TreasuresInTerraCotta

Not a great video, but an amazing and inspiring story!

I harvested some real vegetables today. Cherry tomatoes and a bell pepper. I put them in a salad and ate a couple tomatoes still warm from the garden. Oh so yummy. What do you think of my harvest? How does your garden grow?

I have heard it said that the good is the enemy of the great. I think it actually comes from the business world, but the same has been said inside the church. That becoming too busy with the many good things of God can be the enemy of His best. Today I packed up those "good dishes" and gave them away. Where they end up is out of my hands. It's time to let go of the good so I have room for God's best. I do not pretend to know what "God's best" is in this situation or any situation for that matter, but if obedience to His prompting is the only result it will be worth it. Still it never hurts to pray for exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or imagine. (I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with dishes!) Thank you to the multiple friends who reminded me of that! Now to Him Who, by...His power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infin...

I got married when I was 20 and divorced when I was 23. I could reflect on many different facets from that time of my life. God has taught me so much. But for the last few years I've been sensing God working again directly in this area related to my first marriage. I am thankful that He has been bringing some things full-circle ...and giving me a chance for do-overs. This week, however, God has been at work again. This time, in the china cabinet. In 1997 after three short years of marriage I moved to a little one-bedroom apartment by myself. Like many people do, when I moved out I took "half." I left the every-day dishes and I took the good dishes. Nortake. Squirewood pattern. About $60 per 5-piece place setting. From Dillards. They had been the "good dishes" but I started using them every day. I sat on the couch and ate dinner from them in front of the TV. I put saran wrap over them and put them in the refrigerator. I threw them in the dishwasher....

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground...And Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat..." And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. (Exodus 16: 13-18)

I keep hoping to see major growth in the garden but everything still seems very small. Maybe that's why I'm taking pictures. There's nothing like a daily inspection to make your brain miss the change and growth. That goes for many areas of life. A bumper crop of cherry tomatoes. I love the remnant of the flower at the tip of the tomato. The first thing I usually do when I see those is rub them off, but I don't know why. They are so beautiful. Even though the flower is shriveled and dry it was the start of the fruit. And they some how remind me that food actually grows on real plants in the real outdoors. An unknown squash. The leaves have a mottled silver coloring in them. So pretty. A couple weeks ago I added marigolds to the garden patch. I've always been told they keep bugs away. What I would really like them to do is keep the dogs away! No sooner did I mention that the dogs had stopped digging in the garden then they started again. Regardless, ma...

As a mom I keep finding aspects I love about Children's books. I have discovered a fondness for Children's book author-illustrators. I am impressed that one individual can possess the literary abilities to craft a story and the artistic talent to create pictures to go along with it. I am intrigued by the idea that if an author also illustrates a book then the illustrations truly reflect what the author had in mind. And since it seems like such a daunting task to both write and illustrate, I am also more lenient with an author-illustrator if I perceive some "fault" in the book. Never-the-less books that are "Written and Illustrated by..." are one of my favorite things. Some recent favorites: Duck and Goose by Tad Hills Riki’s Birdhouse by Monica Wellington The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger Bats at the Library by Brian Lies How Big is the World? By Britta Teckentrup A Good Day by Kevin Henkes Big Bear Hug by Nicholas Oldland Mooch and Mutt ...