When we have an invasion, plague, or onslaught of (unwelcome) critters, it usually doesn’t take long for me to start asking, “Okay, God. What are You after?” (If you’ve been following me for a while, this is not unfamiliar territory. If you haven’t, this is part of following Jesus in Read more…
The branch was cracking near its the main trunk. I’m amazed it survived the last big wind. It was reaching over the yard to the sidewalk almost a dozen feet away. It had borne several large crops of lemons over the last few seasons, but it was not healthy. It Read more…
Sitting in my recently restored quiet space, I saw my little flock of chickens pecking at the greens whose abundant leaves lean against the garden fence. They love the greens, and their beaks don’t reach very far. It’s a reasonable arrangement. A few days ago, however, the fence was left Read more…
God designed and planted the first garden to meet the needs and satisfy the desires of His image-bearers. In it was every tree that was beautiful and fruitful. The gardener in me sighs longingly at this phrase. To grow artichokes for the beauty of them does not deny me a Read more…
It started at 6:19am. A text message arrived, “I need prayer.” I was taking advantage of the opportunity for a little more sleep, actually having a weird dream, so I was glad for the “interruption.” A friend with troubling health conditions was having a rough time prepping for a test, Read more…
Hugelkultur. It’s a fun word to say even if I don’t really know how to pronounce it! There’s supposed to be an umlaut somewhere in that word. I am attempting my first hugelkultur pit or mound. For several years, one of my garden beds has been a brush pile…Yup, a Read more…
Here are a few ways that I have been following Jesus every day in the everyday since my last post. I felt led by the Spirit to write a five-part continuing drama for our church’s vacation Bible school, which, by His grace and power, we have successfully produced for nearly Read more…
This classic pun has been used by comedians since the 1930’s, since our English word “way” refers both to direction and to manner. It’s great comic fodder, as well as a vehicle for understanding how we are to live our lives as Jesus-followers. I have an unusual way of washing Read more…
My grapevines look very sad. And they are teaching me a thing or two, as usual, about God’s pruning. Thanks to the recovery time dictated by a complete knee replacement, they have mostly not yet been pruned. Care for grapevines (if what you are after is fruit) means reduction of Read more…
I am a rich woman! One of my dreams is to have a yard that produces fruit all year ‘round. (Living in central Arizona, that’s definitely a possibility.) One of my goals is to have one homegrown fruit and one vegetable on the table every day. Why? It is because Read more…