Seashell and White Rocks

Amazing what can be found on the beaches as the debris gets carried by the currents of the wind. The news tell us of the landing of a cement dock from the tsunami in Japan off the coast of Newport, OR. Sunday after church one week, I find myself gravitating to the monster on the sands of Oregon. I find hundreds of on-lookers taking pictures of this strange object. Now that it is here, “what are we to do with it?” is the big question.  Because more debris will be heading this way, the officials have now set up disposal areas to drop off smaller debris when found.  It has no value, so it is now garbage.

Our beaches have been hit hard with other disaster as the oil spills have killed the fowl, fish life and tourism. Months of cleanup challenges business to remain open in hopes of a speedy recovery to no avail.  Many had to shut their doors and move away.  Others hung on to the little they had for it was easier to stay than to move…to where?

Is there a solution to the many that thrive on their ability to make a living on the coastal shores across America if we the people destroy our chances?

Many people long for the days of walking the peaceful beaches looking for that special seashell or that shiny agate.  Building a white rock prayer altar, with the name planted on their heart for much needed prayer. Listening to the slapping of the waves as they hit the sandy shore. Waiting for the sounds to quietly whisper your name as if He had a special message for you.

Reaching for that special white rock only to find your name was to be written on it today as you are the one in need of fervent prayer.  Answer follows with a loving whisper,  “I will provide” and “I will be with you always.”

How does your garden grow?

Gardening is hard work.

The preparation of the soil is not just to throw seeds on the earth but to dig deep into the root system to eradicate any growing weed you don’t want in your garden. If you don’t, you will have unwanted weeds in your garden and the vegetables will fight for the nutrients to produce.  They unfortunately loose the battle to the weeds.

Ironically the weeds don’t need special nutrients to grow.  They can grow in sand, clay, rocks, wet, dry and even saturated wetlands. The soil is tested to see if it has any nutrients in it to grow flowers or vegetables.

You know this is really hard work and costly.  There must be a better way to create your very own vegetable garden than to recreate soil that has been abandoned. Sometimes you have to start from scratch and build your own garden without the trouble of weeds in your garden.

To scrap that whole process, go with the raised bed idea and plant up. Don’t forget to place a barrier to prevent the moles from attacking your young roots.  They have a hard time chewing through mesh.  Create your own recipe with the right nutrients in the compost and mulch to give you a plentiful harvest.

Course there are other problems you will have to deal with as the plants take on form and leaf out.  The four legged creatures as in deer, will enjoy your platter of green leafy vegetables. The insect kingdom is immense and ready to delve into your kingdom of vegetables. Be prepared with any weapon as in soapy sprays, rotten egg smells, and of course lady bugs to attach the aphids. Just know they are coming.

Your life is your garden.

Prepare your soil with nutrients from God’s Word.  Feed it daily with more truths.  Plant seeds of wisdom and knowledge so they can grow into strong plants to be shared with the masses. Let those seed multiply with the warmth of the Son’s love. Living water reaches to the roots of the soul so water daily.

Be prepared of the foes that destroy. Fend them off with words of truth and knowledge.  Know the enemies sneaky tactic as it seeks to devour the young in the darkness of night.  Be vigilant. Be watchful. Pray without ceasing.

The harvest will be plentiful. Rejoice!

Bon Appetit!

Do you plan your tomorrows?

Why do we think we can control our tomorrows?

Oh, but we do!

If today was mediocre; than tomorrow will be an above average day.

One would hope that tomorrow will be better  than today.
If today was splendid; than tomorrow will be superb.

We rarely think tomorrow will be a crappy day;  since today was so awesome.

If we think we are in control of our every waking hour, and see what a splendid day we had, then our tomorrows would be in our control.

But if we believe our day is designed by our Heavenly Father;  we will trust him every step of the way and our day will go just as He planned.

God’s ways are better than my ways.

You are where He wants you; so SHINE and give Him the Glory.

Crossroads…Left or Right?

