Sunflowers

 

SUNFLOWERS

Sunflowers face east in the morning

then turn toward the west by evening

following the sun

providing much fun

to birds and bees

and even me

as blue jays and cardinals,

yellow finches and sparrows

know when the seeds are ready to eat

giving many birds and me a treat

as birds are seen eating upside down.

Sometimes seeds even fall to the ground

where next year bright sunflowers will grow

then continue to put on a show

growing tall up toward the sky

with a happy face that says ‘hi’.

These birds will return again,

but never in the pouring rain,

to entertain those who daily watch

wearing red, yellow, or blue thatch.

Those blue ones don’t always share –

though their cawing can be heard tear

from their perch in the nearby tree

calling attention to me.

Hey guys, I’m the one who willingly shares

so be thankful for sunflowers that bear

black seeds that you love to eat

each year when you return to greet

with your family and new friends

to my garden at Rainbow’s End.

Perhaps blue jays cawing

is their way of thanking

God, their Creator,

for free sunflowers?

* * * * *

When you hear blue jays, do you think they are thankful

or do you think they are greedy and ungrateful?

Hebrews 13:15-16 offers tips for daily living:

Let your life be continually filled with thanksgiving.

Always be in a thankful mode

which makes a testimony bold?

Do your words come from a thankful heart?

If not, it’s never too late to start.

A sacrifice of praise is giving God glory.

Let this sacrifice be known as your life’s story.

Always make choices that are right and good

in word, in deed, in thought – we always should.

Be careful of the spoken words you choose

because your testimony you could lose.

Let your every deed be kind

to bring others peace of mind.

Control your thoughts

which come from the heart

for out of the abundance of the heart

comes much good and/or every evil thought.

Those who are caring

will end up sharing.

Those who only care for themselves

will not share with someone who needs help.

Be the former

not the latter

for the Lord will bless you abundantly

when you hold your possessions loosely.

This principle of giving to others – addition,

becomes to you God’s giving - in multiplication.

Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise –

the fruit of lips that confess his name.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others,

for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Hebrews 13:15-16

Life Is a Garden Party

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Life

 

Life

The garden is alive with the sound of bees

humming happily with a song of glee

in the golden squash blossoms and snow peas

where they thankfully work all day for free,

pollinating while sipping morning tea.

It really is a pleasing sight to see.

Do be careful, for though bees are wee,

you won't want one to sit on your knee.

The garden is alive with singing birds.

From morning to evening music is heard.

A symphony of voices are on tour,

though sometimes it sounds like discord

when baby birds

learn to sing new chords.

Even so, their happiness does not bore,

each day it loudly and proudly soars.

The garden is alive with floating butterflies

which flutter down from somewhere high in the blue sky.

They never stay long, perhaps they are shy,

but when you do see them come down from on high

do take the time to go out to say hi

for all too soon they will wave bye bye.

Floating down to sip nectar, they flicker, flutter nigh

then, flicker, flutter to return high in the sky.

The garden is alive with numerous bugs -

beetles, worms, flies, gnats, mosquitoes, bores, ants, slugs – ugh!

There's even grubs

when the ground is dug.

Watch out, never a bug hug

for stinging ants create hubbub;

although earthworms and ladybugs

are good bugs gardener's love.

The garden is alive with a blaze of color

found in a rainbow of colorful flowers.

Hummingbirds know just when and where to come for dinner

as red bee balm and trumpet vine blooms in the summer.

There's orange day lilies and yellow sunflowers,

petals of purple on the cone flowers,

white daisies and pink phlox, a stunner,

in my little garden plot each summer.

* * * * *

The garden is alive with various forms of life.

Wherever you look, green initiates the gift of life.

Unfortunately with life

comes assorted forms of strife.

In the garden it's insects

or weather not perfect,

although weeds survive

while other plants die.

In life

there's strife.

Everyday new problems

compound old problems.

It's hard to see the joy

when troubles annoy,

but God had a plan

for us humans.

Our problems mature us

and through them we learn to trust

in God's faithfulness

and inherent goodness.

