April Showers...Snow...Brings May Flowers

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."  2Cor. 4:7

They are calling it "The Wedding of the Century" and I was able to watch it.  My two month old made sure I would be awake for the ceremony and then woke me up again for "the kiss".  I'd been planning on watching it in reruns, but my son must have thought I would be upset if I couldn't watch it live.  It was beautiful to see and I pray that they happy together for the rest of their lives.

I must admit that growing up, I hated the idea of having a garden.  My mom had huge gardens that produced large amounts of veggies.  I hated being out in the sun picking weeds and adopted an overall bad attitude about the whole process.  However, as I have grown older, I have hopefully grown wiser.  It is never too late to grow as a person or to discover something new about oneself.  My children were the reason I ventured into the vast universe of gardening several  years ago.  Their desire to start a garden could only be denied by the hardest of hearts.  We had to move a massive amount of rock in order to find the dry and mineral depleted soil.  We toiled away under the hot sun to help the land produce and were rewarded with many, many tomatoes.  More than we really knew what to do with.  We missed having a garden the next year because we were in transition and feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Once we had a permanent place to live in our new state, I got the gardening itch.  However, the last two years failed to really produce anything.  So, this year, we are going to try again.  I find myself really enjoying the process and appreciate many of my children's joyful expectations as they work alongside me.  I have discovered something new about myself and am so excited to try again, with the Lord's help, to get the soil to bend to our will. 

Yesterday, we began again... the children and I started sowed our garden seeds.  We started the process while the sun was shining, but it quickly became a cold and blustery experience. Lydia and Makayla hung in with me until the end and we now have a bounty of dirt sitting in front of our big picture window.  We planted several types of flowers in little pots that our neighbors blessed the children with for Easter.  We also filled 100 "cells" with tomatoes, cucumbers, bush beans, jalapenos (via the neighbors), and carrots.  The kids and I said a prayer over them when we were done and now we are looking forward to planting strong healthy plants outside in several weeks.  Since the last two years have not turned out well for us,  we are changing the position of our garden this year.  We have quite a bit of work ahead of us.  We are going to have to remove some grass and will put up a fence in order to keep the deer away.  We will also fertilize the soil in hopes of receiving a bounty for all of our efforts.

Yes, I'm still enjoying being the mom of a brand new baby.  Number eight, none the less.  This is such a sweet season in my life and the Lord continues to pour His peace upon me.  The "transitions" are coming less frequently and the kids and I are sliding back into a smoother routine.  My teenager continues to slowly grow into a woman and I am trying to be mindful of her changes and trying to dig really deep in those moments that require extra patience.  She will be a woman in the blink of an eye, discovering the Lord's calling for her life and I don't want to have that moment arrive while I am looking the other way.  She and I are very different and at times this can be very challenging.  She is her father's daughter in so many ways and our perspectives are often times polar opposites.  I pray that with time and patience, these differences will give us both wisdom and a deeper appreciation and understanding for each other.  She is a gem and I'm so excited to see what her Heavenly Father has in store for her life.

There is a famous saying that "youth is wasted on the young".  As I get older, I find such truth in these words.  I would have wasted fewer of my days worrying, pining, and lamenting.  I would have been searching my days for people to love, cherishing those that loved me and being less selfish.  I cannot hit the redo button, so I pray that I take advantage of the days I have left, committing my heart and life to the Lord and allowing Him to transform me and use me to His glory.  I know this will continue to be a life long journey for me and I pray for the wisdom and sensitivity to not waste my days. 
 
Be blessed and enjoy your weekend.  May it be full of THE peace that passes all understanding.