THE SEEDS HAVE SPROUTED !!!!!!!!

ONE THING IS FOR SURE , TRUSTING IN THE LORD IS DEFINITELY NECESSARY WHEN YOU TAKE A SEED , PLACE IT UNDER AN 1/8 " OF ORGANIC SOIL IN AN EMPTY EGG CRATE , WATER IT JUST TO KEEP IT MOIST ( YOU KNOW THAT ABSOLUTE BALANCE OF SOMEWHERE BETWEEN NOT TOO DRY & NOT TOO SOGGY ) , GIVE IT AT LEAST 16 HOURS OF COMBINATION SUN & ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT , AND WAIT FOR THE TIME BETWEEN 5-10 DAYS TO SEE GODS "BEHIND THE SCENES " WORK IN ACTION................. IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS CHAPTER 1:11-12 , " Then GOD said,"Let the land produce vegetation : seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so . The land produced vegetation : plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds . And GOD saw that it was good ." ...............LOOKING AT THESE TINY SHOOTS IN THE CRATES MAKES ME FEEL SO DARN SMALL ................ LIKE A GRAIN OF SAND ON A BEACH ....... LOOKING AT THESE SPROUTING PLANTS ALSO MAKES ME THINK EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF SEEDS I AM SOWING FOR GODS KINGDOM ......... THE KIND OF SEEDS I SOW WILL REVEAL TO OTHERS WHO MY SAVIOUR REALLY IS ............WILL I SOW SEEDS OF DECEPTION OR WILL THE SEEDS I SOW REVEAL THE TRUE WORD OF GOD ?........... LIVING FOR JESUS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.....IT MEANS I NEED TO HUMBLE MYSELF AND DO WHAT HIS WORD TELLS ME TO DO ............. AM I PERFECT ? BY NO MEANS .......BUT DO I HAVE THE ABILITY TO LIVE BY HIS WORD ? ONLY WHEN I WALK IN HIS WILL.......... REMINDING ME ONCE AGAIN , JUST HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE LOVE OF MY SAVIOUR ...................HOW ABOUT YOU ......................WHAT KIND OF SEEDS HAVE YOU SOWED TODAY ? .............................................................SUMMER

" WAKE - UP OH SLEEPER "

