Most of it is tatting cotton which is very fine. My sewing room closet holds bins and bags of more crochet thread. One drawer of another dresser has sewing thread grouped by color and a large basket and several drawers of a dresser in another room hold my yarn. I have a large box filled with envelopes organized by number each containing embroidery floss and 2 or 3 more bags of more floss that is unorganized. It's really kind of ridiculous. However, I never turn down thread or sewing notions. I sort out what I think I can use and give the rest to others or the church. It is getting harder to find the good old threads for crocheting as well as the fact that they are expensive. Tatting cotton is virtually impossible to find without a hunt. Even some of the major stores have discontinued their embroidery floss which only a few years ago was a hot item. I think every color of floss that I sorted through yesterday had an embroidery needle in it. I confiscated them all and intend to save them as well. What fun!

Today was a great Mother's Day. We had both moms and JT, Kori, and Emma over to grill burgers after church. I had to teach SS this week and although I hate to admit I wasn't prepared, it really went well. We all took naps after lunch. Some of the family watched my Mother's Day gift from Clint, several of the episodes of the Carol Burnett Show. JT and Kori brought me 3 gallon size perennials--all ones I didn't have. JT was just about laughing when I said they were all ones I didn't yet own! That's nearly as possible as giving me a thread I don't own! He picked them out himself and so that makes it even more impossible since he barely knows what a perennial even is! I was so thrilled! You can never have enough flowers.....or thread!

Well, the down side of the day was coming home from church to see Rhiannon walking around the barn with her hands held up indicating she was helpless about something. Two chickens were out. A common occurrence lately. They are flying the coop alot. I walked out to help her corral them and she said that one inside the coop looked dead. Sure enough there was one chicken that was on her way to her reward. She had to be disposed of and that was all before dinner. I know that's part of farm life, but I can't help feeling a little sorry since they are kind of like pets. It just reminds me that death was never meant to be on this earth. It's a result of the fall and it's unnatural. I am so thankful that Jesus overcame death for us and that we have a day to look forward to the final cessation of death, the time when no more death will occur. Meanwhile we Christians can be fearless in the face of death because we have the assurance that we are both alive in spirit as we live and alive in spirit for eternity with Him when our physical body dies. What a deal!

What's blooming? All the stuff I mentioned a few days ago plus the tall phlox. Happy Mother's Day! Blessings, LORI

I thought I'd write and tell you the amazing economy-beating idea I got today! Maybe some of you have already discovered this trick. Recently I purchased another one of those wonderful bone-in hams and cooked it in the crock pot with green beans and potatoes. After most of that was gone, I made another ham salad out of some of the leftover ham and cooked the bones again in the crock pot with pinto beans. After a meal of ham and beans and cornbread I got the bright idea to take what was left of that and make baked beans. Actually, Rhiannon put it together and baked it for me. We just added brown sugar, pepper, and ketchup to the leftover pinto beans and ham. She threw in a can of baked beans to make it a little fuller and then baked it! Very tasty and now we will not have to eat another meal of the same leftovers. The baked beans will be served with potato salad (reclaimed potatoes leftover from a side dish of boiled potatoes one evening) and hamburgers on the grill. Try it; you'll like it!

I have been really busy in the gardens and cleaning the house for the last two days. Today I dedicated my day to cleaning the downstairs as well as doing three loads of laundry. I got it all dried on the line and Rhiannon brought it in before the big rain hit. I was so glad for the rain since I'd been trying to weed the strawberries. After it rained two days ago, the weeding was easy. Tonight I was working out there and just one more day of drying out and it was just about impossible. I got a little more done just before it started raining. Clint was on the tractor trying to mow the lawn and only got a little accomplished before the rain ruined that project.

We made a flying trip to LaGrange late this afternoon to pick up re-prints of Emma's first year photo session! They are so cute. The great grandma's don't know it, but that's what they're getting for Mother's Day--shhh!! Stopped to visit a relative's birthday party on the way home and that's been our day. Oh, I did get a really nice, long walk in this morning after my devotions.

