fmf | feel the rain

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Some people feel the rain - others just get wet!

A couple of years ago - I can recall...outdoors planting some "gifted" plants and wanted to get them in the ground before it rained.  You know how things "grow"...?  Better to set in wet soil than in dry....however, a good soaking rain (after planting) is especially good!!!
My girlies were out there with me - and before I knew it, here it came.  A gentle but steady - WET - rain.  Getting rather intense, actually.  My first thought was to race indoors and call the girls behind me.  Nope!!

They were having fun!!  Twirling and laughing.  Soaking it all up.  The blessing of feeling the rain - and not just getting wet.   I, on the other hand,   had to really think about that.  As much as I love me a rainy day (and I talk about that often) my first and immediate inclination is to run in and get out of the rain.   I don't know that I've slowed ever down long enough to really feel it.   Maybe I have.  I'm getting better.  At least, I hope so.

You know.  Troubles - they fall like rain...we say.   Why are we in such a hurry to get out of the rain?  Why are we in such a hurry to get out of the troubles - that come?  Blessings also fall like rain - we like to say!
Yet, we're willing to bask in those?   I don't know. 
I'm pondering all of this today... how about you?  Are you a person who just gets wet or do you like feeling the rain?


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Joining up with Five Minute Friday community where today's word prompt is:

Garden Love

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Cabbage always has a heart;
Green beans string along.
You're such a cute tomato,
Will you peas to me belong?
You've been the apple of my eye,
You know how much I care;
So lettuce get together,
We'd make a perfect pear.
Now, something's sure to turnip
To prove you can't be beet;
So if you carrot at all for me,
Let's let our tulips meet.
Don't squash my hopes and dreams now.
Bee my honey dear.
Or tears will fill Potato's eyes
While sweet corn lends an ear.
I'll cauliflower shop
And say your dreams are parsley mine,
I'll work and share my celery,
So, be the apple of my eye!
~ Jeanne Losey

 I stumbled across this poem a while back and it still makes me smile.  Thought I'd share it with you this wonderful, rainy Sunday evening.   Gardens all around the area are in full bloom and the yield appears to be plentiful.  The other Saturday... I took my three kiddos out to Lancaster Co. for a drive and some shopping and yeah.. let's just say....our car was full of yummy goodness...till we got home.  There is nothing quite like fresh garden veggies in the prime of summer!
We love our zukes, cukes, mater's and corn!!! 
We've made two batches of our favorite relish recipe, so far.  Which is good!!  And, which was needed.

How does your garden grow?

I don't have much of anything planted, this year, which makes me feel kinda sad.  I had a few herbs in a pot out on our back deck - but they didn't last too long.  I'm not sure what got to them.  Like I said...kinda sad.  I do LOVE having parsley and basil at the ready... when needed.  :)  Oh, and a friend has brought by a bouquet or two of my favorite flowers.  I sure do love my zinnia's.  :)

 One of the projects around our place, the past couple of weeks, have been trimming back some majorly low (according to my hubby) tree limbs and uprooting some bushes, etc. that we longer want.  We have some big plans for our side flower bed.  So, maybe by next summer... we'll be set.  Right now... I'm enjoying everyone else's beauty. 

By the way. These pics are from several years ago... taken at a women's retreat center.  Their porches and seating areas were beautiful.   I just thought they would attach well to this poem that I just shared; something you'd find while thumbing through a magazine, as you're sitting there relaxing on a nice summer afternoon or evening with a tall glass of iced tea!!  You know??

I hope you are enjoying your summer...

fmf :: Adapt

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This randomly growing dandelion caught my eye, this morning.  A flower seemingly out of place.  Should I pull it?  Ahh... I know some folks call these weeds, but I don't.  I won't.  There often found in the fistfuls of flowers - handed over by my Littles.  They are a bright spot, or two, or many, dotted across the yard...bringing me smiles.  But, this one?  Smack dab in the middle of another patch of beauty, trying to steal another's thunder?    I had to let it go.   I thought of this prompt word from Friday which I hadn't gotten to writing abou yet and this reminded me...

"Bevy, bloom where you're planted!!"

I continued to speak to myself... lol... 

