CHANGE IS GOOD

I was just thinking.......'What has facebook done to the Blog?'.

Just wondering.

It has been a long time since I've posted anything on here. I attribute it to facebook and ....laziness. It's so much easier to go to my home page.....see what's going on and go about my way. That's technology for ya!

Denise and I have been working together now for a month or so. It has been nice seeing her throughout the day. I wasn't sure how it was going to workout at first......but it's worked out nicely. I'm seeing a new side of her. I really appreciate her attention to detail. We're at a phase where we are finishing one job and about to go to another. I'm excited about the change. The job we're finishing has been a wonderful experience. It's stretched both of us into areas that we never knew we could walk in. I'm very thankful for the experience. I never realized how much faith it takes to do what we do. Faith helps us to work hard and finish well. Like I said.....I'm thankful for the experience. I'll post before and after photos soon.

I'm looking forward to the holidays. Thanksgiving is at our doorstep and Christmas is around the corner......time flies. I guess I've been so busy with work that I haven't paid to much attention to the time. It just really dawned on me today how close we were to the end of the year. I feel like I'm just now getting used to 2009......now 2010. Like I said....I'm thankful for the experience.

I guess I'm in a reflective mood......thinking about the last year...last few months....this has been a good year.

Deut. 30:16 'For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.'

-JGR

WE FIVE

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BRANDON HEATH

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FUNNY VIDEO

This is soooo funny.


http://<a href="http://www.cmt.com/video/" target="_blank">Tom Mabe: Eavesdropping</a>

Tom Mabe: Eavesdropping

Goodbye Garden

I had planned to chronicle this year's garden in pictures and prose. I didn't. But, today, I picked the last of the butter beans and green beans; only enough for a meal; and thought of things I've learned.

One verse that kept coming to mind is 1 Corinthians 3:6 "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." Now, I know that Paul is speaking of spiritual concepts here; but, somehow, experiencing this reality through the garden, has brought me greater understanding spiritually.

For instance, in 2006, we were still picking butter beans by the five gallon bucketfuls in November. In 2007, the green bean vines were so laden that it would take me 3 hours to pick two medium rows. Last year, 2008, two very small rows of cucumber vines produced exceedingly well. We had freshly sliced cucumbers every meal, every day. We canned approx. 140 pints of sour pickles and 7 gallons of dill pickles. We gave away approx. 5 or 6 five gallon bucketfuls to family and friends. Each of these years, the other crops produced fairly well and one stood out.

This year has been the strangest. Nothing really stood out, though every thing that produced tasted exceptional, as always! The cucumber vines were looking great, but one afternoon, following a heavy rain, the sun came out and burned them up; no cucumbers. The tomatoes didn't do really well. The green beans did best, I suppose; we had more of them to can. We really enjoyed the corn and okra that we had, and had plenty of a variety of peppers. The butter bean vines were as big and pretty and green as I have ever seen, but produced very little.

Each year, we did all we could do; but ultimately, God gave the increase. We did what we could do, and thankfully enjoyed the increase each year, whatever it was. We didn't become anxious or strive over it because we knew we couldn't make those plants grow or produce.

I can love people. I can pray for them; intercede for them. I can even provide wonderful teachings and music for them. But I can't change their hearts. Only God can change their hearts. So, there is no reason for me to be anxious..."Have faith in God." kdr