Did you attend any events for the National Day of Prayer yesterday? Clint and I went to the county fairgrounds and attended the evening service in which Clint took a small part. It was very nice and I can't think of a time when we as a nation (in my lifetime) were in more need of corporate prayer of the saints. It's time to humble ourselves and ask God to intervene in the hearts of men and women to turn us once again to His will. We are needing God's guidance on a number of levels in the life of this country. I hope you got a chance to participate. Actually, I hope you pray everyday for the nation and its leaders.

What's blooming in the garden? Well, we have crabapple trees, other flowering trees, a pink cup and saucer delphinium, a bleeding heart, several ground covers that I can't name-yellow, purple--plus phlox, lilacs, maltese crosses, Jacob's ladder, candytuft, daffodils, lilies of the valley, miniature irises, strawberries, violets, violas, dianthus, and forget-me-nots! It's quite pretty right now.

Thinking back to the economy beating strategies, I leave you with a challenging verse that has alot to do with spiritual things as well as material:

And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?" Luke 12:42 Blessings, LORI

The Dangers of Not Remembering

As I began today's blog, I intended to write about the dangers of not remembering. I wrote the blog and through a "technical difficulty" I lost it. I re-wrote it and lost it again. Now I am determined that I will not mess it up this time. It makes me wonder if for some reason it will have real meaning for someone? Even as I wrote I began to see how the thoughts for this post were seasonally appropriate and went along with the events of my day in a way I hadn't realized when I started writing.

May is a month of remembering. Many of us will celebrate Memorial Day in a few weeks. As a child this was one of my favorite holidays. For one thing, it signaled the last week of school and I was usually allowed to wear shorts and go barefoot for the first time of the season! Sometimes we took our first swim for the year that day. I had a great aunt that made a whole day of going to various cemeteries to decorate the graves of relatives every May. My friends in the south have what is called, "decoration." They get together on a given day at the cemetery where their family is buried and often have a picnic in a pavilion on the grounds. Families, churches, and cemeteries may have different dates for the "decoration, " as I understand it.

Today I had an easy sort of day. Having done two cleaning jobs already this week, I decided to take a little easier today. I got a long walk in and then went to do a little church visitation with Clint. Rhiannon met us and she and I went to a cemetery where some of our family is buried (remembering) and on to yet another greenhouse! This particular greenhouse was a bower of flowers. I never saw so many blooms in one place in all my life. It was breathtaking. I found two little pots of pink lavender--I didn't know there was such a thing--and lost no time purchasing them. I promptly planted them when I got home. While out in the English garden, I noticed deer footprints leading up to a plant that had been neatly lopped off. I guess I'll have to get out my recipe for deer repellent. The problem is that I don't know if the plant was a perennial or a weed. I can't remember from year to year until the plants get bigger. I have to leave alot of weeds grow to a considerable size until I know what they are! I am sure this works the other way too; I probably have pulled up many plants because I couldn't remember if they were flowers or weeds.

If you've been following my blog for long you know I plant lots of flowers. The problem is that I can't remember from year to year what I planted and where I planted it. Most of the empty dirt space in the English garden has either had seeds or transplanted splits put in it in the fall. Whether or not they are going to pop up is the question. Sometimes I get over-eager and re-plant the same areas because I CAN'T REMEMBER what's been done before.

There is danger in not remembering. Tonight we finished up a series of lessons at church that took us over 6 months to do. Clint did a re-cap so we'd not FORGET. One of the questions that he asked was, "Is it important to know history?" Being a big history fan, I piped up a hearty, "Yes!" Then he asked, "Why?" JT answered with, "Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it." I know that's a quote from a famous person, the trouble is, I can't remember who said it! Perfect example!