THE 1ST BOOK OF JONAH IS FILLED WITH SCRIPTURES THAT DEPICT GODS CHILD , JONAH , ON THE RUN .ISN'T IT TRUE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW GODS LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS , WE TOO RUN AWAY FROM OUR LORD AT TIMES DURING OUR STRUGGLES WITH LIFE ; ONLY TO FIND OURSELVES IN AN EVEN BIGGER MESS THAN WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TO RUN . AS JONAH RAN , HIS ESCAPE ROUTE LANDED HIM ON A SHIP. SOON AFTER THE SHIP SET OFF TO SEA , A VIOLENT STORM WAS SENT DOWN BY GOD. AS THE VESSEL THRASHED ABOUT, THE MEN BEGAN TO FEAR THE WORST ,WHILE JONAH TOOK REFUGE BELOW DECK WHERE HE FELL ASLEEP !! ISN'T THIS HOW WE REACT TO OUR LORD AT TIMES ? WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE , FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER , WE CHOOSE TO IGNORE THE GODLY CHOICE AND FALL INTO A SLUMP , SLEEP OR SLUMBER ( WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT ).....WE WONDER THEN WHY DO WE HAVE SO MUCH AGONY , PAIN OR TROUBLE ......WHEN THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE REFUSED TO OBEY THE LORD'S INSTRUCTIONS !! WHEN THE CAPTAIN WENT BELOW DECK HE SAID , " How can you sleep ? Get up and call on your GOD ! Maybe HE will take notice of us , and we will not perish . " ch.1 vs.6 AS THE OTHER MEN BEGAN TO QUESTION HIM JONAH KNEW WHAT HE HAD DONE (RUN FROM THE LORD HIS GOD ) AND WENT ON TO TELL THEM ,"I am a Hebrew and i worship the LORD , the GOD of heaven, who made the sea and the land. " ch.1vs.9 ...... ISN'T IT TRUE TO SAY, AT THE LEAST , THAT WE KNOW WHO THE LORD JESUS IS AND YET WE STILL REFUSE TO OBEY ?..... AS THE STORM CONTINUED JONAH ASKED THE MEN TO THROW HIM OVERBOARD RELYING ON GODS WILL TO CALM THE SEA........ THEY OBLIGED AND IMMEDIATELY THE SEA GREW CALM . WITH THIS THE LORD GAINED FAVOR WITH THESE MEN, BUT AS FOR JONAH ..... HE SPENT THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF OF A WHALE !! ......YOU MAY SAY WHY DID THE LORD HAVE A FISH SWALLOW HIM ?? JUST THE WAY YOU MAY SAY WHY DOES THE LORD ALLOW THIS OR THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME OR SOMEONE I KNOW ? WELL THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN CHAPTER 2 OF THIS PROFOUND BOOK .......JONAH'S PRAYER . ( I SUGGEST HIGHLY THAT YOU READ THIS CHAPTER FOR IT IS REVELLING !! ) JONAH WAS FINALLY WILLING TO LISTEN TO THE WORD OF THE LORD IN CHAPTER 3 AND OBEY THE INSTRUCTION TO GO TO NINEVEH. ...........NOW NINEVEH WAS A VERY VERY POWERFUL CITY ,BUT A MENACE TO THE ISRAELITES . WHEN JONAH ARRIVED ,HE PREACHED THE WORD FROM GOD AND THE NINEVITES CAME TO BELIEVE IN GOD !!!!! ISN'T THIS WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW GOD, WHEN WE ARE OBEDIENT AND PREACH THE WORD FROM THE LORD JESUS ? BUT YOU SEE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED HERE ," When GOD saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, HE had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. " ch.3vs.10..........GOD SHOWED THE NINEVITES HIS UNFAILING AND EVERLASTING MERCY........ DOES NOT THE LORD JESUS SHOW US HIS UNFAILING AND EVERLASTING MERCY WHEN WE REPENT OF OUR SINS , COME TO BELIEVE HE IS LORD AND TURN FROM OUR EVIL WAYS ?THE BOOK OF JONAH IS TRULY A BOOK OF THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT I CHERISH..........................SUMMER

GOD SPEAKS........................

HE SAID, " If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your GOD and do what is right in HIS eyes , if you pay attention to HIS commands and keep all HIS decrees , I will not bring upon you any of the diseases i brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD , who heals you." EXODUS 15:26...........................DO WE LISTEN ?..............................................................SUMMER

1:22 P.M.................