Have you ever wonder if you took a different path in life how different things would be?  You know, the storybooks of selecting your own ending?  Well, suppose you could do that in real life. Oh, you  already chose your path…but what if it is the wrong path, wouldn’t you want to change it if you could?

I had a fork in my road one year and I chose the tine that gave me this future as I know it, today.  If I had chose the other tine, going left instead of right, would the outcome be better or worse than my today?  Let us suppose it would have be a zillions times worse. What would that look like?

Well, definitely there would have been a different husband or none at all…Let’s go with none for now.  Mr. Right usually is Mr. Wrong.  Being single, raising five teens, or near teens, in a huge city as this left turn  would have lead me into an environment of drugs, alcohol, pregnancies, and some abuse of neglect and abandonment.  The education would falter as one by one the children would drop out of school.  Spiritual teaching was only on the surface or non-existent as this mother tried to fill the void in her life.  She knew right from wrong but continued down this path not looking for a exit sign to get off this road.   Life continued to dish out it’s disappointments after lose of employment or housing and food.  One by one the children found their own way to cope.  Drugs hit them hard, Alcohol ran rampant in their veins. Hallucinations came knocking at the door.  Soon life came crashing down all around her. What was she to do but call for help. She needed to turn her life around and go the other way, trusting life would dish out happiness, forgiveness, and love.

I did make that call for help only to find that was the story of my future.  Life happens because you are in it making all the wrong choices.  Until I changed, nothing changed around me.  Teen pregnancies happened, drugs and alcohol hit hard but did not consume us.  Spiritual leadership was lacking. Emotional abandonment was prevalent as each teen moved away from home without completing their education.  My choice to return after a year separation from my 24 year marriage, proved to be God’s plan after all.  Many lessons of grace, forgiveness and learning to love were on the top of His list. This journey is for a lifetime…it can’t be avoided until it is…The End.

…..lean not on your own understanding….His way are not our ways.

NaNo writing experience

Being new at this writing thing, I jumped in with all fours (coffee, prayer and two hands).  I took on a tall order of writing about my mom coming to Amerika when she was nine.  The ship  left Stavengar, Norway with her pappy at age 17 before he was her pappy, to check out this Amerika thing in 1915.  Hanging out with his cousin in Iowa, Hans had his eye on a gal.  The girls didn’t wait around for the shy ones, they married the first guy that gave them a second look. Hans was a shy one.  His ship left the following fall to return to Norway.  He found his wife in Stavengar as soon as he landed.  He was anxious to return to America to start his new life.  Twelve long years had to pass before he had the money to travel on the SS Stavengar in 1929.  Anna and the three girls followed a year later.  Hans Skrondahl was waiting for them in Ellis Island to show them the promise land in Minnesota.  Course I know how this stories ends so I have to fill in the blanks to find the beginning.  It has been a rewarding challenge as it is still in the womb.

Running In Circles

I am told to walk the straight and narrow, yet I find myself running in circles. The circle encompasses a wide circumference touching many influences along the way.  The running is exhilarating.  It is a lot of fun to go fast and faster, even though I don’t know what lays before me on the track of LIFE. The jumping of hurdles; the avoidance of rocks; using caution on the slippery slope; watching for the potholes are the many hazards on this trek.

How does one enter this dangerous circle?  Do friends pull me into their hectic life and say “Jump on board! It is great running in circles”?  Do they have to coax me to join in their fun?  Do I see they are having fun and I am not?  Is it really fun or just pure craziness?

What is the enticement?  Not wanting to be left out; wanting to belong to a group; the feeling of family; or the need to be loved maybe some of the many reasons for “jumping on board”.

Now that I am “on board” how does it feel?  Am I now running alone?  Where is my direction? Who am I following?  Who is my leader?  What am I chasing?  Does this make me happy to run in circles and not stop to enjoy the scenery?

No!

I jump off!    I joined the straight and narrow.  I enjoy the journey we call LIFE, because it will be over before we realize we didn’t LIVE.

Have a great life.

 

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