I added to the discussion by pointing out that I feel we are at a dangerous time in the history of our country. I had recently heard a statistic that claims we are losing our WW2 veterans in the United States at a rate of about 1000 each day. Once this generation passes off the scene we will not have the firsthand record of what it was like to live with Hitler's tyranny threatening the world. These people were the ones who fought to free Europe from the atrocities of this regime and to stave it off from reaching our shores. They remember the sacrifice. Will we remember once they are not here to remind us? No generation since them has seen anything on the scale of WW2 even though there are several wonderful veterans who served in various conflicts and wars since then to whom we owe a great deal of respect and gratitude. But what happens when a people forget?

God told Joshua to set up twelve memorial stones in the middle of the Jordan River. This was to commemorate the might power of God as He parted the waters for them to pass through. The stones would serve as a reminder when their children asked why they were there. God knew people have a tendency to forget. You can read about this in the fourth chapter of the book of Joshua.

Another little quoted but mighty verse, is Exodus 1:8, "Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph." It was that simple. Someone came to power who did not remember the history of the nation and the contribution of a man named Joseph whose wisdom, relationship with God, and foresight saved the country from certain destruction. Soon the descendants of Joseph were in bondage to this new king in a land that their patriarch once co-ruled!

So what's the lesson in all of this? Teach your children well. Teach them history. Teach them your values. Teach them the faith. Jude 3 states, "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." There is danger in not remembering. Blessings, LORI

A Well-Watered Garden--Part Two

I hope you all had a really nice day. The weather was so beautiful. I finished watering the English garden today. I rigged up a watering device that enabled me to cover a greater area before moving the sprinkler. An old wire stand that I had out there was the perfect fit for the sprinkler. I stood the sprinkler atop it and that projected the water several more feet in each direction. It will be possible to strap the sprinkler to the wire stand and then just move the stand to different parts of the garden. It looks like we will get rain tomorrow and that will eliminate the need for me to start dragging hoses to the vegetable garden and the "herbaceous border" along the driveway.

I ought to explain the "herbaceous border" to you. Getting a little carried away with all the pictures in my English garden books, a couple of years ago I decided to create a beautiful garden along the driveway. Our drive is long and only obnoxious stuff grew along the fencerow between us and our neighbors after the first few pine trees near the road. I took the opportunity to reclaim some gardening area after the power company came in and "cleaned up" the neighbor's elms along the fencerow to protect the power line that runs through there. This action really opened up the area for sunlight and some little bits of debris needed to be raked away anyway. I tilled up a long strip and started begging plants off friends. What a pitiful excuse for an "herbaceous border" it turned out to be. However, every year it gets nicer. If I'd give it as much attention as the English garden gets, it probably would really be impressive. Today I noticed that standing down by the mailbox, it actually is beginning to take on a thicker, more maintained "herbaceous border" look. Still we have a long way to go. Rhiannon has dubbed it the "wanna be herbaceous border." Actually that name is sort of a joke around here since we knew we could never recreate what we were seeing in books without a full time gardener!

I planted a "Jacob's Ladder" plant in the closest thing to a shade area that the English garden has. Over in the new rose bed area, that I think will cease to be a rose bed, there is dappled shade in the morning. I am trying to create cover in the form of an old set of clothesline posts and a ladder from a tree stand stretched across two more wooden poles. I have planted all manner of climbing, creeping things to climb across those structures in order to create shade. The shade I am creating will cause the rose bed to cease to be a rose bed. I think alot of trading around will soon occur. Roses will go back in the middle of the beds in full sun and other flowers that needed a cooler life will go where the roses were.

Rhiannon took some pictures out there that we want to post sometime soon. Stay tuned on that. This afternoon I was able to pull weeds so easily because of the water that had soaked in earlier. Maybe that's a spiritual parallel right there. If you allow the Holy Spirit to soak into your life, the weeds that plague your soul are so much more easily removed!

This afternoon I took a little time to cut the rhubarb. I got about six quarts frozen. I suppose I could have cut more, but the ribs that were left seemed really small so I left them. It's kind of back breaking work as well.

