The Good Earth

We had a community garden meeting the weekend.  It was something to behold because these people are nazi-crazy-organic maniacs.   The WHOLE board was full of New Englanders, as well as most gardeners.  They were that hardy stock you hear about and you can tell just by looking at them. They were super cool.  The wealth of information and knowledge that they have about the earth and the soil that I don't know is astounding.

I thought I was a semi-decent gardener; now I realized I am barely a beginner.

But I love it.

So we visited our plot after the meeting.  It had been abandoned last year, and when I saw it, it was just so sad.  

We had only planned to visit it, but instead, we rolled up our sleeves, and got started on cleaning it up.

She wasn't prepared to work, she had her nice shoes on.  But that didn't stop her from *helping*.  :D

It was a nippy day, but after a little while, the sweaters came off.  Even John who has no body fat took his off.

This is probably the funniest picture.  Our oldest son was carting the mulch to our walkway, which we are required to keep nice and neat and weed free. It's in the rules.  ( yes there is a garden police ) They provided the mulch for free, we provide the man power.  

Anyway, if you click on the picture, you can see in the background that Elena didn't want to go where she was told, and so she was *inspired* by her other brother to do it anyway.  LOL.

So, we worked for about an hour and a half, and it started to look decent.

We were going to go after school today, but alas, there was snow on the ground.

Even though Spring is officially here.  

Happy St Paddy's Day!!

I married an irishman.

                                                                          I stole this from my daughter's blog  :D


It has been an adventure.  When we were getting married, a few people said " You are marrying an irishman?  Are you sure you want to do it? "

I didn't understand what they meant.

Now I do.

And though sometimes it is hard, I wouldn't change it for the world.  Most of the time.  ( keeping it real, lol)

I've been cooking for St Paddy's Day meal since this morning.  I should be done around 6pm.

See, it is his favorite holiday and he is worth the work and effort.  I don't get it, but I don't have to.

So, not to take anything away from the love of my life, and going into some facts like his grandma smoked a pipe, and clan mentality is inbred...

The reality is that St. Patrick's Day has become a day to drink and party.  That is a shame.  It should be a day to honor self sacrifice and joy that passes understanding.  To follow the example and surrender the norm.  Live to the glory of GOD.

So, off to continue making the meal, and change his children into green leperchauns.  (Yikes, I hope the peanut has something green!! )

Go celebrate!  Go bless!  Go play some music with bagpipes ( or come over to the house and borrow some, we have plenty :P )

And have yerself a Happy St. Paddy's Day.

Mrs Bossy Pants

At dinner tonight, Elena was being Miss Bossy Pants.

Again.

She really is a delightful child.

And she is a joy.  Her laughter can pull anyone's bad mood out of the rain.

She is helpful and hard working.  And yes, she even asks for MORE school work because she enjoys it.

But when she wants something done, or she thinks someone is in the wrong... she will let you know loud and clear.

I am trying to make believe that it is in her DNA, so that I can have no responsibility over it.  She gets it from ...well. you know...her biological DNA.

But I can't.

Because since I have accused her, albeit lovingly, of being a Miss Bossy Pants,  I have been listening to myself to see if she * might * get it from me.

She does.

Now before you think I am this wonderful person who reflects often on my own faults, let me tell you WHY I had to reflect on the fact that maybe, just maybe, she got it from me.

Because, see, she is also very polite and encouraging, she says things EXACTLY like I say them, and I take full credit ( in my head  :D )for teaching such wonderful things to my child.

So, Mrs. Bossy Pants needs to rethink how her life is going to change and be lived out, because Miss Bossy Pants just needs to stop being so bossy.

Just like her momma.

End Times?

I can't tell you how many articles, posts, blogs, FB statuses and radio commentaries I have heard that we should WAKE UP because this is the END TIMES!!!

Look around you!  Look at the signs!  It is obvious and we are reading the signs.

Which got me thinking.

Dangerous past time, I know.

It got me thinking how many Christians will change because it is THE END TIMES!!  

How many Christians are going to start praying.

How many Christians are going to start telling others that IT IS THE END TIMES and they need to repent!!

How many Christians will change how they live, hoping to rack up some *brownie points* in case it is indeed the END TIMES!! and they could use all the help they can get when standing before The King.

How many Christians are going to... dare I say it???...start reading their Bibles, again.

But wait...

Aren't we suppose to be living holy and true?  Regardless of when the end times come?

Aren't we suppose to walk in HIS light, and spreading it is desperation because lost souls are dying every single day?

Aren't we suppose to be hoping and living, clinging to HIS hand in the decisions we make, in the way we live, in the Light we spread?

Shouldn't we be living our lives like the end is near, because really, have you seen, do you know how many people die in car accidents?  How many people die in wars? How many people die of a heart attack with no prior signs?  How many people die of drug overdose, physical abuse, cancer, an accidental fall, a swung bat landing in the wrong place on your head.

Not to minimize the pain and heartache happening in Japan, and around the world.  I remember 9/11, watching the towers fall from the mountainside near our house.

I remember when my brother in law died at the young age of 33, leaving behind my sister and their 3 small children.  I remember that pain, that emptiness, that heartache that won't go away.  For a long time.

