As I walk this morning, I’m reminded of the changing seasons. I spy six happy trilliums in a patch nestled among numerous lily of the valley flowers. It’s almost as if they lift their white heads to say, “Look at me! I’m alive after a LONG winter’s rest.”
Seeing their determination to stand up and be noticed, I feel I can bolster my willpower to conquer this day in God’s inexhaustible strength.
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
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Munsinger & Clemens Gardens, St. Cloud, Minnesota. Garden: A planted tract used for public enjoyment. And that it is! “During the 1880’s the location was used as a sawmill, due to its proximity to the Mississippi River…around 1915 the City of St. Cloud purchased the area that has become known as Riverside Park and Munsinger Gardens.
Many photo opportunity spots, coins in the fountains, beautiful walkways lined with many colors and types of flowers and bushes. Then, lunch at Famous Dave’s and home for naps for all (at least most of us!)
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Our granddaughter, Liberty, harvests her 1st green pepper from my deck garden. She’s been watching the pepper grow for days now and asks me every day, “Is it time to pick the pepper yet?” Today was the day! She’s so excited to twist the tender green vegetable and she says she will even eat it too.
Her eagerness reminds me of the verse, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8) I have to ask myself, just how eager am I to taste and see that the Lord is good? Admittedly, my mind and body sometimes hunger for other things or people. I like to think I hunger more for God, his word, and time with his people. But my actions do not always match what I know I should hunger after. Lord, I desire to follow after you, learn more of your ways, your likes & dislikes. When I seek refuge in you, I am blessed.
How about you? Do you hunger after God? How do you taste and see that God is good?
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I love Carol Rottman’s analogy in, All Nature Sings: A Spiritual Journey of Place, where she shares about landscapes and seasons…listen:
“Thank goodness for that walk down the driveway every day. What a rush; what a treasure—and of a totally different, and even opposite kind! The landscape changes with the seasons, but the Creator never does. I don’t even have to carry a battery pack—God has been wireless from the beginning. We can always be in touch.
Carol J. Rottman takes us on a seasonal, spiritual pilgrimage through her eyes in a corner of their 17-acre plat of land: Flat Iron Lake Preserve. I immediately fell in love with the picturesque floral cover of the hardcover book, and continued to feel drawn in as Carol’s husband’s photography graced the pages within, All Nature Sings: A Spiritual Journey of Place. Fritz Rottman recorded images as husband and wife worked to “restore seventeen acres to its native prairie state.”
I looked forward to each successive entry of Carol’s journey to contentedness right where God has placed her. The added photography complements and add visual excitement to the quotes and scripture verses.
Recommended reading for anyone desiring to virtually join the author on an uplifting, spiritual pilgrimage. This book makes an excellent addition to coffee table or library. Presentation and layout professionally created – very impressive!
All Nature Sings: A Spiritual Journey of Place, by Carol J. Rottman
Published by Credo House Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan, ©2010
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“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” – Proverbs 17:6
The Bible says that an old man’s (and woman’s) grandchildren are his crowning glory. What a privilege to wear that glorious crown! – Nancy Corbett Cole
I’m wearing my crown proudly, how about you?
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It’s so awesome and Susie-homemakerish (hope that phrase doesn’t offend anyone) to be able to step outside on my deck with my scissors and colander, peruse the status of my mini-garden, and pluck what we want to utilize for lunch or dinner menu.
Today is watering and pruning day for my plants & veggies. I can’t believe the size of my green pepper now which is a California Wonder Sweet, AND I also have another small sweet pepper coming. Steve’s Jalapeño Hot ones are appearing on the scene. So exciting! I just clipped oregano, chives, lemon, lime and regular basil, chocolate mint (from my new farmer’s market plant) and lettuce to take with us in baggies for the weekend.
Anyone know of a good Mojito recipe?
Light green, leafy lettuce dance in my miniature deck planter. Mingled with basil, cilantro, oregano, one hot pepper (for hubby) and one green pepper (for me). For those of you who do not know me, I’m basically a city girl who should be dubbed a “country girl” born in Ottumwa, Iowa in Wapello County. However, my folks moved away when I was very young.
My husband and I live in a modest condominium along with all the rules and regulations associated with condo living. Huge, vast gardens are not on the horizon for this “no green thumb” lady. However, while cooped up for the long, winter months in Michigan, my mind began to dream of succulent fresh, leafy greens home grown and ready to pick. My girlfriend, who tills a spacious garden in her back yard, assured me that a deck planter could work for me. Sharry was willing to coach me.
At that point, I knew I had all the tools I needed to get the job done and realize my dream. A deck planter meant no worries about rabbits or other critters carrying away my bounty. No room for weeds. Plus, I’d have the convenience of walking a few short yards to my deck and viola…fresh produce ripe for the picking!
You can imagine my amazement when those first lettuce heads popped their tiny heads up through the black soil! I was surprised they even appeared, and didn’t wither up and die. Reminded me of the parable of a tiny mustard seed, “…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed…Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Anyone who came to our home received the official tour straight to the deck and oohed and aaahhed with me as we watched the garden grow. No one was exempt from my daily observation of my mini garden deck planter. Later, I added two peppers plants, chives, and several spices.
At a doctor’s appointment, my doctor promptly asked if I had a garden.
“Why do you ask? Is my green thumb showing?”
“You look like you’ve gotten some sun,” he added.
My face beamed. Someone had noticed. Although I doubt that my small amount of time spending tilling my mini garden was the contributor to the tan.
“Do you have basil in your garden? It’s not a garden unless you have basil.”
“No, no basil yet,” I sheepishly replied making a mental note to add some basil to my garden.
“Basil is good in everything. You must have some.” Well, folks, there you have it: doctor’s orders to plant basil in my garden. I had no other option than to comply.
Two nights ago, my daughter came over to share dinner with me. I made a luscious summer salad accompanied with stuffed pasta and chivied basil and onion sautéed in olive oil. Out of this world! Last night, I harvested (love that word) another batch of lettuce to share with my hubby along with chopped cilantro in the sauce for our tacos.
Folks, it doesn’t get much better than that!
p.s. Did I happen to mention the meaning of my name, “Teresa?” It is of Greek origin meaning “to harvest.”