I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES AS I PULLED BACK THE CURTAIN EARLY THIS MORNING...... THERE HE WAS BRIGHTER THAN EVER , WITH NOT A CLOUD IN THE SKY , BEAMING DOWN INTO THE GARDEN , GLISTENING ATOP THE WATER , WARMING MY FACE , CAUSING A STIR IN MY MIND AND A DESIRE IN MY HEART...... MR. SUNSHINE WAS HERE FOR A VISIT !! FROM THE LOOKS OF THINGS I COULD TELL HE WAS BRINGING ALONG A GOOD FRIEND ...... SO I KNEW I NEEDED TO GO THROUGH MY DEVOTIONS , FINISH MY CHORES AND GET DRESSED AS QUICKLY AS I COULD ..........AS THE MORNING ROLLED ON I FOUND THE PRETTIEST SWEATER AND SKIRT, PUT ON A LITTLE ROUGE AND LIPSTICK ,TOSSED MY HAIR UP IN A BUN AND PUT ON MY STRAW HAT .......I WAS JUST ABOUT READY AS THE CLOCK TICKED AWAY TOWARDS THE TIME SHE WAS TO ARRIVE ........ SHE ARRIVED AT 1:22 P.M....... YEP !! MR. SUNSHINES' GOOD FRIEND WAS FINALLY HERE , RIGHT ON TIME , DECKED OUT IN HER FINEST ARRAY AND LOOKING HER BEST....... SHE TOLD ME SHE'D BE STAYING FOR 3 WHOLE MONTHS ......AS I ASKED HER HOW SHE HAD BEEN AND CHECKED HER INTO THE GUEST ROOM , I ASKED HER WHAT HER NAME WAS AND SHE SAID, "MY NAME IS SPRING ; I'VE BEEN WAITING SINCE LAST YEAR TO MEET YOU AND I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE ! " "LIKEWISE ! ", I REPLIED.WITH THAT SHE WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT THE MASTER HAD A WORD FOR ME WHICH WAS , " And why do you worry about your clothes ? See how the lilies of the field grow. they do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how GOD clothes the grass of the field , which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire , will HE not much more clothe you , O you of little faith. So do not worry saying 'What shall we eat ? ' or What shall we drink ? ' or 'What shall we wear ?' For the pagans run after all these things , and your heavenly FATHER knows that you need them .But seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness , and all these things will be given to you . " MATTHEW 6:28-33..... WITH THAT I WAS QUITE HUMBLED TO SAY THE LEAST BUT VERY GRATEFUL THAT SPRING HAD FINALLY ARRIVED !! HOW ABOUT YOU ? ....................SUMMER

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE SPRING !!

TODAY WAS SIMPLY A GORGEOUS DAY FILLED WITH A CRISP MORNING BREEZE , BRILLIANT SUNSHINE , PLENTY OF EARLY MORNING MUSIC FROM THE BIRDS AND MOST OF ALL THE AROMA OF SPRING IN THE AIR . SIR JACK RABBIT WAS HAPPY TO FILL HIS TUMMY WITH SWEET SIGNS OF THE SEASON & OF COURSE OL'MR.SQUIRREL WAS NOT ABOUT TO CALL IT QUITS JUST BECAUSE THE FEEDER WAS OVER CROWDED WITH DOVES, CHICKADEE'S AND SPARROWS ! MORNING DEVOTIONS COME EASY ON DAYS LIKE THIS , MY THOUGHTS PROMPTING ME TO A BOOK OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ,SONG OF SOLOMON. IT IS HERE WHERE WE READ " SEE !THE WINTER IS PAST ; THE RAINS ARE OVER AND GONE. FLOWERS APPEAR ON THE EARTH ; THE SEASON OF SINGING HAS COME, THE COOING OF DOVES IS HEARD IN OUR LAND . THE FIG TREE FORMS ITS EARLY FRUIT ; THE BLOSSOMING VINES SPREAD THEIR FRAGRANCE . ARISE , COME , MY DARLING ; MY BEAUTIFUL ONE , COME WITH ME ." SONG OF SONGS 2:11-13 .WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY TO TURN TO THE SON AND GIVE GOD THE GLORY , WOULDN'T YOU AGREE ?...........................................SUMMER

"A ROAD LESS TRAVELED"