I couldn't remember if I ever posted anything about these amazing verses in Ezekiel. They are some of my favorites and remind me of the water of life that Jesus gives. For several chapters of Ezekiel, the prophet speaks of his vision of the temple and God's Holy City. In the 47th chapter, talking about the river flowing out of the temple he says, "When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other." (Verse 7) Later in verse 9 we read, "And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live." This is definitely a picture of the Holy Spirit and His effect on the believer who yields to His wooing. Amazing growth occurs.

A warning in verse 11 causes me to ponder very deeply where I stand; "but its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt." This is speaking of the backwaters near this river--those places that don't allow for the flowing of the freshness of the water. I want to be a vessel that is constantly filled and re-filled with the life-giving power of God's Holy Spirit. I do not want to be a stagnant pool of salt where nothing can live.

Are all the gardens of my life well-watered? It is a question I must ask myself daily. Blessings, LORI

A Well-Watered Garden

Finally today I had to start the arduous task of watering the gardens. Once this starts it seems to never end. Two days of sun and wind and my plants are crying for a drink. Clint hauled the three hoses out from the barn for me, but they were miserbly tangled. After a half hour's work of untangling them, I turned on the sprinkler. No water came out except at the end of the first hose where a lovely fountain gushed. The hose was full of holes! Re-do all the hoses and re-organize the layout. A long time later I got the watering started. Although I moved the hose three times, the entire garden did not get watered yet. Gardening tip: Lay your garden out in the early stages with watering in mind! Make sure you have the garden shape conducive to watering with the amount of hoses you have. See to it that you can easily water whole sections without alot of moving the sprinkler around. Funny I never thought of that the day I was whipping that tiller around 4 years ago and cutting into the sod to form a beautiful, curving garden!

I was privileged to find two lovely used gardening encyclopedias today for a friend's birthday gift. They were at bargain prices and in mint condition! Thank you, Lord!

I noticed my onions are poking up throught the ground and the little breaks in the hard ground at even intervals indicate that the potatoes' first leaves are about to break through and sprout up. How exciting. Seems like it hasn't been long enough, but how time flies when you're working diligently every day! I guess it's been quite a while since that first row of potatoes were put in.

Well, a few more thoughts on watering. In Isaiah 58:11, the scripture states: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat they bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

It is a lovely thought to be like a watered garden. A watered garden is always growing and producing. I believe the Holy Spirit is likened to water many times in the scripture. Jesus said that rivers of living water would flow in the believers. When our soul is satisfied in times of drought it is because of the Holy Spirit living in us. Will we yield to His influence or remain in drought? Consider the importance of soul-watering today as you respond to the call of the Holy Spirit. I hope to give a few more thoughts tomorrow on the Holy Spirit being compared to water. Blessings, LORI

Our God Speaks!

Another beautiful spring day here in Michigan! It was a lovely Sunday! After church we had fellowship dinner and then a short worship team practice. When we got home I was able to sneak in a little power nap. Then Rhiannon suggested going out to the old mill park a ways north of here to take pictures. We were there last weekend with JT, Kori, Emma, and Kori's family for the same reason--to take pictures! It's such a lovely place with the old dark wood 3-story mill and the dam of rushing water. The redbuds are in bloom as well as the flowering almond, other ornamental trees, lilies, and more. The wild hepatica and violets are abundant in the low, grassy areas where the streams nearly converge. We met other friends there who were doing senior pictures today as well. It's quite a place for photographers.

When we got home JT, Kori, and Emma were here. We had thought of doing a family campfire this evening, but ended up going to Sturgis for supper. We had a nice time together. Emma was enjoying walking all over our generous lawn. Granny took her out to the English garden and we toured through the walkways where she promptly plucked the leaves of an iris apart. I had to watch her every move as she is quite determined to pick flowers and is very quick.

