Category: Gardening

Grounding and Nourishing

Always it’s the ground that draws my heart to reflect on growing. The sky calls to my dreams, but it’s the soil that brings me back to the parables that Jesus spoke, to the sheep and their grazing, to the rains falling on the dry ground.   One of my newer yet old forms of … Continue reading Grounding and Nourishing →

A gift of waiting part 2

  The days of waiting continue.   The burdens for those I love grow heavier. The withdrawal from the Prednisone grows harder to bear in my body. And the cry for "Mercy, Lord Jesus!" echoes in my heart today with these simple words.     Thick rustles cover song almost breathing but tendril was sweet … Continue reading A gift of waiting part 2 →

God in the Garden

    A few weeks ago, I began a writing course with Flourish Writers, called "The Power of Story." Part of the exercises of looking for God in our own stories has been to write our Personal Timeline, marking both the negative and positive experiences. As my friend, Anna Smit, and I have been sharing … Continue reading God in the Garden →

Stop and Smell the Flowers

https://youtu.be/ly1brxz8-24 Fifteen years ago this spring I heard this song for the first time on Christian radio. There were so many good thoughts contained within the song, but this one phrase is what seemed to burn in my heart: "take us to the throne room, in the city of our God" We had just begun … Continue reading Stop and Smell the Flowers →

Oil From the Flinty Crag

The garden center had called to let us know that they would deliver our garden bushes early the next morning. In order to help with lowering the risk of transplant shock, they recommended that we have the holes prepared for the bushes, so they could help us plant them quickly and safely. So my strong, … Continue reading Oil From the Flinty Crag →

The Gardener Sees

This Gardening heart of mine is finding new ways to be satisfied in this Season of Slow. I may have had to change my activities, but I am finding that God still names who I am in the deep places of my heart.Have you heard Him call your name?Have you heard the whisper of "Beloved, follow … Continue reading The Gardener Sees →

The Gardener Must Prune

Hydrangea ArborescensHave you been smitten by the Hydrangea-Love that seems to be overtaking many gardeners? I know I have, but living here in a cold hilly pocket close to Wisconsin lakes, it takes a gamble to risk most varieties. I wrote about my sweet neighbor and the hydrangeas in her Secret Garden here,and the summer that … Continue reading The Gardener Must Prune →

We Are God’s Garden

 Another corner of my garden--God's Garden--where He asks me to sit awhileAnd listen I've been pondering the pictures that my Counselor painted for me last week.  It was a word picture to help explain why my stamina has gone into hiding: What if I could picture my energy and stamina as being contained in one … Continue reading We Are God’s Garden →

Remnants

Awakening   --by Joy Lenton,  from her book,  Seeking Solace   In the quiet morning hour I press my ear to earth And listen with intent,   Because in the stillness I can hear soft breath Of Holy Spirit sighs   Awakening all around And as the world stirs It heeds the call to arise, … Continue reading Remnants →