And with Japan & New Zealand, times that a million.

But...

The END TIMES!!! have been happening for a long time to everyday people.

Live like it, regardless of what is going on in the world.  Live like it because HE told us to live for HIM.

And our lives should not change because of the temperature of the World, they should change because of our love for HIM, who loves us to distraction and deserves every part of our lives.

Is it the END TIMES??!!?  I don't know.  Not even Jesus knew.

But I know how I am suppose to be living.

Today.

And tomorrow.

And next week.

Do you?

As you may know... or not know, Our oldest son is an urban missionary with The Relief Bus.  It is an amazing thing to watch him work.  He volunteered there for a a while before being asked to join the staff.  He loves it.  I mean he really loves it.

We try to go volunteer on Friday nights.  Samuel, too, loves it.  He would every week if he could.

Last Friday, we went and were joined by our Pastor and his son. 

Here, Pastor Bill is talking with John, and it cracks me up because it really does look like he is trying to say " You want a piece of me??"  And Samuel is trying not to crack up.  And it is about killing him to hold it in.

The Bus helps out in ways that go above and beyond a meal.  But if all you want is a meal, they will joyfully do that too.  

Samuel is the ultimate Mets fan.  Can you tell?

Anyway, it was cold.  I mean in the 20s cold; so not too many people came out.  But they know it is there.  Faithfully.

On another note.  Elena is doing well with her school work.  She just turned 4 but knows her letters, sounds, numbers, colors, is starting to write and loves it all.   (Not bad for our child who has been in the USA for just a mere 14 months.)

Except this:

Every time I ask her what that is, she says New Jersey.  EVERYTIME!!  What does that mean?  What is going through her head when she sees this.  How come she forgets what we told her it means/says.  What does she know about Jersey, that truthfully we are probably denying?  It doesn't even look like the shape of our state!!

I need to just let it go.

Well today is Ash Wednesday.  Do you know what you are going to sacrifice for the next 40 days?  I am doing the typical thing of something I like, for example, chips, sugar... but this year I am also going to do my best not to be cynical.  Arrgghhhhhhh.  Do you know how hard this is for a Jersey person?  Being cynical & sarcastic are in our DNA.  

:::sigh:::

Pray for me.  It will be a long 40 days.  But to GOD be the Glory.

WE GOT A PLOT!!!!!

We have a small-ish backyard.  It is ok for this area, bigger then most.

In fact, we have a double lot,  we have 2 addresses!  Of course, all you people from anywhere other then NJ would laugh so hard at the size of our yard.  Kansas we are not.  Our neighbors are mighty close.

ANYWAY, in our yard we have a raised garden.  ( Our oldest son & I already have plans to knock it down this year) It was here when we bought the house.  Unfortunately, we have too many trees and nothing grows from lack of sun.

SO, last year I decided we were going to apply for a plot at the local community garden.

We didn't get in last year.

We were down somewhere deep on the waiting list.  I called.  They told me.  I was bummed.

This year, I tried again, and they just called with the good news!!  Thankfully I answered the phone, for it is first come first serve.  They had called 14 people before calling me and no one answered, so the next person on the list gets a try at the plot.

SHEESH.

Regardless of my thoughts on that philosophy,  WE HAVE A PLOT!!!

I called John with the good news, using those self same words instead of 'hello'.

He asked me if I was planning on burying him.

He thinks he is a funny guy.  :P

So, I am looking forward to enjoying days with my children as we create a vegetable garden, and hopefully, my grandchild and his/her momma will join in on the fun if they come out for the summer!

Now I have to wait for Monday to go to the library and get a load of books out!

Pain.

It is a pain.

Sometimes I think GOD has a major reason for allowing us to feel pain, whether physically or spiritually.  And sometimes I wish HE would just let us know the reason so we can get to it, understand, do our part in the acceptance and learning, and move on.

But usually, HE doesn't.

I threw my back out getting out of bed this past Monday.  It still hurts, but now I can move.  Slowly.  And I can take a deep breath without wanting to pass out or throw up from the pain.

My heart is tired as I am going on year #6 of desert walking.  And just when I think I can handle this, it just gets harder.  Desert walking stinks.

There are sermons that are meant just for me, and they are like some one threw  crutches my way that allow me to walk a little further down this path.  Yes, people say Christianity is a crutch.  I totally agree.  We are all crawling around in the mud called this world.  We are all called to be dependent on HIM.  We can't do it alone.  I 'own' my crutches.  With them I can stand, and move and hope.  I can't stand very tall or not very proud.  But they help me get me out of the mud pit.

Pain.  I wish we didn't have to have it, but can you imagine living without it??!  That would truly be a nightmare.

On another note, we went to visit my daughter and son in law this weekend.  We had no grand plans like we usually do, just to see them with our own eyes.  :D

And the 2 youngest members of this family got haircuts down there.

Josiah did Samuel's.

He has been begging for a crew cut for months.  I refused because he skis too much and it gets cold.

So it went from this:

To this:

Here she is...

And of course, this was the best:

Next time we see this child of ours, she will either be getting ready to have the baby the next day, or we will hold that baby on our arms. 

God is good.