"I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES: FIRST FOR THE JEW,THEN FOR THE GENTILE ."( ROMANS 1:16 )..... THIS IS A SCRIPTURE WHICH BRINGS A PERSON TO A ROAD LESS TRAVELED ...... WE ARE GETTING ALONG JUST FINE IN IN LIFE , TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD ,WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS A "FORK" IN THE ROAD....... WE ARE FACED WITH A DECISION TO MAKE .......DO WE TAKE THE ROAD WHICH IS TRAVELED BY OTHERS , MANY TO BE EXACT, OR DO WE TAKE "A ROAD LESS TRAVELED "? IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO WE ARE ..... MAN OR WOMAN, GENTILE OR JEW, MORAL DO-GOODER OR BLATANT SINNER....... WE ALL STAND GUILTY BEFORE GOD. WHETHER WE ARE BELIEVERS OR NON-BELIEVERS , RICH OR POOR, ATTRACTIVE OR NOT, SMART OR NOT SO SMART, ASSERTIVE OR SHY..... EVERY SINGLE PERSON STANDS CONDEMNED BEFORE GOD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH..... HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE "NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS ."( ROMANS 8:1 ) WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN ? NO DEATH SENTENCE !!!...... SO YOU SAY YOU BELIEVE , YOU'VE REPENTED OF YOUR SIN AND HAVE TAKEN THE LORD INTO YOUR HEART ..... WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT GIFT OF SALVATION ONCE ITS BEEN GIVEN TO US? ( JAMES 2:14-25 ) SO YOU SAY YOU DON'T BELIEVE , THAT THIS IS NOT FOR YOU AND IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER ...... WELL, WHAT IF GOD TRULY DOES GET THE LAST SAY? WILL IT MATTER THEN ?( REVELATION 20: 15 ) .......BEFORE WE DIE IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO GO TO THE LORD JESUS AND ASK HIM FOR FORGIVENESS.... REMEMBER IT IS GOD WHO WILL HAVE THE LAST SAY NO MATTER WHAT WE THINK ...... SO I GUESS " A ROAD LESS TRAVELED " IS REALLY SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT ,ISN'T IT ? P.S. IF YOU DO TALK TO GOD & ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND TAKE THE LORD INTO YOUR HEART , DON'T BE SHY, PLEASE DO LET ANOTHER CHRISTIAN KNOW .......AND REMEMBER , JESUS LOVES YOU !!.............................SUMMER

" BUT FOR ADAM ...........

NO SUITABLE HELPER WAS FOUND.SO THE LORD GOD CAUSED THE MAN TO FALL INTO A DEEP SLEEP; AND WHILE HE WAS SLEEPING, HE TOOK ONE OF THE MANS RIBS AND CLOSED UP THE PLACE WITH FLESH.THEN THE LORD GOD MADE A WOMAN FROM THE RIB HE HAD TAKEN OUT OF THE MAN, AND HE BROUGHT HER TO THE MAN. THE MAN SAID, " THIS IS NOW BONE OF MY BONES AND FLESH OF MY FLESH; SHE SHALL BE CALLED WOMAN , FOR SHE WAS TAKEN OUT OF MAN." FOR THIS REASON A MAN WILL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE UNITED TO HIS WIFE, AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. " GENESIS 2:20-24 I THINK I'LL SPEND SOME TIME TONIGHT WITH MY HUSBAND..................SUMMER

.....and she said, " JUST BE THERE ,THATS ALL."

WOW !!It has been a whole week since i have been here , but time spent away always makes my heart grow fonder of this site ....... I'll share with you a little bit about what happened when my stand at the farmers market closed up for the winter season. A friend of mine called one day ,early on this winter, to ask me if i'd like to help out with the care of her friends mom (95 years young ),who was living alone and in need of some daily care....... I decided to accept thinking that winter season wouldn't feel so cold and spring would arrive sooner than later !! Little did i know that i was about to receive a lesson from my LORD on christian obedience and the different seasons of our lives instead . So early each morning i would begin my day and ask the LORD to reveal to me what it was most that this woman needed besides her basic physical care . He would always bring to my attention that i was to be extra kind and very respectful to her because she was in the winter season of her life . This brought me to the scripture in the OLD TESTAMENT ,"Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your GOD . " LEVITICUS 19:32 I had not known if this woman knew of the LORD, but i did know what the LORD revealed to me as i prayed. And so it was, as i began the long winter season with a 95 year old woman in need of physical care ,kindness and respect . As time passed, there were days on which i was so excited i accepted this assignment that i found myself looking forward to getting up, despite the sub zero temperatures . And then there were those other days where i was so sorry i accepted the request,that i would bury my head under the pillow and wait until the very last minute to dress and go.Through it all however i held true to my obedience to the LORD to be extra kind and respectful. I wondered what it was the LORD was trying to teach me , until just the other day ,as i sat next to her it clicked . As we both sat quietly in the living room i was thinking of how my time spent there was not appreciated as it should be but still yet i asked , " V , can i do anything for you ? " and as she picked up her head and slowly turned to me she weakly stated , " Just be there thats all. " Sometimes the situations in our lives really don't require us to do anything at all but to " just be there ". ...................................................summer

TO MY SWEET PEA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET PEA GRANDAUGHTER............. SHE WAS 9 YEARS OLD TODAY !!!!!!!!!! : ) WHAT A JOY SHE IS TO BE AROUND !!