"Yeah.  So what if you're still adapting.  Its coming up on a year in this new place.  You're doing great!! You're meeting new people, making new friends.  The kids are doing great - so is your hubby!!   The house is coming together.  It's slow - but there is progress.  You can still SHINE - even if you sometimes feel outta place.  You're okay!!!" 

Right now... we've been working outdoors - changing things up a bit, in the garden beds.  Making things more of our own.  The kids have been helping a lot.  We've had to really get used to doing our own lawn care, etc.  I got to thinking how plants (keeping with our theme of growing and growth)... plants, adapt very easily to new environments.  For the most part.  A little TLC goes a long, long way.

They certainly have no problem in being uprooted... they settle their roots again, where placed.  Granted - this one - I didn't plant.  God did.

 So it is, here.  With me.  Tender love and care... has been a reality.  Quiet changes along the way.  Some rough patches.  Lots of patience - or, working on it!!  But... the roots are taking depth...ever so slightly. I'm grateful for God's provision - might not be exactly what we wanted... but it what HE wanted.  For now.

To adapt is one thing.  To adapt well... and thrive, is another!!

How about you?  
Blooming where planted?
  ***
Thought you might like to see my Littles... :)

 They're growing up - aren't they?

(Makes me tear up!!)
***

Linking up with the community of writers from Five Minute Friday. 
This week's prompt word was: adapt

The condition of our soul soil...

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Oh, this blogging road is so "rocky".  Have you noticed...?  I'm having a hard time keeping up. Thank you, so much, for sticking around and keeping interest.  I greatly appreciate you - my dear readers.  You're comments mean the world to me.

The last two posts were about the word (my word for the new year) - GROW or GROWTH and about seeds.  How they are sown...or broadcasted.  If you remember me using that word...?  I said we'd stay on this gardening themed topic... for a bit.  So, here goes.

First off, you can hardly have growth if you don't have seeds and you certainly can't have that if you don't have soil.  Right? Soil isn't conditional  Meaning, like, you have to have soil. 
YOU NEED SOIL...to make things grow.

But... the question or thought we want to consider today is, what is the condition of our soul soil? 

You can have any kind of soil... but if it isn't good or quality or healthy... what good is it going to do you? Descriptions of some not-so-good soil are: Hard, stony or "pale and shallow"...

I know I've talked a lot of gardening and the like - over the course of my blogging "years".  (Wow!!  I've been "blogging" - albeit on an off - for a really long time).  In fact, I just took a few moments to reread some of my old gardening themed posts.  I was tempted to just share one of those... and not go with anything new - but that felt like a cop out to me - so you've got this.

So, we understand, the condition of our soil is so very important. And, yet here is something that we often forget about.   Earthworms.

They are the lowliest of the low.  Do you agree??

And, yet they're crucial to our earth's ecosystem.  Without them...our soil wouldn't be much to talk about.  You can tell - just by digging around - how healthy your soil is if you see evidence of worms in your soil. What comes to mind when I think of healthy soil.... is rich, dark, wet - smells earthy - loose and movable.
A sweet, dear friend recently was speaking of this very thing... and I like how she stated this... and with her permission...I'm paraphrasing! :)
Something so small and insignificant,such as an earthworm, can leave behind the greatest impact of fertilizing our earth's soil in preparation for planting.  He works hard behind the scenes going unnoticed at large.  Yet he's faithful.  Day and and day out...  Because of this... it is this worm's faithfulness that leads to an abundant harvest.