I titled this post, "Our God Speaks" because I have surely felt His presence speaking to me in a number of ways in the last several days. As well as the beauties of His creation being a witness to Him (as is stated in the early chapters of Romans), I had some pretty distinct experiences of feeling the special closeness of His voice. Jesus declared in the book of John that His sheep hear His voice. It is not a matter of whether or not He speaks; He does! It's a matter of whether or not we are listening. Sometimes I feel it's hard to hear what the Lord is trying to tell me; other times I read the Bible and the words just seem to jump off the page at me! It's me that moves, not God.

I was rather discouraged on Friday over a number of things and when I took time to read the Bible and pray I distinctly felt the Lord encourage me to re-read the passages in the Old Testament about Elijah after the Mt. Carmel victory. He too was discouraged. But amazingly, the Lord spoke to him in a still, small voice. It's not the fact that God spoke to him that struck me so much as the instructions that the Lord then gave him. He told Elijah to leave the cave he was hiding in and go anoint a couple of new kings and also to anoint Elisha as prophet as well. It dawned on me that when we are discouraged or feel like quitting, it's not time to quit, but to reproduce ourselves. As Christians, we should be especially diligent to lead other people to the love of the Lord and to help disciple others into whatever it is that we do in the church for the kingdom of God. If we are pastors, then we need to generate other leadership. If we are piano players, how about helping someone else to learn to play? If we are teachers, then we should try to disciple others into excellent teaching. After all, we will not always be here on the scene. This particular encouragement was confirmed to me more than once in the last few days. I asked Clint if I could give this word to the church right before his sermon this morning. He agreed and I did, believing the Lord could encourage someone else with it. It went along with a specific encouragement that one of the worship team members spoke during our worship time a few moments earlier. After I sat down and Clint got up to preach he verified that his sermon included some of the very same thoughts and we had not consulted each other on this at all! That was another confirmation to me that I had definitely sensed the Lord's leading.

Last night was the mother/daughter banquet at a nearby church concerning which I had asked you to pray for me a few days ago. I was asked a few months ago to be the speaker for the event. This was really the first time I've ever done a mother/daughter banquet. All the other times it was fill-in preaching for Clint or needlework demonstrations for women's clubs, etc. It went very well, I felt, and I thank all of you who prayed for me on that. Many women expressed their appreciation for what I challenged them with. The church graciously allowed me to set up a table with my book for sale even though the book and my topic last night were not at all related. Several women purchased books and asked me to sign them. I was so thankful to them for the wonderful response and encouragment. Concerning this event I had wrestled with the question of whether to make very diligent notes and stick to them or try to just speak with very little reliance on my notes. I ended up making notes, quite detailed, and then adding to them. But as I was speaking, I found myself not paying much attention to the notes at all. Sometimes I noticed I was adding things I hadn't even thought of before and forgetting others things that I had intended to speak. I believe this was the anointing of the Lord helping me to put across only what was beneficial. I was very excited to feel like the words flowed easily. I trust God was using me to encourage that group of women. He certainly usesd them to encourage me!

As for the gardens, things are maturing quickly. I will need to water tomorrow. It only takes a few days of sunshine to dry out our clay soil. It seemed to me that the creeping phlox that I have tried so hard to propagate in many places across our yard is finally taking hold. I could promise you that in the last few days it spread and got bigger! I don't know if that's possible, but it sure looks bigger than it did a week ago. Maybe there comes a point in its bloom cycle where all the flowers are finally open and that doubles the look of the plant's size. Regardless, I am very much rewarded by the lush look of these plants this year. Enjoying them immensely. Also I am enjoying the two books Rhiannon got me. I can hardly put them down. I try to save reading them for times when I have a few special moments to enjoy a whole entry by one gardener. What fun!

I hope you had a great weekend and felt God's presence as you went about your days with lawn work, church, family, or whatever you did this weekend. Blessings, LORI

The Glories of Creation

Since it's May 1 today, I'll reveal my second favorite flower. It's the Lily of the Valley! Did any of you guess that? Mine are almost ready to bloom. I love their tiny little bell-like flowers and their incredible scent! I think May's flower is the Lily of the Valley as well.