PAYBACK TIME .......IS IT FOR YOU ?

SO MUCH OF TODAYS TEACHINGS FOCUS ON BLAMING PEOPLE FOR THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE WRONG IN OUR LIVES ...... ACCORDING TO SOCIETY,WE ARE ALL VICTIMS OF SOME SORT ........ WE USE EXUSES FOR THE BEHAVIORS WE DISPLAY , BEHAVIORS INVOLVING CONVERSATIONAL BLEEPS TO MURDEROUS ACTS OF VIOLENCE ..... WHAT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO IS , AS A PEOPLE, WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH FORGIVENESS .YOU SEE, WITH FORGIVENESS COMES THE LETTING GO OF SUCH THINGS AS ANGER ,WRATH ,HATRED AND BITTERNESS ; HENCE REPLACING THEM WITH LOVE, KINDNESS ,COMPASSION AND TENDERNESS .SO HOW DO WE BECOME A FORGIVING PERSON ? WHY SHOULD WE BE A PERSON WHO FORGIVES ? CAN WE DO THIS OR LEARN TO BECOME THIS WAY ON OUR OWN ? THE LORD TELLS US IN MATTHEW 18:21-22 "Then Peter came to JESUS and asked ,"LORD how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me ?Up to seven times ?" JESUS answered , "I tell you , not seven times , but seventy times seven ." SO WE KNOW THAT JESUS WANTS US TO FORGIVE ! IN THIS CHAPTER FURTHER ON DOWN IN VS.35, AFTER JESUS FINISHES EXPLAINING THE STORY OF THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT (I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THIS CHAPTER ) He states ,"This is how my heavenly FATHER will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart . " AGAIN THIS TELLS US THAT WE ARE TO FORGIVE, BUT ONE CANNOT FORGIVE TRUELY FROM ONES HEART WITHOUT KNOWING THAT JESUS HAS FORGIVEN US FIRST...... DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THIS ..... IT IS TRUE. THE LORD JESUS HAD PAID THE PRICE FOR THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND BY DYING ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY !! WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IN CHAPTER 19:28-30 , "Later, knowing that all was now completed , and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled , JESUS said, "Iam thirsty.'' A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it , put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to JESUS' lips. When he had received the drink , JESUS said , "It is finished ."With that , he bowed his head and gave up his spirit ." IT IS TRUE TO SAY JESUS WAS THE LAST BLOOD SACRIFICE . AS WE LOOK UPON HOW GOD FORGIVES US OF OUR SIN WHEN WE REPENT AND TAKE THE LORD JESUS INTO OUR HEARTS WE CANNOT IGNORE THE NEED TO FORGIVE OTHERS THAT HAVE WRONGED US. MATTHEW 5:38-39 STATES "You have heard it said ,'Eye for eye,and toothe for tooth. But i tell you different,do not resist an evil person . If someone strikes you on the right cheek , turn to him the other also." AND IN 1JOHN 1:8-9 , "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins , he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrightousness." IS THIS EASY FOR US ...... NO . IS THIS POSSIBLE FOR US ....... NO. NOT WITHOUT THE LORD JESUS . IN EPHESIANS THE SCRIPTURES TELL US TO, " Get rid of all bitterness,rage anger brawling and slander ,along with with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another , forgiving each other, just as in CHRIST JESUS GOD forgave you. " LET US THINK ABOUT THIS TODAY ....... IS PAYBACK TIME REALLY THE ANSWER ?.............................................SUMMER