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Sometimes hard things that come in our lives are really crucial for the growth that we need in our lives.  Situations that "worm" their way in and through our lives are only preparing us for deeper growth.  Let's not wish it all away.  Let's embrace and allow the "yuckies" of life to be a blessing!!!
~~~
 I admit, I don't like the hard things of life.  HOWEVER, I have come to embrace their faithfulness as part of my internal growth.  When I think of the soil of my soul... I really do want it to be pliable and fertile.
Right now, I'm going through something very personal.  It has a lot to do with contentment.   I'm grateful for what God has blessed me with, don't get me wrong - but, down deep I'll feel the "worm squirm" of wanting to complain.  I feel "claustrophobic".  I feel cheated.  "This isn't the way it was supposed to be or go"... and, if I allow those "weeds" to thrive... they'll overgrow and overtake and there will be a hardening of heart.  See how all of this effects the condition of our soul soil?

This is real.  And, challenging!!  But, because I'm recognizing it, in me...I see it as an opportunity to pull those things from my heart and mind and replace it with a positive mindset and a grateful heart!!

I can't do it by myself.  I need the Gardner of my soul!!!

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 
- Psalm 51:10 KJV
 

Broadcasting seeds...leads to viable growth!

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It's amazing how just thinking of and taking a word.  One word, for the year!  How thinking on that and pondering over it - and we're what, only about two weeks in? - and how this has really, already made an impact on how I'm thinking and feeling in my day-to-day...

Growth is powerful.   But. 

Before there is growth of any kind - there has to be seeds.

I was listening, this morning, to a preacher share... actually, I caught him by accident.  I wasn't really listening... but he was talking about seeds.  How that they have to be planted before they do anything else.  I mean, you can hold em in your hand and look at the all day - but they won't do any good at all unless they are sown... in other words, "broadcasted" or scattered!!

It made me pause.

Who or what has "broadcasted" those seeds into heart-soil?  The word "broadcast" took me off guard.  Its a big one.  We use it - but not necessarily like this anymore.  To broadcast - gives the picture of " to spread far and wide"...

  The further and wider they are sown out... means a larger and better yield.

What matters, though, is what kinds of seeds there are.  Do I know?

My prayer is that they are good seeds.  Right seeds.  Vital to my life seeds.

Not weed seeds.  No!

Seeds of encouragement.  Seeds of kindness.  Gentleness.  Relation-ally speaking that they would be seeds of good and healthy friendships.  Positive for growth in business skills.

Growing in peace and patience.

Confidence and willpower!  Stamina and resiliency.  

Guess what?

Did you know we are seed sharers? We are.

Think of every time we blow upon that dandelion - we spread a bunch of seeds with every puff.

I know.  Its not something we think about in the middle of January.  But what kinds of growth are you anticipating?  Are you aware the sort of seeds that have been sown into your life?   Are you putting yourself in position to garner those seeds for viable growth?  What are you broadcasting??

***

Just for fun.  I thought I'd show you my violets.  My mom gave them to me, after we moved in to our new home... and ya'll.  I have not really ever had success with indoor plants growing to their full potential.  Ever.  Whether it was just not the right place in the home, with adequate sunshine, perhaps I'd forgotten to water them...etc.  But... do you see?  They're blooming!!

I think we're going to keep on this topic for awhile...

Changes. Ready or Not... here they come!

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Ready or not... Changes are on the rise.

If you follow me on Facebook, at all, you've seen a lot of photos lately.  :)

You know our kids have celebrated their last day of the school year, this past Monday.

With that... I've done quite a bit of sewing for each of the teachers and bus driver... making Pocket Pouch and Tea Wallet gifts!!

I celebrated my 43rd birthday - with my family - as we enjoyed a family vacation to Niagara Falls, via bus, with my daughter's Frontier Girl Troop....

In the past... 43 was an age I was not willing to embrace.  Surprisingly... I think I've overcome that one.  When you feel really good (healthwise) - it's amazing how your thoughts and feelings feel pretty good, too!

You may have figured out that I am aunt all over again.  My brother and his wife had their first baby.

 A little girl!  By photos, she is so sweet, yet I'm anxious to meet her in person. :)

We have "new" neighbors (for not sure how long)... and "old", original neighbors who are moving on, to other housing arrangements.  In time, it will be our turn.  We keep hearing random rumors about the demise of this property - that has been our home for seven/eight wonderful years.  It makes for something rather bittersweet.

It's been strange seeing more wildlife critters in and out of the fence - rather than the cows!!

Definitely, taller grasses and TONS more wildflowers...

Yet, life goes on. 

There is still laundry to be done and "gardening" to tend too.

I'm so, so thankful for the gorgeous weather that has been part of this week, so far.  WOW!!!

***

Psalm 116:7

Be at rest once more, O my soul, 

For the LORD has been good to you.

A beautiful handwritten scripture on the inside of one of many birthday cards.  

Perfect timing in it's reminder.

I truly am so blessed!