Building a foundation of trust

will strengthen and encourage us,

growing our waning faith

through enabling grave.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers,

whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Perseverance must finish its works so that you may be

mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

In this you greatly rejoice,

though now for a little while

you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

These have come so that you faith -

of greater worth than gold,

which perishes even though refined by fire -

may be proved genuine

and my result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Though you have not seen him, you love him;

and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him

and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

for you are receiving the goal of you faith,

the salvation of your souls.

I Peter 1:7-9

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

Hearts

 

Hearts

God loves you!

Yes, it's true.

And He has sent reminders, too,

growing in our gardens as clues.

In the morning these reminders may be covered with dew.

Some of these lovely reminders have flowers of blue.

Wild violets contain a clue

that God does love me and you.

There are reminders found in leaves of sunflowers, too.

Even the shape of the cone flower leaf contains a clue.

Perennial forget-me-nots send the same message, it's true.

The leaves of brown-eyed susans also sprout this loving clue.

Elephant ears and caladiums are a few

large leaves from bulbs that yearly debut

as daily reminders for you,

for we need reminders anew.

What do these plants, so different, have in common, they do,

though their flowers may be yellow, gold, pink, purple, or blue?

Each heart-shaped leaf is a valentine just for you -

a daily reminder that God loves us, it's true.

Did God purposely plan, did He construe,

for heart-shaped leaves to remind me and you

that He loves us through and through?

Never doubt God loves you. It's true.

Take a stroll around your yard to review

other heart-shaped leaves that grew

as a reminder that God loves you,

then be sure to tell the Lord "thank you."

* * * * *

Love is who God is.

Where God is, love is.

God's love for us

gave us Jesus.

Jesus, God's Son,

His beloved One,

our redeeming substitute

from a life destitute.

It was love for you and me

that sent Jesus to the tree

where He died to give us liberty

there on the cross of Calvary.

Liberty, our freedom,

from a lifetime of sins.

Not ever earned, but free,

as Jesus paid the fee.

Simply believe

then receive

God's loving plan of redemption

offering eternal salvation.

Greater love has no one than this,

that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

This is how we know what love is:

Jesus Christ lad down his life for us.

I John 3:16

This is love; not that we loved God,

but that he loved us and sent his Son

as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

I John 4:10

God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

I John 3:1

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

Companions

 

Companions

Have you ever planted something

then waited all summer - but, nothing?

What should have produced

became refuse.

One year I planted sweet walla walla onions

on the reverse side of the fence under the pole beans.

Those onions never amounted to anything.

Later I learned about companion planting.

There's quite a study on plant companions.

Who knew vegetables had foes and best friends?

So bear in mind when planting

your vegetable's companions.

Asparagus is friends with parsley and tomatoes but not with onions.

Beans make friends with everyone except garlic and onions.

The kale family is not too fond of strawberries or tomatoes.

You'll find potatoes are not best friends with pumpkins or tomatoes.

Carrots grow well near most herbs, except for dill.

Do not plant cucumbers near sage, or they will not fare well.

Onions will not grow well planted next to beans or peas

though carrots, lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes love peas.

Companions are not potatoes and tomatoes.

Keep summer squash and zucchini away from potatoes.

Here's another take on companions?

Be sure to plant garlic and onions

here and there for their scent will keep away

those unwanted insects that come as prey.

So sow some garlic seeds around your rose bushes.

Or plant winter onions, or shallots or leeks or such

in between flowers and most vegetables.

You'll find you'll spend less on organic "chemicals".

Because marigolds are highly scented

they will also keep away insects, most unwanted.

Plan to plant marigolds in your vegetable garden.

You'll notice fewer pests will visit your bountiful "Eden".

Not only will nasturtiums add color where planted,

they are also natural bug repellents

and every bit of the plant is edible.

Grow some, then set a designer table.

You might purchase a book about companion planting.

The internet has much to offer if you have time for searching.

Keeping a notebook of what works, or not,

is a good habit this year to start.

* * * * *

The Bible states that David and Jonathan were best friends.

Companions, confidants, closer than brothers, gift-from-God friends.

May you have a friendship like that.

Someone you know who will protect your back.

Someone who laughs with you

and sometimes cries for you.

Who's always there for you

whatever you're going through.

Unfortunately people change, friends may move,

life happens, sometimes not the path we'd chose.

We lose contact.

Who will watch our back?

The Bible states that Jonathan helped David find strength in God.