It was a busy day here. Emma came over to stay awhile this morning. I had already gotten my walk in by the time she got here. Rhiannon and I played with her, read to her, and fed her some snacks. She was so much fun to have around. Very energetic this morning. She and I took a little walk upstairs. She went ahead of me and I followed to be sure she wouldn't fall. She is enthralled with Granny's second floor because we rarely go up there. There are two dormers in the main area and each is filled with different types of things. One is like a little living room, the other is filled with antique toys. She and I decided to sit on the floor of that area and read some of the books that belonged to my dad and his mother. They are so old that they are brittle. One I had never read and discovered that it was so enjoyable. The illustrations are much more detailed than what we see nowadays in children's books.

After Emma left, we all got ready to make a little trip to Coldwater for a bit of shopping. Right before we left, the postman knocked at the door. He was delivering a package. Rhiannon took it and seemed to be acting very secretive. She refused to let me see it. A few moments later she called for me and asked if I wanted my Mother's Day present early. Of course, I said, 'yes.' She then presented me with a book--"The Englishwoman's Garden"--one of my favorites of all time, by Alvilde Lees-Milne and Rosemary Verey. I screeched my delight at receiving this. Then she pulled a second volume out from behind her back, "The New Englishwoman's Garden." I shrieked again! She had found both of them for me on the internet even though they are very hard to locate. I was just thrilled. What a lot of enjoyment awaits me. I had some portions of the first one nearly memorized and could name some of the places that were featured. I check it out of our library every year. I'll not have to now! What a lovely gift. Rhiannon has been so good to me. She is such a giver. These two books, the mulch, and 3 perennials. What a great daughter!

While we were in town, we went out to lunch with our guest that's here from Iowa. I went to the second hand store only to come out with no items. I don't like it when that happens! A quick trip to buy a couple other items and on home. I spent the afternoon sewing on the 70's dress It's gone together so well. I finally got enough done tonight to put it on the dressmaker's dummy and pin the bodice to the skirt to get a sense of the final look. I am a little disappointed with a couple of the features. I think I'll redo the cuffs. They are long and fitted and I had them in a yellow-green lace. But they had to be lined and/or interfaced. The white of the interfacing shows through and throws off the whole look. I hate to rip, but they really need to appear to be green since I used the same lace on the flounce and it has a different color cast to it. It is actually an old lace curtain I picked up that happened to complement the fabric of this dress. I am cutting my lace trims from it. Otherwise, it's gone together so nicely.

I couldn't stand it to sew all afternoon without a break. Rhiannon came into the sewing room and said we ought to go outside. I told her I'd been rehearsing a line from "The Englishwoman's Garden" in which one of the garden owners describes a certain flower and its overall effect on the look of the garden. I pondered all afternoon about going out and moving my starts of this very plant to get it into a more harmonious grouping. It happens that I have quite a bit of this variety--I can't remember the name--but it's always popping up here and there and I've never "corralled" it. It's a fuzzy, gray-leaved plant that shoots up tall velvety-looking flowers in a very deep hot pink. I decided to try to group it a bit to get a fuller effect when it blooms instead of the disconnected, straggly effect it gives when it is left to live where it seeded. We did a little of that transplanting and then decided it was too cold to stay out there. It was overcast and chilly today.

I noticed that the strawberries are beginning to bloom and it certainly seems early for that. I guess they responded to the warm days. I hope they don't get frost-nipped on one of these cold nights.

Well, alot of my day was spent again in appreciating the glories of God's creation. In Genesis 1:1 the Bible declares that "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." I am so glad our God is creative and has a sense of beauty. It's a wondeful thing to be included in His great creation. In fact, he sees man as the crowning achievement of all He did. It is so lovely this time of year with all the flowering trees in bloom. What a wonderful sight after that long, cold winter. Enjoy God's creation this weekend. Blessings, LORI