That's the type of friends we need at all times, not just when times are hard.

God will send these spiritual mentors, if we just ask.

He has someone already prepared just for that task.

Read the verse from Isaiah below.

It contains the answer to woe.

Our strength is to be found in God

for God is with us when times are hard.

Now write Isaiah 46:3-4 on an index card

as a reminder when times are hard.

I have, I am, I will – these are God's promises.

Past, present, and future - guaranteed assurances.

Underscore upholds you, carries you,

sustains you, and will rescue you.

That's a promise -

God's assurance.

Now draw a heart around all the yous and yours.

I count 10 in total. Personal pronouns, those yous and yours.

Personal - with YOU personally/individually in mind.

The Bible assures us you are always on God's mind. (Psalm 8:4-5)

And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh

and helped him find strength in God.

I Samuel 23:16

You whom I have upheld you since you were conceived,

and have carried since your birth.

Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 46:3-4

When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

Psalm 8:3-5

Editing this afternoon, I just read why the zucs didn't produce well and why the potatoes are smaller this year. Apparently because I planted the potatoes on the west side of the fence and the zucs on the east side of the same fence, basically side-by-side. They both grew luscious and very tall, but fruits were disappointing compared to previous years. Now I know. Will I remember? Time will tell.

Toad Abode

 

Toad Abode

Two bricks topped with a flat stone make an abode,

a safe home for a household of garden toads.

Perhaps they'll take cover in this toad abode

when the lawnmower is pushed back and forth and mows,

but quite often they just know

and will follow their nose

to search for toad gold.

Just what is toad gold?

Well, it isn't sold.

It's free, one just knows.

Toads daily look for and slurp this gold

hidden in grass throughout the world.

Under plant's leaves this gold might unfold.

There’s no need to take a census poll.

God provides this load of toad gold,

though some call it gardener's foes.

This free toad gold

might be black as coal.

Usually seen in disguise down by one's toes,

this toad gold might be heaved up by the hoe.

Toad gold is found when seeds are sowed.

Not a welcome sight to behold.

Gardeners are thankful toads

are garden helpers, not foes.

Not as scary as Edgar Allen Poe's

written words in book stores sold,

this toad gold is a toad's -

eureka! - mother lode,

though not the ore gold

to be refined and sold

as coins or blocks of gold.

No, that's not the goal.

Toad

gold

are bugs and slugs, I'm told,

beetles and insects, those foes,

that gardeners throughout the world

are disheartened to behold.

Thankfully, free garden helpers are toads

who slurp their free meals from long tongues rolled...

then take a nap in their toad abode.

Perhaps today you'll make it a goal

to create your own toad abode.

Then create a story that unfolds

for each garden toad

that visits its new abode.

Look. Here comes toad.

He likes his abode.

* * * * *

Our earthly abode is temporal

but there is an abode that’s eternal.

Our eternal home is heaven

when all our sins are forgiven.

Today

just pray,

“Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me

long ago on the cross of Calvary

then rose again on the third day

signifying you took my sins away"

because God loved you long before you were born.

In fact, God speaks about you in the book of Psalms. (see below)

That’s it. Your sins are forgiven.

You now have a home in heaven.

You created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand.

Psalm 139:13-18

It is by grace you have been saved through faith.

Ephesians 2:8

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.

Showers of Blessing

Where do bees go when it's raining?

Inside flowers with trumpets.

Who turned on the light inside morning glories?

Why their Creator, of course.

A reminder to let our light shine

as a testimony of God's faithfulness.

After a hot, dry summer,

today an all-day, much need rain shower!

Showers of blessings!

Music to my ears.

Read this morning blessing means happy.

I'm blessed, and I'm happy with today's blessing of rain!

Certain all vegetation is singing the Allelujah chorus!

Certain many were praying for this much needed rain.

For the earth

which drinketh in the rain

that falleth often upon it

and bringing forth herbs fit for him

by whom it is tilled

receiveth blessings from God.

Hebrews 6:7

I will send down showers in season;

there will be showers of blessing.

The trees of the field will yield their fruit

and the ground will yield its crops.

Ezekiel 34:26-27

Looking forward to bringing in a bounty of vegetables in the morning,

which equals more showers of blessings!